Patent Publication Number: US-2018031914-A1

Title: Liquid crystal display device and liquid crystal display panel

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display technology field, and more particularly to a transflective liquid crystal display panel and a liquid crystal display device having the liquid crystal display panel. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Because the liquid crystal molecules cannot emit light, a liquid crystal display panel requires a light source to display an image. According to the type of the light sources, a liquid crystal display panel can be divided into a transmissive type, a reflective type or a transflective type. Wherein, the transmissive type liquid crystal panel utilizes a backlight source, and a pixel electrode is a transparent in order to facilitate a light passing through a liquid crystal layer to display an image. The reflective type liquid crystal panel utilizes a front light source or an external light source, and a reflective layer will reflect a light so that the light can pass through the liquid crystal layer to display an image. The transflective type liquid crystal display panel can be regarded as a combination of the transmissive type and the reflective type so that the transflective type liquid crystal display panel can utilize a backlight source, a front light source or an external light source at the same time to display an image. 
     The transflective type liquid crystal display panel has advantages of the transmissive type and the reflective type so that the transflective type cannot only display a bright image in a dark environment for an indoor use, but also be applied in an outdoor use. For obtaining an even reflection effect at every viewing angle for an observer, the reflective layer of the conventional transflective type liquid crystal display panel adopts a reflection method of diffuse reflection such that a reflection surface of the reflective layer has a concave and convex structure in order to realize the diffuse reflection. The manufacturing method of the reflective layer generally is: firstly, manufacturing a resin layer as a base, because the reflective layer only requires disposing at a reflective region, and not requires disposing at a transmissive region, an additional photomask is required; then, performing an exposure process, a development process, and an etching process in order to form a concave and convex structure on the resin layer; the process also requires an additional photomask process; finally, forming a reflective layer on the concave and convex structure. 
     It can be understood that the conventional art requires two photomask processes to manufacture the reflective layer so that the manufacturing process is more and the manufacturing cost is higher. Besides, the dimensional precision of the concave and convex structure for ensuring a diffuse reflection effect should be higher so that an error is easily to generate, which will affect the reflection effect. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the technology problem solved by the embodiment of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device and liquid crystal display panel, which can use less photomask processes to realize a transflective display effect in order to reduce the manufacturing processes, the manufacturing cost, and ensure the reflection effect at the same time. 
     The liquid crystal display panel provided by the embodiment of the present invention includes: an array substrate and a color filter substrate which are disposed oppositely and at an interval, wherein, the array substrate includes multiple light reflective regions and multiple light transmissive regions disposed alternately; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the array substrate and the color filter substrate; a first polarizer sheet disposed at a side of the array substrate, and disposed corresponding to the light reflective region and the light transmissive region, wherein, the first polarizer sheet includes a polarizer base and a scattering layer; and a reflective layer located at a side of the first polarizer sheet away from the array substrate, and disposed corresponding to the light reflective region, wherein, a reflection surface of the reflective layer adjacent to the first polarizer sheet is a flat surface, wherein, the reflective layer includes an opaque metal layer directly formed on the first polarizer sheet, and made by a method of coating, sputtering, evaporation or adhering; wherein, the reflection surface of the reflective layer is used to perform a specular reflection for an incident light which is incident to the reflection surface of the reflective layer, the incident light includes light enters to the color filter substrate and the reflective layer from an outside of the liquid crystal display panel, and the scattering layer is used to perform a diffuse reflection for a light reflected by the reflection surface of the reflective layer. 
     Wherein, a side of the array substrate adjacent to the liquid crystal layer is provided with a pixel electrode, a side of the color filter substrate adjacent to the liquid crystal layer is provided with a common electrode, and the common electrode and the pixel electrode are both disposed corresponding to the light reflective region and the light transmissive region. 
     Wherein, a side of the array substrate adjacent to the liquid crystal layer is provided with a pixel electrode and a common electrode, and the common electrode and the pixel electrode are both disposed corresponding to the light reflective region and the light transmissive region. 
     Wherein, the liquid crystal display panel further includes a second polarizer sheet disposed at a side of the color filter substrate, the second polarizer sheet has a same structure as the first polarizer sheet. 
     The liquid crystal display panel provided by the embodiment of the present invention includes: an array substrate and a color filter substrate which are disposed oppositely and at an interval, wherein, the array substrate includes multiple light reflective regions and multiple light transmissive regions disposed alternately; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the array substrate and the color filter substrate; a first polarizer sheet disposed at a side of the array substrate, and disposed corresponding to the light reflective region and the light transmissive region, wherein, the first polarizer sheet includes a polarizer base and a scattering layer; and a reflective layer located at a side of the first polarizer sheet away from the array substrate, and disposed corresponding to the light reflective region, wherein, a reflection surface of the reflective layer adjacent to the first polarizer sheet is a flat surface; wherein, the reflection surface of the reflective layer is used to perform a specular reflection for an incident light which is incident to the reflection surface of the reflective layer, the incident light includes light enters to the color filter substrate and the reflective layer from an outside of the liquid crystal display panel, and the scattering layer is used to perform a diffuse reflection for a light reflected by the reflection surface of the reflective layer. 
     Wherein, the reflective layer includes an opaque metal layer directly formed on the first polarizer sheet. 
     Wherein, the reflective layer includes a transparent base and a light reflective sheet, the light reflective sheet is formed on the transparent base, and the transparent base is fixed to the first polarizer sheet. 
     Wherein, the light reflective sheet includes an opaque metal layer. 
     Wherein, the reflective layer is made by a method of coating, sputtering, evaporation or adhering. 
     Wherein, a side of the array substrate adjacent to the liquid crystal layer is provided with a pixel electrode, a side of the color filter substrate adjacent to the liquid crystal layer is provided with a common electrode, and the common electrode and the pixel electrode are both disposed corresponding to the light reflective region and the light transmissive region. 
     Wherein, a side of the array substrate adjacent to the liquid crystal layer is provided with a pixel electrode and a common electrode, and the common electrode and the pixel electrode are both disposed corresponding to the light reflective region and the light transmissive region. 
     Wherein, the liquid crystal display panel further includes a second polarizer sheet disposed at a side of the color filter substrate, and the second polarizer sheet has a same structure as the first polarizer sheet. 
     The liquid crystal display device provided by the embodiment of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal display panel, and the liquid crystal display panel comprising: an array substrate and a color filter substrate which are disposed oppositely and at an interval, wherein, the array substrate includes multiple light reflective regions and multiple light transmissive regions disposed alternately; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the array substrate and the color filter substrate; a first polarizer sheet disposed at a side of the array substrate, and disposed corresponding to the light reflective region and the light transmissive region, wherein, the first polarizer sheet includes a polarizer base and a scattering layer; and a reflective layer located at a side of the first polarizer sheet away from the array substrate, and disposed corresponding to the light reflective region, wherein, a reflection surface of the reflective layer adjacent to the first polarizer sheet is a flat surface; wherein, the reflection surface of the reflective layer is used to perform a specular reflection for an incident light which is incident to the reflection surface of the reflective layer, the incident light includes a light enters to the color filter substrate and the reflective layer from an outside of the liquid crystal display panel, and the scattering layer is used to perform a diffuse reflection for a light reflected by the reflection surface of the reflective layer. 
     Wherein, the liquid crystal display device further includes a backlight module, the liquid crystal display panel further includes a second polarizer sheet disposed at a side of the color filter substrate, and the second polarizer sheet has a same structure as the first polarizer sheet, a backlight emitted from the backlight module emits to the first polarizer sheet, passing through the liquid crystal layer, and is incident to the second polarizer sheet. 
     Wherein, the reflective layer includes an opaque metal layer directly formed on the first polarizer sheet. 
     Wherein, the reflective layer includes a transparent base and a light reflective sheet, the light reflective sheet is formed on the transparent base, and the transparent base is fixed to the first polarizer sheet. 
     Wherein, the light reflective sheet includes an opaque metal layer. 
     Wherein, the reflective layer is made by a method of coating, sputtering, evaporation or adhering. 
     Wherein, a side of the array substrate adjacent to the liquid crystal layer is provided with a pixel electrode, a side of the color filter substrate adjacent to the liquid crystal layer is provided with a common electrode, and the common electrode and the pixel electrode are both disposed corresponding to the light reflective region and the light transmissive region. 
     Wherein, a side of the array substrate adjacent to the liquid crystal layer is provided with a pixel electrode and a common electrode, and the common electrode and the pixel electrode are both disposed corresponding to the light reflective region and the light transmissive region. 
     Comparing with the prior art, in the liquid crystal display device and the liquid crystal display panel of the same according to the embodiment of the present invention, designing a polarizer sheet disposed at a side of the array substrate and having a scattering layer, and adding a reflective layer at the light reflective region, and through the reflective layer to perform a specular reflection for an incident light, and the scattering layer to perform a diffuse reflection for a light reflected by the reflective layer in order to realize a specular and diffuse reflection effect. The present invention does not require adopting a photomask for manufacturing a concave and convex structure when manufacturing the reflective layer having the flat surface and the scattering layer so that the present invention can utilize less photomask processes to realize a transflective display effect so as to reduce the manufacturing processes and the manufacturing cost. Besides, the dimensional precision of the concave and convex structure for ensuring a diffuse reflection effect does not require considering so as to ensure the reflection effect. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a first polarizer sheet as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal display panel according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following content combines with the drawings and the embodiment for describing the present invention in detail. 
       FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 1 , a liquid crystal display panel  10  includes an array substrate (also known as a Thin-Film-Transistor substrate or a TFT substrate)  11  and a color filter substrate (CF substrate)  12  which are disposed oppositely and at an interval, and a liquid crystal layer  13  disposed between the array substrate  11  and the color filter substrate  12 . Wherein, the liquid crystal layer  13  is located in a liquid crystal cell assembled and overlapped by the array substrate  11  and the color filter substrate  12 . 
     The liquid crystal display panel  10  of the present embodiment is a transflective display panel, which has multiple light reflective regions A and multiple light transmissive regions B disposed alternately. It should be noted that  FIG. 1  only shows one light reflective region A and one light transmissive region B adjacent to the one light reflective region A. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the difference comparing to the conventional art is a reflective layer  14  and a first polarizer sheet  15  disposed at the liquid crystal display panel  10 . 
     Specifically, the first polarizer sheet  15  is disposed at a side of the array substrate  11 , and disposed corresponding to the light reflective region A and the light transmissive regions B. With also reference to  FIG. 2 , the first polarizer sheet  15  includes a polarizer base  151  and a scattering layer  152 , wherein the structure and the function of the polarizer base  151  is the same as the conventional polarizer sheet. The reflective layer  14  is located at a side of the first polarizer sheet  15  away from the array substrate  11 , and disposed corresponding to the light reflective region A. A reflection surface of the reflective layer  14  adjacent to the first polarizer sheet  15  is a flat surface. In the present embodiment, the reflection surface of the reflective layer  14  is used to perform a specular reflection for an incident light (as shown by an arrow), and the scattering layer  152  is used to perform a diffuse reflection for a light reflected by the reflection surface of the reflective layer  14 . Through the cooperation of the reflective layer  14  and the scattering layer  152  to realize the diffuse reflection for a light such that an observer can obtain an even reflection effect at a larger viewing angle so as to be beneficial for a wide viewing angle design. 
     Of course, the liquid crystal display panel  10  also includes a second polarizer sheet  16  located at a side of the color filter substrate  12 . The second polarizer sheet  16  has a same structure as the first polarizer sheet  15 . 
     Because the embodiment of the present invention does not require adopting a photomask for manufacturing a concave and convex structure when manufacturing the reflective layer  14  having the flat surface and the scattering layer  152 , the present invention can utilize less photomask processes to realize a transflective display effect so as to reduce the manufacturing processes and the manufacturing cost. Besides, the dimensional precision of the concave and convex structure for ensuring a diffuse reflection effect does not require considering so as to avoid error and ensure the reflection effect. 
     The scattering layer  152  can be obtained through adding scattering particles in an outermost hardness coating layer of the first polarizer sheet  15 . Of course the present invention is not limited. Besides, the light reflected by the reflection surface includes a light enters to the color filter substrate  12  and is incident on the reflective layer  14  from an outside of the liquid crystal display panel  10 . The reflective layer  14  can be a light transmissive metal layer. The metal includes but not limited to aluminum, silver, and so on. Of course, the reflective layer  14  can be made of a material having a good reflective property. 
     Furthermore, the reflective layer  14  can be disposed adjacent to the scattering layer  152  or adjacent to the polarizer base  151 . Besides, the reflective layer  14  can be directly formed on the first polarizer sheet  15  or has a structure as shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the reflective layer  14  includes a transparent base  141  and a light reflective sheet  142  forming on the transparent base  141 . The transparent base  141  can be made by Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyethylene (PE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) or other light transmissive material. The transparent base  141  is used to fix the light reflective sheet  142  to the first polarizer sheet  15 . The light reflective sheet  142  is used to perform a specular reflection for an incident light. Wherein, the transparent base  141  can be disposed corresponding to the light reflective region A and the light transmissive regions B, or be disposed only corresponding to the light reflective region A. 
     Besides, the reflective layer  14  or the light reflective sheet  142  can be made by a method of coating, sputtering, evaporation or adhering, or any combination of the coating method, the sputtering method, the evaporation method and the adhering method. Of course, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method can also be adopted, and the present invention is not limited. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , the array substrate  11  includes a pixel electrode  111 , and the color filter substrate  12  includes a common electrode  121 . The common electrode  121  is a transparent electrode layer covering an entire surface of the color filter substrate  12 . The pixel electrode  111  and the common electrode  121  are both disposed corresponding to the light reflective region A and the light transmissive region B. The meaning of “disposed corresponding to” is: The light reflective region A and the light transmissive region B are both provided with the pixel electrode  111  and the common electrode  121 . A region size of the pixel electrode  111  is a sum of a region size of the light reflective region A and a region size of the light transmissive region B. A region size of the common electrode  121  is a sum of a region size of the light reflective region A and a region size of the light transmissive region B. In other words, the pixel electrode  111  and the common electrode  121  are both correspondingly located inside a region defined and limited by the light reflective region A and the light transmissive region B. The term “disposed corresponding to” of the full text of the invention can be understood according to above. For example, the reflective layer  14  is disposed corresponding to the light reflective region A can be understood as: the reflective layer  14  is correspondingly located inside a region defined and limited by the light reflective region A. 
     Of course, the design of the reflective layer  14  and the scattering layer  152  can also be applied to another liquid crystal display panel  10  having other structures. For example, the pixel electrode  111  and the common electrode  121  are both disposed on the array substrate  11 . At this time, the pixel electrode  111  and the common electrode  121  are both disposed corresponding to the light reflective region A and the light transmissive region B. 
     The embodiment of the present invention also provides a liquid crystal display device  40  as shown in  FIG. 4 , which includes the liquid crystal display panel  10  as shown in  FIG. 2  or  FIG. 3 , and other components such as a backlight module  41  and a front frame  42 . Wherein, a backlight emitted from the backlight module  41  emits to the first polarizer sheet  15 , passing through the liquid crystal layer  13 , and is incident to the second polarizer sheet  16  in order to display an image. Because the liquid crystal display device  40  also have the above liquid crystal display panel  10 . Therefore, the beneficial effects are the same. The liquid crystal display device  40  can be any terminal of a smart phone, a tablet computer, a television, or a navigation system, which has a display function. 
     The above embodiments of the present invention are not used to limit the claims of this invention. Any use of the content in the specification or in the drawings of the present invention which produces equivalent structures or equivalent processes, or directly or indirectly used in other related technical fields is still covered by the claims in the present invention.