Liquid crystal display on a printed circuit board
First Claim
1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:
- a printed circuit board, PCB, substrate composed of non-conductive material and having a non-component surface that is free of electrical components for driving a liquid crystal display and having an opposing back surface that contains electrical circuitry and is located near the back of the display device;
said liquid crystal display disposed on said non-component surface and comprising first and second electrode layers and a dispersion layer disposed between said first and second electrode layers, said dispersion layer comprising liquid crystal dispersed in a polymer matrix;
electrical through-conductors extending between said non-component surface and said back substrate surface, said through-conductors being in electrical contact with said first and second electrode layers; and
drive electronics disposed on said back substrate surface in electrical contact with said through-conductors, said drive electronics being adapted to apply voltage pulses to said first and second electrode layers effective to form images on said liquid crystal display;
wherein said display device lacks supports for components of said display other than said PCB substrate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention features a liquid crystal display device including a printed circuit board, PCB, substrate composed of non-conductive material and having a front surface and having an opposing back surface that contains electrical circuitry and is located near the back of the display device. A liquid crystal display is disposed on the front PCB substrate surface and includes first and second electrode layers and a dispersion layer disposed between the first and second electrode layers. The dispersion layer includes liquid crystal (e.g., cholesteric liquid crystal) dispersed in a polymer matrix. Electrical through-conductors extend between the front substrate surface and the back substrate surface. The through-conductors are in electrical contact with the first and second electrode layers. Drive electronics are disposed on the PCB substrate and are adapted to apply voltage pulses to the first and second electrodes effective to form images on the liquid crystal display. In one aspect the front of the PCB substrate is a non-component surface free of drive electronics. In another aspect, the PCB substrate is the only substrate of the display device. Also featured are methods of making the display device, including forming the display as a transfer film, which forms an electrical connection when the first electrode layer is applied to the PCB substrate. Another method forms the device by printing or coating the display component layers on the PCB substrate.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:
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a printed circuit board, PCB, substrate composed of non-conductive material and having a non-component surface that is free of electrical components for driving a liquid crystal display and having an opposing back surface that contains electrical circuitry and is located near the back of the display device; said liquid crystal display disposed on said non-component surface and comprising first and second electrode layers and a dispersion layer disposed between said first and second electrode layers, said dispersion layer comprising liquid crystal dispersed in a polymer matrix; electrical through-conductors extending between said non-component surface and said back substrate surface, said through-conductors being in electrical contact with said first and second electrode layers; and drive electronics disposed on said back substrate surface in electrical contact with said through-conductors, said drive electronics being adapted to apply voltage pulses to said first and second electrode layers effective to form images on said liquid crystal display; wherein said display device lacks supports for components of said display other than said PCB substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device comprising the steps of:
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providing a printed circuit board, PCB, substrate composed of non-conductive material and having a non-component surface that is free of electrical components for driving a liquid crystal display and having an opposing back surface that contains electrical circuitry and is located near the back of the display device, said PCB substrate comprising;
electrical through-conductors between said non-component surface and said back substrate surface and drive electronics in electrical contact with said through-conductors near said back substrate surface, said drive electronics being adapted to apply voltage pulses to form images on said liquid crystal display; andapplying said liquid crystal display onto said non-component surface, said liquid crystal display comprising first and second electrode layers and a dispersion layer disposed between said first and second electrode layers, said dispersion layer comprising liquid crystal dispersed in a polymer matrix, wherein application of said first electrode layer near said non-component surface forms an electrical connection to said through-conductors, wherein said display device lacks supports for components of said display other than said PCB substrate. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device comprising the steps of:
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providing a printed circuit board, PCB, substrate composed of non-conductive material and having a non-component surface that is free of electrical components for driving a liquid crystal display and having an opposing back surface that contains electrical circuitry and is located near the back of the display device; forming electrical through-conductors between said non-component surface and said back substrate surface; forming front electrical conductors on said non-component surface in electrical contact with said through-conductors; forming back electrical conductors electrically connected to said through-conductors on said back substrate surface; connecting drive electronics in electrical contact with said back electrical conductors, said drive electronics being adapted to apply voltage pulses to form images on said liquid crystal display; and applying said liquid crystal display onto said non-component surface, said liquid crystal display comprising first and second electrode layers and a dispersion layer disposed between said first and second electrode layers, said dispersion layer comprising cholesteric liquid crystal dispersed in a polymer matrix, wherein application of said first electrode layer forms an electrical connection with said front conductors, wherein said display device lacks supports for components of said display other than said PCB substrate. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification