Electrowetting element with shaped support plate surface portion
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsGor Manukyan, Petrus Maria De Greef
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrowetting element comprises a first fluid and a second fluid. A support plate surface has a first surface portion lying in a first plane, and a second surface portion lying in a second plane different from the first plane. The second surface portion comprises a first side, a second side, and a third side extending from the first side to the second side. The third side is located between the first surface portion and the second surface portion, with a first part of the third side non-perpendicular to the first side. A wall corresponds with a perimeter of the surface, the wall comprising: a first wall portion extending along the first side; and a second wall portion extending along the second side.
Claims26
An electrowetting element comprising:
- a first fluid;
- a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid;
- a support plate comprising:
- a first electrode;
- a hydrophobic layer comprising a surface in contact with at least one of the first fluid or the second fluid, the surface of the hydrophobic layer comprising:
- a first surface portion lying in a first plane, and
- a second surface portion lying in a second plane different from the first plane, the second surface portion comprising:
- a first side;
- a second side;
- a third side extending from the first side to the second side, the third side located between the first surface portion and the second surface portion, a first part of the third side non-perpendicular to the first side;
- and
- a fourth side extending from the first side to the second side;
- and
- a wall corresponding with a perimeter of the surface of the hydrophobic layer, the wall comprising:
- a first wall portion extending along the first side;
- a second wall portion extending along the second side;
- and
- a third wall portion extending along the fourth side of the second surface portion.
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrowetting element comprising:
- a first fluid;
- a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid;
- a support plate comprising:
- a first electrode;
- a hydrophobic layer comprising a surface in contact with at least one of the first fluid or the second fluid, the surface of the hydrophobic layer comprising:
- a first surface portion lying in a first plane, and
- a second surface portion lying in a second plane different from the first plane, the second surface portion comprising:
- a first side;
- a second side;
- a third side extending from the first side to the second side, the third side located between the first surface portion and the second surface portion, a first part of the third side non-perpendicular to the first side;
- and
- a fourth side extending from the first side to the second side;
- and
- a wall corresponding with a perimeter of the surface of the hydrophobic layer, the wall comprising:
- a first wall portion extending along the first side;
- a second wall portion extending along the second side;
- and
- a third wall portion extending along the fourth side of the second surface portion;
- at least one processor;
- and
- at least one memory comprising computer program instructions, the at least one memory and the computer program instructions configured to, with the at least one processor, control operation of the electrowetting element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.