Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Eriko Kawanami

Ichiro Onuki

Goro Noto

Shigeo Ogura

Takayuki Tsuboi

To provide an optical apparatus which controls an interface state to change a focal length by using an optical element having a container sealing first liquid that is conductive or polarized and second liquid that does not mutually mix with the first liquid with their interface in a predetermined form and electrodes provided in the container and of which optical characteristics change according to change of interface form due to application of voltage to the electrodes, and in particular an optical apparatus that controls a duty ratio of alternating current voltage applied to said electrodes for changing said interface form.

Optical apparatus

An optical device capable of controlling its optical transmittance. The optical device has a first liquid conductive or having a polarity and a second liquid. The first and second liquids are substantially equal in refractive index but differ in transmittance. The first and second liquids do not mix with each other. The first and second liquids are sealingly contained in a container in such state that the boundary therebetween has a predetermined shape. When a voltage is applied between these liquids through electrodes formed in such a place or condition as to avoid interference with passage of a bundle of rays incident upon the optical element, the output of the applied voltage is selected under control to change the shape of the boundary, thereby changing the quantity of transmitted light in the bundle of rays traveling through the optical device.

Optical element

A display element has a plurality of pixels and is constructed to display image information by modulating light passing through each pixel. The display element has the following for each of the pixels: a mask having a shield portion in part; and a first fluid and an electroconductive or polar, second fluid being immiscible with each other. An amount of the light passing through the mask is regulated in such a way that a voltage applied to the second fluid of each pixel is varied to alter the shape of an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid, so as to increase or decrease light incident to the shield portion of the mask.

Display element and display device having it

An optical element has a first fluid and an electroconductive or polar, second fluid immiscible with each other, which are confined in a sealed space created between a first support and a second support. The first fluid and the second fluid have respective light transmittances different from each other. By varying a voltage applied to the second fluid, the shape of an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid is altered, so as to change an amount of light passing through the optical element.

Growing community of inventors

Kawasaki, Japan

Eriko Kawanami