# US 11,909,946 B2 · Switchable barrier and 3D display device having thereof

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- Number: US 11,909,946 B2
- Document ID: US11909946B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/553,494
- Filed: 2021-12-16
- Published: 2022-06-30
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2020-12-28
- Assignees: LG Display Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: LG Display Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yong-Ku Lee; Wook Jeon; Hee-Jin Im; You-Yong Jin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909946B2

## CPC

- H04N 13/312: the parallax barriers being placed behind the display panel, e.g. between backlight and spatial light modulator [SLM]
- H04N 13/356: having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
- G02B 27/286: {for controlling or changing the state of polarisation, e.g. transforming one polarisation state into another (G02B5/3083 takes precedence; light guide coupling means utilising polarising elements G02B6/34)}
- G02B 30/31: involving active parallax barriers (involving directional light or back-light sources G02B30/33)
- G02F 1/13471: {in which all the liquid crystal cells or layers remain transparent, e.g. FLC, ECB, DAP, HAN, TN, STN, SBE-LC cells (G02F1/13475 takes precedence)}
- H04N 13/31: using parallax barriers
- H04N 13/359: Switching between monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- 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

## Abstract

A parallax barrier according to an example can include a first substrate and a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and second substrate, at least one insulating layer on the first substrate, a first electrode on the second substrate, a second electrode and a third electrode on the insulating layer to generate electric field in order to transmit and block selectively an image, a plurality of first spacers on the first substrate, and a plurality of second spacers on the second substrate. The first spacers and the second spacers can be formed in regions corresponding to each to maintain gap between the first substrate and the second substrate. Further, the first spacers can be spaced apart from the corresponding second spacers by a predetermined distance.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A parallax barrier, comprising:
a first substrate and a second substrate;
a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate;
at least one insulating layer on the first substrate;
a first electrode on the second substrate;
a second electrode and a third electrode on the insulating layer to generate electric field in order to transmit and block selectively an image;
a plurality of first spacers on the first substrate; and.
a plurality of second spacers on the second substrate,
wherein the first spacers and the second spacers are formed in regions corresponding to each to maintain a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate,
wherein a top surface of a first spacer from among the plurality of first spacers and a top surface of a corresponding second spacer from among the plurality of second spacers face each other, and wherein the top surface of the first spacer is spaced apart from the top surface of the corresponding second spacer by a predetermined distance in a thickness direction of the liquid crystal layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The parallax barrier of claim 1, further comprising:
a first alignment layer and a second alignment layer having predetermined alignment directions, the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer being respectively formed on the first substrate and the second substrate; and
a polarizing plate over a top surface of the second substrate, an optical axis direction of the polarizing plate being parallel to the alignment direction of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer to transmit the image in the region that the electric field is not applied.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The parallax barrier of claim 1, wherein the image includes a left-eye image and a right-eye image.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The parallax barrier of claim 1, wherein different voltages are applied to the second electrode and the third electrode to form a block region and a transmission region.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The parallax barrier of claim 4, wherein one second electrode and one third electrode form one block region and one transmission region, respectively.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The parallax barrier of claim 4, wherein a plurality of second electrodes and a plurality of third electrodes form one block region and one transmission region, respectively.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The parallax barrier of claim 1, wherein a same voltage is applied to the second electrode and the third electrode to display a 2D image.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The parallax barrier of claim 1, further comprising a black matrix formed in a region between the second electrode and the third electrode on the second substrate to block the image therethrough.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The parallax barrier of claim 8, wherein one of the plurality of first spacers and one of the plurality of second spacers are disposed in regions corresponding to the black matrix.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The parallax barrier of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of first spacers and one of the plurality of second spacers are formed symmetrically with each other.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The parallax barrier of claim 1, wherein the first spacer and the corresponding second spacer are formed symmetrically with each other.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The parallax barrier of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of first spacers and/or one of the plurality of second spacers has a cylindrical shape, an elliptical column shape, or a polygonal column shape.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The parallax barrier of claim 1, wherein a width of one of the plurality of first spacers and/or a width of one of the plurality of second spacers decreases toward a center of the liquid crystal layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A display device, comprising:
a display panel configured to display an image; and
the parallax barrier according to claim 1, the parallax barrier being disposed on a front surface of the display panel to switch between a 2D image and a 3D image.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The display device according to claim 14, wherein the display panel includes a liquid crystal display panel, an organic light emitting display panel, a micro LED display panel, or a mini LED display panel.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The parallax barrier of claim 1, wherein the first spacer is contacted with the corresponding second spacer when a pressure is applied to at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The parallax barrier of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first spacer and the corresponding second spacer includes a reinforcing agent.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The parallax barrier of claim 17, wherein the reinforcing agent includes a pigment or a bead.