US3843233A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
An aligning agent for lowering the threshold voltage required to effect an optically negative to optically positive phase transition
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1973-11-09
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1993-11-09
Abstract
Abstract Novel liquid crystalline compositions containing an advantageous aligning agent resin, which causes said compositions, upon application to any suitable substrate to spontaneously align or to have a greater tendency to become aligned in an orientation wherein major axes of the molecules comprising liquid crystalline material are substantially perpendicular to the plane of the substrate. Such liquid crystalline compositions are particularly suited for use in phase transition systems wherein a film comprising cholesteric liquid crystalline material having the tendency to align is transformed to the nematic liquid crystallic state by the application of electrical fields of sufficient field strengths. Such compositions are also used in other liquid crystalline imaging systems making use of differently aligned portions of liquid crystalline films.
Inventors
- 👤 W Haas
- 👤 J Adams
- 👤 B Mechlowitz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 05:46
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/1337; G02F1/133703; G02F1/137; G02F1/13731
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN OPTICALLY NEGATIVE TO OPTICALLY POSITIVE PHASE TRANSITION IN AN INITIALLY OPTICALLY NEGATIVE LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COMPOSITION COMPRISING PROVIDING AN OPTICALLY NEGATIVE LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COMPOSITION COMPRISING CHOLESTERIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE MATERIAL AND AN ALIGNING AGENT WHICH TENDS TO ALIGN THE MOLECULES OF THE CHOLESTERIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE MATERIAL; PROVIDING A LAYER OF SAID LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COMPOSITION ON A SUBSTRATE; AND APPLYING AN ELECTRICAL FIELD ACROSS SAID LIQUID CRYSTALLINE LAYER WITHIN THE OPTICALLY NEGATIVE-OPTICALLY POSITIVE PHASE TRANSITION ELECTRICAL FIELD STRENGTH RANGE OF SAID LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COMPOSITION.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
86 words
A METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN OPTICALLY NEGATIVE TO OPTICALLY POSITIVE PHASE TRANSITION IN AN INITIALLY OPTICALLY NEGATIVE LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COMPOSITION COMPRISING PROVIDING AN OPTICALLY NEGATIVE LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COMPOSITION COMPRISING CHOLESTERIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE MATERIAL AND AN ALIGNING AGENT WHICH TENDS TO ALIGN THE MOLECULES OF THE CHOLESTERIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE MATERIAL; PROVIDING A LAYER OF SAID LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COMPOSITION ON A SUBSTRATE; AND APPLYING AN ELECTRICAL FIELD ACROSS SAID LIQUID CRYSTALLINE LAYER WITHIN THE OPTICALLY NEGATIVE-OPTICALLY POSITIVE PHASE TRANSITION ELECTRICAL FIELD STRENGTH RANGE OF SAID LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COMPOSITION.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrical field applied across said liquid crystalline layer is in imagewise configuration, whereby said liquid crystalline composition is imagewise transformed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said aligning agent comprises from about 0.1 percent to about 10 percent by weight of said liquid crystalline composition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said layer of liquid crystalline composition is provided in a thickness not greater than about 250 microns.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said aligning agent comprises a surfactant material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as defined in claim 5 wherein said surfactant material comprises a polyamide resin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the optically negative liquid crystalline composition additionally includes nematic liquid crystalline material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method as defined in claim 1 additionally comprising providing a pair of electrodes at least one of which is substantially transparent on opposite sides of said layer of liquid crystalline material and providing a source of electrical potential difference operatively connected to said electrodes, whereby said electrical field is applied across said liquid crystalline material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as defined in claim 8 wherein said electrical field applied across said liquid crystalline layer is in imagewise configuration, whereby said liquid crystalline composition is imagewise transformed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as defined in claim 9 wherein said aligning agent comprises from about 0.1 percent to about 10 percent by weight of said liquid crystalline composition.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as defined in claim 9 wherein said layer of liquid crystalline composition is provided in a thickness not greater than about 250 microns.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as defined in claim 9 wherein said aligning agent comprises a surfactant material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as defined in claim 12 wherein said surfactant material comprises a polyamide resin.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method as defined in claim 9 wherein said optically negative liquid crystalline composition additionally includes nematic liquid crystalline material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |