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. 01, 2015
Filed:
Nov. 29, 2011
Ludmila Sukhomlinova, Kent, OH (US);
Tamas Kosa, Hudson, OH (US);
Bahman Taheri, Shaker Heights, OH (US);
Timothy White, Centerville, OH (US);
Timothy Bunning, Beavercreek, OH (US);
Ludmila Sukhomlinova, Kent, OH (US);
Tamas Kosa, Hudson, OH (US);
Bahman Taheri, Shaker Heights, OH (US);
Timothy White, Centerville, OH (US);
Timothy Bunning, Beavercreek, OH (US);
ALPHAMICRON INCORPORATED, Kent, OH (US);
Abstract
A new class of phototropic liquid crystal mixture comprises a liquid crystal host and one or more photodichroic dyes, wherein exposure of the mixture to an activating light causes a light-induced increase in order parameter of the mixture. In some examples, in the absence of the activating light, the phototropic mixture has a lower order parameter than the liquid crystal host, while in the presence of activating light, the phototropic mixture has a higher order parameter than the liquid crystal host. In some examples, upon exposure to the activating light, the phototropic mixture undergoes a phase transition from a material with a lower order to a material with higher liquid crystalline order. In some examples, activating light causes the mixture to transition from an isotropic phase to a nematic phase, from an isotropic phase to a cholesteric phase or form a nematic phase to a smectic phase.