Display material including patterned areas of encapsulated electrophoretic media
Methods for forming patterned displays including separated portions of encapsulated electrophoretic media disposed between contiguous light-transmissive electrodes. The resulting patterned electrophoretic display allows a viewer to see through the gaps between the portions of encapsulated electrophoretic media, thereby allowing the viewer to visualize surfaces or objects behind the electrophoretic display.
1 . An electrophoretic display comprising:
a first contiguous light-transmissive electrode disposed on a first light-transmissive substrate;
a second contiguous light-transmissive electrode disposed on a second light-transmissive substrate;
a first portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media disposed between the first contiguous light-transmissive electrode and the second contiguous light-transmissive electrode;
a second portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media disposed between the first contiguous light-transmissive electrode and the second contiguous light-transmissive electrode; and
a light-transmissive semi-conductive adhesive disposed between the first contiguous light-transmissive electrode and the second contiguous light-transmissive electrode,
wherein the first portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media does not contact the second portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media,
wherein the light-transmissive semi-conductive adhesive separates the first portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media and the second portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media, and
wherein application of an electric field between the first contiguous light-transmissive electrode and the second contiguous light-transmissive electrode causes a change in optical state of both the first portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media and the second portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media.
2 . The electrophoretic display of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media comprises a first type of electrophoretic particles and the second portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media comprises the first type of electrophoretic particles.
3 . The electrophoretic display of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media comprises a first type of electrophoretic particles and the second portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media comprises a second type of electrophoretic particles, and the first and second types of electrophoretic particles have different optical properties.
4 . The electrophoretic display of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media and the second portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media both include more than one type of electrophoretic particle.
5 . The electrophoretic display of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media is encapsulated in microcapsules and the microcapsules are held together with a polymeric binder.
6 . The electrophoretic display of claim 5 , wherein the microcapsules comprise gelatin or polyvinyl alcohol.
7 . The electrophoretic display of claim 6 , wherein the polymeric binder comprises a polyurethane or an acrylate.
8 . The electrophoretic display of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media is encapsulated in microcells and sealed with a polymeric sealing layer.
9 . The electrophoretic display of claim 8 , wherein the microcells comprise an acrylic polymer or a (meth)acrylic polymer.
10 . The electrophoretic display of claim 1 , wherein the light-transmissive semi-conductive adhesive comprises polyurethane doped with an inorganic salt.
11 . The electrophoretic display of claim 10 , wherein the light-transmissive semi-conductive adhesive comprises polyurethane doped with an inorganic salt at a concentration between 2% (wt:wt) and 0.05% (wt:wt).
12 . The electrophoretic display of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media and the second portion of encapsulated electrophoretic media are separated by a distance of at least 5 mm, as measured parallel to the first contiguous light-transmissive electrode and the second contiguous light-transmissive electrode.