Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is related to, and claims the benefit of, a foreign priority application filed in Taiwan as Ser. No. 095140746 on Nov. 03, 2006. The related application is incorporated herein by reference. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, and more particularly to an LCD panel with spacers having reflective layer and an LCD device installing the LCD panel. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Because LCD devices have the advantages of portability, low power consumption, and low radiation, they have been widely used in various portable information products such as notebooks, personal digital assistants (PDAs), video cameras, and the like. Furthermore, LCD devices are considered by many to have the potential to completely replace CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors and televisions. 
     FIG. 4  shows an isometric, side view of a conventional LCD device. The LCD device  1  includes a liquid crystal panel  110  and a backlight module  130 . The liquid crystal panel  110  includes a first substrate  111 , a second substrate  113  opposite to the first substrate  111 , a liquid crystal layer  115  interposed between the first and second substrates  111 ,  113 , and a plurality of ball spacers  117 . The ball spacers  117  are used for maintaining a gap between the first and second substrates. 
   Also referring to  FIG. 5 , a part cross-sectional view of the ball spacer  117  is shown. The ball spacer  117  includes a core portion  1171  and an adhesive layer  1172  enclosed the core portion  1171 . The core portion  1171  may be made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) particles or silicon oxide particles. Both of the core portion  1171  and the adhesive layer  1172  are transparent. 
   In operation, light beams emitted by the backlight module  130  pass through the second substrate  113 , the liquid crystal layer  115 , and the first substrate  111  from bottom to top in that order, for displaying images. 
   However, the ball spacers  117  are filled into the liquid crystal layer  115 , whereby the liquid crystal molecules around the ball spacers  117  may be abnormally oriented along the outer surfaces of the ball spacers  117 . Thus, light leakage is liable to exist at the regions that the ball spacers  117  are distributed, when the LCD device  1  displays a black image. Therefore, the display quality of the LCD device  1  would be impaired. 
   Accordingly, what is needed is an LCD panel can overcome the above-described deficiencies. What is also needed is an LCD device installing such LCD panel. 
   SUMMARY 
   A liquid crystal display panel includes a pair of substrates spaced from each other in a vertical direction; a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the substrates; a plurality of spacers evenly distributed between the substrates to resist compression forces in the vertical direction; and a plurality of pixel regions. Each of the pixel regions defines a reflection region and a transmission region, whereby each of the spacers includes a reflective layer. 
   A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel; and a backlight module configured for illuminating the liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal panel includes a pair of substrates spaced from each other in a vertical direction, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the substrates, and a plurality of reflective spacers evenly distributed between the substrates to resist compression forces in the vertical direction. 
   Other novel features and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred and exemplary embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, all the views are schematic. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric, side view of an LCD device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a part cross-sectional view of a spacer installing in the LCD device of  FIG. 1 , showing the spacer having a core portion, a reflective layer, and an adhesive layer. 
       FIG. 3  is a part cross-sectional view of another spacer installing in the LCD device of  FIG. 1 , showing the spacer having a core portion, a reflective layer, and an adhesive layer. 
       FIG. 4  is an isometric, side view of a conventional LCD device. 
       FIG. 5  is a part cross-sectional view of a spacer installing in the LCD of  FIG. 4 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe preferred and exemplary embodiments of the present invention in detail. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , this is an isometric, side view of an LCD device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The LCD device  2  includes an LCD panel  20  and a backlight module  21  disposed under the LCD panel  20 . The backlight module  21  provides a surface light source to illuminate the LCD panel  20 . The LCD panel  20  is a kind of transflective panel, which includes a plurality of pixel regions, and each of the pixel regions defines a reflection region (not labeled) and a transmission region (not labeled). 
   The LCD panel  20  includes a color filter substrate  210 , a TFT (thin film transistor) substrate  220  spaced apart and parallel to the first substrate  210 , and a liquid crystal layer  230  interposed between the first and second substrates  210 ,  220 . A plurality of spacers  250  are filled in the liquid crystal layer  230  and evenly distributed between the substrates  210 ,  220 . The spacers  250  are used for forming a predetermined gap between the substrates  210 ,  220 . 
   The color filter substrate  210  includes a color filter plate  211 , a common electrode  213 , and a first alignment film  215  disposed at an inner surface of the color filter substrate  210  from top to bottom in that order. The color filter plate  211  and the first alignment film  215  are made of transparent materials, and the common electrode  213  may be made of indium-tin-oxide (ITO), indium-zinc-oxide (IZO), or other materials with higher transmittance. 
   The TFT substrate  220  includes an array type TFT layer  223 , an insulating layer  224 , a pixel electrode  222 , and a second alignment film  221  disposed at an inner surface of the TFT substrate  220 . The insulating layer  224  and the second alignment film  221  are made of transparent materials, and the pixel electrode  222  may be made of indium-tin-oxide (ITO), indium-zinc-oxide (IZO), or other materials with higher transmittance. 
   Also referring to  FIG. 2 , a part cross-sectional view of the spacer  250  is shown. In this illustrated embodiment, each of the spacers  250  is a so-called ball spacer. The spacer  250  includes a core portion  251 , a reflective layer  252 , and an adhesive layer  253 . The core portion  251  is a main body of the spacer  250 , and is wholly and evenly coated by the reflective layer  252  and the adhesive layer  253  sequentially in that order. The core portion  251  may be made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) particles or silicon oxide particles. The reflective layer  252  may be made of Barium sulfate (BaSO 4 ), Magnesium oxide (MgO), or other materials with high reflective ratio. The reflective layer  252  may be formed at the outer surface of the core portion  251  via plating or coating processes, or the like. The adhesive layer  253  is transparent. 
   When the LCD device  2  operates in a transmissive mode, light beams emitted by the backlight module are transmitted through the LCD panel  20  for displaying images. The spacers  250  with the reflective layers  252  filled in the liquid crystal layer  230  are capable of reflecting light beams transmitted thereto, such that light leakage can be eliminated when the LCD device  2  displays a black image. Accordingly, the LCD device  2  has a high quality, reliable display. 
   On the other hand, when the LCD device  2  operates in a reflective mode, whereby the backlight module  21  is turned off, and ambient light beams such as sun light or lamp lights, are reflected in the reflective region of each pixel region for displaying images. The spacers  250  with reflective layer  252  are capable of reflecting the ambient light beams transmitted thereto, such that, an efficient utilization of the ambient light beams is increased. 
   Compared with the conventional LCD device  1 , the LCD device  2  uses spacers  250  with reflective layer  252 . The spacers  250  filled in the liquid crystal layer  230  are capable of reflecting light beams. Accordingly, light leakage can be eliminated when the LCD device  2  display a black image in a transmissive mode. Moreover, when the LCD device  2  operates in a reflective mode, an efficient utilization of the ambient light beams is increased. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , a part cross-sectional view of another spacer installed in the LCD device  2  is shown. The spacer  350  has a structure similar to that of the spacer  250 . However, the spacer  350  has a columnar shape, and includes a columnar core portion  351 , a reflective layer  352  and an adhesive layer  353  coated at an outer surface of the core portion  351  orderly. 
   The core portion  351  may be made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) particles or silicon oxide particles. The reflective layer  352  may be made of Barium sulfate (BaSO 4 ), Magnesium oxide (MgO), or other materials with high reflective ratio. The reflective layer  352  may be formed at the outer surface of the core portion  351  via plating or coating processes, or the like. 
   It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.

Technology Category: 3