Microencapsulated liquid crystal and a method and system for using same
OwnerJames L. Fergasoninventor
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Abstract
A liquid crystal device, materials for making the device, and method of making and using the device, and several applications of the device, having memory is responsive to respective inputs to assume respective optical responses; the liquid crystal may be liquid crystal microencapsulated in a containment medium; the memory capability of the device allows the device to hold a prescribed optical response condition even though one of the inputs changes between respective states or values.
Claims17
An article, comprising
- a substrate, and
- microencapsulated liquid crystal material on or in said substrate and comprising liquid crystal in a containment medium, which exhibits memory, is responsive to electric fields to produce one distinguishable output and is responsive to temperature to produce a second distinguishable output,
- the article being made by the process of printing the microencapsulated liquid crystal material on the substrate, and the article being placeable relative to a print head to print information thereon by causing a prescribed distinguishable output by the microencapsulated liquid crystal material.
A method of making a liquid crystal article, comprising applying microencapsulated liquid crystal material that is responsive to electric field or to temperature to a substrate by a process selected from a group consisting of printing, painting, roller coating and spraying, said applying comprising applying smectic liquid crystal material that has memory in a pattern.
A method of indicating the exceeding of a temperature condition or the results of such exceeding, comprising
- setting a microencapsulated liquid crystal device to a condition representative of such temperature condition not having been exceeded,
- selecting the microencapsulated liquid crystal device to respond to the exceeding of such temperature condition and to have memory to maintain the results of such response although the temperature condition returns to a temperature below such exceeded temperature.
Method of aligning a liquid crystal material or causing a prescribed optical mode or condition of liquid crystal material, the liquid crystal material being in a containment medium and having memory, comprising
- effecting relative movement between the liquid crystal material in a containment medium and a print head, and
- using the print head applying energy to the liquid crystal material in a containment medium.
Method of aligning a liquid crystal material or causing a prescribed viewably discernable optical mode or condition of liquid crystal material, the liquid crystal material being in a containment medium and having memory, comprising
- effecting relative movement between the liquid crystal material in a containment medium and a print head for applying electromagnetic energy to the liquid crystal material in a containment medium, and
- applying electromagnetic energy to the liquid crystal material.
A label article, comprising
- liquid crystal means in or on a label type substrate for providing at least two distinguishable outputs, said liquid crystal means including liquid crystal in a containment medium, said liquid crystal means having memory, being responsive to temperature to provide one distinguishable output, and being responsive to electric field to produce the other distinguishable output, wherein the liquid crystal in a containment medium is on or in the substrate and wherein the label article is placeable relative to a print head to apply input to the liquid crystal material to cause a distinguishable output to display information.
A method of labeling a product, comprising
- applying to the product a label comprising liquid crystal means for providing at least two distinguishable outputs, respectively, based on temperature and electric field, said liquid crystal means including liquid crystal in a containment medium, said liquid crystal means having memory, further comprising using a thermal print head to apply thermal input to the label to cause a distinguishable output to display information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.