JP5337699B2 - Components and methods for use in electro-optic displays - Google Patents

Abstract

A sub-assembly for use in forming an electro-optic display comprises (in this order) a light-transmissive substrate (120); discrete areas (204) of electro-optic material separated by gutter areas (205) essentially free from the electro-optic material; and an adhesive layer (122) and/or a release layer (124) peelable from the sub-assembly. A second sub-assembly comprises (in this order) a peelable release sheet (102); discrete areas of electro-optic material (204) separated by gutter areas (205) essentially free from the electro-optic material, and an adhesive layer (206) and/or a peelable release layer (208). Processes for producing these sub-assemblies and for using them to form electro-optic displays are also described.

Description

This application
(A) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0291034;
(B) U.S. Patent No. 7,236,292;
(C) U.S. Patent No. 6,982,178;
(D) US Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0155857,
(E) U.S. Patent No. 7,110,164;
(F) US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0109219;
(G) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0152956;
(H) International Application No. PCT / US2007 / 063551,
(G) relates to International Application No. PCT / US2006 / 061141.

  For convenience, the above-mentioned patents, publications and applications may be referred to below as “electro-optic display manufacturing” or “EODM” patents.

  The present invention relates to components and methods for use in electro-optic displays. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an electro-optic display and a specific subassembly manufactured during the method. The present invention is primarily an electro-optic display that includes an electro-optic medium, which electro-optic medium can and often has a space filled with an internal liquid or gas. Forming an electro-optic display that is solid in the sense that the medium has a solid exterior surface (the display may be referred to below as a “solid electro-optic display” for convenience) And to a method for assembling a display using the electro-optic medium. Thus, the term “solid electro-optic display” includes encapsulated electrophoretic displays, encapsulated liquid crystal displays, and other types of displays discussed below.

  The background terminology and current state of the art for electro-optic displays are discussed in detail in the above-mentioned EODM patent, and readers seeking further information need to refer to the EODM patent. The terminology and current state of the art are therefore briefly summarized below.

  When applied to a material or display, the term “electro-optic” is used herein in its conventional sense in the field of imaging, and the first display state differs from the first display state in at least one optical characteristic. A material having two display states, which is changed from a first display state to a second display state by application of an electric field to the material.

  The terms “bistable” and “bistable” are used herein in their conventional sense in the art and differ in at least one optical property between a first display state and a second display. A display including a display element having a state, and after any given element is driven by an addressing pulse of finite duration, the addressing pulse becomes either the first display state or the second display state. When is finished, the state lasts at least several times, for example at least four times, the minimum duration of the addressing pulses required to change the state of the display element.

Several types of electro-optic displays are known, for example
(A) Rotating two-color member display (for example, see Patent Documents 1 to 9),
(B) electrochromic display (see, for example, Non-Patent Documents 1 to 3 and Patent Documents 10 to 12),
(C) an electrowetting display (see Non-Patent Document 4 and Patent Document 13), and (d) a particle-based electrophoretic display, in which a plurality of charged particles are affected by an electric field. Electrophoretic displays (Patent Documents 14 to 23, and US Patent Application Publication Nos. 2002/0060321, 2002/0090980, 2003/0011560, 2003/0102858, 2003/0151702, 2003/0222315, 2004/0014265, 2004/0075634, 2004/0094422, 2004/0105036, 2005/0062714, and 2005 / 0270261 And International Application Publication Nos. WO 00/38000, WO 00/36560, WO 00/67110, and WO 01/07961, and European Patent No. 1,099,207B1, and No. 1, 145,072B1 and other MIT and E Ink patents and applications discussed in US Pat. No. 7,012,600 above)
It is.

  There are several different variations of electrophoretic media. The electrophoretic medium may use a liquid or gaseous fluid, for example see Kitamura, T. et al. Et al., “Electrical toner movement for electronic paper-like display”, IDW Japan, 2001, Paper HCS1-1, and Yamaguchi, Y. et al. Other, “Toner display using insulating particles charged triboelectrically”, IDW Japan, 2001, Paper AMD4-4, US Patent Publication No. 2005/0001810, European Patent Application No. 1,462,847, No. 1,482, No. 1,484,635, No. 1,500,971, No. 1,501,194, No. 1,536,271, No. 1,542,067, No. 1 No. 5,577,702, No. 1,577,703, and No. 1,598,694, and International Applications Nos. WO 2004/090626, WO 2004/077942, and WO 2004/001498. I want to be. The medium can be encapsulated and includes many small capsules, each capsule itself having an internal phase containing electrophoretic moving particles suspended in a liquid suspending medium, and an internal phase And encapsulating capsule walls. Typically, the capsules themselves are held in a polymer binder to form a coherent layer located between the two electrodes (see MIT and E Ink patents and applications above). Alternatively, the walls surrounding individual microcapsules in the encapsulated electrophoretic medium can be replaced by a continuous phase, thereby producing a so-called polymer dispersed electrophoretic display, in which the electrophoretic medium is electrophoretic. Includes a plurality of individual droplets of electrophoretic fluid and a continuous phase of polymeric material, see, eg, US Pat. No. 6,866,760. For the purposes of this application, polymer dispersed electrophoretic media as described above are considered as sub-species of encapsulated electrophoretic media. Another variation is the so-called “microcell electrophoretic display”, in which the charged particles and fluid are kept in a carrier medium, typically a plurality of cavities formed in a polymer film. (See, eg, US Pat. Nos. 6,672,921 and 6,788,449).

  The electrophoretic medium may operate in a “shutter mode” in which one display state is substantially opaque and one display state is light transmissive. For example, Patent Document 23 and US Pat. No. 6,172,798, and 5,872,552, 6,144,361, 6,271,823, and 6,225,971. No., and 6,184,856. A dielectrophoretic display can operate in a similar mode, see US Pat. No. 4,418,346. Other types of electro-optic displays may also be able to operate in shutter mode.

  Other types of electro-optic media, such as encapsulated liquid crystal media, can also be used in the method of the present invention.

  An electrophoretic display typically includes a layer of electrophoretic material and at least two other layers disposed on opposite sides of the electrophoretic material, one of these two layers being an electrode layer. In most such displays, both of the two layers are electrode layers, and one or both of the electrode layers are patterned to define the pixels of the display. For example, one electrode layer can be patterned into an elongated row of electrode layers, the other electrode layer can be patterned into elongated columns of electrodes that run perpendicular to the row of electrode layers, and the pixels , Defined by the intersection of the row electrode and the column electrode. Alternatively and more generally, one electrode layer has the form of a single continuous electrode, the other electrode layer is patterned into a matrix of pixel electrodes, each of the pixel electrodes representing one pixel of the display. Stipulate. In another type of electrode display, it is intended to use a stylus, printhead or similar movable electrode remote from the display, where only one of the layers adjacent to the electrophoretic layer contains one electrode, The layer opposite the layer is typically a protective layer intended to prevent the movable electrode from damaging the electrophoretic layer.

  Most prior art methods for the lamination of the various layers required to form an electro-optic display are essentially batch methods in which the electro-optic medium, the laminating adhesive and the backplane are It is desirable to provide a method that is only put together just before final assembly and is more suitable for mass production.

  The above-mentioned US Pat. No. 6,982,178 describes a method of assembling solid state electro-optic displays (including particle based electrophoretic displays), which are well suited for mass production. In essence, this patent describes a so-called “front plane laminate (“ FPL ”)”, which is a light-transmissive conductive layer and a solid state electrical contact with the conductive layer. The optical medium layer, the adhesive layer, and the release sheet are included in this order. Typically, the light transmissive conductive layer is held on a light transmissive substrate, which is a drum that is 10 inches (254 mm) in diameter (for example) without the substrate undergoing permanent deformation. It is preferably flexible in the sense that it can be manually wrapped around. The term “light transmissive” is used in this patent and specification to allow the layer shown above to allow a viewer looking through the layer to observe a change in the state of the display of the electro-optic medium. Used to mean transmitting sufficient light, the change is usually seen through the conductive layer and the adjacent substrate (if present). The substrate is typically a polymer film and usually has a thickness in the range of about 1 mil to about 25 mil (25 μm to 634 μm), preferably about 2 mil to about 10 mil (51 μm to 254 μm). The conductive layer may conveniently be a thin metal layer of, for example, aluminum or ITO, or may be a conductive polymer. Poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films coated with aluminum or ITO are described, for example, by E.I. in Wilmington, DE. I. Commercially available as “aluminized Mylar” (“Mylar” is a registered trademark) of du Pont de Nemours & Company, and such commercially available materials can be used with good results in front plane laminates.

  The assembly of an electro-optic display using a front plane laminate as described above can be achieved by removing the release sheet from the front plane laminate and bonding to the backplane under conditions effective to bond the adhesive layer to the backplane. It can be achieved by contacting the layers and thereby securing the adhesive layer, the layer of electro-optic medium and the conductive layer to the backplane. This process allows front plane laminates to be mass-produced, typically using roll-by-roll coating technology, which is then cut into small pieces of any size required for use with a particular backplane. It is very suitable for mass production.

  The above 2004/0155857 describes a so-called “double release sheet”, which is essentially a front plane laminate of the above-mentioned US Pat. No. 6,982,178. This is a simplified version. One form of double release sheet includes a layer of solid electro-optic medium sandwiched between two adhesive layers, one or both of the adhesive layers being covered by the release sheet. Another form of double release sheet includes a layer of solid electro-optic medium sandwiched between two release sheets. Both forms of dual release membrane are processes that are generally similar to the process for assembling an electro-optic display from the previously described front plane laminate, but are used in a process that includes two separate laminates. These two layers are typically formed in a first stack with a double release sheet stacked on the front electrode to form a front subassembly and then a second stack The front subassembly is stacked on the backplane to form the final display, but the order of these two stacks can be reversed if desired.

  The above 2007/0109219 describes a so-called “inverted front plane laminate”, which is the front plane laminate described in the above US Pat. No. 6,982,178. It is a deformation. The reverse front plane laminate includes at least one of a light-transmitting protective layer and a light-transmitting conductive layer, an adhesive layer, a solid electro-optic medium layer, and a release sheet in this order. This reverse front plane laminate is used to form an electro-optic display having a layer of laminated adhesive between the electro-optic layer and the front electrode or front substrate, and a second, typically adhesive, layer. A thin layer may or may not exist between the electro-optic layer and the backplane. Such electro-optic displays can combine good resolution and good low temperature performance.

  However, some problems remain in large scale production of electro-optic displays. As a result of the laminating process involved is relatively slow and therefore labor intensive, in practice, at least for low-cost displays, multiple displays are stacked in a single work step and individual displays are post-process It is necessary to use a “multi-up” method, which is separated from each other in the stage. In order to provide for proper separation, a break ("groove") must be left between adjacent displays. If the electro-optic medium is coated as a continuous film on the substrate, the electro-optic medium in the groove is wasted because it is not used in any of the final display. Since electro-optic media can be expensive, such waste is a serious problem, especially when the individual displays are small, eg, electro-optic displays used on flash drives. For example, a small display stack can result in only about 20% of the electro-optic medium being incorporated into the final display and the remaining about 80% being wasted. If the electro-optic medium is not expected to be wasted in the groove, separate pieces of the electro-optic medium (and any other layer adhered to it prior to lamination) will be finalized. It is necessary to hold them precisely spaced from each other so that they can be laminated to other components of a modern display.

US Pat. No. 5,808,783 US Pat. No. 5,777,782 US Pat. No. 5,760,761 US Pat. No. 6,054,071 US Pat. No. 6,055,091 US Pat. No. 6,097,531 US Pat. No. 6,128,124 US Pat. No. 6,137,467 US Pat. No. 6,147,791 US Pat. No. 6,301,038 US Pat. No. 6,870,657 US Pat. No. 6,950,220 US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0151709 US Pat. No. 5,930,026 US Pat. No. 5,961,804 US Pat. No. 6,017,584 US Pat. No. 6,067,185 US Pat. No. 6,118,426 US Pat. No. 6,120,588 US Pat. No. 6,120,839 US Pat. No. 6,124,851 US Pat. No. 6,130,773 US Pat. No. 6,130,774

O'Regan, B.M. Other, Nature, 1991, 353, 737 Wood, D.D. , Information Display, 18 (3), 24 (March 2002) Bach, U. Et al., Adv. Mater. , 2002, 14 (11), 845 Heyes, R.D. A. Others, “Video-Speed Electronic Paper Based on Electronics”, Nature, 425, 383-385 (September 25, 2003)

  The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an electro-optic display that reduces or eliminates the above problems. The present invention also provides certain subassemblies useful in the above methods.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a (first) subassembly for use in forming an electro-optic display, the subassembly comprising:
A light transmissive substrate;
A plurality of separate regions of adhesive material disposed on the substrate, wherein the plurality of separate regions are separated from each other by a groove region essentially free of adhesive material;
A plurality of separate regions of electro-optic material disposed on the adhesive material, each of the plurality of separate regions of electro-optic material disposed on one of the plurality of separate regions of the adhesive material A plurality of separate regions of electro-optic material separated from each other by groove regions essentially free of electro-optic material;
At least one of a second adhesive layer and a release layer that can be peeled from the subassembly without substantial damage to the subassembly, on the opposite side of the substrate in the region of the electro-optic material Including layers.

  This first subassembly of the present invention may have a second adhesive layer in contact with the region of the electro-optic material and a release layer on the opposite side of the adhesive layer from the electro-optic material. The adhesive layer and / or release layer may or may not extend across the groove region. The substrate can include a light transmissive conductive layer. The first subassembly may further include a removable masking film disposed on the opposite side of the substrate from the electro-optic material.

The present invention also provides a (second) subassembly for use in forming an electro-optic display, the subassembly comprising:
A release sheet,
A plurality of separate regions of electro-optic material disposed on a substrate, wherein the plurality of separate regions are separated from each other by a groove region essentially free of adhesive material;
The release sheet is peelable from the electro-optic material without substantial damage to the electro-optic material;
At least one of an adhesive layer and a release layer, wherein at least one layer is on the opposite side of the electro-optic material region from the release sheet, and the release layer is in contact with the electro-optic material Or at least one layer that is peelable from the electro-optic material or adhesive layer without substantial damage to the adhesive layer.

  This second subassembly of the present invention may have an adhesive layer in contact with the region of electro-optic material and a release layer on the opposite side of the adhesive layer from the electro-optic material. The adhesive layer and release layer may or may not extend over the groove region, but the latter is generally preferred.

  Both the first and second subassemblies of the present invention may use any type of solid electro-optic material discussed above. Thus, for example, any type of subassembly can include rotating dichroic material or electrochromic material. Alternatively, any type of subassembly may include an electrophoretic material that includes a plurality of charged particles that are disposed in the fluid and that can pass through the fluid under the influence of an electric field. The charged particles and fluid are encapsulated in a plurality of capsules or a plurality of microcells. Alternatively, the charged particles and fluid may exist as a plurality of separate droplets surrounded by a continuous phase comprising a polymeric material. The fluid can be a liquid or a gas.

In another aspect, the invention provides a (first) process for forming a first subassembly of the invention, the first process comprising:
Forming a plurality of components, each of the plurality of components including a layer of electro-optic material and a release layer that is peelable from the layer of electro-optic material without substantial damage to the layer of electro-optic material. Including, and
Placing a plurality of components on a support surface, wherein the plurality of components are spaced apart from each other, and the layer of electro-optic material is not facing the support surface;
Contacting the disposed components with the light transmissive substrate under conditions effective to adhere the components to the substrate.

  In this first process of the present invention, the support surface may include a template having a plurality of recesses in which a plurality of components are received. Each of the plurality of components may further include a substrate adhesive layer disposed opposite to at least one of the adhesive layer and the release layer of the layer of electro-optic material, wherein the substrate adhesive layer adheres the component to the substrate In order to act, the component is disposed on the support surface and the substrate adhesive layer faces the substrate. The first process includes forming a subassembly including an adhesive layer on a second substrate, removing the release layer from the component after the component is adhered to the light transmissive substrate, the component and The method may further comprise contacting the component with the adhesive layer on the second substrate under conditions effective to adhere the light transmissive substrate to the adhesive layer. The substrate used in the first process may include a light transmissive conductive layer.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a (second) process for forming the first subassembly of the present invention, the second process comprising:
Forming a layer of electro-optic material on the release sheet;
Defining a plurality of separate regions separated from each other by a groove region by cutting a layer of electro-optic material over the release sheet;
Removing the layer of electro-optic material from the groove region while leaving the electro-optic material on the release sheet in a plurality of discrete regions;
Adhering a light transmissive substrate to the electro-optic material in a plurality of separate regions after removal of the layer of electro-optic material from the trench region.

  This second process of the present invention comprises forming an adhesive layer overlying the electro-optic material layer on a release sheet and cutting both the electro-optic material layer and the adhesive layer to form a plurality of layers. After defining the separate region, removing both the layer of electro-optic material and the adhesive layer from the groove region, and removing the layer of electro-optic material and adhesive layer from the groove region, a plurality of separate regions It may further comprise adhering the light transmissive substrate to the adhesive layer in the region, thereby adhering the light transmissive substrate to the adhesive layer.

  Alternatively or in addition, the second process of the present invention provides a release layer overlying the adhesive layer on the release sheet and cutting the layer of electro-optic material, the adhesive layer and the release layer The method may further include defining a plurality of separate regions and removing the release layer from both the plurality of separate regions and the groove region prior to contacting the light transmissive substrate to the adhesive layer. Release layer removal can be performed in two stages, the first stage resulting in removal of the release layer from the groove region and the release layer covering the adhesive layer and the layer of electro-optic material in a plurality of separate regions. Leaving the second step results in the removal of the release layer from the adhesive layer and the layer of electro-optic material in a plurality of distinct regions.

  Another form of the second process of the present invention is to form a subassembly including an adhesive layer on a second release sheet and bond the light transmissive substrate to the electro-optic material in a plurality of separate areas. After removing the release sheet from the layer of electro-optic material, contacting the electro-optic material to the adhesive layer of the sub-assembly, thereby bonding the sub-assembly to the layer of electro-optic material .

