US 11,754,904 B2
Light control device and illumination device
Tae Kurokawa, Tokyo (JP); Takeo Koito, Tokyo (JP); and Masashi Mitsui, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to JAPAN DISPLAY INC., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Japan Display Inc., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jul. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/876,549.
Application 17/876,549 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2020/047429, filed on Dec. 18, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-013971 (JP), filed on Jan. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0365402 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. G02F 1/29 (2006.01); G02F 1/137 (2006.01); G02F 1/1337 (2006.01); G02F 1/1343 (2006.01); G02F 1/1347 (2006.01); G02F 1/1335 (2006.01)
CPC G02F 1/29 (2013.01) [G02F 1/13471 (2013.01); G02F 1/13712 (2021.01); G02F 1/133528 (2013.01); G02F 1/133738 (2021.01); G02F 1/134309 (2013.01); G02F 2201/122 (2013.01); G02F 2203/01 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A light control device comprising:
a first liquid crystal cell comprising a first substrate, a second substrate opposed to the first substrate, and a first liquid crystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate, the first substrate comprising a plurality of first electrodes disposed concentrically;
a second liquid crystal cell comprising a third substrate, a fourth substrate opposed to the third substrate, and a second liquid crystal layer held between the third substrate and the fourth substrate, the third substrate comprising a plurality of second electrodes disposed concentrically and overlapping the second substrate; and
a third liquid crystal cell comprising a fifth substrate, a sixth substrate opposed to the fifth substrate, and a third liquid crystal layer held between the fifth substrate and the sixth substrate, the fifth substrate comprising a plurality of third electrodes disposed concentrically and overlapping the fourth substrate, wherein
each of the first liquid crystal layer and the third liquid crystal layer includes:
a first area where a first polarization component having a first polarization plane along a first direction, of incident light, is scattered and a second polarization component having a second polarization plane along a second direction intersecting the first direction, of the incident light, is transmitted; and
a second area where the first polarization component of the incident light is converted into the second polarization component, and the second polarization component of the incident light is scattered,
the second liquid crystal layer includes:
a third area which overlaps the first area and where the second polarization component of the incident light is converted into the first polarization component; and
a fourth area which overlaps the second area.