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`[s 1 LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE ,
`[75]v Inventors: Kenjiro Yagi, Tokyio- YujiKoike,
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`Matsudo; "1mm K011i, Tokymall
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`of Japan
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`rystal Display Device, IBM ,
`Disc]. 121111., .vol. 14,190. 1, p. 223, June 1911.
`Young. “Combination Re?ective/‘transmissive L
`Crystal Display,” IBM Tech. Discl. BulL, vol. 15, l~
`pp 24354436. Jam 1971
`_
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`i "[22] Filed:
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`‘ sepi- 6, 1974 ' ~ '
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`- P?mryExambwr-JohnKCorbin 3
`Assistant Examiner-Matthew W. Koren
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`[56]
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`[511 '
`‘
`FereignApplicationPriorityData ‘
`A liquid crystal display device includes a display 1
`Sept. 7. 1913
`Japan .......................... .. 48400898
`comprised of upper and lower transparent plates
`" Sept. 21. 1973 Japan ..................... .. 48~ll0675lU1
`ing a liquid crystal material sandwiched therebetn
`Sept. 2!, I973 Japan ................... .. 48-1 l0676lU]
`A re?ecting plate having a roughened upper surfa
`>
`bcneath the fowgf tfansparcnt plate wi?
`K;
`LC;
`US. Cl. ............... .0 .... ..
`240/1 EL roughened surface facing the‘lower transparent p
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`- [5]] lat. Cl.z ......................................... .. GDZF Ill3 A light source is located alongside one side edge 0
`[58] M 0‘ Search --------- -- 350/160 LC; 40/130 K;
`re?ecting plate and coacts with a light~re?ecting l
`r
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`240/] EL. 2 AT which encases the display panel, light source am
`-
`?eeting plate to direct the light emitted from the
`,
`source throughout all portions of the display panel
`References Cm‘.
`locating the light source along the side of the re?et
`UNITED STATES PATENTS
`late and b emplo in the li ht re?ectin hood
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`Stewart .............. ...... .. 40/130 1: x
`2,247,969 1/1941
`"sultan! "qmd "N81 ‘1181313,! dm“ may ‘2° "
`2,831,453 4/1958 ' Hardesty .................... ..40/1301(x
`3,262,224 7/1966 Hardesty ..................... 40/130 K "I"! "1111. and therefore Suitable for use "I 1
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`, 3,328,570 ‘611967 Balchunas ................ .. 240/1 EL x
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`- 3,653,l38 4/1972 Cooper ............. .m 350/100 LC ux
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`3,881,809 5/1975‘ Ferguson et a].
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`350/160 LC
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`" I LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE
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`' FIG. 4 is a plan view of another embodiment of th
`invention incorporating a light-distributing device, an
`shows light distribution at the same time,
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`FIG. 5 is a perspective plan view showing a light-dis
`de- 5 tributing device,
`a
`' '1; This invention relates to a liquid crystal
`FIG. 6 shows cutting angle of the cut out portiol
`‘ vice
`therein an illumination lamp.
`A liquid crystal display device is suitable for use as a
`which is made on the light-distributing device.
`display deviceofawristwatchbecauseitiseasyto
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
`' make andcanbemade verythimandthepowercom
`‘ sumption is comparatively low. However, since liquid 10 In FIG. 1, tramparent glass plates I and 2 are dis
`posed in parallel with an intervening spacer 3 therebe
`. crystal material‘does not itself emit light, the display
`acannotbeseenverywellatadarkplacefl‘hedisplay
`tween, and nematic-phase liquid crystal material 4 wit]
`can be readoutbyre?ectinglightprovidedbyanout
`a positive dielectric ani sotropy is tilled in this'space. .4
`transparent electrode (not shown) is formed on thi
`side light source.
`-
`'
`In orderto readoutthedisplayatadarlrplace, par- 15 surface ofsaid glass plates 1 and 2where theycontac
`~ ‘ticularly at night, alight source must be incorporated
`with said liquid crystal material 4.
