Dimming device and display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12189222-B2
Application number	US-202117623334-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2021
Priority date	Dec 16, 2021
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

A display device and a dimming device are provided. A dimming layer is located between a first polarizer and a second polarizer whose transmission axes are parallel to each other. When the display device is in a first display mode, long axes of the liquid crystal molecules distributed in the first polymer network are arranged along the second direction, and long axis of the liquid crystal molecules distributed in the second polymer network are arranged along the third direction. The third direction and the second direction respectively point to opposite sides of a normal line of the first polarizer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display device, comprising:
a display panel;
a first polarizer, located on a light-emitting side of the display panel;
a dimming layer, disposed on a side of the first polarizer away from the display panel, wherein the dimming layer comprises at least one first area and at least one second area alternately arranged along a first direction, the first direction is perpendicular to a thickness direction of the dimming layer, the thickness direction of the dimming layer is a direction of the dimming layer pointed to the first polarizer, and the dimming layer comprises:
a first polymer network liquid crystal, located in the first area of the dimming layer and comprising a first polymer network arranged along a second direction and liquid crystal molecules distributed in the first polymer network, wherein the second direction is inclined with respect to the normal line of the first polarizer; and
a second polymer network liquid crystal, located in the second area of the dimming layer and comprising a second polymer network arranged along a third direction and liquid crystal molecules distributed in the second polymer network, wherein the third direction is inclined with respect to the normal line of the first polarizer, and the third direction and the second direction point to opposite sides of the normal line of the first polarizer, the third direction and the second direction are parallel to a plane defined by the first direction and the thickness direction of the dimming layer; and
a second polarizer is located on a side of the dimming layer away from the first polarizer, and a light transmission axis of the second polarizer is parallel to a light transmission axis of the first polarizer;
wherein in a case that the display device is in a first display mode, long axes of the liquid crystal molecules distributed in the first polymer network are arranged along the second direction and long axes of the liquid crystal molecule distributed in the second polymer network are arranged along the third direction.

2. The display device in claim 1 , wherein in a case that the display device is in a second display mode, long axes of at least part of the liquid crystal molecules distributed in the first polymer network are arranged along a fourth direction, and long axes of at least part of the liquid crystal molecules distributed in the second polymer network are arranged along a fifth direction, the fourth direction is different from the second direction and the third direction, and the fifth direction is different from the second direction and the third direction, and a visual angle of view of the first display mode is less than a visual angle of view of the second display mode.

3. The display device in claim 2 , wherein the display device further comprises:
a first electrode layer comprising a plurality of first electrodes arranged at intervals and along the first direction, wherein a gap is formed between two adjacent first electrodes, and each first electrode is arranged corresponding to the first area and the second area adjacent to each other; and
a second electrode layer arranged opposite to the first electrode layer;
wherein one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is located between the first polarizer and the dimming layer, and the other of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is located between the second polarizer and the dimming layer;
the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are used to apply a voltage to the dimming layer so that the long axes of at least part of the liquid crystal molecules distributed in the first polymer network are switched between the second direction and the fourth direction, and the long axes of at least part of the liquid crystal molecules distributed in the second polymer network are switched between the third direction and the fifth direction.

4. The display device in claim 3 , wherein the display device further comprises:
at least one third electrode arranged in the same layer as the first electrode layer, and each of the third electrodes is arranged in the gap between two adjacent first electrodes, and a dimension of the third electrode in the first direction is less than a dimension of the first electrode in the first direction.

5. The display device in claim 4 , wherein in a case that the display device is in the second display mode, the third electrode is loaded with the same voltage as the first electrode layer.

6. The display device in claim 1 , wherein a difference between an angle formed between the second direction and the normal line of the first polarizer and an angle formed between the third direction and the normal line of the first polarizer is less than or equal to 10 degrees.

7. The display device in claim 6 , wherein the second direction and the third direction are symmetric with respect to the normal line of the first polarizer.

8. The display device in claim 2 , wherein the fourth direction is the same as the fifth direction, and the fourth direction is parallel to or perpendicular to the normal line of the first polarizer.

9. The display device in claim 1 , wherein the display device further comprises:
a third polarizer positioned on a side of the display panel away from the first polarizer, wherein a transmission axis of the third polarizer is perpendicular to the transmission axis of the first polarizer.

10. The display device in claim 9 , wherein the display device further comprises:
a collimated backlight located on one side of the third polarizer away from the display panel.

11. The display device in claim 1 , wherein the first direction is a length direction or a width direction of the display device.

12. The display device in claim 1 , wherein in the case that the display device is in the first display mode, orthographic projections of the long axes of the liquid crystal molecules distributed in the first polymer network on the first polarizer are parallel to the transmission axis of the first polarizer, and orthographic projections of the long axes of the liquid crystal molecules distributed in the second polymer network on the first polarizer are parallel to the transmission axis of the first polarizer.

13. A dimming device, the dimming device having a first mode, and the dimming device comprising:
a first polarizer;
a dimming layer, arranged on a side of the first polarizer, and the dimming layer comprising at least one first area and at least one second area alternately arranged along a first direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to a thickness direction of the dimming layer, the thickness direction of the dimming layer is a direction of the dimming layer pointed to the first polarizer; and the dimming layer comprises:
a first polymer network liquid crystal, located in the first area of the dimming layer and comprising a first polymer network arranged along a second direction and liquid crystal molecules distributed in the first polymer network, wherein the second direction is inclined with respect to the normal line of the first polarizer; and
a second polymer network liquid crystal, located in the second area of the dimming layer and comprising a second polymer network arranged along a third direction and liquid crystal molecules distributed in the second polymer network, the third direction is inclined with respect to the normal line of the first polarizer, and the third direction and the second direction point to opposite sides of the normal line of the first polarizer, the third direction and the second direction are parallel to a plane defined by the first direction and the thickness di

Assignees

• Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• He Rui
• Mei Xindong
• Ye Wenlong
• Deng Qian
• Cheng Wei

Classifications

• G02F1/133528

  Polarisers · CPC title

• G02F1/13345

  Network or three-dimensional gels · CPC title

• G02F2201/44

  Arrangements combining different electro-active layers, e.g. electrochromic, liquid crystal or electroluminescent layers · CPC title

• G02F2203/48

  Variable attenuator · CPC title

• G02F1/1347

  Arrangement of liquid crystal layers or cells in which the final condition of one light beam is achieved by the addition of the effects of two or more layers or cells · CPC title