# US 10,502,966 B2 · Liquid crystal lens and display device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,966 B2 - Document ID: US10502966B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/568,283 - Filed: 2017-05-16 - Published: 2018-07-26 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-14 - Assignees: Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd.; Ordos Yuansheng Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd.; Ordos Yuansheng Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Xiangdong Wei; Xue Dong; Dan Wang; Yun Qiu; Lihua Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502966B2 ## CPC - G02B 30/27: involving lenticular arrays - G02B 30/28: involving active lenticular arrays - G02F 1/133526: {Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses} - G02F 1/134309: {characterised by their geometrical arrangement} - G02F 1/29: for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection - H04N 13/305: using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses - H04N 13/359: Switching between monoscopic and stereoscopic modes - G02F 1/291: {Two-dimensional analogue deflection} - G02F 2201/122: having a particular pattern - G02F 2203/62: Switchable arrangements whereby the element being usually not switchable - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract The present application discloses a liquid crystal lens. The liquid crystal lens comprises: a first electrode; a second electrode; a liquid crystal layer located between the first and the second electrode; a third electrode, located at a side of the first electrode away from the liquid crystal layer; and a driving means. The driving means is configured to: in a 3D display mode, apply voltages to the first and the second electrode to generate an electric field, such that liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are deflected to a first state and form a plurality of lens units, and when switching from the 3D display mode to a 2D display mode, apply voltages to the first and the third electrode to generate an electric field, such that the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are deflected to a second state and form no lens unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid crystal lens, comprising: a first electrode electrically connected with a voltage source; a second electrode arranged opposite to the first electrode; a liquid crystal layer located between the first electrode and the second electrode; a third electrode, located at a side of the first electrode away from the liquid crystal layer; and a switch element electrically connected with the voltage source, wherein the switch element has a first terminal electrically connected to the first electrode via the voltage source, a second terminal electrically connected with the second electrode, and a third terminal electrically connected with the third electrode, wherein the switch element is configured to: in a 3D display mode, connect the first terminal with the second terminal so as to apply voltages to the first electrode and the second electrode to generate an electric field, such that liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are deflected to a first state and form a plurality of lens units, and when switching from the 3D display mode to a 2D display mode, connect the first terminal with the third terminal so as to apply voltages to the first electrode and the third electrode to generate an electric field, such that the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are deflected to a second state and form no lens unit, wherein the first electrode comprises a plurality of first strip sub-electrodes arranged in parallel with each other in a first direction, the second electrode comprises a plurality of second strip sub-electrodes arranged in parallel with each other in the first direction, and a width of each of the first strip sub-electrodes in the first direction is smaller than a width of each of the second strip sub-electrodes in the first direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal lens according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are multidomain electrodes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The liquid crystal lens according to claim 2, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are dual-domain electrodes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal lens according to claim 1, further comprising: an optical retardation film arranged at a light exit side of the liquid crystal lens. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal lens according to claim 1, wherein an insulating layer is formed between the first electrode and the third electrode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal lens according to claim 1, further comprising a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite to each other, wherein the third electrode is arranged at a side of the first substrate close to the liquid crystal layer, and the second electrode is arranged at a side of the second substrate close to the liquid crystal layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The liquid crystal lens according to claim 6, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are transparent substrates, and the first to third electrodes are transparent electrodes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal lens according to claim 1, wherein the third electrode is a plate electrode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A display device, comprising: a display panel; and a liquid crystal lens according to claim 1, the liquid crystal lens being arranged at a light exit side of the display panel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The display device according to claim 9, wherein in the 3D display mode, each lens unit in the liquid crystal lens corresponds to a row of sub-pixels in the display panel; or each lens unit in the liquid crystal lens corresponds to a column of sub-pixels in the display panel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The display device according to claim 9, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are multidomain electrodes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The display device according to claim 11, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are dual-domain electrodes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The display device according to claim 9, further comprising: an optical retardation film arranged at a light exit side of the liquid crystal lens. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The display device according to claim 9, wherein an insulating layer is formed between the first electrode and the third electrode. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The display device according to claim 9, further comprising a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite to each other, wherein the third electrode is arranged at a side of the first substrate close to the liquid crystal layer, and the second electrode is arranged at a side of the second substrate close to the liquid crystal layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The display device according to claim 15, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are transparent substrates, and the first to third electrodes are transparent electrodes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The display device according to claim 9, wherein the third electrode is a plate electrode, and the first electrode and the second electrode are strip electrodes.