# US 11,029,567 B2 · Liquid crystal panel having an electrode with a bent portion > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,567 B2 - Document ID: US11029567B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/429,639 - Filed: 2019-06-03 - Published: 2019-09-26 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-19 - Assignees: Japan Display Inc. - Applicants: Japan Display Inc. - Inventors: Yoshihiro Sakurai; Hironao Tanaka; Harumi Okuno; Takeo Koito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029567B2 ## CPC - G02F 1/1337: Surface-induced orientation of the liquid crystal molecules, e.g. by alignment layers - G02F 1/133707: {Structures for producing distorted electric fields, e.g. bumps, protrusions, recesses, slits in pixel electrodes} - G02F 1/134363: {for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]} - G02F 1/134372: {for fringe field switching [FFS] where the common electrode is not patterned} - G02F 1/133749: {for low pretilt angles, i.e. lower than 15 degrees} - 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 ## Abstract A liquid crystal panel includes pixels arranged in first and second directions and having a pixel region and including: first and second electrodes; and an alignment film having an alignment direction, wherein the first electrode has: a plurality of electrode branches each having first and second ends in the first direction; a slit between adjacent two branches; a first connection connecting the first ends; a second connection connecting the second ends; and a contact hole adjacent to second connection, wherein the first electrode has areas including: a main portion; and a bent portion that is adjacent to the contact hole and that includes the second end, the bent portion being bent relative to main portion at an angle not less than 7 degrees with respect to alignment direction, wherein an area ratio of the bent portion relative to entire area of the pixel region is not more than 50%. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid crystal panel comprising: a first substrate and a second substrate with a liquid crystal layer therebetween; and a plurality of pixels arranged in a first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction, each of the pixels having a pixel region and including: a first electrode; a second electrode disposed between the first electrode and the first substrate; and an alignment film having an alignment direction, wherein the first electrode has: a plurality of electrode branches each having a first end and a second end in the first direction; a slit between adjacent two branches; a first connection connecting the first ends of the electrode branches; a second connection connecting the second ends of the electrode branches; and a contact hole disposed adjacent to the first connection, wherein the first electrode has areas including a first bent portion, a second bent portion, and a main portion that is disposed between the first bent portion and the second bent portion in a longitudinal direction of the first electrode, wherein the first bent portion is adjacent to the contact hole and includes the first end, the first bent portion being bent relative to the main portion along the first bending point line of the first electrode in such a manner that the first bent portion is bent at a first angle that is not less than 7 degrees and not more than 15 degrees with respect to the alignment direction, wherein the second bent portion is bent relative to the main portion along a second bending point line of the first electrode, in an area close to the second ends of the branches, wherein the second connection of the first electrode connects the second ends in the second bent portion, the second ends being adjacent to each other in the second direction, wherein a direction of the first bent portion is substantially parallel to a direction of the second bent portion, and wherein an area ratio of the first bent portion relative to an entire area of the pixel region is not more than 50%. wherein an area ratio of the first bent portion relative to an entire area of the pixel region is not more than 50%. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged on the first substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged in different layers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged in a same layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the second bent portion is bent at a second angle that is not less than 7 degrees and not more than 15 degrees relative to the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of signal lines surrounding each of the pixels, at least one second end of the first electrode in each of the pixels is overlapped by a corresponding scanning line. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of signal lines surrounding each of the pixels, the main portions of the first electrodes are arranged in parallel with the signal lines. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 7, wherein the first bent portions of the first electrodes are arranged not parallel with the signal lines. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the branches and a plurality of the slits are arranged in both the main portion and the first bent portion, and wherein, in the main portion, the branches and the slits extend straight toward the first bent portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 8, wherein the branches and a plurality of the slits are arranged in both the main portion and the first bent portion, and wherein, in the main portion, the branches and the slits extend straight toward the first bent portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is a pixel electrode, and the second electrode is a common electrode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 7, wherein the first electrode is a pixel electrode, and the second electrode is a common electrode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 8, wherein the first electrode is a pixel electrode, and the second electrode is a common electrode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 9, wherein the first electrode is a pixel electrode, and the second electrode is a common electrode. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the first bent portion and the second bent portion are bent relative to the alignment direction such that: the first bending point line is positioned, shifted relative to the first connection along the second direction; the second bending point line is positioned, shifted relative to the first folding line along the second direction; and the second connection is positioned, shifted relative to the second bending point line along the second direction.