Electrochromic display device

• US 4,957,352 A
• Filed: 07/27/1988
• Issued: 09/18/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yasuda, Akio, Ito, Kengo
• Primary Examiner(s): LaRoche, Eugene R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shingleton, Michael B.
• Application Number:
  US07/224,813
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 350/353, 350/357, 340/785, 340/786
• US Class Current: 359/275
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1503 caused by oxidation-reduction reactions in organic liquid solutions, e.g. viologen solutions
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor

Abstract

An electrochromic display is disclosed, in which an electrochromic material layer is disposed between a pair of plates each having an array of electrodes. The electrochromic material layer is composed of leuco dyes, supporting electrolyte and binder. The leuco dyes can be colored and discolored upon application of current thereto in a liquefied state of the material layer. Melting the material layer and application of current are carried out by the array of the electrodes.

Claims

1. An electrochromic display comprising an electrochromic material layer provided between a pair of plates, at least one of said plates being transparent, said electrochromic material layer composed of a coloring compound and a supporting electrolyte means for heating said electrochromic material layer to liquefy said electrochromic material layer to convert the layer into electrical conduction and means for applying a current to said material layer to cause oxidation and/or reduction reaction of said coloring compound when the electrochromatic layer is in a liquified condition.

2. An electrochromic display according to claim 1, said means for heating said electrochromic material layer is an electrode applied with a.c. current.

3. An electrochromic display according to claim 1, said means for applying a current is an array of electrodes which contact said electrochromic material.

4. An electrochromic display according to claim 1, said coloring compound is selected from at least one of leuco dyes, triphenylemethane phthalides, fluorans, thiofluorans, indoleyl phthalides, rhodamine lactums, azaphthalides.

5. An electrochromic display according to claim 1, said coloring compound is leuco dye which has a lactone ring therein.

6. An electrochromic display according to claim 1, said means for applying a current is an array of switching transistors.