Abstract: An electrophoretic display device includes a pair of substrates arranged with a predetermined gap maintained therebetween, a dispersing fluid disposed between the pair of substrates, a plurality of charged particles mixed in the dispersing fluid, at least a pair of display electrodes arranged on one of the substrates and defining a pixel, and a guard electrode arranged in a border between adjacent pixels. The guard electrode limits the movement of the charged particles to within a single pixel when the guard electrode is biased at a potential higher than (lower than) each of the display electrodes of the two adjacent pixels with the border arranged therebetween if the particles are positively (negatively) charged.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a substrate, charged particles, a transparent electrode disposed in parallel with a surface of the substrate, an electrode disposed at a periphery of the transparent electrode, means for applying a voltage between the transparent electrode and the electrode disposed at the periphery thereof to move the charged particles laterally, a reflection surface for reflecting light incident onto in the substrate, and a light scattering or absorption layer disposed between the transparent electrode and the reflection surface. The apparatus is effective in providing a desired scattering ability without increasing a drive voltage.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display apparatus includes a pair of substrates disposed opposite to each other, charged particles and an insulating liquid which are disposed in a spacing between the pair of substrates, a pair of electrodes for driving the charged particles, and drive means for applying to one of the pair of electrodes, a voltage for moving the charged particles, and applying to the other electrode, an AC voltage biased with a DC component. The AC voltage applied to the other electrode has a frequency which is higher than an upper limit of a frequency causing movement of the charged-particles and is lower than an upper limit of a frequency causing movement of ions contained in the insulating liquid. The ions do not remain on the surface of the substrate for a long time, thus causing no residual DC voltage.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other with a spacing, a partition wall for dividing the spacing into a plurality of sections, a plurality of electrophoretic particles and an insulating liquid which are disposed in the sections, a first electrode disposed at least between said partition wall and said first substrate, and a second electrode disposed on said second substrate. The electrophoretic display device is characterized in that the first electrode has an adhesive property, thus eliminating the need for a step of applying an adhesive resin for adhering the partition wall and the substrate to simplify production steps.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display unit has a first substrate and a second substrate counterposed with an interspace, an insulating liquid placed in the interspace, and colored charged electrophoretic particles dispersed in the insulating liquid. A stage is formed in the interspace on the second substrate, with the stage having a first surface facing a thick layer portion of the insulating liquid, a second surface facing a thin layer portion of the insulating liquid, and a side wall surface of the stage connecting the first surface and the second surface. A first display electrode is placed along the first surface, a second display electrode is placed along the second electrode, and a third electrode is placed under the second electrode. An end portion of the third portion is proximate to the side wall surface at a substantially constant distance from the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: An optical modulator includes a first substrate, a second substrate arranged with a predetermined gap interposed between itself and the first substrate, and partition wall members partitioning pixels arranged between the substrates. A liquid and a plurality of charged particles are arranged at each of the pixels. The optical modulator is manufactured by forming the partition walls on the second substrate, placing the liquid and the electrically charged particles in the recesses defined by the second substrate and the partition wall members, placing the perforated member on the partition wall members to confine the charged particles in the recesses, and arranging a blind member so as to close the perforations of the perforated member. With this method charged particles are prevented from flowing out of the pixels in the manufacturing process.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display of the type wherein a dispersion liquid for migration and a plurality of charged particles are sandwiched between a first substrate and a second substrate is produced through a process comprising: a latent image forming step of forming an electrostatic latent image on an adsorption member; a developing step of causing the adsorption member to contact the dispersion liquid in which the charged particles are dispersed, thereby to attach the charged particles together with the dispersion liquid onto a surface of the adsorption member on which the latent image is formed; a transfer step of transferring the charged particles from the surface of the adsorption member to the second substrate together with the dispersion liquid; and a sealing step of bonding the first substrate to the second substrate to seal the charged particles and the dispersion liquid, therebetween.

Abstract: An optical modulator comprises a first substrate, a second substrate arranged with a predetermined gap interposed between itself and the first substrate, partition wall members partitioning pixels arranged between the substrates. A liquid and a plurality of charged particles are arranged at each of the pixels. The optical modulator is manufactured by forming the partition walls on the second substrate, placing the liquid and the electrically charged particles in the recesses defined by the second substrate and the partition wall members, placing the perforated member on the partition wall members to confine the charged particles in the recesses, and arranging a blind member so as to close the perforations of the perforated member. With this method charged particles are prevented from flowing out of the pixels in the manufacturing process.

Abstract: A system (apparatus and process) for producing an electrophoretic (display) device is provided for allowing production of such a device wherein charged phoretic particles in the dispersion liquid are easily and evenly distributed to respective cells (pixels) between two substrates of the device even in the case of a very small gap between the two substrates or the case of using a flexible substrate. The system includes a storage for a dispersion liquid containing the charged phoretic particles dispersed therein, a stirrer for stirring the dispersion liquid, a substrate-holder for holding the substrate in the dispersion liquid, and a voltage source for applying a voltage to the electrodes formed on the substrate thereby depositing the charged phoretic particles on the electrodes.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display device includes a pair of substrates arranged with a predetermined gap maintained therebetween, a dispersing fluid disposed between the pair of substrates, a plurality of charged particles mixed in the dispersing fluid, at least a pair of display electrodes arranged on one of the substrates and defining a pixel, and a guard electrode arranged in a border between adjacent pixels. The guard electrode limits the movement of the charged particles to within a single pixel when the guard electrode is biased at a potential higher than (lower than) each of the display electrodes of the two adjacent pixels with the border arranged therebetween if the particles are positively (negatively) charged.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display device is configured to move charged particles between a display electrode surface and a cell wall surface and provides a solution to a problem that many charged particles are collected at the edge of the display electrode to degrade display contrast. The electrophoretic display device is arranged to move the charged particles between the display electrode surface and, the side face of the cell wall and the vicinity thereof to implement display, and the second electrode is disposed on a lower face of the cell wall or in the vicinity of the lower face, thereby allowing the particles to be located on the surface of the cell wall. Another electrophoretic display device is provided which has a structure wherein all or part of the display electrode has a protruding shape.

Abstract: A novel electrophoretic display unit is provided. The electrophoretic display unit has a first substrate and a second substrate conterposed with an interspace, an insulating liquid placed in the interspace, and colored charged electrophoretic particles dispersed in the insulating liquid, and having a stage formed in the interspace on the second substrate, the stage giving a first surface facing a thick layer portion of the insulating liquid, a second surface facing a thin layer portion of the insulating liquid, and a side wall surface of the stage connecting the first surface and the second surface, wherein a third electrode is provided along an intersection line of an imaginary plane placed at a prescribed distance from the second surface and nearer to the first surface than the second surface and the side wall surface.