Electrophoretic device having a transparent light state
First Claim
1. A light attenuator comprising:
- a cell comprising a first substrate and a second substrate spaced apart from said first substrate, anda layer between said substrates containing an electrophoretic ink, a surface of said layer adjacent said second substrate comprising a monolayer of closely packed transparent protrusions projecting into said layer, said protrusions having surfaces defining a plurality of depressions in the volumes there between, said ink including charged particles of at least one type, the particles being responsive to an electric field applied to said cell to move between;
a first extreme light state, in which particles are maximally spread within the cell to lie in the path of light through the cell and to strongly attenuate light transmitted through the cell;
over the surface of said protrusions, which deflect said particles from their path from the first substrate to the second substrate;
to a second extreme light state in which said particles are maximally concentrated within each said depression to remove them from the path of light through the cell and to substantially transmit light through the cell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrophoretic light attenuator comprises a cell including a first substrate (90), a second substrate (90) spaced apart from the first substrate, a layer arranged between the substrates and containing an electrophoretic ink (30), and a monolayer of closely packed protrusions (2) projecting into the electrophoretic ink (30) and arranged adjacent a surface of the second substrate. The protrusions (2) have surfaces defining a plurality of depressions between adjacent protrusions. The ink (30) includes charged particles (11) of at least one type, the particles being responsive to an electric field applied to the cell to move between a first extreme light state, in which the particles (11) are maximally spread within the cell so as to lie in the path of light through the cell and thus strongly attenuate light transmitted from one substrate to the opposite substrate, and a second extreme light state, in which the particles (11) are maximally concentrated within the depressions so as to let light be transmitted.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A light attenuator comprising:
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a cell comprising a first substrate and a second substrate spaced apart from said first substrate, and a layer between said substrates containing an electrophoretic ink, a surface of said layer adjacent said second substrate comprising a monolayer of closely packed transparent protrusions projecting into said layer, said protrusions having surfaces defining a plurality of depressions in the volumes there between, said ink including charged particles of at least one type, the particles being responsive to an electric field applied to said cell to move between; a first extreme light state, in which particles are maximally spread within the cell to lie in the path of light through the cell and to strongly attenuate light transmitted through the cell; over the surface of said protrusions, which deflect said particles from their path from the first substrate to the second substrate; to a second extreme light state in which said particles are maximally concentrated within each said depression to remove them from the path of light through the cell and to substantially transmit light through the cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification