PORTABLE PROJECTOR UTILIZING ELECTROPHORETIC DISPLAYS

• US 20140049808A1
• Filed: 08/14/2012
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: E Ink California, LLC (E Ink Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bo-Ru Yang
• Inventors: YANG, Bo-Ru
• Application Number:
  US13/585,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20140049808A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/296
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/005 based on electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/026 based on the rotation of particles under the influence of an external field, e.g. gyricons, twisting ball displays based on orientable dipolar particles G02F1/172; based on electrophoresis G02F1/167
• 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

This invention is directed to a projector comprising a polarizer-free display device. Such a projector is more energy efficient while the switching speed is not compromised. The display device may be an electrophoretic display capable of lateral switching of the charged pigment particles in the display fluid, or an electrowetting display.

Claims

1. A projector comprising:

a) a light source;

b) an electrophoretic display as a light modulating component, wherein the electrophoretic display comprises an electrophoretic fluid in which charged pigment particles are capable of lateral switching; and

optionally

c) a reflector layer.

2. The projector of claim 1, wherein if the reflector layer is present, the reflector layer and the light source are on the opposite sides of the electrophoretic display.

3. The projector of claim 1, wherein the electrophoretic fluid comprises one type of charged pigment particles.

4. The projector of claim 1, wherein the charged pigment particles are white.

5. The projector of claim 1, wherein the charged pigment particles are black.

6. The projector of claim 1, wherein the electrophoretic fluid comprises two types of pigment particles of contrasting colors and carrying opposite charge polarities.

7. The projector of claim 1, wherein the light source is a lamp, LED or laser.

8. The projector of claim 7, wherein the light source is LED.

9. The projector of claim 1, further comprising a color wheel.

10. The projector of claim 1, wherein the electrophoretic fluid is colored.

11. The projector of claim 9, wherein the electrophoretic fluid is contained in micro-containers and the colors of the electrophoretic fluid in the micro-containers are different.

12. The projector of claim 1, further comprising color filters.

13. The projector of claim 1, further comprising a ray collimator.

14. The projector of claim 1, further comprising a lens array.

15. The projector of claim 1, further comprising magnification lens.

16. The projector of claim 1, wherein the electrophoretic display has a switching speed in the range of 120 Hz to 1000 Hz.

17. The projector of claim 1, wherein the electrophoretic fluid has a gas medium.

18. The projector of claim 1, wherein the electrophoretic fluid comprises a solvent which is a mixture of isoparaffins.

19. The projector of claim 1, which is a pico- or micro-projector.

20. A projector comprising:

a) a light source;

b) an electrowetting display device; and

optionally

c) a reflector layer.

21. The projector of claim 20, wherein if the reflector layer is present, the reflector layer and the light source are on the opposite sides of the electrowetting display.