With Particular Encapsulating Medium Patents (Class 349/89)
  • Publication number: 20100245724
    Abstract: An object is to provide a highly reliable liquid crystal display device which includes a liquid crystal layer exhibiting a more stable blue phase. Another object is to provide a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device with high yield. Polymer stabilization treatment is performed as follows: a photocurable resin is added to a liquid crystal material exhibiting a blue phase, and the photocurable resin is selectively polymerized by scanning a liquid crystal layer provided between a first substrate and a second substrate with light in a certain direction. Thus, a first region where the light irradiation treatment is performed and a second region where the light irradiation treatment is not performed are formed in the liquid crystal layer. Since polymerization of the photocurable resin proceeds in the first region, the polymerization degree of the photocurable resin in the first region is higher than that in the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi NISHI, Tetsuji ISHITANI, Daisuke KUBOTA
  • Publication number: 20100208172
    Abstract: A polymer dispersed display apparatus includes a polymer layer, and a plurality of liquid crystal drops dispersed in the polymer layer. Quantum dots emitting a plurality of colors of light are mixed in the liquid crystal drops. Therefore, the polymer dispersed display apparatus displays colors without the need for a color filter. Thus, the polymer dispersed display apparatus need not include a polarization plate and a color filter, so that a light usage efficiency of the polymer dispersed display apparatus increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Jae-eun Jang, Seung-nam Cha, Jae-eun Jung, Yong-wan Jin
  • Publication number: 20100195025
    Abstract: The invention relates to a display cell, comprising two transparent, equidistant plates, wherein the gap between the plates is filled with a liquid-crystal material-containing layer, characterized in that the liquid-crystal material-containing layer is inhomogeneous and anisotropic, wherein it has a first region made up of compartments, which comprise entirely, substantially or mainly liquid-crystal material, and a second, coherent region which comprises entirely, substantially or mainly an organic polymer material and surrounds the compartments made of liquid-crystal material. In addition, the invention relates to a liquid-crystal material-containing mixture which can be used to produce the layer between the plates, and to a method for producing the display cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Monika Bauer, Frank Kuschel, Joachim Mueller
  • Patent number: 7764337
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to improve deterioration of display performance in a liquid crystal display device, especially to obtain rapid response with the alignment of a liquid crystal maintained. According to one feature of the present invention, a liquid crystal display device comprises a pair of substrates where an electrode is formed in one side of each substrate; liquid crystals; and a ferroelectric, wherein the pair of substrates is disposed so that the electrodes oppose to each other, wherein the liquid crystal is sandwiched between the pair of substrates, wherein the ferroelectric includes an organic material and wherein the ferroelectric particles are dispersed in the liquid crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Takeshi Nishi
  • Publication number: 20100165260
    Abstract: A liquid crystal-containing composition includes a first cholesteric liquid crystal having a peak wavelength of selective reflection in the range of from 600 nm to 800 nm and encapsulated in a microcapsule and a second cholesteric liquid crystal having a peak wavelength of selective reflection in the range of from 400 nm to 500 nm as the only liquid crystals, and the content of the second cholesteric liquid crystal with respect to the entire cholesteric liquid crystal content is from about 5 weight % to about 40 weight %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki HIJI, Takeo KAKINUMA, Chikara MANABE, Tadayoshi OZAKI
  • Patent number: 7733442
    Abstract: A display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and microcapsules sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate, the microcapsules constituting a display area, the microcapsules encapsulating a display material whose optical properties change in response to electrical stimulation. A conductive material for conducting between the substrates is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate to constitute a vertically conducting portion. The thickness of the conductive material is set such that the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate at the vertically conducting portion is larger than the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate in the display area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masami Uchida
  • Patent number: 7719636
    Abstract: An embodiment of this document relates to an optical sheet and a liquid crystal display using the same. An optical sheet in accordance with an aspect of this document may comprise a base film, and a plurality of projections including at least one of lenticular lens or micro lens, positioned on one surface of the base film. The projection may comprise a first resin and a plurality of first beads, and about 1 to 10 parts by weight of the first bead based on 100 parts by weight of the first resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Changjong Kim, Kabjin Hwang, Seoungho Lee, Cheol Yoon, Seungwook Kown, Yongsu Kim, Byeongheui Han
