EMBEDDED ELECTROOPTICAL DISPLAY
First Claim
1. A method of forming an embedded electrooptical display comprisingproviding a mold that defines a cavity therein, wherein at least a portion of said mold is light transmissive;
- placing an electrooptical display in said mold;
flowing light curable material into said cavity of said mold on and around said electrooptical display;
applying light through said light transmissive portion of said mold that cures said light curable material into a protective layer on and around said display forming an embedded said electrooptical display; and
removing said embedded electrooptical display from said mold.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This disclosure features embedded electrooptical displays such as liquid crystal displays and methods of making the same. The displays are embedded in light curable material on one or both sides thereof. Processes for embedding the displays include injection molding and continuous roll-to-roll processing. The light curable material forms a protective covering over the display. Electrical interconnects connected to electrodes of the display can protrude from the protective layer. Once the display is embedded it can resist contact with moisture and mechanical damage. The protective layer can be clear or it can contain additives such as pigments or additives for UV protection. The embedded display with the protective layer may be molded into different shapes during the embedding process or thermoformed after the embedding process into different shapes. This permits the embedded display to be adapted into a variety of different electronic devices such as cell phones, smart phones, MP-3 players, a computer mouse, etc.
14 Citations
52 Claims
-
1. A method of forming an embedded electrooptical display comprising
providing a mold that defines a cavity therein, wherein at least a portion of said mold is light transmissive; -
placing an electrooptical display in said mold; flowing light curable material into said cavity of said mold on and around said electrooptical display; applying light through said light transmissive portion of said mold that cures said light curable material into a protective layer on and around said display forming an embedded said electrooptical display; and removing said embedded electrooptical display from said mold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of forming embedded electrooptical displays comprising
placing a first substrate on rollers; -
providing a plurality of spaced apart electrooptical displays in fixed positions on said first substrate; flowing light curable material onto said electrooptical displays and onto said first substrate around said electrooptical displays; placing a second light transmissive substrate on said light curable material; applying pressure that forces said first substrate and said second substrate toward each other; applying light through at least one of said first substrate and said second substrate that cures said light curable material into a protective layer on and around said electrooptical displays forming embedded said electrooptical displays; and cutting individual said embedded electrooptical displays from said cured protective layer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A method of forming embedded electrooptical displays comprising
placing a plurality of spaced apart first mold portions on rollers, each of said first mold portions defining a cavity; -
flowing light curable material into said cavities of said first mold portions; placing electrooptical displays on said light curable material in said first mold portions; providing a plurality of spaced apart second mold portions, each of said second mold portions defining a cavity; flowing light curable material into said cavities of said second mold portions; aligning said second mold portions with said first mold portions; applying pressure moving said first mold portions and said second mold portions toward each other so that said light curable material is disposed on both sides of said electrooptical displays; applying light through at least one light transmissive portion of said first mold portions and said second mold portions that cures said light curable material into a protective layer on and around said electrooptical displays forming embedded said electrooptical displays; cutting said embedded electrooptical displays from said protective layer; and removing said first mold portions and said second mold portions. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A method of forming an embedded electrooptical display comprising:
-
placing an electrooptical display between two mold sections each forming a cavity, at least one of said mold sections being light transmissive, said electrooptical display including an electrical interconnect, each of said mold sections including an inlet port and a vent; securing said mold sections together so that said electrical interconnect is sandwiched between said mold sections and a portion of said electrooptical display near said inlet ports is near a center of said mold; injecting light curable material into said inlet ports to flow into said mold sections simultaneously above and below said electrooptical display; applying light through the at least one light transmissive mold section to cure said light curable material into a protective layer on both sides of said electrooptical display but not on said electrical interconnect; and removing said embedded electrooptical display from said mold.
-
-
34. A method of forming an embedded electrooptical display comprising:
-
providing a lower shim enclosing a cavity and a lower film on which said lower shim is supported; flowing light curable material in said cavity in said lower shim onto said lower film; placing an electrooptical display on said light curable material in said lower shim; providing an upper shim enclosing a cavity above said electrooptical display; flowing light curable material in said cavity in said upper shim onto said electrooptical display; providing an upper film in contact with said upper shim, applying pressure moving said upper shim toward said lower shim so that said light curable material is disposed on both sides of said electrooptical display; applying light through at least one light transmissive portion of at least one of said upper shim, said lower shim, said upper film and said lower film that cures said light curable material into a protective layer on and around said electrooptical display forming an embedded said electrooptical display; and removing said upper shim, said upper film, said lower shim and said lower film from said embedded electrooptical display. - View Dependent Claims (35)
-
- 36. A flexible embedded electrooptical display comprising an electrooptical display embedded on at least one side of said electrooptical display in a protective layer comprising light cured polymeric material, with the proviso that there is no layer having adhesive properties in contact with said electrooptical display.
- 48. A flexible embedded electrooptical display comprising an electrooptical display embedded on at least one side of said electrooptical display in a protective layer comprising light cured polymeric material, an electrical interconnect being connected to said electrooptical display which includes a portion that is not embedded in said light curable polymeric material.
Specification