Electrostatically controlled picture display device

• US 4,178,077 A
• Filed: 08/18/1976
• Issued: 12/11/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1975
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Te Velde, Ties S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, F. L.
• Application Number:
  US05/715,429
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 350/266, 350/267, 350/269, 350/285, 340/324 R, 340/324 M, 340/336, 340/335, 340/366 R, 340/366 B, 340/378 R, 340/378.1, 340/763, 340/764, 340/783
• US Class Current: 359/223.1
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/372 the positions of the elements being controlled by the application of an electric field

Abstract

A passive picture display device having a number of display elements for controlling the reflection or the transmission of light. Each display element has two parallel supporting plates of which at least one is transparent, a first electrode disposed on one of said supporting plates, a second electrode disposed on the other supporting plate facing the first electrode, a third electrode movably disposed between the first and second electrodes by electrostatic forces and an opaque liquid the color of which contrasts with the color of the side of the third electrode facing the transparent supporting plate filling the space between the two supporting plates.

Claims

1. A passive picture display device which comprises:

a plurality of display elements for controlling the reflection or the transmission of light, each display element comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode, said third electrode being movable between said first and the second electrodes by electrostatic force, said device further including first and second supporting plates disposed in parallel spaced relationship with at least portions of said first and second supporting plates facing each other, said first supporting plate being transparent, said first and said second electrode of each display element being disposed respectively on facing surfaces of said first and second supporting plates, and said third electrode of each display element being movably disposed between said first and second supporting plates, said first electrode on the said first supporting plate being transparent and the space between said supporting plates being filled with an opaque liquid the color of which contrasts with the color of the side of said third electrodes facing said first supporting plate, said third electrode being provided with a pattern of light transmitting areas and the electrode on one of said supporting plates comprising a pattern of differently colored areas which are disposed in registered relationship with said light transmitting areas of said third electrodes.

2. A passive picture display device which comprises:

a plurality of display elements for controlling the reflection or the transmission of light, each display element comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode, said third electrode being movable between said first and the second electrode by electrostatic forces, said device further including first and second supporting plates disposed in parallel spaced relationship with at least portions of said first and second supporting plates facing each other, said first supporting plate being transparent, said first and said second electrode of each display element being disposed respectively on opposed surfaces of said first and second supporting plates, and said third electrode of each display element being movably disposed between said two supporting plates, said first electrode on said first supporting plate being transparent and the space between said supporting plates being filled with an opaque liquid the color of which contrasts with the color of the side of said third electrode facing said first supporting plate, one of said supporting plates comprising a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes which forms a system of rows of first electrodes, the other of said supporting plates comprising a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes which forms a system of columns of second electrodes, a matrix of display elements being formed by the rows and columns crossing each other, all the third electrodes in a plurality of said display elements being interconnected.

3. A passive picture display device which comprises:

a plurality of display elements for controlling the reflection or the transmission of light, each display element comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode, said third electrode being movable between said first and the second electrodes by electrostatic forces, said device further including first and second supporting plates disposed in parallel spaced relationship, said first supporting plate being transparent, said first and said second electrodes of each display element being disposed respectively on opposed surfaces of said first and second supporting plates, and said third electrode of each display element being movably disposed between said two supporting plates, said first electrode on said first supporting plate being transparent and the space between said supporting plates is filled with an opaque liquid the color of which contrasts with the color of the side of said third electrodes facing said first supporting plate, said second supporting plate also being transparent and each display element forming a controllable light shutter.

4. A picture display device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that each of said third electrodes is provided with a pattern of light-transmitting areas and said electrodes disposed on one of said supporting plates is provided with a pattern of light transmitting areas which is the negative of the pattern in each of said third electrodes, each of said light shutters transmitting no light when both electrodes are located substantially in one plane.