Electronically addressable microencapsulated ink and display thereof

• US 20040054031A1
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Corporation (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: E Ink Corporation (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jacobson, Joseph M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,148,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 523/160
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/02 generating a continuous ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/04 Heads using conductive ink
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4076 printing on rewritable, bistable "electronic paper" by a focused electric or magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/30 Inkjet printing inks
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/50 Sympathetic, colour changing or similar inks
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/026 based on the rotation of particles under the influence of an external field, e.g. gyricons, twisting ball displays based on orientable dipolar particles G02F1/172; based on electrophoresis G02F1/167
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13336 Combining plural substrates to produce large-area displays, e.g. tiled displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/16757 Microcapsules
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/28 Adhesive materials or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/00 Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece clockwork cases for special purposes G04B37/12; clocks with magnifying glass built in the face G04B39/00; time-pieces in which parts or cases produce special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects, G04B45/00, particularly with inscriptions or pictures moved by hand G04B45/003, with specially shaped cases or parts G04B45/0069; combination of writing or drawing implements with devices for indicating time B43K29/087; combined with cameras, projectors, or photographic printing apparatus G03B29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/372 the positions of the elements being controlled by the application of an electric field
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/097 : Inks comprising nanoparticles and specially adapted for being sintered at low temperature H05K1/095 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/105 : by conversion of non-conductive material on or in the support into conductive material, e.g. by using an energy beam
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/1241 : by ink-jet printing or drawing by dispensing
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/46 : Field-effect transistors, e.g. organic thin-film transistors [OTFT] H10K10/43 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/462 : Insulated gate field-effect transistors [IGFETs]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/30 : Coordination compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/60 : Organic compounds having low molecular weight H10K85/10 - H10K85/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 : Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

We describe a system of electronically active inks which may include electronically addressable contrast media, conductors, insulators, resistors, semiconductive materials, magnetic materials, spin materials, piezoelectric materials, optoelectronic, thermoelectric or radio frequency materials. We further describe a printing system capable of laying down said materials in a definite pattern. Such a system may be used for instance to: print a flat panel display complete with onboard drive logic; print a working logic circuit onto any of a large class of substrates; print an electrostatic or piezoelectric motor with onboard logic and feedback or print a working radio transmitter or receiver.

Claims

1. An electronically active ink comprising a microencapsulated system having an optical reflectance which may be modulated by means of application of an electric field.

2. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is suitable for addressing by means of top and bottom electrodes.

3. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is suitable for addressing solely by means of bottom electrodes.

4. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is suitable for addressing by means of an AC electric field which may be modulated at a first frequency to effect a first optical reflectance and at a second frequency to effect a second optical reflectance.

5. The ink of claim 4 in which said modulatable optical reflectances correspond to modulatable colors.

10. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a bichromal microsphere.

11. The ink of claim 10 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a bichromal microsphere fabricated by means of two materials brought together electrostatically by means of atomizers, spinning disk or double barrel nozzle.

12. The ink of claim 10 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a bichromal microsphere with implanted dipole.

13. The ink of claim 12 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a bichromal microsphere with implanted dipole fabricated with an electrostatically charged atomizer, a spinning disk or a double barrel nozzle.

14. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on an electrophoretic effect.

15. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a dielectrophoretic effect.

17. The ink of claim 15 in which said dielectrophoretic effect is a frequency dependent dielectrophoretic effect.

18. The ink of claim 17 in which said frequency dependence is due to a particle with an implanted dipole.

19. The ink of claim 17 in which said frequency dependence is due to an elastomeric, ohmic loss, artificial or natural cell structure or natural dipole.

20. The ink of claim 18 in which said particle is fabricated by means of electrostatically charged atomizers, spinning disk or double barrel nozzle.

21. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a two part dye and solvent or reducing and oxidizing system.

25. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a dye which is associated with a charged head of one charge and a reducing, oxidizing, solvent or lactone ring breaking agent associated with a charged head of opposite charge and which may be caused to effect a color of a first type upon application of an electric field of a first type and a color of a second type upon application of a field of a second type.

26. The ink of claim 25 further comprising a bistable molecule or spring configuration.

27. The ink of claim 25 further comprising a polymer or bridge molecule to which said dye and reducing, oxiding, solvent or lactone ring breaking and said charge head groups are attached.

28. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on an electroluminescent system coupled to an electronically active dye system.

29. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a bistable liquid crystal system.

30. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is individually microencapsulated.

31. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is matrix microencapsulated.

6. Means of fabricating a bichromal particle employing electrostatically charged atomizers.

7. Means of fabricating a bichromal particle in which differentially colored materials are electrostatically attracted to each other on a spinning disk or double barrel nozzle.

8. Means of fabricating a particle with an implanted dipole employing an electrostatically charged atomizer, a spinning disk or a double barrel nozzle.

