JPS5925224B2 - Variable electrode of electrostatic display device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, a fixed electrode and a variable electrode are disposed opposite to each other with a dielectric layer interposed therebetween, and the variable electrode is moved by an attractive state in which an electrostatic force acts between the two electrodes and the elasticity of the variable electrode itself. The present invention relates to an electrostatic display device that electrically selects between two restored states and a restored state to display a switching display.

Such an electrostatic display device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 50-95310.
It has already been filed as Japanese Patent Application No. 51-62190, and there is a wrapped type in which a flat variable electrode is attracted to a curved fixed electrode, and an elongated type in which a rolled variable electrode is attracted to a flat fixed electrode. There is a type. In either type, the variable electrode usually uses a metallized film made by depositing a thin film of metal such as aluminum on a plastic sheet several microns thick, so coloring, figures, and patterns on the surface of the variable electrode are described below. It was extremely difficult for these reasons.

In other words, the thickness of the metallized film is extremely thin, only a few microns, so if the surface is colored with paint, the thickness of the paint layer will be at least 10 microns, making the entire film thicker and causing physical problems such as increasing the spring constant. cause a significant change in the nature of the Furthermore, since the thickness of the vapor-deposited metal layer of the metallized film is extremely thin, ranging from several 100 λ to 1000 λ, it is impossible to impart coloration through chemical treatment that would form an oxide or sulfide film. Furthermore, it is conceivable to use a chromatic material for the core material of the film or the metal material itself, but since both are extremely thin, it is difficult to color them so clearly that they can be recognized with the naked eye. The present invention uses the conventional metallized film as it is, while
The object of the present invention is to provide a variable electrode whose surface is colored or the like without significantly increasing the spring constant. To this end, the present invention provides a variable electrode whose surface is colored, etc., without significantly increasing the spring constant. It is characterized by being coated with a coloring substance discontinuously.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention regarding a wrap-around type electrostatic display device will be described with reference to FIG.

A cylindrical fixed electrode 2 having a curved surface is mounted on a base 1, and a variable electrode 3 is installed adjacent to the fixed electrode 2 and whose plane is parallel to the central axis of the curved surface of the fixed electrode 2. One end 4 of is fixed to the base 1, and the other end 5 is a free end.

This variable electrode 3 is made by depositing a metal 3B such as aluminum on both sides of a core 3A made of a thin film of an elastic polymer such as polyester, and the fixed electrode 2 and the variable electrode 3 face opposite surfaces. A dielectric layer 6 is provided on one or both of the electrodes, and a voltage can be applied between the two electrodes by a power source 7, a control switch 8, and lead wires 9, 9. Now, when no voltage is applied, the variable electrode 3 is in the reset state as shown in the figure, and its free end 5 is open until it is at least parallel to the display direction V, but when a voltage is applied, Due to the electrostatic force acting between both electrodes, the variable electrode 3 is attracted to the curved surface of the fixed electrode 2 sequentially from the contact point A, and instantaneously, as shown by the two-dot chain line, the variable electrode 3 is attracted to the curved surface of the fixed electrode 2 all the way to the free end 5. It wraps around and sticks to it.

Therefore, when the appearance of the surface of the dielectric layer 6 and the surface of the variable electrode 3 in the suction state, such as light reflectance, color, character pattern, etc., are different, it is possible to switch between these two states to produce a desired display. can. The characteristic part of the present invention is the coating structure on the surface of the variable electrode 3 in the suction state, as shown in FIG. 2 in the restored state of part B and in FIG. 3 as an enlarged view of the suction state, in which the colored material 10 is It is painted discontinuously along the curved direction.

FIG. 4 shows a partially enlarged front view of a case where dotted coating is applied as an example of a coating structure.

The preferred size of each colored point depends on the overall size of the display device, the purpose of use, the applied voltage, the structure of the variable electrode, etc. For example, is the display area a number? 30 to 50 points in 1 inch (25.4m2)
The ratio of the colored part to the total display area is 40 to 5.
0%. As another example of the coating structure, it is possible to have a shape elongated in the direction of the axis of curvature as shown in FIG. 5, or a striped shape continuous in the direction of the axis of curvature as shown in FIG.

According to the present invention, although the colored material is thick, it is not continuous along the curved direction, so the elastic spring constant of the variable electrode hardly increases, and therefore the applied voltage can be increased. Alternatively, it has become possible to color the variable electrode without reducing the response speed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view of section B in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the suction state of that portion. FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6 are partially enlarged views of the variable electrode surface. 2... Fixed electrode, 3... Variable electrode, 6... Dielectric layer, 7... Power supply, 8... Control switch , 10...Coloring material.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fixed electrode, a variable electrode with elasticity attached adjacent to the fixed electrode, and a dielectric layer provided on the variable electrode side surface of the fixed electrode or the fixed electrode side surface of the variable electrode. and a means for applying a voltage between the fixed electrode and the variable electrode, and by applying the voltage, the variable electrode is electrostatically attracted to the surface of the fixed electrode and brought into close contact with the surface of the fixed electrode. In an electrostatic display device configured to clearly change its appearance, a colored material is coated substantially discontinuously along the curved direction of the surface of the variable electrode opposite to the fixed electrode side. Features variable electrodes of electrostatic display devices.