Light-enhancing structure for electrophoretic display

• US 8,797,636 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2012
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SiPix Imaging, Inc. (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yang, Bo-Ru, Hsieh, Yao-Jen
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, James
• Application Number:
  US13/551,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20140022624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 359/296
• US Class Current: 359/296
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1677 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/02 reflective
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/03 scattering

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a display device comprising a display fluid layer sandwiched between a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer, and a light-enhancing layer between the display fluid layer and the second substrate layer. The light-enhancing structure can enhance the colors displayed by the display device, especially the colors displayed through lateral switching of the charged pigment particles in an electrophoretic fluid.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

(a) a display fluid layer comprising micro-containers filled with a display fluid, said display fluid layer is sandwiched between a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer, wherein the first substrate layer is on the viewing side and the second substrate layer comprises electrodes which drive the display fluid laterally; and

(b) a light-enhancing layer between the display fluid layer and the second substrate layer,

wherein;

the display fluid is an electrophoretic fluid comprising charged pigment particles dispersed in a solvent or solvent mixture and the display device is capable of showing a color by laterally switching the charged pigment particles, and

the light-enhancing layer is an array of microlens.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the electrodes are in-plane electrodes.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein the first substrate layer comprises a common electrode.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate layer comprises a common electrode and the second substrate layer comprises a plurality of bottom electrodes and in-plane electrodes.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the electrodes are of different sizes.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein the charged pigment particles are of one color and carrying the same charge polarity.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein the charged pigment particles are of two colors and carrying opposite charge polarities.

8. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a color layer.