High-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device

Abstract

The invention provides a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device. The device includes a substrate, a first base layer, a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a liquid crystal layer, and a second base layer. The first base layer is disposed on the substrate. The first conductive layer is arranged on the side, away from the substrate, of the first base body layer. The second conductive layer is opposite to the first conductive layer. The liquid crystal layer is arranged between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. The second substrate layer is arranged on the side, away from the liquid crystal layer, of the second conductive layer. The liquid crystal layer comprises a cholesteric liquid crystal mixture and a plurality of partition plates. A plurality of grids are defined on the partition plates, and the cholesteric liquid crystal mixture is filled in the grids.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of liquid crystal handwriting devices, and in particular to a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device. Background Art

[0002] With the advancement of science and technology, the application scenarios of handwritten liquid crystal devices are becoming increasingly extensive. Current handwritten liquid crystal devices are generally provided with a first base layer, a first conductive layer, a liquid crystal layer, a second conductive layer, a second base layer, and a substrate in this order. The liquid crystal layer is generally composed of a mixture of cholesteric liquid crystal, a chiral agent, and glue. By adjusting the content of the chiral agent, the cholesteric liquid crystal can be made to reflect light of a specific wavelength, allowing the handwritten liquid crystal device to display different colors during use. The glue is usually mixed with the prepared cholesteric liquid crystal and then fixed with UV light to produce a polymerization reaction, ultimately forming a liquid crystal layer. The glue also ensures that the upper and lower surfaces of the liquid crystal layer are in close contact with the first and second conductive layers.

[0003] Handwriting liquid crystal devices are based on the bi-stable properties of cholesteric liquid crystals. When writing begins, the cholesteric liquid crystal molecules flow and align in the P state, reflecting incident light. At this point, if the background is black, the writing appears and can be seen. The color of the writing is determined by the wavelength of the reflected light. When the liquid crystal molecules align in the Fc state, they scatter the incident light, and the background color is observed as black.

[0004] In existing handwriting LCD devices, glue must be added to the liquid crystal layer to initiate polymerization and contact with the conductive layer. However, the network structure formed by the glue polymerization reaction can significantly affect the brightness of the writing. This is because the refractive index of the glue differs from that of the liquid crystal, and the glue affects the brightness of the reflected writing due to scattering. Furthermore, the cholesteric liquid crystals in the liquid crystal layer are difficult to separate from the glue. The degree of cholesteric liquid crystal separation is closely related to the display quality of the writing. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device. The high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device comprises: a substrate, a first substrate layer, a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a liquid crystal layer, and a second substrate layer. The first substrate layer is disposed on the substrate. The first conductive layer is disposed on the side of the first substrate layer away from the substrate. The second conductive layer is opposite the first conductive layer. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first and second conductive layers. The second substrate layer is disposed on the side of the second conductive layer away from the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer comprises a cholesteric liquid crystal mixture and a plurality of partitions, wherein the upper end of each of the plurality of partitions contacts the second conductive layer, and the lower end of each of the partitions contacts the first conductive layer. The plurality of partitions are provided with a plurality of grids, and the cholesteric liquid crystal mixture is filled in each of the grids. The cholesteric liquid crystal mixture is obtained by mixing nematic liquid crystals, a chiral agent, and microparticles.

[0006] In some embodiments, the plurality of partitions are connected to define a plurality of regular hexagonal cells.

[0007] In some embodiments, the plurality of partitions are connected to define a plurality of regular tetragonal lattices.

[0008] In some embodiments, the separator has a thickness of less than 40 microns.

[0009] In some embodiments, the spacer is disposed perpendicular to the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

[0010] In some embodiments, the spacers are formed from curing glue.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are transparent conductive electrodes.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first base layer and the second base layer are transparent base layers.

[0013] In some embodiments, the substrate is a black substrate or a transparent substrate.

[0014] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for preparing a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device. The method comprises: providing a first base layer and a second base layer; disposing a first conductive layer on the first base layer and a second conductive layer on the second base layer; forming a plurality of spacers on the first conductive layer, wherein the plurality of spacers define a plurality of grids; preparing a liquid crystal mixture comprising twisted nematic (TN) liquid crystals, a chiral agent, and microparticles; filling the plurality of grids with the liquid crystal mixture; covering the plurality of spacers and the plurality of grids with the second base layer and the second conductive layer, wherein the second conductive layer is in close contact with the plurality of spacers; and disposing the second base layer on a substrate.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first base layer and the second base layer are transparent film layers.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first base layer and the second base layer are transparent PET films.

