The present application claims the priority benefit of the patent application No. 201710010540.1 filed to China's SIPO on Jan. 6, 2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
This disclosure relates to the field of display technology, particularly to a display panel and a display device.
The conventional liquid crystal display device, as shown in
Such a display device uses two polarizers to polarize the light, which reduces the light energy greatly. The light transmittance is only about 5%, thereby generating problems of high energy consumption and low utilization rate for the display device.
This disclosure intends to at least mitigate or solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and proposes a display panel and a display device, so as to reduce loss of light energy and improves utilization rate of light.
An embodiment of this disclosure provides a display panel, comprising: a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to each other; a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate; a first black matrix layer located at a side of the first substrate facing the second substrate; a second black matrix layer located at a side of the second substrate facing the first substrate, and an electrode layer located at a side of at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate facing the liquid crystal layer, for generating an electric field in the liquid crystal layer. The display panel comprises a plurality of pixel units, each pixel unit comprising at least one pixel portion, a region of the first black matrix layer corresponding to the pixel portion comprises a light shielding portion and a light transmission portion surrounding the light shielding portion, a region of the second black matrix layer corresponding to the light shielding portion is provided with a light through hole, and an orthogonal projection of the light shielding portion on the second black matrix layer covers the light through hole.
In some embodiments, the electrode layer comprises a plurality of first electrodes and at least one second electrode, the plurality of first electrodes are located in a same layer, and are spaced apart from the second electrode by an insulating layer, the first electrodes are spaced apart from each other.
In some embodiments, the electrode layer comprises a plurality of first electrodes and second electrodes, the first electrodes and the second electrodes are spaced apart from each other and are alternately arranged in a same layer.
In some embodiments, the first electrodes are strip electrodes, the second electrode is one continuous planar electrode, the first electrodes are arranged between the second electrode and the liquid crystal layer.
In some embodiments, two electrode layers are arranged between the first black matrix layer and the liquid crystal layer and between the second black matrix layer and the liquid crystal layer respectively, a length direction of the first electrodes in one electrode layer is perpendicular to that of the first electrodes in the other electrode layer.
In some embodiments, an interval between two adjacent first electrodes is in a range of 760 nm˜15600 nm.
In some embodiments, the light transmission portion is used for converting a color of incident light to the light transmission portion, a predetermined number of pixel units in the plurality of pixel units constitute a repeating group, wherein the light transmission portions corresponding to a same pixel unit in different repeating groups converts the incident light into light of a same color, and the light transmission portions corresponding to different pixel units in a same repeating group convert the incident into light of different colors.
In some embodiments, the light transmission portion is made of a color resistance material.
Alternatively, in some embodiments, the light transmission portion is made of a quantum dot material.
In some embodiments, the display panel further comprises a light diffusion film arranged at a side of the first black matrix layer away from the second substrate.
In some embodiments, the first black matrix layer is arranged between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer, the second black matrix layer is arranged between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer. The electrode layer is located between the first black matrix layer and the second black matrix layer.
In some embodiments, the display panel further comprises alignment layers located at two sides of the liquid crystal layer respectively, for performing alignment to liquid crystals of the liquid crystal layer.
In some embodiments, a thickness of the liquid crystal layer is in a range of 1 μm˜30 μm.
Another embodiment of this disclosure provides a display device, comprising a backlight module and a display panel according to any of the above embodiments arranged at a light exit light of the backlight module. The backlight module is used for providing natural light for the display panel.
In some embodiments, the backlight module comprises a backlight source for emitting light and an alignment film arranged between the backlight source and the display panel. The alignment film is used for defining a divergence angle of light emitted by the backlight module to be in a range of 0°˜30°.
In some embodiments, the alignment film comprises a transparent layer and a plurality of light shielding barriers in the transparent layer.
For the embodiments of this disclosure, when the display panel performs display, collimated or quasi collimated light is radiated towards the display panel from a side of the second substrate away from the first substrate. When the liquid crystals in the pixel unit are arranged regularly, the light passes through the light through hole and is incident into the liquid crystal layer without changing the direction so as to be shielded by the light shielding portion of the first black matrix layer, thereby enabling the pixel unit to present a dark state. When an electric field is applied in the pixel unit so as to enable the liquid crystals in a corresponding area to be deflected, the deflected liquid crystals can be equivalent to a lens. The light is scattered when it passes through the light through hole and is incident into the lens, so that at least a part of light is emitted from the light transmission portion around the light shielding portion, so as to generate a corresponding brightness. Therefore, the brightness of each pixel unit can be controlled by controlling the electric field intensity for each pixel unit, so as to display the images. Compared to the conventional display panel, the display panel provided by embodiments of this disclosure does not need a polarizer to polarize the light, thereby reducing loss of light energy and improving light efficiency and light transmittance. Moreover, the amount of light emitted from the display device is adjusted by controlling deflection of liquid crystals, so a fast response can be achieved.
