APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING DRAWINGS

• US 20060197737A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Knaian, Ara N., O'Malley, Timothy J., Wilcox, Russell J., Linden, Heather A., Baucom, Allan Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,705,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/107
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/10 and slideably mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/372 the positions of the elements being controlled by the application of an electric field

Abstract

A first apparatus for displaying drawings comprises a housing having an aperture, a drawing sheet comprising electro-optic material movable through the aperture between closed and open positions, and a writing device for writing on the sheet as it moved between its closed and open positions. A second apparatus comprises a display member having a viewing surface, support means for supporting this display member above a floor, an electro-optic medium disposed on the display member, and a movable writing head for writing on the electro-optic medium. Another display comprises an optic medium with two display states visible through a viewing surface. A touch screen is disposed on the opposed side of the optic medium from the viewing surface, and the optic medium is deformable such that pressure applied to the viewing surface will be transmitted to the touch screen.

Claims

1. A display comprising an optic medium having a viewing surface through which an observer can view said optic medium and on which said observer can press, said optic medium being changeable between first and second display states differing in at least one optical property on application of a stimulus thereto, said display further comprising a touch screen disposed on the opposed side of said optic medium from said viewing surface, said optic medium being deformable such that pressure applied to said viewing surface is transmitted to said touch screen.

2. A display according to claim 1 wherein said optic medium is substantially non-transmissive of visible light.

3. A display according to claim 1 having an air gap between said optic medium and said touch screen, said optic medium deforming when pressure is applied thereto to close said air gap and thereby transmit pressure to said touch screen.

4. A display according to claim 1 having a spacer layer between said optic medium and said touch screen, said spacer layer transmitting pressure from said optic medium to said touch screen when pressure is applied to said optic medium.

5. A display according to claim 1 wherein said optic medium comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes.

6. A display according to claim 1 wherein said optic medium comprises an electro-optic medium capable of being changed between its first and second optic states by application of an electric field thereto.

7. A display according to claim 6 wherein said electro-optic medium comprises an electrochromic medium.

8. A display according to claim 6 wherein said electro-optic medium comprises a rotating bichromal member medium.

9. A display according to claim 6 wherein said electro-optic medium comprises an electrophoretic medium.

10. A display according to claim 9 wherein said electrophoretic medium is an encapsulated electrophoretic medium.

20. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drawing sheet comprises a protective layer covering said electro-optic medium, said protective layer being separable from said electro-optic medium, and wherein said writing means comprises separating means for separating said protective layer from said electro-optic medium before said electro-optic medium is written by said writing means, said separating means permitting said protective layer to overlie said electro-optic medium after said electro-optic medium has been written by said writing means.

11. A process for writing on a protected layer of electro-optic material, said protected layer comprising a layer of electro-optic material and a protective envelope substantially completely surrounding said layer of electro-optic material, said envelope having an openable and recloseable flap which can be opened to permit access to said layer of electro-optic material, said process using a writing apparatus comprising at least two spaced retaining members and a writing head which can be moved between said spaced retaining members, said process comprising:

opening said flap of said envelope;

inserting said spaced retaining members within said envelope, thereby creating a gap between said layer of electro-optic material and one internal surface of said envelope;

moving said writing head between said spaced retaining members and thereby writing an image on said layer of electro-optic material;

withdrawing said spaced retaining members from said envelope; and

reclosing said flap of said envelope.

12. A process according to claim 111 wherein said layer of electro-optic material and said envelope are substantially rectangular, said spaced retaining members comprise two parallel elongate members, and said spaced elongate members are inserted into said envelope so as to extend substantially along an opposed pair of edges thereof, so that substantially the whole of said layer of electro-optic material is available for writing by said writing head.

13. A process according to claim 111 wherein the spacing between said spaced containing members can be varied, and wherein said spaced retaining members are inserted within said envelope and said spacing between said spaced retaining members thereafter increased, thereby placing said envelope under tension before said writing head writes said image.

14. A process according to claim 111 wherein said writing head is arranged to commence writing said image at a portion of said electro-optic medium remote from said flap, and to write successive portions of said image closer to said flap.

15. A process according to claim 111 wherein said electro-optic material comprises an electrochromic material.

16. A process according to claim 111 wherein said electro-optic material comprises a rotating bichromal member material.

17. A process according to claim 111 wherein said electro-optic material comprises an electrophoretic material.

18. A process according to claim 17 wherein said electrophoretic material is an encapsulated electrophoretic material.

19. An apparatus for displaying a drawing, said apparatus comprising:

a housing having an aperture therein;

a drawing sheet movable through said aperture between a closed position, in which substantially the whole of said drawing sheet lies within said housing, and an open position, in which at least a portion of said drawing sheet lies outside said housing, at least a portion of said drawing sheet comprising an electro-optic medium having first and second display states differing in at least one optical property, said medium being changed from its first to its second display state by application of an electric field to said medium; and

writing means for writing on said electro-optic medium as said drawing sheet is moved from its closed to its open position and thereby producing a drawing on said electro-optic medium.