`'
`»
`'
`r'Apolarizersisdisposedontheglassplate l and:
`into the display device.
`‘
`crosedanalyzer6isdi'sposedmdertheglassplate2
`Therearemtypesofilluminationmeansforillumi-
`nating the liquid crystal material, the light transmission
`Moreover, a transparent relecting plate 7 made of a
`type and light re?ecting type. in the display device of 20 material having a high refractive index is disposer
`the former, the light source is located at the back
`under the analyzer 6. At the bottom of the reflectini
`thereof so that light istransmitted directly through the
`plate 7, metallic ?lm 75 such as silver or aluminun
`liquid crystal material, on the other hand, in the display
`which re?ects light is coated by vacuum evaporation
`device of the light re?ecting type, the light source is
`and a roughened surface 70 which scatters light is lo
`located at the front thereof and re?ected back into the 25 cated at the top ofthe plate 7 by fluid horning or chem
`liquid crystal material. However, the construction of
`ical etching.
`-
`thesedisplaydeviceshastlsedefectofthe
`AsourceofillurninationcomprisingalampBisdis
`overall thickness of the device thereby making them
`posed at the side of the display panel and beneath tln
`glassplate lasshowninFlG. LAfocusinghood9i
`t lesssuitableformeinsmallwristwatches.
`30 disposed behind the lamp 8 to heighten the illuminatior
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`7
`effect by re?ecting and redirecting the light toward:
`theglassplate2.ItismadeofathinplatesuchasBe-Ct
`According to this invention, a liquid crystal display
`'devicesuitableformeinawristwatchhasadisplay
`alloy or phosphor bronze and has a parabolic 'surfacr
`withthelampSbeingpositionedatthefocalpoirr
`whichcanbereadoutinadarkplaceandincludesa
`lampdisposed'atthesideofthedisplaypanelasop- 35 thereof?l‘he hood 9 is treated with heatto impan
`posed to the front or back.
`-
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`V thereto elasticity, after which it is plated with nickel or
`. Illumination efficiency is heightened by employing a
`silver to give it a good reflecting surface for light. Lam;
`focusing hood which covers the lamp with the lamp
`8 is positioned and fixed at the appropriate place in the
`being positionedatthefocal point ofthehoodand
`hood9andleadwires8aand8bextendthroughaholt
`beingconnectedtcleadwiresextendingthroughahole 40 9ainthehocd9.
`’
`"
`iinthehood.
`‘
`The display panel has side reflecting plates 10, ll, 11
`Itiseasiertoreadthedisplayaccoldingtotheinven-
`andabottomreflectingplate?allofwhichareplated
`tion atadarlr place because itincludcsalight-distribut-
`like the hood 9. In the ‘embodiment shown in FIG. 2
`ingdevicewhich distributes light all overthedisplay
`theyare all constructed fromonesheet ofthin meta‘
`panel.
`45plate,buttheycanalsobeconstructedasseparatr
`'l‘hereforetheprimaryobjectofthisinventionisto
`partsEachsidereflectingplatelOJLlZhasaprojec
`provide a liquid crystal display device having illumina- ' tion 100, 11a, 124 respectively, which is bent over at
`withoutincreasingthethick-
`showninthedrawingsoastoreceiveandholdaliquid
`crystaldisplaypanel.'l‘heoverallliquidcrystaldispla3
`nessofthedevice.
`Anotherobjectofthe invention isto heighten the $0 deviceconstmctedinthisfashionisshowninFlGS.
`efficiencyol‘theilhnninationmeansga
`Whenthelamp8isturnedon,thelighttherefrom
`focusinghoodwhichcoveraalampandare?ecting lentersintothedisplaypanelfro'rnthesideoftheglasl
`platebuiltintothe'displaydevice. '
`4
`plate2andthereflectingplate7.$incethelamp8i1
`Astillfurtherobjectoftheinventionistoobtain
`locatedatthefocusofthehood9,almosteveryinci
`‘uniformillurninationalloverthedisplaypanelincorpo- $5 dent lightbeamisparalleltotheglassplatez.
