US4950052A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Encapsulated liquid crystal apparatus with a polymer additive
Assignee: Raychem Corp
•
Filing: 1988-08-29
•
Granted: 1990-08-21
•
Expires: 2008-08-29
Abstract
Abstract A liquid crystal apparatus including a latex containment medium, a liquid crystal material dispersed in plural volumes in the medium, and a barrier means forming a wall in plural volumes in said medium so as to preserve the integrity of the volumes of the liquid crystal material.
Inventors
- 👤 James L. Fergason
- 👤 Ning S. Fan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 10:41
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K19/00; C09K19/52; C09K19/54; C09K19/542; C09K19/544; C09K2323/00; C09K2323/05; C09K2323/057; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S516/00; Y10S516/01; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2982; Y10T428/2984; Y10T428/2985
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 56
Claim 1
Independent Claim
60 words
A liquid crystal apparatus comprising: a containment medium, a liquid crystal material dispersed in plural volumes in said medium wherein passageways extend between said volumes and to a surface of said medium, and a barrier means forming a wall in plural volumes in said medium and in at least some of said passageways to preserve the integrity of said volumes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
60 words
A liquid crystal apparatus comprising: a containment medium, a liquid crystal material dispersed in plural volumes in said medium wherein passageways extend between said volumes and to a surface of said medium, and a barrier means forming a wall in plural volumes in said medium and in at least some of said passageways to preserve the integrity of said volumes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said medium is a latex and said barrier means is a water soluble polymer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said barrier means and said liquid crystal materia have solubility parameters that differ by at least two Hildebrand units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said barrier means is formed from polyvinylpyrrolidone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the amount of said water soluble polymer in said apparatus is about 0.5% to 30% of the weight of said medium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the amount of said water soluble polymer in said apparatus is about 1% to 20% of the weight of said medium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the amount of said water soluble polymer in said apparatus is about 1% to 10% of the weight of said medium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the amount of said water soluble polymer in said apparatus is bout 1.5% to 5% of the weight of said medium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the thickness of said barrier means is less than the wavelength of visible light.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
99 words
An apparatus comprising a latex containment medium, liquid crystal material dispersed in plural volumes in said medium and wall means formed in plural volumes in said medium at least substantially between said liquid crystal material and said medium to impede the flow of said liquid crystal material wherein said wall means is formed from polyvinylpyrrolidone and wherein said medium induces a generally distorted alignment of said liquid crystal material which in response to said 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.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
99 words
An apparatus comprising a latex containment medium, liquid crystal material dispersed in plural volumes in said medium and wall means formed in plural volumes in said medium at least substantially between said liquid crystal material and said medium to impede the flow of said liquid crystal material wherein said wall means is formed from polyvinylpyrrolidone and wherein said medium induces a generally distorted alignment of said liquid crystal material which in response to said 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.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said wall means and said liquid crystal material have solubility parameters that differ by at least two Hildebrand units.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claims 10 or 11 further including a dye dissolved in said liquid crystal material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said medium is selected from the group comprising polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polyurethanes, polyacrylics, and polysiloxanes.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said medium is a copolymer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said copolymer is selected from the group comprising methacrylate-acrylonitriles, urethane-acrylics, acrylate-acrylonitriles, styrene-acrylonitriles, and vinylidene chloride-acrylonitriles.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said medium and said liquid crystal material have solubility parameters which differ by at least two Hildebrand units.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said medium, said wall means and said liquid crystal material have substantially matched indices of refraction in the presence of said prescribed input.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the thickness of said wall means is relatively thin compared to the wavelength of visible light incident thereon.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said liquid crystal material occupies about 20% to 60% of the volume of said apparatus.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said liquid crystal material is dispersed in said medium as particles having a diameter from about 1 micron to about 10 microns.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 10 further including electrode means for applying an electric field as the prescribed input, substrate means for supporting said electrode means, and circuit means for energizing said electrode means to apply said electric field.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the amount of said polyvinylpyrrolidone in said apparatus is about 0.5% to 30% of the weight of said medium.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the amount of polyvinylpyrrolidone in said apparatus is about 1% to 20% of the weight of said medium.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the amount of polyvinylpyrrolidone in said apparatus is about 1% to 10% of the weight of said medium.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the amount of polyvinylpyrrolidone in said apparatus is about 1.5% to 5% of the weight of said medium.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein plural volumes in said medium include capsules containing quantities of said liquid crystal material, and said wall means is formed substantially along the surface of said capsules between said liquid crystal material and said medium.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 26 wherein passageways extend from said capsules and said wall means is formed in said passageways to impede the flow of said liquid crystal material therethrough.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said medium has undergone cross-linking.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
74 words
