ELECTROFLUIDIC CHROMATOPHORE (EFC) DISPLAY APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A display apparatus comprising a circuit board having row and column electrodes arranged thereon to connect a driver to a plurality of electrofluidic chromatophore (EFC) pixel cells provided on the circuit board, wherein each pixel cell comprises:
- a fluid holder for holding a polar fluid and a non-polar fluid having differing display properties;
wherein the fluid holder comprises a reservoir having an orifice with a small visible area projected in the direction of a viewer, and wherein the fluid holder further comprises a channel with a geometry having a large visible area projected in the direction of a viewer, the channel being connected to the reservoir via said orifice so as to enable free movement of the polar fluid and non-polar fluid between the channel and the reservoir, at least part of a surface of the channel comprising a wetting property and at least two pixel cell terminals connectable to the row and column electrodes on the circuit board and being configured to supply a supply voltage to at least part of the surface of the channel comprising the wetting property for supply voltage controlled movement of polar fluid;
the at least two pixel cell terminals dielectrically separated from the polar fluid; and
wherein the reservoir is formed in a stacked structure of homogenous film layers arranged on the circuit board, the structure at least comprising an orifice film layer and a reservoir film layer, wherein the reservoir arranged in the reservoir layer is obscured in the direction of a viewer by the orifice film layer, said orifice film layer defining a smallest orifice area that is smaller than a cross sectional area formed in the reservoir film layer.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A display apparatus includes a plurality of electrofluidic chromatophore (EFC) pixel cells. Each pixel cell includes a fluid holder for holding a polar fluid and a non-polar fluid having differing display properties, the fluid holder including a reservoir having an orifice with a small visible area projected in the direction of a viewer onto the polar fluid, and a channel with a geometry having a large visible area projected in the direction of a viewer onto the polar fluid. The channel is connected to the reservoir via said orifice so as to enable free movement of the polar fluid and non-polar fluid between the channel and the reservoir. The reservoir is formed in a laminated resin structure of homogenous resin film layers, including an orifice film layer and a reservoir film layer.
65 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A display apparatus comprising a circuit board having row and column electrodes arranged thereon to connect a driver to a plurality of electrofluidic chromatophore (EFC) pixel cells provided on the circuit board, wherein each pixel cell comprises:
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a fluid holder for holding a polar fluid and a non-polar fluid having differing display properties; wherein the fluid holder comprises a reservoir having an orifice with a small visible area projected in the direction of a viewer, and wherein the fluid holder further comprises a channel with a geometry having a large visible area projected in the direction of a viewer, the channel being connected to the reservoir via said orifice so as to enable free movement of the polar fluid and non-polar fluid between the channel and the reservoir, at least part of a surface of the channel comprising a wetting property and at least two pixel cell terminals connectable to the row and column electrodes on the circuit board and being configured to supply a supply voltage to at least part of the surface of the channel comprising the wetting property for supply voltage controlled movement of polar fluid;
the at least two pixel cell terminals dielectrically separated from the polar fluid; andwherein the reservoir is formed in a stacked structure of homogenous film layers arranged on the circuit board, the structure at least comprising an orifice film layer and a reservoir film layer, wherein the reservoir arranged in the reservoir layer is obscured in the direction of a viewer by the orifice film layer, said orifice film layer defining a smallest orifice area that is smaller than a cross sectional area formed in the reservoir film layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of manufacturing a display apparatus comprising a circuit board having row and column electrodes arranged thereon to connect a driver to a plurality of electrofluidic chromatophore (EFC) pixel cells provided on the circuit board, the method comprises:
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providing a fluid holder for holding a polar fluid and a non-polar fluid having differing display properties and at least two pixel cell terminals connectable to the row and column electrodes on the circuit board; wherein the fluid holder is with a reservoir having an orifice with a small visible area projected in the direction of a viewer, and wherein the fluid holder is provided a channel with a geometry having a large visible area projected in the direction of a viewer, the channel being connected to the reservoir via said orifice so as to enable free movement of the polar fluid and non-polar fluid between the channel and the reservoir, at least part of a surface of the channel comprising a wetting property and at least two pixel cell terminals connectable to the row and column electrodes on the circuit board and being configured to supply a supply voltage to at least part of the surface of the channel comprising the wetting property for supply voltage controlled movement of polar fluid;
the at least two pixel cell terminals dielectrically separated from the polar fluid; andwherein the reservoir is formed in a stacked structure of homogenous film layers arranged on the circuit board, the structure at least comprising an orifice film layer and a reservoir film layer, wherein the reservoir arranged in the reservoir layer is obscured in the direction of a viewer by the orifice film layer, said orifice film layer defining a smallest orifice area that is smaller than a cross sectional area formed in the reservoir film layer. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification