Light beam direction controlling device and driving method for a light beam direction control element

1. A light beam direction control device comprising:

a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate disposed in such a manner that a main face of the first transparent substrate and a main face the second transparent substrate are opposed to each other;

a first transparent conductive film and a second transparent conductive film provided on the main face of the first transparent substrate and the main face of the second transparent substrate, respectively;

a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected with the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film, respectively;

a plurality of light beam transmissive regions disposed on the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate;

light beam absorbing regions each disposed between light beam transmissive regions adjacent to each other and including light beam blocking electrophoretic particles and transmissive dispersion medium, the electrophoretic particles having charges of a specific polarity; and

a control circuit configured to control potential difference between the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film,

wherein the control circuit is configured to:

change a dispersion state of the electrophoretic particles by adjusting the potential difference to change a range of outgoing direction of light beam that passes through the light beam transmissive regions and the dispersion medium; and

apply a predetermined voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode to change the range of outgoing direction to a wide range, electrically open-circuit the first electrode and the second electrode to change the range of outgoing direction to a narrow range, and keep the open-circuited state to maintain the narrow range of outgoing direction.

2. The light beam direction control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to keep applying the predetermined voltage to maintain the wide range of outgoing direction.

3. The light beam direction control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to provide a period in which the first electrode and the second electrode are short-circuited to change the range of outgoing direction to the narrow range.

4. The light beam direction control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to provide a period in which the control circuit applies a voltage having a reverse-polarity from a polarity of the predetermined voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode to change the range of outgoing direction to a narrow range.

5. The light beam direction control device according to claim 4 , wherein the control circuit is configured to provide a period in which the first electrode and the second electrode are short-circuited after the period in which the control circuit applies the voltage having the reverse-polarity.

6. The light beam direction control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first insulating film between the main face of the first transparent substrate opposed to the main face of the second transparent substrate and the light beam absorbing regions; and

a second insulating film between the main face of the second transparent substrate opposed to the main face of the first transparent substrate and the light beam absorbing regions.

7. The light beam direction control device according to claim 6 , wherein at least either the first transparent conductive film or the second transparent conductive film has a pattern shape corresponding to a pattern shape of the light beam absorbing regions.

8. A light beam direction control device comprising:

a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate disposed in such a manner that a main face of the first transparent substrate and a main face the second transparent substrate are opposed to each other;

a first transparent conductive film and a second transparent conductive film provided on the main face of the first transparent substrate and the main face of the second transparent substrate, respectively;

a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected with the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film, respectively;

a plurality of light beam transmissive regions disposed on the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate;

light beam absorbing regions each disposed between light beam transmissive regions adjacent to each other and including light beam blocking electrophoretic particles and transmissive dispersion medium, the electrophoretic particles having charges of a specific polarity; and

a control circuit configured to control potential difference between the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film,

wherein the control circuit is configured to:

change a dispersion state of the electrophoretic particles by adjusting the potential difference to change a range of outgoing direction of light beam that passes through the light beam transmissive regions and the dispersion medium; and

apply a second voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode to change the range of outgoing direction to a wide range, and keep applying a first voltage lower than the second voltage to maintain the wide range of outgoing direction.

9. A light beam direction control device comprising:

a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate disposed in such a manner that a main face of the first transparent substrate and a main face the second transparent substrate are opposed to each other;

a first transparent conductive film and a second transparent conductive film provided on the main face of the first transparent substrate and the main face of the second transparent substrate, respectively;

a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected with the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film, respectively;

a plurality of light beam transmissive regions disposed on the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate;

light beam absorbing regions each disposed between light beam transmissive regions adjacent to each other and including light beam blocking electrophoretic particles and transmissive dispersion medium, the electrophoretic particles having charges of a specific polarity; and

a control circuit configured to control potential difference between the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film,

wherein the control circuit is configured to:

change a dispersion state of the electrophoretic particles by adjusting the potential difference to change a range of outgoing direction of light beam that passes through the light beam transmissive regions and the dispersion medium; and

apply a voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode to change the range of outgoing direction to a wide range, and electrically open-circuit the first electrode and the second electrode after applying the voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode to maintain the wide range of outgoing direction.

10. The light beam direction control device according to claim 9 , wherein the control circuit is configured to apply the voltage again across the first electrode and the second electrode for a predetermined time after maintaining the wide range of outgoing direction by electrically open-circuiting the first electrode and the second electrode for a predetermined time, and thereafter, repeat the open-circuiting the first electrode and the second electrode and the applying the voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode to maintain the wide range of outgoing direction.

11. The light beam direction control device according to claim 10 , wherein the control circuit is configured to apply a voltage lower than the voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode for a predetermined time after maintaining the wide range of outgoing direction by electrically open-circuiting the first electrode and the second electrode for a predetermined time, and thereafter, repeat the open-circuiting the first electrode and the second electrode and the applying the voltage lower than the voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode to maintain the wide range of outgoing direction.