  • Patent number: 7697098
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to suppress light leakage in a dark state which is generated by rubbing treatment. A liquid crystal material containing an ultraviolet curable liquid crystalline monomer at a concentration of more than 0 wt % and not more than 1.0 wt % is used for a liquid crystal layer, and the liquid crystal layer is irradiated with ultraviolet rays. By applying such a liquid crystal layer to a liquid crystal display device, light leakage in a dark state can be suppressed, and the black display can be improved. Therefore, a liquid crystal display device with an excellent contrast and high display quality can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Kubota, Takeshi Nishi, Tetsuji Ishitani
  • Publication number: 20100060826
    Abstract: A grafted polymer and its use in polymer/liquid crystal composite films, and more particularly in PDLC films, is disclosed. The grafted polymer includes (alkyl)acrylic acid or (alkyl)acrylamide moieties. At least one of the moieties is grafted with an alkylphenol or with an alkoxylated alkylphenol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicants: Universite De Mons Hainaut, Universite Du Litteral Cote Opale, Materia Nova ASBL
    Inventors: Benoit Duponchel, Abdelaziz Elass, Mourad Boussoualem, Jean-Marc Buisine, Joel De Coninck, Valerie Celine Ledauphin, Mickael Coquelet, Alexandre Vaillant
  • Patent number: 7649595
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a polymer dispersed liquid crystal cell. It also relates to a cell produced by such method and to uses of such cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Akira Masutani, Bettina Schueller, Anthony Roberts, Akio Yasuda
  • Patent number: 7619608
    Abstract: An electrophoretic display (EPD) shows a high contrast and a color display. The EPD blocks a channel of a thin film transistor from an incident light in order to prevent a current leakage. The color display may also include a white, black, red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, magenta or other color pigment in a micro-capsule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Uk Lee, Bo-Sung Kim, Mun-Pyo Hong
  • Patent number: 7595850
    Abstract: A new light modulating material using interconnected unidirectionally oriented microdomains of a liquid crystal, dispersed in a stressed polymer structure, is provided. The light modulating material is prepared by dissolving the liquid crystal in an uncured monomer and then curing the monomer so that the polymer forms a well-developed interpenetrating structure of polymer chains or sheets that is uniformly dispersed through the film. When the film is subjected to stress deformation the liquid crystal undergoes a change in its unidirectional orientation. The concentration of the polymer is high enough to hold the shear stress, but is as low as possible to provide the highest switch of the phase retardation when an electric field is applied. The new materials are optically transparent and provide phase modulation of the incident light opposed to the low driving voltage, linear electro-optical response, and absence of hysteresis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Kent State University
    Inventors: John L. West, Anatoliy Glushchenko, Guoqiang Zhang
  • Publication number: 20090180057
    Abstract: It is to provide a liquid crystal display device capable of readily obtaining bend alignment across an entire liquid crystal display panel of the liquid crystal display device, with obtaining brightness while obtaining a high speed responsiveness, a feature of an OCB mode, as well as without increasing a load on an activating driver. The liquid crystal display device is arranged such that: a liquid crystal molecule in a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a pair of substrates facing each other has a pretilt angle of not less 18° and not more than 36°; a product ?nd of a refractive index anisotropy ?n and a thickness d of the liquid crystal layer is not less than 850 nm and not more than 1170 nm; and a lateral electric field generating structure for applying an electric field parallel to the substrates and bend-aligning the liquid crystal molecules is provided in a region corresponding to a pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventor: Kazutaka Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 7557875
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a display comprising at least one substrate, at least one electrically conductive layer and at least one electronically modulated imaging layer, wherein the electronically modulated imaging layer comprises a self-assembled, close-packed, ordered monolayer of domains of electrically modulated material in a random coil fixed polymer matrix and filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Debasis Majumdar, Joseph S. Sedita, Krishnan Chari
  • Publication number: 20090147185
    Abstract: A one-way display system has a display layer with opaque active pixels and transparent inactive pixels interspersed with the active pixels. Each active pixel has a chromatic side and an opaque side. The active pixels is able to form an image visible from a first side of the display layer but not from a second side of the display layer, and the inactive pixels allows objects on the first side of the display layer to be seen from the second side of the display layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: EMISCAPE, INC.
