Electrophoretic display and novel process for its manufacture
First Claim
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1. A process for the preparation of an array of well-defined cells used in an electrophoretic display, which process comprises the steps of:
- a) filling an array of microcups with a dielectric fluid containing a mixture of dispersions in a dielectric solvent or solvent mixture, said mixture of dispersions comprising at least a suspension of charged pigment particles and a dispersion of a thermoset precursor composition which has a specific gravity lower than that of the dielectric solvent or solvent mixture; and
b) sealing the array of filled microcups to form the array of well-defined cells by curing the thermoset precursor composition during or after it phase separates and forms a supernatant layer above the dielectric solvent or solvent mixture.
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Abstract
This invention relates to an electrophoretic display comprising cells of well-defined shape, size and aspect ratio which cells are filled with charged pigment particles dispersed in a solvent, and novel processes for its manufacture.
341 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A process for the preparation of an array of well-defined cells used in an electrophoretic display, which process comprises the steps of:
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a) filling an array of microcups with a dielectric fluid containing a mixture of dispersions in a dielectric solvent or solvent mixture, said mixture of dispersions comprising at least a suspension of charged pigment particles and a dispersion of a thermoset precursor composition which has a specific gravity lower than that of the dielectric solvent or solvent mixture; and
b) sealing the array of filled microcups to form the array of well-defined cells by curing the thermoset precursor composition during or after it phase separates and forms a supernatant layer above the dielectric solvent or solvent mixture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A process for the preparation of well-defined cells used in an electrophoretic display, which process comprises the steps of:
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a) filling microcups with a dielectric fluid containing at least a suspension of charged pigment particles in a dielectric solvent or solvent mixture, b) sealing the filled microcups by overcoating onto said dielectric fluid a thermoset precursor composition which is at least partially immiscible with said dielectric solvent or solvent mixture and has a specific gravity lower than that of said dielectric solvent or solvent mixture, and c) curing said thermoset precursor composition to form the well-defined cells. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A process for the manufacture of an electrophoretic display, which process comprises the steps of:
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a) preparing an array of microcups by first coating a layer of a thermoplastic or thermoset precursor on a conductor film followed by embossing the thermoplastic or thermoset precursor layer with a male mold or by imagewise exposing a layer of a radiation curable material on a conductor film and removing the unexposed areas;
b) filling the thus-formed array of microcups with a dielectric fluid containing at least a charged pigment suspension in a dielectric solvent or solvent mixture;
c) sealing the array of filled microcups to form a sealed array of electrophoretic cells with a thermoset precursor composition having a specific gravity lower than that of the dielectric solvent or solvent mixture; and
d) laminating the sealed array of electrophoretic cells with a second conductor film pre-coated with an adhesive layer to form the electrophoretic display. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A process for the manufacture of a multi-color electrophoretic display, which process comprises the steps of:
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a) preparing an array of microcups by first coating a layer of a thermoplastic or thermoset precursor on a conductor film followed by embossing the thermoplastic or thermoset precursor layer with a male mode or by imagewise exposing a layer of a radiation curable material on a conductor film and removing the unexposed areas;
b) laminating the thus formed array of microcups with a layer of positive photoresist;
c) imagewise exposing the positive photoresist to selectively open the microcups in a predetermined area;
d) filling in the opened microcups with a dielectric fluid comprising at least a white pigment dispersion in a dielectric solvent or solvent mixture containing a dye or pigment dispersion of a first color;
e) sealing the filled microcups with a thermoset precursor composition having a specific gravity lower than that of the dielectric solvent or solvent mixture to form sealed electrophoretic cells containing said white pigment dispersion in said dielectric solvent or solvent mixture of the first color;
f) repeating steps c) to e) in different areas with dielectric fluids of different colors to generate groups of sealed electrophoretic cells containing dielectric fluids of different colors thus forming a sealed array of electrophoretic cells;
g) removing residual positive photoresist, if any; and
h) laminating the sealed array of electrophoretic cells with a second transparent conductor film precoated with an adhesive layer to form the multi-color electrophoretic display. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification