Patents by Inventor Hsin-An Hou

Hsin-An Hou has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5783614
    Abstract: Properly-coated pigment particles for use in an electrophoretic display include pigment particles having a pre-determined density and application of a polymeric coating to the pigment particles, wherein the coating comprises a near fluoropolymer, and wherein the density of the fluoropolymer is substantially the same as the density of the pigment particles. When a polymeric coating is applied having a density that is substantially the same as the density of the pigment particles, even though the particles comprise a distribution of particle sizes, the density of the pigment particles is not significantly altered. In a preferred embodiment, the pigment particle comprises a diarylide yellow pigment, having a density of 1.43 g/ml, coated with a polymer made from the monomer 2,3,4,5,6-Pentafluorostyrene, having a density of 1.41 g/ml.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Copytele, Inc.
    Inventors: Jing Hong Chen, Frederic E. Schubert, Wei-Hsin Hou
  • Patent number: 5707738
    Abstract: The present invention are dielectric black particles for use in electrophoretic images displays, electrostatic toner or the like, and the corresponding method of manufacturing the same. The present invention black particles are latex particles formed by a polymerization technique, wherein the latex particles are stained to a high degree of blackness with a metal oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Copytele, Inc.
    Inventor: Wei-Hsin Hou
  • Patent number: 5643673
    Abstract: The present invention are dielectric black particles for use in electrophoretic images displays, electrostatic toner or the like, and the corresponding method of manufacturing the same. The present invention black particles are latex particles formed by a polymerization technique, wherein the latex particles are stained to a high degree of blackness with a metal oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Copytele, Inc.
    Inventor: Wei-Hsin Hou
  • Patent number: 5587242
    Abstract: A process for forming dielectric particles includes admixing a vinyl halide monomer and a crosslinker in a liquid dispersion medium to form a first mixture. A second mixture of an initiator and a stabilizer is prepared and added to the first mixture to form a third mixture in which the monomer polymerizes to form white crystalline polymer particles which are sonified for uniformity. The particles may be stained by exposure to a dehydrohalegenation reagent and dispersed in an electrophoretic fluid for use in an electrophoretic display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Copytele, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei-Hsin Hou, Thomas B. Lloyd, Frederic E. Schubert
  • Patent number: 5573711
    Abstract: A dielectric suspension for use in an electrophoretic image display, electrostatic printing or the like, comprising a suspension medium including a dense fluorinated solvent and a less dense hydrocarbon solvent, a plurality of pigment particles dispersed in the suspension medium, a fluid dye dissolved in the suspension medium for providing a contrast with the pigment particles, and a charge control agent adsorbed on the pigment particles for preventing the pigment particles from agglomerating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Copytele, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei-Hsin Hou, Frederic E. Schubert, George Semertzidis
  • Patent number: 5498674
    Abstract: A process for forming dielectric particles includes admixing a vinyl halide monomer and a crosslinker in a liquid dispersion medium to form a first mixture. A second mixture of an initiator and a stabilizer is prepared and added to the first mixture to form a third mixture in which the monomer polymerizes to form white crystalline polymer particles which are sonified for uniformity. The particles may be stained by exposure to a dehydrohalegenation reagent and dispersed in an electrophoretic fluid for use in an electrophoretic display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Copytele, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei-Hsin Hou, Thomas B. Lloyd, Frederic E. Schubert
  • Patent number: 5360689
    Abstract: A process for forming dielectric particles includes admixing a vinyl halide monomer and a crosslinker in a liquid dispersion medium to form a first mixture. A second mixture of an initiator and a stabilizer is prepared and added to the first mixture to form a third mixture in which the monomer polymerizes to form white crystalline polymer particles which are sonified for uniformity. The particles may be stained by exposure to a dehydrohalegenation reagent and dispersed in an electrophoretic fluid for use in an electrophoretic display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Assignee: Copytele, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei-Hsin Hou, Thomas B. Lloyd, Frederic E. Schubert
  • Patent number: 5358822
    Abstract: A method of making liquid toner for electrophotographic imaging by forming a mixture of a polyamide polymer, a good solvent therefor and a particulate pigment, heating the polymer/pigment/solvent mixture to form a solution thereof, cooling the resulting solution to precipitate fine polymer-encapsulated pigment particles of generally uniform size and morphology, removing the precipitated particles, removing the solvent and redispersing the resulting particles in dispersant medium along with a charge-control agent to form the liquid toner. A steric stabilizer can be added to the polymer-encapsulated pigment particle dispersion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Coulter Corporation
    Inventor: Wei-Hsin Hou
  • Patent number: 5298833
    Abstract: The present invention are dielectric black particles for use in electrophoretic images displays, electrostatic toner or the like, and the corresponding method of manufacturing the same. The present invention black particles are latex particles formed by a polymerization technique, wherein the latex particles are stained to a high degree of blackness with a metal oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Copytele, Inc.
    Inventor: Wei-Hsin Hou
  • Patent number: 5270445
    Abstract: A polyamide polymer and one of methanol, ethanol and 2-propanol are formed into a solution by heating at 70 degrees Celsius for approximately two hours, the resulting solution is cooled to precipitate the polymer as particles from said solution. Alternatively, a non-solvent to said polymer may be added to effect precipitation of said polymer particles. The solvent is removed and the particles isolated and dried to form a dry powder. Fine particulate material such as a pigment, may be included with the polymer and solvent in formation of the solution. The resulting solution may be cooled at a rapid rate to precipitate the particles as polymer-encapsulated pigment particles of generally uniform size and morphology, the surface characteristics such as surface area being controlled. The precipitated polymer particles may be classified when dispersed in a dispersant medium, as mono-dispersed particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1993
    Assignee: Coulter Corporation
    Inventor: Wei-Hsin Hou
  • Patent number: 5264553
    Abstract: A method for forming fine polymer particles, including core/shell polymer composite particles and polymer-encapsulated liposome particles. A polymer solution is formed using a selective solvent which enables the polymer to be precipitated from the solution upon a change in condition thereof. The change in condition may be effected by lowering of the temperature of the solution and/or introducing a non-solvent to the solution. With respect to the formation of the polymer-encapsulated liposome particles, the liposome particles are included when the polymer solution is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: Coulter Corporation
    Inventor: Wei-Hsin Hou