    Inventor: Cang V. Quach
  • Patent number: 7528903
    Abstract: A display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and microcapsules sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate, the microcapsules constituting a display area, the microcapsules encapsulating a display material whose optical properties change in response to electrical stimulation. A conductive material for conducting between the substrates is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate to constitute a vertically conducting portion. The thickness of the conductive material is set such that the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate at the vertically conducting portion is larger than the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate in the display area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masami Uchida
  • Publication number: 20090073351
    Abstract: A display medium including: a pair of substrates; a pair of electrodes disposed on the pair of substrates, and facing each other; and a functional layer and a display layer disposed between the pair of electrodes with an adhesive layer disposed between the functional layer and the display layer. The display layer includes a binder and microcapsules dispersed in the binder. The microcapsules have a polymer serving as a wall material, and a liquid crystal enclosed therein. A shape of an interface of the display layer at least on the side of the adhesive layer in a cross section along a thickness direction of the disposed layers is an irregular line having a distance between a highest protruding portion and a lowest depressed portion is from about 0.5 ?m to about 2.0 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeo Kakinuma, Shigeru Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20090051855
    Abstract: A liquid crystal medium is described, having a wide temperature range of a liquid crystal phase, a large optical anisotropy and a large dielectric anisotropy, and exhibiting an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase. The liquid crystal medium features including a chiral dopant and a liquid crystal compound with chloronaphthalene ring and exhibiting an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicants: CHISSO CORPORATION, CHISSO PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: YASUHIRO HASEBA
  • Patent number: 7471369
    Abstract: This invention relates to cholesteric liquid crystal (LC) displays comprising cells of well-defined shape, size and aspect ratio which cells are filled with a liquid crystal composition preferably containing dichroic dye(s), and novel processes for their manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Sipix Imaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Rong-Chang Liang
  • Patent number: 7459218
    Abstract: Discloses is a rewritable thin image display sheet, an image display apparatus and an image display system. In the image display system, a low-melting-point wax 18 with a magnetic powder 16 dispersed therein is held between a heat-generation layer 12 and a transparent layer 14 which are disposed spaced apart from one another, and a zone of the low-melting-point wax 18 corresponding to a pixel for image display is selectively heated and molted by the heat-generation layer 12. Then, the magnetic powder 16 in the molten zone is displaced toward the transparent layer 14 so as to display a given image on the transparent layer. The rewritable thin image display sheet, the image display apparatus and the image display system can reliably display an image in a rewritable state while achieving a significantly simplified structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Majima Laboratory Inc.
    Inventor: Osamu Majima
  • Publication number: 20080143927
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a polymer dispersed liquid crystal cell. It also relates to a cell produced by such method and to uses of such cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Akira Masutani, Bettina Schueller, Anthony Roberts, Akio Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20080129929
    Abstract: RGB colors are displayed with the same gradation by applying different voltages to display elements in pixels (7). This is in turn done by, for example, either producing a different reference voltage for each RGB color in a reference voltage generating circuit (8) or making reference to a LUT stored in a memory section (15). Hence, color discrepancies in a display element can be effectively limited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Koichi Miyachi, Takako Koide
  • Patent number: 7324182
    Abstract: In a rotating mechanism including a pair of members 11 and 11 having opposed surfaces B which are opposed to each other and provided to be relatively movable in a state in which the opposed surfaces B are opposed to each other, a liquid crystal LC provided between the opposed surfaces B and B of the members 11 and 11, and liquid crystal molecule rotating means for rotating a liquid crystal molecule m of the liquid crystal LC in a crossing surface crossing one of the opposed surfaces B and B, the liquid crystal molecule rotating means includes a pair of orientation films 12 and 12 formed on the opposed surfaces B and B, and the orientation films 12 and 12 are subjected to a rubbing treatment in which directions of a rotation around an identical crossing line crossing the members 11 and 11 are reverse to each other along a circumference of a circle having a center on the crossing line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Kochi University of Technology
    Inventors: Shigeomi Chono, Tomohiro Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20080020007
    Abstract: The present invention describes a film structure which comprises a plurality of microcups and the microcups are filled with a liquid composition and top-sealed with a sealing layer which is hardened in situ. The liquid composition may be a display fluid or a pharmaceutical composition. The present invention is directed to a liquid crystal display, a display device and a transdermal delivery system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventor: HongMei Zang
  • Publication number: 20070269613
    Abstract: The present invention provides liquid crystal devices comprised of a composite of an internal polymer network localized on the substrate surfaces and short-pitch dual-frequency switchable cholesteric liquid crystal that operate in two different modes including in-plane switching (amplitude modulation) and out-of-plane switching (phase modulation). The invention further provides a method of making a liquid crystal device demonstrating uniform lying helical axis where the device comprises a composite of an internal spatially ordered polymer network localized by in-situ photo-polymerization at the surface of the substrate. The invention can be used for flat panel displays, as well as spatial light modulators for applications such as optical waveguides, optical beam scanners, computer-generated holograms, and adaptive optics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Inventors: Liang-Chy Chien, Lei Shi, Sang Hwa Kim
  • Patent number: 7148937
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electro-optical imaging layer, a display utilizing the imaging layer and a method for making the same comprising a binder having dispersed therein at least two electrically modulated material domains of different uniform sizes, wherein the ratio of smallest to largest domain size for each of the electrically modulated material domains of different uniform sizes varies by no more than 1:2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Charles M. Rankin, Jr., Erica N. Montbach
  • Patent number: 7141279
    Abstract: This invention relates to a liquid crystal display with improved contrast ratio, switching performance, reflectivity at the Dmin state and structural integrity, and methods for its manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: SiPix Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Rong-Chang Liang, Scott C-J Tseng, Ying-Syi Li
  • Patent number: 7090901
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of preparation of optical compensation films using a polymer stabilization technique so as to enable continuous roll-to-roll production. The films can be applied for reflective liquid crystal displays. They are prepared by photo-polymerizing a mixture comprising a reactive monomer (or mixture of monomers), a small amount of photoinitiator and liquid crystal. The concentration of the reactive monomer (mesogenic or non-mesogenic) in the reactive mixtures can be as low as 5% or as high as 99% by weight. The materials that can function as the optical compensation films in the present invention include, but are not limited to, mixtures of liquid crystal and reactive mesogenic monomers (rod-like, bent-shaped, and disc-like mesogenic monomers) containing polymerizable groups (monofunctionaly or multifunctional) selected from acrylate, methacrylate, vinyls, butadiene, vinyl ethers, or epoxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Kent State University
    Inventors: Liang-Chy Chien, Toru Doi
  • Patent number: 7079201
    Abstract: A fluorescent lamp for a backlight of a liquid crystal display device and a liquid crystal display device having the same are disclosed. The fluorescent lamp includes a red color phosphor having a maximum luminous wavelength of about 600 nm to 620 nm, a green color phosphor having a maximum luminous wavelength of about 520 nm to 555 nm and a blue color phosphor having a maximum luminous wavelength of about 440 nm to 460 nm. The green color phosphor has one maximum luminous peak or the side peak having about 20% or smaller relative size in comparison with the maximum luminous peak beside the maximum luminous peak. Therefore, by removing or minimizing the side luminous peak of the green color phosphor, the color reproductivity can greatly increase without decreasing the brightness of the white color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bo Sung Kim
  • Patent number: 7019810
    Abstract: The present invention replaces liquid crystal light control elements in fiber-optic faceplate liquid crystal displays (LCD) with suspended particle devices (SPDs), and provides for passive light control without the need for either polarized light or special alignment layers. A fluid or film containing suspended particles may be asymmetric in shape so that their optical density depends strongly upon their orientation. The orientation of the particles within the fluid can be manipulated by an application of an electric field, so that the fluid or film may appear to be transparent to both polarizations of light when the electric field is applied, and opaque when the electric field is removed and the orientation of the particles is allowed to randomize naturally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Laurence M. Hubby, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6919950
    Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal device, comprising an antiferroelectric liquid crystal material (AFLC material) having smectic layers, and two substrates confining the AFLC material therebetween, wherein the AFLC material is uniaxial negative. Preferably, the AFLC material is uniaxial as a consequence of a surface stabilization and of a selected smectic tilt angle ? of the AFLC material. Preferably, the angle ? is in the range of 40°???50°, especially 45°. The invention also relates to electrooptic liquid crystal devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Inventors: Roman S. Dabrowski, Witold J. Drzewinski, Herman Pauwels, Anders Dahlgren, Sven T. Lagerwall, Per Rudquist, Koen D'Have, Marek Matuszcyk, Pontus Jagemalm
  • Patent number: 6906705
    Abstract: The invention has an object to provide an electronic paper file with high operating performance. The electronic paper file is assumed to comprises an electronic paper of an flexible display medium and a cover to which a plurality of electronic papers is attachable. In the invention, the first storage means stores display-data to be displayed on the electronic paper. The first display control means obtains from the first storage means the display-data corresponding to the desired page selected by the page selecting means and then display them on the electronic paper. Accordingly, even if the enormous pages of the electronic paper were not attached to the electronic paper file, the invention can display the whole of mass data such as an encyclopedia or theses data. Therefore, it is possible to improve the operating performance of the electronic paper file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Matsuo, Tetsuroh Nakamura, Masaichiro Tatekawa
  • Patent number: 6885146
    Abstract: A constitution of the display device of the invention is shown in the following. The display device includes a pixel unit including TFTs of which the active layer contains an organic semiconductor material for forming channel portions in the opening portions in an insulating layer arranged to meet the gate electrodes. The pixel unit further includes a contrast media formed on the electrodes connected to the TFTs for changing the reflectivity upon the application of an electric field, or microcapsules containing electrically charged particles that change the reflectivity upon the application of an electric field. The pixel unit is sandwiched by plastic substrates, and barrier layers including an inorganic insulating material are provided between the plastic substrates and the pixel unit. The purpose of the present invention is to supply display devices which are excellent in productivity, light in weight and flexible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yasuyuki Arai
  • Patent number: 6828955
    Abstract: An image display medium capable of displaying an image showing little change of the image density, and also little change of the image density uniformity, and being stable in density contrast, even when repeatedly rewritten over a long period, and an image formation apparatus are provided. The image display medium includes a pair of substrates disposed opposing to each other; and particle groups including at least two types of particles sealed in a space between the pair of the substrates, at least one type thereof having a positively chargeable property, and at least one of others having a negatively chargeable property, and the positively and negatively chargeable types of particles being different colors. The value of a coefficient of variation in each particle size distribution of both the positively and negatively chargeable types of particles is approximately not more than 15%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Yamamoto, Chisato Urano, Yoshihiro Inaba
  • Patent number: 6816146
    Abstract: An electrophoretic display material and apparatus is disclosed, including a dispersion medium, a white particulate material having a volume median particle diameter Dw, and a colored particulate material having a color different from the color of the white particulate material and a volume median particle diameter Dc, and wherein a ratio Dc/Dw is from 1/1 to 1/50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Harada, Mitsunobu Morita, Kunio Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 6801273
    Abstract: A liquid crystal injecting/sealing apparatus for injecting a liquid crystal into a liquid crystal display panel and sealing it. In the apparatus, an elevator is installed at the end of the injecting apparatus to convey the liquid crystal display panel from the injecting apparatus into the sealing apparatus. A residual liquid crystal remover removes a contaminated liquid crystal at the periphery of the liquid crystal injection hole. A sealer seals the liquid crystal injection hole with a sealant. An ultraviolet irradiating unit hardens the sealant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: LG. Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Mun Lee, Joung Ho Ryu
  • Patent number: 6798470
    Abstract: An electrophoresis display capable of displaying colors, yet having high contrast and a high reflectance on displaying white color. The electrophoresis display device includes a dispersion medium containing a liquid crystal and electrophoretic particles made of titania, etc. being dispersed in the dispersion medium, wherein the dispersion medium contains a dichroic coloring matter having dichroism with a high dichroic ratio as a first coloring matter and a dichroic coloring matter having dichroism with a low dichroic ratio and/or an isotropic coloring matter as a second coloring matter, provided that the first coloring matter and the second coloring matter have complementary colors each other. In this manner, white, black, and color displays are realized by a single capsule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroki Iwanaga, Hideyuki Nakao, Masayuki Oguchi
  • Publication number: 20040095524
