Electro-optic device

• US 4,035,060 A
• Filed: 11/13/1975
• Issued: 07/12/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Satoshi, Misawa, Akira, Watanabe, Kazuo, Suzuki, Takeo, Harada, Isamu, Tsunoda, Ichiro, Nishiue, Yoshihiro, Hirao, Yoichiro, Fukagawa, Toshimasa, Tadokoro, Katsumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Bauer, Edward S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hille, Rolf
• Application Number:
  US05/631,706
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 350/160 LC, 340/336, 340/324 M, 340/324 R
• US Class Current: 349/152
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133 Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements arrangements or circuits for control of liquid crystal elements in a matrix, not structurally associated with these elements G09G3/36
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/06 using light valves, e.g. liquid crystals

Abstract

An electro-optic device comprises a plurality of first electrodes provided on a top substrate and a second electrode provided on a bottom substrate, the first electrodes confronting the second electrode through electro-optical matter which will show electro-optical phenomena by the application of electric field, the first and second electrodes being connected through external impedance elements such as resistors or capacitors to a variable voltage source. In this electro-optic device, the electric field applied between the first and second electrodes are partially changed by various means, for instance, by making the areas of the first electrodes different, or by varying the values of the external impedance elements such as resistors or capacitors, as a result of which the electro-optical matter shows various electro-optical phenomena.

Claims

1. An electro-optic device comprising a first transparent substrate, a second substrate juxtaposed to the first substrate, a body of electro-optically variable liquid disposed between said substrates, a plurality of first electrodes disposed on the surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate, each individual one of said plurality of first electrodes having an area different from the area of the others, a second electrode provided on the surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate, said liquid interposing internal impedance between said first electrodes and said second electrode, and a plurality of impedance elements external to said substrates and liquid, the impedances of different ones of said impedance elements being different from each other;

each of said first electrodes being connected through a respective one of said impedance elements to a terminal of a voltage source, and said second electrode being connected to another terminal of the voltage source, so that there are a plurality of parallel circuits each comprising a respective one of said impedance elements in series with the respective internal impedance between a respective one of said first electrodes and said second electrode, whereby in each of said parallel circuits a first part of the voltage supplied from the voltage source exists across the respective internal impedance and a second part of the voltage from the voltage source exists across the respective impedance element, the ratios of the first part to the second part of the voltage being different at the different respective parallel circuits.

2. An electro-optic device comprising

(a) a single external electrical source,

(b) an electro-optical cell having a plurality of first electrodes and a second electrode opposing each other through electro-optical material,

(c) external impedance elements of same number as the number of said first electrodes,

(d) said first electrodes being connected in series to an end of each of respective ones of said external impedance elements, the values of said external impedance elements differing from each other,

(e) the other ends of said external impedance elements being connected together so as to be at the same potential and being connected to one end of said external electric source,

(f) the other end of the said external electric source being connected to the second electrode, thereby forming a plurality of parallel series circuits each of which comprises said external electric source, one of said external impedance elements, one of said first electrodes, the electro-optical material and said second electrode,

(g) Characterized in that the impedance values of said external impedance elements and the electro-optical material between said first electrodes and second electrode are related so that the values of divided currents supplied from said external source and flowing constantly in said series circuits respectively differ from each other.

3. An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 2, in which said first electrodes have areas which are different from each other.

4. An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 6 in which said first electrodes have equal areas.

5. An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 3, in which said external impedance elements are resistors.

6. An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 3, in which said external impedance elements are condensers.

7. An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 4, in which said external impedance elements are resistors

8. An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 4, in which said external impedance elements are condensers.

9. An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 2, in which said external electric source provides a square AC voltage wave.

10. An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 3, in which said external electric source provides a square AC voltage wave.

11. An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 4, in which said external electric source provides a square AC voltage wave.