Electronically addressable microencapsulated ink and display thereof

• US 6,422,687 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1999
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Jacobson, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Raquel Yvette
• Application Number:
  US09/471,604
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 347/55, 347/20, 347/6, 347/84, 347/88, 347/95, 347/100, 106/31.16, 106/31.32, 106/31.64, 106/31.92, 264/6, 264/10, 264/12, 264/7, 475/6, 475/130, 475/174.8 E, 427/288, 427/457, 427/458, 427/469, 427/479, 427/483, 345/105, 345/106, 345/107
• US Class Current: 347/55
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/02 generating a continuous ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/04 Heads using conductive ink
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4076 printing on rewritable, bistable "electronic paper" by a focused electric or magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/30 Inkjet printing inks
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/50 Sympathetic, colour changing or similar inks
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/026 based on the rotation of particles under the influence of an external field, e.g. gyricons, twisting ball displays based on orientable dipolar particles G02F1/172; based on electrophoresis G02F1/167
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13336 Combining plural substrates to produce large-area displays, e.g. tiled displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/16757 Microcapsules
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/28 Adhesive materials or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/00 Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece clockwork cases for special purposes G04B37/12; clocks with magnifying glass built in the face G04B39/00; time-pieces in which parts or cases produce special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects, G04B45/00, particularly with inscriptions or pictures moved by hand G04B45/003, with specially shaped cases or parts G04B45/0069; combination of writing or drawing implements with devices for indicating time B43K29/087; combined with cameras, projectors, or photographic printing apparatus G03B29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/372 the positions of the elements being controlled by the application of an electric field
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/097 : Inks comprising nanoparticles and specially adapted for being sintered at low temperature H05K1/095 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/105 : by conversion of non-conductive material on or in the support into conductive material, e.g. by using an energy beam
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/1241 : by ink-jet printing or drawing by dispensing
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/46 : Field-effect transistors, e.g. organic thin-film transistors [OTFT] H10K10/43 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/462 : Insulated gate field-effect transistors [IGFETs]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/30 : Coordination compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/60 : Organic compounds having low molecular weight H10K85/10 - H10K85/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 : Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

We describe a system of electronically active inks which may include electronically addressable contrast media, conductors, insulators, resistors, semiconductive materials, magnetic materials, spin materials, piezoelectric materials, optoelectronic, thermoelectric or radio frequency materials. We further describe a printing system capable of laying down said materials in a definite pattern. Such a system may be used for instance to: print a flat panel display complete with onboard drive logic; print a working logic circuit onto any of a large class of substrates; print an electrostatic or piezoelectric motor with onboard logic and feedback or print a working radio transmitter or receiver.

Claims

1. A system for forming a particle having an implanted dipole and more than one optical property, comprising:

a first nozzle producing atomized droplets of a first material, said droplets having a charge of a first polarity and a first optical property; and

a second nozzle producing atomized droplets of a second material, said droplets having a charge of a second polarity and a second optical property;

wherein said first nozzle and said second nozzle are disposed such that said droplets of said first and second charged materials combine electrostatically to form a particle having an implanted dipole.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an element that heats said particle to cause said particle to assume a substantially spherical shape.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising first and second electrodes biased so as to trap substantially all droplets of said first and second material emitted from said first and second nozzles that have not combined to form a particle having an implanted dipole.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said first and second electrodes arc biased at opposite voltages.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein said first and second electrodes are biased at the same voltage.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second materials are the same color, producing a monochromal particle having an implanted dipole.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein one of said first and second materials is a colored material.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second materials is a transparent material.

30. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is suitable for addressing by means of top and bottom electrodes.

31. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is suitable for addressing solely by means of bottom electrodes.

32. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is suitable for addressing by means of an AC electric field which may be modulated at a first frequency to effect a first optical reflectance and at a second frequency to effect a second optical reflectance.

33. The ink of claim 32 in which said modulatable optical reflectances correspond to modulatable colors.

34. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a bichromal microsphere.

35. The ink of claim 34 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a bichromal microsphere fabricated by means of two materials brought together electrostatically by means of atomizers, spinning disk or double barrel nozzle.

36. The ink of claim 34 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a bichromal microsphere with implanted dipole.

37. The ink of claim 36 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a bichromal microsphere with implanted dipole fabricated with an electrostatically charged atomizer, a spinning disk or a double barrel nozzle.

38. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on an electrophoretic effect.

39. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a dielectrophoretic effect.

40. The ink of claim 39 in which said dielectrophoretic effect is a frequency dependent dielectrophoretic effect.

41. The ink of claim 40 in which said frequency dependence is due to a particle with an implanted dipole.

42. The ink of claim 40 in which said frequency dependence is due to an elastomeric, ohmic loss, artificial or natural cell structure or natural dipole.

43. The ink of claim 41 in which said particle is fabricated by means of electrostatically charged atomizers, spinning disk or double barrel nozzle.

44. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a two part dye and solvent or reducing and oxidizing system.

45. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a dye which is associated with a charged head of one charge and a reducing, oxidizing, solvent or lactone ring breaking agent associated with a charged head of opposite charge and which may be caused to effect a color of a fist type upon application of an electric field of a first type and a color of a second type upon application of a field of a second type.

46. The ink of claim 45 further comprising a bistable molecule or spring configuration.

47. The ink of claim 45 further comprising a polymer or bridge molecule to which said dye and reducing, oxidizing, solvent or lactone ring breaking and said charge head groups are attached.

48. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on an electroluminescent system coupled to an electronically active dye system.

49. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is based on a bistable liquid crystal system.

50. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is individually microencapsulated.

51. The ink of claim 1 in which said microencapsulated system is matrix microencapsulated.

9. A method producing a particle having an implanted dipole and more than one optical property, comprising the steps of:

providing a first material having a first optical property and a charge of a first polarity to a first atomizing nozzle;

providing a second material having a second optical property and a charge of a second polarity to a second atomizing nozzle;

atomizing the first material into droplets emitted by the first nozzle;

atomizing the second material into droplets emitted by the second nozzle; and

arranging the first and second nozzles so that the emitted droplets of the first and second materials combine electrostatically to form a particle having an implanted dipole.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of providing a first material further comprises providing a first transparent material.

11. The method claim 9 further comprising the step of providing a hardening agent causing the particle to substantially solidify.

12. A system for producing a particle with an implanted dipole and more than one optical property, comprising:

a first electrode imparting a first charge having a first polarity to a first material having a first optical property;

a second electrode imparting a second charge having a second polarity to a second material having a second optical property; and

a combiner electrostatically combining said first and second charged materials into a particle with an implanted dipole.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said first and second materials comprise materials having the same color.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein at least one of said first and second materials is transparent.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the combiner comprises:

a disk having first and second sides and a rim;

wherein rotation of the disk causes said first charged material disposed on said first side of said disk and said second charged material disposed on the second side of said disk to combine electrostatically at said rim of said disk to form a particle with an implanted dipole.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein said combiner further comprises a nozzle having a first barrel emitting said first changed material and a second barrel emitting said second charged material, said first and second emitted charged materials combining electrostatically to form a particle with an implanted dipole.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said first barrel is charged to said first polarity and said second barrel is charged to said second polarity.

18. A method for producing a particle with an implanted dipole and more than one optical property, comprising the steps of:

imparting a first charge of a first polarity to a first material having a first optical property;

imparting a second charge of a second polarity to a second material having a second optical property; and

combining the first and second materials electrostatically into a particle having an implanted dipole.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of heating the particle to cause the particle to assume a substantially spherical shape.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of imparting a first charge further comprises the step of imparting a first charge of a first polarity to a first transparent material.

22. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of forming an electronic element on the substrate.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of printing the electrically active ink further comprises the steps of:

forcing the electrically active ink through a patterned aperture mask onto the substrate to form a pattern; and

curing the electrically active ink pattern to create a structure with semiconductive properties.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of forming an electronic element on the substrate further comprises forming an element chosen from the group consisting of logic structures and switch structures.

21. A method for fabricating a display, comprising the steps of:

dispersing a semiconductive material in a binder to form an electrically active ink;

providing the electrically active ink to a fluid delivery system; and

printing the electrically active ink to a substrate via the fluid delivery system.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of:

printing a first electrode on the substrate;

printing a display element on the first electrode; and

printing a top clear electrode on said display element.

26. A method for depositing electrically addressable contrast media onto a substrate, comprising the steps of:

disposing adjacent the substrate a microcapsule containing an electrically addressable contrast media to be deposited; and

directing a light source so that it impinges on the microcapsule causing the microcapsule to burst and deposit the electrically active contrast media onto the surface of the substrate.

27. A method for printing a display, comprising the steps of:

dispersing an electrically active material in a binder to form an electrically active ink;

providing a first movable jet depositing the electrically active ink onto a substrate;

reducing the electrically active ink on the substrate to form a trace on the substrate.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of choosing the electrically active ink in the first jet from the group consisting of photoconductive, conductive, semiconductive, and metallic materials.

29. An electronically active ink comprising a microencapsulated system having an optical reflectance which may be modulated by means of application of an electric field.