The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of at least one embodiment of the present invention. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout various views, and all the views are schematic.
Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe preferred embodiments of the present invention in detail. In this description, unless the context indicates otherwise, a reference to a “line” is a reference to an electrically conductive line.
Referring to
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Referring also to
Each TFT 1295 includes a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. The gate electrode of the TFT 1295 is connected to the corresponding scanning line 1291. The source electrode of the TFT 1295 is connected to the corresponding signal line 1293. The drain electrode of the TFT 1295 is connected to a corresponding pixel electrode 1297.
The first substrate 121 includes a plurality of common electrodes 1211 opposite to the pixel electrodes 1297. In particular, the common electrodes 1211 are formed on a surface of the first substrate 121 that faces the second substrate 129, and are made from transparent material such as Indium-Tin Oxide (ITO) or the like. A pixel electrode 1297, a common electrode 1211 facing the pixel electrode 1297, and liquid crystal molecules of the first liquid crystal layer 125 between the two electrodes 1297, 1211 cooperatively define a single pixel unit.
The lower liquid crystal panel 18 has a structure similar to that described above in relation to the upper liquid crystal panel 12. In particular, a third substrate 181 of the lower liquid crystal panel 18 resembles the second substrate 129, and a fourth substrate 189 of the lower liquid crystal panel 18 resembles the first substrate 121.
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The lower liquid crystal panel 18 includes the third substrate 181, a third polarizing film 183, a second liquid crystal layer 185, a fourth polarizing film 187, and the fourth substrate 189, arranged in that order from top to bottom. The third substrate 181 includes a plurality of second through holes 182 located at an edge portion (not labeled) thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, there are two second through holes 182. The third and fourth polarizing films 183, 187 are respectively attached to surfaces (not labeled) of the third and fourth substrates 181, 189 that are nearest to the second liquid crystal layer 185. Thus, there is no need to protect the third and fourth polarizing films 183, 187 from being scraped. That is, there is no need for conventional protective layers.
The light guide plate 14 includes a first light emitting surface 142 closely abutting the second substrate 129 of the upper liquid crystal panel 12, and a second light emitting surface 144 closely abutting the third substrate 181 of the lower liquid crystal panel 18. Typically, the light guide plate 14 is made from glass. The light guide plate 14 also includes a plurality of third through holes 146 located at an edge portion (not labeled) thereof. Each third through hole 146 corresponds to a respective one of the first through holes 122 and a respective one of the second through holes 182. In the illustrated embodiment, there are two third through holes 146. A plurality of first electrically conductive lines 162 and a plurality of second electrically conductive lines 164 are respectively located at the edge portions of the first light emitting surface 142, and are electrically connected to the driving chip 16 by an anisotropic conductive film (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, there are two first lines 162 and two second lines 164.
Typically, the driving chip 16 is bonded on the first light emitting surface 142 of the light guide plate 14 by a chip-on-glass (COG) method. The driving chip 16 includes a scanning driving circuit (not visible) and a signal driving circuit (not visible) therein. The scanning lines 1291 of the second substrate 129 are connected to the scanning driving circuit via the first lines 162, which extend through the first through holes 122. The scanning lines (not shown) of the third substrate 181 are connected to the scanning driving circuit also via the first lines 162, which also extend through the third through holes 146 and the second through holes 182. The signal lines 1293 of the second substrate 129 are connected to the signal driving circuit via the second lines 164, which also extend through the first through holes 122. The signal lines (not shown) of the third substrate 181 are connected to the signal driving circuit also via the second lines 164, which also extend through the third through holes 146 and the second through holes 182. Thus, the upper liquid crystal panel 12 and the lower liquid crystal panel 18 can be respectively and simultaneously driven by the driving chip 16. Furthermore, the driving chip 16 can be configured to emit light when it is supplied with an appropriate voltage. In such case, the driving chip 16 also serves as a light source to illuminate an adjacent side edge of the light guide plate 14.
With the above-described configuration, the upper and lower liquid crystal panels 12, 18 can be respectively and simultaneously driven by the driving chip 16 bonded on the light guide plate 14. Unlike in conventional art, there is no need to bond one driving IC on the second substrate 129 and then another driving IC on the third substrate 181. Thus, only one driving chip 16 is needed for each liquid crystal display 1. In addition, an efficiency of manufacturing of the liquid crystal display 1 can be improved. For at least these reasons, the cost of the liquid crystal display 1 can be reduced. Furthermore, the first, second, third and fourth polarizing films 123, 127, 183, 187 are located within the respective upper and lower liquid crystal panels 12, 18. Thus, there is no need for conventional protective layers, and a total thickness of the liquid crystal display 1 can be reduced.
Referring to
Further or alternative embodiments may include the following. In one example, the second and third polarizing films 127, 183 can be attached to surfaces of the second and third substrates 129, 181 that are farthest from the respective first and second liquid crystal layers 125, 185. In another example, the driving chip 16 can be bonded on the second light emitting surface 144 of the light guide plate 14.
It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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95112487 | Apr 2006 | TW | national |