GB2090036A - Liquid Crystal Display Device - Google Patents
Liquid Crystal Display Device Download PDFInfo
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- GB2090036A GB2090036A GB8138483A GB8138483A GB2090036A GB 2090036 A GB2090036 A GB 2090036A GB 8138483 A GB8138483 A GB 8138483A GB 8138483 A GB8138483 A GB 8138483A GB 2090036 A GB2090036 A GB 2090036A
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- segment electrodes
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- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
- G02F1/01—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour
- G02F1/13—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
- G02F1/133—Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements
- G02F1/1333—Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methods
- G02F1/1343—Electrodes
- G02F1/134309—Electrodes characterised by their geometrical arrangement
- G02F1/134327—Segmented, e.g. alpha numeric display
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- G—PHYSICS
- G04—HOROLOGY
- G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
- G04G9/00—Visual time or date indication means
- G04G9/0023—Visual time or date indication means by light valves in general
- G04G9/0029—Details
- G04G9/0035—Details constructional
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- Mathematical Physics (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)
- Liquid Crystal (AREA)
- Electric Clocks (AREA)
Abstract
A liquid crystal display device has a pair of opposing substrates (1, 2) with liquid crystal material therebetween, having respectively segment electrodes (4, 11) and common electrodes (6, 7, 13). The common electrode (6) is formed over a segment electrode (4) on the substrate (1) and defines an effective area of the segment electrode. A display pattern is formed by applying between voltage to a combination of a segment electrode (4) and common electrode (6) on one substrate and a segment electrode (11) on the other. Common electrode (13) differs in voltage from electrodes (4) and (6) by less than threshold. Two different display modes are available by choice of substrate for the segment electrodes. Applications to a timepiece are discussed. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Liquid Crystal Display Device
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device.
Liquid crystal display devices are widely used as the display devices for portable electronic equipment such as electronic watches, electronic clocks, electronic calculators or the like since liquid crystal display devices have small power consumption. Most of the liquid crystal display devices which are used for electronic equipment have a single-layered construction in which liquid crystal is sealed between a pair of substrates and a pair of electrodes are arranged on the inner surfaces of the pair of electrodes. Recently, however, a liquid crystal display device having a two-layered structure whose two layers are alternately driven, is commercially available so that two kinds of display modes may be accomplished.
However, in the two-layered liquid crystal display device, when two liquid crystal display cells are substantially combined to make one twolayered liquid crystal display device, the thickness of the device is large, although this type of liquid crystal display device has an advantage in that the display capacity is substantially twice the display capacity of two liquid crystal display devices.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a thin type liquid crystal display device which performs two kinds of display modes in the same display area.
In order to achieve the above and other objects of the present invention, there is provided a liquid crystal display device comprising: a liquid crystal material which is sealed between a pair of substrates opposing each other with a predetermined gap therebetween; display electrodes which are arranged on inner surfaces of said pair of substrates; and opposing electrodes which are arranged on respective inner surfaces of said display electrodes through insulating layers except for effective regions of said display electrodes on the same side, and each of which opposes said display electrode on the opposing side.
According to the present invention, a liquid crystal display device having a single-layered structure and the same display function as a twolayered liquid crystal display device is accomplished. Further, the connection of lead wires for the display electrodes is easily accomplished.
The other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a description with reference to the accompanying drawings hereinafter.
This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one embodiment of a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a bottom view of an upper substrate of the liquid crystal display device of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of a lower substrate of the liquid crystal display device of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a liquid crystal display device according to another embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 5 is a bottom view of an upper substrate of the liquid crystal display device of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a plan view of a lower substrate of the liquid crystal display device of Fig. 4;;
Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a liquid crystal display device according to still another embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 8 is a bottom view of an upper substrate of the liquid crystal display device of Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 is a plan view of a lower substrate of the liquid crystal display device of Fig. 7;
Figs. 10 and 11 are views for explaining a display example of the liquid crystal display device of Fig. 7; and
Figs. 1 2A to 1 2F are views for explaining the steps of manufacturing the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention.
One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a liquid crystal display device in which a pair of substrates 1 and 2 are adhered interposing a sealing member 3 of frame-shape therebetween. Further, liquid crystal (not shown) is filled between the pair of substrates 1 and 2. The pair of substrates 1 and 2 comprises a transparent material, for example, glass. A plurality of static drive segment electrodes 4 and lead wires 4a are arranged on the inner surface of one of the. substrates 1 and 2, for example, on the lower surface of the upper substrate 1. The pattern of the static drive segment electrodes 4 is shown in Fig. 2. The surface of the substrate 1 on which the static drive segment electrode 4 is formed is covered with a transparent insulating layer 5 of a material such as SiO2.On the transparent insulating layer 5 are formed first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 which are defined as the opposing electrodes opposite to the display electrode which is formed on the other substrate.
The second dynamic drive common electrode 7 is formed on the transparent insulating layer 5 through a transparent insulating layer 8 which is made of the same material as the transparent insulating layer 5. The pattern of the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 together with lead wires 6a and 7a thereof is shown in Fig. 2. The transparent insulating layers 5 and 8 and the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 are formed except for effective regions of the static drive segment electrodes 4. The effective regions here mean the regions which correspond to the actual display pattern. In this embodiment, the static drive segment electrodes 4 are formed slightly larger than the actual display pattern.The first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 have openings 9 and 10 which exactly correspond to the actual display pattern and which overlap with the static drive segment
electrodes 4. Therefore, the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 are also defined as shield electrodes which define the effective regions of the static drive segment electrodes 4. The potential difference between a shield signal and a static common signal which is supplied to a static drive common electrode 1 3 to be described later is smaller than the potential difference between the threshold voltage of the liquid crystal and the static common signal. The shield signal is supplied to the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 when a static drive segment signal is supplied to the static drive segment electrodes 4.Therefore, even if the static drive segment electrodes 4 are formed slightly larger than the actual display pattern, a voltage higher than the threshold voltage of the liquid crystal is applied only to the area of the actual display pattern, that is, the areas in which the openings 9 and 10 of the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes overlap with the static drive segment electrodes 4. Further, in this embodiment, since the static drive segment electrodes 4 are formed slightly larger than the actual display pattern, the openings 9 and 10 which are formed on the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 are easily aligned with the static drive segment electrodes 4. The first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 are formed in different layers.If the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 are formed on the same plane, an insulating gap must be formed between the adjacent common electrodes 6 and 7. Further, if unnecessary parts (parts except for the effective areas) of the static drive segment electrodes 4 and lead wires 4a are aligned opposite to each other, they cannot be shielded. Therefore, when the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 are formed in the different layers as described above, the edges of the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 are formed in an overlapped manner as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this manner, the unnecessary parts of the static drive segment electrodes 4 and the lead wires 4a are completely shielded.In this arrangement, the second dynamic drive common electrode 7 which is formed above the first dynamic drive common electrode 6 functions as the shield electrode which defines the first dynamic drive common electrode 6.
A plurality of dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 are formed as the display electrodes on the inner surface of the other electrode, that is on the upper surface of the lower substrate 2. The pattern of the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 is shown in Fig. 3.
Referring to the Figure, each pair of dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 are commonly connected together. One dynamic drive common electrode 6 opposes one of each pair of dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 , and the other dynamic drive common electrode 7 opposes the other of each pair of dynamic drive segment electrodes 11. The surface of the lower substrate 2 on which the display electrode 11 is formed is also covered with a transparent insulating layer 12. On the surface of the transparent insulating layer 12 is formed a static drive common electrode 1 3 which is the opposing electrode of the static drive segment electrodes 4 which are formed on the upper substrate 1.The static drive common electrode 1 3 is formed except for parts which overlap with the effective areas of the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11, as shown in Fig. 3.
The static drive common electrode 1 3 has openings 14 which correspond to the shape of the actual display pattern which is dynamically driven. In this embodiment, the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 are formed slightly larger than the actual display pattern, so that the openings 14 which are formed on the static drive common electrode 1 3 are easily aligned with the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11. Therefore, the static drive common electrode 13 also functions as the shield electrode which defines the effective areas of the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11.The static drive segment electrodes 4, the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7, the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 and the static drive common electrode 13 are made of a transparent electrode material such as tin oxide (SnO2) or indium oxide (In2O3). In this embodiment, the static drive segment electrodes 4 and the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 are formed directly on the upper and lower substrates 1 and 2. However, these segment electrodes 4 and 11 may be formed on the upper and lower substrates 1 and 2 through transparent insulating layers.
Further, in order to align the liquid crystals by forming an aligning layer, the aligning layers of uniform thickness may be formed to cover the static drive segment electrodes 4, the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7, the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 and the static drive common electrode 1 3.
Located among the static drive segment electrodes 4, electrodes 4 which oppose the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 , function as the common electrodes which implement the openings 9 and 10 of the dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7. Therefore, the dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7, and the electrodes 4 which oppose the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11, constitute the common electrode of complete shape as opposed to the static drive segment electrodes 4. In the same manner as described above, the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 are used for closing the openings 14 of the static drive common electrode 13, so that the entire common electrode is formed opposing the static drive segment electrode 4.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 a denotes terminal aligning sections which are formed on both sides of the upper substrate 1. At the terminal aligning sections 1 a, as shown in Fig.
2, are formed lead wire terminals 4b of the static drive segment electrodes 4 and lead wire terminals 6b and 7b of the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7, respectively. In alignment with these lead wire terminals 4b, 6b and 7b, lead wire terminals 1 b and 1 3b which correspond to the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 and the static drive common electrode 13, respectively, are formed at the terminal aligning sections la. Referring to Fig.
3, reference numerals 1 C and 1 3c denote, respectively, transfer terminals of the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 and the static drive common electrode 1 3 which are formed on the lower substrate 2. The transfer terminals 11 C and 1 3c are connected to the lead wire terminals 1 b and 1 3b on the upper substrate 1 through transfer members (not shown) which extend through the sealing member 3.
The display mode of operation of the liquid crystal display device according to the above embodiment of the present invention will be described.
This liquid crystal display device performs two kinds of display modes, that is, a display mode by static driving and a display mode by dynamic driving. The display mode by static driving will be first described. In this case, the static common signal is supplied to the lead wire terminal 1 3b of the static drive common electrode 13 which is formed on the lower substrate 2, and the lead wire terminals 1 b of the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 all of which oppose the static drive segment electrodes 4. The static segment signal is supplied to the lead wire terminals 4a of the static drive segment electrodes 4 which are formed on the upper substrate 1.Further, the shield signal whose potential difference from the static common signal is smaller than the potential difference between the static common signal and the threshold voltage of the liquid crystal is supplied to all of the lead wire terminals 6b and 7b of the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7. The potential of the shield signal may be the same as the potential of the static common signal. On the other hand, if the potential difference between the static segment signal and the shield signal is too large, power loss is large in a capacitor which is formed by the insulating layer of a material such as SiO2 at the overlapping portion between the static drive segment electrodes 4 and the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7.
Therefore, the potential difference between the static common signal and the shield signal is preferably half the potential difference between the static common signal and the threshold voltage of the liquid crystal. When the static common signal is supplied to the static drive common electrode 13 and the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 which close the openings 14 of the static drive common electrode 13, the entire part functions as the common electrode as opposed to the static drive segment electrodes 4.
Therefore, the display pattern in accordance with the static drive segment electrodes 4 which receive the static segment signal is displayed. In this condition, since the shield signal is supplied to the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7, an electric field in the necessary parts of the static drive segment electrode 4, that is, the parts which overlap with the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7, and an electric field between the lead wires 4a of the static drive segment electrodes 4 and electrodes 11 and 13 on the lower substrate 2 are cancelled by the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7. Therefore, the actual display pattern corresponds to the pattern of the shape of the effective display areas of the static drive segment electrodes 4.
On the other hand, when the display mode of operation by dynamic driving is to be performed, dynamic common signals with 1800 phase difference are supplied to the lead wire terminals 6b and 7b of the dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 which are formed on the upper substrate 1. One dynamic common signal which is supplied to the first dynamic drive common electrode 6 is also supplied to the lead wire terminals 4b of the static drive segment electrodes 4 which close the openings 9 of the first dynamic drive common electrode 6. The other dynamic common signal which is supplied to the second dynamic drive common electrode 7 is also supplied to the lead wire terminals 4b of the static drive segment electrodes 4 which close the openings 10 of the second dynamic drive common electrode 7.The dynamic common signals are supplied only to the static drive segment electrodes 4 which oppose the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11. On the other hand, the dynamic segment signal is supplied to the lead wire terminals 1 b of the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 which are formed on the lower substrate 2. Further, the shield signal whose potential difference with the static common signal is smaller than, preferably half the potential difference between the voltage of the static common signal and the threshold voltage of the liquid crystal, is supplied to the lead wire terminal 1 3b of the static drive common electrode 13.In the case of the display mode of operation by dynamic driving, the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 and the static drive segment electrodes 4 which close the openings 9 and 10 constitute the complete common electrode as opposed to the static drive segment electrodes 4. Therefore, the display pattern corresponding to the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 which receive the dynamic segment signal is displayed.In this case, the shield signal as described above is supplied to the static drive common electrode 1 3. The electric field in the unnecessary parts of the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 and the electric field between the lead wires 1 a and 1 t and the electrodes 4, 6 and 7 is cancelled by the static drive common electrode 13. In this manner, the actual display pattern is the pattern which corresponds to the effective areas of the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11.
