JPH04311924A - Liquid crystal panel - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to liquid crystal panels using liquid crystal electro-optical elements, such as liquid crystal televisions and liquid crystal displays for office automation.

0002

[Prior Art] A polymer/liquid crystal composite film (hereinafter referred to as PDLC) is a special film in which a low-molecular liquid crystal 15 is sandwiched within a sponge-like three-dimensional mesh structure 14 of a polymer, as shown in FIG. be. PDLC changes from a light-scattering state to a light-transmitting state as voltage is applied, so using this property,
It has already been put into practical use as light control glass, and its application as displays is also being considered.

[0003] When PDLC is used as a display, it is possible to obtain a bright display element because the polarizing plate required for conventional liquid crystal electro-optical elements is not required.

0004

However, conventional PDLCs have mainly been applied to projection-type displays in which light is projected from the back of the device and an image is formed on a screen in front. In addition, direct viewing types include the guest-host type, which uses light reflection or dye compounding, but there are problems in that sufficient contrast cannot be obtained by using reflection alone, and guest-host manufacturing is complicated. Ta.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and its purpose is to provide a composite film of polymer and liquid crystal with a glossy film or plate and a light source at the edge of the substrate. As a result, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal panel using a direct-view PDLC with enhanced contrast between light scattering and transmission.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The liquid crystal panel of the present invention includes:
1. In a liquid crystal electro-optical element consisting of a polymer/liquid crystal composite film in which liquid crystal is dispersed in a polymer matrix and electrode substrates placed on both sides of the film, light is incident from the edge of one substrate of the liquid crystal electro-optical element. It is characterized by being equipped with a device to

2. The present invention is characterized in that a light guide plate having a light source at an end is provided on one side of the liquid crystal optical element.

3. The substrate of the liquid crystal electro-optical element according to item 1 above, on which light is incident, is characterized in that a glossy film is provided on the opposite side of the polymer/liquid crystal composite film.

4. The liquid crystal electro-optical element according to the above item 1 is characterized in that the light-inputting substrate is provided with a glossy plate on the opposite side of the polymer/liquid crystal composite film.

5. In the light guide plate in the above item 2,
It is characterized by having a glossy film on the opposite side of the liquid crystal composite film.

6. In the light guide plate in the above item 2,
It is characterized by having a glossy plate on the opposite side of the liquid crystal composite film.

7. The reflective film and the plate are not white.

8. It is characterized in that the colors of the polymer/liquid crystal composite film, the glossy film or plate, and the light source are different.

[0014]

[Function] Since the liquid crystal panel of the present invention allows light to enter the PDLC from the lateral direction of the substrate and is equipped with a reflective film or plate, when the PDLC is in a scattered state, it exhibits a white color or a softer color depending on the color of the light source. , in the transmission state of PDLC, it exhibits the color of a reflective film or a reflective plate. Display when there is no light from the side, that is, a reflective PD without a light source
In an LC element, the color of the reflective film or plate behind it appears to be blurred, which reduces the contrast between scattering and transmission. However, in the liquid crystal panel according to the present invention, the contrast can be increased by changing the colors of the light source and the reflective film or plate. Furthermore, if the light source is placed behind the substrate rather than at the edge, it is difficult to create a direct-view display unless optical adjustment is made between the PDLC element and the screen. Furthermore, in the liquid crystal panel of the present invention, since a light source is used from the side of the substrate, the apparent light scattering optical path is longer, and the scattering power is higher than that of the back light source type. In other words, the contrast can be improved compared to a liquid crystal panel that does not have a lateral light source. In addition, as a side effect, the conventional TN type had a light guide plate with a light source in the horizontal direction to the liquid crystal panel, but in the liquid crystal panel of the present invention, the PDLC substrate itself can function as a light guide plate. , it is also possible to reduce costs. In the present invention, it is preferable that the light source at the end is white, and for the reflective film, it is preferable that the reflective film is glossy black in terms of black display in paper white. Other color combinations are also possible in the sense of fashion. As for the reflective film, it is also possible to simply coat the substrate with a resin containing a black pigment. It is also possible to use a metal film such as chrome plating or a plate. Furthermore, in order to increase the efficiency of the light source, it is effective for the light source to have a reflecting mirror in terms of light efficiency.

[0015] The present invention enables a PDLC direct-view display and eliminates the need for a polarizing plate, making it possible to display black in bright paper white with high contrast.
A liquid crystal display panel that is also fashionable was obtained.

[0016]

[Example] (Example 1) In this example, an example was shown in which a PDLC element having a display area of 5 mm x 5 mm in a 1 x 1 inch cell was used as a liquid crystal panel. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a display element showing one embodiment of the present invention. Board 1
1 and the transparent electrode ITO 12 and the transparent electrode I on the substrate 16.
A light source 17 is applied from the lateral direction to a cell in which a TO 15 is formed and a mixture of a liquid crystal 13 and a polymer 14 is sandwiched between these substrates.
and place the reflector 18. In the absence of the light source 17, the contrast was 1:4, but when the light source 17 was used, the contrast was improved to 1:10. At this time, the light source was white, and a chrome-plated metal plate was used as the reflector. As is clear from this, by using a lateral light source and a reflector, we were able to create a PDLC direct-view display with significantly improved element contrast.

(Example 2) In this example, P
A DLC element was used, and an orange light source from the side and a reflective film were used. In the absence of a light source, the contrast was 1:4, but when a light source was used, a light orange color appeared in the scattered state, and the contrast was improved to 1:8. At this time, candle soot was used as the reflective film, and the reflection at the interface between the glass and soot was utilized. As is clear from this, by using a lateral light source and a reflective film, the contrast of the element has been significantly improved.
I was able to create a DLC direct-view display.

[0018]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, PD
By introducing a lateral light source and a glossy reflective film or plate to the LC element, it is now possible to provide a direct-view liquid crystal display panel with improved contrast without changing the conventional PDLC element. Ta.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the configuration of a liquid crystal panel using the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a drawing showing the configuration of a conventional PDLC projection display.

FIG. 3 is a drawing showing the configuration of a liquid crystal panel in a conventional TN cell.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Glass substrate 12 Transparent electrode 13　　　　　LCD 14 Polymer matrix 15 Transparent electrode 16 Glass substrate 17 Light source 18 Reflector 21 PDLC element 22 Light source 23 Lens 24 Aperture 25 Screen 31 TN liquid crystal cell 32 Light guide plate 33 Light source 34 Reflective film 35 Diffusion membrane 36 Polarizing plate

Claims (8)

[Claims] Claim 1: In a liquid crystal electro-optical element consisting of a polymer/liquid crystal composite film in which liquid crystal is dispersed in a polymer matrix, and electrode substrates placed on both sides of the film, an edge of one substrate of the liquid crystal electro-optical element is used. A liquid crystal panel characterized in that it is equipped with a device that allows light to enter from the inside. 2. A liquid crystal panel characterized in that a light guide plate having a light source at an end is provided on one side of the liquid crystal optical element. 3. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the light-incoming substrate of the liquid crystal electro-optical element according to claim 1 is provided with a glossy film on the opposite side of the polymer/liquid crystal composite film. . 4. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the light-incoming substrate of the liquid crystal electro-optical element according to claim 1 is provided with a glossy plate on the opposite side of the polymer/liquid crystal composite film. . 5. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 2, wherein the light guide plate according to claim 2 is provided with a glossy film on the opposite side of the polymer/liquid crystal composite film. 6. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 2, further comprising a glossy plate on the opposite side of the polymer/liquid crystal composite film in the light guide plate according to claim 2. 7. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the reflective film and plate are not white. 8. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the polymer/liquid crystal composite film, the glossy film or plate, and the light source have different colors.