    Abstract: An optical device and a display apparatus of the present invention are constructed so as to improve display characteristics of output light intensity, display contrast, and reduction of scattered light due to external light, and also to provide a large-screen. The optical device has a first stacked body and a plurality of second stacked bodies. The first stacked body includes a light guide, a fist electrode, and an optical control layer. The second stacked body includes a plurality of second electrodes, the reflection film and a substrate. A plurality of third electrodes are provided through the substrate. Each of the third electrode has a first end part connecting to the second electrode and a second end part exposed to the other side of the substrate. A further light absorption film may be disposed between the reflection film and the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Applicant: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Munekazu Date, Shiro Suyama, Kinya Kato, Kazutake Uehira
  • Patent number: 6714305
    Abstract: A tunable Fabry-Perot filter, which includes a pair of opposed partially reflective surfaces, a cavity between the partially reflective surfaces, a nano-dispersion of liquid crystals disposed in the cavity, and a control unit for applying an electric field to the liquid crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles D. Hoke
  • Publication number: 20040056991
    Abstract: A major objective of the present invention is to provide a production process of an optical device in which a polymerizable liquid crystal material can be cured while retaining liquid crystal regularity to form an optical function layer which possesses excellent adhesion to a supporting substrate in the optical device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventor: Keiji Kashima
  • Patent number: 6707517
    Abstract: A display sheet having polymer dispersed liquid crystals, includes a substrate and a state changing layer disposed over the substrate and defining first and second surfaces, such state changing layer having the polymer dispersed liquid crystals having first and second optical states, which can change state. The display sheet further includes first and second conductors disposed respectively over first and second surfaces of the state changing layer so that when a field is applied between the first and second conductors, the liquid crystals change state; and a nonconductive, field spreading layer having a transparent electrically conductive polymer dispersed sub-micron particles disposed between the state changing layer and the first conductor to provide a change of state in the state changing layer in the areas between both conductors in response to a field applied between the first and second conductors which changes the state of the liquid crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Stanley W. Stephenson
  • Patent number: 6690436
    Abstract: A light-modulating, electrically responsive privacy screen includes a transparent substrate and an electrically conductive layer formed over the substrate. The privacy screen further includes a light-modulating layer disposed over the electrically conductive layer and including at least one dispersable light-modulating material and coalescence limiting material into which the dispersible light-modulating material(s) is provided so that such dispersible light-modulating material coalesces to form a set domains having at least two optical states, the first optical state being present in the absence of an electrical field and the second being caused by the application of an electrical field and wherein one of the optical states cause the light-modulating layer to be transparent and the other optical state causes the light-modulating layer to restrict a user viewing through the privacy screen and thereby provide an appropriate level of privacy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Stanley W. Stephenson, John W. Boettcher, David J. Giacherio
  • Patent number: 6630969
    Abstract: The purpose is to provide a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal display panel wherein both a high contrast and a low driving voltage are obtained and scattering performance is superior. The polymer dispersion type liquid crystal display panel comprises a pair of substrates 10, 11, a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal layer 12 comprising a liquid crystal 18 and a liquid crystalline polymer 17, a driving electrode 7 and an opposite electrode 8. The driving electrode 7 and the opposite electrode 8 are formed on the lower substrate 11, and an electric field is applied approximately in parallel with the above-mentioned lower substrate 11. Under no application of voltage, the above-mentioned liquid crystal 18 and the polymer 17 adjacent to the liquid crystal, which composes an interface, are aligned in approximately the same direction on a plane parallel with the substrates according to an alignment treatment of the substrates, and thereby a transparent state is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kubota, Tsuyoshi Uemura, Kenji Nakao, Seiji Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 6618113
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprises pixels which are switchable between a white state and a black state. Spacers are disposed in gaps between the pixels and are birefringent such that the spacers have the same optical properties as liquid crystal in the black state. For example, the spacers may have the same retardation as the liquid crystal layer with an optic axis fixed in the direction of the optic axis of the liquid crystal when in the black state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Diana Cynthia Ulrich, Craig Tombling
  • Patent number: 6611100
    Abstract: An electronic display is formed using an array of hollow tubes filled with an electrophoretic material sandwiched between two plates. The hollow tubes have either barrier walls or an electrostatic barrier, which restrict the flow of electrophoretic particles within the hollow tubes. The flow of electrophoretic particles over these barriers is controlled using electric fields, which makes it possible to matrix address the electrophoretic displays. Wire electrodes built into the hollow tubes and electrodes on the two plates are used to address the display. The plates are preferably composed of glass, glass-ceramic, polymer/plastic or metal, while the hollow tubes are preferably composed of glass, polymer/plastic or a combination of glass and polymer/plastic. Color is optionally imparted into the display using colored tubes, adding a color coating to the surface of the tubes, or adding the color to the electrophoretic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Inventor: Chad Byron Moore
  • Patent number: 6597340
    Abstract: To provide an electrophoretic display which is capable of improving the contrast. A back substrate 52 provided with a transparent electrode 54 and a transparent substrate 53 provided with transparent electrodes 551, to 553 are arranged at a predetermined distance D. Between the transparent substrate 53 and the back substrate 52 are arranged a large number of microcapsules. In each of the microcapsules 56A is sealed a dispersion comprised of electrophoretic particles 57 dispersed in a dispersion medium 61 in advance by the microcapsulation technique. The plurality of microcapsules 56A are sandwiched between the transparent substrate 53 and the back substrate 52. The display surface side and the back side thereof are flat in shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hideyuki Kawai
  • Patent number: 6556262
    Abstract: A light-modulating electrically responsive sheet including a substrate and electrically conductive layer formed over the substrate. The sheet further includes a light-modulating layer disposed over the electrically conductive layer and including at least one dispersible light-modulating material and coalescence limiting material into which the dispersible light-modulating material(s) is provided so that such dispersible light-modulating material coalesces to form a limited coalesced material having a set of domains each having a set of domains that exhibit different electrically responsive optical states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Stanley W. Stephenson, John W. Boettcher, David J. Giacherio
  • Patent number: 6552762
    Abstract: A light-modulating, electrically responsive privacy screen includes a transparent substrate and an electrically conductive layer formed over the substrate. The privacy screen further includes a light-modulating layer disposed over the electrically conductive layer and including at least one dispersible light-modulating material and coalescence limiting material into which the dispersible light-modulating material(s) is provided so that such dispersible light-modulating material coalesces to form a set domains having at least two optical states, the first optical state being present in the absence of an electrical field and the second being caused by the application of an electrical field and wherein one of the optical states cause the light-modulating layer to be transparent and the other optical state causes the light-modulating layer to restrict a user viewing through the privacy screen and thereby provide an appropriate level of privacy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Stanley W. Stephenson, John W. Boettcher, David J. Giacherio
  • Patent number: 6545739
    Abstract: Fabry-Perot etalon type tunable wavelength-selective filter comprises: a first layer including a transparent electrode and an optical mirror layer; a third layer including a transparent electrode and an optical mirror layer; and a second layer which is composed of a material with a refractive index variable with electric field, and sandwiched between the first layer and the third layer, wherein the material having a refractive index variable with electric field is composed by dispersing liquid crystal droplets equal to or less than 150 nm in diameter in a light transmissive characteristic medium such as a polymer or silica glass, and by adding plasticizer therein. In this structure, the optical mirror layer consists of a dielectric multilayer mirror with an optical reflectance of equal to or more than 95% for 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Matsumoto, Katsuhiko Hirabayashi, Yasuyuki Sugiyama, Seizou Sakata, Takayoshi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6515649
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are novel electrophoretic displays and materials useful in fabricating such displays. In particular, novel encapsulated displays are disclosed. Particles encapsulated therein are dispersed within a suspending, or electrophoretic, fluid. This fluid may be a mixture of two or more fluids or may be a single fluid. The displays may further comprise particles dispersed in a suspending fluid, wherein the particles contain a liquid. In either case, the suspending fluid may have a density or refractive index substantially matched to that of the particles dispersed therein. Finally, also disclosed herein are electro-osmotic displays. These displays comprise at least one capsule containing either a cellulosic or gel-like internal phase and a liquid phase, or containing two or more immiscible fluids. Application of electric fields to any of the electrophoretic displays described herein affects an optical property of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Albert, Barrett Comiskey, Joseph M. Jacobson, Libing Zhang, Andrew Loxley, Robert Feeney, Paul Drzaic, Ian Morrison