The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 05, 2006
Filed:
Aug. 11, 2003
Richard Jonathan Miller, Malvern, GB;
Victor Chaklam Hui, Malvern, GB;
Richard Jonathan Miller, Malvern, GB;
Victor Chaklam Hui, Malvern, GB;
Qinetiq Limited, , GB;
Abstract
A phoretic display device comprising a plurality of electrophoretic or magnetophoretic cells, each having a phoretic particle dispersed within a suspension medium comprising a liquid crystal material. The phoretic cell is adapted to induce defects, sometimes known as disclinations, in the alignment of the liquid crystal material within the cell which act to exert a retentive force on the phoretic particle when within the region of influence of the defects. The configuration of the display introduces a threshold level in the electric or magnetic field required to move the phoretic particle between defects within the cell. Accordingly, the non-linear electro-optic or magneto-optic behaviour of the display facilitates matrix addressing of the cells therein. The display may comprise a plurality of prolate spheroid phoretic cells arranged in an encapsulant, the major (long) axis of each cell arranged substantially perpendicular to the plane of the display.