In summary, in the liquid crystal display device of the first embodiment described above, theoretically, the plurality of static drive segment electrodes 4 and the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 are formed on the inner surface of the substrate 1, and the plurality of dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 and the static drive common electrode 13 are formed on the inner surface of the lower substrate 2 so that a single display layer performs two kinds of display modes by static driving and by dynamic driving.Further, in the liquid crystal display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 and the static drive common electrode 13 are, respectively, used as the shield electrodes which cover the unnecessary parts of the static drive segment electrodes 4 and the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11. In other words, the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 and the static drive common electrode 13 are formed except for the effective areas of the static drive segment electrodes 4 and the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11.Further, the static drive segment electrodes 4 and the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 are used as par of the entire common electrode to cover the openings 9 and 10 and openings 14 of the first and seconddynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 and the static drive common electrode 13, respectively. Therefore, in both display modes by static driving and by dynamic driving, unnecessary display elements such as the shape of the lead wires are eliminated. Further, the display pattern is not incomplete but of the complete display shape. In this embodiment, the static drive segment electrodes 4 and the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 are formed slightly larger than the display pattern. However, the size of the static drive segment electrodes 4 and the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 may be the same as the actual display pattern.In other words, the entire surface of the segment electrodes 4 and 11 may correspond to the effective areas. In this case, the respective segment electrodes 4 and 11 are aligned with the edges of the openings 9 and 11 and the openings 14 of the respective common electrodes 6 and 7 and 13, respectively. This aligning method can also be applied to the relationship between the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7. With this arrangement, even if a pinhole is formed in the transparent insulating layers 5, 8 and 12 which are made of SiO2 or the like, short circuiting through this pinhole between the static drive segment electrodes 4 and the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 and between the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 and the static drive common electrodes 13 is substantially eliminated.This aligning method may also be applied to the relationship between the lead wires 4a of the static drive segment electrodes 4 and the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 and between the lead wires 1 a of the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 and the static drive common electrode 13. Therefore, common electrodes are preferably not formed on lead wires which do not require shielding and which are not opposed to the respective electrodes and their lead wires on the other substrate.In the liquid crystal display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the transparent insulating layers 5, 8 and 12 are formed except for the effective areas of the display electrodes (in the above embodiment, the display electrodes are defined as the static drive segment electrodes 4 and the dynamic drive segment electrodes 1 1 ) because even if the same voltage is applied to the opposing electrodes (in the above embodiment, the opposing electrodes are defined as the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 and the static drive common electrode 13) and the display electrodes which cover the openings (or holes) of the opposing electrodes, different voltages are applied to the liquid crystal at the display electrodes and the opposing electrodes, thus resulting in an irregular display pattern.
Further, in the above embodiment, the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 are formed in different layers. However, they may be formed on the same plane adjacent to each other. Dynamic driving is not limited to 1/2 duty. Further, in the above embodiment, two different display modes by dynamic driving and by static driving are adopted. However, two different display modes by static driving only may be adopted in which a plurality of the static drive segment electrodes are formed on the inner surfaces of the upper and lower substrates 1 and 2, and static drive segment electrodes on the inner surface of the other substrate and static drive common electrodes opposing thereto may be formed.Alternatively, if a plurality of dynamic drive segment electrodes are formed on the inner surface of the upper and lower substrates 1 and 2, and a plurality of dynamic drive common electrodes are formed on each substrate to oppose the dynamic drive segments of the opposing substrate, two different display modes may be performed by dynamic driving only.
The liquid crystal display device described above will be described as a second embodiment of the present invention with reference to Fig. 4 to 6. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of this liquid crystal display device. Figs. 5 and 6 are, respectively, a bottom view of the upper substrate of the liquid crystal display device and a plan view of the lower substrate of the liquid crystal display device. The same reference numerals as in Figs. 1 to 3 denote the same parts in Figs. 4 to 6. A plurality of dynamic drive segment electrodes 1 5 and lead wires 1 5a thereof are formed on the lower surface of the upper substrate 1. Further, the dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 are formed on the dynamic drive segment electrodes 1 5 through the transparent insulating layer 5.The plurality of dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 and the lead wires 11 a thereof are formed on the upper surface of the lower substrate 2. Further, dynamic drive common electrodes 16 and 17 are formed on the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 through a transparent insulating layer 12. The openings 9 and 10 and openings 18 and 1 9 are, formed on the dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 and the dynamic drive common electrodes 1 6 and 17, respectively, so that they correspond to the actual display pattern.The positional relationship between the dynamic drive segment electrodes 1 5 which are formed on the upper substrate 1 and the dynamic drive common electrodes 1 6 and 1 7 which are formed on the lower substrate 2 is the same as that between the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 and the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 in the first embodiment as shown in Figs. 1 to 3. In particular, one dynamic drive common electrode 1 6 opposes one of each pair of dynamic drive segment electrodes 15, and the other dynamic drive common electrode 17 opposes the other of each pair of the dynamic drive segment electrodes 1 5.
In the liquid crystal display device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, dynamic display is performed by a combination of the dynamic drive segment electrodes 1 5 on the upper substrate 1 and the respective electrodes 11, 16 and 17 on the lower substrate 2 and by a combination of the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 on the lower substrate 2 and the respective electrodes 6, 7 and 1 5 on the upper substrate.
Figs. 7 to 11 show still another embodiment of the present invention in which a liquid crystal display device is employed for an electronic watch. Referring to Fig. 7, in this third embodiment, reference numerals 21 and 22 denote a pair of upper and lower transparent substrates such as glass substrates. The upper and lower substrates are adhered through a sealing member 23 which is of the frame shape.
Further, a liquid crystal (not shown) is filled between the upper and lower substrates 21 and 22. First segment electrodes 24 and 25 which digitally display time, data, alarm setting time, stop watch time are formed on the inner surface of one of the upper or lower substrates, for example, on the lower surface of the upper substrate 21. The first segment electrodes 24 and 25 have a pattern which designates numbers as shown in Fig. 8. Especially, among the first segment electrodes 24 and 25, the first segment electrodes 25 (to be referred to as small pattern segment electrodes hereinafter) which display the second (when the current time is displayed) and the year (when the current data is displayed) in a small pattern at the left upper corner in the figure, and also, in addition to numeric display, display a character which designates the day of the week.
