Liquid crystal device with split pixel electrodes and with intermediate ...

United States Patent [w]

Sung et al.

[54] LIQUID CRYSTAL DEVICE WITH SPLIT PIXEL ELECTRODES AND WITH INTERMEDIATE ELECTRODES USED FOR BISECTING EACH OF THE PIXEL REGIONS

[75] Inventors: Chae Gee Sung; Hyunho Shin, both of Miyagi-ken, Japan

[73] Assignee: Frontec Incorporated, Miyagi, Japan

[21] Appl. No.: 08/959,000

[22] Filed: Oct. 28, 1997

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data

Oct. 28, 1996 [JP] Japan 8-285655

[51] Int. CI.6 G02F 1/1343

[52] U.S. CI 349/143; 349/141

[58] Field of Search 349/143, 141

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

5,786,876 7/1998 Ota et al 349/42

5.835.171 10/1998 Hanazawa et al 349/43

5,838.411 11/1998 Hayakawa et al 349/139

5,844.644 12/1998 Oh et al 349/95

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 07199190 8/1995 Japan .

07301814 11/1995 Japan .
08022023 1/1996 Japan .

Primary Examiner—-William L. Sikes

Assistant Examiner—Heidi L. Eisenhut

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione

[57] ABSTRACT

A liquid-crystal display device having liquid crystal provided between a pair of opposed substrates includes a common electrode formed on a surface of one substrate facing the liquid crystal; surrounding electrodes formed on a surface of the other substrate facing the liquid crystal, the surrounding electrodes provided for defining a plurality of pixel regions, to which surrounding electrodes a potential equal to that of the common electrode is applied; intermediate electrodes formed on the surface of the other substrate, the intermediate electrodes provided for bisecting each pixel region; pixel electrodes formed on the surface of the other substrate for the pixel regions, to which pixel electrodes a potential equal to that of the intermediate electrodes is applied; and gaps formed on the pixel electrodes along the direction in which the intermediate electrodes are arranged, each gap provided for bisecting each pixel electrode in accordance with the width of each intermediate electrode.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets