US4884873A — Encapsulated liquid crystal material, apparatus a…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 65 words

Liquid crystal apparatus, comprising liquid crystal material, containment means for inducing a generally non-parallel alignment of said liquid crystal material which in response to such alignment at least one of scatters and absorbs light and which in response to a prescribed input reduces the amount of such scattering or absorption, and reflector means for reflecting light scattered by or transmitted through said liquid crystal material.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 65 words

Liquid crystal apparatus, comprising liquid crystal material, containment means for inducing a generally non-parallel alignment of said liquid crystal material which in response to such alignment at least one of scatters and absorbs light and which in response to a prescribed input reduces the amount of such scattering or absorption, and reflector means for reflecting light scattered by or transmitted through said liquid crystal material.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 28 words

The invention of claim 1, further comprising pleochroic dye in said liquid crystal material for absorbing light incident thereon when such liquid crystal material is in non-parallel alignment.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 60 words

The invention of claim 1, said liquid crystal material having positive dielectric anisotropy, an ordinary index of refraction substantially matched to the index of refraction of such containment means to maximize transmission in the presence of such input and an extraordinary index of refraction different from that of said containment means to increase scattering in the absence of such input.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 74 words

The invention of claims 1, 2 or 3, further comprising support means for supporting said liquid crystal material and containment means, a first electrode means at one side of said liquid crystal material and containment means remote from said support means, and a second electrode means between said support means and said liquid crystal material and containment means, said electrode means being positioned to apply electric field to said liquid crystal as such input.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

The invention of claim 4, said first electrode means being substantially optically transparent, and said reflector means comprising said second electrode.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 23 words

The invention of claim 4, said first electrode being substantially optically transparent, and said reflector means comprising a reflector on said support means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 21 words

The invention of claim 4, said first electrode means being substantially optically transparent, and said reflector means comprising said support means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 14 words

The invention of claim 7, said support means having a total internal reflection characteristic.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

The invention of claim 4, said support means and said second electrode means being substantially optically transparent, and said reflector means comprising said first electrode means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 15 words

The invention of claim 9, said first electrode means comprising electrically conductive, optically reflective ink.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 32 words

The invention of claim 4, wherein at least one of said electrode means is a patterned electrode having plural selectively energizable electrode portions to apply electric field to such liquid crystal material.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 55 words

The invention of claim 11, wherein said first electrode means is said patterned electroded means, and further comprising electrical connection means for directly electrically connecting a source of electric energy to respective portions of said first electrode means to apply or not to apply electric field as such prescribed input to such liquid crystal material.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

The invention of claim 12, wherein said liquid crystal material and containment means containing same are positioned in a prescribed pattern for support by said support means covering less than the entire support means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 25 words

The invention of claim 12, further comprising a protective layer of electrically non-conductive material over said first electrode means to protect same from external environment.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 34 words

The invention of claim 4, wherein said liquid crystal material and containment means containing same are positioned in a prescribed pattern for support by said support means covering less than the entire support means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 32 words

The invention of claim 15, wherein at least one of said electrode means is a patterned electrode having plural selectively energizable electrode portions to apply electric field to such liquid crystal material.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 18 words

The invention of claim 4, said containment means including a plurality of volumes containing said liquid crystal material.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 14 words

The invention of claim 17, further comprising connecting means for fluidically connecting respective volumes.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 40 words

The invention of claim 18, wherein in the absence of a prescribed input said liquid crystal material proximate a wall of such containment means tends to have the structure of said liquid crystal material aligned generally normal to such wall.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 40 words

The invention of claim 18, wherein in the absence of a prescribed input said liquid crystal material proximate a wall of such containment means tends to have the structure of said liquid crystal material aligned generally parallel to such wall.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 29 words

The invention of claim 20, wherein such prescribed input is an electric field and such liquid crystal structure tends to align parallel to such field in the presence thereof.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 29 words

The invention of claim 20, wherein such prescribed input is an electric field and such liquid crystal structure tends to align parallel to such field in the presence thereof.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 78 words

Liquid crystal apparatus, comprising liquid crystal material, and containment means for inducing a generally non-parallel alignment of said liquid crystal material which in response to such alignment at least one of scatters and absorbs light and which in response to a prescribed input reduces the amount of such scattering or absorption, said containment means forming capsule-like volumes for containing said liquid crystal material, said volumes being of a diameter of from about 1 microns to about 5 microns.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 78 words

Liquid crystal apparatus, comprising liquid crystal material, and containment means for inducing a generally non-parallel alignment of said liquid crystal material which in response to such alignment at least one of scatters and absorbs light and which in response to a prescribed input reduces the amount of such scattering or absorption, said containment means forming capsule-like volumes for containing said liquid crystal material, said volumes being of a diameter of from about 1 microns to about 5 microns.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 51 words

