Abstract: An acoustic droplet emitter which a liquid level control plate has a lip in intimate contact with the free surface of a liquid is constructed. The liquid level control plate also has an effective aperture diameter at the exit edge of the plate which is larger than the effective aperture diameter at the lip. This reduces the pressure sensitivity of the free surface of the liquid and allows for the free surface of the liquid to be effectively pinned at the bottom surface of liquid level control plate for wider variations in pressure than using conventional methods.

Abstract: A method of operation of an acoustic droplet emitter with an array of droplet emitting utilizing high liquid flow rates. The higher flow rates prevent excess heat absorption during the droplet emission process and allow for excess heat generated by control electronics to be transferred to the flowing liquid after droplet emission but before it leaves the droplet emitter. This prevents excess heat build-up within the droplet emitter and allows for higher more accurate droplet emission.

Abstract: A rotating element for use in an electric paper system in which the rotating element may be either substantially cylindrical or substantially spherical in shape and comprises at least three portions. Each portion has an associated optical modulation characteristic and the optical modulation characteristics of at least one portion are different from the optical modulation characteristics of at least one other portion. One of the portions is capable of being permanently magnetized. The rotating element also has an anisotropy for providing an electrical dipole moment. The electrical dipole moment renders the element electrically responsive such that when the rotating element is rotatably disposed in an electric field while the electrical dipole moment of the rotating element is provided, the rotating element tends to rotate to an orientation in which the electrical dipole moment aligns with the field.

Abstract: A method of making rotating element sheet material utilizing magnetic latching is disclosed. First a plurality of rotating elements having a magnetized segment are mixed with magnetic particles to attract the magnetic particles to the magnetized segments. Then the rotating elements with the attached magnetic particles are mixed with a liquid elastomer. A magnetic field is applied to orient the rotating elements in a common direction. When the rotating elements and the attached magnetic particles have all been oriented the elastomer is cured to form an elastomer substrate with trapped rotating elements and magnetic particles. The elastomer substrate is then immersed into a bath of dielectric plasticizer which is absorbed more readily by elastomer than by the rotating elements. The elastomer substrate swells to create plasticizer-filled voids around the rotating elements. The magnetic particles remain incorporated within the elastomer to form magnetic material pads which are associated with an element.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing metal structures in which minute drops of a liquid metal are emitted from an acoustic device through an inert gas. The presence of the inert gas at the surface of the liquid metal prevent the formation of an oxide skin which would absorb acoustic energy and hinder droplet formation and emission. The droplets are then emitted towards a substrate, which may form as a carrier, where they may be used to form solder bumps, circuit traces, or accepted to form a three dimensional device.

Abstract: The invention is an electric paper sheet that uses a pattern of conductive charge-retaining islands on the outward-facing side of the first of two thin layers used to encapsulate a Gyricon sheet. The second encapsulating layer may also coated with a conductive material, or made of a conductive material, and may or may not be patterned. The Gyricon sheet and two encapsulating layers comprise a sheet of Gyricon electric paper on which images can be written and erased repeatedly. The patterned charge-retaining islands of the first encapsulating layer receive electric charges from an external charge-transfer device. After the charge-transfer device is removed, the conductive, charge-retaining islands hold electric charge, creating an electric field in the electric paper sufficient to cause an image change.

Abstract: A method of addressing a sheet of a rotating element sheet material that has a reduced applied electric field requirement when a gyricon sheet using magnetic trapping is disclosed. A magnetic trapping gyricon sheet comprises a substrate with a plurality of rotatable elements disposed in the substrate. The elements comprise at least two portions, each portion having an associated optical modulation characteristic and the optical modulation characteristics of at least one portion are different from the optical modulation characteristic of at least one other portion. Importantly, one portion is magnetized, and the element also has an anisotropy for providing an electrical dipole moment. The electrical dipole moment renders the element electrically responsive such that when the rotating element is rotatably disposed in an electric field while the electrical dipole moment of the element is provided, the element tends to rotate to an orientation in which the electrical dipole moment aligns with the field.

Abstract: A droplet emitter with an array of droplet emitting devices constructed such that a flowing liquid used create the droplets can flow through the droplet emitter at higher flow rates. The higher flow rates prevent excess heat absorption during the droplet emission process and allow for excess heat generated by control electronics to be transferred to the flowing liquid after droplet emission but before it leaves the droplet emitter. This prevents excess heat build-up within the droplet emitter and allows for higher more accurate droplet emission.

