Components and testing methods for use in the production of electro-optic displays

• US 8,854,721 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2010
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Danner, Guy M., Zalesky, Jonathan L., Ritter, John E., O'Malley, Timothy J., Whitesides, Thomas H., Patry, Shamus Ford, Bouchard, Alain, Webber, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRA, TUYEN Q
• Application Number:
  US12/905,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20110032596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 359/245, 359/248, 359/254, 359265-275, 359/296, 345/107, 345/105, 204/450, 204/451, 204/456, 204/546, 204/549, 204/600, 430/32
• US Class Current: 359/296
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1309 Repairing; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133354 Arrangements for aligning or assembling substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133514 Colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis

Abstract

A laminate comprising a solid electro-optic medium and an electrically conductive layer is tested by passing it over a pair of electrodes at different potentials, with the electrically conductive layer lying on the opposed side of the electro-optic medium from the electrodes. An article which can be tested by this method, and which is useful in the manufacture of electro-optic displays, comprises a layer of a solid electro-optic medium and a release sheet comprising an electrically conductive layer.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture comprising a layer of a solid electro-optic medium operable for changing its optical state on application of an electric field thereto, a first release sheet disposed on one surface of the layer of solid electro-optic medium, the first release sheet being peelable from the layer of solid electro-optic medium, the first release sheet comprising an electrically conductive layer, and a second release sheet on the opposed side of the layer of electro-optic medium from the first release sheet, at least one of the release sheets being light transmissive.

2. An article of manufacture according to claim 1 wherein the first release sheet is not light transmissive.

3. An article of manufacture according to claim 1 wherein the second release sheet comprises a conductive layer.

4. An article of manufacture according to claim 1 wherein the release sheet comprising the conductive layer is not light transmissive, and the second release sheet is light transmissive.

5. An article of manufacture according to claim 1 further comprising an adhesive layer disposed between the first release sheet and the layer of electro-optic medium.

6. An article of manufacture according to claim 1 further comprising an adhesive layer disposed between the layer of electro-optic medium and one of the release sheets.

7. An article of manufacture according to claim 6 having two adhesive layers, one adhesive layer being disposed between the layer of electro-optic material and each release sheet.

8. An article of manufacture according to claim 1 wherein the electro-optic medium is a rotating bichromal member or electrochromic medium.

9. An article of manufacture comprising a layer of a solid electro-optic medium operable for changing its optical state on application of an electric field thereto, and a release sheet disposed on one surface of the layer of solid electro-optic medium, the release sheet being peelable from the layer of solid electro-optic medium, the release sheet comprising an electrically conductive layer wherein the electro-optic medium comprises an electrophoretic medium having a plurality of electrically charged particles disposed in a fluid and capable of moving through the fluid on application of an electric field to the electro-optic medium.

10. An article of manufacture according to claim 9 wherein the electrically charged particles and the fluid are confined within a plurality of closed cavities formed in a substrate.

11. An article of manufacture according to claim 10 wherein the electrophoretic medium comprises single type of charged particles having a first color disposed in a dyed liquid having a second color different from the first color.

12. An article of manufacture according to claim 9 wherein the electrically charged particles and the fluid are confined within a plurality of capsules.

13. An article of manufacture according to claim 9 wherein the electrically charged particles and the fluid are present as a plurality of discrete droplets held within a polymeric continuous phase.

14. An article of manufacture according to claim 9 in which the fluid is gaseous.