Liquid crystal material and a medium means for containing discrete quantities of such liquid crystal material, said material having positive dielectric anisotropy, and wherein the difference between the ordinary index of refraction of said liquid crystal material and the index of refraction of said medium means being no greater than 0.07.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 51 words

Liquid crystal material and a medium means for containing discrete quantities of such liquid crystal material, said material having positive dielectric anisotropy, and wherein the difference between the ordinary index of refraction of said liquid crystal material and the index of refraction of said medium means being no greater than 0.07.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 18 words

The invention of claim 24, said containment means including a plurality of volumes containing said liquid crystal material.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 14 words

The invention of claim 25, further comprising connecting means for fluidically connecting respective volumes.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 75 words

Liquid crystal material and a medium for forming volumes containing quantities of such liquid crystal material, said material having positive dielectric anisotropy, said medium having a dielectric constant that is no less than the lower dielectric coefficient value of said material, and wherein the electrical impedance taken along a path length through said medium alone is greater or equal to the electrical impedance taken along an equivalent path length through both said material and medium.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 75 words

Liquid crystal material and a medium for forming volumes containing quantities of such liquid crystal material, said material having positive dielectric anisotropy, said medium having a dielectric constant that is no less than the lower dielectric coefficient value of said material, and wherein the electrical impedance taken along a path length through said medium alone is greater or equal to the electrical impedance taken along an equivalent path length through both said material and medium.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 22 words

The invention of claim 22, wherein the dielectric constant of said medium is greater than the ordinary dielectric coefficient of such material.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 18 words

The invention of claim 28, said containment means including a plurality of volumes containing said liquid crystal material.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 14 words

The invention of claim 29, further comprising connecting means for fluidically connecting respective volumes.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 48 words

Liquid crystal material and a medium for containing discrete quantities of such liquid crystal material in a plurality of interconnected volumes, said material having positive dielectric anisotropy, said liquid crystal material having an ordinary index of refraction substantially the same as the index of refraction of said medium.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 48 words

Liquid crystal material and a medium for containing discrete quantities of such liquid crystal material in a plurality of interconnected volumes, said material having positive dielectric anisotropy, said liquid crystal material having an ordinary index of refraction substantially the same as the index of refraction of said medium.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 61 words

Liquid crystal material and a medium for containing discrete quantities of such liquid crystal material in a plurality of interconnected volumes, said material having positive dielectric anisotropy, said liquid crystal material comprising nematic liquid crystal material, and said medium comprising means for aligning the liquid crystal material to achieve a substantially maximum absorption of light energy under a no field condition.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 61 words

Liquid crystal material and a medium for containing discrete quantities of such liquid crystal material in a plurality of interconnected volumes, said material having positive dielectric anisotropy, said liquid crystal material comprising nematic liquid crystal material, and said medium comprising means for aligning the liquid crystal material to achieve a substantially maximum absorption of light energy under a no field condition.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 46 words

Liquid crystal material and a medium for containing discrete quantities of such liquid crystal material in a plurality of interconnected volumes, said material having positive dielectric anisotropy, said medium having a dielectric constant that is no less than the lower dielectric constant value of said material.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 46 words

Liquid crystal material and a medium for containing discrete quantities of such liquid crystal material in a plurality of interconnected volumes, said material having positive dielectric anisotropy, said medium having a dielectric constant that is no less than the lower dielectric constant value of said material.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 50 words

The combination of nematic liquid crystal material contained in a plurality of generally spherical capsule volumes of encapsulating medium, said encapsulating medium having a wall, and wherein the ordinary index of refraction of said liquid crystal material is approximately the same as the index of refraction of the encapsulating medium.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 50 words

The combination of nematic liquid crystal material contained in a plurality of generally spherical capsule volumes of encapsulating medium, said encapsulating medium having a wall, and wherein the ordinary index of refraction of said liquid crystal material is approximately the same as the index of refraction of the encapsulating medium.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 106 words

A liquid crystal device comprising liquid crystal material and containment means, said containment means forming a plurality of fluidically interconnected capsules each having a curved interior wall surface, said capsules containing said liquid crystal material; which liquid crystal material in the absence of an applied electric field at least one of scatters or absorbs incident light independently of the polarization of said light, and which device in the presence of an applied electric field displays decreased scattering or absorption at least in the direction of the applied electric field, and wherein a plurality of capsules containing liquid crystal material are not fluidically interconnected to other capsules.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 106 words

