Abstract: A display device for representation of a bright image on a background which device has a light valve comprising a liquid crystal cell having a medium which can be switched zone-wise between at least two optical states and a light trap or body which consists of a material having an index of refraction greater than 1, contains a fluorescent material, and is provided with an outlet window for each of the switchable zones characterized by means coacting with the switchable medium to control the passage of the light through the device so that in a rest or inactive state of the medium, the medium and means allow the passage of the excitation light for the fluorescent particles and the passage of the fluorescent light therefrom and in an "on" or activated state of the medium, the means and medium are impermeable at least to the fluorescent light so that each of the switchable zones of the medium is placed in an "on" state only when it belongs to the background of the image.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical element in the form of a body (fluorescent body) which comprises a material with an index of refraction greater than one, contains fluorescent particles, and manifests at least one output coupling zone (light outlet window). This element is characterized, in accordance with the invention, by its use for collecting, conducting, and focused output coupling of optical radiation. The fluorescent body primarily serves the purpose of collecting natural or artificially produced radiation in large areas, and to focus it on a small-area, relatively weak receiver; or, with and without a light valve, for the purpose of representation of information (or data).

Abstract: An arrangement or device for optical transmission of communications including a light transmitter with an associated receiver characterized by the receiver having a light collecting body having an index of refraction greater than 1 and containing fluorescent materials which absorb the band of light emitted by the transmitter and create a band of light which is not absorbed by the substance and is detected by the receiver. If more than one transmitter is utilized, they are arranged to transmit in different frequency bands and each transmitter has an associated fluorescent substance which will absorb the discrete separate frequency but not the other frequency bands and emit a fluorescent signal which is only detected by the respective receiver for that transmitter. These fluorescent substances can be in separate light collecting bodies or as a mixture in a single body which has more than one receiver attached thereto.

Abstract: An orientation layer for liquid crystal displays and a method for its construction is provided. Ultrasonic waves are used to create a flat, stationary wave field which is used to direct the deposition of material in order form parallel ridges and associated grooves on an orientation layer in order to orient the liquid crystals. Where the ridges are composed of a conductive or dichroitic material and the grooves have an interval which approximately corresponds to one half of the wavelength of the illuminating light, the orientation layer both orients the liquid crystals and functions as a grid polarizer.

Abstract: A liquid crystal cell comprising at least two plate members each having a surface with at least a portion thereof having electric conductive coatings thereon and spacing means for maintaining the plate members with said surfaces parallel to one another to enclose a liquid crystal layer characterized by the spacing means consisting of at least one glass fiber which is imperviously connected to the plates by an adhesive. Preferably, the glass fiber is provided with an adhesive coating so that during assembly of the parts forming the cell, heat and pressures will cause the adhesive coating to be extruded from between the fiber and the surfaces of the plate member to enable the fiber to come into contact and to adhesively bond the fiber to the surfaces of the two plate members.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device having two carrier plates each having a first surface supporting electrically conducting electrode layers, the plates being hermetically sealed together with the first surfaces in facing relationship to form a chamber receiving a liquid crystal layer characterized by a covering layer disposed on each of the first surfaces. In the preferred embodiment, each of the first surfaces is provided with an obliquely vapor deposited aligning layer inbetween the conducting layer and the covering layer which covering layer has a thickness no greater than 0.05 microns and preferably less than 0.02 microns. The covering layer may be a silane derivative bonded by chemosorption on the aligning layer, a nitride such as silicon nitride, or an oxide.

Abstract: An indicator device which has two sealed chambers which are formed by at least one carrier member interposed between a pair of glass plate members to provide a tandem arrangement in the direction of travel of light in the device, characterized by at least one of the chambers containing a liquid crystal layer and being provided with transparent conductive material on the walls thereof to form a liquid crystal cell. In one embodiment, each conductive layer of each cell is separated in two parts by a continuous interruption in the layer so by selectively applying voltage to different parts, at least four different symbols or shapes can be indicated. In a second embodiment, the conductive layers of each cell are arranged as a segment electrode pattern with the segment being subdivided into partial segments with one partial segment being in one cell and the remaining partial segment in the second cell to enable determining errors in actuation of various segments during an indication.

Abstract: An optical display device having a high contrast in the light intensity of the image being displayed relative to the background light characterized by a liquid crystal cell having a layer of liquid crystal material interposed between spaced front and rear transparent carrier plates which have transparent electrodes on their inner surfaces facing the layer and a fluorescent plate of material, which has an index of refraction greater than 1, and fluorescent centers creating fluorescent light from an ambient light, being disposed behind the liquid crystal cell in the direction of viewing with the surface of the fluorescent plate being in direct contact with an outer surface of the rear carrier plate. In this device, a selective application of voltage to the selected electrodes of the cell will cause a change in the optical properties of the liquid crystal layer to decouple light from the display with an intensity substantially greater than the intensity of the background of the display.

Abstract: A liquid crystal cell comprising a layer of liquid crystal material interposed between a pair of carrier plates with at least one plate being transparent characterized by a film of metal inorganic salt selected from a group comprising magnesium fluoride, thorium fluoride, zinc sulphide, aluminum oxide, or thorium oxide deposited on at least selected areas of a surface of one of the carrier plates to cause homeotropic orientation or a tilted homeotropic orientation of the molecules of the liquid crystal material contacting the film. To provide the film, the carrier plate is positioned in spaced relationship to a source of the salt which is vaporized and deposited on the plate in the desired areas to produce the column-like structure of the desired angular orientation.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display incorporates a pair of spaced carrier plates separating a layer of liquid crystal material, both of the plates having a set of selection conductors on their inside surfaces, defining a display matrix of visual elements, and a plurality of boundary electrodes connected with one or both sets of selection conductors surrounding each individual visual element.

Abstract: A liquid crystal type display system containing a liquid crystal layer with positive dielectric anisotropy located between two carrier plates whose mutually opposite surfaces each have an electrode coating as well as an insulation layer which has been vaporized on obliquely. A rotating display cell with obliquely vaporized-on layers is provided by choosing the vapor deposition angle for one of these layers in excess of about 75.degree. and for the other layer less than about 65.degree. and positioning the carrier plates in spaced relationship to one another without any substantial rotating of one plate relative to the other thereof.

Abstract: An indicator device which has two sealed chambers which are formed by at least one carrier member interposed between a pair of glass plate members to provide a tandem arrangement in the direction of travel of light in the device, characterized by at least one of the chambers containing a liquid crystal layer and being provided with transparent conductive material on the walls thereof to form a liquid crystal cell. In one embodiment one liquid crystal cell is a rotation cell and the other is a DAP cell which cells can be activated to give multi-colored indications. In a second embodiment of the invention, one of the cells is a rotation cell and the other is a polarizing cell which enables giving a colored indication on a colored background or a white indication on a black background. In a third embodiment, both cells are rotational cells with a different angle of rotation and the carrier member consists of a birefringent material which enables indications of at least four different colors.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display screen having a liquid crystal layer disposed between a pair of carrier plates to form a liquid crystal cell characterized in a plurality of electrode layers disposed between the carrier plates with adjacent electrode layers being separated by an insulating layer and selected electrode layers being in the shape of characters or digits and being energized to form displays of different characters or digits. In one embodiment, a digit electrode layer is applied on opposite faces of the liquid crystal layer and a continuous electrode is separated by an insulating layer from each of the additional electrode layers. In a second embodiment, the liquid crystal layer is disposed between a continuous electrode layer and more than two digit electrode layers with the outermost digit electrode layer being continuous whereas the inner digit electrodes have interrupted conducting surfaces.