Display device

• US 7,180,677 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2004
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujii, Takamichi, Oosawa, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack; Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fang; Jerry
• Application Number:
  US10/768,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20040196525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 359/295, 359/641, 359/896, 359/253, 359/665
• US Class Current: 359/665
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/005 based on electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3433 using light modulating elements actuated by an electric field and being other than liquid crystal devices and electrochromic devices using liquid crystal devices G09G3/36; using electrochromic devices G09G3/38
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/348 based on the deformation of a fluid drop, e.g. electrowetting

Abstract

A display device includes a first substrate, a first electrode provided on the first substrate, an insulation layer provided on the first electrode, a second electrode provided on the insulation layer, a cavity partition surrounding the second electrode with an interval therebetween, a second substrate provided on the cavity partition, and a droplet of a coloring liquid sealed in the cavity partition. In the display device, a third electrode for promoting restoration of the droplet of a coloring liquid to a spherical shape is provided. In the display device, the insulation layer includes a insulator film and a low surface energy film; the insulator film assumes a specific inductive capacity of three or more and a thickness of 10 nm to 100 nm; and the low surface energy film assumes a thickness of 100 nm or less.

Claims

1. A display device including:

a first substrate constituting a lowest layer of the display device;

a first electrode provided on the first substrate;

an insulation layer provided on the first electrode;

a second electrode provided on the insulation layer;

a cavity partition surrounding the second electrode with an interval therebetween;

a second substrate which is provided on the cavity partition and constitutes a highest layer of the display device;

a droplet of a coloring liquid sealed in the cavity partition; and

a third electrode provided for promoting restoration of the droplet of a coloring liquid to a spherical shape.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the third electrode is provided at one or more of the following locations;

that is, the vicinity of the second electrode, the inside of the second substrate, and the inside of the cavity partition, while being insulated from the second electrode.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the second or third electrode is a transparent electrode.

4. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a drive source for changing a droplet of a coloring liquid from a steady state; and

another drive source for restoring the changed droplet of a coloring liquid to the steady state.