As shown in Fig. 8, on the lower surface of the upper substrate 21 are formed a PM display electrode 26 which indicates afternoon when the current display time which is indicated by the first segment electrodes 24 and 25 is afternoon time, and a first index pattern display electrode 27 which indicates the display content which is displayed by the small pattern segment electrodes 25. The first index pattern display electrode 27 is an elongated strip electrode which is formed near the small pattern segment electrodes 25.
On the other hand, on the upper surface of the lower substrate 22 are formed first common electrodes 28 and 29 which oppose the first segment electrodes 24 and 25, an opposing electrode 30 which opposes the PM display electrode 26, and an opposing electrode 31 which opposes the first index pattern display electrode 26. The display patterns of the respective electrodes 28, 29, 30 and 31 are shown in Fig. 9. The opposing electrode 30 which opposes the PM display electrode 26 and the first common electrodes 28 which oppose the first segment electrodes 24 except for the area of the small pattern segment electrode 25 are commonly connected by a lead wire (not shown).
Referring to Fig. 7, reference numeral 32 denotes second segment electrodes for analog display comprising 6 segments which are formed on the inner surface of the lower substrate 22.
Reference numeral 33 denotes a second common electrode which corresponds to the second segment electrodes 32. The second segment electrodes 32 have a display pattern as shown in
Fig. 9 and are formed opposing the small pattern segment electrodes 25 which are formed on the upper substrate 21. The second segment electrodes 32 are used for the display of the second in units of 10 seconds and of the day of the week. The second common electrode 33, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, is formed on the small pattern segment electrodes 25 which are formed on the inner surface of the upper substrate 21 through a transparent insulating layer 34. The second common electrode 33 and the transparent insulating layer 34 are formed except for the effective areas of the small pattern segment electrodes 25.In the third embodiment, the small pattern segment electrodes 25 are formed slightly larger than the actual display pattern. The second common electrode 33 and the transparent insulating layer 34 have openings which correspond to the actual display pattern which overlaps with the small pattern segment electrodes 25.
On the other hand, the first common electrode 29 which opposes the small pattern segment electrodes 25 is formed on the second segment electrodes 32 through a transparent insulating layer 35, as shown in Fig. 7. The first common electrode 29 and the transparent insulating layer 35 have openings which correspond to the formation areas of the second segment electrodes 32. In other words, the first common electrode 29 and the transparent insulating layer 35 have
openings which do not correspond to the effective
areas of the second segment electrodes 32. In
this embodiment, the second segment electrodes
32 are also formed slightly larger than the actual
display pattern so that the openings of the first
common electrode 29 are easily aligned with the
second segment electrodes 32.Further, the first
common electrode 29 functions as the shield
electrode which defines the effective areas of the
second segment electrodes 32.
Referring to Fig. 9, reference numeral 36
denotes a second index pattern display electrode
of the elongated strip shape which is formed on the inner surface of the lower substrate 22 and
which opposes the first index pattern display
electrode 27 which is formed on the upper
substrate 21. The second index pattern display
electrode 36 is formed under the opposing
electrode 31 which opposes the first index
pattern display electrode 27 and is insulated from the opposing electrode 31. In particular, the opposing electrode 31 is formed on a transparent
insulating layer (not shown) which covers the second index display electrode 36 which is, in turn, formed on the lower substrate 22. Referring to Fig. 8, reference numeral 37 denotes an opposing electrode which opposes the second index display electrode 36.The opposing electrode 37 is formed on a transparent insulating layer (not shown) which covers the first index pattern display electrode 27 which is, in turn, formed on the upper substrate 21. Openings which correspond to the index patterns are formed in the opposing electrodes 31 and 37 which respectively oppose the first and second index pattern display electrodes 27 and 36. In this embodiment, the openings which correspond to the word "SECOND" which is the display content of the first index pattern display electrode 27 are formed in the opposing electrode 37 on the first index pattern display electrode 27. Further, the openings which correspond to the word "WEEK" which is the display content of the second index pattern display electrode 36 are formed in the opposing electrode 31 on the second index pattern display electrode 36.The opposing electrodes 31 and 37 function as shield electrodes which define the effective areas of the second and first index display electrodes 36 and 27, respectively.
The small pattern segment electrodes 25, the second segment electrodes 32 and the first and second index pattern display electrodes 27 and 36 function as electrodes which close the openings of the second common electrode 33, the first common electrode 29 and the opposing electrodes 37 and 31 which are respectively formed thereon. In particular, the small pattern segment electrodes 25 and the second common electrode 33 constitute the entire common electrode which opposes the second segment electrodes 32. In the same manner, the second segment electrodes 32 and the first common electrode 29 constitute the entire common electrode which opposes the small pattern segment electrodes 25.Further, the first index pattern display electrode 27 and the opposing electrode 37 formed therein constitute the entire opposing electrode which opposes the second index pattern display electrode 36, and the second index pattern display electrode 36 and the opposing electrode 31 formed thereon constitute the entire opposing electrode which opposes the first index pattern display electrode 27.