12. A light beam direction control device comprising:

a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate disposed in such a manner that a main face of the first transparent substrate and a main face the second transparent substrate are opposed to each other;

a first transparent conductive film and a second transparent conductive film provided on the main face of the first transparent substrate and the main face of the second transparent substrate, respectively;

a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected with the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film, respectively;

a plurality of light beam transmissive regions disposed on the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate;

light beam absorbing regions each disposed between light beam transmissive regions adjacent to each other and including light beam blocking electrophoretic particles and transmissive dispersion medium, the electrophoretic particles having charges of a specific polarity; and

a control circuit configured to control potential difference between the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film,

wherein the control circuit is configured to:

change a dispersion state of the electrophoretic particles by adjusting the potential difference to change a range of outgoing direction of light beam that passes through the light beam transmissive regions and the dispersion medium; and

change voltage to be applied across the first electrode and the second electrode depending on elapsed time in which a narrow range of outgoing direction is maintained to change the range of outgoing direction to a wide range.

13. The light beam direction control device according to claim 12 , wherein the voltage to be applied across the first electrode and the second electrode includes voltage having a reversed polarity or alternating voltage.

14. A light beam direction control device comprising:

a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate disposed in such a manner that a main face of the first transparent substrate and a main face the second transparent substrate are opposed to each other;

a first transparent conductive film and a second transparent conductive film provided on the main face of the first transparent substrate and the main face of the second transparent substrate, respectively;

a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected with the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film, respectively;

a plurality of light beam transmissive regions disposed on the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate;

light beam absorbing regions each disposed between light beam transmissive regions adjacent to each other and including light beam blocking electrophoretic particles and transmissive dispersion medium, the electrophoretic particles having charges of a specific polarity; and

a control circuit configured to control potential difference between the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film,

wherein the control circuit includes a temperature sensor configured to measure environmental temperature, and the control circuit is configured to:

change a dispersion state of the electrophoretic particles by adjusting the potential difference to change a range of outgoing direction of light beam that passes through the light beam transmissive regions and the dispersion medium; and

change voltage to be applied across the first electrode and the second electrode depending on measured environmental temperature to change the range of outgoing direction to a wide range.

15. A driving method for a light beam direction control element,

the light beam direction control element including:

a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate disposed in such a manner that a main face of the first transparent substrate and a main face the second transparent substrate are opposed to each other;

a first transparent conductive film and a second transparent conductive film provided on the main face of the first transparent substrate and the main face of the second transparent substrate, respectively;

a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected with the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film, respectively;

a plurality of light beam transmissive regions disposed on the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate;

light beam absorbing regions each disposed between light beam transmissive regions adjacent to each other and including light beam blocking electrophoretic particles and transmissive dispersion medium, the electrophoretic particles having charges of a specific polarity; and

a control circuit configured to control potential difference between the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film, and

the method comprising:

changing, by the control circuit, a dispersion state of the electrophoretic particles by adjusting the potential difference to change a range of outgoing direction of light beam that passes through the light beam transmissive regions and the dispersion medium;

applying, by the controller, a predetermined voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode to change the range of outgoing direction to a wide range;

electrically open-circuiting, by the controller, the first electrode and the second electrode to change the range of outgoing direction to a narrow range; and

keeping, by the controller, the open-circuited state to maintain the narrow range of outgoing direction.

16. The driving method for a light beam direction control element according to claim 15 , further comprising providing, by the control circuit, a period in which the first electrode and the second electrode are short-circuited to change the range of outgoing direction to the narrow range.

17. The driving method for a light beam direction control element according to claim 15 , further comprising providing, by the control circuit, a period in which a voltage having a reverse-polarity from a polarity of the predetermined voltage is applied across the first electrode and the second electrode to change the range of outgoing direction to a narrow range.

18. A driving method for a light beam direction control element,

the light beam direction control element including:

a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate disposed in such a manner that a main face of the first transparent substrate and a main face the second transparent substrate are opposed to each other;

a first transparent conductive film and a second transparent conductive film provided on the main face of the first transparent substrate and the main face of the second transparent substrate, respectively;

a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected with the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film, respectively;

a plurality of light beam transmissive regions disposed on the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate;

light beam absorbing regions each disposed between light beam transmissive regions adjacent to each other and including light beam blocking electrophoretic particles and transmissive dispersion medium, the electrophoretic particles having charges of a specific polarity; and

a control circuit configured to control potential difference between the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film, and

the method comprising:

changing, by the control circuit, a dispersion state of the electrophoretic particles by adjusting the potential difference to change a range of outgoing direction of light beam that passes through the light beam transmissive regions and the dispersion medium;

applying, by the control circuit, a second voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode to change the range of outgoing direction to a wide range; and

keeping, by the control circuit, applying a first voltage lower than the second voltage to maintain the wide range of outgoing direction.

19. A driving method for a light beam direction control element,

the light beam direction control element including:

a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate disposed in such a manner that a main face of the first transparent substrate and a main face the second transparent substrate are opposed to each other;

a first transparent conductive film and a second transparent conductive film provided on the main face of the first transparent substrate and the main face of the second transparent substrate, respectively;

a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected with the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film, respectively;

a plurality of light beam transmissive regions disposed on the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate;

light beam absorbing regions each disposed between light beam transmissive regions adjacent to each other and including light beam blocking electrophoretic particles and transmissive dispersion medium, the electrophoretic particles having charges of a specific polarity; and

a control circuit configured to control potential difference between the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film, and

the method comprising:

changing, by the control circuit, a dispersion state of the electrophoretic particles by adjusting the potential difference to change a range of outgoing direction of light beam that passes through the light beam transmissive regions and the dispersion medium;

applying, by the control circuit, a voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode to change the range of outgoing direction to a wide range; and

electrically open-circuiting, by the control circuit, the first electrode and the second electrode after the applying the voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode to maintain the wide range of outgoing direction.