Patent ID: 6885496
Filing Date: 2005-04-26
Classification: G02B,G02F

Abstract:
1. A reflective display, comprising: (a) a plurality of transparent hemi-beads substantially covering and protruding inwardly from an inward surface of a transparent sheet; (b) means for selectably moving a member into an intense evanescent wave region at an inward side of the hemi-beads to selectably frustrate substantial total internal reflection of light rays at the inward side; wherein: (c) outwardmost regions of the hemi-beads are substantially hexagonal; (d) inwardmost regions of the hemi-beads are approximately spherical; (e) first intermediate regions of the hemi-beads close to the outwardmost region are more approximately hexagonal than second intermediate regions of the hemi-beads which are farther from the outwardmost region than the first intermediate regions; and (f) third intermediate regions of the hemi-beads close to the inwardmost region are more approximately spherical than a fourth intermediate region of the hemi-beads which is farther from the inwardmost region than the third intermediate regions.