Printed display and battery

• US 6,369,793 B1
• Filed: 03/30/1999
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David C. Zimman
• Original Assignee: David C. Zimman
• Inventors: Parker, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/281,332
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 345/105, 345/106, 345/107, 429/152, 429/110-119, 429/8, 429/90, 429/191, 429/192, 429/124, 429/127
• US Class Current: 345/107
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0147 based on thermo-optic effects G02F1/132 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13452 Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1675 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/00 Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/035 for flexible display surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/50 of manganese
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/574 Devices or arrangements for the interruption of current
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/586 inside the batteries, e.g. incorrect connections of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/30 Deferred-action cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/38 by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries

Abstract

A display system includes a printed display formed on a substrate and a printed battery in electrical communication with the printed display. The printed display provides power to the printed display. Since both the display and battery are printed, the resulting display system is extremely thin and the manufacture thereof is reliable and inexpensive. The display system contemplates various types of printed displays such as an electrochromic display, a thermochromic display, an electroluminescent display, or an electrophoretic display.

Claims

1. A display system, comprising:

a printed display formed on a substrate; and

a printed battery in electrical communication with the printed display, wherein the printed battery includes a non-activated state and an activated state, wherein the non-activated state allows the printed battery to be stored substantially indefinitely without loss of stored charge and in the activated state the printed battery provides power to the printed display, and

wherein the non-activated state of the printed battery comprises a separation layer interposed between an anode layer and a cathode layer, wherein the separation layer is selectively removable, thus allowing the anode layer to couple to the cathode layer via an electrolyte layer, thereby placing the printed battery in the activated state.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the printed display is one of an electrochromic display, a thermochromic display, an electroluminescent display, or an electrophoretic display.

3. The display system of claim 1, wherein the printed battery comprises:

an anode layer which includes an ink carrier having MnO₂ particulates therein;

a cathode layer which includes an ink carrier having zinc particulates therein; and

an electrolyte layer disposed between the anode and cathode layers.

4. The display system of claim 3, wherein the printed battery is printed on the substrate.

5. The display system of claim 1, further comprising printed conductive strips coupled between the printed display and the printed battery for effectuating the electrical communication therebetween.

6. The display system of claim 5, further comprising a switch disposed within one or more of the conductive strips, wherein the switch provides a selective coupling of the printed display to the printed battery.

7. The display system of claim 6, wherein the switch is a printed touch switch which is activated via application of a force thereto.

8. The display system of claim 5, wherein the conductive strips comprise printed conductive ink strips.

9. The display system of claim 8, wherein the conductive ink strips include a carbon or a carbon silver ink.

10. The display system of claim 1, wherein the separation layer comprises a release liner.

11. The display system of claim 3, wherein the printed battery comprises:

the anode layer formed over a substrate;

the cathode layer formed over the substrate, wherein the cathode layer is disposed laterally and spaced apart from the anode layer on the substrate; and

the electrolyte layer formed over anode layer or the cathode layer,

wherein the printed battery is in an non-activated state for storage and experiences negligible charge leakage, and wherein the substrate is flexible and when folded in a manner to couple the anode layer to the cathode layer with the electrolyte layer therebetween, the printed battery is in an activated state and is operable to provide power to the printed display.

12. The display system of claim 11, further comprising a release liner over the electrolyte layer to protect the electrolyte layer in the non-activated state.

13. The display system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of printed batteries and a plurality of associated printed displays in electrical communication therewith, wherein each of the displays forms a pixel in the display system.

14. The display system of claim 13, wherein each printed battery and associated printed display form a pixel pair, and wherein the pixel pairs overlap one another such that a printed display portion of one pixel pair overlaps printed battery portion of another pixel, thereby allowing the printed display portions of the pixel pairs to be spaced closely together and providing a high system display resolution.

15. The display system of claim 2, wherein the electrochromic display comprises:

a first printed electrode layer;

a printed electrolyte layer formed over the first electrode layer;

a printed electrochromic layer formed over the electrolyte layer; and

a second printed electrode layer formed over the electrochromic layer,

wherein a voltage potential applied across the first and second electrode layers causes an interface between the electrolyte layer and the electrochromic layer to be electrochromically activated, thereby altering a color of the electrochromic layer at the interface.

