Optical: systems and elements – Optical modulator – Light wave temporal modulation
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-22
2003-11-25
Schwartz, Jordan (Department: 2873)
Optical: systems and elements
Optical modulator
Light wave temporal modulation
C345S107000, C264S004100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06654159
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an electrophoretic device and another method for manufacturing an electronic device, and particularly to another method for readily manufacturing an electrophoretic device and another method for manufacturing an electronic device using the same.
BACKGROUND ART
An electrophoretic display shown in
FIG. 11
is known as an electrophoretic device. At least one of substrates
2
a
and
2
b
, for example,
2
a
, is transparent. The transparent substrate
2
a
has a transparent electrode
4
a
thereunder and the substrate
2
b
has an electrode layer
4
b
thereon, wherein the electrode layer
4
b
is patterned to have segments each having, for example, a proper shape and size. An electrophoretic microcapsule layer
6
a
is placed between the transparent substrate
2
a
and the transparent electrode layer
4
b
, wherein microcapsules
6
containing a colored dispersion medium having, for example, a black color and charged white pigment particles which function as electrophoretic particles and are dispersed in the dispersion medium are uniformly applied onto the electrophoretic microcapsule layer
6
a
. For example, when the transparent electrode
4
a
is grounded and positive or negative voltage is selectively applied to each segment of the electrode layer
4
b
, a desired image is displayed.
For example, an electrophoretic display using such microcapsules is manufactured according to the following procedure.
The microcapsules
6
containing an electrophoretic dispersion in which pigment particles are dispersed in a colored dispersion medium are prepared. The microcapsules
6
are dispersed in another appropriate dispersion medium to prepare a coating solution. The coating solution is then applied onto a surface of the substrate
2
b
on which the electrode layer
4
b
is disposed. The applied coating solution is dried to form the electrophoretic microcapsule layer
6
a
. The transparent electrode
4
a
and the transparent substrate
2
a
are laminated on the electrophoretic microcapsule layer
6
a
. Thus, the electrophoretic microcapsule layer
6
a
is disposed between the two substrates
2
a
and
2
b
having the transparent electrode
4
a
and the electrode layer
4
b
, respectively.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Peripheral circuits such as driving circuits and control circuits and switching elements for selectively supplying voltage to each of the segments of the electrode layer
4
b
may be mounted to the substrates
2
b
having the electrode layer
4
b.
Regions for not applying the microcapsules
6
are situated, wherein the regions include portions functioning as electrical contacts between the substrates
2
a
and
2
b
and other portions functioning as the peripheral circuits.
As described above, various methods for selectively applying the microcapsules
6
have been proposed, and another method for further selectively applying microcapsules readily and accurately is desired.
The present invention has been developed to solve the above conventional problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing an electrophoretic device for selectively forming an electrophoretic layer at a desired region readily and accurately and to provide another method for manufacturing an electronic device using the same.
According to the present invention, in order to accomplish the object, in a first method for manufacturing an electrophoretic device in which an electrophoretic layer including microcapsules containing an electrophoretic dispersion is disposed between two electrodes, the method has the steps of forming lyophobic layers having lyophobicity for the microcapsule dispersion in which the microcapsules are dispersed at desired regions of a member; and applying the microcapsule dispersion onto the member having the lyophobic layers.
In a second method for manufacturing an electrophoretic device according to the present invention, the lyophobic layer on a region used as an electrical contact among the regions has such a thickness that conductivity is obtained in the first method.
In the first and second method for manufacturing an electrophoretic device according to the present invention, the lyophobic layer having lyophobicity for the microcapsule dispersion is formed at a desired region of a member for forming an electrophoretic layer by attaching the microcapsule dispersion in which microcapsules are dispersed, wherein the member is, for example, an electrode. The microcapsule dispersion is then applied onto the member.
Since the lyophobic layer has lyophobicity for the microcapsule dispersion, a microcapsule dispersion portion located on the lyophobic layer is repelled to migrate to another area not having the lyophobic layer; hence the microcapsule dispersion is selectively attached on the member.
In the above state, the lyophobic layer remains on the member. When the region having the lyophobic layer is used as an electrical contact later, the lyophobic layer on the region has such a thickness that conductivity is obtained. Thus, if the region having the lyophobic layer is used as an electrical contact in the state that the lyophobic layer is formed, there are not any problems.
According to the present invention, in a third method for manufacturing an electrophoretic device in which an electrophoretic layer including microcapsules containing an electrophoretic dispersion is disposed between two electrodes, the method has the steps of forming lyophilic layers having lyophilicity for the microcapsule dispersion in which the microcapsules are dispersed at desired regions of a member; and applying the microcapsule dispersion onto the member having the lyophilic layers.
In the third method for manufacturing an electrophoretic device according to the present invention, the lyophilic layer having lyophilicity for the microcapsule dispersion is formed at a desired region of a member for forming an electrophoretic layer by bonding the microcapsule dispersion in which microcapsules are dispersed, wherein the member is, for example, an electrode. The microcapsule dispersion is then applied onto the member.
Since the lyophilic layer has lyophilicity for the microcapsule dispersion, a microcapsule dispersion portion remains on the lyophilic layer. Another microcapsule dispersion portion located on an area not having the lyophilic layer gravitates toward the lyophilic layer. Subsequently, the microcapsule dispersion portion is selectively applied onto the region having the lyophilic layer.
In the fourth method for manufacturing an electrophoretic device according to the present invention, the microcapsule dispersion contains a binder according to any one of the first to third methods for manufacturing an electrophoretic device of the present invention.
In the fourth method for manufacturing an electrophoretic device according to the present invention, since the microcapsule dispersion containing dispersed microcapsules therein further contains a binder, the binder causes the microcapsules to bond to the member surely.
In the fifth method for manufacturing an electrophoretic device according to the present invention, a migration-promoting operation for promoting migration of the microcapsule dispersion on the member is performed while or after applying the microcapsule dispersion onto the member according to any one of the first to fourth methods for manufacturing an electrophoretic device of the present invention.
In the fifth method for manufacturing an electrophoretic device according to the present invention, while or after applying the microcapsule dispersion onto the member or in both states, a migration-promoting operation for promoting migration of the microcapsule dispersion on the member is performed as follows: the member is vibrated in the back, forth, right, and left directions, or inclined, or an air flow is applied. Thus, the microcapsule dispersion portion applied onto the member is ready to migrate to an area not having the lyophobic layer or a region having the lyophilic laye
Ishida Masaya
Kawai Hideyuki
Dinh Jack
Harness & Dickey & Pierce P.L.C.
Schwartz Jordan
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