Microencapsulated electrophoretic display with integrated driver

• US 7,382,363 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: E Ink Corporation (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: E Ink Corporation (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Albert, Jonathan D., Gates, Holly G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Henry N
• Application Number:
  US10/906,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20050134554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 345/105, 345/107, 345/204, 359/296, 438/25, 438/26, 438/29, 438/46, 438/59, 438110-118, 438/129, 438/453, 438/128
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/16753 Structures for supporting or mounting cells, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/16 by control of light from an independent source
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence

Abstract

A mounted display assembly comprises a flexible substrate that supports both display elements and control circuits. The display assembly generally comprises: an electrical connection formed on the flexible substrate, the electrical connection having first and second contact pads; a display element in electrical communication with the first contact pad; and a control circuit mounted on the flexible substrate and in electrical communication with the second contact pad. In a preferred embodiment, the display element comprises a microencapsulated electrophoretic display medium. In another preferred embodiment, printing processes are employed in manufacturing methods for the display assembly.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an electrophoretic display assembly, comprising the steps of:

providing a flexible substrate;

forming upon said substrate an electrical connection having a first contact pad and a second contact pad spaced from one another;

mounting upon said substrate a control circuit in electrical communication with said second contact pad, said control circuit not being in electrical communication with said first contact pad except via said electrical connection; and

providing an electrophoretic display element in electrical communication with said first contact pad, said electrophoretic display element not being in electrical communication with said second contact pad except via said electrical connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming upon said substrate an electrical connection comprises a printing process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing an electrophoretic display element comprises a printing process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said control circuit is connected to said second contact pad with a curable, electrically conductive resin.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said control circuit is connected to said second contact pad with an electrically conductive ink.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said control circuit is connected to said second contact pad with an electrically conductive paint.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said control circuit is connected to said second contact pad by being removably mounted in a control circuit carrier that is in electrical communication with said second contact pad.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said control circuit comprises an electrophoretic display driver chip.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming upon said substrate a third contact pad spaced from said first and second contact pads, said control circuit being in electrical communication with said third contact pad.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of electrophoretic display elements are provided, each electrophoretic display element having an associated electrical connection and first and second contact pads, and said control circuit is in electrical communication with the plurality of second contact pads.

11. A method of manufacturing an electrophoretic display assembly, comprising the steps of:

providing a first flexible substrate;

forming upon said first flexible substrate an electrical connection having a first contact pad and a second contact pad separated from each other;

mounting on said first flexible substrate a control circuit in electrical communication with said second contact pad but not in electrical communication with said first contact pad except via said electrical connection;

providing a second flexible substrate;

disposing upon said second flexible substrate an electrophoretic display element; and

disposing said first flexible substrate adjacent said second flexible substrate so that said first contact pad addresses said electrophoretic display element.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said control circuit is connected to said second contact pad with a curable, electrically conductive resin.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said control circuit is connected to said second contact pad with an electrically conductive ink.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said control circuit is connected to said second contact pad with an electrically conductive paint.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said control circuit is connected to said second contact pad by being removably mounted in a control circuit carrier that is in electrical communication with said second contact pad.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said control circuit comprises an electrophoretic display driver chip.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of disposing upon said second flexible substrate an electrophoretic display element comprises a printing process.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of disposing said first flexible substrate adjacent said second flexible substrate further comprises a laminating process.