DE7211660U - LIGHT CONTROL VALVE - Google Patents

Description

Your sign Your message Our sign Day April 1976 Your Ref. Your Letter Our Ref. Date R / p 7367 27 w / r

Research Frontiers Incorporated, 31 Cain Drive,

Plainview, L.I., New York, USA

Light control valve

The innovation relates to a light control valve for controlling the transmission of light from a light source, the Light control valve has in its interior a suspension of a finely divided substance, the particles of which by an energy source can be oriented to change the light transmission, particularly for use as display devices. A light control valve is essentially a cell that is a Contains suspension of a finely divided substance in which there is the possibility of the orientation of the particles in the suspension by an energy source, e.g. an electric or magnetic field, to change the permeability of light through the suspension.

Commercial visual displays nowadays are becoming expensive and restricted with relatively complex j the devices. Standard characters are either with Neon tubes, individual lamps, or similar devices

Account: Bayerische Vereinsbank (BLZ 75020073) 5 804248 Postal checking account Munich 893 69-801

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Place of jurisdiction is Regensburg

achieved. In the case of the individual lamps in Sxht displays, istj for each letter a relatively complicated and j

i agile arrangement required. In the case of neon tubes, there is I Limitations on the scheme that can be created because the glass tubes can only be bent into certain shapes furthermore, the definition at the scope of the scheme is limited to the gas glow, and the entire arrangement is quite complex and expensive easily fragile.

With smaller display devices, e.g. reading indicator tubes | (the tubes that hold the various alpha-numeric patterns; testify), the tubes are relatively complicated, have many individual wires and components and are very difficult and expensive to manufacture. In the case of the very small tubes, expensive, difficult, and time-consuming manufacturing processes are required.

Optical devices, including light-powered devices, have previously been proposed as visual display devices. However, they did not work properly tet or had other serious problems. One of these known devices has a glass or quartz cell, which contains liquid, crystalline material (grant ÜS patent 3,322,485). These so-called liquid crystal display devices give only limited contrast, are very expensive and due to the critical nature of the liquid crystals including the sensitivity to hydrolysis, limited service life and the fact that light crystal particles scatter the light, and furthermore only a very limited one that can be evaluated Temperature range is permissible, these devices have not prevailed.

Furthermore, these devices suffer from the disadvantage that they are transparent when no field is applied and become dark (non-transparent) when a field is applied. This is just the opposite of what is often desired in visual display devices. You want a visual display IS-H ₁ when the field is created so that the display - j

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schema suddenly emerges from the background. In liquid crystal devices can do this with conventional operation, where the light source is on the opposite side of the viewer and the light passes through the cell cannot be reached. Attempts have been made to correct this and the scheme to be displayed in a way other than that desired, in which the light passes through the cell, to illuminate. As shown in the aforementioned U.S. patent, such attempts have not been successful. For example, they were reflective Surfaces used. In the case of such reflectors, the light source was on the same side of the cell as the Arranged viewer, and formed the back of the cell as a reflective surface. This did not lead to the desired success since the only rays of radiation used are reflected rays, and not transmitted rays, and so that the quality of the light passing through the cell has been considerably reduced. There were also difficulties in recruiting the light source between the observer and the display device without blocking the display. These difficulties with reflection and lighting combined with difficult and critical operational properties of liquid crystals have resulted in that liquid crystal cells could not be used as commercially useful visual display devices.

There is thus a significant need for inexpensive, stable display devices that can be effectively operated without that they work improperly, especially those that are normally dark and where the light comes from outside shines through the device when it is turned on so that the display device is brightly lit.

