All solid-state complementary electrochromic display device

Claim 2

An EC display device comprising: a transparent substrate; a plurality of transparent segmented electrodes formed on a surface of said transparent substrate; EC segments formed on said transparent segmented electrodes, said EC segments being formed of one of an oxidation coloration type EC material and a reduction coloration type EC material; a counter EC layer positioned apart opposite to said EC segments, said counter EC layer being formed of the other of the oxidation type EC material and the reduction coloration type EC material; an ion permeable solid insulating layer interposed between said EC segments and said counter EC layer; a counter electrode provided outside said counter EC layer; first means for applying direct current voltage across said counter EC layer and said transparent segmented electrodes; and second means for applying direct current voltage between each of said transparent segmented electrodes; whereby said first means apply the direct current voltage across said counter electrode and a part of said transparent segmented electrodes so that the corresponding part of the EC segments and a part of the counter EC layer positioned opposite are colored and then said second means apply the direct current voltage between a colorless EC segment to be colored and a colored EC segment to be bleached through each of said transparent segmented electrodes so that electric charge injected in said colored EC segment is transferred to said colorless EC segment through said counter EC layer so as to provide a display.

Claim 3

The display device according to claim 1 wherein said oxidation coloration type EC material is iridium hydroxide [Ir(OH)n] and said reduction coloration type EC material is tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ).

Claim 4

The display device according to claim 1 wherein said ion permeable solid insulating layer is tantalum oxide (Ta 2 O 5 ).

Claim 5

The display device according to claim 1 wherein said counter EC layer is divided into a plurality of parts so as to form the same pattern as that of said EC segments.

Claim 6

The display device according to claim 1 wherein said counter EC layer is a continuous layer covering all the EC segments.

Claim 7

The display device according to claim 1 wherein all the EC segments are of the same area.

Claim 8

The display device according to claim 1 wherein said EC segments are divided into display EC segments comprising seven segments arrayed in the form of numeral eight and a plurality of support EC segments arrayed near said display EC segments.

Claim 9

An electronic timepiece having a display device comprising: a transparent substrate; a plurality of transparent segmented electrodes formed on a surface of said transparent substrate; EC segments formed on said transparent segmented electrodes, said EC segments being formed of one of an oxidation coloration type EC material and a reduction coloration type EC material; a counter EC layer positioned apart opposite to said EC segments, said counter EC layer being formed of the other of the oxidation coloration type EC material and the reduction coloration type EC material; an ion permeable solid insulating layer interposed between said EC segments and said counter EC layer; a counter electrode provided outside said counter EC layer; first means for applying direct current coltage across said counter layer and said transparent segmented electrodes; and second means for applying direct current voltage between each of said transparent segmented electrodes; whereby said first means apply the direct current voltage across said counter electrode and a part of said transparent segmented electrodes so that the corresponding part of the EC segments and a part of the counter EC layer positioned opposite are colored and then the second means apply the direct current voltage between a colorless EC segment to be colored and a colored EC segment to be bleached through each of said transparent segmented electrode so that electric charge injected in said colored EC segment is transferred to said colorless EC segment through said counter EC layer so as to provide a display.

Claim 10

An electronic timepiece having a display device comprising: a transparent substrate; a plurality of transparent segmented electrodes formed on a surface of said transparent substrate; EC segments formed on said transparent segmented electrodes, said EC segments being formed of one of an oxidation coloration type EC material and a reduction coloration type EC material; a counter EC layer positioned apart opposite to said EC segments, said counter EC layer being formed of the other of the oxidation coloration type EC material and the reduction coloration type EC material; an ion permeable solid insulating layer interposed between said EC segments and said counter EC layer; a counter electrode provided outside said counter EC layer; first means for applying direct current coltage across said counter layer and said transparent segmented electrodes; and second means for applying direct current voltage between each of said transparent segmented electrodes; whereby said first means apply the direct current voltage across said counter electrode and a part of said transparent segmented electrodes so that the corresponding part of the EC segments and a part of the counter EC layer positioned opposite are colored and then the second means apply the direct current voltage between a colorless EC segment to be colored and a colored EC segment to be bleached through each of said transparent segmented electrode so that electric charge injected in said colored EC segment is transferred to said colorless EC segment through said counter EC layer so as to provide a display.

Claim 11

The electronic timepiece according to claim 8 further comprising a display device, said display device displaying time by the application of the direct current voltage between said segmented electrodes and said counter EC layer.