The respective electrodes 24 to 33 and 36 and 37 are made of a transparent electrode material such as indium oxide (In2O3). In this embodiment, the electrodes may be formed on the upper and lower substrates 1 and 2 through transparent insulating layers. Further, aligning layers of the liquid crystal may be formed as needed.
The display mode of operation of the liquid crystal display device according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In this liquid crystal display device, hour and minute, when the current time is desired are displayed in the same manner as in a conventional liquid crystal display device. Further, "second" and "day of the week" are displayed in the digital or analog mode. A case is described in which "second" is displayed in the analog mode.
The static common signal is supplied to the small pattern segment electrodes 25 and the second common electrode 33 formed thereon, and the shield signal whose potential difference from the static common signal is smaller than the potential difference between the static common signal and the threshold voltage of the liquid crystal is supplied to the first common electrode 29 which is formed on the second segment electrodes 32.
The segment signal is selectively supplied to the second segment electrodes 32. The potential difference between the static common signal and the shield signal is preferably half the potential difference between the static common signal and the threshold voltage of the liquid crystal.
However, the static common signal may be used as the shield signal. In this case, electrodes which receive the shield signal may be commonly connected. In the display of "second", static the common signal is supplied to the second index pattern display electrode 36 and the opposing electrode 31 formed thereon, and the shield signal is supplied to the first index pattern display electrode 27 and the opposing electrode 37 formed thereon. The segment signal is supplied to the first index pattern display electrode 27.
When the static common signals are supplied to the small pattern segment electrode 25 and the second common electrode 33 formed thereon and to the second index pattern display electrode 36 and the opposing electrode 31 formed thereon, these electrodes function as the common electrode which opposes the second segment electrodes 32 and the opposing electrode which opposes the first index pattern display electrode 27, so that the complete display pattern which corresponds to the shape of the effective areas of the first index pattern display electrode 27 and the second segment electrodes 32 which receive the segment signal is displayed.In this case, the shield signal is supplied to the first common electrode 29 which is formed on the second segment electrodes 32 and the opposing electrode 37 which is formed on the first index pattern display electrode 27, as described above, so that parts, except for the effective areas of the second segment electrodes 32 and the first index pattern display electrode 27, and lead wires (not shown) of the first index pattern display electrode 27 are not be displayed. Fig. 10 shows the display pattern at this time, in which the current time 10 o'clock, 36 minutes and 40 seconds in the morning is displayed.
When digital display of the "day of the week" is to be displayed, the static common signal is supplied to the second segment electrodes 32 and the first common electrode 29 which is formed thereon, the first index pattern display electrode 27 and the.opposing electrode 37 which is formed thereon. The shield signal is supplied to the second common electrode 33 and the opposing electrode 31 which is formed on the second index pattern display electrode 36. The segment signal is supplied to the small pattern segment electrodes 25 and the second index pattern display electrode 36. Fig. 1 1 shows the display pattern at this time in which the current time and day, that is, 10 o'clock and 36 minutes in the morning and the day is Wednesday. In this case, the complete display pattern is displayed and unnecessary display patterns are completely eliminated.
The above effect is the same as in the case in which "second" is displayed in the digital manner and the "day of the week" is displayed in the analog manner. When "second" is to be displayed in the digital manner, the segment signal is supplied to the small pattern segment electrodes 25 so that the "second" is displayed in numbers.
At the same time, the segment signal is supplied to the first index pattern display electrode 27 so that the index pattern "second" which indicates that the unit of the display content is "second" is displayed. When the "day of the week" is to be displayed in the analog manner, the segment signal is supplied to the second segment electrodes 32, so that the "day of the week" is displayed in the analog manner, and the index pattern "week" which indicates that the unit of the display content is the "day of the week" is displayed. Further, when the "day of the week" is to be displayed in the analog manner, the display pattern comprises 6 segments so that, for example, "Sunday" is indicated when all of the segments are lit or all of the segments are not lit.
The small pattern segment electrodes 25 perform the display of "second" and "day of the week" as well as "year" when "year" data is also to be displayed. When the "year" data is displayed, the index patterns described above may be turned off.
In the third embodiment described above, the liquid crystal display device is employed in an electronic watch. However, the present invention may also be applied to an electronic calculator and other electronic equipment.
Further, the present invention may be applied to other liquid crystal display devices of various modes such as a liquid crystal display device of the twisted nematic mode, and a liquid crystal display device of the guest-host effect mode.
A method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display device according to the first embodiment with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 of the present invention will be described.
Figs. 1 2A to 1 2F show the manufacturing steps of forming electrodes and insulating layers which are formed on the upper substrate 1. Fig.
1 2A shows the condition in which the static drive segment electrodes 4, the lead wires 4a thereof, and the lead wire terminals 4b are formed on the upper substrate. A transparent electrode film of
SnO2 or In203 is formed on the upper substrate 1 and an unnecessary region is etched by conventional photoetching so that the static drive segment electrodes 4 are formed. This photoetching is performed to form the first and second common electrodes 6 and 7 to be described later.
After the static drive segment electrodes 4 are formed on the upper substrate 1, as shown in Fig.
1 2B, the transparent insulating layer 5 which is made of SiO2 or the like is formed to cover the prospective electrode formation region on the upper substrate 1. Subsequently, a transparent electrode material film is formed on the transparent insulating layer 5. Parts corresponding to the effective areas of the static drive segment electrodes 4 are etched to form the first dynamic drive common electrode 6 which has openings 9 as shown in Fig. 1 2A. Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 1 2D, the transparent insulating layer 8 which is made of the same material as the transparent insulating layer 5 is formed to cover the upper substrate 1.The second dynamic drive common electrode 7 which has openings 10 which correspond to the effective areas of the static drive segment electrodes 4, is formed by the same method for forming the first dynamic drive common electrode 6, as shown in Fig. 12E.
Plasma etching is then performed in an atmosphere of Freon (Registered Trade Mark) gas (Cf4) in which the transparent insulating layers 5 and 8 except for the regions of the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 are eliminated. In this plasma etching, a special mask is not used. The unnecessary parts of the transparent insulating layers 5 and 8 are removed, using the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 as masks. The first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 which are made of SnO2 or In203 are not eliminated in the atmosphere of Freon gas by plasma etching, so that the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 may be used as the masks.In this etching process, the transparent insulating layer 8 above the transparent insulating layer 5 is first etched, using the second dynamic drive common electrode 7 as the mask, and then the transparent insulating layer 5 is etched, using the exposed first dynamic drive common electrode 6 and the second dynamic drive common electrode 7 as the masks.
Fig. 1 2F shows the condition in which the unnecessary parts of the transparent insulating layers 5 and 8 are completely eliminated. Further, when the aligning treatment is to be performed on the substrate, it may be performed after the transparent insulating layers 5 and 8 are completely etched. In the formation of the second dynamic drive common electrode 7, a photoresist film to be peeled off remains. After the transparent insulating layers 5 and 8 are etched, the photoresist film is peeled off.
The dynamic drive segment electrodes 11, the static drive common electrode 1 3 and the transparent insulating layer 1 2 are formed on the lower substrate 2 which is the other electrode of the pair of the electrodes 1 and 2, in the same manner as shown in Figs. 1 2A to 12C. Thereafter, the unnecessary parts of the transparent insulating layer 12 are etched in the atmosphere of Freon gas, using the static drive common electrode 13 as a mask.
The upper substrate 1 on which the static drive segment electrodes 4 and the first and second dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 are formed, is adhered with the lower substrate 2 on which the dynamic drive segment electrodes 11 and the static drive common electrode 13 are formed, through the sealing member 3.
Thereafter, the liquid crystal is filled between the upper substrate 1 and the lower substrate 2 to accomplish the liquid crystal display device as shown in Figs. 1 to 3.
The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display device of the first embodiment can be applied to other liquid crystal display devices of the second and third embodiments or the like.
In the case of a liquid crystal display device which performs two kinds of display modes by static driving and dynamic driving and which has the dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 on the same plane, the dynamic drive common electrodes 6 and 7 are formed in steps as shown in Fig. 1 2C and then the transparent insulating layer 5 is etched.
Claims (2)
1. A liquid crystal display device which seals a liquid crystal material between a pair of substrates which have electrodes formed on opposing inner surfaces thereof, characterized in that said pair of substrates respectively have a plurality of display electrodes and an opposing electrode which opposes at least one of said display electrodes on the opposing side; and said opposing electrode is formed on said display electrodes of each of said substrates through an insulating layer except for effective areas of said display electrodes on the same side.
