Importance

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Abstract

A segmented ball for an electrical twisting ball color display device, the device being composed of different sets of spheroidal balls rotatably disposed in an elastomer substrate, each set being associated with a different display color. The segmented ball includes a colored interior segment surrounded on either side by transparent exterior segments, the three segments being arrayed substantially parallel to one another, with adjacent segments being adjoined to one another at substantially planar interfaces. The colored interior segment can have, for example, a transparent or opaque chromatic color, such as red, green, or blue. The ball has an anisotropy for providing an electrical dipole moment, the electrical dipole moment rendering the ball electrically responsive such that when the ball is rotatably disposed in a nonoscillating electric field while the electrical dipole moment of the ball is provided, the ball tends to rotate to an orientation in which the electrical dipole moment aligns with the field. Also disclosed are: a material made up of a substrate in which are disposed two or more different sets of the aforementioned balls, each set having a different center-segment color so as to provide a different observable display color; an apparatus made up of a piece of this material, together with electrodes to facilitate a rotation of balls rotatably disposed therein; and a method for using this apparatus.

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First Claim