Abstract: A liquid crystal material contained in plural volumes in a containment medium and operative selectively to transmit light in the presence of a prescribed input or to scatter light, and non-pleochroic dye in at least one of the liquid crystal material and the containment medium. In one embodiment generally isotropic scattering of light by the liquid crystal together with enhanced scattering features which increase the path length of the light through dye results in increased coloration with minimum dye. The enchanced scattering features may be achieved using total internal reflection and/or optical interference principles. In an embodiment the dye is a fluorescent dye.

Abstract: Encapsulated liquid crystal material in a support medium illuminated from the viewing side or through a louvered light guide from the back side will appears bright relative to background when in distorted alignment absent an electric field. Incident light on the liquid crystal material is isotropically scattered into the support medium, and using the principle of total internal reflection and possibly also optical interference a relatively large part of the isotropically scattered light is directed back to illuminate the distorted liquid crystal material tending to brighten the same so that light it scatters back to the viewing direction out of the support medium.

Abstract: A liquid crystal apparatus includes a plurality of volumes of liquid crystal material in a containment medium. At least some of the volumes are interconnected. The walls defining the volumes tend to distort the natural liquid crystal structure in the absence of an electric field, and the optical and electrical properties of the materials are such that in the absence of a field incident light is scattered or absorbed and in the presence of a field, scattering and/or absorption are reduced. The apparatus may be used in an optical display, optical shutter, billboard, etc., and it functions independently of polarization. Methods of making and using the apparatus also are included in the invention.

Abstract: A liquid crystal moving picture projector includes a liquid crystal imager or display device and projection optics for projecting images sequentially created by the imager. The imager, sometimes referred to as a liquid crystal display, includes a continuous strip of liquid crystal material capable of temporarily storing charge to create characteristics of an image on a frame by frame basis capable of being projected and a dynamic electrode system selectively to apply charge to the liquid crystal material to create the sequential images. The projection optics includes light source, mask, shutter and lens systems capable of projecting the sequential images created by the imager.

Abstract: The present invention relates to use of liquid crystal material encapsulated in a containment medium to produce a controlled colored or multicolored output, for example, in response to the application, removal and variation in an electric field. A non-pleohroic dye is imbibed in the containment medium itself. Different color dyes may be placed at different areas of the encapsulated liquid crystal structure to achieve different color outputs. In the imbibing process water soluble dye is applied to the exposed surface of a water base containment medium of already encapsulated liquid crystal material. Humidity is applied, and the dye imbibes into a proximate area of the containment medium preferably going into solution therewith.

Abstract: A liquid crystal apparatus includes a plurality of volumes of liquid crystal material in a containment medium. At least some of the volumes also have a filler or spacer material therein. Some volumes may be interconnected. The walls defining the volumes and the wall of the spacer tend to distort the natural liquid crystal structure in the absence of an electric field, and the optical and electrical properties of the materials are such that in the absence of a field incident light is scattered or absorbed and in the presence of a field, scattering and/or absorption are reduced. The apparatus may be used in an optical display, optical shutter, billboard, etc., and it functions independently of polarization. Methods of making and using the apparatus also are included in the invention.

Abstract: Briefly, according to one aspect of the invention, liquid crystal material, and especially nematic material, is encapsulated; according to another aspect the encapsulated liquid crystal material is used in liquid crystal devices, such as relatively large size visual display devices; and according to further aspects there are provided methods for encapsulating liquid crystal material and for making a liquid crystal device using such encapsulated liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A liquid crystal image forming projector includes a liquid crystal display selectively operable for affecting light incident thereon, and an optical device for selectively projecting light affected or not affected by the liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal display, for example, selectively transmits light and at least one of scatters and absorbs light, and the optical device includes a projection lens for projecting light to form an image that is a function of selective operation of said liquid crystal display and a selecting device, such as a mask or aperture, for selecting the light from the liquid crystal display for projection to form such image. A method for projecting an image also is disclosed and includes directing incident light to a liquid crystal device capable of affecting or not affecting such incident light, and selectively projecting light affected or not affected by such liquid crystal device to form an image.