An apparatus comprising a latex containment medium, liquid crystal material contained in plural volumes in said medium wherein passageways extend between at least some of said volumes and from at least some of said volumes to a surface of said medium and wherein said liquid crystal material includes operationally nematic liquid crystal having positive dielectric anisotropy, and a water soluble polymer forming a wall in plural volumes in said medium and along said passageways.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
74 words
An apparatus comprising a latex containment medium, liquid crystal material contained in plural volumes in said medium wherein passageways extend between at least some of said volumes and from at least some of said volumes to a surface of said medium and wherein said liquid crystal material includes operationally nematic liquid crystal having positive dielectric anisotropy, and a water soluble polymer forming a wall in plural volumes in said medium and along said passageways.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said water soluble polymer and said liquid crystal material have solubility parameters that differ by at least two Hildebrand units.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said water soluble polymer is formed from polyvinylpyrrolidone.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the amount of said water soluble polymer in said apparatus is about 0.5% to 30% of the weight of said medium.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 29 wherein plural volumes in said medium include capsules containing quantities of said liquid crystal material, and said wall is formed substantially along the surface of said capsules between said liquid crystal material and said medium.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said passageways extend from said capsules and said wall is formed in said passageways.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
61 words
A method comprising: mixing a liquid crystal material, polyvinylpyrrolidone and an aqueous phase to form a liquid crystal emulsion wherein said polyvinylpyrrolidone and said liquid crystal coalesce; and combining said liquid crystal emulsion with a suspension that includes latex particles suspended in an aqueous phase such that said polyvinylpyrrolidone forms a wall substantially between said liquid crystal and said latex particles.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
61 words
A method comprising: mixing a liquid crystal material, polyvinylpyrrolidone and an aqueous phase to form a liquid crystal emulsion wherein said polyvinylpyrrolidone and said liquid crystal coalesce; and combining said liquid crystal emulsion with a suspension that includes latex particles suspended in an aqueous phase such that said polyvinylpyrrolidone forms a wall substantially between said liquid crystal and said latex particles.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
119 words
A method comprising: combining a liquid crystal material and latex particles in an aqueous phase; and emulsifying said liquid crystal material and thereafter adding a water soluble polymer to form a composition which when coated and dried has said liquid crystal material dispersed in plural volumes in a latex containment medium and said water soluble polymer forms a wall in said plural volumes in said medium at least between said liquid crystal material and said medium wherein said medium induces a generally distorted alignment of said liquid crystal material which in response to said 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.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
119 words
A method comprising: combining a liquid crystal material and latex particles in an aqueous phase; and emulsifying said liquid crystal material and thereafter adding a water soluble polymer to form a composition which when coated and dried has said liquid crystal material dispersed in plural volumes in a latex containment medium and said water soluble polymer forms a wall in said plural volumes in said medium at least between said liquid crystal material and said medium wherein said medium induces a generally distorted alignment of said liquid crystal material which in response to said 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.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 36 wherein said liquid crystal material and said water soluble polymer have solubility parameters that differ by at least two Hildebrand units.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 36 wherein said water soluble polymer is polyvinylpyrrolidone.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the amount of said water soluble polymer in said apparatus is about 0.5% to 30% of the weight of said medium.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 36 wherein the amount of said water soluble polymer in said composition is about 1% to 20% of the weight of said medium.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 36 wherein the amount of said water soluble polymer in said composition is about 1% to 10% of the weight of said medium.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 36 wherein the amount of said water soluble polymer in said composition is about 1.5% to 5% of the weight of said medium.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 36 wherein the thickness of said wall is less than the wavelength of visible light.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 43 wherein said liquid crystal material and said medium have substantially matched indices of refraction in the presence of a prescribed input.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 36 further comprising applying the composition to a substrate prior to drying the composition.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 36 further comprising selecting said latex particles and said liquid crystal material wherein the difference between the solubility parameter of said liquid crystal material and the solubility parameter of said latex particles is greater than or equal to two Hildebrand units.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 46 wherein said latex particles are selected from the group comprising polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polyurethanes, polyacrylics, and polysiloxanes.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 46 wherein said latex particles are copolymers.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 48 wherein said copolymers are selected from the group comprising methacrylate-acrylonitriles, urethane-acrylics, acrylate-acrylonitriles, styrene-acrylonitriles, and vinylidene chloride-acrylonitriles.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
76 words
The method of claim 36 wherein the amount of said liquid crystal material is from about 30%. to about 60% of the volume of said liquid crystal emulsion, and the amount of said suspension is about 1 to 3 times the volume of said liquid crystal emulsion, and said suspension contains latex particles about 20% to about 60% of the volume thereof where said latex particles have diameters from about 0.01 microns to about 2.0 microns.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 36 further comprising adding a dye to said liquid crystal material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3852092A
Cited
US4435047A
Cited
US4616903A
Cited
US4707080A
Cited
US4810063A
Cited
US4688900A
Cited
US4669828A
Cited
US4767625A
Cited
US4671618A
Cited
US4673255A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-08-20 | 1994-02-19 | 1994-08-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-08-20 | 1998-02-19 | 1998-08-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-08-20 | 2002-02-19 | 2002-08-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |