Dynamically-variable graphic material using electrostatically attracted particles

Abstract

Dynamically-variable graphic displays, including a panel comprised of a plurality of electrostatic particles and a plurality of electrodynamic contacts supported within a nonconductive substrate, wherein each electrostatic particle is situated within a channel in the nonconductive substrate such that the nonconductive substrate comprises a plurality of channels oriented in one direction. Also included within the invention are dynamically-variable graphic display panels comprising electrostatic particles that each comprise a plurality of sectors, each having a different color and a fixed magnetic polarity relative to said sectors, and a plurality of electrodynamic contacts, each contact located adjacent to an electrostatic particle and positioned for interaction with one of the electrostatic particles.

1 . A visual display apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of electrostatic particles;   a plurality of electrodynamic contacts, each electrodynamic contact located adjacent to one electrostatic particles; and   a nonconductive substrate;   wherein the plurality of electrostatic particles and the plurality of electrodynamic contacts are supported within the nonconductive substrate;   wherein the nonconductive substrate forms a panel, said panel having a plurality of perforations to define a perforation pattern and a non-perforated area, said perforation pattern and non-perforated area being complementary areas of the panel;   wherein said perforation pattern is substantially transparent and is between 25% and 75% of the panel's total area; and   wherein each electrostatic sphere of the plurality of electrostatic spheres is situated on one side of the panel within the non-perforated area of the panel such that the nonconductive substrate comprises a plurality of pixels, all said pixels being oriented in one direction.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, each particle comprises at least two sectors, each sector being a color, wherein no two sectors on a given electrostatic particle are an identical color. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each said pixel of the plurality of pixels contains a plurality of electrostatic particles. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the perforation pattern is roughly 50% of the panel's total area. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein, each particle comprises at least two sectors, each sector being a color, wherein no two sectors on a given electrostatic particle are an identical color. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein each said pixel of the plurality of pixels contains a plurality of electrostatic particles. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of electrostatic particles comprises a first group of electrostatic particles having a first electrical dipole and a second group of electrostatic particles having a second electrical dipole. 
     
     
         8 . A visual display apparatus comprising:
 a first plurality of electrostatic spheres;   a plurality of electrodynamic contacts, each electrodynamic contact located adjacent to one electrostatic sphere of said first plurality of electrostatic spheres; and   a nonconductive substrate;   wherein the first plurality of electrostatic spheres and the plurality of electrodynamic contacts are supported within the nonconductive substrate; and   wherein the nonconductive substrate forms a panel, said panel having a plurality of perforations to define a perforation pattern and a non-perforated area, said perforation pattern and non-perforated area being complementary areas of the panel, and said perforation pattern being substantially transparent;   wherein said perforation pattern is substantially transparent and is between 25% and 75% of the panel's total area; and   wherein each electrostatic sphere of the plurality of electrostatic spheres is situated within the non-perforated area of the panel such that the nonconductive substrate comprises a plurality of pixels, all said pixels being oriented in one direction.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein each electrostatic sphere comprises at least two sectors, each sector being a color, wherein no two sectors on a given electrostatic particle are an identical color. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein each said pixel of the plurality of pixels contains a plurality of electrostatic spheres. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the perforation pattern is roughly 50% of the panel's total area. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each electrostatic spheres comprises at least two sectors, each sector being a color, wherein no two sectors on a given electrostatic particle are an identical color. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each said pixel of the plurality of pixels contains a plurality of electrostatic spheres. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each said pixel of the plurality of pixels contains a second plurality of electrostatic spheres, said second plurality being a subgroup of said first plurality of electrostatic spheres, said second plurality of electrostatic spheres comprising more than one electrostatic sphere of said first plurality of electrostatic spheres. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said second plurality of electrostatic spheres comprises a first group of electrostatic spheres having a first magnetic polarity and a second group of electrostatic spheres having a second magnetic polarity. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said first group of electrostatic particles is a first color and said second group of electrostatic particles is a second color. 
     
     
         17 . A visual display apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of electrostatic particles, each electrostatic particle comprising a plurality of sectors, each sector being a unique color for said particle, each said particle having a fixed magnetic polarity relative to said plurality of sectors;   a plurality of electrodynamic contacts, each electrodynamic contact located adjacent to one of the electrostatic particles, positioned for interaction therewith, and connected to a control switch;   a nonconductive substrate; and   a programmable control module, operably connected to the electrodynamic contacts,   wherein the nonconductive substrate forms a panel, said panel having a plurality of perforations to form a perforation pattern and a non-perforated area, said perforation pattern and non-perforated area being complementary areas of the panel, and said perforation pattern being substantially transparent;   wherein said perforation pattern is substantially transparent and is between 25% and 75% of the panel's total area; and   wherein the plurality of electrostatic particles and the plurality of electrodynamic contacts are situated on one side of the panel, within the non-perforated area of the panel of the nonconductive substrate and supported by the panel.   
     
     
         18 . The display of  claim 17  wherein each electrostatic particle is encased in a transparent shell. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein each transparent shell is fixed within a pixel of a plurality of pixels evenly distributed across a surface of said panel. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the perforation pattern is roughly 50% of the panel's total area.