16. The display system of claim 2, wherein the electrochromic display comprises:

a printed electrode layer composed of first and second electrode regions, wherein the first and second electrode regions are interdigitated;

a printed electrochromic layer formed over the electrode layer; and

a printed electrolyte layer formed over the electrochromic layer,

wherein a voltage potential applied across the first and second electrode regions causes an interface between the electrolyte layer and the electrochromic layer to be electrochromically activated, thereby altering a color of the electrochromic layer at the interface.

17. The display system of claim 2, wherein the thermochromic display comprises:

a printed, selectively activatable heat generating layer; and

a printed thermochromic layer formed over the heat generating layer,

wherein when the heat generating layer is activated, a temperature of the heat generating layer increases and causes the thermochromic layer to change color.

18. The display system of claim 17, wherein the heat generating layer comprises a printed resistive ink, wherein when a voltage potential is applied across the heat generating layer, a current conducts through the printed resistive ink, thus dissipating heat and increasing the temperature in the heat generating layer.

19. The display system of claim 18, wherein the printed resistive ink comprises a carbon ink.

20. The display system of claim 17, further comprising a printed passive color layer disposed between the heat generating layer and the thermochromic layer, wherein when the heat generating layer is activated, the thermochromic layer changes color to a substantially transparent state and exposes a color associated with the passive color layer.

21. The display system of claim 18, further comprising a printed contact layer composed of conductive ink, wherein the printed contact layer provides electrical contact between the heat generating layer and the printed battery.

22. The display of claim 21, wherein the conductive ink comprises silver ink.

23. The display system of claim 21, wherein the printed electroluminescent display further comprises:

a first printed electrode layer;

a printed electroluminescent layer containing phosphors therein formed over the first printed electrode layer;

a second printed electrode layer formed over the electroluminescent layer, wherein one of the first and second electrode layers is formed of a transparent conductive material; and

a converter circuit coupled between the printed battery and the electrode layers, wherein the converter circuit provides a dynamic voltage across the first and second electrode layers to thereby cause the phosphors within the electroluminescent layer to emit light.

24. The display system of claim 23, wherein the electroluminescent layer comprises a plurality of glass encapsulated phosphors within an ink carrier.

25. The display system of claim 23, wherein the electroluminescent layer comprises a plurality of phosphor crystals embedded within a polymer binder.

26. The display system of claim 23, wherein the transparent conductor material comprises indium tin oxide (ITO).

27. The display system of claim 23, wherein the converter circuit comprises a boost regulator circuit for driving the electroluminescent display bi-directionally.

28. The display system of claim 2, wherein the electrophoretic display further comprises:

a printed first electrode layer;

a printed electrophoretic layer formed over the first electrode layer; and

a printed second electrode layer formed over the electrophoretic layer, wherein one of the first and second electrode layers is composed of a transparent conductive material, and wherein the first and second electrode layers are coupled to the printed battery,

wherein when a voltage is applied across the first and second electrode layers, an electric field having a direction influences the electrophoretic layer to generate a first color, and when the voltage applied across the electrode layers is reversed, the electric field direction is reversed and influences the electrophoretic layer to generate a second color.

29. The display system of claim 28, wherein the electrophoretic layer comprises electronic ink.

30. The display system of claim 29, wherein the electronic ink comprises a plurality of transparent capsules within an ink carrier, wherein a charged particle resides within the transparent capsules, and wherein the charged particles have a positive charge on one side which is a first color and have a negative charge on another side which is a second color, and further wherein the direction of the electric field influences the charged particles within the transparent capsules to selectively generate the first and second colors.

31. The display system of claim 28, wherein the electrophoretic display comprises a suspension of charged pigment particles in a fluid or ink carrier, wherein the electric field direction influences the charged pigment particles to provide different colors based on the direction of the electric field.

32. The display system of claim 28, further comprises cross-coupled conductive switches coupled between the electrode layers of the electrophoretic display and the printed battery, wherein the conductive switches are operable to be actuated to reverse a voltage supplied by the battery to the first and second electrode layers of the electrophoretic display.

33. The display system of claim 1, wherein the printed display is printed over the printed battery, thereby forming a vertically coupled display system.

34. The display system of claim 33, wherein the printed display is formed on one side of a flexible substrate and the printed battery is formed on the other side of the substrate, and wherein the printed battery and the printed display are electrically coupled together through contact openings in the substrate.

35. The display system of claim 34, wherein the printed battery comprises:

an anode portion and a cathode portion formed on the substrate and laterally spaced apart from one another; and

a printed electrolyte layer formed on the anode portion or the cathode portion;

wherein the printed battery is in a non-activated state, and wherein when the substrate is folded, the anode portion and the cathode portion are coupled together via the electrolyte layer to place the printed battery in an activated state.

36. The display system of claim 1, wherein the printed display and printed battery are printed at the same time.

37. A display system, comprising:

a printed display formed on a substrate; and

a printed battery in electrical communication with the printed display, wherein the printed display and printed battery are printed at the same time, wherein the printed battery includes a non-activated state and an activated state, wherein the non-activated state allows the printed battery to be stored substantially indefinitely without loss of stored charge and in the activated state the printed battery provides power to the printed display, and

wherein the non-activated state of the printed battery comprises a separation layer interposed between an anode layer and a cathode layer, wherein the separation layer is selectively removable, thus allowing the anode layer to couple to the cathode layer via an electrolyte layer, thereby placing the printed battery in the activated state.

38. The display system of claim 37, further comprising a switch disposed within one or more conductive strips coupled between the printed display and the printed battery for effectuating electrical communication therebetween, wherein the switch is printed at the same time as the printed display and printed battery and provides a selective coupling of the printed display to the printed battery.

39. A method of producing a display system, comprising the steps of:

printing a display on a substrate; and

printing a battery in electrical communication with the display, wherein the display and battery are printed at the same time, and

wherein the printed battery includes a non-activated state and an activated state, wherein the non-activated state allows the printed battery to be stored substantially indefinitely without loss of stored charge and in the activated state the battery provides power to the display, and

wherein the non-activated state of the printed battery comprises a separation layer interposed between an anode layer and a cathode layer, wherein the separation layer is selectively removable, thus allowing the anode layer to couple to the cathode layer via an electrolyte layer, thereby placing the printed battery in the activated state.

40. The method according to claim 39, further including the step of:

printing a switch disposed within one or more conductive strips coupled between the display and the battery for effectuating electrical communication therebetween, wherein the switch is printed at the same time as the display and battery and provides a selective coupling of the display to the battery.

41. A method of producing a display system, comprising the steps of:

printing a display on a substrate; and

printing a battery in electrical communication with the display, wherein the battery includes a non-activated state and an activated state, wherein the non-activated state allows the battery to be stored substantially indefinitely without loss of stored charge and in the activated state the battery provides power to the display, and

wherein the non-activated state of the printed battery comprises a separation layer interposed between an anode layer and a cathode layer, wherein the separation layer is selectively removable, thus allowing the anode layer to couple to the cathode layer via an electrolyte layer, thereby placing the printed battery in the activated state.

42. The method according to claim 41, further including the step of:

printing a switch disposed within one or more conductive strips coupled between the display and the battery for effectuating electrical communication therebetween, wherein the switch is printed at the same time as the display and battery and provides a selective coupling of the display to the battery.

43. A display system, comprising:

a printed display formed on a substrate; and

a printed battery in electrical communication with the printed display, wherein the printed battery comprises;

an anode layer formed over the substrate;

a cathode layer formed over the substrate, wherein the cathode layer is disposed laterally and spaced apart from the anode layer on the substrate; and

an electrolyte layer formed over the anode layer or the cathode layer,

wherein the printed battery is in a non-activated state for storage and experiences negligible charge leakage, and

wherein the substrate is flexible and when folded in a manner to couple the anode layer to the cathode layer with the electrolyte layer therebetween, the printed battery is in an activated state and is operable to provide power to the printed display.

44. The display system of claim 43, further comprising a release liner over the electrolyte layer to protect the electrolyte layer in the non-activated state.

45. A display system, comprising:

a printed display formed on a substrate; and

a printed battery in electrical communication with the printed display,

wherein the printed battery includes a non-activated state and an activated state, wherein the non-activated state allows the printed battery to be stored substantially indefinitely without loss of stored charge and in the activated state the printed battery provides power to the printed display, and

wherein the printed display is formed on one side of a flexible substrate and the printed battery is formed on the other side of the substrate, and

wherein the printed battery and the printed display are electrically coupled together through con tact openings in the substrate.