[0017] In some embodiments, the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are ITO conductive layers.

[0018] In some embodiments, the plurality of partitions are formed by a mold using a light-curing adhesive.

[0019] In some embodiments, the substrate is a black substrate or a transparent substrate.

[0020] In some embodiments, the plurality of spacers are connected to define a plurality of regular hexagonal cells.

[0021] In some embodiments, the plurality of spacers are connected to define a plurality of regular tetragonal lattices.

[0022] In some embodiments, the separator has a thickness of less than 40 microns.

[0023] In some embodiments, the spacer is disposed perpendicular to the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly explain the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following will briefly refer to the drawings required to describe the embodiments. The drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and those skilled in the art can make other drawings without creative work.

[0025] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of a highlight handwriting liquid crystal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a top view of the liquid crystal layer of the highlight handwriting liquid crystal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 3 FIG. 4 is another top view of the liquid crystal layer of the highlight handwriting liquid crystal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 4 FIG. 2 is another structural diagram of the highlight handwriting liquid crystal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making any creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0030] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present disclosure involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, and back), such directional indications are only used to explain the relative positional relationship, movement, etc. between the components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0031] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but they must be based on the fact that they can be implemented by ordinary technicians in this field. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present disclosure.

[0032] As used herein, the terms "and" and "or" may include and are intended to have a variety of meanings that depend, at least in part, on the context in which the terms are used. Generally, "or," if used in an associative list, such as A, B, or C, means A, B, and C, as used herein in an inclusive sense, and A, B, or C, as used herein in an exclusive sense. Additionally, the term "one or more," as used herein, may be used to describe any feature, structure, or characteristic in the singular, or may be used to describe some combination of features, structures, or characteristics. However, it should be noted that this is merely an illustrative example, and the claimed subject matter is not limited to this example. Additionally, the term "at least one," if used in an associative list, such as A, B, or C, may be interpreted to mean any combination of A, B, and / or C, such as A, AB, AA, AAB, AABBCCC, etc.

[0033] In the description of this disclosure, unless otherwise explicitly defined or limited, terms such as "connected to," "connected to," "mounted," and "fixed" should be understood broadly, for example, to mean fixedly connected, detachably connected, or mechanically or electrically connected as a whole; directly connected, indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, connected within two elements, or interacting between two elements. Those skilled in the art will understand that, depending on the specific circumstances, the above terms may be understood as specific meanings in this application.

[0034] Please refer to Figure 1 A high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device is provided. The high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device includes a substrate 100, a first substrate layer 200, a first conductive layer 300, a liquid crystal layer 400, a second conductive layer 500, and a second substrate layer 600. The first substrate layer 200 is disposed on the substrate 100. The first conductive layer 300 is disposed on a side of the first substrate layer 200 away from the substrate 100. The second conductive layer 500 is opposite to the first conductive layer 300, and the liquid crystal layer 400 is disposed between the first conductive layer 300 and the second conductive layer 500. The second substrate layer 600 is disposed on a side of the second conductive layer 500 away from the liquid crystal layer 400.

[0035] The liquid crystal layer 400 includes a liquid crystal mixture and a plurality of spacers 401. The upper end of each spacer 401 contacts the second conductive layer 500. The lower end of each spacer 401 contacts the first conductive layer 300. A plurality of grids 402 are formed on the spacers 401, and the liquid crystal mixture fills each grid 402. This allows the handwriting liquid crystal device to be adjusted to any desired size.

[0036] Please refer to Figure 2 In this embodiment, the plurality of partitions 401 are connected to define a plurality of regular hexagonal grids. That is, the shape of each grid of the plurality of grids 402 is a regular hexagon. Figure 1 , the partition 401 is arranged between the first conductive layer 300 and the second conductive layer 500, and is arranged perpendicular to the first conductive layer 300 and the second conductive layer 500. The heights of the grids 402 are the same, and the same height of the grids 402 can ensure that the entire liquid crystal layer 400 has a uniform height. The thickness of the partition 401 is made relatively thin to prevent handwriting from being affected by the partition 401. That is, when writing with the device, handwriting that crosses the grid is detected; alternatively, due to the thin thickness of the partition 401, handwriting that crosses the partition 401 is not easily detected. In this way, the handwriting is continuous. In an embodiment, the thickness of the partition 401 is less than 40 microns.

[0037] Reference Figure 3In another embodiment, the plurality of partitions 401 are connected to define a plurality of regular quadrilateral grids. In other words, the shape of each of the plurality of grids 402 is a regular quadrilateral.

[0038] In this embodiment, the plurality of partitions 401 are formed by curing glue, which is a mixed polymer, typically a UV curing glue.

[0039] Furthermore, the liquid crystal mixture is formed by mixing liquid crystal, chiral agent and microparticles.

[0040] In this embodiment, nematic liquid crystals are preferably mixed with chiral agents to form cholesteric liquid crystals. The microparticles are preferably silicon spheres. The prepared cholesteric liquid crystals are mixed with the microparticles to form the liquid crystal mixture described in this embodiment. The contents of cholesteric liquid crystals, microparticles and liquid crystal mixture are specifically quantified according to actual needs and will not be elaborated on here. The microparticles used are selective to a certain extent. In the embodiment, the particle size of the microparticles used must match the particle size of the liquid crystal molecules. Secondly, the refractive index of the selected microparticles must be lower than the refractive index of the glue. The role of the microparticles is that the microparticles can not only maintain the consistency of the height of the lattice, but also stabilize the liquid crystal mixture in the lattice to prevent the liquid crystal mixture from sinking to the bottom.

[0041] In this embodiment, both the first conductive layer 300 and the second conductive layer 500 are transparent conductive electrodes made of indium tin oxide (ITO). The first base layer 200 and the second base layer 600 are transparent PET film layers. The first conductive layer 300 is electroplated on the side of the first base layer 200 closest to the liquid crystal layer 400. The second conductive layer 500 is electroplated on the side of the second base layer 600 closest to the liquid crystal layer 400. The second conductive layer 500 serves as a transmitting electrode, while the first conductive layer 300 serves as a receiving electrode. This creates a stable electric field between the second conductive layer 500 and the first conductive layer 300. This electric field allows the liquid crystal layer 400 to be stably driven to change state.

[0042] Reference Figure 1 In this embodiment, the black substrate 600 includes a black matrix. Utilizing the bistability of cholesteric liquid crystal, when the cholesteric liquid crystal molecules are arranged in the P state, they reflect incident light. When the black matrix of substrate 600 is black, writing is displayed, and the color of the writing is determined by the wavelength of the reflected light. When the liquid crystal molecules are arranged in the Fc state, they scatter incident light, and the color of substrate 600 (i.e., the color of the black matrix) is observed.

[0043] Reference Figure 4In another embodiment, the substrate on which the first base layer 200 is provided is a transparent adhesive layer 700. The high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device can be used on colored surfaces such as walls and boards with different background colors. With the transparent adhesive layer 700, the color of the writing changes depending on the background color used, which increases the appeal of the high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device.

[0044] According to the present disclosure, a liquid crystal layer is divided into multiple grids using multiple partitions, and then a liquid crystal mixture is filled into each of these grids. The liquid crystal mixture provided by the present disclosure acts as a bond without the need for glue, rendering the liquid crystal layer unaffected by the refractive index of the glue, significantly improving the brightness of the handwriting. The multiple partitions also enhance the stability of the handwriting liquid crystal device. Because the partitions are connected to define a plurality of polygonal grids, each of which is filled with the liquid crystal mixture, the handwriting liquid crystal device can be adjusted to any desired size.

[0045] A method for preparing a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device is provided. The method may include the following steps.

[0046] Step 1: Select transparent PET films as the first base layer 200 and the second base layer 600 respectively, electroplate an ITO conductive layer on one side of the first base layer 200 to obtain the first conductive layer 300, and electroplate an ITO conductive layer on one side of the second base layer 600 to obtain the second conductive layer 500.

[0047] Step 2: A plurality of partitions 401 are formed on the first conductive layer 300 using a mold using a light-curing glue, and the plurality of partitions 401 define a plurality of grids 402 .