`rstingalightdevieeintothedisplaydevice.
`Incident light entering the side of the re?ecting plptl
`'llieforegoingobjectssndmrobjectsasweilathe
`7isre?ectedbyrnetallic?lm7b,byeachside
`characteristic features of the invention will become
`plate 19, 11,12andbytltebottornrellectingplate l3
`moreapperentandmorereadilyunderstandablebythe
`'I‘hisreflectedlightisscatteredbytheroughenedsur
`followingdescriptionandtheappendedclaimswhen 60 face7a.scatteredlightmayreachanobeerverviatln
`'°“’ "' °°""““°°°°’ ""‘mm ““ “‘“'"”‘‘
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`fromtheglassplatel'l‘hiscausesthedisplaypaneltc
`FIG. I isacmss-sectionalviewofaliquidcrystal
`becomebrightersothatthedisplayeanbeseenatr
`display device wording to the invention,
`65 darkplace.
`FIG. I; isa
`'
`viewofare?ectingdevice,
`lfdesired,eitherthebottomreflectingplate 130ml!
`FIG.3isap_lnviewofthedisplsydeviceshownin
`re?ecting mirrormrface 7b maybeeliminated withoui
`gmuchofalonsintheillugninationetl'ect.
`7
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`Pretech_000427
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`_ The device!‘ has a prisms: cut out portions-14a: >
`-, 144 which are aligned with one another, and one end
`portion MemaybecutasshowninFlGJr'lhedevice'
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`of said re?ecting plate; .
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`. FlG.4isaplar;r-viewsl\owinganotherernbodirrtentof
`' the invention
`incorporates light-distributing
`meansatthebottomofthedisplaypaneltoimprovethc
`light distribution. The rest of the parts are similar to
`' thoseoftheahovementioneddisplaydeviceat
`The light-distributing
`devices I‘
`and l$disposedatbothsidesofalamp8althoughthe
`device l5maybeeliminatedasthecasemaybe.1‘hey
`are made of material‘ having .the propertiesofihigh
`for light and good workability such as
`
`' “4911.155
`ingzadisplaypanelcomprisedofupperandlower
`transparent plates having liquid crystal material sand
`wiched therebetween; a re?ecting plate disposed be
`neath said lower
`nt plate and having a rough
`ened upper surface facing said 1.03m! transparent plate;
`an encrgizeable light
`disposed laterally adjacet!
`one side edge of said re?ectinglplate
`positioned to
`direct lightwhen said light source, is energized through
`said re?ecting plate; and light-distributing means sub
`10 stantially encasing
`display panel,! re?ecting plate
`and light source except for said upper‘trarnsparent plate
`and forming therewith a thin
`compact liquid crystal
`display device for e?'cctivclydistributing the light emit
`ted by said light source into said re?ecting plate and
`throughout said display’, panel, said light-distributing
`[7,.
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`lsisalsornadelikethedevice l4.
`means ‘ including means located alongside said light
`' 'l'hecrosssectionofeachcutoutportionisvshaped
`source and extending along said one’ side edge of said
`as shown in FIG. 6. The cutting angle 6 is determined
`re?ecting plate for re?ectingrlight at discrete points
`by the particular material which is used for the devices
`therealong into said re?ecting plate.
`14 and 15. For example, in the case of Acril resin, the
`' 2. A liquid crystal display device according to claim
`critical light refraction angle from the inside to the 20
`I; wherein saidlightdistributingmeans includes a fo
`‘outside ofthe device babout 42°.
`.
`-_.
`5
`cussing hood having bottom and side walls, the inner
`' Therefore assuming that incident light from the lamp
`surfaces of said bottom; and‘side walls being coated
`Stothedevice l4 isparalleltothelongitudinalaxisof
`with a light-re?ecting material and the side wall portion
`the device 14 and
`that said cutting angle 0 is
`adjacent said light source beingcurved to re?ect light
`. more than 42°, incident light striking the incident surf :5
`emitted by said light source
`said one side edge
`face will be wholly re?ected as depicted by the solid _.
`arrows in 1-16. ‘(Then it ispractical to determine. in
`to claim
`3. A-liquid crystal display
`case of Acril resin, that the cutting angle 6 is about 45‘.
`2; wherein the curved side wall portion iscurved in the
`All ofthc re?ecting surfacesofthe devices I,‘ and 15
`' mustbe polished and have a mirrorlilte ?nish. Other- 30 shape of a parabolic re?ector having a given focal
`point; and wherein said light source is
`at said
`wise, if they had roughened surfaces, the incident light
`focal . point . so that light re?ected by said parabolic
`wouldbescattcredandtheilluminatione?'ectwouldbe '
`re?ector enters said re?ecting plate substantially paral
`
`leltothemajoraxisthereo?. _.
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`andl5.~ ‘_
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`shapessuchascircularshapeorcurvedshape. _,
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`showthereflectedlightdistributioncausedbythecut
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`panel. .
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`,Attheotherendcfthedevicesldjand ISarepro
`videdstoppers "and 17 rnadeofpolished metal re- 35 -4.Aliquidcrystaldisplaydeyiceaccordingtoclaim
`3;whereinsaidcurvedsidewallportionhasanopening
`spectively. They are provided forére?ecting the light
`againwhichpassesthroughtherespectivedevices“
`therein; and said light source includes a set of lead
`wires extending through said opening.
`5. A liquid crystal d‘nplay device according to claim
`The cut out portions-are V shaped in this embodi'
`ment, however, the invention is not lirnitedto a V 40 2; whereinsaidlight-d'ntributingrneansincludesacoab
`shape. They may be replaced alternatively by other
`ing of lighbre?ecting material on the lower surface of ‘
`saidre?ectingplate.
`‘_
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`QAIiquidcrystaldisplaydeviceaccordingtoclain
`With_referenceagaintoFlG.4,whenthelamplis
`2; further including apolarizer and a crossed analyzer
`turned on, the light is distributed asrepresented the
`‘dotted linesA-Q'l‘hedottedlfzneAshowsdirectlight 4S spaced apartfrorn oneanotherandhavingsandwiched
`distributionfrornthelampdandthedottedlinesB-G
`therebetween insuperposed relationship said display
`7.Aliquidcrystaldisplaydeviceaccordingtoclaia'
`hwhereinsaidmeansforre?ectinglightatdiscrete
`Asmaybeseeninm.4,theliquiri:rystaldisplay
`device incorporating the
`devices ef- 50 points therealong intosaid re?ecting plate comprises
`t'ectivelydistributelighttoalrnosteveryareaofthe
`anelongatedbodycomposedofamaterialwhichi_
`- displaypaneLllluminationef?ciencyissuperiortotlut
`transmissive'tolightarxihavingatspacedlocatiom
`ofaconventionaldisplaydevicewithoutusingmcha
`thereslongcut-outsonthesideofsaidelongatedhody
`oppositesaidvmesideedgeofsaidre?ectingplate,said
`device
`'.
`ernbodimentsot'the
`have 55 cut-outshavirgacuttinganglegreaterthanthecritical
`light refraction angle for that material so that liglt
`beenshownanddeseribeditvrillbeunderstoodthat
`manyrnodi?cstionsandchangescanbemadewithin
`'rg interiorly of and longitudinally along said
`elongatedbodyandstriiringthecutmtsurr‘aceswillbe '
`thetruespiritandscopeoftheinvention.
`re?ectedbmltthmghsaidelongatedbodytowardaaid
`Weclairn:
`LAlkpddmystaldkphydevicemhaHythinand?Omesideedgeofaidnfbcdng
`eompact?ormeinwristwatchesandthelikecompris
`aaaea
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`Pretech_000428