Color electro-optic displays, and processes for the production thereof

• US 9,726,959 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Corporation (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: E Ink Corporation (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Oleson, Andrew Y., Paolini, Jr., Richard J., Whitesides, Thomas H., Danner, Guy M., Honeyman, Charles Howie
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMAS, BRANDI N
• Application Number:
  US14/863,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20160011485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 359237, 359242, 359245, 359250-254, 359290-292, 359295, 359296, 359298, 359315, 359322, 359265-267, 359269-273, 359317, 359318
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/201 in the form of arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133516 Methods for their manufacture, e.g. printing, electro-deposition or photolithography
• 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 1/1681 having two or more microcells partitioned by walls, e.g. of microcup type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

A color filter array is provided in an electro-optic display by ink jet printing a plurality of colored areas (22R, 22G, 22B) on one surface of a layer of electro-optic material (12), an adhesive layer or a protective layer. Alternatively, the ink jet printing may be effected on the same layers in various sub-assemblies used to produce electro-optic displays.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture comprising, in order:

a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer;

a layer of a solid electro-optic medium in electrical contact with the electrically-conductive layer;

an adhesive layer; and

a release sheet, wherein the adhesive layer has a plurality of first colored areas and a plurality of second colored areas printed on one surface thereof, the first and second colored areas being of different colors.

4. The article of manufacture according to claim 1 wherein the electro-optic medium comprises a microcell electrophoretic medium, an encapsulated electrophoretic medium comprising a plurality of capsules in a binder, or a polymer-dispersed electrophoretic medium.

5. The article of manufacture according to claim 1 wherein the first and second colored areas comprise a radiation curable ink.

6. The article of manufacture according to claim 1 wherein the first and second colored areas comprise a solvent-based ink comprising pigment particles in an organic solvent.

2. An article of manufacture comprising:

a layer of a solid electro-optic medium having first and second surfaces on opposed sides thereof;

a first adhesive layer on the first surface of the layer of solid electro-optic medium;

a release sheet disposed on the opposed side of the first adhesive layer from the layer of solid electro-optic medium; and

a second adhesive layer on the second surface of the layer of solid electro-optic medium, wherein one of the adhesive layers has a plurality of first colored areas and a plurality of second colored areas printed on one surface thereof, the first and second colored areas being of different colors.

7. The article of manufacture according to claim 2 wherein the electro-optic medium comprises a microcell electrophoretic medium, an encapsulated electrophoretic medium comprising a plurality of capsules in a binder, or a polymer-dispersed electrophoretic medium.

8. The article of manufacture according to claim 2 wherein the first and second colored areas comprise a radiation curable ink.

9. The article of manufacture according to claim 2 wherein the first and second colored areas comprise a solvent-based ink comprising pigment particles in an organic solvent.

3. An article of manufacture comprising, in order:

a release sheet;

a layer of a solid electro-optic medium;

an adhesive layer; and

at least one of a light-transmissive protective layer and a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer, wherein the adhesive layer has a plurality of first colored areas and a plurality of second colored areas printed on one surface thereof, the first and second colored areas being of different colors.

10. The article of manufacture according to claim 3 wherein the electro-optic medium comprises a microcell electrophoretic medium, an encapsulated electrophoretic medium comprising a plurality of capsules in a binder, or a polymer-dispersed electrophoretic medium.

11. The article of manufacture according to claim 3 wherein the first and second colored areas comprise a radiation curable ink.

12. The article of manufacture according to claim 3 wherein the first and second colored areas comprise a solvent-based ink comprising pigment particles in an organic solvent.