Electrowetting element with controlled fluid motion
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsBokke Johannes FEENSTRA, Roy VAN DIJK, Robert HAYES
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrowetting element includes a first fluid and a second fluid and a support plate having a first surface adjoining less than all of a perimeter of a second surface. The first surface has a wettability for the first fluid lower than a wettability of the second surface for the first fluid. An electrode is associated with the support plate for use in applying a voltage for switching the first and second fluids between a first configuration with the first fluid adjoining a first area of the second surface; and a second configuration with the first fluid adjoining a second area of the second surface, the second area being smaller than the first area.
Claims20
An electrowetting element comprising:
- a first fluid;
- a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid;
- a support plate having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface adjoining less than all of a perimeter of the second surface, the first surface having a wettability for the first fluid lower than a wettability of the second surface for the first fluid;
- and
- an electrode associated with the support plate for use in applying a voltage to control a configuration of the first and second fluids,
- wherein the first and second fluids are switchable between:
- a first configuration of the first and second fluids, without application of a voltage using the electrode, with the first fluid adjoining a first area of the second surface;
- and
- a second configuration of the first and second fluids, with application of a voltage using the electrode, with the first fluid adjoining a second area of the second surface, the second area being smaller than the first area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.