Electrocapillary color display sheet

• US 5,731,792 A
• Filed: 05/06/1996
• Issued: 03/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sheridon, Nicholas K.
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US08/643,671
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 345/84, 345/107, 345/85, 345/86, 345/60, 345/55, 345/30, 345/105, 345/106, 359/290, 359/291, 359/228
• US Class Current: 345/84
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/004 based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/372 the positions of the elements being controlled by the application of an electric field

Abstract

An electrocapillary color display sheet is disclosed which utilizes three spaced apart and parallel sheets in which the medial sheet has a plurality of sets of at least two reservoirs. Each reservoir in each set holds a different color polar liquid and each liquid in each reservoir has an individual electrical contact. By selectively activating each liquid in each reservoir of each set of reservoirs, the activated liquid of the set of reservoirs will flow into a space commonly shared by the liquids of that set of reservoirs to create a colored pixel. Deactivating the liquids will cause each liquid to retreat back into its reservoir which in turn clears the colored pixel.

Claims

1. A color display device comprising:

a first non-conductive sheet;

a second non-conductive sheet;

a sealed passage means between said first sheet and said second sheet;

said second sheet having at least two storage means opening into said passage means;

said first sheet having electrode means;

said second sheet having electrode means associated with said at least two storage means;

a liquid means of first color;

a liquid means of second color;

said liquid means of first color and said liquid means of second color both being conductive;

one of said at least two storage means holding said liquid means of first color and the other one of said at least two storage means holding said liquid means of second color;

a first conductive means for providing electrical connection to said liquid means of first color;

means for activating said first conductive means;

a second conductive means for providing electrical connection to said liquid means of second color;

means for activating said second conductive means;

means for activating said first sheet electrode means and said second sheet electrode means; and

said electrode means of said first sheet, said electrode means of said second sheet, said first conductive means and said second conductive means being so constructed and arranged relative to each other and said storage means that when said electrode means of said first sheet, said electrode means of said second sheet and said first conductive means are activated, said liquid means of first color will flow into said sealed passage means, when said electrode means of said first sheet, said electrode means of said second sheet and said second conductive means are activated, said liquid means of second color will flow into said sealed passage means and when said electrode means of first sheet, said electrode means of said second sheet, said first conductive means and said second conductive means are activated, said liquid means of first color and said liquid means of second color both will flow into said sealed passage means.

2. A color display device comprising:

a first non-conductive sheet;

a second non-conductive sheet;

a sealed passage means between said first sheet and said second sheet;

said second sheet having a thickness and a plurality of sets of at least two holes extending at least through a portion of said thickness and opening into said passage means;

said first sheet having a plurality of electrodes;

said second sheet having a plurality of electrodes each associated with a corresponding one of said plurality of sets of at least two holes;

each one of said plurality of electrodes of said second sheet facing a corresponding one of said plurality of electrodes of said first sheet and being aligned with said corresponding electrode;

a liquid means of first color;

a liquid means of second color;

said liquid means of first color and said liquid means of second color both being conductive;

one of said holes of each set of said plurality of sets of at least two holes holding said liquid means of first color and the other hole of each set of said plurality of sets of at least two holes holding said liquid means of second color;

a plurality of first conductive means;

each of said plurality of first conductive means providing electrical connection to said liquid means of first color in a corresponding hole of a corresponding set of plurality of sets of at least two holes;

a plurality of second conductive means;

each of said plurality of second conductive means providing electrical connection to said liquid means of second color in a corresponding hole of a corresponding set of plurality of sets of at least two holes;

a plurality of first addressing means each of which being electrically connected to a corresponding one of said plurality of first conductive means;

means for activating selective ones of said plurality of first addressing means;

a plurality of second addressing means each of which being electrically connected to a corresponding one of said plurality of second conductive means;

means for activating selective ones of said plurality of second addressing means;

a plurality of electrode addressing means each of which being electrically connected to a corresponding one of said plurality of electrodes of said first sheet and to a corresponding electrode of said second sheet;

means for activating selective ones of said plurality of electrode addressing means; and

said plurality of electrodes of said first sheet, said plurality of electrodes of said second sheet, said first conductive means and said second conductive means being so constructed and arranged relative to each other and said plurality of sets of at least two holes that when each one of said plurality of electrodes of said first sheet, a corresponding one of said plurality of electrodes of said second sheet and a corresponding one of said plurality of first conductive means are activated, said liquid means of first color in a corresponding hole will flow into said sealed passage means, when each one of said electrodes of said first sheet, a corresponding one of said plurality of electrodes of said second sheet and a corresponding one of said plurality of second conductive means are activated, said liquid means of second color in a corresponding hole will flow into said sealed passage means and when each one of said electrodes of said first sheet, a corresponding one of said plurality of electrodes of said second sheet, a corresponding one of said plurality of first conductive means and a corresponding one of said second conductive means are activated, said liquid means of first color in a corresponding hole and said liquid means of second color in a corresponding hole both will flow into said sealed passage means.

3. A color display device comprising:

a first non-conductive sheet;

a second non-conductive sheet;

a medial non-conductive sheet being located between said first and said second sheets;

a first sealed passage means between said first sheet and said medial sheet;

a second sealed passage means between said medial sheet and said second sheet;

said medial sheet having a thickness and a plurality of first type holes extending through said thickness and opening into each of said passage means;

said first type holes having a plurality of sets of at least two holes;

said first sheet having a plurality of electrodes;

said medial sheet having a plurality of electrodes each associated with a corresponding one of said plurality of sets of at least two holes;

each one of said plurality of electrodes of said medial sheet facing a corresponding one of said plurality of electrodes of said first sheet and being aligned with said corresponding electrode of first sheet;

said medial sheet having a plurality of second type holes extending through said thickness of said medial sheet and opening into each of said passage means for providing a communication path between said first sealed passage means and said second sealed passage means;

a liquid of first color;

a liquid of second color;

one of said holes of each said set of at least two first type holes holding said liquid of first color and the other one of said holes of each said set of at least two first type holes holding said liquid of second color;

said liquid of first color and said liquid of second color being immiscible with each other and each being conductive;

a plurality of first conductive means;

each of said plurality of first conductive means providing an electrical connection to said liquid of first color in a corresponding hole of a corresponding set of said plurality of sets of at least two first type holes;

a plurality of second conductive means;

each of said plurality of second conductive means providing an electrical connection to said liquid of second color in a corresponding hole of a corresponding set of said plurality of sets of at least two first type holes;

a fluid means;

said fluid means being immiscible with said liquid of first color and said liquid of second color;

said fluid means filling said first sealed passage means, said second type holes of said medial sheet and said second sealed passage means;

a plurality of first addressing means each of which being electrically connected to a corresponding one of said plurality of first conductive means;

means for activating selective ones of said plurality of first addressing means;

a plurality of second addressing means each of which being electrically connected to a corresponding one of said plurality of second conductive means;

means for activating selective ones of said plurality of second addressing means;

a plurality of electrode addressing means each of which being electrically connected to a corresponding one of said plurality of electrodes of said first sheet and to a corresponding electrode of said medial sheet;

means for activating selective ones of said plurality of electrode addressing means; and

said plurality of electrodes of said first sheet, said plurality of electrodes of said medial sheet, said first conductive means and said second conductive means being so constructed and arranged relative to each other and said plurality of sets of at least two first type holes that when each one of said plurality of electrodes of said first sheet, a corresponding one of said plurality of electrodes of said second sheet and a corresponding one of said plurality of first conductive means are activated, said liquid means of first color in a corresponding hole will flow into said sealed passage means causing displacement of adjacent said fluid means through said first and second sealed passage means and corresponding said second type holes, when each one of said plurality of electrodes of said first sheet, a corresponding one of said plurality of electrodes of said medial sheet and a corresponding one of said plurality of second conductive means are activated, said liquid means of second color in a corresponding hole will flow into said sealed passage means causing displacement of adjacent said fluid means through said first and second sealed passage means and corresponding said second type holes and when each one of said plurality of electrodes of said first sheet, a corresponding one of said plurality of electrodes of said medial sheet, a corresponding one of said plurality of first conductive means and a corresponding one of said plurality of second conductive means are activated, said liquid means of first color in a corresponding hole and said liquid means of second color in a corresponding hole both will flow into said sealed passage means causing displacement of adjacent said fluid means through said first and second sealed passage means and corresponding said second type holes.

4. The color display device as recited in claim 3, wherein each of said plurality of electrodes of said medial sheet completely surrounds a corresponding set of at least two first type holes.

5. The addressable display device as recited in claim 3, wherein each of said second type holes is surrounded by a plurality of adjacent said electrodes of said medial sheet.

6. The display device as recited in claim 3, wherein said electrodes of said first sheet are covered by a first insulating layer and said electrodes of said medial sheet are covered by a second insulating layer.

7. The addressable display device recited in claim 3, wherein said first sheet is transparent.

8. The addressable display device recited in claim 3, wherein said medial sheet is transparent.

9. The addressable display device recited in claim 3, wherein said second sheet is transparent.