Electrocapillary color display sheet

• US 5,757,345 A
• Filed: 05/06/1996
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• 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): Chow, Dennis-Doon
• Application Number:
  US08/643,678
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 345/84, 345/85, 345/30, 345/107, 345/48, 345/55, 359/290, 359/291, 359/228
• US Class Current: 345/84
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/005 based on electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/223 containing organic substances, e.g. dyes, inks or pigments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00

Abstract

An electrocapillary color display sheet is disclosed which utilizes a plurality of sets of different color droplets between two sheets in which each set of droplets will create a pixel of an image. Each set of droplets has at least two droplets in which each droplet has a different color. Each droplet of each set is immiscible with the rest of the droplets of the set. There is an electrode on each sheet which corresponds to each set of droplets. There is also an addressable electrical connection to each droplet. By selectively activating droplets of each set of droplets and its corresponding electrodes on the two sheets, at least one of the droplets of the set will expand in a space commonly shared by the droplets of each set to create a colored pixel.

Claims

1. A color display device comprising:

a first sheet;

a second sheet;

said first sheet having an outer surface and an inner surface;

said second sheet having an outer surface and an inner surface;

a sealed space between said inner surface of first sheet and said inner surface of said second sheet;

said first sheet having a first type electrode means on said inner surface;

an insulating layer;

said insulating layer being located over said first type electrode means;

a set of at least two second type electrode means being located over said insulating layer and being exposed to said sealed space;

said insulating layer being so constructed and arranged to insulate said set of at least two second type electrode means from said first type electrode means;

said set of at least two second type electrode means being located above said first type electrode means;

a droplet of a first color liquid;

a droplet of a second color liquid;

said droplet of said first color liquid and said droplet of said second color liquid being immiscible;

said droplet of said first color liquid being located in said sealed space covering one electrode means of said set of at least two second type electrode means;

said droplet of said second color liquid being located in said sealed space covering the other electrode means of said set of at least two second type electrode means;

first means for activating said first type electrode means;

means for activating said one electrode means of said set of at least two second type electrode means;

means for activating said other electrode means of said set of at least two second type electrode means; and

said first type electrode means and said set of at least two second type electrode means being so constructed and arranged relative to each other and to said droplet of first color and said droplet of said second color that when said first type electrode means and said one electrode means of said set of at least two second type electrode means are activated, said droplet of first color liquid will expand, when said first type electrode means and said other electrode means of said set of at least two second type electrode means are activated, said droplet of second color liquid will expand and when said first type electrode means, said one electrode means of said set of at least two second type electrode means and said other electrode means of said set of at least two second type electrode means are activated, said droplet of first color liquid and said droplet of second color liquid both will expand.

2. A color display device comprising:

a first sheet;

a second sheet;

said first sheet being parallel to said second sheet;

said first sheet having an outer surface and an inner surface;

said second sheet having an outer surface and an inner surface a sealed space between said inner surface of first sheet and said inner surface of said second sheet;

said first sheet having a plurality of first type electrode means on said inner surface;

an insulating layer;

said insulating layer being located over said plurality of first type electrode means;

a plurality of sets of at least two second type electrode means being located over said insulating layer and being exposed to said sealed space;

said insulating layer being so constructed and arranged to insulate said plurality of sets of at least two second type electrodes from said first type electrode means;

each set of said plurality of sets of at least two second type electrode means being located over a corresponding one of said first type electrode means;

a plurality of droplets of a first color liquid;

a plurality of droplets of a second color liquid;

said plurality of droplets of said first color liquid being immiscible with said plurality of droplets of said second color liquid;

each one of said plurality of droplets of said first color liquid being located in said sealed space covering one electrode means of a corresponding set of said plurality of sets of at least two second type electrode means;

each one of said plurality of droplets of said second color liquid being located in said sealed space covering the other electrode means of a corresponding set of said plurality of sets of at least two second type electrode means;

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

a plurality of second type addressing means each of which being electrically connected to said one electrode means of a corresponding set of said plurality of sets of at least two second type electrode means;

a plurality of third type addressing means each of which being electrically connected to said other electrode means of a corresponding set of said plurality of sets of at least two second type electrode means;

a plurality of activating means for activating selective ones of said plurality of first type addressing means, said plurality of said second type addressing means and said plurality of third type addressing means; and

said plurality of first type electrode means and said plurality of sets of at least two second type electrode means being so constructed and arranged relative to each other and to said plurality of droplets of first color and to said plurality of droplets of said second color that when one of said plurality of first type electrode means and said one electrode means of a corresponding set of said plurality of at least two second type electrode means are activated, a corresponding one of said plurality of droplets of first color liquid will expand, when one of said plurality of first type electrode means and said other electrode means of a corresponding set of said plurality of sets of at least two second type electrode means are activated, a corresponding one of said plurality of droplets of second color liquid will expand and when one of said plurality of first type electrode means, said one electrode means of a corresponding set of said plurality of at least two second type electrode means and said other electrode means of a corresponding set of said plurality of sets of at least two second type electrode means are activated, a corresponding one of said plurality of droplets of first color liquid and a corresponding one of said plurality of droplets of second color liquid both will expand.