Electrophoretic display and novel process for its manufacture

• US 7,158,282 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2003
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: E Ink California, LLC (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SiPix Imaging, Inc. (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Liang, Rong-Chang, Wang, Xiaojia, Zang, Hongmei
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang; Hung Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRA, TUYEN Q
• Application Number:
  US10/351,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20030179436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 359/296, 345/107, 430/32, 430/34, 430/38, 524/474, 204/450
• US Class Current: 359/296
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133377 Cells with plural compartments or having plurality of liquid crystal microcells partitioned by walls, e.g. one microcell per pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1339 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1679 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells

Abstract

This application is directed to electrophoretic displays and semi-finished display panels comprising display cells prepared from the microcup and top-sealing technologies.

Claims

1. A display panel comprising an array of display cells sandwiched between two temporary substrate layers, between a temporary substrate layer and a conductor layer or between a temporary substrate layer and a permanent substrate layer wherein said display cells are filled with an electrophoretic fluid and top-sealed with a polymeric sealing material formed from a top-sealing composition having a specific gravity lower than that of the electrophoretic fluid.

2. The display panel of claim 1 wherein said top-sealing composition is a thermoplastic or thermoset precursor composition.

3. The display panel of claim 2 wherein said thermoplastic or thermoset precursor composition comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvalent acrylates or methacrylates, cyanoacrylates, polyvalent vinyls, polyvalent epoxides, polyvalent isocyanates, polyvalent allyls, and oligomers or polymers comprising a crosslinkable functional group.

4. The display panel of claim 1 which panel is in the form of a roll.

5. The display panel of claim 1 wherein said top sealing composition is a radiation, heat or moisture curable composition.

6. The display panel of claim 1 wherein said top sealing compositon is a UV curable composition.

7. A display panel comprising an array of filled and top-sealed display cells sandwiched between a first temporary substrate layer and a second temporary substrate layer, between a first temporary substrate layer and a conductor layer or between a first temporary substrate layer and a permanent substrate layer wherein said display cells are formed on said first temporary substrate layer, filled with an electrophoretic fluid and top-sealed with a polymeric sealing material formed from a top-sealing composition having a specific gravity lower than that of the electrophoretic fluid before the second temporary substrate layer, the conductor layer or the permanent substrate layer is assembled onto the display panel.

8. A semi-finished display panel comprising an array of display cells sandwiched between two temporary substrate layers, between a temporary substrate layer and a conductor layer or between a temporary substrate layer and a permanent substrate layer wherein said display cells are filled with an electrophoretic fluid and top-sealed with a polymeric sealing material formed from a top-sealing composition which is hardened after it forms a supematant layer on top of the electrophoretic fluid or after it is overcoated onto the electrophoretic fluid.

9. The semi-finished display panel of claim 8 wherein said top sealing composition is a radiation, heat or moisture curable composition.

10. The semi-finished display panel of claim 8 wherein said top sealing composition is a UV curable composition.