In the second process of the present invention, removal of the layer of electro-optic material from the groove region includes placing a sheet of material over both the plurality of separate regions and the groove region, followed by a plurality of separate regions. It can be performed by removing the sheet of material along with the portion of the electro-optic material from the groove area attached to them while leaving the electro-optic material in the area. Alternatively, after defining a plurality of separate regions by cutting the layer of electro-optic material, the adhesive layer and the release layer, the portion of the release layer in the groove region can be removed first, followed by a sheet of material Can be placed over both the plurality of separate regions and the groove region, after which the sheet of material is bonded to the portions of the adhesive layer and the electro-optic while leaving the adhesive layer and the electro-optic material in the plurality of separate regions. It can be removed from the groove region attached to them with the material. Removal of the sheet of material may also remove the release layer from multiple discrete regions. The substrate can include a light transmissive conductive layer.
For example, the present invention provides the following.
(Item 1)
A subassembly for use in forming an electro-optic display, the subassembly comprising:
A light transmissive substrate (120);
A plurality of discrete regions (106; 206) of adhesive material disposed on the substrate (120), wherein the plurality of discrete regions (106; 206) are grooves essentially free of the adhesive material. Separate regions (106; 206) separated from each other by regions (105; 205);
A plurality of distinct regions (104; 204) of electro-optic material disposed on the adhesive material, each of the plurality of distinct regions (104; 204) of the electro-optic material Disposed on one of the plurality of discrete regions (106; 206), the plurality of discrete regions (104; 204) of the electro-optic material are essentially groove regions (105 205) separated from each other by separate areas (104; 204);
At least one of a second adhesive layer (122) and a release layer (102; 124) that is peelable from the subassembly without substantial damage to the subassembly, the electrooptic A layer on the opposite side of the material region from the substrate;
A subassembly, characterized in that they are in this order.
(Item 2)
A second adhesive layer (122) in contact with the region (204) of the electro-optic material and a release layer (124) on the opposite side of the second adhesive layer (122) from the electro-optic material; Item 2. The subassembly according to item 1.
(Item 3)
The subassembly of claim 1, wherein the substrate (120) comprises a light transmissive conductive layer.
(Item 4)
The subassembly of claim 1, further comprising a removable masking film disposed on an opposite side of the substrate (120) from the electro-optic material.
(Item 5)
A subassembly for use in forming an electro-optic display, the subassembly comprising:
Release sheet (102);
A plurality of separate regions (204) of electro-optic material disposed on the release sheet (204), the plurality of separate regions being essentially by groove regions (205) free of the electro-optic material. Separate regions (204) that are separated from each other;
The release sheet (102) is peelable from the electro-optic material without substantial damage to the electro-optic material;
At least one of an adhesive layer (206) and a release layer (208), the at least one layer on the opposite side of the electro-optic material region (204) from the release sheet (102) And the release layer (208) is formed of the electro-optic material (204) or the adhesive layer without substantial damage to the electro-optic material (204) or the adhesive layer (206) with which the release layer is in contact. At least one layer peelable from (206)
A subassembly characterized by
(Item 6)
The sub of item 5, comprising an adhesive layer (206) in contact with the region (204) of the electro-optic material and a release layer (208) on the opposite side of the adhesive layer (206) from the electro-optic material. Assembly.
(Item 7)
The subassembly of claim 6, wherein the adhesive layer (206) and the release layer (208) do not extend across the groove region (205).
(Item 8)
Item 6. The subassembly of item 1 or item 5, wherein the electro-optic material comprises a rotating dichroic material or an electrochromic material.
(Item 9)
Item 6. The subassembly of item 1 or item 5, wherein the electro-optic material includes an electrophoretic material that is disposed in a fluid and includes a plurality of charged particles capable of passing through the fluid under the influence of an electric field. Lee.
(Item 10)
10. The subassembly of item 9, wherein the charged particles and the fluid are encapsulated in a plurality of capsules or a plurality of microcells.
(Item 11)
10. A subassembly according to item 9, wherein the charged particles and the fluid are present as a plurality of separate droplets surrounded by a continuous phase comprising a polymeric material.
(Item 12)
Item 10. The subassembly of item 9, wherein the fluid is a gas.
(Item 13)
A method of forming a subassembly according to item 1, comprising:
Forming a plurality of components (114), each of the plurality of components (114) having a layer of electro-optic material (104) and without substantial damage to the layer of electro-optic material. A release layer (102) peelable from the layer of electro-optic material (104);
Disposing the plurality of components (114) on a support surface (118), wherein the plurality of components (114) are spaced apart from each other, and the layer of the electro-optic material (104) Not facing the support surface (118);
Contacting the disposed plurality of components (114) to a light transmissive substrate (120) under conditions effective to adhere the plurality of components (114) to the substrate (120);
A method characterized by.
(Item 14)
14. The method of item 13, wherein the support surface (118) is provided with a template (116) having a plurality of recesses in which the components (114) are received.
(Item 15)
Each of the plurality of components (114) further includes a substrate adhesive layer (106), the substrate adhesive layer (106) acting to adhere the component (114) to the substrate (120), 14. The method of item 13, wherein the component (114) is disposed on the support surface (118) and the substrate adhesive layer (106) faces the substrate (120).
(Item 16)
Forming a subassembly comprising an adhesive layer (122) on a second substrate (124);
Removing the release layer (102) from the component (114) after adhering the component (114) to the light transmissive substrate (120); and the component (114) and the light transmissive substrate. Contacting the component (114) to the adhesive layer (122) on the second substrate (124) under conditions effective to adhere (120) to the adhesive layer (122). When
14. The method of item 13, further comprising:
(Item 17)
14. The method of item 13, wherein the substrate (120) comprises a light transmissive conductive layer.
(Item 18)
A method of forming a subassembly according to item 1, comprising:
Forming a layer of electro-optic material (104) on the release sheet (102);
Defining a plurality of separate regions (204) separated from each other by a groove region (205) by cutting a layer of the electro-optic material (104) on the release sheet (102);
Removing the layer of electro-optic material (104) from the groove region (205), leaving the electro-optic material (204) on the release sheet (102) in the plurality of separate regions;
Bonding a light transmissive substrate (120) to the electro-optic material (204) in the plurality of separate regions after removal of the layer of the electro-optic material (104) from the groove region (205);
A method characterized by.
(Item 19)
Forming an adhesive layer (106) overlying the layer of electro-optic material (104) on the release sheet (102);
Defining the plurality of distinct regions by cutting both the layer of electro-optic material (104) and the adhesive layer (106);
Removing both the layer of electro-optic material (104) and the adhesive layer (106) from the groove region;
After removal of the layer of electro-optic material (104) and the adhesive layer (106) from the groove region (205), the light transmissive substrate (120) is attached to the adhesive layer (120) in the plurality of separate regions. 206), thereby bonding the light transmissive substrate (120) to the adhesive layer (206);
The method according to item 18, further comprising:
(Item 20)
Providing a release layer (108) overlying the adhesive layer (106) on the release sheet (102);
Defining the plurality of distinct regions by cutting the layer of electro-optic material (104), the adhesive layer (106) and the release layer (108);
Removing the release layer (108) from both the plurality of discrete regions and the groove region (205) prior to contacting the light transmissive substrate (120) to the adhesive layer (206);
The method of item 19, further comprising:
(Item 21)
The removal of the release layer (108) is performed in two stages, the first stage results in the removal of the release layer (108) from the groove region (205) and the adhesion in the plurality of separate regions. Release layer (20) covering layer (206) and layer (204) of said electro-optic material
8) leaving the second step, the adhesive layer (206) and the electrical layer in the plurality of separate regions.
21. A method according to item 20, which results in the removal of the release layer (208) from the layer of gas-optical material (204).
(Item 22)
Forming a subassembly comprising an adhesive layer (122) on a second release sheet (124);
Removing the release sheet (102) from the layer (204) of electro-optic material after adhering the light transmissive substrate (120) to the electro-optic material (204) in the plurality of distinct regions; Contacting the electro-optic material (204) to the adhesive layer (122) of the sub-assembly, thereby adhering the sub-assembly (122, 124) to the layer of the electro-optic material (204);
The method according to item 18, further comprising:
(Item 23)
Removing the layer (104) of electro-optic material from the groove region (205) comprises placing a sheet of material (210) over both the plurality of separate regions and the groove region (205); Thereafter, while leaving the electro-optic material (204) in the plurality of separate regions, a portion of the electro-optic material (104) and a sheet of the material (210) from the groove region (205) attached thereto 19. A method according to item 18, wherein the method is performed by removing.
(Item 24)
After defining the plurality of separate regions by cutting the layer of electro-optic material (104), the adhesive layer (106) and the release layer (108), the release in the groove region (205) A portion of the layer (108) is first removed, after which a sheet of material (310) is placed over both the plurality of discrete regions and the groove region (205), after which the plurality of layers The sheet of material (310), together with the portion of the adhesive layer (106) and the electro-optic material (104), leaves the adhesive layer (206) and the electro-optic material (204) in separate areas. Item 22. The method according to Item 21, wherein the method is removed from the groove region (205) attached to the substrate.
(Item 25)
25. The method of item 24, wherein removal of the sheet of material (310) also removes the release layer (108) from the plurality of discrete regions.
(Item 26)
19. A method according to item 18, wherein the substrate (120) comprises a light transmissive conductive layer.

1A-1E of the accompanying drawings are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of one form of the first process of the present invention for manufacturing the first subassembly of the present invention. . 1A-1E of the accompanying drawings are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of one form of the first process of the present invention for manufacturing the first subassembly of the present invention. . 1A-1E of the accompanying drawings are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of one form of the first process of the present invention for manufacturing the first subassembly of the present invention. . 1A-1E of the accompanying drawings are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of one form of the first process of the present invention for manufacturing the first subassembly of the present invention. . 1A-1E of the accompanying drawings are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of one form of the first process of the present invention for manufacturing the first subassembly of the present invention. . 2A-2F are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of one form of the second process of the present invention, the second process comprising the first and second aspects of the present invention. Produces both subassemblies. 2A-2F are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of one form of the second process of the present invention, the second process comprising the first and second aspects of the present invention. Produces both subassemblies. 2A-2F are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of one form of the second process of the present invention, the second process comprising the first and second aspects of the present invention. Produces both subassemblies. 2A-2F are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of one form of the second process of the present invention, the second process comprising the first and second aspects of the present invention. Produces both subassemblies. 2A-2F are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of one form of the second process of the present invention, the second process comprising the first and second aspects of the present invention. Produces both subassemblies. 2A-2F are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of one form of the second process of the present invention, the second process comprising the first and second aspects of the present invention. Produces both subassemblies. 3A-3D are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of the modified form of the second process of the present invention shown in FIGS. 2A-2F. The second process further produces both the first and second subassemblies of the present invention. 3A-3D are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of the modified form of the second process of the present invention shown in FIGS. 2A-2F. The second process further produces both the first and second subassemblies of the present invention. 3A-3D are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of the modified form of the second process of the present invention shown in FIGS. The second process further produces both the first and second subassemblies of the present invention. 3A-3D are schematic elevational views from the side illustrating various states of the modified form of the second process of the present invention shown in FIGS. 2A-2F. The second process further produces both the first and second subassemblies of the present invention.

  In the following, reference is made to "loose" and "tight" release sheets. These terms are used in their conventional sense in the art and indicate the amount of force required to peel the associated release sheet from the layer it contacts, tight release sheets are loose release sheets Requires more power. Especially if the stack of layers has a tight release sheet at one end and a loose release sheet at the other end, the loose release sheet from the stack without separating the tight release sheet from the stack Can be peeled off.

  As already indicated, some of the subassemblies of the present invention include two separate adhesive layers. If necessary or desirable, the two adhesive layers are shown as “front” and “back” adhesive layers, these terms being the final display manufactured by laminating the subassembly to the backplane. The position of the related adhesive layer in is shown. The front adhesive layer is the adhesion between the electro-optic medium of the display and the screen (ie, the surface through which the viewer sees the display, usually the surface that is considered the “front” of the display away from the backplane) While the back adhesive layer is opposite the electro-optic layer from the front adhesive layer and is adjacent to the backplane. In the general situation where the display has a single front electrode between the electro-optic layer and the screen and has a plurality of pixel electrodes on the backplane and thus opposite the electro-optic layer, the front adhesive layer is: Between the electro-optic layer and the front electrode, while the back adhesive layer is between the electro-optic layer and the pixel electrode.

  The accompanying drawings are not exactly to scale. In particular, for ease of illustration, the thicknesses of the various layers are greatly exaggerated with respect to their lateral dimensions. The present invention is well suited for the manufacture of thin and flexible electro-optic displays. Typically, the subassembly or front plane laminate is the product of the process described below and is approximately 100 μm thick (the remaining release sheet discarded prior to final lamination to the backplane Can be laminated to a flexible backplane of similar thickness.

  As already indicated, the accompanying drawings illustrate the various stages of the three different processes of the present invention, all of which ultimately produce the first subassembly of the present invention. The second process shown in FIGS. 2A-2F also produces the second subassembly of the present invention. Thus, the various subassemblies of the present invention produced by these processes are described first, followed by a description of how these subassemblies are manufactured by the multi-step process of the present invention. Considered most convenient.

  A first subassembly of the present invention manufactured by the illustrated process is shown in FIGS. 1D, 1E, 2E and 2F of the accompanying drawings, and will be described below with reference to FIGS. The third process shown in 3D ultimately produces a first subassembly that is identical to the first subassembly shown in FIGS. 2E and 2F. The first subassembly shown in FIGS. 1E and 2F is a special form of the reverse front plane laminate described in 2007/0109219 above, and is the other first subassembly of the present invention (not shown). May be a special form of “standard” (ie, not the reverse) front plane laminate described in US Pat. No. 6,982,178, noted above.

  The first subassembly of the present invention includes a light transmissive substrate 120 in each of FIGS. 1D, 1E, 2E and 2F. The substrate 120 is typically a multi-layer structure and typically includes a light transmissive electrode layer (eg, an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer), which is the front electrode of the final display. This electrode layer is not shown alone in the drawing. However, for example, in an electro-optic display that is intended to be written with a stylus or similar external electrode, a substrate 120 that lacks an electrode layer may be used.

  The first subassembly of the present invention further includes a plurality of distinct regions of electro-optic material (104 in FIGS. 1D and 1E, 204 in FIGS. 2E and 2F) disposed on the substrate 120. FIG. The illustrated subassembly has a substrate (or front) adhesive layer (106 in FIGS. 1D and 1E, 206 in FIGS. 2E and 2F) sandwiched between the electro-optic material 104 or 204 and the substrate 120. Have. However, in some cases, the front adhesive layer is made of an electro-optic material that includes a binder that functions as its own adhesive, for example, as described in US Pat. No. 7,110,164 above. By using, it can be omitted. Separate regions 104 or 204 of electro-optic material are separated from each other by a groove region (105 in FIGS. 1D and 1E, 205 in FIGS. 2E and 2F) that is free of electro-optic material and adhesive layer 106 or 206. Although each drawing only illustrates two separate regions of electro-optic material separated by a single groove region, in practice, each subassembly typically has a higher number of electro-optic materials. Can have separate regions. For example, a subassembly intended to produce six individual displays is separated from each other by two parallel groove regions and a third groove region extending perpendicular to the first two. Can have a 3 × 2 array of regions such as Indeed, as described in detail below, certain subassemblies of the present invention may be in the form of a continuous web of indefinite length, where a large number of regions of electro-optic material are present. , Separated from each other by two sets of groove regions that are aligned in a two-dimensional array and extend vertically.

  The first subassembly of the present invention further includes at least one of an adhesive layer and a release layer on the opposite side of the electro-optic material layer from the substrate. The first subassembly shown in FIGS. 1D and 2E has only the release layer 102 on the opposite side of the electro-optic material layer from the substrate, but the subassembly shown in FIGS. 1E and 2F. Has both an adhesive layer 122 in contact with the electro-optic layer 104 or 204 and a release layer 124 on the opposite side of the adhesive layer 122 from the electro-optic layer 104 or 204. In FIG. 1D, the release layer 102 is discontinuous, and the separated portion of the release layer 102 only covers the adjacent region of the electro-optic layer 104 and does not extend across the groove region 105. Note that in 2E, the release layer 102 is continuous and extends across the groove region 205. In both FIG. 1E and FIG. 2F, both the adhesive layer 122 and the release layer 124 are continuous and extend across the groove region 105 or 205.

  A second subassembly of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 2D. This subassembly includes a release sheet 102 that supports a plurality of distinct regions of electro-optic material 204, which are separated from one another by groove regions 205 that are free of electro-optic material. The second subassembly further includes an adhesive layer 206 opposite the electrooptic layer release sheet 102 and a release layer or release sheet 208 opposite the release layer 102 of the adhesive layer 206. For reasons already described, in some cases, the adhesive layer 206 may be omitted. The release sheet 208 shown in FIG. 2D is discontinuous and does not extend across the groove region 205, but optionally has a second subassembly of the present invention having a continuous release sheet similar to 208. Lee can be manufactured.

  The method used to manufacture the subassemblies of the present invention will now be described in detail. The first method of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 1 is specifically intended for use in the manufacture of small electro-optic displays, but is not so limited. In the first step of this process, the electro-optic medium is coated or otherwise deposited and placed on the tight release sheet 102 to form a continuous electro-optic layer 104. To do. Separately, a continuous front adhesive layer 106 is coated on the loose release sheet 108. The resulting two subassemblies are then laminated together with an adhesive layer 106 in contact with the electro-optic layer 104 to produce the structure shown in FIG. 1A. These steps are described in the above-mentioned US Pat. No. 7,110,164, and the resulting assembly is a double release sheet as described in 2004/0155857 above.

  In the next step of the process, the sheet shown in FIG. 1A is cut into appropriately sized pieces to form individual displays. Although other methods such as punching can be used, cutting the sheet leaves a loose release sheet 108 tab 108A that extends out beyond the other layers, as shown by lines 110 and 112 in FIG. 1A. As done conveniently by laser cutting. At this point, the cut can be made completely through the sheet, and is typically done so to provide any desired openings or cutouts in the front adhesive layer 106 and the electro-optic layer 104. To do. For example, the opening can be pierced through the front adhesive layer and the electro-optic layer to provide a pre-formed coupling opening as described in International Application No. PCT / US2007 / 063551, which is described above. The part finally (in combination with the corresponding opening in the back adhesive layer as described below) so as to form a conductive via that couples the front electrode to the backplane in the final display. Used. The loose release sheet 108 is then conveniently removed from the assembly by pulling on the tab 108A.

  A plurality of these pieces (114 shown in FIG. 1B) from which the loose release sheet 108 has been removed are then either templated with a thin alignment sheet 116 taped to the stacking tray 118 with the adhesive facing upwards. Placed in the jig. While the stacking tray is durable, the alignment sheet 116 is disposable and is typically discarded after 3 or 4 stacks (as described below). This arrangement has the advantage that the alignment sheet 116 can be rapidly changed so that various parts can be stacked in the same stacker without the need for multiple expensive metal templates. Also, in at least some cases, the alignment sheet 116 is typically formed of a polymer film, such as poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and the same digital file used to laser cut the strip 114 Can be laser cut. The thickness of the alignment sheet 116 should be chosen such that the top (adhesive) surface of the strip 114 extends slightly above (about 1-2 mils, 25-51 μm) of the alignment sheet 116.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1B, the pieces 114 held on the templates 116, 118 are then laminated to a sized sheet (ie, larger than the alignment sheet 116) of the front substrate 120. The front substrate 120 is a multilayer structure that includes an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer that forms the front electrode of the final display. The front substrate further includes a masking film that can be removed, which is removed before the final display is installed and used, as described below.

  This front substrate structure is designed to provide a front light transmissive electrode in the final display. The front substrate 120 also provides the necessary mechanical support for this thin, relatively fragile front electrode. In addition, the front substrate preferably provides all necessary water vapor and oxygen barriers and UV absorbing properties that are desirable to protect certain electro-optic layers, particularly electrophoretic layers. The front substrate may also provide desirable anti-glare properties for the final display screen. While the front substrate 120 is still thin and flexible enough to allow the formation of a final display that is flexible enough to be wound around (for example) a 15 mm diameter mandrel, Serve everything. As already noted, the front substrate includes a masking film, which is provided primarily to increase the thickness of the front substrate to facilitate processing of the substrate during lamination. In the preferred process, the total thickness of the front substrate remaining in the final display (ie, the masking film has been removed) is only about 1 mil (25 μm), and the masking film is easy to process. This thickness is used to add about 2 mils (51 μm) to this thickness. The masking film also typically helps to prevent scratching or adhering dust or debris to the adjacent antiglare layer during lamination.

  Following the lamination shown in FIG. 1B, the sheets of front substrate 120 to which the small pieces 114 are fixed are removed from the templates 116, 118 as a single unit. FIG. 1D shows an enlarged view of two of the pieces 114 on the substrate 120, and as previously described, the pieces 114 and the substrate 120 together form the first subassembly of the present invention. Form. The substrate 120 that supports the piece 114 is then placed on the laser cutting machine so that the piece 114 faces the laser. The laser cutting machine is then used to punch out the tooling hole through the front substrate 120 at a position aligned with the position of the small piece 114. These tooling holes are used to engage the sheet with alignment pins for placing the sheet during later lamination, as described below. Alternatively, the tooling hole may be pre-drilled before the front substrate is laminated to the piece 114, and if the pre-drilled tooling hole is provided, the tooling hole will cause the front substrate to the piece 114. To align the front substrate during lamination, it can be engaged with pins provided on the templates 116,118.

  Separately, a back adhesive layer 122 (FIG. 1C) is coated onto the release sheet 124 and the exposed surface of the back adhesive layer is covered by a slip sheet (actually a further release sheet, not shown). The slip sheet helps to prevent contamination of the surface of the adhesive layer during laser cutting. Release layer / adhesive / interleaf “sandwich” is similar to, and intended for the same purpose, that the interleaf is laser cut so that it faces the laser and has previously been pierced through the front substrate Forming a tooling hole. Laser cutting machines can also be used to hollow out other openings through the adhesive layer that are required for a particular display. For example, a laser cutting machine can cut out an opening, which is described in the above-mentioned International Application No. PCT / US2007 / 063551, together with corresponding openings previously cut in the front adhesive layer and the electro-optic layer. As such, it forms a pre-formed coupling opening.

  In the next step of the process, the slip sheet is removed from the back adhesive layer 122, and the back adhesive layer 122 is then mounted together with the release sheet 124 to which it adheres, as illustrated in FIG. 1C. The tooling hole of the back adhesive layer is engaged with an alignment pin (not shown) on the laminate. The tight release sheet 102 is peeled from the small piece 114 held on the substrate 120, and the tooling holes previously cut into the release sheet 120 are engaged with alignment pins on the stacker, resulting in electrical The exposed surface of the optical layer 104 faces the back adhesive layer 122. The two sheets are then laminated to form an inverted front plane laminate as described in 2007/0109219 above. FIG. 1E is an enlarged view similar to the enlarged view of FIG. 1D, and illustrates a portion of the substrate 120 that supports two pieces 114 at the same stage as FIG. 1C. As already noted, the structure shown in FIG. 1E constitutes the first subassembly of the present invention.

  The masking film is typically removed at this point because it is convenient to remove the film with a single piece before the individual displays are separated from each other. However, removal of the masking film can be performed later if desired. Whether the masking film is removed or not, the next major step is to separate the sheet into multiple pieces of reverse front plane laminate. This separation is performed by laser cutting of the laminated sheets held on the alignment pins to ensure the correct cutting position. In the cutting, the third release sheet 124, the back adhesive layer 122, and the front substrate 120 are cut to produce separated pieces of the reverse front plane laminate. The separated pieces are ready for lamination to the backplane to form the final display after removal of the third release sheet 124. The cutting of the laminated sheets is preferably performed to leave a tab of the third release sheet 124 that extends across the front substrate 120, the adhesive layers 106 and 122, and the electro-optic layer 104. The tab as described above facilitates removal of the third release sheet 124 during final display manufacture.

  The second process of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2F of the accompanying drawings is primarily in producing a larger display than the first process described above with reference to FIGS. 1A-1E. It is intended to be used for The portion produced by the second process is large enough to withstand the loss of electro-optic material present in the groove region between adjacent displays. As will become clear from the detailed description of the second process below, the main difference between the first process and the second process is that the second process places a separate piece of electro-optic layer on the front substrate. Instead of using jigs to align, instead, in the second process, successive layers of electro-optic material produce multiple “islands” of electro-optic material separated by groove regions without electro-optic material. Is to be cut.

  The second process of the present invention is the same as the first process up to the point shown in FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2A is the same as FIG. 1A. However, the next cutting step is different, as can be seen by comparing FIG. 1B and FIG. 2B. The cutting step of the second process is to cut the loose release sheet 108 with a laser cutting machine so that the loose release sheet 108, the front adhesive layer 108 and the electro-optic layer 104 are cut, but the tight release sheet 102 is not cut. This is done by facing the face and kiss cutting. Also in this step, as in the first process, alignment holes, pre-formed coupling openings or any through openings necessary for other purposes can be hollowed out (as described below, This can also be done later). In some cases, the entire second process can be performed on a roll-by-roll basis, so the through opening formed in this step is a tractor feed hole formed along the lateral edge of the web of material. And may include tractor feed holes that serve as alignment holes for later stages of the process.

  The continuous portion of the loose release sheet 108 (ie, the portion of this release sheet that covers what will become the groove area at a later stage in the process) is then removed either manually or mechanically. In this way, the loose release sheet “island” 208 corresponding to the final display, leaving the structure shown in FIG. 2B, is a continuous but cut layer of the front adhesive layer 106 and the electro-optic layer 104. Remain on top. The next step in the process is removal of unwanted portions of the front adhesive layer 106 and the electro-optic layer 104. This removal is because the front adhesive layer and the electro-optic layer have sufficient physical adhesion and can be manually rolled up on themselves and removed in large pieces from the underlying tight release sheet 102. Can be performed manually. However, as illustrated in FIG. 2C, in a preferred method of removing unwanted portions of the front adhesive layer and the electro-optic layer, the sacrificial sheet 210 (which need not be tacky) is formed from the island 208 and the front adhesive layer 106. Cold rolled over with an exposed portion of. The sacrificial sheet 210 is then removed, thus removing a portion of the front adhesive layer 106 and electro-optic layer 104 not covered by the islands 208, leaving the structure shown in FIG. 2D. As described above, this structure includes the second subassembly of the present invention, where the loose release sheet island 208 and similar dimensions of the front adhesive layer and the electro-optic layer, respectively. A plurality of “mesas” including the underlying regions 206 and 204 extend upward from the tight release sheet 102, and the plurality of mesas are separated from each other by a groove region 205. In some cases, such as in the first process of the present invention described above, the front adhesive layer 206 can be omitted if, for example, the electro-optic material can act as its own adhesive. It can be. Also, as will become readily apparent, each of these mesas ultimately forms an independent display (in some cases, the front adhesive removed on the disposable sheet 210 in other small displays) It may be possible to recycle the layers and parts of the electro-optic layer.)

  In the next step, the remaining portion 208 of the loose release sheet is peeled from the structure shown in FIG. 2D, and the remaining layers of the structure are laminated to the sheet of front substrate 120, where front substrate 120 This sheet may be the same as that used in the first process of the invention described above, with any openings required for engagement with alignment pins etc. during later stages of the process in advance. Can be provided. The first subassembly of the present invention resulting from this lamination is shown in FIG. 2E and has already been described in detail above.

  The subassembly shown in FIG. 2E is manufactured by a very different route, but manufactured in the first process of the present invention following the lamination shown in FIG. 1B and the subsequent laser cutting. The only difference is that the tight release sheet 102 is continuous in the structure of FIG. 2E. Thus, the remaining steps of the second process are essentially the same as the remaining steps of the first process. Again, a back adhesive layer 122 is coated on the third release sheet 124 and a slip sheet is applied to the back adhesive layer 122 to hollow out any required openings in the resulting structure. . The interleaf is then removed, the tight release sheet 102 is removed from the structure of FIG. 2E, and the resulting two membranes are identical to those produced by the first process of the present invention. Laminated together to produce the final reverse front plane laminate or subassembly shown in 2F.

  The third process of the present invention shown in FIGS. 3A-3D is essentially a variation of the second process described above. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, which are identical to FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively, the third process is the same as the second process up to the point shown in FIG. 3B. However, in the next step of the process, instead of the disposable sheet 210, the adhesive film 310 (FIG. 3C) is rolled onto the exposed surfaces of both the loose release sheet 108 and the front adhesive layer 106, Adhere to exposed surfaces. Therefore, when the adhesive film 310 is removed, the remaining loose release sheet 108 and unnecessary portions of the front adhesive layer 106 and the electro-optic layer 104 are removed together with the adhesive film 310, thus The structure shown in FIG. 3D is manufactured. In practice, the use of the adhesive film 310 is the same as the steps of FIGS. 2B to 2C, and the subsequent removal of the loose release sheet prior to lamination to the front substrate 120, into a single work process. Allows to be merged. Once the structure shown in FIG. 3D is manufactured, the remaining steps of the third process are identical to the remaining steps of the second process.

  In this third process of the present invention, if the process is carried out using a continuous web of material, all removal of unwanted material will be performed in sheet form or continuous web form. Please keep in mind. The third process of the present invention is therefore very suitable for use on a continuous, roll-by-roll basis.

  However, if the process shown in FIGS. 3A-3D and the subsequent lamination to form the final electro-optic display is to be performed on a continuous web, the process Care must be taken to maintain accurate alignment across the various steps. At the time shown in FIG. 3D, the “mesas” 204, 206 are manufactured at known locations on the release sheet 102. The structure shown in FIG. 3D causes the mesa to adhere to the front substrate, and then first on the front substrate (with or without interposition of an intervening adhesive layer on the electro-optic layer 204). When receiving a laminate similar to that shown in FIG. 1B, such as laminating a mesa to a backplane held on a web, ensure that the mesa is finally aligned with the backplane. Obviously it is necessary to do. Since the initial alignment is between the mesa and the release sheet 102, removal of this release sheet can break the alignment. To ensure that the mesa is finally aligned with the backplane, first move the mesa to a known position with respect to some fixed marker on the front substrate, and then fix it on the front substrate. It is necessary that the front substrate supporting the mesa be in contact with the backplane so that the marker is in a known alignment with the backplane. The required alignment ensures that the web is driven by a common tractor feed device by providing tractor feed holes in all webs and automatically stays in the desired alignment with each other Is most easily achieved.

  From the discussion so far, the method of the present invention provides a solid external surface to which the adhesive layer and release sheet can adhere and sufficient physical adhesion to allow the necessary manipulation of the film including the electro-optic layer. It is clear that it can be implemented with any electro-optic layer that has. Thus, the method can be implemented using any type of electro-optic medium described above. For example, the method may use a rotating dichroic medium, electrochromic medium or electrophoretic medium, and in the last case the electrophoretic medium is an encapsulated type, a polymer dispersion type or a microcell type. obtain.

Claims (5)

A light transmissive substrate (120) comprising a light transmissive conductive layer;
A plurality of substrate adhesive layers (106) disposed on the light transmissive substrate (120);
A plurality of layers of electro-optic material (104) disposed on the plurality of substrate adhesion layers (106);
An adhesive layer (122) disposed on the plurality of layers (104) of electro-optic material;
Forming a subassembly comprising a release layer (124) disposed on said adhesive layer (122), comprising:
(A) placing a plurality of components (114) on a support surface (118), comprising:
The plurality of components (114) are:
A plurality of tight release sheets (102) disposed on the support surface (118);
A plurality of layers of electro-optic material (104) disposed on the plurality of tight release sheets (102);
A plurality of substrate adhesion layers (106) disposed on the plurality of layers of electro-optic material (104);
(B) bonding the light transmissive substrate (120) on the plurality of substrate adhesive layers (106) of the plurality of components (114);
(C) removing the support surface (118) from the plurality of components (114);
(D) removing the plurality of tight release sheets (102) from the plurality of components (114);
(E) adhering the plurality of electro-optic material layers (104) of the plurality of components (114) on an adhesive layer (122) disposed on the release layer (124) in sequence. A method of forming a featured subassembly.   The method of forming a subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the support surface (118) comprises a template (116) having a plurality of recesses in which the plurality of components (114) are received. A light transmissive substrate (120) comprising a light transmissive conductive layer;
A plurality of substrate adhesive layers (206) disposed on the light transmissive substrate (120);
A plurality of layers of electro-optic material (204) disposed on the plurality of substrate adhesion layers (206);
An adhesive layer (122) disposed on the plurality of layers (204) of electro-optic material;
Forming a subassembly comprising a release layer (124) disposed on said adhesive layer (122), comprising:
(A) forming a layer (104) of an electro-optic material, a substrate adhesive layer (106) and a loose release sheet (108) in order on a tight release sheet (102);
(B) cutting the electro-optic material layer (104), the substrate adhesive layer (106) and the loose release sheet (108) formed on the tight release sheet (102); Defining a plurality of regions separated from each other by a groove region (205);
(C) leaving the loose release sheet (208) in the plurality of regions by removing the loose release sheet (108) from the groove region (205);
(D) removing the substrate adhesive layer (106) and the electro-optic material layer (104) from the groove region (205) to form a substrate adhesive layer (206) and an electro-optic material layer in the plurality of regions; Leaving (204) and removing the loose release sheet (208) from the plurality of regions;
(E) bonding the light transmissive substrate (120) on the substrate adhesive layer (206) in the plurality of regions;
(F) removing the tight release sheet (102);
(G) adhering the plurality of regions of the electro-optic material layer (204) on the adhesive layer (122) disposed on the release layer (124) in order. How to form. The step (d)
(D1) placing the disposable sheet (210) on the plurality of regions and the groove region (205);
(D2) removing the disposable sheet (210) together with the substrate adhesive layer (106) and the electro-optic material layer (104) in the groove region (205) attached to the disposable sheet (210);
And (d3) removing the loose release sheet (208) from the plurality of regions in order. The step (d)
(D1) placing the disposable sheet (210) on the plurality of regions and the groove region (205);
(D2) The substrate adhesion layer (106) and the layer (104) of the electro-optic material in the groove region (205) attached to the disposable sheet (210), and the plurality attached to the disposable sheet (210). Removing the disposable sheet (210) along with the loose release sheet (208) in the region of the method.

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