The drawings are used for providing further understanding of this disclosure and constitute a part of the description for explaining this disclosure together with the following specific embodiments. However, they do not constitute limitations to the invention. In the drawings:
The following reference signs may be used:
Next, embodiments of this disclosure will be explained in details in conjunction with the drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments described herein are only used for illustrating and explaining this disclosure rather than limiting the invention.
As an aspect of the disclosure, a display panel is provided, as shown in
The pixel portion mentioned herein refers to a sub-area of the pixel unit, which corresponds to a light shielding portion of the first black matrix layer and a light transmission portion surrounding the light shielding portion.
The display panel can be used in a display device for displaying images. When performing display, collimated or quasi collimated light is radiated towards the display panel from a side of the second substrate 32 facing away from the first substrate 31. As shown in
The second substrate 32 can be an array substrate provided with a thin film transistor array. A sealant (not shown) for encapsulating the liquid crystal layer is further arranged between the first substrate 31 and the second substrate 32. Each pixel unit 30a may comprise one pixel portion, i.e., there exists only one light shielding portion 341 in a part of the first black matrix layer 34 corresponding to the pixel unit 30a, as shown in
As shown in
In an embodiment, only one second electrode 362 is provided, and the second electrode 362 is a continuous planar electrode, so as to simplify the manufacturing process. The first electrode 361 is a strip electrode, which is arranged between the second electrode 362 and the liquid crystal layer 33. A transparent insulating layer 363 is further arranged between the first electrode 361 and the planar electrode 362, so as to insulate the first electrode 361 from the planar electrode 362. When a high level signal and a low level signal are applied to the first electrode 361 and the second electrode 362 respectively, an electric field is generated between the first electrode 361 and the second electrode 362, the electric field lines are as shown by the dotted lines in
In an example, in case the first electrode 361 is a strip electrode and the second electrode 362 is a planar electrode, as shown in
Certainly, the second electrode 362 can also be arranged as a plurality of strip structures like the first electrode 361. The first electrode 361 and the second electrode 362 are arranged alternately, as shown in
In an embodiment of this disclosure, the display panel can only comprise one electrode layer, as shown in
It should be noted that a signal line is further arranged on the first substrate 31 and/or the second substrate 32, so as to provide electric signals to the first electrode 361 and the second electrode 362. As shown in
In an embodiment of this disclosure, the light transmission portion 342 in the first black matrix layer 34 can be fully transparent so as to realize black and white display, and can also present certain colors, so as to enable the display panel to emit color light, thereby realizing color display.
In some embodiments, the light transmission portion 342 can covert the color of light incident to the light transmission portion 342, a predetermined number of pixel units 30a constitute a repeating group. Moreover, the light converted by the light transmission portions 342 corresponding to the same pixel unit 30a in different repeating groups has the same color, the light transmission portions 342 corresponding to different pixel units 30a in the same repeating group can convert the incident light into light of different colors. For example, every three adjacent pixel units 30a constitute a repeating group, the light transmission portions of the three pixel units 30a for each repeating group convert the incident light into light of red, blue and green, respectively.
Specifically, the light transmission portion 342 is made of a color resistance material, so as to enable the color of the light emitted by the light transmission portion 342 to be same as the color of the color resistance material by filtering.
Alternatively, the light transmission portion 342 is made of a quantum dot material. In a same repeating group, the quantum dots of the light transmission portions 342 in different pixel units 30a have different grain sizes, so as to generate light of different colors under excitation of light. Compared to the color resistance material, the quantum dot material can reduce absorption of light so as to increase light transmissivity and improve light efficiency, and the diffusing effect of the light can be strengthened so as to enlarge the visual angle.
Further, as shown in
Further, in some embodiments, the display panel further comprises an alignment layer for aligning the liquid crystals of the liquid crystal layer 33. The alignment layer is in contact with the liquid crystal layer 33. An upper alignment layer and a lower alignment layer can orientate the liquid crystals in the same or different direction. Specifically, the alignment directions of the two alignment layers are both located in a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction of the display panel. When only one electrode layer 36 is arranged in the display panel and the first electrodes 361 in the electrode layer 36 are strip electrodes, the alignment directions of the two alignment layers are both perpendicular to the length direction of the first electrode 361. If both the first substrate 31 and the second substrate 32 are provided with the electrode layer 36, and the first electrodes 361 in the electrode layer 36 are strip electrodes, the alignment direction of each of the two alignment layers is perpendicular to the length direction of respective first electrode 361, so that the liquid crystals are deflected when an electric field is applied.
In an embodiment of this disclosure, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 33 is in a range of 1 μm˜30 μm. Specifically, when one electrode layer 36 is arranged, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 33 can be in a range of 3 μm˜10 μm, and when the electrode layer 36 is arranged at a side of each of the first substrate 31 and the second substrate 32, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 33 can be in a range of 5 μm˜20 μm, so as to enable more light to be emitted from the display panel when the liquid crystals are in a maximally deflected state.
Regarding the display panel in
In another example, the display panel is provided with two electrode layers 36, the width of the first electrode 361 is 2 μm, the interval between two adjacent first electrodes 361 is 3 μm, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer is 8 μm˜12 μm, the width of the light transmission portion 341 is 12.3 μm, the light transmission portion 342 is made of a quantum dot material, and a backlight source with an angle of divergence of 30° is used to provide backlight to the display panel. In such a case, it can be obtained from detection that the light transmissivity of the display panel in which two electrode layers 36 are arranged is in a range of 23%˜28%, which is further increased compared to the light transmissivity of the display panel of
As another aspect of this disclosure, a display device is provided, as shown in
When performing display, the backlight module provides light to the display panel. When no electric signal is applied to the electrode layer, the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 33 keep an original state, the light of the backlight module 40 is shielded by the light shielding portion 341, so that the display panel presents a dark state with a gray scale of L0. When an electric signal is applied to the electrode layer 36, the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 33 deflect accordingly, the deflected the liquid crystal molecules functions like lens, thereby scattering the light of the backlight module 40, so that at least a portion of the light is emitted from the light transmission portion 342 to generate a corresponding gray scale. Hence, the display device can perform display without a polarizer, which improves light efficiency.
In an embodiment, the light provided by the backlight module 40 is collimated or quasi collimated light, so as to enable the light to be entirely shielded by the light shielding portion when no electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer. To this end, as shown in
The alignment film 42 can comprise a transparent layer 421. A plurality of light shielding barriers are disposed within the transparent layer 421. The height and distribution of the barriers 422 are designed based on actual needs, so that the divergence angle α of the light emitted by the backlight module can be defined. Certainly, the alignment film 42 can also be in form of other structures.
In an embodiment, the electrode layer 36 can comprise a plurality of first electrodes 361 and one second electrode 362. The first electrodes 361 are strip electrodes, and the second electrode 362 is a planar electrode. The first electrodes 361 are spaced apart from each other. The thickness of the liquid crystal layer 33 is 20 μm. In such a case, when the backlight module 40 provides collimated light perpendicular to the display panel, the interval between two adjacent first electrodes 361 can be in a range of 1800 nm˜2450 nm. If the backlight module 40 provides divergent light with a divergence angle in a range of 8°˜12°, the interval between two adjacent first electrodes 361 can be in a range of 3250 nm˜4500 nm. When the backlight module 40 provides divergent light with a divergence angle in a range of 18°˜22°, the interval between two adjacent first electrodes 361 can be in a range of 5450 nm˜10000 nm.
What are described above are the display panel and the display device provided by embodiments of this disclosure, from which it can be seen that a polarizer to polarize the natural light is not necessary for the display panel provided by the embodiments of the disclosure, which reduces loss of light energy and improves light efficiency and light transmittance, thereby improving the display effect of the display device. Moreover, the amount of light emitted from the display device is adjusted by controlling deflection of liquid crystals, so a fast response can be achieved.
It could be understood that the above embodiments are only exemplary examples for explaining the principle of the disclosure. However, the present invention is not so limited. The ordinary skilled person in the art can make various modifications and improvements to the disclosure without departing from the spirit and the essence of the present invention. These modifications and improvements should also be regarded as the protection scopes of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2017 1 0010540 | Jan 2017 | CN | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/CN2017/101474 | 9/13/2017 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2018/126730 | 7/12/2018 | WO | A |
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Office Action received for Chinese Patent Application No. 201110010540.1, dated Mar. 5, 2018, 10 pages (4 pages of English Translation and 6 pages of Office Action). |
International Search Report received for PCT Patent Application No. PCT/CN2017/101474, dated Dec. 18, 2017, 8 pages (3 pages of English Translation and 5 pages of Original Document). |
Office Action received for Chinese Patent Application No. 201710010540.1, dated Mar. 5, 2018, 10 pages (4 pages of English Translation and 6 pages of Office Action). |
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