Semi-finished display panels

Abstract

This application is directed to electrophoretic displays and semi-finished display panels comprising display cells prepared from the microcup and top-sealing technologies. The semi-finished display panel comprises an array of display cells sandwiched between two temporary substrate layers, between a temporary substrate layer and a conductor layer or between a temporary substrate layer and a permanent substrate layer, wherein said display cells are filled with an electrophoretic fluid and top-sealed with a polymeric sealing layer formed from a top-sealing composition which is being hardened while on top of the electrophoretic fluid.

1 . A semi-finished display panel comprising an array of display cells sandwiched between two temporary substrate layers, between a temporary substrate layer and a conductor layer or between a temporary substrate layer and a permanent substrate layer, wherein said display cells are filled with an electrophoretic fluid and top-sealed with a polymeric sealing layer formed from a top-sealing composition which is being hardened while on top of the electrophoretic fluid.  
   
   
       2 . The semi-finished display panel of  claim 1 , wherein said top-sealing composition is a thermoplastic or thermoset precursor composition.  
   
   
       3 . The semi-finished display panel of  claim 2 , wherein said thermoplastic or thermoset precursor composition comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvalent acrylates or methacrylates, cyanoacrylates, polyvalent vinyls, polyvalent epoxides, polyvalent isocyanates, polyvalent allyls, and oligomers or polymers comprising a crosslinkable functional group.  
   
   
       4 . The semi-finished display panel of  claim 1 , which panel is in the form of a roll.  
   
   
       5 . The semi-finished display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the conductor layer or the permanent substrate layer comprises an auxiliary layer.  
   
   
       6 . The semi-finished display panel of  claim 5 , wherein said auxiliary layer is a color filter layer, an anti-smudge layer, an anti-glare layer or an anti-scratch layer.  
   
   
       7 . A process for the preparation of a semi-finished display panel, which process comprises the steps of: 
 a) forming microcups on a temporary substrate layer,    b) filling the microcups with an electrophoretic fluid,    c) top-sealing the filled microcups with a top-sealing composition which is being hardened while on top of the electrophoretic fluid, and    d) applying a conductor layer or a permanent substrate layer onto the top-sealed microcups.    
   
   
       8 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the hardening in step c) is carried out by solvent evaporation, interfacial reaction, radiation, heat or moisture.  
   
   
       9 . A process for the manufacture of a semi-finished display panel, which process comprises the steps of: 
 a) forming microcups on a conductor layer or a permanent substrate layer,    b) filling the microcups with an electrophoretic fluid,    c) top-sealing the filled microcups with a top-sealing composition which is being hardened while on top of the electrophoretic fluid, and    d) applying a temporary substrate layer onto the top-sealed microcups.    
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the hardening in step c) is carried out by solvent evaporation, interfacial reaction, radiation, heat or moisture.  
   
   
       11 . A process for the manufacture of a multi-color semi-finished display panel, which process comprises the steps of: 
 a) forming microcups on a temporary substrate layer,    b) laminating or coating the microcups with a layer of a positive photoresist,    c) imagewise exposing the positive photoresist to selectively open the microcups in a predetermined area,    d) filling the opened microcups with an electrophoretic fluid of a first color,    e) top-sealing the microcups filled with said electrophoretic fluid of the first color,    f) repeating steps c) to e) in different areas to generate microcups filled with electrophoretic fluids of different colors,    g) removing residual positive photoresist, if any, and    h) applying a conductor layer or a permanent substrate layer onto the top-sealed microcups.    
   
   
       12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the sealing step e) is carried out by hardening a top-sealing composition while it is on top of the electrophoretic fluid.  
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the hardening is carried out by solvent evaporation, interfacial reaction, radiation, heat or moisture.  
   
   
       14 . A process for the manufacture of a multi-color semi-finished display panel, which process comprises the steps of: 
 a) forming microcups on a conductor layer or a permanent substrate layer,    b) laminating or coating the microcups with a layer of a positive photoresist,    c) imagewise exposing the positive photoresist to selectively open the microcups in a predetermined area,    d) filling the opened microcups with an electrophoretic fluid of a first color,    e) top-sealing the microcups filled with the electrophoretic fluid of the first color,    f) repeating steps c) to e) in different areas to generate microcups filled with electrophoretic fluids of different colors,    g) removing residual positive photoresist, if any, and    h) applying a temporary substrate layer onto the top-sealed microcups.    
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the sealing step e) is carried out by hardening a top-sealing composition while it is on top of the electrophoretic fluid.  
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the hardening is carried out by solvent evaporation, interfacial reaction, radiation, heat or moisture.