9. Means of fabricating a bichromal particle with an implanted dipole employing an electrostatically charged atomizer, a spinning disk or a double barrel nozzle.

16. An electronic display in which display elements employ a frequency dependent dielectrophoretic effect in which an AC electric field modulated at a first frequency effects a first optical reflectance and an AC electric field modulated at a second frequency effects a second optical reflectance.

22. An electronic display in which display elements are comprised of a dye which is associated with a head of one charge and a reducing, oxidizing or solvent agent associated with a head of opposite charge and which may be caused to effect a color of a first type upon application of an electric field of a first type and a color of a second type upon application of a field of a second type.

23. The display of claim 22 further comprising a bistable molecule or spring configuration.

24. The display of claim 22 further comprising a polymer or bridge molecule to which said dye and reducing, oxiding or solvent and said charged head groups are attached.

32. An electronically active ink comprising a microencapsulated spin system.

33. An electronically active ink comprised of a semiconductive material in a binder.

34. A printing means for printing a conducting or semiconducting trace by means of causing a light source to be scanned such that a substrate containing a microencapsulated salt is reduced and burst in areas where said light source impinges thus forming said conducting or semiconducting trace.

35. A printing means for printing a conducting or semiconducting trace by means of moveable jets in which one such jet contains a salt and another such jet contains a reducing agent.

36. A printing means for printing a conducting or semiconducting trace by means of a moveable jet and electron beam in which a salt from said jet is reduced by said electron beam.

37. A printing means for printing a conducting or semiconducting trace by means of a moveable jet containing a salt in an electroplating configuration.

38. A printing means for printing a conducting, semiconducting, insulating or resistive trace by means of a moveable head further comprising a sputter, thermal evaporation or electron beam element and a local vacuum or inert gas provision.

39. A semiconductor which may be a diode, transistor or opto-electronic structure produced by means of a printing process.

40. An electronic device comprised of multiple layers of said semiconductor devices of claim 39.

41. An electronic device of claim 40 which includes an insulating layer which further may have vias and three dimensional interconnects.

42. An electronically addressable display in which the electronically addressable contrast media is applied to a substrate by means of a printing process or employs an electronically active ink.

43. An electronically addressable display in which the electronically addressable contrast media employs an electronically active ink.

44. An electronically addressable display in which some or all of the logic elements are fabricated by means of a printing process or employ an electronically active ink.

45. An electronically addressable display in which some or all of the power storage elements or power generation elements which may include battery., polymer battery, semiconductor photoelectrochemical cell, fuel cell, radio, solar, nuclear, thermal, piezoelectric;

acoustic, magnetic induction or electric field induction are fabricated by means of a printing process or employ an electronically active ink.

46. An electronically addressable display in which some or all of the diode or transistor elements are fabricated by means of a printing process or employ an electronically active ink.

47. An electronically addressable display in which some or all of the inductor elements are fabricated by means of a printing process or employ an electronically active ink.

48. A radio, optoelectronic or acoustic transceiver in which some or all of the active components are fabricated by means of a printing process or employ an electronically active ink.

49. A radio, optoelectronic or acoustic transceiver in which some or all of the diode or transistor elements are fabricated by means of a printing process or employ an electronically active ink.

50. An electronically addressable display further comprising an integral radio, optoelectronic or acoustic transceiver such that data received by said transceiver may be displayed on said display in which some or all of the electronically addressable contrast media, logic elements, diodes or transistor elements are coated or fabricated by means of a printing process or employ an electronically active ink.

51. An electronically addressable display further comprising an integral radio, optoelectronic or acoustic transceiver such that data received by said transceiver may be displayed on said display in which some or all of the power storage elements or power generation elements which may include battery, polymer battery, semiconductor photoelectrochemical cell, fuel cell, radio, solar, nuclear, thermal, piezoelectric, acoustic, magnetic induction or electric field induction are fabricated by means of a printing process or employ an electronically active ink.

52. An electrostatic motor or actuator in which some or all of the electrodes are fabricated by means of a printing process.

53. An electrostatic motor or actuator in which some or all of the logic or power elements are fabricated by means of a printing process.

54. A wristwatch band comprising an electronically addressable display in which some or all of electronically addressable contrast media, logic or power elements are fabricated by means of a printing process or employ an electronically active ink.

55. A watch system comprising a wristwatch band further comprising an electronically addressable display and an inductive receiver for receiving power and or data from a watch in the absence of a wired connection.

56. The watch system of claim 55 in which some or all of electronically addressable contrast media, logic,power, diode, transistor or inductive elements are fabricated by means of a printing process or employ an electronically active ink.

57. A spin computer in which some or all of address lines, electronically addressable spin media, logic or power elements are fabricated by means of a printing process.

58. A spin computer in which some or all of address lines, electronically addressable spin media, logic or power elements employ an electronically active ink.