Liquid crystal device comprising a plurality of orientation regions through which liquid crystal molecules are circulated and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11435623-B2
Application number	US-202117210515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2021
Priority date	Mar 26, 2020
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

Included are a first orientation region in which a liquid crystal molecule is oriented along a first direction and a plurality of pixels are included; a second orientation region in which a liquid crystal molecule is oriented along a second direction intersecting the first direction and a plurality of pixels are included; a third orientation region in which a liquid crystal molecule is oriented along a third direction intersecting the second direction and opposite to the first direction and a plurality of pixels are included; and a fourth orientation region in which a liquid crystal molecule is oriented along a fourth direction intersecting the third direction and opposite to the second direction and a plurality of pixels are included.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid crystal device comprising:
a first orientation region in which a liquid crystal molecule is oriented along a first direction and a plurality of pixels are included;
a second orientation region in which a liquid crystal molecule is oriented along a second direction intersecting the first direction and a plurality of pixels are included;
a third orientation region in which a liquid crystal molecule is oriented along a third direction intersecting the second direction and opposite to the first direction and a plurality of pixels are included; and
a fourth orientation region in which a liquid crystal molecule is oriented along a fourth direction intersecting the third direction and opposite to the second direction and a plurality of pixels are included,
wherein the first orientation region and the third orientation region are located directly between the second orientation region and the fourth orientation region, and the second orientation region and the fourth orientation region are located directly between the first orientation region and the third orientation region,
wherein the first direction, the second direction, the third direction, and the fourth direction together correspond to a counterclockwise direction such that the liquid crystal molecule oriented along the first direction is directed toward the second orientation region, the liquid crystal molecule oriented along the second direction is directed toward the third orientation region, the liquid crystal molecule oriented along the third direction is directed toward the fourth orientation region, and the liquid crystal molecule oriented along the fourth direction is directed toward the first orientation region, and the liquid crystal molecules in the first, second, third and fourth orientation regions are circulated through the first, second, third and fourth orientation regions along the counterclockwise direction.

2. A liquid crystal device comprising:
outside a pixel area,
a first orientation region in which a liquid crystal molecule is oriented along a first direction, and
a second orientation region in which a liquid crystal molecule is oriented along a second direction intersecting the first direction;
in the pixel area,
a third orientation region in which a liquid crystal molecule is oriented along a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction such that the liquid crystal molecule moves from the second orientation region to the first orientation region; and
outside the pixel area,
a fourth orientation region in which a liquid crystal molecule is oriented along the first direction, the fourth orientation region being opposed to the first orientation region with the third orientation region interposed between the first orientation region and the fourth orientation region, and
a fifth orientation region in which a liquid crystal molecule is oriented along the second direction, the fifth orientation region being opposed to the second orientation region with the third orientation region interposed between the second orientation region and the fifth orientation region,
wherein the third orientation region is adjacent to the first orientation region, the second orientation region, the fourth orientation region, and the fifth orientation region,
wherein the first direction, the second direction and the third direction together correspond to a first circulation direction in the first, second and third orientation regions such that the liquid crystal molecules are configured to circulate through the first, second and third orientation regions along the first circulation direction, and the second direction, the first direction and the third direction together correspond to a second circulation direction in the fifth, fourth and third orientation regions such that the liquid crystal molecules are configured to circulate through the fifth, fourth and third orientation regions along the second circulation direction.

3. An electronic device comprising the liquid crystal device according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Ota Takuya

Classifications

• G02F1/133742

  for homeotropic alignment · CPC title

• G02F1/133761

  with different pretilt angles · CPC title

• G02F1/133757 Primary

  with different alignment orientations · CPC title

• G02F1/13373

  Disclination line; Reverse tilt · CPC title

• G02F1/1337

  Surface-induced orientation of the liquid crystal molecules, e.g. by alignment layers · CPC title