Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Displays or display device details – Optical
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-27
2002-07-02
Roskoski, Bernard (Department: 2841)
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Displays or display device details
Optical
C368S084000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06414910
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a timepiece (clock and watch) and, more particularly, to a timepiece including a birefringence color liquid crystal display device.
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
Conventionally, digital timepieces including a liquid crystal display device and combination timepieces including both a liquid crystal display device and hands for analog displaying, typically use a reflection-type liquid crystal display device which displays in monochrome employing a TN (twisted nematic) liquid crystal cell or an STN (super twisted nematic) liquid crystal cell. Generally, a transflective reflector is utilized as a reflector of a liquid crystal display device, and a backlight unit, such as an electro-luminescent (EL) light and a light emitting diode (LED) array, is provided outside the transflective reflector for visibility of the time display at night.
Recently, as the fashion changes in timepiece progress, a liquid crystal display device capable of colorful displaying is desired for a timepiece. Then, for example, a digital timepiece capable of color displaying by using a single-color liquid crystal display device which indicates white letters or the like on a blue or red background through a color polarizing film dyed with a dichroic pigment, has been developed.
However, for developing a timepiece that is more fashionable in design and stronger impact in appearance, it is not enough to use a single-color display device. Then, it is desired to use a multi-color display device capable of displaying a plurality of colors.
It is proposed to mount a birefringence color liquid crystal display device in a timepiece to perform a multicolor display with the birefirignece effect of liquid crystal by changing the voltage applied to a liquid crystal cell instead of using a color filter.
In order to change colors on a time display portion, which displays normal time, an alarm time and a calendar, using the birefringence color liquid crystal display device, RMS voltage of the signal supplied to the time display portion must be variable. In order to change the effective value, an IC for driving liquid crystal that is capable of controlling gray scale is required, this results in an increase of development cost and an extension of the time period for development. Moreover, the complexity of driving circuits increases the size of the driver IC and the amount of current consumed.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
As regards a timepiece, provided with a birefringence color liquid crystal display device, displaying in a multi-color, it is an object of the present invention to provide a colorful and impressive timepiece of which the birefringence color liquid crystal display device is driven by a typical monochrome liquid crystal driving IC without a gray scale function for simple multi-color display at a low cost and low power consumption.
To attain the aforementioned object, the present invention provides a configuration for a timepiece having a liquid crystal display device, consisting of: a liquid crystal cell in which nematic liquid crystal is sandwiched and filled in a gap between a transparent first substrate, having first electrodes, and a transparent second substrate, having second electrodes; a pair of polarizing films respectively arranged on and under the liquid crystal cell; and a reflector arranged on a face of one of the polarizing films which is on the opposite side to the liquid crystal cell, and the timepiece further having a driving module for driving the liquid crystal display device, and a case for accommodating the liquid crystal display device and the driving module.
The display portion of the liquid crystal display device consists of a time display portion displaying in a single color and a mark display portion displaying in a plurality of colors.
The driving module has a liquid crystal cell driving circuit for driving the liquid crystal display device to supply a scanning signal to the first electrodes for the time display portion, a data signal to the first electrodes for the mark display portion, and a data signal to the second electrodes for both the time display portion and the mark display portion.
In the above structured timepiece, the reflector of the liquid crystal display device may be a transflective reflector. And a backlight unit for lighting the liquid crystal display device through the transflecive reflector may be preferably provided between the liquid crystal display device and the driving module in the case.
A retardation film or a twisted retardation film may be provided between the liquid crystal cell and the polarizing film positioned on the visible side thereof in the liquid crystal display device.
The liquid crystal cell of the liquid crystal display device is preferably an STN liquid crystal cell in which the nematic liquid crystal is aligned at a twist angle in the range from 180° to 270°. Accordingly, a &Dgr;nd value which is the product of a value &Dgr;n in the birefringence of the liquid crystal and a gap d of the liquid crystal cell, preferably ranges from 1300 nm to 1600 nm.
In the use of the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device having the retardation film, the liquid crystal cell is, preferably, an STN liquid crystal cell in which the nematic liquid crystal is aligned at a twist angle in the range from 180° to 270°. Accordingly, a &Dgr;nd value which is the product of a value &Dgr;n in the birefringence of the liquid crystal and a gap d of the liquid crystal cell, preferably ranges from 1500 nm to 1800 nm, and a retardation value of the retardation film desirably ranges from 1600 nm to 1900 nm.
It is advisable that the retardation film forms relations of nx>nz>ny, where nx is the refractive index of the direction of a phase delay axis, ny is the refractive index in a direction orthogonal to the phase delay axis, and nz is the refractive index in a thickness direction.
In the use of the liquid crystal display device mentioned above having the twisted retardation film, the liquid crystal cell is, preferably, an STN liquid crystal cell in which the nematic liquid crystal is aligned at a twist angle in the range from 180° to 270°. Accordingly, a &Dgr;nd value which is the product of a value &Dgr;n in the birefringence of the liquid crystal and a gap d of the liquid crystal cell, preferably ranges from 1500 nm to 1800 nm. A &Dgr;nd value of the twisted retardation film preferably ranges from 1400 nm to 1800 nm.
Another timepiece according to the present invention has: a first liquid crystal display device consisting of a first liquid crystal cell in which nematic liquid crystal is sandwiched and filled in a gap between a transparent first substrate having first electrodes and a transparent second substrate having second electrodes, a pair of polarizing films respectively arranged on and under the first liquid crystal cell, and a reflector arranged on a face of one of the polarizing films which is on the opposite side to the liquid crystal cell; a second liquid crystal display device consisting of a second liquid crystal cell in which nematic liquid crystal is sandwiched and filled in a gap between a transparent first substrate having first electrodes and a transparent second substrate having second electrodes, and a third polarizing film arranged on a face of the second liquid crystal cell on the visible side. Furthermore, the timepiece has a driving module for driving the first and second liquid crystal display devices, and a case for accommodating the first and second liquid crystal display devices and the driving module. The second liquid crystal display device is arranged on a face of the first liquid crystal display device on the visible side.
The driving module has a liquid crystal cell driving circuit for driving the first and second liquid crystal display devices to supply scanning signals to the first electrodes of the first liquid crystal cell, data signals to the second electrodes of the first liquid crystal cell, and data signals to the first electrodes and the second electrodes of the second crystal liquid cell.
Kaneko Yasushi
Yoshikawa Kazuhiko
Armstrong Westerman & Hattori, LLP
Citizen Watch Co., LTD
Roskoski Bernard
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