Electro-optic device

1. An emissive display system, comprising:

an electro-optic device comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate having first and second surfaces disposed on opposite sides thereof, wherein at least one of the first and second surfaces comprises a first electrically conductive layer;

a second substantially transparent substrate having third and fourth surfaces disposed on opposite sides thereof, wherein at least one of the third and fourth surfaces comprises a second electrically conductive layer;

a primary seal disposed around perimeter portions of the first and second substrates, wherein the seal and the first and second substrates define a cavity therebetween;

an electro-optic medium disposed in the cavity, the electro-optic medium being variably transmissive such that the electro-optic device is operable between substantially clear and darkened states; and

a plurality of beads disposed in a central portion of the cavity, the plurality of beads being configured to maintain a cell spacing between the first and second substrates, wherein the plurality of beads comprises a plurality of paramagnetic or ferromagnetic beads and are movable to a perimeter portion of the cavity; and

a substantially transparent light emitting display disposed adjacent to the electro-optic device, wherein the electro-optic device is in the darkened state when the light emitting display is emitting light, wherein the plurality of beads is moved to the perimeter portion of the cavity by the following steps:

(a) generating a magnetic field;

(b) manipulating the magnetic field such that a force is generated on the plurality of paramagnetic or ferromagnetic beads; and

(c) applying said force to move the plurality of paramagnetic or ferromagnetic beads to a position proximate the primary seal along the perimeter of the cavity.

2. An emissive display system, comprising:

an electro-optic device comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate having first and second surfaces disposed on opposite sides thereof, wherein at least one of the first and second surfaces comprises a first electrically conductive layer;

a second substantially transparent substrate having third and fourth surfaces disposed on opposite sides thereof, wherein at least one of the third and fourth surfaces comprises a second electrically conductive layer;

a primary seal disposed around perimeter portions of the first and second substrates, wherein the seal and the first and second substrates define a cavity therebetween;

an electro-optic medium disposed in the cavity, the electro-optic medium being variably transmissive such that the electro-optic device is operable between substantially clear and darkened states; and

a plurality of beads disposed in a central portion of the cavity, the plurality of beads being configured to maintain a cell spacing between the first and second substrates, wherein the plurality of beads comprises a plurality of paramagnetic or ferromagnetic beads and are movable to a perimeter portion of the cavity; and

a substantially transparent light emitting display disposed adjacent to the electro-optic device, wherein the electro-optic device is in the darkened state when the light emitting display is emitting light, wherein the plurality of beads is moved to the perimeter portion of the cavity by the following steps:

(a) positioning the electro-optic device to generate an outwardly oriented hydrostatic force within the electro-optic device; and

(b) allowing the plurality of beads to gravitationally descend to a position proximate the primary seal.

3. The emissive display system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of beads comprises a plurality of glass beads.

4. An emissive display system, comprising:

an electro-optic device comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate having first and second surfaces, wherein at least one of the first and second surfaces comprises a first electrically conductive layer;

a second substantially transparent substrate spaced apart from the first substrate, the second substrate having third and fourth surfaces, wherein at least one of the third and fourth surfaces comprises a second electrically conductive layer;

a primary seal disposed around perimeter portions of the first and second substrates, wherein the seal and the first and second substrates define a substantially hermetic cavity therebetween;

an electro-optic medium disposed in the cavity, the electro-optic medium being variably transmissive such that the electro-optic device is operable between substantially clear and darkened states; and

a plurality of substantially opaque beads disposed in a central portion of the cavity, the beads configured to separate the first and second substrates by a predetermined distance, wherein the beads are substantially concealed when the electro-optic medium is in both the substantially clear and darkened states; and

a substantially transparent light emitting display disposed adjacent to the electro-optic device, wherein the electro-optic device is converted to the darkened state when the light emitting display is emitting light.

5. The emissive display system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of beads are arranged in a grid pattern in the electro-optic medium.

6. The emissive display system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of beads are retained in the grid pattern via a constituent of the electro-optic medium.

7. The emissive display system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of beads comprises a basalt glass component.

8. The emissive display system of claim 4 , wherein the light emitting display is an organic light emitting diode display.

9. The emissive display system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of beads is three-dimensionally printed onto one of the second and third surfaces.

10. The emissive display system of claim 4 , wherein the substantially opaque beads have a largest dimension ranging from about 100 microns to about 1000 microns.

11. The emissive display system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of beads comprises a plurality of polymeric beads.