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US5699097A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Display medium and method for display therewith

Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1995-04-20
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Granted: 1997-12-16
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Expires: 2015-04-20
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Abstract

Abstract A method for display on a display medium is disclosed which comprises a step of applying an electric field to a display medium provided with an image forming medium composed of a thermally fusible material and minute charging particles dispersed therein, a step of applying heat to the display medium until the thermally fusible material assumes a coefficient of viscosity enough for the minute charging particles to migrate by dint of an electric field, and a step of solidifying the image forming medium after formation of an image therein.

Inventors

  • 👤 Satoshi Takayama
  • 👤 Masami Sugiuchi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 21:07
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/165; G02F1/166; G02F1/167; G02F1/1675; G02F1/1679; G02F1/1685; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/133377

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim 58 words
A method for display on a display medium comprising the step of: applying an electric field to said display medium which is provided with an image forming medium formed of a thermally fusible material having minute charging particles dispersed therein, applying heat to said display medium, and solidifying said image forming medium after formation of an image therein.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 58 words
A method for display on a display medium comprising the step of: applying an electric field to said display medium which is provided with an image forming medium formed of a thermally fusible material having minute charging particles dispersed therein, applying heat to said display medium, and solidifying said image forming medium after formation of an image therein.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 37 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein a picture signal is written in by means of said electric field or said heat during said step of applying said electric field or said step of applying said heat.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of applying said electric field consists in applying a voltage to said image forming medium nipped between two electrodes at least one of which is transparent through the medium of said two electrodes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the intensity of said electric field is in the range of from 1×10 5 to 1×10 7 V/m.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 49 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of applying said heat consists in utilizing said electric field to impart such heat as enables said thermally fusible material to acquire a coefficient of viscosity capable of inducing electrophoresis of said minute charging particles within said thermally fusible material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 41 words
The method according to claim 1, which further comprises a step of heating said image forming medium which has an image formed therein and has been subsequently solidified and a step of applying to said electric field a reverse electric field.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 76 words
A display medium, comprising a housing having at least one surface thereof made of a transparent material and an image forming medium disposed in said housing and composed of a thermally fusible material and minute charging particles dispersed in said thermally fusible material, whereby an image is formed in said image forming medium by applying heat and an electric field for the formation of an image to said housing and subsequently solidifying said image forming medium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 76 words
A display medium, comprising a housing having at least one surface thereof made of a transparent material and an image forming medium disposed in said housing and composed of a thermally fusible material and minute charging particles dispersed in said thermally fusible material, whereby an image is formed in said image forming medium by applying heat and an electric field for the formation of an image to said housing and subsequently solidifying said image forming medium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 24 words
The display medium according to claim 7, wherein said image forming medium is nipped between two electrodes at least one of which is transparent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
The display medium according to claim 8, wherein Said application of an electric field is effected by applying a voltage through the medium of said two electrodes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 31 words
The display medium according to claim 7, wherein the formed image is erased by heating said solidified image forming medium and meanwhile applying to said electric field a reverse electric field.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
The display medium according to claim 7, wherein said housing is divided into plural elements by spacer members.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 44 words
The display medium according to claim 11, wherein said heating of said image forming medium is carried out at desired portions and the electrophoresis of only the minute charging particles in the portions of said thermally fusible material melted by said heating is controlled.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 29 words
The display medium according to claim 12, wherein said electrophoresis lasts for a period longer than the period during which heat is applied to melt said thermally fusible material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 43 words
A display medium, comprising a housing having at least one surface thereof formed of a transparent material and an image forming medium disposed in said housing and composed of a thermally fusible material and minute charging particles dispersed in said thermally fusible material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 43 words
A display medium, comprising a housing having at least one surface thereof formed of a transparent material and an image forming medium disposed in said housing and composed of a thermally fusible material and minute charging particles dispersed in said thermally fusible material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 41 words
The display medium according to claim 14, wherein said thermally fusible material has a melting point of not less than 40° C. and a coefficient of kinetic viscosity of not more than 1×10 -4 m 2 s -1 at 100° C.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 42 words
The display medium according to claim 14, wherein said thermally fusible material is an organic compound containing at least one group selected from the class consisting of carboxyl group, alcohol hydroxyl group, amino group, and carbonyl group in the molecular unit thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 25 words
The display medium according to claim 14, wherein said thermally fusible material contains at least one material selected from the group of dye and pigment.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 41 words
The display medium according to claim 14, wherein said minute charging particles are caused to acquire the property of electrophoresis in said thermally fusible material in a molten state by means of an electric field generated by positive or negative charging.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 24 words
The display medium according to claim 14, wherein said image forming medium is nipped between two electrodes at least one of which is transparent.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 25 words
The display medium according to claim 14, wherein said image forming medium is provided in at least one main surface thereof with a pyroelectric film.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4298448A Cited
JPS55154198A Cited
JPS5782086A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-12-15 2001-06-16 2001-12-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-12-15 2005-06-16 2005-12-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-12-15 2009-06-16 2009-12-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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