Flexible Flat Panel Displays

• US 20070222909A1
• Filed: 05/11/2005
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Slikkerveer, Peter, Young, Nigel, Dona, Marinus, Willard, Nico, Den Toonder, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US11/569,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20070222909A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/56
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/00 Functional layers of liquid crystal optical display excluding electroactive liquid crystal layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A flexible flat panel display which exhibits fabric-like behavior, comprising a substrate (10) formed of an elastomeric material, preferably with a layer of textile material (14) embedded therein. The substrate (10) is arranged and configured so as to have a modulus of elasticity such that the display can be curved over at least two radii of curvature simultaneously and/or stretched in one or more directions under normal working conditions. The resultant display can be incorporated into, for example, clothing and the like. A method of manufacturing a flexible flat panel display is also described.

Claims

1. A flexible flat panel display, comprising a first substrate (10) which is at least partially formed of a composite material comprising an elastomeric material and a fibrous and/or particulate material for limiting the elasticity of said elastomeric material.

2. A display according to claim 1, wherein said composite material comprises an elastomeric material and a textile material (14).

3. A display according to claim 2, comprising conductive lines, wherein at least some of the fibers of said textile material (14) are directed substantially in the direction of the conductive lines.

4. A display according to claim 2, wherein at least some of the fibers forming the textile material (14) are conductive.

5. A display according to claim 1, wherein the fibrous and/or particulate material (14) is embedded within the elastomeric material.

6. A display according to claim 1, wherein the fibrous and/or particulate material (14) is impregnated with elastomeric material.

7. A display according to claim 1, wherein the elastomeric material comprises a rubber or rubber-like polymer, based on one or more of silicone, urethane, neoprene, butyl rubber, ethene-propene rubber, acrylate rubber, butadiene rubber, choloprene rubber, nitrile rubber, 1-1 propene rubber, fluoridised rubber, styrene-butadiene, natural rubber or any combination thereof.

8. A display according to claim 1, wherein said first substrate (10) is formed of a composite material comprising an elastomeric material reinforced with filler elements.

9. A display according to claim 1, wherein said substrates (10) comprise a ribbed spacer structure.

10. A display according to claim 9, wherein said spacer structure is arranged and configured to enclose substantially a complete pixel.

24. A garment incorporating a flexible flat panel display according to claim 1.

11. A method of manufacturing a flexible flat panel display, the method comprising providing a mould (22) defining a required surface pattern of a substrate (10), creating at least one elastomeric substrates (10) by a replication process comprising coating said mould (22) with a liquid elastomeric material or pressing said mould into a softened elastomeric material, causing said elastomeric material to be solidified and then releasing it from said mould (22).

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step of causing the elastomeric material to be solidified comprises one or more of curing the elastomeric material, allowing it to cool or actively cooling it.

14. A method according to claim 11, comprising mounting or pressing fibrous or particulate material (14) in or on said liquid or softened elastomeric material.

15. A method according to claim 14, comprising mounting or pressing a layer of textile material (14) in or on said liquid or softened elastomeric material.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the textile material (14) is impregnated with an elastomeric material.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step of causing said elastomeric material to be solidified comprises thermal curing or curing using ultra-violet radiation.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein the mould comprises a base plate (26) having thereon a patterned resist layer (28).

22. A method according to claim 11, wherein alignment structures and/or spacers are created on said substrate (10) by means of said replication process.

12. A method according to claim 12, comprising creating two elastomeric substrates (10) by said replication process and laminating said two elastomeric substrates together with an electro-optical display material (30) therebetween.

19. A method according to claim 12, wherein a conductive layer (34) and/or an alignment layer is provided on at least one of the substrates (10) prior to laminating the two substrates (10) together.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said replication process comprises applying a conductive pattern and/or alignment layer to said mould (22), coating said mould (22) with a liquid elastomeric material or pressing said mould (22) into a softened elastomeric material, causing said elastomeric material to be solidified and then releasing it and said conductive pattern and/or alignment layer from said mould (22).

21. A method according to claim 12, wherein the electro-optical display material comprises a liquid crystal, an electro-chrome or electro-phoretic element, a light emitting element, an organic or inorganic light emitting element, a polymer light emitting element, a plasma, or any combination thereof.

23. A flexible flat panel display manufactured in accordance with a method according to claim 12.

25. A substrate (10) for use in a flexible flat panel display, said substrate (10) being formed of a composite material comprising a fibrous and/or particulate material (14) and a elastomeric material.

26. A method of manufacturing a flexible substrate (10) for use in a flexible flat panel display, the method comprising providing a mould (22) defining a required surface pattern of said substrate (10), coating said mould with a liquid elastomeric material or pressing said mould (22) into a softened elastomeric material, causing said elastomeric material to be solidified and then releasing it from said mould (22).