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Electrostatically controlled picture display device

  • US RE31,498 E
  • Filed: 05/04/1981
  • Issued: 01/17/1984
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1975
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. What is claimed is:

  • .[.1. A passive picture display device which comprises;

    a plurality of display elements for controlling the reflection or the transmission of light, each display element comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode, said third electrode being movable between said first and the second electrodes by electrostatic force, said device further including first and second supporting plates disposed in parallel spaced relationship with at least portions of said first and second supporting plates facing each other, said first supporting plate being transparent, said first and said second electrode of each display element being disposed respectively on facing surfaces of said first and second supporting plates, and said third electrode of each display element being movably disposed between said first and second supporting plates, said first electrode on the said first supporting plate being transparent and the space between said supporting plates being filled with an opaque liquid the color of which contrasts with the color of the side of said third electrodes facing said first supporting plate, said third electrode being provided with a pattern of light transmitting areas and the electrode on one of said supporting plates comprising a pattern of differently colored areas which are disposed in registered relationship with said light transmitting areas of said third electrodes..]. .[.2. A passive picture display device which comprises;

    a plurality of display elements for controlling the reflection or the transmission of light, each display element comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode, said third electrode being movable between said first and the second electrode by electrostatic forces, said device further including first and second supporting plates disposed in parallel spaced relationship with at least portions of said first and second supporting plates facing each other, said first supporting plate being transparent, said first and said second electrode of each display element being disposed respectively on opposed surfaces of said first and second supporting plates, and said third electrode of each display element being movably disposed between said two supporting plates, said first electrode on said first supporting plate being transparent and the space between said supporting plates being filled with an opaque liquid the color of which contrasts with the color of the side of said third electrode facing said first supporting plate, one of said supporting plates comprising a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes which forms a system of rows of first electrodes, the other of said supporting plates comprising a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes which forms a system of columns of second electrodes, a matrix of display elements being formed by the rows and columns crossing each other, all the third electrodes in a plurality of said display elements being interconnected..]. .[.3. A passive picture display device which comprises;

    a plurality of display elements for controlling the reflection or the transmission of light, each display element comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode, said third electrode being movable between said first and the second electrodes by electrostatic forces, said device further including first and second supporting plates disposed in parallel spaced relationship, said first supporting plate being transparent, said first and said second electrodes of each display element being disposed respectively on opposed surfaces of said first and second supporting plates, and said third electrode of each display element being movably disposed between said two supporting plates, said first electrode on said first supporting plate being transparent and the space between said supporting plates is filled with an opaque liquid the color of which contrasts with the color of the side of said third electrodes facing said first supporting plate, said second supporting plate also being transparent and each display element forming a controllable light shutter..]. .[.4. A picture display device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that each of said third electrodes is provided with a pattern of light-transmitting areas and said electrodes disposed on one of said supporting plates is provided with a pattern of light transmitting areas which is the negative of the pattern in each of said third electrodes, each of said light shutters transmitting no light when both electrodes are located substantially in one plane..]. .Iadd. 5. A passive picture display device which comprises a plurality of display elements for controlling the reflection of light, each display element comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode, said third electrode being movable between said first and the second electrodes by electrostatic forces, said device further including first and second supporting plates disposed in parallel spaced relationship, said first supporting plate being transparent, said first and said second electrode of each display element being disposed on opposed surfaces of said first and second supporting plates, said first electrode on the said first supporting plate being transparent, said third electrode being provided with a pattern of light transmitting areas and the electrode on said second supporting plate comprising a pattern of differently colored areas which are disposed in registered relationship with said light transmitting areas of said third electrodes. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 6. A passive picture display device which comprises a plurality of display elements for controlling the reflection of light, each display element comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode, said third electrode being movable between said first and second electrodes by electrostatic forces, said device further including first and second supporting plates disposed in parallel spaced relationship, said first supporting plate being transparent, said first and second electrodes of each display element being respectively disposed on opposed surfaces of said first and second supporting plates, said first electrode on said first supporting plate being transparent, and the space between said first and second supporting plates being filled with an opaque liquid having a color which contrasts with the color of the side of the third electrode facing the first supporting plate, said movable third electrodes being secured to one of the supporting plates by means of a number of contact points along substantially the entire periphery of said third electrodes. .Iaddend..Iadd. 7. A passive picture display device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the contact points are formed by flexible strips, the free ends of which are secured to one of said supporting plates by means of electrically conducting parts. .Iaddend..Iadd. 8. A passive picture display device as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the movable third electrodes are a first material that can be etched with a first etchant and in that said electrically conducting parts are a second material that can be etched with a second etchant. .Iaddend..Iadd. 9. A passive picture display device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the first material is nickel and the second material is aluminum. .Iaddend..Iadd. 10. A passive picture display device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the opaque liquid comprises a solution of sudan black in toluene. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 11. A passive picture display device which comprises a plurality of display elements for controlling the reflection or the transmission of light, each display element comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode, said third electrode being movable between said first and the second electrodes by electrostatic forces, said device further including first and second supporting plates disposed in parallel spaced relationship, said first supporting plate being transparent, said first and second electrode of each display element being disposed on opposed surfaces of said first and second supporting plates and said third electrode of each display element being secured to one of the supporting plates by a number of contact points along substantially the entire periphery of said third electrode, said first electrode on said first supporting plate being transparent, one of said supporting plates comprising a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes which form a system of rows of first electrodes, the other of said supporting plates comprising a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes which form a system of columns of second electrodes, a matrix of display elements being formed by the rows and columns crossing each other, all of the third electrodes in said passive picture display device being interconnected via their contact points. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 12. A passive picture display device which comprises a plurality of display elements for controlling the reflection or the transmission of light, each display element comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode, said third electrode being movable between said first and second electrodes by electrostatic forces, said device further including first and second supporting plates disposed in parallel spaced relationship, said first and second supporting plates being transparent, and said third electrode being movably disposed between the two supporting plates, said first electrode on said first supporting plate being transparent and each display element forming a controllable light shutter, the first and second electrode of each display element being respectively disposed on opposed surfaces of said first and second supporting plates, and each of said third electrodes being provided with a pattern of light-transmitting areas and said electrodes disposed on said second supporting plate being provided with a pattern of light-transmitting areas which is the negative of the pattern in each of said third electrodes, each of said light shutters transmitting no light when both electrodes are located substantially in one plane. .Iaddend.

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