Components and methods for use in electro-optic displays

• US 9,075,280 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2010
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Whitesides, Thomas H., Paolini, Richard J. Jr., Walls, Michael D., Sohn, Seungman, McCreary, Michael D., Danner, Guy M., Honeyman, Charles Howie, Duthaler, Gregg M., Steiner, Michael L., Ritter, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Stephone B
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, BRANDI N
• Application Number:
  US12/905,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20110032595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 359290-292, 359/295, 359/296, 359/298, 359/267, 359/238, 359/274, 359/245, 359/321, 359/242, 359/253, 359/254, 359/315, 359/322
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133354 Arrangements for aligning or assembling substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133377 Cells with plural compartments or having plurality of liquid crystal microcells partitioned by walls, e.g. one microcell per pixel
• 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 1/153 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/16757 Microcapsules
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/28 Adhesive materials or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/60 Temperature independent

Abstract

An electro-optic display comprises, in order, a backplane comprising a plurality of pixel electrodes; a layer of a solid electro-optic medium; a main adhesive layer; and at least one of a light-transmissive protective layer and a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer. The electro-optic layer may be in direct contact with the backplane or separated therefrom by a thin auxiliary layer of adhesive. The main adhesive layer may be colored to provide a color filter array. An inverted front plane laminate useful in forming such a display comprises the same layers except that the backplane is replaced by a release sheet. The display combines good low temperature performance and good resolution at higher temperatures.

Claims

1. An electro-optic display comprising, in order:

a backplane comprising a plurality of pixel electrodes;

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.

2. An electro-optic display according to claim 1 wherein the electro-optic layer is in direct contact with the backplane.

3. An electro-optic display according to claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary adhesive layer interposed between the backplane and the electro-optic layer.

4. An electro-optic display according to claim 3 wherein the auxiliary adhesive layer has a thickness not greater than about 10 μ

m.

5. An electro-optic display according to claim 3 wherein the auxiliary adhesive layer has a thickness not greater than about one half of the thickness of the adhesive layer on the opposed side of the electro-optic layer.

6. An electro-optic display according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer comprises a least two sections having differing colors.

7. An electro-optic display according to claim 6 wherein the adhesive layer has sections having at least three different colors.

8. An electro-optic display according to claim 7 wherein the adhesive layer has yellow, cyan and magenta, or red, green and blue, or red, green, blue and clear sections.

9. An electro-optic display according to claim 7 wherein the adhesive layer is colored using at last one pigment.

10. An electro-optic display according to claim 9 wherein the pigment has an average particle size in the range of about 5 to about 50 nm.

11. An electro-optic display according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer comprises at least one of an ultra-violet absorber and a light-scattering or light-diffusing material.

12. An electro-optic display according to claim 1 comprising both a light-transmissive protective layer and a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer, the electrically-conductive layer being disposed between the protective layer and the adhesive layer.

13. An electro-optic display according to claim 1 wherein the electro-optic medium comprises an electrochromic or rotating bichromal member medium.

14. An electro-optic display according to claim 1 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.

15. An electro-optic display according to claim 14 wherein the electrically charged particles and the fluid are encapsulated within a plurality of capsules or cells.

16. An electro-optic display according to claim 14 wherein the electrically charged particles and the fluid are present as a plurality of discrete droplets held within a polymeric continuous phase.

17. An electro-optic display according to claim 14 in which the fluid is gaseous.