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US5650872A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Light valve containing ultrafine particles

Assignee: Research Frontiers Inc
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Filing: 1995-01-13
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Granted: 1997-07-22
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Expires: 2015-01-13
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Abstract

Abstract An electro-optical device, such as a light valve, has a cell formed of opposed cell walls, a light-modulating unit comprising a suspension containing anisometric particles suspended in a liquid suspending medium between the cell walls, and opposed electrodes operatively associated with the cell walls for applying an electrical field across the suspension, the anisometrically shaped particles having an average particle size of about 0.1 microns or less.

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert L. Saxe
  • 👤 Robert I. Thompson
  • 👤 Matthew Forlini

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 09:50
CPC Classifications
B; B32; B32B; B32B17/00; B32B17/06; B32B17/10; B32B17/10005; B32B17/10009; B32B17/10036; B32B17/10165; B32B17/10174; B32B17/10321; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/165; G02F1/166; G02F1/167; G02F1/17; G02F1/172; G02F2202/00; G02F2202/02; G02F2202/022

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 70 words
An electro-optical device, comprising a cell formed of opposed cell walls, a light-modulating unit comprising a suspension containing anisometric particles suspended in a liquid suspending medium between said cell walls, and opposed electrode means operatively associated with said cell walls for applying an electrical field across said suspension, said anisometric particles having an average dimension of about 0.001 to 0.2 microns and having been prepared by the Evaporative Dispersion Process.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 70 words
An electro-optical device, comprising a cell formed of opposed cell walls, a light-modulating unit comprising a suspension containing anisometric particles suspended in a liquid suspending medium between said cell walls, and opposed electrode means operatively associated with said cell walls for applying an electrical field across said suspension, said anisometric particles having an average dimension of about 0.001 to 0.2 microns and having been prepared by the Evaporative Dispersion Process.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
The device according to claim 1, wherein said electro-optical device is a light valve and said suspension is a light valve suspension.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
The device according to claim 2, wherein said particles have an average particle size of about 0.1 microns or less.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
The device according to claim 2 wherein said light valve suspension is a liquid suspension or a film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 14 words
The device according to claim 2, exhibiting no significant amount of visible light scatter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
The device according to claim 5, wherein said light valve suspension absorbs near infrared and/or far infrared radiation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 17 words
The device of claim 5, wherein said light valve suspension reflects near infrared and/or far infrared radiation.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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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) 2000-07-21 2001-01-20 2001-07-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-07-21 2005-01-20 2005-07-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-07-21 2009-01-20 2009-07-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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