LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE AND POLARIZER PROTECTIVE FILM

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a liquid crystal display device highly suppressing occurrence of rainbow interference pattern in displayed images. The present invention is a liquid crystal display device including: a back light source, a liquid crystal cell, a color filter, a polarizer, and a polarizer protective film arranged in the stated order, wherein the polarizer protective film has a retardation of not less than 6000 nm, and a difference (nx−ny) of not less than 0.05 between a refractive index (nx) in a slow axis direction that is a highest refractive index direction and a refractive index (ny) in a fast axis direction that is orthogonal to the slow axis direction, and an absorption axis of the polarizer and the slow axis of the polarizer protective film are arranged to form an angle within a range of 0°±30° or 90°±30°.

Claims

1-6. (canceled)

7. A display device comprising a structure with a polarizer protective film arranged between a polarizer and a top surface of a view side of the device, wherein the polarizer protective film has a retardation (Re) in a range from 6000 to 9900 nm,
Re=(nx−ny)×d where nx indicates a refractive index in a slow axis direction that is a highest refractive index in a plane, ny indicates a refractive index in a fast axis direction that is orthogonal to the slow axis direction, and d indicates a thickness of the polarizer protective film, the polarizer protective film is formed of polyethylene terephthalate, an absorption axis of the polarizer and the slow axis of the polarizer protective film are arranged to form an angle in a range of 0°±10° or in a range of 90°±10°, the polarizer protective film has an orientation angle difference in the slow axis direction in a range of not more than 2.2°, wherein an orientation angle of the polarizer protective film has been measured at 40 points equally spaced in a vertical direction and in a transverse direction in a rectangular portion of 27 cm long by 48 cm wide on a display screen of a liquid crystal display including the polarizer protective film, and the orientation angle difference is a value obtained by subtracting a minimum orientation angle from a maximum orientation angle, obtained from the 40 points.

8. The display device according to claim 7, comprising a plurality of polarizers, wherein the polarizer protective film is arranged between a polarizer of the plurality of the polarizers closest to the view side of the device and the top surface of the view side of the device.

9. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the (nx−ny) of the polarizer protective film is in a range of 0.07 or more.

10. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the polarizer protective film has a transparency in a range of 80% or more in a visible light range.

11. A laminate comprising: a polarizer; and a polarizer protective film configured to be used in a display device comprising a structure of the polarizer protective film arranged between the polarizer and a top surface of a view side of the device, wherein the polarizer protective film has a retardation (Re) in a range from 6000 to 9900 nm,
Re=(nx−ny)×d where nx indicates a refractive index in a slow axis direction that is a highest refractive index in a plane, ny indicates a refractive index in a fast axis direction that is orthogonal to the slow axis direction, and d indicates a thickness of the polarizer protective film, an absorption axis of the polarizer and the slow axis of the polarizer protective film are arranged to form an angle in a range of 0°±10° or in a range of 90°±10°, the polarizer protective film is formed of polyethylene terephthalate, the polarizer protective film has an orientation angle difference in the slow axis direction in a range of not more than 2.2°, wherein an orientation angle of the polarizer protective film has been measured at 40 points equally spaced in a vertical direction and in a transverse direction in a rectangular portion of 27 cm long by 48 cm wide on a display screen of a liquid crystal display including the polarizer protective film, and the orientation angle difference is a value obtained by subtracting a minimum orientation angle from a maximum orientation angle, obtained from the 40 points.

12. The laminate according to claim 11, wherein the (nx−ny) of the polarizer protective film is in a range of 0.07 or more.

13. The laminate according to claim 11, wherein the polarizer protective film has a transparency in a range of 80% or more in a visible light range.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0130] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating one example of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention.

[0131] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating one example of a conventional liquid crystal display device.

[0132] FIG. 3 illustrates an emission spectrum of a back light source of the liquid crystal monitor used in examples and comparative examples.

[0133] FIG. 4 illustrates an emission spectrum of external light used in evaluation of rainbow interference pattern in a bright place in the examples and the comparative examples.

[0134] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a method for measuring the average orientation angle and the orientation angle difference.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0135] The present invention will be described by means of the following examples which are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Here, “parts” and “%” are based on mass unless otherwise stated.