According to the innovation, an indicator valve is proposed for this purpose, which is a light control valve with colloidal suspension. This valve is relatively cheap and easy to manufacture and yield • A very clear, high contrast display of numbers, letters, words, schemes, or other information. The valve

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has two parallel panes made of glass or other permeable material, for example plastic, which have electrically conductive coatings, which are preferably permeable on their sides facing one another. A colloidal fluid suspension is inserted between the two panes of glass. The suspension has a thin coating of a flow medium, which preferably has a mass of very small bodies that polarize the light, or two-colored or pleochroic particles. The particles are normally dispersed throughout the fluid, and each particle is randomly oriented with respect to the others. If the valve is not actuated, is a typical colloidal material having the above properties and 'the particles used as in the above-mentioned suspension who-I the can, herapathite (quinine bisulphate iodine). The herapathite or another suitable substance is usually formed in the presence of a protective colloid, for example a polymer such as nitrocellulose, and possibly other materials, for example a plasticizer, to assist in dispersing the particles. The resulting paste is then usually diluted with a suitable solvent, for example Isbpentylacerat, until a desired viscosity is achieved for the entire suspension. This suspension has a large number of randomly distributed particles. Particles in the form of rods, needles, plates or the like are preferred. If a non-constant force field is applied to the suspension, the particles orient themselves within the suspension in the direction of the field. If the particles are aligned in this way, light radiation can easily pass through the suspension and the suspension appears permeable.

When the field is turned off, Brown's motion disperses the particles and thereby the Ze optical density increases. Downsized by The field opposite that which causes the sig to become can be a continuous area booths are made.

He dark, i.e. its ng of the applied suspension through the addition of brightness

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] According to the present innovation we rl a light control valve, the one S contains trömungsitnitel suspension, in which the electrically conductive coatings are divided into areas such that discrete areas are created within which light in the valve can be controlled. Each of these conductive coatings is connected to an energy source, so that the light permeability of the fluid suspension between facing bej rich conductive coatings can be separated / controlled. j If an area thus remains dark (where no field has been created), the other area (in which a field is applied) can be made transparent or partially transparent, and by adding a light source is provided on the opposite side of the device with respect to the viewer, the effect of being provided by the part a light that was previously completely dark is a bright visual display.

The innovation is explained below in conjunction with the drawing on the basis of exemplary embodiments. Show it:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display cell according to FIG the innovation,

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cell of Fig. 1 taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

3 is a perspective, partially broken away cross-sectional view of the cell according to FIG. 1 along the line 3 3 according to FIG. 1, |

Fig. 4 shows a cell with a numeric display, j

5 shows the use of a display cell as a display window in J. a shop

6 shows a view of a multiple lining cell,

FIG. 7 shows a cross section of the cell according to FIG. 6 along line 7 - 7 of Fig. 6,

8 is a view of a cell in the form of the display itself,

9 shows a view of a cell with an upstream filter, and

Figure 10 is a view of a cell with a display scheme in both conductive coverings.

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1 shows an overall view of the light valve according to the present invention

gender innovation with a display pattern. Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of Figure 1 showing the valve in detail. The arrangement has two preferably parallel plates made of glass, plastic, quartz or other light-permeable material. The plates 2 and 4 are shown as being arranged parallel to one another. They can, however, deviate from the parallel position and, although they are shown as being rectangular, they can be curved or have some other suitable shape. On the inside of the plates (the sides of the plates are facing each other), namely side 6 of plate 2 and side 8 of plate 4, a thin, translucent, electrically conductive coating 10 and 12 is applied = these electrically conductive coatings form electrodes for applying the energy from an energy source to the suspension arranged between these electrodes. If desired, these electrodes can be coated with glass or silicon monoxide or a similar material to prevent the electrodes and the suspension from coming into contact with one another. The substance between the cells has been mentioned above and is explained in detail in the aforementioned application. It is a suspension which, upon application of energy, for example when connecting to a voltage source j, changes the transmittance of radiation, for example _o light radiation. A typical substance containing a StrömuncjS "-mittelsuspension, the particles which are aligned * a + voltage is applied to the suspension during application, for example, particles, from herapathite The advantage of such Strömungsmittelsus- \.

pensxn consists in that the particles respond quickly and over a wide range of operating voltages and conditions are stable.

To prevent fluid from escaping from the cell, a seal is provided around the perimeter of the cell.

The seal is denoted by 13 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

It can be either permanent or temporary, depending on the application. However, it should be translucent with each tlatten, the conductive coatings, the flow medium and

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(The particles in the suspension do not react. If the seals are temporarily formed, a corresponding! opening = - and closing device is provided so that the suspension j can be poured into and out of the cell.

'· Here wirdjLm taken to the individual display scheme in the cell ι reference. In order to produce the display scheme (which can take any shape!), The conductive coating, which is so thin that it is translucent, etched, scratched away! Or in some other way around the scheme which is to be displayed is removed. For example, the letters "RFI" are to be displayed in FIG. The conductive coating is then removed from around these letters. The distance is more clearly visible with the gap 3 in the conductive coating 12 in FIGS. In these figures, the thickness of the electrically conductive coating is drawn considerably exaggerated in relation to the thickness of the glass in order to make the illustration clearer.

So far in the description it is indicated that the electrically conductive coating is removed. Instead of removing the coating this coating can also originally only be applied in selected areas, with the help of a her- ! conventional precipitation method, e.g. by atomization, so that ! the gaps are left blank. This gives the same result !did. In the cell according to Figures 1 to 3, the Stromlsiten-

en Removal of coating around the "RFI" scheme, with the letters RFI are connected to one another so that they form an uninterrupted surface, while the rest of the cell forms a forms another, contiguous area, so that the entire cell is divided into two areas, the display area and the area outside of this display area; these surfaces are separated and isolated from one another by the surface between them in which the conductive coating has been destroyed. This division takes place in the conductive coating on the faceplate 12 instead of (the latte closest to the viewer) .. Then become electrical conductors between each conductive coating and a voltage source unri the conductive coating on the

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Back plate, namely coating 10 on the plate 6 connected. This is shown more clearly in FIG. 3. In this figure, the line 18 from an area of conductive coating on the front panel with the "RFI" scheme is connected via a switch 21 to a suitable voltage source 19 and to the conductive coating 10 on the rear panel. Line 16, the line from the other area of the conductive coating on the front panel, namely the area surrounding the diagram, is connected via switch 17 to the voltage source and to the conductive coating on the rear panel. The conductive coating on the back plate 10 is not divided into areas, but is formed uniformly and continuously. The reason for this is that the suspension in the cell can only become activated if a voltage is applied to it, and a voltage can only be applied to it if there is an electrically conductive coating on both sides of the suspension. When the electrically conductive coating at certain points and sections is removed from a glass plate, the particles in the suspension can ■ - are not directed at these points and sections, or the particles can be directed to the column. By removing the current-conducting coating on only one of the two flats, it is achieved that a barrier against current conduction is formed along the gap. The gap divides the parts of the cell on both sides into two separately controllable areas. The single cell, however, has the advantage over two separate cells that a continuous, non-separate layer of fluid suspension is present »S

It is represented a pattern of three letters, of course the sexton can be letters, numbers, words, information, abstract Assume figures or other shapes or forms.

Also, the letters or other characters or the like do not need to be connected to one another, but each can

to form a "/ separated, gesteue; H; e__Fl_äohe.

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When the switches 21 and 17 are open and there is no voltage between the conductive coating with the display pattern or is applied to the conductive coating surrounding the pattern, no light passes through the cell. All faces are completely dark because the particles are not aligned in the suspension. This is vital as it is It is far more effective to suddenly light up a healthy surface on a normally dark surface than the other way around. If, as is the case with known devices, a dark surface suddenly flashes on a light surface, the display is considerably less noticeable because the viewer has already got used to the brightly lit area, and thus the dark area is much less noticeable. However, the visual display of the present invention suddenly gives one Bright surface of light passing through on a normally dark surface, so that a strong contrast effect is achieved.

To produce this visual indication, a voltage is applied between the rear conductive cover and the front conductive cover The coating is applied in that ^ is inserted into switch 21, which forms a circuit between the current-conducting coatings and the energy source closes. Closing this switch causes the display pattern "RFI" of FIG different pattern) suddenly becomes translucent and the rest of the cell (since no voltage is applied to this part remains dark. When a light source, such as a bulb 24, is illuminated through the cell, the light transmitting Pattern area lets through almost all of the light radiation, while the section of the cell that is dark lets almost no light through. : ι This contrast on a bright surface that suddenly appears on a! A dark background is extremely effective in emphasizing the display pattern. The reverse pattern can also be used be generated, i.e. leave the display pattern area dark! is and the surrounding area, which is designated by 23, light-j becomes permeable. This is achieved in that the switch lj is closed and a voltage is applied to the part of the stromleitendeiji Coating is placed, which the pattern and the rear current- ·

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surrounding conductive coating. Light then shines through the entire cell, except for the area that forms the display pattern wearing. The sudden appearance of the light area surrounding the dark display area makes the display area critical emerges. This is almost as effective as illuminating the pattern area, as it suddenly creates a part a dark surface is brightly lit.

In the foregoing, the light source was explained as if it were located in the center directly behind the display; the light or However, the radiation source can also be off-axis in any position, e.g. above or behind the display be. In this way you can look directly through the display without having to look directly at the light source, although the display is illuminated by it.

It can also be a scattering substance, e.g. a plastic diffuser can be provided between the light source and display in order to tone down the influence of the radiation on the display and make it more uniform close. The radiation source can be coherent, incoherent, monochromatic, polychromatic, polarized or in some other way to be changed.

A suitable electronic device (not shown) can also be used. be provided so that the two surfaces, the pattern surface and the surrounding surface, switched on and off quickly can be, so that a rapidly flashing or controllable pulsating Ad is received. In other words, the display area and the rest of the area are illuminated at one interval Leave i dark and in the next interval the remaining area I translucent and the display area dark. This sudden one The bright lighting effect leads to an extremely strong display.

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The connecting segments between the parts of the pattern, e.g., the connections between the letters "RFl", are quite shown in large size to make the graphic representation clearer. However, they can also be made so small that that they are practically invisible.

One embodiment of controlling the relationship between the display and the non-display area is the electrical input and Switch off. However, there are numerous ways of electronic Control the relationship between the two surfaces.

Another display option is shown in FIG. According to the standardized numerical display system, 7 segments are provided through which each of the 10 digits 0-9 can be displayed. This is a 7-line standard numeric display. An alpha-numeric display that shows all letters and numbers can be provided if you have a larger number used by segments. In the standard numerical display of Figure 4, the conductive coating is around each of the surfaces 30 removed, so that 8 separate surfaces are created, namely the 7 of the numerical display and one of the remaining Background area »Each of these separate areas is isolated from the other areas and has separate conductors 40, which in the same way as in connection with the device according to Figures 1, 2 and 3 described run. These lines are then with a corresponding control source 42 and a Energy source, e.g. connected to a voltage source. The energy source works in the same way as those described above, and the control source is operated so that the controller then if it is desired to have a display of a particular number, select which of the 7 areas 30 to form the number should be stimulated. These surfaces then become translucent made so that they stand out brightly from the background. For example, if the number 7 is to be displayed, will A voltage is applied to surfaces 30a, 30b and 30c so that they become transparent during the remainder of the display remains dark. The sudden bright numbers against the

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appear in a dark background, the result is an extremely effective display. The same effect can be achieved with known arrangement genes cannot be achieved in which a normally bright one There is an area of which a part is made dark in order to achieve the display.

£ s is further noted that the entire apparatus shown in FIG. 4 may be composed of solid insulating material, for example glass, and that it is rendered opaque, if desired, [! Said surfaces 30 self-supporting individual cells in! The massive background. Each of these 7 individual cells has electroconductive coatings and contains a fluid suspension. The electrical connection can be the same as in

! Fig. 4, with the exception that no electrical conductor leads to ^{1 of} the background surface, since this surface is solid glass. j The mode of operation of this device is similar to that described above. In the normal, nocturnal excited state, each of the surfaces j 30 is dark, as is the surrounding, impermeable, solid glass background. When a number is to be displayed, i the specific cells 30 for that number are stimulated and provide a bright, effective display.

These alpha-numeric displays can be used with many types of Facilities are used where numerical un. alpha- j numerical readings are required, e.g. in calculating devices, j Calculators, commercial characters, and the like. I.

Fig. 5 shows how a cell can be designed as a shop window, so that if so desired, the the entire window surface can be made naturally permeable, while the display pattern 51 remains dark. The pattern then protrudes from the brightly lit background. With this arrangement When the shop is closed, e.g. at night, the entire window can easily become dark simply because the entire light source is switched off. Then both the window and the display parts go dark. This can be got at th Facilities cannot be reached because the cell

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has to advertise so that it looks dark; she would have to do the whole Stay in operation at night. Also, the known cells that display reflected radiation would not be applicable because they are not translucent and therefore no one would be able to see into the shop during the day.

Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of Figure 6 along the line 7-7 with a multiple effect of light sources in which the rear Glass plate of one becomes the front glass plate of the other. This enables two separate and distinct Ads in the compound line can be obtained. There can also be more than two such cells in a similar fashion can be combined with each other. As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 7, there are three light transmissive plates 42, 44 and 46 provided. The plate 44 is the middle plate and thus as the front glass plate of the cell between the plates 44 and 46, and as the rear glass plate of the cell between plates 42 and 44. Both cells, namely cells 48 and 50, work in genai the same way as the cells described above. However, by achieving the composite cell, two images can be made shown either alternately or together, as indicated in FIG.

The example shown in Fig. 6 is useful in cases in which the display is connected to a reading device, see above that when certain signals are recorded, the word "no" is switched on, while when other signals be recorded, the word "yes" is switched on. The 'arrangement is of course not only related to this lettering Restricts, but can also represent letters, numbers or any other 'desired pattern'.

^: Fig. 8 shows a display pattern in which the entire cell is formed in the same shape as the display itself. Danit is intended to express the diverse design options according to the innovation.

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iFig. 9 shows a display in which a filter 52 over the front
side of the cell is set. The filter filters out certain colors

lousy, while other colors are let through. So can j certain part of the cell can be erased, but j the entire color of the cell can also be changed.

! In addition | to numerous types of polarizers or filters are used, before the display behind her '■ or as part of the display so that the display can be selectively controlled, or so that the display can be achieved in a desired color!. When using two or more filters, parts of the same display can be divided differently.

Fig. 10 shows a cell in which the front and rear strorr conductive coatings 60 and 62 have display patterns. This allows two patterns to be alternated or at the same time in the same As in the case of the multi-layer cell according to FIG. 7 with only one Cell can be achieved.

Since the misalignment of the suspended particles is a function of Brown's vision movement, indicators and information displayed remain displayed according to the present innovation for any period of time, u.zw. by a small fraction one second to minutes or considerably longer, even after the orientation tension or the orientation field decreases is switched by the viscosity of the fluid suspension is kept at a correspondingly high level. j

Furthermore, information with such a display can be secretly via-r wear when a radiation source is used that works with radiation that is outside of the visible Part of the light of the electromagnetic spectrum lies, and by using particles in the suspension that can be oriented and which absorb the type of radiation emitted by the radiation source. For example, an infrared radiation source and display device News and information secretly between places in the countryside, ships

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at sea or missiles in space invisible to the human ^ eye sincu The control of a such radiation can be made by any type of infrared light absorbing particles. Infrared Light absorbing materials such as metallic oxides such as FeO are common in the flat glass industry for infrared control in use.

Furthermore, ultraviolet radiation can similarly be used to display and transmit invisible messages and information be used.

If desired, it is also possible to use the rear translucent To cover the glass plate with a reflective material so that the facility can be illuminated from the front.

Overall, the innovation is extremely effective Method of displaying information.

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Claims (1)

^ir December 7th e ι- e Schut ζ ε η s r> r ν. before . \ JLichtsteuerver; ti ^ to control the permeability of Light from a light source, «robei the light control valve in its. Ir.r.eren a suspension of a finely divided Substance sufv.-eist, whose particles are replaced by an energy file can be oriented to change the light transmittance, characterized in that the walls (2, 4) of the suspension-receiving cavity of the ^L: chtsteuerventiles formed translucent for the excitation of the substance and conducting current and a light-transmissive, electrically conductive covering (10, 12 ) exhibit. 2. Light control valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the translucent, electrically conductive wall or the translucent, electrically conductive covering (10, 12) is discontinuous. 5- light control valve according to claim 2, characterized in that the light-permeable, current-conducting wall or the light-permeable, stroir-conducting covering (10, 12) has a first conductor ( ^Λ 7) with at least two sections. ^ -. Light control valve according to Claim J, characterized in that The first section of the first ladder (12) is a sexton and that the second section forms the pattern of the errtrn Section surrounds. 5. I-Icht control valve according to claim ^l , characterized in that r'pß head (1 ^{| Γ} , " ^η ·) vir-rprp-hpr, a ¹ , the first section r.:.t the two tr r. Head ( 1C] ;: τ t'bcrtrprunp; from energy U, cüc SiiP ^ eriFio: veri i: 'ici, "".ü' ~ *. ^R -ß a veitorer Lei ^! Er vorre-Erh ⁿ n ^ Ft, rrr ' ¹ Cn zv / ^ itpr. RJ ^ chn: "t vvA der. Rv; e: ^f rn head (ί ' ^ν zvt tber't rrrur," vor. Lr.i'V' c:. '■ ^Γ · ιο Si-'t irtnv.z 7211660 08/19/76 Dec. ■ '' V; / Ve 6. light diffuser valve according to claim ^r , characterized rtkenr.ze backrest t that switch (17,? ^) Vcr ~ ese ^v er: are, cie c.ie tTtertragvjr- "of energy in the first and second sections cer errt *" - : Steer the ladder (12). "Γ · Li chts ^ euf rventil nr.ch one, ^ er ArFrr" .ch? ^Λ - f., C: -f arch rekennzeichne "that the first st; rorlei \ er.ee i ^v crzv .; (" T) is divided into the first and second sections by removing the coating between the two sections is. 8. light control valve according to one of claims t - 7, characterized characterized in that the first conductor is divided into a plurality of sections (30, 30a, 30b, 30c ...) which are arranged to be actuated in combinations and form alphanumeric patterns. 9 · Light control valve according to claim C, characterized in that that eight sections are provided, of which si eten are optionally actuated to represent a digit. 10. Light control valve according to claim 1, characterized in that one side of the second wall ('^Z; ) with a strotrleitencen coating "-? Covers that a third V? .Nd (' £) in." He Tihf cer second λ 'βγ. ·' (* '' * ') arranged that cie Be * e <? e ^ cri'.i ^ n Wnnc (' O) in oer "iahe the second. V / ^ nd (' ^{i / ;} ) rit a stroT.l pus. ^ rr, coating verse :, irl, i; nc cr-2 eir.o r.wei ⁴ ; e Ze ¹ Ie ("C),: i ° - .. i" ¹ "oiv.or Si: rreni :: 'c η ^ efü is ^J. , zv.'icchen r? r zwp "te :: λ '·: c (' ■ '■)":' v "der 'γ.'Ί / γ W ^ .rc 7211660 08/19/76 / \ t. O r ~ (p 17- Dec? ^E ; V / We "'. Light control valve according to claim 1C, characterized in that
da3 the 'Jberzur on the other side of the second V / ond (^)
is divided into at least two sections, and that the _; <Sections independently of one another for the formation of patterns; | can be operated sinu. ύ 12. Light control valve according to claim 11, characterized in that | that the first and the second cell are separated from each other which are operable to form separate patterns, and | that these patterns are considered through the first wall (4-2) 1 bar. j 13. Lichtsteuex'ventil according to any one of claims 1-12, characterized in that J characterized in that a filter (52) on the side of the first 1 vJand (^ 5 -2) facing away from the stroialeitenden covering, J ι is arranged. ! 7211660 08/19/76