US 7,321,412 B2
Liquid crystal display apparatus having alignment control for brightness and response
Takahiro Sasaki, Kawasaki (Japan); Arihiro Takeda, Kawasaki (Japan); Hideo Chida, Kawasaki (Japan); Yoshio Koike, Kawasaki (Japan); and Kunihiro Tashiro, Kawasaki (Japan)
Assigned to Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka (Japan)
Filed on Mar. 28, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/390,727.
Application 11/390727 is a continuation of application No. 09/398126, filed on Sep. 16, 1999.
Claims priority of application No. 10-264849 (JP), filed on Sep. 18, 1998; and application No. 11-229249 (JP), filed on Aug. 13, 1999.
Prior Publication US 2006/0176430 A1, Aug. 10, 2006
Int. Cl. G02F 1/1337 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 349—129  [349/130] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A liquid crystal display apparatus having display portion including a plurality of pixel portions, comprising:
a pair of substrates, one of the substrates having a common electrode and the other of said substrates having a plurality of pixel electrodes in the pixel portions, a plane parallel to a generally flat portion of either substrate defining the x-y plane of an x-y-z coordinate system;
a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy inserted between said pair of substrates; and
an alignment control structure formed linearly on the other of said pair of substrates, shapes of said alignment control structure controlling an alignment of molecules of liquid crystals, said alignment having one component in the x-y plane and another component in at least one of the x-z and y-z planes, said alignment control structure controlling at least the one component in the x-y plane,
wherein said alignment control structure includes at least one first portion having a first width and at least one second portion having a second width narrower than said first width, and said first portion and said second portion are arranged alternately in said pixel portions having said first portion and said second portion.