2. A liquid crystal display device, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP18151880A JPS57104916A (en) | 1980-12-22 | 1980-12-22 | Liquid crystal display device and its production |
| JP18889980A JPS57109978A (en) | 1980-12-26 | 1980-12-26 | Liquid-crystal display device |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB2090036A true GB2090036A (en) | 1982-06-30 |
| GB2090036B GB2090036B (en) | 1985-08-21 |
Family
ID=26500671
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8138483A Expired GB2090036B (en) | 1980-12-22 | 1981-12-22 | Liquid crystal display device |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CH (1) | CH650637GA3 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3150854C2 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2090036B (en) |
Cited By (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2144570A (en) * | 1983-08-05 | 1985-03-06 | American Telephone & Telegraph | Improvements in or relating to display devices |
| GB2164777A (en) * | 1984-09-19 | 1986-03-26 | Telepane Inc | Improvements in or relating to alphanumeric display modules |
| US4603495A (en) * | 1984-09-19 | 1986-08-05 | Stevens John K | Alphanumeric display modules |
| EP0263589A2 (en) * | 1986-10-09 | 1988-04-13 | OIS Optical Imaging Systems, Inc. | Liquid crystal display having pixels with auxiliary capacitance |
| GB2250623A (en) * | 1990-12-03 | 1992-06-10 | Marconi Gec Ltd | Display devices. |
| US5537236A (en) * | 1993-05-18 | 1996-07-16 | Meggitt (Uk) Limited | Display system having two liquid crystal layers for displaying fixed and variable indicia |
| US5615028A (en) * | 1994-03-24 | 1997-03-25 | Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid crystal display apparatus |
| GB2305532A (en) * | 1995-09-26 | 1997-04-09 | Samsung Display Devices Co Ltd | Liquid crystal display |
| FR2780521A1 (en) * | 1998-06-30 | 1999-12-31 | Lg Electronics Inc | Grid structure of liquid-crystal display device |
| US6819386B2 (en) * | 2001-09-28 | 2004-11-16 | Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. | Apparatus having a flat display |
| CN100416385C (en) * | 2003-06-16 | 2008-09-03 | 那纳须株式会社 | Liquid crystal display element |
Family Cites Families (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3647280A (en) * | 1969-11-06 | 1972-03-07 | Rca Corp | Liquid crystal display device |
| JPS5114360B1 (en) * | 1970-12-23 | 1976-05-08 | ||
| US3897996A (en) * | 1972-09-30 | 1975-08-05 | Dainippon Printing Co Ltd | Electro-optic display device |
| CH613549A5 (en) * | 1976-02-25 | 1979-09-28 | Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie | |
| US4277786A (en) * | 1979-07-19 | 1981-07-07 | General Electric Company | Multi-electrode liquid crystal displays |
| CH632367B (en) * | 1980-04-16 | Asulab Sa | PASSIVE ELECTRO-OPTICAL DISPLAY CELL. |
-
1981
- 1981-12-22 GB GB8138483A patent/GB2090036B/en not_active Expired
- 1981-12-22 DE DE3150854A patent/DE3150854C2/en not_active Expired
- 1981-12-22 CH CH821381A patent/CH650637GA3/de unknown
Cited By (17)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2144570A (en) * | 1983-08-05 | 1985-03-06 | American Telephone & Telegraph | Improvements in or relating to display devices |
| GB2164777A (en) * | 1984-09-19 | 1986-03-26 | Telepane Inc | Improvements in or relating to alphanumeric display modules |
| US4603495A (en) * | 1984-09-19 | 1986-08-05 | Stevens John K | Alphanumeric display modules |
| EP0263589A2 (en) * | 1986-10-09 | 1988-04-13 | OIS Optical Imaging Systems, Inc. | Liquid crystal display having pixels with auxiliary capacitance |
| EP0263589A3 (en) * | 1986-10-09 | 1989-06-07 | Ovonic Imaging Systems, Inc. | Liquid crystal display having pixels with auxiliary capacitance |
| GB2250623A (en) * | 1990-12-03 | 1992-06-10 | Marconi Gec Ltd | Display devices. |
| GB2250623B (en) * | 1990-12-03 | 1994-06-15 | Marconi Gec Ltd | Display devices |
| US5537236A (en) * | 1993-05-18 | 1996-07-16 | Meggitt (Uk) Limited | Display system having two liquid crystal layers for displaying fixed and variable indicia |
| US5615028A (en) * | 1994-03-24 | 1997-03-25 | Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid crystal display apparatus |
| GB2305532A (en) * | 1995-09-26 | 1997-04-09 | Samsung Display Devices Co Ltd | Liquid crystal display |
| GB2305532B (en) * | 1995-09-26 | 1999-06-23 | Samsung Display Devices Co Ltd | Liquid crystal display |
| FR2780521A1 (en) * | 1998-06-30 | 1999-12-31 | Lg Electronics Inc | Grid structure of liquid-crystal display device |
| GB2339953A (en) * | 1998-06-30 | 2000-02-09 | Lg Electronics Inc | Active matrix LCD substrate |
| GB2339953B (en) * | 1998-06-30 | 2000-12-27 | Lg Electronics Inc | Active panel of liquid crystal display device |
| US6630686B1 (en) | 1998-06-30 | 2003-10-07 | Lg.Philips Lcd Co., Ltd. | Liquid crystal display having pad parts and method for manufacturing same |
| US6819386B2 (en) * | 2001-09-28 | 2004-11-16 | Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. | Apparatus having a flat display |
| CN100416385C (en) * | 2003-06-16 | 2008-09-03 | 那纳须株式会社 | Liquid crystal display element |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2090036B (en) | 1985-08-21 |
| DE3150854A1 (en) | 1982-12-23 |
| DE3150854C2 (en) | 1985-12-12 |
| CH650637GA3 (en) | 1985-08-15 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 19961222 |