Abstract: A plurality of cells are set apart by a spacer member between a display plate and a rear face plate. Black particles with positive static charge and white particles with negative static charge are dispersed in a dispersion fluid, which is enclosed in the cells. A red colored layer and electrodes 7a, 7b and 7c are formed at the rear face plate. When a voltage of +50 V is applied to the electrode 7a, 0 V to 7b and −50 V to 7c, the black particles move to the electrode 7c, the white particles move to the electrode 7a, and red can be viewed. When a voltage of +50 V is applied to the electrode 7a, 0 V to 7b and +50 V to 7c, the white particles move to the electrode 7a, the black particles move to the electrode 7b, and black can be viewed. When a voltage of −50 V is applied to the electrode 7a, 0 V to 7b and −50 V to 7c, the black particles move to the electrode 7c, the white particles move to the electrode 7b, and white can be viewed.

Abstract: A back board has a spacing member having elasticity larger than that of a spacing member formed on a display board, and the spacing member of the back board is joined with the spacing member formed on the display board. Cells are formed between the display board and the back board, and black particles and white particles which are moved by an applied electric field are sealed into the cells. Even when there is variance in heights of the spacing members on the display board and the back board, the spacing member on the back board side is elastically deformed so as to absorb the variance. As a result, the spacing member on the display board is brought into close contact with the spacing member on the back board with certainty, so that the particles sealed into the cells can be prevented from moving between the cells.

Abstract: In an image display device of the present invention, a display substrate has m row electrodes, and a back surface substrate has n column electrodes. The display substrate and the back surface substrate are disposed so as to face one another and such that the electrodes thereof are orthogonal to one another (a simple matrix structure). A top-plane side driving portion is structured by a row electrode driving circuit, a reversing portion, and a reversing switch. When the reversing switch is on, the reversing portion reverses relationships of connection between the row electrode driving circuit and the row electrodes. The backplane side driving portion is structured by a column electrode driving circuit, a reversing portion, and a reversing switch. When the reversing switch is on, the reversing portion reverses relationships of connection between the column electrode driving circuit and the column electrodes.

Abstract: An image display medium is provided that does not easily cause image unevenness and maintains high contrast even after repeated use for a long period of time. The image display medium contains a first substrate transmitting light, a second substrate provided to face the first substrate, first and second particles having different colors filled between the first substrate and the second substrate, the first and second particles each contain mother particles and fine particles attached on a surface of the mother particles, the first particles are charged positively, and the second particles are charged negatively.

Abstract: An image display device is structured with an image display medium, a voltage applying unit and a control unit. The image display medium has black particles and white particles enclosed in a space between a transparent front substrate and a rear substrate. The front substrate is structured with a lamination having a substrate, an electrode and a surface coat layer. The rear substrate is structured with a lamination having a substrate, an electrode and a surface coat layer. The electrode on the front substrate is connected to the voltage applying unit while the voltage applying unit is connected to the control unit. The control unit controls the voltage applying unit to apply to the electrodes of the substrates an alternating voltage at a frequency of from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.

Abstract: An image display apparatus has an image display medium and a voltage applying section. The image display medium has a top-plane substrate and a back-plane substrate. The top-plane substrate has a transparent display-side electrode whose entire surface is uniform, formed on a transparent substrate. The back-plane substrate has an inner electrode and an outer electrode, formed on a substrate. Conductive colored particles, whose color is different from a color of the inner electrode, are enclosed between the top-plane substrate and the back-plane substrate. The voltage applying section has a DC power source, a first switch, a second switch, and a control unit. When the color of the inner electrode is displayed, the control unit controls the first switch such that the inner electrode is connected to the DC power source, and controls the second switch such that the outer electrode is grounded. Then, the colored particles move reciprocally and move to the outer electrode.

Abstract: Provided is a stable display device. The display device includes a pair of substrates that face each other, a spacer formed on one of the pair of substrates, a resin to fix one end of the spacer adjacent to the other substrate to the other substrate, and first and second particles of different colors and different electric characteristics all sealed in the inner space formed by the pair of substrates and the spacer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a display element, which is driven at a low voltage, displays a high-contrast image with few density irregularities, and has improved image holding property. In a display element, which displays an image by moving, between a first and second substrate, particles having different colors and charge polarities by an electric field applied between the first and second substrates, the surface roughness of at least one of the substrates is 1 nm to 1 &mgr;m, the coefficient of shape is 100 to 140, the width and depth of the recessed part are not identical to the diameter of the particles and the contacting parts of the recessed part and the particles do not form a surface.

Abstract: An image display medium which implements multi-color display with a small number of kinds of particles and avoids a reduction in resolution of images, and an image writing device. The image display medium has a structure with a transparent display substrate, a colored back substrate, a spacer for constantly maintaining inter-substrate space, and white particles and black particles. The image display device is provided with the image display medium, an electrode head and a voltage application section. The electrode head implements monochrome display by moving the white particles and the black particles one to the display substrate side and the other to the back substrate side, by applying dc voltages between the substrates. When multi-color display is to be implemented, the electrode head applies ac voltages between the substrates and moves the particles to peripheries of portions so as to expose the back substrate at those portions.

Abstract: An image display device and driving method thereof produce a multiple color display without inviting a drop in resolution, or with the drop in resolution suppressed. Between a back substrate and a transparent display substrate forming the image display surface, the image display part has in order a display electrode on which a transparent surface coating is formed, a spacer, and a back electrode on which a surface coating is formed. A voltage control part applies a −350 V dc voltage, for example, to the display electrode to display black by black particles, applies an approximately +350 dc voltage to the display electrode to display white by white particles, and applies, for example, a +/−500 V particle drive voltage pulse repeatedly to the display electrode to make the black and white particles clump together inside the unit cell, thereby making the unit cell transparent to produce a transparent display.

