Display device

• US 20060221068A1
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Feenstra, Bokke Johannes, Hayes, Robert Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,031,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/004 based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/28 using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels

Abstract

An optical switch, e.g. a display cell based on layer displacement or layer break up having at least two different states, in which one of the fluids (5) e.g. oil in a first state adjoins at least a first support plate (3) and in the second state the other fluid (6) at least partly adjoins the first support plate. Part of an otherwise homogeneous electrode (7) is removed to realize oil motion control.

Claims

1. An optical switch having at least one first fluid (5) and a second fluid (6) immiscible with each other within a space between a first transparent support plate (3) and a second support plate (4), the second fluid being electroconductive or polar, the comprising on at least one of the substrates a first electrode (7) only partly covering the total area of the optical switch.

2. An optical switch according to claim 1 in which the first electrode at least leaves clear a part of the optical switch along an edge of the optical switch.

3. An optical switch according to claim 2 in which the first electrode at least leaves clear a part along one of the corners of a substantially rectangular optical switch.

4. An optical switch according to claim 2 in which the first electrode at least leaves clear a part along the edge of the optical switch comprising 5% of the total area of the optical switch.

5. An optical switch according to claim 2 in which the first electrode at most leaves clear a part along the edge of the optical switch comprising 50% of the total area of the optical switch.

6. An optical switch according to claim 5 in which the first electrode at most leaves clear a part along the edge of the optical switch comprising 10% of the total area of the optical switch.

7. An optical switch according to claim 1 comprising at least one further electrode (7′

) at the remaining area of the optical switch.

8. An optical switch according to claim 7 comprising at comprising driving means to apply voltages to the first and further electrodes.

9. A display device comprising picture elements, a picture element having an optical switch according to claim 1.

10. A display device according to claim 9, in which switching devices are present at the part left clear by the first electrode.

11. A display device according to claim 10, in which the part left clear by the first electrode is covered by a black mask.