Light valve suspensions and films containing UV absorbers and light valves containing the same

• US 5,467,217 A
• Filed: 05/11/1993
• Issued: 11/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Research Frontiers Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Research Frontiers Incorporated
• Inventors: Slovak, Steven M., Saxe, Robert L., Check, Joseph A. III, Thompson, Robert I., Forlini, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, AUDREY Y
• Application Number:
  US08/059,980
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 359/296, 359/51, 359/361
• US Class Current: 359/296
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/172 based on a suspension of orientable dipolar particles, e.g. suspended particles displays

Abstract

Light valve suspensions and light valve films are provided with a UV absorber.

Claims

1. A liquid light valve suspension, which comprises particles suspended in a liquid suspending medium, the liquid suspending medium having dissolved therein a UV-absorbing effective amount of a benzotriazole derivative.

2. The suspension according to claim 1, wherein said benzotriazole derivative is a liquid.

3. The suspension according to claim 1, wherein said benzotriazole derivative is a solid.

4. In a light valve having opposed cell walls, and a light modulating element between said cell walls, the improvement wherein the light modulating element is the liquid light valve suspension of claim 1.

5. A liquid light valve suspension, which comprises particles suspended in a liquid suspending medium and a stabilizing polymer in said liquid suspending medium to prevent agglomeration of said particles, said stabilizing polymer comprising a UV-absorbing effective amount of a UV absorber.

6. The suspension according to claim 5, wherein said stabilizing polymer comprises monomeric units thereof copolymerized with monomeric units of said UV absorber.

7. The suspension according to claim 6, wherein said UV absorber is a benzotriazole derivative having a group copolymerizable with said monomeric units of said polymeric stabilizer.

8. The suspension according to claim 5, wherein said UV absorber is bound to said stabilizing polymer by reaction therewith.

9. The suspension according to claim 8, wherein said UV absorber is a benzotriazole derivative having a group that can react with said polymeric stabilizer.

10. The suspension according to claim 5, wherein said UV absorber is a benzotriazole derivative.

11. In a light valve having opposed cell walls, and a light modulating element between said cell walls, the improvement wherein the light modulating element is the liquid light valve suspension of claim 5.

12. A film suitable for use as the light modulating element of a light valve, comprising a polymer matrix and droplets of a liquid light valve suspension distributed in the polymer matrix, the polymer matrix or the liquid light valve suspension or both including a UV-absorbing effective amount of a UV absorber.

13. The film according to claim 12, wherein the light valve suspension has said UV absorber dissolved therein.

14. The film according to claim 13, wherein said UV absorber is a benzotriazole derivative.

15. The film according to claim 12, wherein said light valve suspension comprises a stabilizing polymer to prevent agglomeration of said particles, said stabilizing polymer comprising a UV-absorbing effective amount of a UV absorber.

16. The film according to claim 15, wherein said stabilizing polymer comprises monomeric units thereof copolymerized with monomeric units of said UV absorber.

17. The film according to claim 16, wherein said UV absorber is a benzotriazole derivative having a group copolymerizable with said monomeric units of said polymeric stabilizer.

18. The film according to claim 15, wherein said UV absorber is bound to said stabilizing polymer by reaction therewith.

19. The film according to claim 18, wherein said UV absorber is a benzotriazole derivative having a group that can react with said polymeric stabilizer.

20. The film according to claim 12, wherein said polymer matrix comprises monomeric units thereof copolymerized with monomeric units of said UV absorber.

21. The film according to claim 20, wherein said UV absorber is a benzotriazole derivative having a group copolymerizable with said monomeric units of said polymer matrix.

22. The film according to claim 21, wherein said UV absorber is a benzotriazole derivative having a group that can react with said polymer matrix.

23. The film according to claim 12, wherein said UV absorber is bound to said polymer matrix by reaction therewith.

24. In a light valve having opposed cell walls, and a light modulating element between said cell walls, the improvement wherein the light modulating element is the film of claim 12.