US3909116A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Light modulating device
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1973-09-11
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Granted: 1975-09-30
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Expires: 1993-09-11
Abstract
Abstract A light modulating device comprising a heterogeneous layer containing an electrokinetically movable liquid material and a solid substance polarizable with respect to the liquid. By establishing an electrical field in the layer the electrokinetically movable liquid is caused to move to vary the transmissivity of the layer to visible light. The electrical field is spatially modulated by electric charges in accordance with an image pattern and the incident light is modulated in exact correspondence with the modulated electrical field. The spatial modulation of the electrical field is effected by the incident ultraviolet light or X-ray radiation or by the impingement of an electron beam in a vacuum chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 Tadao Kohashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 10:54
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B26/00; G02B26/004; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/165; G02F1/166; G02F1/167; H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/74; H04N5/7416; H04N5/7441
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
A light modulating device comprising, a substrate, a liquid layer of an electrokinetically movable heterogeneous system disposed on said substrate and containing a liquid material and a coloring material, spaced electrodes, at least one of which being disposed in said layer, and means coupled to said spaced electrodes for selectively setting up electric fields in said layer to cause lateral movement of portions of said heterogeneous system in directions parallel to the surface of said layer to thereby produce variations in the transmissivity of said layer to light passing therethrough.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
90 words
A light modulating device comprising, a substrate, a liquid layer of an electrokinetically movable heterogeneous system disposed on said substrate and containing a liquid material and a coloring material, spaced electrodes, at least one of which being disposed in said layer, and means coupled to said spaced electrodes for selectively setting up electric fields in said layer to cause lateral movement of portions of said heterogeneous system in directions parallel to the surface of said layer to thereby produce variations in the transmissivity of said layer to light passing therethrough.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
120 words
A light modulating device comprising, a substrate, a liquid layer of a heterogeneous system disposed on said substrate and containing a light-pervious liquid material of a predetermined direction of charge polarity and electrophoretic coloring material of opposite charge polarity, a first electrode disposed on one side of said substrate which is in contact with said layer, a second light pervious electrode spaced from said first electrode, a light-pervious sealing member spaced from said substrate and in contact with the surface of said layer, and means coupled to said electrodes for selectively setting up electrical fields in said layer to cause lateral movement of said coloring material to thereby produce variations in the transmissivity of said layer to light passing therethrough.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
120 words
A light modulating device comprising, a substrate, a liquid layer of a heterogeneous system disposed on said substrate and containing a light-pervious liquid material of a predetermined direction of charge polarity and electrophoretic coloring material of opposite charge polarity, a first electrode disposed on one side of said substrate which is in contact with said layer, a second light pervious electrode spaced from said first electrode, a light-pervious sealing member spaced from said substrate and in contact with the surface of said layer, and means coupled to said electrodes for selectively setting up electrical fields in said layer to cause lateral movement of said coloring material to thereby produce variations in the transmissivity of said layer to light passing therethrough.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second electrode is disposed on the other side of said substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second electrode comprises a photocathode spaced from the other side of said substrate for emission of electrons upon incidence thereon of inviSible radiations, and means for receiving visible light in a direction parallel to the surface of said layer to define an interspace between said substrate and said photocathode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first electrode comprises a plurality of parallelly spaced light-pervious conductive elements and said second electrode comprises a plurality of conductive elements arranged in alternating relationship with said light-pervious elements of said first electrode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first electrode is a perforated light-pervious conductive element and said second electrode is a light-pervious planar conductive element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said interspace is a vacuum.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said interspace is filled with a gas which produces ions upon excitation by electrons.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said electrophoretic coloring material comprises particles of a first color and having a predetermined direction of charge polarity and particles of a second color and having opposite charge polarity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of juxtaposed light-opaque, nonconductive members interposed between said first electrode and said substrate and having a surface area larger than that of said first electrode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
120 words
A light modulating device comprising, a substrate having a first dielectric constant, spaced electrodes on one side of said substrate, a colored layer of an electroosmotically movable liquid material having a second dielectric constant and disposed on said substrate through the spacing between said electrodes to product interfacial charges between the surfaces of said layer and said substrate, said liquid material containing a coloring material movable in the same direction as that of said liquid material under the influence of an electrical field, and means including said spaced electrodes for selectively setting up electrical fields in said layer to cause lateral movement of said interfacial charges to thereby produce variations in the transmissivity of said layer to light passing therethrough.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
120 words
A light modulating device comprising, a substrate having a first dielectric constant, spaced electrodes on one side of said substrate, a colored layer of an electroosmotically movable liquid material having a second dielectric constant and disposed on said substrate through the spacing between said electrodes to product interfacial charges between the surfaces of said layer and said substrate, said liquid material containing a coloring material movable in the same direction as that of said liquid material under the influence of an electrical field, and means including said spaced electrodes for selectively setting up electrical fields in said layer to cause lateral movement of said interfacial charges to thereby produce variations in the transmissivity of said layer to light passing therethrough.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said substrate is light pervious.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said substrate is light reflective.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
71 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising, a light-pervious resistive layer on said substrate and a photoconductive layer having a dark resistivity higher than the specific resistivity of said electroosmotically movable material and that of said light-pervious resistive layer, said photoconductive layer being disposed on said light pervious resistive layer and responsive to invisible radiations, said spaced electrodes being parallelly arranged and maintained selectively at opposite potentials.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said spaced electrodes are alternately biased at opposite potentials.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said spaced electrodes are parallelly arranged.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A light modulating device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said spaced electrodes comprise an apertured electrode.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3668106A
Cited
US3756693A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-29 | 1979-03-31 | 1979-09-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-29 | 1983-03-31 | 1983-09-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-29 | 1987-03-31 | 1987-09-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |