DISPLAY DEVICES HAVING MICRO-REFLECTORS AND COLOR FILTERS

• US 20110043894A1
• Filed: 11/03/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Corporation (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SiPix Imaging, Inc. (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kang, Gary, Sprague, Robert A., Chaug, Yi-Shung, Wang, Xiaojia, Zang, HongMei
• Granted Patent: US 8,238,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/296
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0242 by means of dispersed particles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0278 used in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133504 Diffusing, scattering, diffracting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133606
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133507 Films for enhancing the luminance
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1677 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a brightness enhancement structure comprising micro-reflectors. The process comprises forming an array of micro-structures by embossing; and depositing a metal layer over the surface of the micro-structures. The present invention also relates to a process for manufacturing a display device comprising micro-reflectors. The present invention further relates to a display device comprising micro-reflectors and color filters.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising

(a) a plurality of display cells sandwiched between two electrode layers and filled with an electrophoretic fluid;

(b) a brightness enhancement structure comprising microreflectors, wherein the brightness enhancement structure is on top of one of the electrode layers, on the viewing side of the display device; and

(c) color filters either on top of the brightness enhancement structure or underneath the brightness enhancement structure.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the surface of said microreflectors is coated with a metal layer.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein said metal layer is formed from a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum, copper, zinc, tin, molybdenum, nickel, chromium, silver, gold, iron, indium, thallium, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, rhodium, palladium, platinum and cobalt.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein the height of the microreflectors is in the range of 0.3 to 2 times of the width of the display cells.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein said display cells are separated by partition walls.

6. The display device of claim 5, wherein said microreflectors are aligned with the partition walls.

7. The display device of claim 5, wherein said microreflectors are not aligned with the partition walls.

8. The display device of claim 1, comprising dead spots between the color filters.

9. The display device of claim 8, wherein the microreflectors are aligned with the dead spots.