Electrophoretic display device, electronic apparatus, and method of manufacturing electrophoretic display device

• US 8,941,582 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yamada, Hiroyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOFFNER, LINH NGUYEN
• Application Number:
  US12/643,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20100177032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,863 Days
• Field of Search: 345/107, 345/105, 359/296, 359/228, 430/32, 264/4, 349/86, 347 6- 8
• US Class Current: 345/107
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/16755 Substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/16756 Insulating layers

Abstract

An electrophoretic display device includes: first and second substrates; an electrophoretic layer which is interposed between the first and second substrates; and a third substrate which is disposed opposite the first substrate with the second substrate interposed therebetween, which is joined to the first substrate with a sealing member interposed therebetween, and which seals the electrophoretic layer with the second substrate interposed therebetween. The first and third substrates have extension sections extending with respect to the second substrate in a plan view. The sealing member fills a part of a gap between the extension section of the first substrate and the extension section of the third substrate, and the sealing member does not come into contact with an outer edge of the third substrate.

Claims

1. An electrophoretic display device comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate;

an electrophoretic layer which is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and

a third substrate which is disposed opposite the first substrate with the second substrate interposed between the first substrate and the third substrate, the third substrate being joined to the first substrate with a sealing member interposed between the first substrate and the third substrate, and the sealing member sealing the electrophoretic layer with the second substrate interposed between the first substrate and the third substrate,

wherein the first substrate and the third substrate have extension sections extending with respect to the second substrate in a plan view,

wherein the sealing member fills a part of a gap between the extension section of the first substrate and the extension section of the third substrate,

wherein the sealing member does not come into contact with an outer edge of the third substrate, and

wherein a dam member having an elastic modulus smaller than that of the sealing member is disposed in the gap.

2. The electrophoretic display device according to claim 1, wherein edge portions of the first substrate and the third substrate facing the gap are chamfered.

3. The electrophoretic display device according to claim 1,

wherein a connection terminal connecting an external circuit is disposed on at least one side of the extension sections of the first substrate, and

wherein the extension section in which the connection terminal is disposed is longer than the other extension sections.

4. An electronic apparatus comprising the electrophoretic display device according to claim 1.

5. A method of manufacturing an electrophoretic display device, comprising:

disposing a plurality of panel areas each corresponding to one electrophoretic display device on a first mother substrate;

disposing a plurality of electrophoretic sheets on the plurality of panel areas, each electrophoretic sheet corresponding to a panel area included in the plurality of panel areas;

disposing dam members between adjacent electrophoretic sheets on the first mother substrate in a state where gaps are formed between the dam members and the electrophoretic sheets;

attaching a second mother substrate to the first mother substrate close to the electrophoretic sheets;

forming sealing members by filling a sealing material into areas surrounded by the first mother substrate, the second mother substrate, the dam members, and the electrophoretic sheets and hardening the sealing material; and

cutting the first and second mother substrates along the areas where the dam members are disposed.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein an elastic modulus of the dam member is smaller than an elastic modulus of the sealing member.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

chamfering one or more corners of edge portions of the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate cut by the cutting step.

8. An electrophoretic display device comprising:

a first substrate;

a plurality of electrophoretic sheets formed on the first substrate, each electrophoretic sheet including a second substrate and an electrophoretic layer which is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and

a third substrate which is disposed opposite the first substrate with each second substrate interposed between the first substrate and the third substrate, the third substrate being joined to the first substrate with sealing members interposed between the first substrate and the third substrate, and the sealing members sealing the electrophoretic layers with the second substrates interposed between the first substrate and the third substrate,

wherein the first substrate and the third substrate have extension sections extending with respect to the second substrates in a plan view,

wherein dam members are disposed between the extension sections of the first substrate and the extension sections of the third substrate with gaps surrounded by the extension sections of the first substrate, the extension sections of the third substrate, the electrophoretic sheets, and the dam members,

wherein the sealing members fill a part of the gap surrounded by the extension sections of the first substrate, the extension sections of the third substrate, the electrophoretic sheets, and the dam members.

9. The electrophoretic display device according to claim 8, wherein

a connection terminal connecting an electrophoretic display panel corresponding to one of the electrophoretic sheets to an external circuit is disposed on at least one of the extension sections of the first substrate corresponding to the electrophoretic display panel, and

wherein the extension section in which the connection terminal is disposed is longer than the other extension sections of the first substrate corresponding to the electrophoretic display panel.