Abstract: A method of making rotating element sheet material utilizing magnetic latching is disclosed. First a plurality of rotating elements, each element having a magnetized segment, are mixed with an elastomer and a plurality of magnetic particles to attract the magnetic particles to the magnetized segments. Then a magnetic field is applied to orient the elements in a common direction. When the rotating elements have all been oriented in a common direction, they are held in that orientation for a long enough period of time to allow the magnetic particles to migrate in the elastomer to the regions of the elastomer in the vicinity of the magnetized segments of the elements. The elastomer is then cured to form an elastomer substrate with trapped rotating elements and magnetic particles. The elastomer substrate is then immersed into a bath of dielectric plasticizer which is absorbed more readily by elastomer than by the rotating elements.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming magnetized rotating elements for a rotating element display where all the elements are magnetized in the same orientation is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least one separator member. Each separator member has a diameter, two opposed surfaces and an edge region in contact with both of the surfaces. Further included is an apparatus for providing at least two liquid flows wherein each one of the liquid flows has an associated separator member and an associated surface on the associated separator member, and each one of the liquid flows is provided across the associated surface of the associated separator members. The liquid flow flows toward the edge region of the associated separator member. The liquid flows are each a flow of hardenable liquid material associated with an optical modulation characteristic, and at least one of the liquid flows containing a magnetic pigment.

Abstract: Several variations in full-color additive gyricons are shown. Each gyricon shown has been designed for ease of construction by eliminating the need for precise placement of rotating elements, alignment between the gyricon layers, if any, and alignment between the gyricon sheet and the addressing device.

Abstract: Optical plates which have columnar features approximately in the direction of light propagation which are capable of total internal reflection, a controllable numeric aperture (NA) at input and output surfaces, rotational azimuthal averaging and translation of the object plane from a back surface of the plate to a front surface of the plate and are optical equivalent of a FOFP. These plates are made from a composition of irradiation sensitive glass which has been etched in either the columnar features or the surrounding features. If the surrounding features have been etched, the etched areas are filled with either a low melt glass or plastic or a light blocking material such as a black composition material. If the columnar features have been etched the etched areas are filled with a low melt glass or plastic.

Abstract: A droplet emitter with an array of droplet emitting devices constructed such that one flowing liquid is used to create the droplets while a second low acoustic impedance liquid can be used to both make the transfer of acoustic energy to the first liquid more efficient and help maintain a uniform temperature of the droplet emitter array. Both liquids can be circulated through the droplet emitter to allow for excess heat generated by control electronics to be transferred to the flowing liquids. This prevents, for instance excess heat build-up within the droplet emitter and allows for higher more accurate droplet emission rates.

Abstract: A sheet material for use in a gyricon display in which a rotatable element, which has a portion which is capable of being permanently magnetized may be oriented to experience an attractive force between itself and a soft magnetic material pad. The attractive force between the element and the pad serve to latch the element in place and prevent unwanted display changes from taking place. The element may be constructed to be either cylindrically or spherically shaped. The element and the soft magnetic material pads may be arranged to provide multiple latching states as desired.

Abstract: A droplet emitter with an array of droplet emitting devices constructed such that one flowing liquid is used to create the droplets while a second low acoustic impedance liquid can be used to both make the transfer of acoustic energy to the first liquid more efficient and help maintain a uniform temperature of the droplet emitter array. Both the emission fluid and the low acoustic impedance fluid can be circulated through the droplet emitter to allow for excess heat generated by control electronics to be transferred to the flowing. This prevents for instance excess heat build up within the droplet emitter and allows for higher more accurate droplet emission.

Abstract: Several variations in full-color additive gyricons are shown. Each gyricon shown has been designed for ease of construction by eliminating the need for precise placement of rotating elements, alignment between the gyricon layers, if any, and alignment between the gyricon sheet and the addressing device.

Abstract: Several variations in full-color additive gyricons are shown. Each gyricon shown has been designed for ease of construction by eliminating the need for precise placement of rotating elements, alignment between the gyricon layers, if any, and alignment between the gyricon sheet and the addressing device.

Abstract: An apparatus and related method for high speed offset ink jet printing are provided. Multiple print head modules form a full width ink image by ejecting ink drops onto an intermediate transfer surface on a rotating drum. One or more complete images are formed on the intermediate transfer surface in less than one revolution of the drum. The images are then transferred to a final receiving medium while additional images are simultaneously formed on the intermediate transfer surface as the drum continues to rotate. Two or more color component images may be overlayed to form a complete color image in less than one revolution of the drum. Additionally, the simultaneous imaging and image transfer allow the apparatus and method to print images having a length greater than the circumference of the drum.

Abstract: A method of making rotating element sheet material utilizing magnetic latching is provided. The first step is providing a sheet of sheet material comprising a substrate with a surface and rotatable elements disposed therein. The elements each have an optical and electrical anisotropy, and comprise at least two portions. One of the portions is magnetizable. After the magnetizable portions have been oriented in a common direction, they are magnetized substantially uniformly. The elements can be oriented such that the magnetized portions are disposed towards the surface of the substrate. A layer of hardenable mixture containing a plurality of magnetic particles is then applied to the surface of the substrate. The hardenable liquid is kept liquid for a period of time to allow the migration magnetic particles to the area of the layer in the vicinity of the magnetized portions of the rotatable elements.

Abstract: Bichromal balls have two hemispheres, typically one black and one white, each having different electrical properties. Each ball is enclosed within a spherical shell and then a space between the ball and shell is filled with a liquid to form a microsphere so that the ball is free to rotate in response to an electrical field. The microspheres can then be mixed into a substrate which can be formed into sheets or can be applied to any kind of surface. The result is a film which can form an image from an applied electrical field.