Example 1

[0136] A polyethylene terephthalate material was molten at 290° C. and extruded into a sheet-shaped film through a film-forming dye. The film was made in contact with a rotational quenching drum chilled with water for cooling purposes, so that an unstretched film was produced. The unstretched film was preheated at 120° C. for a minute, and stretched by 4.5 times at 120° C. using a biaxial stretching tester (TOYO SEIKI SEISAKU-SHO, LTD.). The resulting film was then stretched by 1.5 times in a direction at 90 degrees to the first stretching direction. As a result, a polarizer protective film (retardation of 9900 nm, film thickness of 100 μm, Δn of 0.099) was obtained.

[0137] The resulting polarizer protective film was placed on a polarizer on the viewer side in a liquid crystal monitor (FLATORON IPS226V produced by LG Electronics Japan) to produce a liquid crystal display device. The polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was 0°.

Example 2

[0138] A liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the angle formed by the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was changed to 30°.

Example 3

[0139] A liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the angle formed by the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was changed to 60°.

Example 4

[0140] A liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the angle formed by the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was changed to 90°.

Example 5

[0141] The stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in Example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 8200 nm, a film thickness of 92 μm, and Δn of 0.089 was obtained. A liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the obtained polarizer protective film was used.

Example 6

[0142] The stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in Example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 19000 nm, a film thickness of 190 μm, and Δn of 0.100 was obtained. A liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the obtained polarizer protective film was used.

Example 7

[0143] The stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in Example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 7500 nm, a film thickness of 75 μm, and Δn of 0.100 was obtained. The polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis (average orientation angle) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 0°.

Example 8

[0144] The stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in Example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 7500 nm, a film thickness of 94 μm, and Δn of 0.08 was obtained. The polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis (average orientation angle) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 0°.

Example 9

[0145] The stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in Example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 6100 nm, a film thickness of 61 μm, and Δn of 0.100 was obtained. The polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis (average orientation angle) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 0°.

Example 10

[0146] The stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in Example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 6100 nm, a film thickness of 81 μm, and Δn of 0.075 was obtained. The polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis (average orientation angle) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 0°.

Comparative Example 1

[0147] A liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that an angle formed by the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 45°.

Comparative Example 2

[0148] The stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in Example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 5200 nm, a film thickness of 52 μm, and Δn of 0.100 was obtained. The polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis (average orientation angle) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 0°.

Comparative Example 3

[0149] The polarizer protective film obtained in Example 9 was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis (average orientation angle) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 45°.

Comparative Example 4

[0150] A liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a PET film A4100 having a retardation of 6200 nm, a film thickness of 188 μm, and Δn of 0.033 produced by TOYOBO CO., LTD. was used as the polarizer protective film.

Comparative Example 5

[0151] The stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in Example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 7500 nm, a film thickness of 188 μm, and Δn of 0.040 was obtained. A liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the obtained polarizer protective film was used.

Comparative Example 6

[0152] The stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in Example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 6100 nm, a film thickness of 160 μm, and Δn of 0.038 was obtained. The polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis (average orientation angle) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 0′.

(Evaluation of Rainbow Interference Pattern)

[0153] Images displayed on the liquid crystal display devices produced in the examples and the comparative examples were observed visually and over polarized sunglasses by five persons from the front and in an oblique direction (about 50 degrees) in a dark place and in a bright place (400 1× around the liquid crystal monitor) for determination of the presence or absence of rainbow interference pattern based on the following criteria.

Excellent: No rainbow interference pattern was present.
Good: Slight rainbow interference pattern was present. No problem in practical use.
Average: rainbow interference pattern was present.
Poor: Clear rainbow interference pattern was present.

[0154] FIG. 3 illustrates an emission spectrum of the backlight source of the liquid crystal monitor (FLATORON IPS 226V produced by LG Electronics Japan). FIG. 4 illustrates an emission spectrum of external light used in the evaluation of rainbow interference pattern in a bright place.

(Measurement of the Average Orientation Angle and the Orientation Angle Difference)

[0155] The average orientation angle and the orientation angle difference in the slow axis direction of the polarizer protective film was measured with regard to the liquid crystal display devices according to Examples 7 to 10, and Comparative Examples 3 and 6.