A liquid crystal device comprising liquid crystal material and containment means, said containment means forming a plurality of fluidically interconnected capsules each having a curved interior wall surface, said capsules containing said liquid crystal material; which liquid crystal material in the absence of an applied electric field at least one of scatters or absorbs incident light independently of the polarization of said light, and which device in the presence of an applied electric field displays decreased scattering or absorption at least in the direction of the applied electric field, and wherein a plurality of capsules containing liquid crystal material are not fluidically interconnected to other capsules.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 92 words

Liquid crystal apparatus, comprising nematic liquid crystal material having positive dielectric anisotropy, and a plurality of interconnected containment means with curved surfaces for inducing a generally non-parallel alignment of said liquid crystal material which in response to such alignment at least one of scatters and absorbs light when pleochroic dye is present in the liquid crystal material and which in response to a prescribed input reduces the amount of such scattering or absorption, and wherein a plurality of containment means containing said liquid crystal material are not interconnected to other containment means.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 92 words

Liquid crystal apparatus, comprising nematic liquid crystal material having positive dielectric anisotropy, and a plurality of interconnected containment means with curved surfaces for inducing a generally non-parallel alignment of said liquid crystal material which in response to such alignment at least one of scatters and absorbs light when pleochroic dye is present in the liquid crystal material and which in response to a prescribed input reduces the amount of such scattering or absorption, and wherein a plurality of containment means containing said liquid crystal material are not interconnected to other containment means.

Claim 47

Independent Claim 76 words

A method of making encapsulated nematic liquid crystals, comprising mixing at least an encapsulating medium and a nematic liquid crystal material, and further comprising causing such liquid crystal material to perform substantially independently of the optical polarization direction of incident light, including confining such liquid crystal material in a plurality of containment capsules formed by such encapsulating medium that cause distortion of the direction of the liquid crystal molecules when no electric field is applied thereto.

Claim 48

Independent Claim 76 words

A method of making encapsulated nematic liquid crystals, comprising mixing at least an encapsulating medium and a nematic liquid crystal material, and further comprising causing such liquid crystal material to perform substantially independently of the optical polarization direction of incident light, including confining such liquid crystal material in a plurality of containment capsules formed by such encapsulating medium that cause distortion of the direction of the liquid crystal molecules when no electric field is applied thereto.

Claim 49

Independent Claim 44 words

A method of causing nematic liquid crystal material to perform substantially independently of the optical polarization direction of incident light, comprising confining such nematic liquid crystal material in a plurality of interconnected capsules which cause distortion of the direction of the liquid crystal material.

Claim 50

Independent Claim 44 words

A method of causing nematic liquid crystal material to perform substantially independently of the optical polarization direction of incident light, comprising confining such nematic liquid crystal material in a plurality of interconnected capsules which cause distortion of the direction of the liquid crystal material.

Claim 51

Independent Claim 53 words

A method of causing liquid crystal material to perform substantially independently of the optical polarization direction of incident light, comprising combining pleochroic dye with the liquid crystal material and confining such dyed liquid crystal material in a plurality of interconnected volumes in a confining medium which causes distortion of the liquid crystal material.

Claim 52

Independent Claim 53 words

A method of causing liquid crystal material to perform substantially independently of the optical polarization direction of incident light, comprising combining pleochroic dye with the liquid crystal material and confining such dyed liquid crystal material in a plurality of interconnected volumes in a confining medium which causes distortion of the liquid crystal material.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 32 words

The invention of any of claims 37 to 39, wherein said confining also includes confining such dyed liquid crystal material in a plurality of volumes that are not interconnected to other volumes.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 58 words

An encapsulated operationally nematic liquid crystal material, comprising operationally nematic liquid crystal material, containment medium means for containing said liquid crystal material in volumes, and means for tending to orient at least some of the structure of said liquid crystal material generally normal to a wall of said containment medium means in the absence of an electric field.

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 58 words

An encapsulated operationally nematic liquid crystal material, comprising operationally nematic liquid crystal material, containment medium means for containing said liquid crystal material in volumes, and means for tending to orient at least some of the structure of said liquid crystal material generally normal to a wall of said containment medium means in the absence of an electric field.

Claim 56

Independent Claim 49 words

A method for adjusting the orientation of an operationally nematic liquid crystal material at the wall of a containment medium, comprising: adding to the liquid crystal material a species which tends to align such liquid crystal material in a direction generally normal to a wall of such containment medium.

Claim 57

Independent Claim 49 words

A method for adjusting the orientation of an operationally nematic liquid crystal material at the wall of a containment medium, comprising: adding to the liquid crystal material a species which tends to align such liquid crystal material in a direction generally normal to a wall of such containment medium.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-12-04	1993-06-05	1993-12-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-12-04	1997-06-05	1997-12-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-12-04	2001-06-05	2001-12-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Encapsulated liquid crystal material, apparatus and method having interconnected capsules

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