Display sheet having memory using limited coalescence domains

• US 6,556,262 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2000
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HKC Corporation Limited (Shenzhen Huike Investment Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Giacherio, David J., Boettcher, John W., Stephenson, Stanley W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Robert H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUNG, DAVID Y
• Application Number:
  US09/478,963
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 349/86, 349/92, 349/93, 349/89, 349/80, 349/183, 349/185
• US Class Current: 349/86
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13718 based on a change of the texture state of a cholesteric liquid crystal
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/30 Gray scale

Abstract

A light-modulating electrically responsive sheet including a substrate and electrically conductive layer formed over the substrate. The sheet further includes a light-modulating layer disposed over the electrically conductive layer and including at least one dispersible light-modulating material and coalescence limiting material into which the dispersible light-modulating material(s) is provided so that such dispersible light-modulating material coalesces to form a limited coalesced material having a set of domains each having a set of domains that exhibit different electrically responsive optical states.

Claims

1. A light-modulating, electrically responsive sheet comprising:

(a) a substrate;

(b) an electrically conductive layer formed over the substrate;

(c) a light-modulating layer disposed over the electrically conductive layer and including at least one dispersible cholesteric liquid crystal light-modulating material and coalescence limiting colloidal material into which the dispersible light-modulating material(s) is provided so that such dispersible cholesteric liquid crystal light-modulating material coalesces to form a set of domains having sizes within a range of from 6 to 12 microns that exhibit different electrically responsive optical states.

2. A light-modulating, electrically responsive sheet comprising:

(a) a substrate;

(b) an electrically conductive layer formed over the substrate;

(c) a light-modulating layer disposed over the electrically conductive layer and including at least one dispersible cholesteric liquid crystal light-modulating material and coalescence limiting colloidal material into which the dispersible cholesteric liquid crystal light-modulating material(s) is provided so that such dispersible light-modulating material coalesces to form a set of uniform domains having sizes within a range of from 6 to 12 microns and providing a plurality of optical states.

3. The light;

-modulating, electrically responsive display comprising;

(a) a substrate;

(b) an electrically conductive layer formed over the substrate;

(c) a light-modulating layer disposed over the electrically conductive layer and including at least one dispersible cholesteric liquid crystal light-modulating material and coalescence limiting colloidal material into which the dispersible cholesteric liquid crystal light-modulating material(s) is provided to form a set domains having sizes within a range of from 6 to 12 microns and providing a plurality of optical states;

(d) uniform set of domains being responsive to an applied electric field to change optical states; and

(e) a second conductor layer disposed over the light-modulating layer and adapted to provide an electrical field when an electrical potential is applied between the conductive layer and the second conductive layer so that the uniform domains change optical state, wherein there are at least two optical states, wherein the application of the electrical field permits information to be stored in the uniform domains.