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US 10,962,816 B2Granted
Flexible color-changing fibers and fabrics
AssigneesE Ink Corporation, Advanced Functional Fabrics of America, Inc.
InventorsRichard J. Paolini, Jr., Mihai Ibanescu, Yoel Fink, Michael Rein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A color-changing flexible fiber that can be incorporated into fabrics and other woven materials. The color changing flexible fibers are hollow and include at least two wire electrodes integrated into the wall of the hollow fiber that provide an electrical potential across an electro-optic medium disposed inside the hollow fiber. The electro-optic medium includes a non-polar solvent and at least one set of charged particles.
Claims14
A flexible color-changing fiber comprising:
- a hollow fiber having a rectangular cross-section and comprising four electrically-isolated conductive wires that are integrated into the wall of the hollow fiber, wherein the wires are located about ¼ the width of a larger inner dimension of the rectangular cross section inward from the inner edge of the wall of the hollow fiber;
- and
- a bistable electro-optic medium disposed inside the hollow fiber, the bistable electro-optic medium comprising a non-polar solvent, first charged electrophoretic pigment particles, second charged electrophoretic pigment particles having a charge and color different from the first charged electrophoretic pigment particles, polymer stabilizers, and charge control agents,
- wherein the first charged electrophoretic pigment particles move toward two of the electrically-isolated conductive wires when an electric field is applied between the two sets of two electrically-isolated conductive wires, wherein the second charged electrophoretic pigment particles move away from the two electrically-isolated conductive wires that the first charged electrophoretic pigment particles move toward when an electric field is applied between the two sets of two electrically-isolated conductive wires, and
- wherein the first and second charged electrophoretic pigment particles maintain their position relative to the electrically-isolated conductive wires when an electric field is not applied between the two sets of two electrically-isolated conductive wires.
2 more elements
A flexible color-changing fiber comprising:
- a hollow fiber having a rectangular cross-section and comprising four electrically-isolated conductive wires that are integrated into the wall of the hollow fiber, wherein the wires are located about ¼ the width of a larger inner dimension of the rectangular cross section inward from the inner edge of the wall of the hollow fiber;
- a bistable electro-optic medium disposed inside the hollow fiber, the bistable electro-optic medium comprising a non-polar solvent, first charged electrophoretic pigment particles, second charged electrophoretic pigment particles having a charge and color different from the first charged electrophoretic pigment particles, polymer stabilizers, and charge control agents,
- wherein the first charged electrophoretic pigment particles move toward two of the electrically-isolated conductive wires when an electric field is applied between the two sets of two electrically-isolated conductive wires, wherein the second charged electrophoretic pigment particles move away from the two electrically-isolated conductive wires that the first charged electrophoretic pigment particles move toward when an electric field is applied between the two sets of two electrically-isolated conductive wires, and
- wherein the first and second charged electrophoretic pigment particles maintain their position relative to the electrically-isolated conductive wires when an electric field is not applied between the two sets of two electrically-isolated conductive wires;
- and
- one or more features providing lensing effects.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.