Abstract: An image display medium provided with a pair of substrates both of which are substantially transparent, and a gas enclosed in space defined between them. Each of the pair of the substrates is provided with transparent electrodes (ITO). The space defined between the substrates encloses two types of particle groups having colors different from one another, have a negative charge polarity, and have different adhesiveness from each other with respect to the substrates. A white particle group having a positive polarity is further enclosed in the space. A voltage is applied to the electrodes 28 and 30 so as to apply an electric field determined in response to the types of particles to be transferred. Thus, a plurality of colors are selectively developed via the particle groups enclosed in the space for displaying different colors.

Abstract: An image display medium that can maintain stable display characteristics without dew condensing on a display substrate surface or on particles in almost all environments in which the image display medium is presumed to be used, even if there are changes in the environment external to the image display medium. In a closed gap formed between a display substrate having an electrode and a back substrate disposed opposite to the display substrate and having an electrode, plural kinds of particle groups differing in color and charge characteristics and movable between the substrates by an electric field are sealed. The gap is given a proper amount of water vapor so that dew does not condense within a predetermined temperature range. Thus, favorable and stable display characteristics can be obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides a display element, which is driven at a low voltage, displays a high-contrast image with few density irregularities, and has improved image holding property. In a display element, which displays an image by moving, between a first and second substrate, particles having different colors and charge polarities by an electric field applied between the first and second substrates, the surface roughness of at least one of the substrates is 1 nm to 1 &mgr;m, the coefficient of shape is 100 to 140, the width and depth of the recessed part are not identical to the diameter of the particles and the contacting parts of the recessed part and the particles do not form a surface.

Abstract: The present invention is for providing an image display device capable of preventing deterioration of display sharpness and contrast, and capable of improving display quality. An image display medium has a display substrate, having a first electrode, disposed on an image display surface side, a rear substrate having a plurality of second electrodes facing the display substrate, and two kinds of particle groups having different colors and charge characteristics sealed between the display substrate and the rear substrate movably between the first electrode and the second electrodes by an electric field. Before application of a display drive voltage for executing the image display, a voltage is applied to the image display medium by a voltage applying component so as to generate an electric field for moving the particle groups between the second electrodes to adjacent the second electrodes.

Abstract: The image display device has an image display medium comprising a display substrate and a rear substrate having intersecting linear electrodes formed thereon, and containing black and white particles between the display substrate and the rear substrate. An image is displayed at high resolution by controlling a voltage applied to the electrodes.

Abstract: An image display device is structured with an image display medium, a voltage applying unit and a control unit. The image display medium has black particles and white particles enclosed in a space between a transparent front substrate and a rear substrate. The front substrate is structured with a lamination having a substrate, an electrode and a surface coat layer. The rear substrate is structured with a lamination having a substrate, an electrode and a surface coat layer. The electrode on the front substrate is connected to the voltage applying unit while the voltage applying unit is connected to the control unit. The control unit controls the voltage applying unit to apply to the electrodes of the substrates an alternating voltage at a frequency of from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image display medium for encapsulating powdered display elements uniformly between opposed substrates, and an image display medium. Spacer particles are formed in a grid pattern on a first flat substrate pulled out from a first film roll by a first electrostatic application apparatus, and spacers are formed on the first flat substrate by fixing by a first fixer. Then, black particles are applied on the entire surface by a second electrostatic application apparatus, and then white particles are applied on the entire surface by a third electrostatic application apparatus. Subsequently, black particles and white particles are removed from each upper surface of the spacers by a blade, and a second flat substrate pulled out from a second film roll is superimposed thereon, and each upper surface of the spacers is fixed to the second flat substrate by a second fixer.

Abstract: Provided are an image display medium which satisfies a safety and a high-speed response and which is capable of repetitive rewriting, an image-forming method in which an image can be formed on the image display medium, an image-forming apparatus, and an initializer. In the image display medium, conductive particles and insulating particles are interposed between a display substrate and a non-display substrate having a positive charge-transporting property. An electrostatic latent image adapted to the image is formed on an electrostatic latent image carrier. A bias voltage is applied to a counter electrode. Positive charges (non-image portion) on the electrostatic latent image carrier are transferred to the display substrate to charge the conductive particles. The charged conductive particles are moved toward the non-display substrate.

Abstract: Provided are an image display medium which satisfies, a safety and a high-speed response and which is capable of repetitive rewriting, an image-forming method in which an image can be formed on the image display medium, and an image-forming apparatus. An image display medium is formed by interposing black particles and white particles between a display substrate and a non-display substrate made of a dielectric. A printing electrode first applies an AC voltage to frictionally charge the black and white particles, and then applies a DC voltage adapted to an image between the substrates. The black particles adhered to a portion (non-image portion) to which the voltage of the display substrate is applied are moved to the non-display substrate.

Abstract: An image display medium that can maintain stable display characteristics without dew condensing on a display substrate surface or on particles in almost all environments in which the image display medium is presumed to be used, even if there are changes in the environment external to the image display medium. In a closed gap formed between a display substrate having an electrode and a back substrate disposed opposite to the display substrate and having an electrode, plural kinds of particle groups differing in color and charge characteristics and movable between the substrates by an electric field are sealed. The gap is given a proper amount of water vapor so that dew does not condense within a predetermined temperature range. Thus, favorable and stable display characteristics can be obtained.