Abstract: In the present invention encapsulated liquid crystal material in a support medium illuminated from the viewing side or direction will appear bright or white relative to background when in distorted alignment, e.g. in the absence of an electric field. Incident light impinging on the liquid crystal material is isotropically scattered thereby into the support medium, and using the principle of total internal reflection a relatively large part of the isotropically scattered light is reflected back to illuminate the distorted liquid crystal material tending to brighten the same so that light it scatters back to the viewing direction out of the support medium causes the liquid crystal material to appear relatively light or bright as compared to the background where there is no liquid crystal material or where the liquid crystal material is in parallel alignment in field-on condition, i.e. aligned with respect to an electric field, and, thus, substantially transmissive.

Abstract: Briefly, according to one aspect of the invention, liquid crystal material, and especially nematic material, is encapsulated; according to another aspect the encapsulated liquid crystal material is used in liquid crystal devices, such as relatively large size visual display devices; and according to further aspects there are provided methods for encapsulating liquid crystal material and for making a liquid crystal device using such encapsulated liquid crystal material.

Abstract: An image copying apparatus includes a copier for copying an image and an imager which forms characteristics of the image. The imager includes a liquid crystal image forming and storing system for forming in real time characteristics of an image in response to a prescribed input and for temporarily storing those characteristics for a time adequate for the copier to copy the same and a scanning device to scan the image forming and storing device to apply the characteristics thereto. In one embodiment the liquid crystal is operationally nematic liquid crystal encapsulated or contained in a support medium that has a capacitance characteristic, and the scanning device includes a dynamic electrode which applies surface charge to selected areas of the encapsulated liquid crystal/support medium affecting the liquid crystal structural alignment to create the image characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention relates to use of liquid crystal material encapsulated in a containment medium to produce a controlled colored output, for example, in response to the application, removal and variation in an electric field. In one embodiment a non-pleochroic dye is in the containment medium itself and in another embodiment the non-pleochroic dye is in the liquid crystal material itself; and in both cases the object is to color light.

Abstract: In the present invention encapsulated liquid crystal material in a support medium illuminated from the viewing side or direction will appear bright or white relative to background when in distorted alignment, e.g. in the absence of an electric field. Incident light impinging on the liquid crystal material is isotropically scattered thereby into the support medium, and using the principle of total internal reflection a relatively large part of the isotropically scattered light is reflected back to illuminate the distorted liquid crystal material tending to brighten the same so that light it scatters back to the viewing direction out of the support medium causes the liquid crystal material to appear relatively light or bright as compared to the background where there is no liquid crystal material or where the liquid crystal material is in parallel alignment in field-on condition, i.e. aligned with respect to an electric field, and, thus, substantially transmissive.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, liquid crystal material, and especially nematic material, is encapsulated; according to another aspect the encapsulated liquid crystal material is used in liquid crystal devices, such as relatively large size visual display devices; and according to further aspects there are provided methods for encapsulating liquid crystal material and for making a liquid crystal device using such encapsulated liquid crystal material.

Abstract: Briefly, a liquid crystal material composition has a low, preferably zero or near zero, birefringence characteristic. Such material is mixed with a quantity of pleochroic dye to form a solution therewith to increase absorption characteristics and is encapsulated; and such encapsulated material may be used as an optical light control device or optical shutter in which light intensity may be controlled without distorting or at least without substantially distorting the optical image transmitted therethrough.

Abstract: Briefly, according to one aspect of the invention, liquid crystal material, and especially nematic material, is encapsulated; according to another aspect the encapsulated liquid crystal material is used in liquid crystal devices, such as relatively large size visual display devices; and according to further aspects there are provided methods for encapsulating liquid crystal material and for making a liquid crystal device using such encapsulated liquid crystal material.