1. A method of improving displayed darkness as provided at a side view by a backlit Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device having a liquid crystal layer operating in a vertical alignment mode (VAM), the method being automatically carried out within the LCD device and comprising:
first polarizing supplied backlight rays in accordance with a first absorption axis extending in an x axis direction of a reference frame having orthogonal x, y and z axes so as to thereby produce first polarized light rays, where the first polarized light rays have respective polarization states on a surface of a Poincare sphere representing such states;
first rotating the polarization states of the first polarized light rays in a first rotation direction about an axis of the Poincare sphere and in accordance with a first translation magnitude along the surface of the Poincare sphere so as to thereby produce first rotated and polarized light rays;
using the liquid crystal layer in a relaxed state to second rotate the polarization states of the first rotated and polarized light rays in a second rotation direction, opposite to the first rotation direction and also about the same axis of the Poincare sphere and in accordance with a second translation magnitude along the surface of the Poincare sphere so as to thereby produce second rotated and polarized light rays, where the second translation magnitude is substantially the same as the first translation magnitude;
biaxially translating the second rotated and polarized light rays along the Poincare sphere surface towards an extinction point on the Poincare sphere surface, where the extinction point is symmetrically displaced on one side of a prime meridian of the Poincare sphere in opposition to where the polarization states of the first polarized light rays reside on the Poincare sphere surface.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first rotating is provided with use of C-plate.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein said biaxial translating is provided with use of biaxial plate.
4. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:
second polarizing the biaxially translated light rays in accordance with a second absorption axis extending in the y axis direction.
5. The method of claim 4 and further comprising:
viewing from a side viewing position, an image produced by the LCD device.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A multi-sectional, modular energy absorber placed adjacent to a support member comprising:
one or more modules, each of the one or more modules having an average energy absorbing characteristic so that when positioned in relation to the underlying support elongate member, a module positioned adjacent an end of the support member has energy absorbing characteristic that differs from that in proximity to a central region of the support member, at least some of the one or more of the modules having:
an energy absorbing unit, at least some of the units having a first section and a second section that are juxtaposed to form an energy absorbing unit;
a first and second flange section extending from the first and second sections;
means for locating the first and second sections in relation to each other, the locating means being provided in the first and second flange sections;
means for coordinating energy absorbing units the means for coordinating having a topography including a number (n) of apertures defined therein, where n is an integer\u22670, the means for coordinating positioning the energy absorbing units in relation to each other before relative motion between an incident object and the modular energy absorber, so that impact forces resulting therefrom are at least partially absorbed by at least some of the energy absorbing units,
at least some of the first and second sections including
an upper perimeter, a lower perimeter and an intermediate wall extending therebetween and a number (m) of breaches defined in the intermediate wall before impact, where m is an integer\u22670, the wall at least partially collapsing during energy absorption and resisting a major incident component of the impacting force, and wherein at least some of the energy absorbing units cooperate with the means for coordinating to afford mutual support in decelerating an object that imparts the impacting force.
2. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, wherein the end modular energy absorbing characteristic is stiffer than that of the module positioned in a central region of the support member.
3. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, further including:
a hinge region with leaves positioned between the first and second sections, the first and second sections being provided with a dome, each leaf extending from one of the domes.
4. The modular energy absorber of claim 3, wherein the hinge region lies below an imaginary center line that extends longitudinally along the elongate underlying support member.
5. The modular energy absorber of claim 3, further including a number of domes in a second section is separated by the hinge region from a first section that lie on an opposing side of the hinge region, thereby enabling the energy absorber to have an average energy absorbing characteristic on one side of the hinge region that differs from an average energy absorbing characteristic on the opposing side of the hinge region.
6. The modular energy absorber of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of a leaf extending from a dome in a section is joined with a portion of a leaf associated with a facing section of an energy absorbing unit.
7. The modular energy absorber of claim 3, wherein the dome has a configuration that is non-planar.
8. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, further including:
means for locating the energy absorber in relation to the underlying support elongate member.
9. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, further including:
means for attaching a fascia to the modular energy absorber.
10. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, wherein the number (n) of apertures equals zero.
11. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, wherein the means for coordinating comprises a form selected from the group consisting of a web, a tether, a hinge, a planar surface, a rib, a channel, a non-planar surface, and combinations thereof.
12. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, wherein an energy absorbing unit has an imaginary axis of symmetry and at least a segment of the dome is inclined to the axis of symmetry.
13. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, wherein the intermediate wall has a thickness, the thickness being non-uniform between the upper and lower perimeters.
14. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, wherein the intermediate wall of an energy absorbing unit has an average thickness (t1) that differs from an average thickness (t2) of a wall associated with another energy absorbing unit.
15. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, wherein a lower perimeter of an energy absorbing unit defines a geometric figure that is selected from the group consisting of a portion of a circle, an oval, an oblong, an oblate oblong, an ellipse, a quadrilateral, and a polygon.
16. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, wherein an upper perimeter of an energy absorbing unit defines a geometric figure that is selected from the group consisting of a circle, an oval, an oblong, an oblate oblong, an ellipse, a quadrilateral, and a polygon.
17. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, wherein the size of the first section differs from that of the second section.
18. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, further including one or more stiffening ribs that are associated with the first, second or both sections.
19. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, where the breaches include slots, the slots having edges.
20. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, wherein the number (m) of breaches equals zero.
21. The modular energy absorber of claim 19, wherein the slots have edges that are not parallel.
22. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, further including means for attaching the one or more modules to the support member, the means for attaching being selected from the group consisting of adhesives, push pins, formed snaps, dovetails, rivets, and combinations thereof.
23. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, wherein the intermediate wall extending between the upper and lower perimeter of an energy absorbing unit includes one or more stepped portions that are linked by interconnecting sections.
24. The modular energy absorber of claim 23, wherein the stepped portions have a thickness that is greater than the thickness of those in proximity to the upper perimeter.
25. The modular energy absorber of claim 23, wherein the interconnecting portions have a taper such that the thickness of the interconnecting portions rises with distance from an axis of symmetry of an energy absorbing unit.
26. The modular energy absorber of claim 1, further including:
means for locating the first and second sections in relation to each other, the locating means being provided in the first and second flange sections.
27. A multi-sectional, modular energy absorber placed adjacent to a support member comprising:
one or more modules, each of the one or more modules having an average energy absorbing characteristic so that when positioned in relation to the underlying support elongate member, a module positioned in proximity to an upper region of the support member has an energy absorbing characteristic that differs from that in proximity to a lower region of the support member, at least some of the one or more of the modules having:
an energy absorbing unit, at least some of the units having a first section and a second section that are juxtaposed to form an energy absorbing unit;
a first and second flange section extending from the first and second sections;
means for locating the first and second sections in relation to each other, the locating means being provided in the first and second flange sections;
means for coordinating energy absorbing units, the means for coordinating having a topography including a number (n) of apertures defined therein, where n is an integer\u22670, the means for coordinating positioning the energy absorbing units in relation to each other before relative motion between an incident object and the modular energy absorber, so that impact forces resulting therefrom are at least partially absorbed by at least some of the energy absorbing units,
at least some of the first and second sections including
an upper perimeter, a lower perimeter and an intermediate wall extending therebetween and a number (m) of breaches defined in the intermediate wall before impact, where m is an integer\u22670, the wall at least partially collapsing during energy absorption and resisting a major incident component of the impacting force, and wherein at least some of the energy absorbing units cooperate with the means for coordinating to afford mutual support in decelerating an object that imparts the impacting force.