US4992201A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Latex entrapped ncap liquid crystal composition, method and apparatus
Assignee: Tyco International Ltd Bermuda
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Filing: 1988-03-16
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Granted: 1991-02-12
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Expires: 2008-03-16
Abstract
Abstract Methods for making a latex entrapped nematic curvilinearly aligned phases liquid crystal composition and apparatus utilizing such composition wherein the liquid crystal material is dispersed in a latex medium. Such a composition may be made by emulsifying liquid crystal material in the presence of a suspension of latex particles or, alternatively, by combining a suspension of latex particles with an emulsion of liquid crystal material.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth N. Pearlman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 05:59
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K19/00; C09K19/52; C09K19/54; C09K19/542; C09K19/544; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/1334
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
79 words
A composition comprising a suspension of latex particles in an aqueous medium wherein said latex particles are insoluble in said medium and an operationally nematic liquid crystal material dispersed in said medium wherein said medium after it has dried 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 2
Dependent Claim
79 words
A composition comprising a suspension of latex particles in an aqueous medium wherein said latex particles are insoluble in said medium and an operationally nematic liquid crystal material dispersed in said medium wherein said medium after it has dried 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 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The composition of claim 1 further including a surfactant and/or a protective colloid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The composition of claim 2 wherein said surfactant has a HLB coefficient ranging from about 12 to about 17.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein said liquid crystal material occupies about 20% to 60% of the volume of said composition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein said liquid crystal material is dispersed in said medium as particles having a diameter from about 1 micron to about 10 micron.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The composition of claim 1 further including a dye dissolved in said liquid crystal material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein said medium and said liquid crystal material have solubility parameters which different by at least two Hildebrand units.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The composition of claim 7 wherein said medium has a solubility parameter from about 6H to about 16H and said liquid crystal material has a solubility parameter from about 10H to about 15H.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein said liquid crystal material has minimal solubility in said medium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The composition of claim 9 wherein said minimal solubility of said liquid crystal material in said medium is less than about 20% of the initial volume of said liquid crystal material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein said latex particles include a copolymer with one of the polymer constituents being a urethane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The composition of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 wherein said medium after it has dried and said liquid crystal material have substantially matched indices of refraction in the presence of said prescribed input.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
71 words
The composition of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 wherein said medium after it has dried has a dielectric constant which is greater than the dielectric coefficient of said liquid crystal material in the absence of an electric field and wherein said medium has a dielectric constant substantially matching the extraordinary dielectric coefficient of said liquid crystal material in the presence of an electric field.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein said liquid crystal material and said medium after it has dried have substantially related dielectric constants in the presence of an electric field such that there is a greater voltage drop across said liquid crystal material than across said medium.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
79 words
A liquid crystal apparatus, comprising an operationally nematic liquid crystal material and a containment medium formed from a suspension of latex particles in an aqueous medium wherein said latex particles are insoluble in said aqueous medium, said containment medium inducing a generally distorted 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 and absorption.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
79 words
A liquid crystal apparatus, comprising an operationally nematic liquid crystal material and a containment medium formed from a suspension of latex particles in an aqueous medium wherein said latex particles are insoluble in said aqueous medium, said containment medium inducing a generally distorted 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 and absorption.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The composition of claim 15 wherein said liquid crystal material and said containment medium have substantially matched indices of refraction in the presence of said prescribed input.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
54 words
The liquid crystal apparatus of claim 15 wherein said prescribed input is an electric field, and said liquid crystal material and said containment medium have substantially related dielectric constants in the presence of said electric field such that there is a greater voltage drop across the liquid crystal material than across said containment medium.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The liquid crystal apparatus of claim 17 further including electrode means for applying said electric field to said liquid crystal material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The liquid crystal apparatus of claim 18 further including substrate means for supporting the combination of said liquid crystal material and said containment medium, and said electrode means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The liquid crystal apparatus of claim 19 further including circuit means for energizing said electrode means to apply said electric field.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The liquid crystal apparatus of claim 15 wherein said liquid crystal material contains a dye.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
39 words
The liquid crystal apparatus of claim 15 wherein said containment medium forms discrete curved volumes containing discrete quantities of said liquid crystal material, and said generally distorted alignment comprises alignment at least partially paralleling the curvature of said volumes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The composition of claim 1, 5 or 9 wherein said particles have undergone crosslinking.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
The composition of claim 23 wherein said cross-linking producing material and said liquid crystal material are selected such that the solubility of said cross-linking material in said liquid crystal material and the reactivity therebetween are minimized.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The liquid crystal apparatus of claim 15 wherein a cross-linking producing material is added to said aqueous medium to effect cross-linking of said latex particles.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
The liquid crystal apparatus of claim 25 wherein said cross-linking producing material and said liquid crystal material are selected such that the solubility of said cross-linking material in said liquid crystal material and the reactivity therebetween are minimized.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
88 words
An entrapped liquid crystal composition comprising a containment medium that is formed by a suspension of latex particles in an aqueous medium wherein said latex particles are insoluble in said aqueous medium and an operationally nematic liquid crystal material dispersed in said containment medium, wherein said containment 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 30
Dependent Claim
88 words
An entrapped liquid crystal composition comprising a containment medium that is formed by a suspension of latex particles in an aqueous medium wherein said latex particles are insoluble in said aqueous medium and an operationally nematic liquid crystal material dispersed in said containment medium, wherein said containment 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 31
Dependent Claim
11 words
The composition of claim 27 wherein said latex particles are cross-linked.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
36 words
The composition of claim 28 wherein a cross-linking producing material and said liquid crystal material are selected such that the solubility of said cross-linking material in said liquid crystal material and the reactivity therebetween are minimized.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
The composition of claim 23 wherein a cross-linking producing material is selected from the group consisting of: partially alkyklated melamine resin, methylated ethylated glycerol resin, tetramethylol glycerol resin, partially methylated ureaformaldehyde resin, and titanate.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
34 words
The composition of claim 28 wherein a cross-linking producing material is selected from the group consisting of: partially alkylated melamine resin, methylated ethylated glycerol resin, tetramethylol glycerol resin, partially methylated ureaforaldehyde resin, and titinate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-02-11 | 1994-08-13 | 1995-02-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-02-11 | 1998-08-13 | 1999-02-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-02-11 | 2002-08-13 | 2003-02-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |