EP0313053A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Liquid crystal device
Assignee: Kawamura Institute of Chemical Research
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Filing: 1988-10-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-10-20
Abstract
Abstract A liquid crystal device comprising a pair of substrate, at least one of them being transparent, and a light-control layer supported therebetween, wherein said light-control layer comprises a liquid crystal material showing positive dielectric anisotropy and a transparent solid substance, said liquid crystal material forming a continuous phase, and said transparent solid substance existing in said continuous phase in the form of dispersed particles or a three-dimensional network. The device exhibits a clear threshold voltage, a high fast response time and a highly contrast display with a low applied voltage.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshi Arai
- 👤 Toru Fujisawa
- 👤 Kiyohumi Takeuchi
- 👤 Haruyoshi Takatsu
- 👤 Koichiro Adachi
- 👤 Hiroshi Ogawa
- 👤 Kazunori Maruyama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 01:32
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; C; C09; C09K; C09K19/00; C09K19/52; C09K19/54; C09K19/542; G02F1/1333; G02F1/1334; G02F1/13345
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
70 words
A liquid crystal device comprising a pair of substrates, at least one of them being transparent, and a light-control layer supported between the substrates, wherein said light-control layer comprises a liquid crystal material showing positive dielectric anisotropy and a transparent solid substance, said liquid crystal material forming a continuous phase, and said transparent solid substance existing in said liquid crystal material in the form of particles or a three-dimensional network.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
70 words
A liquid crystal device comprising a pair of substrates, at least one of them being transparent, and a light-control layer supported between the substrates, wherein said light-control layer comprises a liquid crystal material showing positive dielectric anisotropy and a transparent solid substance, said liquid crystal material forming a continuous phase, and said transparent solid substance existing in said liquid crystal material in the form of particles or a three-dimensional network.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal material is present in an amount of at least 60% by weight based on the light-control layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal material is a nematic liquid crystal material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said liquid crystal material is a nematic liquid crystal material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said nematic liquid crystal material contains a compound represented by formula: wherein R represents a straight chain alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and/or a compound of formula: wherein R is as defined above.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
A liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said nematic liquid crystal material contains a compound represented by formula: wherein R represents a straight chain alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and/or a compound of formula: wherein R is as defined above.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal material reversibly undergoes phase transition between a liquid crystal phase and an isotropic liquid phase with change of temperature to thereby reversibly change between a light-scattered opaque state and a transparent state.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal material reversibly changes its molecule alignment with switching of applied voltage to thereby reversibly change between a light-scattered opaque state and a transparent state.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transparent solid substance comprises a synthetic resin.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light-control layer has a thickness of from 5 to 30 µm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
104 words
A process for producing a liquid crystal device comprising a pair of substrates, at least one of them being transparent, and a light-control layer supported between the substrates, wherein said light-control layer comprises a liquid crystal material showing positive dielectric anisotropy and a transparent solid substance, said liquid crystal material forming a continuous phase, and said transparent solid substance existing in said liquid crystal material in the form of particles or three-dimensional network, which process comprises introducing a light-control layer-forming mixture comprising a liquid crystal material showing positive dielectric anisotropy and a polymerizable composition between the two substrates and then polymerizing said polymerizable composition.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
104 words
A process for producing a liquid crystal device comprising a pair of substrates, at least one of them being transparent, and a light-control layer supported between the substrates, wherein said light-control layer comprises a liquid crystal material showing positive dielectric anisotropy and a transparent solid substance, said liquid crystal material forming a continuous phase, and said transparent solid substance existing in said liquid crystal material in the form of particles or three-dimensional network, which process comprises introducing a light-control layer-forming mixture comprising a liquid crystal material showing positive dielectric anisotropy and a polymerizable composition between the two substrates and then polymerizing said polymerizable composition.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 11, wherein said polymerizing is carried out while maintaining the light-control layer-forming mixture in an isotropic liquid state.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
A process as claimed in claim 11, wherein said polymerizing is carried out at a temperature between a liquid crystal phase-isotropic liquid phase transition point of said light-control layer-forming mixture and a liquid crystal phase-isotropic liquid phase transition point of said liquid crystal material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process as claimed in claim 11, wherein said polymerizing is carried out by irradiation of ultraviolet light.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 14, wherein said irradiation of ultravioelt light is effected to give an energy of 10 mJ/cm² or more.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 14, wherein said irradiation of ultraviolet light is effected to give an energy of 3 mW/cm² or more.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process as claimed in claim 14, wherein ultraviolet light having a constant intensity is uniformly irradiated on the surface of the substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process as claimed in claim 11, wherein said polymerizable composition is insoluble with the liquid crystal material in the nematic phase state.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process as claimed in claim 11, wherein said polymerizable composition comprises a polymerizable compound and a polymerization initiator.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
48 words
A process as claimed in claim 19, wherein said polymerizable compound is selected from trimethylolpropane triacrylate, tricyclodecanedimethylol diacrylate, polyethylene glycol diacrylate, polypropylene glycol diacrylate, hexanediol diacrylate, neopentylglycol diacrylate, tris(acryloxyethyl)isocyanurate, long chain alkylated diacrylate, polypropylene glycol-modified neopentylglycol diacrylate, polyolefine-modified neopentylglycol diacrylate and caprolactone-modified hydroxypivalic acid ester neopentyl glycol diacrylate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process as claimed in claim 17, wherein said polymerizable composition further comprises a chain transfer agent and a photosensitizer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
49 words
A process as claimed in claim 21, wherein said polymerizable compound is selected from trimethylolpropane triacrylate, tricyclodecanedimethylol diacrylate, polyethylene glycol diacrylate, polypropylene glycol diacrylate, hexanediol diacrylate, neopentylglycol diacrylate, tris(acryloxyethyl) isocyanurate, longchain alkylated diacrylate, polypropylene glycol-modified neopentyl glycol diacrylate, polyolefin-modified neopentylglycol diacrylate, and caprolactone-modified hydroxypivalic acid ester neopentyl glycol diacrylate.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as claimed in claim 11, wherein said liquid crystal matreial is present in an amount of at least 60% by weight of said light-control layer-forming mixture.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process as claimed in claim 11, wherein said transparent solid substance in the form of a three-dimentional network has a mesh size ranging from 0.5 to 2 µm.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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