[0048] Step 3: preparing the liquid crystal mixture by mixing cholesteric liquid crystals and microparticles, wherein the cholesteric liquid crystals are obtained by TN-type liquid crystals and a chiral agent.

[0049] Step 4: Fill the liquid crystal mixture into the grids 402 formed on the partition 401.

[0050] Step 5: Place the second base layer 600 and the second conductive layer 500 above the spacer 401 and the grid 402 , and make the second conductive layer 500 in close contact with the spacer 401 .

[0051] Step 6: Disposing the second base layer 500 on the substrate 100 .

[0052] The above steps are a brief description of the method for manufacturing the highlight handwriting liquid crystal device in the present disclosure, and the order of steps 1 to 6 should not be interpreted as limiting the present disclosure.

[0053] The methods, systems, and devices discussed herein are examples. Various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various programs or components as appropriate. For example, features described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and elements of the embodiments may be combined in a similar manner. The various components of the figures provided herein may be implemented in hardware and / or software. Furthermore, technology is evolving, and therefore, many elements are examples that do not limit the scope of this disclosure to those specific examples.

[0054] While several embodiments have been described, various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims. For example, the elements described above may simply be components of a larger system, where other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify the application of the various embodiments. Furthermore, various steps may be performed before, during, or after consideration of the elements described above. Therefore, the above description does not limit the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device, comprising: substrate; a first base layer, the first base layer being disposed on the substrate; a first conductive layer, the first conductive layer being disposed on a side of the first base layer away from the substrate; a second conductive layer, the second conductive layer being opposite to the first conductive layer; a liquid crystal layer, wherein the liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; as well as a second base layer, the second base layer being arranged on a side of the second conductive layer away from the liquid crystal layer; The liquid crystal layer includes a cholesteric liquid crystal mixture and a plurality of partitions, the upper end of each of the plurality of partitions is in contact with the second conductive layer, the lower end of each of the plurality of partitions is in contact with the first conductive layer, a plurality of grids are provided on the plurality of partitions, and the cholesteric liquid crystal mixture is filled in the plurality of grids; the cholesteric liquid crystal mixture is obtained by mixing nematic liquid crystals, chiral agents and microparticles.

2. The high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of partitions are connected to define a plurality of regular hexagonal grids.

3. The high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of partitions are connected to define a plurality of regular tetragonal grids.

4. The high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The separator has a thickness of less than 40 microns.

5. The high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The partition is disposed perpendicular to the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

6. The high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The partitions are formed by curing glue.

7. The high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are transparent conductive electrodes.

8. The high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The first base layer and the second base layer are transparent film layers.

9. The high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The substrate is a black substrate or a transparent substrate.

10. A method for preparing a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device, comprising: providing a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer; Disposing a first conductive layer on the first base layer, and disposing a second conductive layer on the second base layer; forming a plurality of spacers on the first conductive layer, wherein the plurality of spacers define a plurality of grids; preparing a liquid crystal mixture having a twisted nematic liquid crystal, a chiral agent and particles; Filling the plurality of grids with the liquid crystal mixture; covering the plurality of partitions and the plurality of grids with the second base layer and the second conductive layer, wherein the second conductive layer is in close contact with the plurality of partitions; as well as The second base layer is disposed on the substrate.

11. The method for preparing a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to claim 10, wherein: The first base layer and the second base layer are transparent film layers.

12. The method for preparing a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to claim 11, wherein: The first base layer and the second base layer are transparent PET films.

13. The method for preparing a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 11 to 12, wherein: The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are ITO conductive layers.

14. The method for preparing a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein: The plurality of partitions are formed by a mold using a light-curing adhesive.

15. The method for preparing a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein: The substrate is a black substrate.

16. The method for preparing a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein: The substrate is a transparent substrate. 17 . The method for preparing a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of partitions are connected to define a plurality of regular hexagonal grids.

18. The method for preparing a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 11 to 17, wherein: The plurality of partitions are connected to define a plurality of regular tetragonal lattices.

19. The method for preparing a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 11 to 18, wherein: The separator has a thickness of less than 40 microns.

20. The method for preparing a high-brightness handwriting liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 11 to 19, wherein: The partition is disposed perpendicular to the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

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