[0156] The measurement was performed using a Molecular Orientation Analyzer (MOA) produced by Oji Scientific Instruments. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the orientation angle was measured at 40 points at intervals of 5 cm in the vertical direction and in the transvers direction on a liquid crystal monitor (21.5 inches, 27 cm high and 48 cm wide). The average thereof was the average orientation angle. The orientation angle difference is the value obtained by subtracting the minimum orientation angle from the maximum orientation angle. Black dots in FIG. 5 indicate measured points.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Evaluation of rainbow interference pattern Angle(°) of Dark place Bright place (average orientation Film Angle(°) of Over Over angle (slow axis Orientation Re thickkness (slow axis − Visual polarized Visual polarized direction) − angle (nm) (μm) Δn absorption axis) observation sunglasses observation sunglasses absorption axis) difference (°) Example 1 9900 100 0.099 0 Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent — — Example 2 9900 100 0.099 30 Excellent Excellent Excellent Good — — Example 3 9900 100 0.099 60 Excellent Excellent Excellent Good — — Example 4 9900 100 0.099 90 Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent — — Example 5 8200 92 0.089 0 Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent — — Example 6 19000 190 0.100 0 Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent — — Example 7 7500 75 0.100 0 Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent 0 0.8 Example 8 7500 94 0.080 0 Excellent Excellent Excellent Good 0 1.7 Example 9 6100 61 0.100 0 Excellent Excellent Excellent Good 0 1.1 Example 10 6100 81 0.075 0 Excellent Good Excellent Good 0 2.2 Comparative 9900 100 0.099 45 Excellent Excellent Excellent Average — — Example 1 Comparative 5200 52 0.100 — Excellent Average Excellent Average — — Example 2 Comparative 6100 61 0.100 45 Excellent Excellent Excellent Average 45  1.1 Example 3 Comparative 6200 188 0.033 0 Average Poor Average Poor — — Example 4 Comparative 7500 188 0.040 0 Average Poor Average Poor — — Example 5 Comparative 6100 160 0.038 0 Average Poor Average Poor 0 6.6 Example 6

[0157] As shown in Table 1, the liquid crystal display devices according to the examples in which the polarizer protective film has a retardation of not less than 6000 nm and an angle formed by the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer is within a range of 0°±30° or 90°±30° are excellent in any of the evaluations of rainbow interference pattern observed visually and over polarized sunglasses in a bright place and in a dark place. The liquid crystal display device according to Example 8 in which the orientation angle difference in the slow axis direction of the polarizer protective film was 1.7° was a bit inferior to the liquid crystal display device according to Example 7 in which the orientation angle difference was 0.8° in the evaluation of rainbow interference pattern over polarized sunglasses in a bright place and in a dark place.

[0158] Similarly, the liquid crystal display device according to Example 10 in which the orientation angle difference in the slow axis direction of the polarizer protective film was 2.2° was a bit inferior to the liquid crystal display device according to Example 9 in which the orientation angle difference was 1.1° in the evaluation of rainbow interference pattern over polarized sunglasses in a bright place and in a dark place.

[0159] In contrast, the liquid crystal display devices according to Comparative Examples 1 and 3 in which an angle formed between the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer was 45° were excellent in the evaluation of the rainbow interference pattern in a dark place but poor in the evaluation of the rainbow interference pattern in a bright place over polarized sunglasses. The liquid crystal display device according to Comparative Example 2 in which the retardation was less than 6000 nm was poor in the evaluation of rainbow interference pattern both in a bright place and in a dark place.

[0160] The liquid crystal display devices according to Comparative Examples 4 to 6 were each poor in the evaluation of rainbow interference pattern in a bright place and in a dark place because Δn thereof was less than 0.05, though the retardation thereof was not less than 6000 nm.

[0161] In comparison of the liquid crystal display devices according to Examples 9 and 10 and Comparative Example 6, the liquid crystal display device according to Comparative Example 6 was inferior to the liquid crystal display devices according to Examples 9 and 10 in the evaluation of rainbow interference pattern over polarized sunglasses in a bright place and in a dark place. The reason for this is presumably that the orientation angle difference in the slow axis direction of the polarizer protective film according to Comparative Example 6 was large as 6.6°, while the orientation angle difference in the slow axis direction of the polarizer protective film according to Examples 9 and 10 were as small as 1.1° and 2.2°, respectively.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0162] The liquid crystal display device of the present invention is applicable to a liquid crystal display device provided with a polarizer protective film having a large retardation value, and highly suppresses occurrence of rainbow interference pattern in displayed images.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0163] 10, 20: Liquid crystal display device [0164] 11, 21: Liquid crystal cell [0165] 12, 22: Color filter [0166] 13, 23, 25: Polarizer [0167] 14: Polarizer protective film