US4092637A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Liquid electrolyte type electrochromic display device
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1976-05-05
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Granted: 1978-05-30
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Expires: 1996-05-05
Abstract
Abstract An electrochromic display device having first and second electrodes, and a plurality of display electrodes, all immersed in a liquid electrolyte. Drive means act to first generate a potential difference between said first and second electrodes to cause a color species to be deposited on said first electrode and, thereafter, act to generate a potential difference between said first electrode and selected ones of said plurality of display electrodes to cause the color species to be transferred to the selected ones of said plurality of display electrodes. Heptyl viologen dibromide is suggested as one possible electrolyte.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald John Barclay
- 👤 Colin Leonard Bird
- 👤 Michael Henry Hallett
- 👤 David Horrobin Kirkman
- 👤 John Francis Minshull
- 👤 Charles Edward Owen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 18:35
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25D; C25D11/00; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/15; G02F1/163; G09; G09G; G09G3/00; G09G3/04; G09G3/16; G09G3/20; G09G3/34; G09G3/38; G09G2310/00; G09G2310/02; G09G2310/0264; G09G2310/0267; G09G2310/0275
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
An electrochromic display device comprising: liquid electrolyte means, first and second electrode means immersed in said liquid electrolyte means, said first and second electrode means and said liquid electrolyte means being such that electric current between said first and second electrode means causes a color absorbing species to be deposited on one of said first and second electrode means and causes another species to be deposited on the other of said first and second electrode means, a plurality of display electrodes also immersed in said liquid electrolyte means, first drive means selectively operable first to generate a potential difference between said first and second electrode means so that the said species is deposited on said first electrode means, and second drive means selectively operable subsequently to generate a potential difference between said first electrode means and at least a selected one of said display electrodes such that the color absorbing species is transferred from said first electrode means to the said at least a selected one of said display electrodes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
An electrochromic display device comprising: liquid electrolyte means, first and second electrode means immersed in said liquid electrolyte means, said first and second electrode means and said liquid electrolyte means being such that electric current between said first and second electrode means causes a color absorbing species to be deposited on one of said first and second electrode means and causes another species to be deposited on the other of said first and second electrode means, a plurality of display electrodes also immersed in said liquid electrolyte means, first drive means selectively operable first to generate a potential difference between said first and second electrode means so that the said species is deposited on said first electrode means, and second drive means selectively operable subsequently to generate a potential difference between said first electrode means and at least a selected one of said display electrodes such that the color absorbing species is transferred from said first electrode means to the said at least a selected one of said display electrodes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A display device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said display electrodes comprise a matrix of dot-shaped display electrodes arranged in rows and columns.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
65 words
A display device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first electrode means comprise a plurality of electrodes respective ones of which are associated with the said columns of said display electrodes such that the transfer of species takes place between the said respective ones of said plurality of electrodes and associated ones of the electrodes of the respective columns of said display electrodes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
86 words
A display device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said drive means include binary data register means having a plurality of bistable storage elements therein with respective ones of said plurality of bistable storage elements corresponding to columns of said display electrodes, such that said drive means is responsive to the stable states assumed by the respective bistable storage elements to selectively cause deposit or not cause deposit of said species on the respective electrodes of said plurality of electrodes of said first electrode means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A display device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of display electrodes comprise the respective segments of a seven-segment display arrangement.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
153 words
In an electrochromic display device having a liquid electrolyte and first and second electrodes immersed therein with said liquid electrolyte providing an electrochromic effect in response to electric current between said electrodes, the improvement comprising: a plurality of display electrodes also immersed in said liquid electrolyte; first means to cause a first potential to be developed between said first and second electrodes to cause a color species to be produced at one of said first and second electrodes and to cause another species to be produced at the other of said first and second electrode means; and second means to cause a second potential to be developed between the said one of said first and second electrodes and selected ones of said display electrodes to cause the said color species produced at the said one of said first and second electrodes to be transferred to the said selected ones of said display electrodes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
153 words
In an electrochromic display device having a liquid electrolyte and first and second electrodes immersed therein with said liquid electrolyte providing an electrochromic effect in response to electric current between said electrodes, the improvement comprising: a plurality of display electrodes also immersed in said liquid electrolyte; first means to cause a first potential to be developed between said first and second electrodes to cause a color species to be produced at one of said first and second electrodes and to cause another species to be produced at the other of said first and second electrode means; and second means to cause a second potential to be developed between the said one of said first and second electrodes and selected ones of said display electrodes to cause the said color species produced at the said one of said first and second electrodes to be transferred to the said selected ones of said display electrodes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The display device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said plurality of display electrodes comprise the segments of a figure eight pattern seven-segment display arrangement.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The display device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said liquid electrolyte comprises heptyl viologen dibromide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
The display device as set forth in claim 7 wherein said first and second electrodes comprise transfer and dump electrodes, respectively, with said transfer electrodes being arranged within the openings of said figure eight pattern and with said dump electrodes being arranged behind the viewing side of said figure eight pattern.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The display device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said dump electrodes are formed on the vertical walls of the inner periphery of a spacer frame arranged to house said liquid electrolyte.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The display device of claim 6 wherein said display electrodes comprise a matrix of dot shaped display electrodes arranged in rows and columns.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-05-29 | 1981-11-28 | 1982-05-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-05-29 | 1985-11-28 | 1986-05-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-05-29 | 1989-11-28 | 1990-05-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |