Solar panel, display device and clock

Abstract

The present invention provides a solar panel, a display device and a clock. The solar panel is characterized in that it has: a plurality of solar cells formed into a strip extending in a predetermined direction within a plate-shaped surface and arranged in a battery width direction orthogonal to the extension direction; and a split region that separates the solar cells of the plurality of solar cells from each other, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of solar cells corresponding to a visual confirmation region visually confirmed from the outside has a transparent power generation region, wherein a power generation region and a transmission region for transmitting light extend along the extension direction and are alternately arranged, the transparent power generation region spans the plurality of solar cells, and the split region is formed into a strip having a width equal to that of the transmission region within the transparent power generation region.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a solar panel, a display device and a clock. Background Art

[0002] At present, display devices such as watches equipped with solar panels that receive light and generate electricity are widely known. Such watches can be used for a long time without replacing batteries by using solar panels to generate electricity and charging secondary batteries.

[0003] For example, if a watch or the like is equipped with a solar panel, there is no need to replace the battery, and a convenient watch that is easy for the user to operate can be realized.

[0004] For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-267604 describes forming a solar cell in a narrow-width linear shape on a light-transmitting substrate so as not to obstruct most of the transparency of the substrate. Summary of the invention

[0005] One embodiment of the present invention is a solar panel, characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of solar cells formed into a strip extending in a predetermined direction within a plate-shaped surface and arranged in a cell width direction orthogonal to the extension direction; and a split region that separates the solar cells of the plurality of solar cells from each other, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of solar cells corresponding to a visual confirmation region visually confirmed from the outside has a transparent power generation region, wherein a power generation region and a transmission region for transmitting light extend along the extension direction and are alternately arranged, the transparent power generation region spans the plurality of solar cells, and the split region is formed into a strip having a width equal to that of the transmission region within the transparent power generation region. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Figure 1 It is a front view of the timepiece of this embodiment.

[0007] Figure 2 It is a top view of the solar panel in this embodiment.

[0008] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Cross-sectional view along line III-III in .

[0009] Figure 4 To express Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a variation of .

[0010] Figure 5 To express Figure 2 An explanatory diagram showing an example of the direction of movement of electric charges on a solar panel shown.

[0011] Figure 6The figure is a top view showing a modified example of a solar panel.

[0012] Figure 7 The figure is a top view showing a modified example of a solar panel.

[0013] Figure 8 The figure is a top view showing a modified example of a solar panel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] refer to Figure 1 to Figure 5 , an embodiment of a solar panel and a clock as a display device using the solar panel is described.

[0015] Figure 1 It is a front view showing a timepiece as a display device according to the present embodiment.

[0016] like Figure 1 As shown, the watch 100 of this embodiment includes a case (hereinafter referred to as "watch case 1" in the embodiment). The watch case 1 is formed of a hard material such as a hard synthetic resin or a metal such as titanium or stainless steel (SUS). In addition, the material forming the watch case 1 is not limited to the material exemplified here.

[0017] The watch case 1 of the present embodiment is formed in a hollow short column shape which is open at the top and bottom (the back of the watch) in the case thickness direction.

[0018] In the watch case 1 Figure 1 The upper and lower ends of the analog timepiece, that is, the ends at the 12 o'clock direction side and the 6 o'clock direction side are provided with a band attachment portion 11 for attaching a band not shown.

[0019] In addition, the timepiece 100 includes an operation button 12 on the side of the timepiece case 1 or the like. Figure 1 In the example shown, two operation buttons 12 are arranged on each of the left and right sides of the watch case 1, for a total of four buttons.

[0020] A windshield member 3 made of transparent glass or the like and having light transmissivity is provided at an opening on the surface side (the visual confirmation side of the timepiece, the upper side) of the timepiece case 1 so as to cover the opening portion.

[0021] Furthermore, a back cover (not shown) is attached to the back side of the watch case 1 to close the opening portion.

[0022] In this embodiment, the outer peripheral portion of the lower surface (the surface disposed on the inner side of the watch case 1) of the windproof component 3 is a ring-shaped decorative portion 31. The decorative portion 31 is patterned or colored as a whole in a manner that does not hinder light transmittance, and is provided with various signs, symbols, scales, etc.

[0023] The decorative portion 31 has a function as a shielding member that covers the display portion 4 housed inside the watch case 1 , the connection portion of the outer periphery of the solar panel 5 , etc., so that they cannot be visually recognized from the outside.

[0024] The method of forming the decorative portion 31 is not particularly limited, and for example, the decorative portion 31 may be formed by printing, various vapor deposition, or the like on the lower surface of the windshield member 3 .

[0025] In addition, the decorative part 31 is not limited to the case where it is provided on the lower surface of the windshield member 3 by printing or the like. For example, it may be an outer component, a bezel, etc., which is arranged on the lower side or the upper side of the windshield member 3 as a component different from the windshield member 3, and functions as a shielding member for the outer periphery of the display part, etc. In addition, in this case, the decorative part is also configured in a light-transmitting manner.

[0026] Furthermore, a module for operating each part of the timepiece 100 as a display device is accommodated inside the timepiece case 1 of the present embodiment (a timepiece module including a timing circuit as a timing unit that executes timing processing, not shown in the figure).

[0027] A display unit 4 including a liquid crystal panel (not shown) is provided above the module (the visual confirmation side of the watch, the surface side) and between the windshield member 3. The display element constituting the liquid crystal panel may be either a reflective type or a transmissive type.

[0028] Although in Figure 1 Although not shown in the figure, the display unit 4 displays the time, various information, and the like.

[0029] The structure of the display unit 4 is not particularly limited, and may include an analog display unit including a dial and hands, etc. Alternatively, it may include both a digital display unit including a liquid crystal panel, etc. and an analog display unit.

[0030] Furthermore, as described above, the outer periphery (the outer peripheral edge and the like) of the display portion 4 is covered by the decorative portion 31 and cannot be visually recognized from the outside.

[0031] In this embodiment, the inner area of ​​the decorative portion 31 ( Figure 1 The substantially circular area indicated by a white background in FIG. 1 is set as a visual confirmation area VAr that is visually confirmed from the outside on the display unit 4.

[0032] A solar panel 5 is disposed between the display unit 4 and the windproof member 3. Figure 1 As indicated by the middle dotted line, a plurality of batteries are arranged overlapping each other on the visual confirmation side of the display unit 4 (the surface side of the timepiece 100 ).

[0033] Figure 2It is a top view of the solar panel of this embodiment.

[0034] The solar panel 5 includes a power generation region 51 (including a thin line power generation region 51 a ) that functions as a solar cell that generates power by receiving light. The power generated by the solar panel 5 through photoelectric power generation is stored in a secondary battery (not shown).

[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, the solar panel 5 of the present embodiment is configured such that a plurality of strip-shaped solar cells C extending in the in-plane direction of the plate are arranged in parallel in a cell width direction W orthogonal to the extending direction L.

[0036] The solar cells C are separated from each other by the division region 53. In the present embodiment, the division region 53 is formed in a strip shape from one end to the other end in the extension direction L, with a width equal to that of a transmission region 52 described later.

[0037] The solar panel 5 has a connection portion 54 that electrically connects the solar cells C in series at the end portions of the solar cells C in the extending direction L.

[0038] The connection portion 54 is disposed so as to straddle the division region 53 that divides the solar cells C from each other.

[0039] The solar cells C are connected at the connection parts 54 to form an integral body, thereby constituting the solar panel 5 .

[0040] In the present embodiment, the connection portion 54 is arranged outside the above-mentioned visual confirmation area VAr and cannot be visually confirmed from the outside.

[0041] The solar panel 5 includes two terminal portions 55. One terminal portion 55 is electrically connected to a + electrode provided on a substrate (not shown) of a module or the like, and the other terminal portion 55 is electrically connected to a - electrode on the substrate.

[0042] The configuration of the terminal portion 55 is not particularly limited. Figure 2 Examples of being arranged at the ends of the solar cell C2 and the solar cell C4 are shown in FIG.

[0043] In the present embodiment, the number of solar cells C that constitute the solar panel 5 is not particularly limited. Figure 2 The figure shows eight solar cells C ( Figure 2 An example in which C1 to C8) are connected in series to form a solar panel 5.

[0044] The more solar cells C connected in series, the higher the voltage of the solar panel 5 as a whole. Therefore, the number of solar cells C constituting the solar panel 5 is preferably appropriately set according to the required voltage level such as the voltage of the secondary battery storing the generated power generated by the solar panel 5.

[0045] At least some of the solar cells C among the solar cells C1 to C8 include a transparent power generation region SAr in which power generation regions 51 and light-transmitting regions 52 extend in the extension direction L and are alternately arranged.

[0046] In the present embodiment, at least a portion of the solar cell C that is arranged corresponding to the visual confirmation region VAr visually confirmed from the outside is configured as a transparent power generation region SAr, and is arranged across a plurality of solar cells.

[0047] In the transparent power generation region SAr, the power generation regions 51 are arranged at a constant pitch.

[0048] Specifically, the power generation region 51 disposed in the transparent power generation region SAr among the power generation regions 51 is a thin line power generation region 51 a formed in a thin line shape having a width narrower than that of the transmission region 52 .

[0049] By obtaining the spacing between the fine-line power generation areas 51a arranged in the transparent power generation area SAr, when the display unit 4 is visually viewed from the outside, even if the solar cell C is arranged on the upper side (visual confirmation side, surface side) of the display unit 4, the surface as a whole has a uniform brightness. Therefore, the fine-line power generation areas 51a are not noticeable, the visual confirmation of the display unit 4 is good, and an aesthetically pleasing appearance can be achieved.

[0050] In the embodiment, when simply described as “the power generation region 51 ”, it means that both the thin-line power generation region 51 a and other power generation regions 51 are included.

[0051] The thickness of the thin-line power generation region 51a (the dimension in the battery width direction W) is not particularly limited. For example, when the thickness of the transmission region 52 (the dimension in the battery width direction W) is about 70 μm, the thickness of the thin-line power generation region 51a is about 10 μm.

[0052] Furthermore, the more the width of the thin-line power generation region 51a (the dimension in the battery width direction W) is reduced (thinned) and the width of the transmission region 52 (the dimension in the battery width direction W) is increased (thickened), the higher the transparency of the transparent power generation region SAr of the solar panel 5, and the higher the visual confirmation of the visual confirmation region VAr of the display unit 4. On the other hand, the smaller the width of the thin-line power generation region 51a, the less the power generation, and the greater the resistance when the charge moves in the solar cell C, and the lower the power generation efficiency.

[0053] Therefore, the width of the fine-line power generation area 51a and the width of the transmission area 52 are appropriately set based on the balance between the degree of visual confirmation required for the visual confirmation area VAr of the display unit 4 (i.e., the degree of transparency of the transparent power generation area SAr set corresponding to the visual confirmation area VAr) and the degree of power generation and power generation efficiency required for the solar panel 5.

[0054] Furthermore, when a plurality of solar cells C are connected in series to form a solar panel 5, if there is a difference in output current values ​​between the solar cells C, the output current value of the solar panel 5 will decrease in accordance with the solar cell C having the smallest output current value among the solar cells C.

[0055] Therefore, in order to improve power generation efficiency, it is preferable to configure the power generation regions 51 of the solar cells C so that the areas thereof are as equal as possible.

[0056] In this embodiment, if Figure 2 As shown, for example, the areas of solar cells C1 and C8 in which the power generation region 51 is formed in the substantially entirety of the solar cell C are small, and the areas of solar cells C4 and C5 in which most of the area in the solar cell C is the transparent power generation region SAr and which have many fine line power generation regions 51a become larger, and the areas are adjusted in such a way that the overall area of ​​the power generation region 51 in the solar cell C including the fine line power generation region 51a is substantially equal in each of the solar cells C1 to C8.

[0057] In addition, for example, when a part of the decorative portion 31 is provided with a marking mark formed by a metal part or a part of the power generation area 51 is covered with a component with low light transmittance, the power generation amount of the power generation area 51 in the part with low light transmittance is reduced.

[0058] In this case, if the pitch of the thin-line power generation regions 51a in the transparent power generation region SAr is changed to cope with the situation, the stripes will be noticeable when viewed visually, which will have a significant impact on the appearance and visibility.

[0059] Therefore, it is preferable to adjust in the following manner: by changing the shape of the power generation area 51 other than the transparent power generation area SAr (the power generation area 51 arranged outside the portion corresponding to the visual confirmation area VAr), the overall area of ​​the power generation area 51 between the solar cells C is made substantially equal. In this case, the solar cell C may have a tapered shape, a thickened shape, a curved shape, etc. at the end, and the overall shape of the solar cell C may not be a complete strip or long strip as shown in the figure in this embodiment.

[0060] In addition, with respect to the power generation region 51 (the power generation region 51 outside the transparent power generation region SAr) arranged outside the portion corresponding to the visual confirmation area VAr, the area of ​​the transmission region 52 is smaller than that of the transparent power generation region SAr. Therefore, compared with the transparent power generation region SAr, the power generation density is higher and the whole appears black when viewed visually.

[0061] Therefore, if Figure 2 As in the present embodiment shown in the figure, the peripheral portion corresponding to the decorative portion 31 and arranged on the visual confirmation side of the clock 100, which is composed of such a power generation area 51 with high power generation density, can also have the function of serving as a shielding member that covers the peripheral portion of the module located on the lower side of the solar panel 5 and the wiring, etc.

[0062] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Cross-sectional view along line III-III.

[0063] like Figure 3 As shown, the solar panel 5 includes a power generation region 51 , a transmission region 52 , and a division region 53 for dividing each solar cell C on a substrate 50 .

[0064] The power generation region 51 has a laminated structure in which a back electrode 511 is formed on a substrate 50, and a semiconductor layer 512 and a transparent electrode 513 are sequentially laminated thereon. In addition, a transparent sealant (protective layer) may be provided in such a manner as to cover the entire substrate 50 from above the laminated structure.

[0065] The transmission region 52 and the division region 53 are regions in a state where there is no back electrode 511 , semiconductor layer 512 , or transparent electrode 513 and only the substrate 50 .

[0066] The transmission region 52 and the segmented region 53 may be formed by leaving a region on the substrate 50 where the back electrode 511, the semiconductor layer 512, and the transparent electrode 513 are not stacked, or these layers may be appropriately removed after the back electrode 511, the semiconductor layer 512, and the transparent electrode 513 are stacked on the substrate 50. When removing the back electrode 511, etc., the method is not particularly limited, and for example, a processing using a laser or the like may be used.

[0067] The base material 50 is a transparent thin plate-like substrate, such as a flexible film-like transparent plastic, etc. The material forming the base material 50 is not limited to the materials exemplified here, and for example, various transparent resins, glass, etc. can be applied.

[0068] The back electrode 511 is formed of a metal material such as an aluminum conductor, etc. The material forming the back electrode 511 is not limited thereto.

[0069] The semiconductor layer 512 is formed of, for example, amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) etc. As the semiconductor layer 512, for example, a pn junction type semiconductor in which a p-type semiconductor and an n-type semiconductor are bonded can be used.

[0070] The back electrode 511 and the semiconductor layer 512 are formed by stacking on the substrate 50 by, for example, vapor deposition or the like. The method of providing the back electrode 511 and the semiconductor layer 512 on the substrate 50 is not limited thereto.

[0071] The transparent electrode 513 is formed by crystallizing zinc oxide, indium oxide, tin oxide, etc. The material and formation method of the transparent electrode 513 are not limited thereto.

[0072] In addition, the semiconductor layer 512 does not function as the power generation region 51 when it is not sandwiched by the back electrode 511 and the transparent electrode 513. Figure 4 As shown, only the semiconductor layer 512 may remain on the substrate 50 in the segmentation region 53 (see Figure 4 The segmented area 53 on the left).

[0073] However, when the semiconductor layer 512 is not transparent, if it remains on the substrate 50, it can be visually recognized from the outside.

[0074] Therefore, in this case, in the transparent power generation area SA r , even in the segmented area 53 , it is necessary to remove all of the back electrode 511 , the semiconductor layer 512 , and the transparent electrode 513 (see FIG. Figure 4 The divided area 53 on the right is sandwiched by the thin wire power generation area 51a).

[0075] in addition, Figure 5 It is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the movement direction of charges in this embodiment.

[0076] In this embodiment, if Figure 5 As shown, the connection parts 54 connecting the solar cells C are alternately arranged at one end and the other end in the extension direction L, so that the charges are alternately transferred from one end to the other end of the solar cells C in the extension direction L from the solar cells C1 to C8.

[0077] also, Figure 5 The arrangement and structure shown are only examples, and the connection parts 54 do not need to be arranged alternately at any one of the ends on one side and the ends on the other side in the extension direction L. The connection parts 54 may be arranged alternately at any one of the ends on one side and the ends on the other side in the extension direction L as long as the solar cells C having the transparent power generation area SAr provided at least partially throughout the entire cell width direction W are arranged continuously.

[0078] For example, in the present embodiment, in the solar cells C3 to C6 among the plurality of solar cells C, the transparent power generation region SAr is provided in the substantially central portion in the extending direction L over the entire cell width direction W.

[0079] Therefore, the power generation region 51 arranged outside the transparent power generation region SAr is divided to both ends of the solar cell C.

[0080] In such solar cells C3 to C6, when the charges generated in the power generation region 51 including the thin power generation region 51a move in the extension direction L, they must pass through the thin power generation region 51a. In the case of the solar panel 5, it is thin in the thickness direction, so when the power generation region 51 is thinned, the movement path of the charges has to be narrowed. Therefore, when the charges generated in the power generation region 51 pass through, the resistance value increases compared to the power generation region 51 that is not thinned, and electrical loss occurs.

[0081] Therefore, in order to prevent the charges from moving back and forth (in order to shorten the distance the charges move as much as possible), the connection portion 54 is alternately arranged at either the end on one side and the end on the other side in the extension direction L, so that the charges move in a unidirectional manner. This is effective from the perspective of reducing electrical losses.

[0082] In contrast, in the solar cells C1, C2, C7, and C8, the power generation region 51 that is not the thin line power generation region 51a (the power generation region 51 having a sufficient width in the cell width direction W) is continuous from one end in the extension direction L to the other end.

[0083] Therefore, in the solar cells C1 , C2 , C7 , and C8 , when the charges generated in the power generation region 51 including the thin-line power generation region 51 a move in the extension direction L, a large electric loss due to resistance does not occur.

[0084] Therefore, the connecting portion 54 connecting the solar cell C1 and the solar cell C2, the connecting portion 54 connecting the solar cell C2 and the solar cell C3, the connecting portion 54 connecting the solar cell C6 and the solar cell C7, and the connecting portion 54 connecting the solar cell C7 and the solar cell C8 can be arranged at the ends on the same side of the extension direction L.

[0085] In addition, in this embodiment, if Figure 1 As shown, the extending direction L of the plurality of solar cells C1 to C8 constituting the solar panel 5 is from the longitudinal direction ( Figure 1 The vertical direction in the analog clock, the 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock direction) and the horizontal direction ( Figure 1 The solar panel 5 is configured in a tilted and offset manner (in the left and right directions in the middle, the 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock directions on an analog clock).

[0086] As exemplified in the present embodiment, when the display unit 4 of the timepiece 100 as a display device is a digital display unit having a liquid crystal panel or the like, the vertical and horizontal arrangement directions of the display elements (display elements) constituting the liquid crystal panel or the like are generally the horizontal or vertical direction of the timepiece 100. When the extension direction L as the grid arrangement direction of the thin-line power generation area 51a and the transmission area 52 in the transparent power generation area SAr of the solar panel 5 coincides with it, moire fringes are easily generated, and there is a problem that the visual confirmation of the display unit 4 is significantly reduced.

[0087] In this regard, by configuring the solar panel 5 at an angle that is offset between the arrangement direction of the display elements constituting the liquid crystal panel and the extension direction L of the solar cell C, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of moiré fringes due to the relationship with the display unit 4. Specifically, the angle between the arrangement direction of the display elements and the extension direction L of the solar cell C is preferably 25 degrees or 65 degrees, and the occurrence of moiré fringes can be prevented as long as it is within the range of 15 degrees to 75 degrees.

[0088] In addition, in this embodiment, Figure 1 The solar panel 5 is arranged in the direction shown in the figure so that the arrangement direction of the plurality of solar cells C1 to C8, that is, the cell width direction W, is aligned with the horizontal direction ( Figure 1 The left-right direction in the analog clock and the 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock direction in the analog clock are not consistent.

[0089] In the clock 100 Figure 1 In the case of a watch as shown, when a user wears the watch 100, the area of ​​the power generation area 51 on the opposite side to the front may be covered by the front end of the sleeve depending on the length of the sleeve of the user's clothes. In this case, if the arrangement direction of the plurality of solar cells C1 to C8 is consistent with the horizontal direction of the watch 100, the power generation of some solar cells C is extremely reduced, and there is a problem that the power generation efficiency of the solar panel 5 as a whole is significantly reduced.

[0090] In this regard, by displacing the arrangement direction of the plurality of solar cells C1 to C8 with respect to the lateral direction of the timepiece 100 as shown in the present embodiment, it is possible to avoid a situation where some of the solar cells C completely lose their power generation function even if a portion of the power generation area 51 of the timepiece 100 is covered by a sleeve or the like.

[0091] Assuming that the power generation of each solar cell C1 to C8 is reduced to approximately the same extent due to being covered by sleeves, the power generation of the solar panel 5 is reduced. However, compared with the case where the power generation of some solar cells C is extremely reduced, the reduction in power generation caused by being covered by sleeves can be limited to a minimum.

[0092] Next, the operation of the solar panel 5 according to the present embodiment and the timepiece 100 as a display device including the solar panel will be described.

[0093] In this embodiment, the solar panel 5 is placed on the upper side of the display unit 4 arranged on the visual confirmation side of the timepiece 100. At this time, the solar panel 5 is arranged so that the transparent power generation area SAr corresponds to the visual confirmation area VAr of the display unit 4.

[0094] The transparent power generation area SAr is formed by arranging the thin line power generation area 51a and the transmissive area 52 in the same longitudinal direction. Therefore, even if the solar panel 5 is arranged on the upper side of the display unit 4, the visual confirmation of the display unit 4 is not impaired, and the power generation area 51 can be ensured on the upper side of the display unit 4. Therefore, compared with the case where the power generation area is arranged only on the periphery of the display unit 4, the power generation amount can be increased.

[0095] The solar panel 5 is arranged such that the extending direction L of the solar cells C1 to C8 is from the longitudinal direction ( Figure 1 The vertical direction in the analog clock, the 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock direction) and the horizontal direction ( Figure 1 The direction of the tilt (left and right direction on a clock, 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock on an analog clock).

[0096] In the case where the display unit 4 is a dot matrix type in which display elements are arranged along a predetermined direction, for example, when the display unit 4 is composed of a liquid crystal panel, etc., and the vertical and horizontal arrangement directions of the display elements are the horizontal or vertical direction of the clock 100, if the extension direction L of the solar cells C1~C8 is consistent with the predetermined direction (the horizontal or vertical direction of the clock 100), then when the transparent power generation area SAr of the solar panel 5 and the liquid crystal panel overlap, there is a problem of generating moiré fringes.

[0097] In this regard, by setting the extending direction L of the solar cells C1 to C8 to a direction inclined at a predetermined angle from a predetermined direction, the occurrence of moire fringes caused by the overlap of the transparent power generation area SAr of the solar panel 5 and the liquid crystal panel can be suppressed.

[0098] Furthermore, by arranging the solar panel 5 on the visual confirmation side of the clock 100 and on the upper side of the display part, when light enters through the windproof member 3, photoelectric power generation is efficiently performed in the power generation area 51 of the solar cells C1 to C8. Each solar cell C is connected by a connecting part to form a solar panel 5, and the power generated by the solar panel 5 as a whole is stored in the secondary battery. Then, sufficient power is supplied from the secondary battery to various operating parts such as the motor of the module to drive the clock 100.

[0099] As described above, according to the present embodiment, a plurality of solar cells C formed into strips extending in the surface direction are arranged in parallel in the cell width direction W orthogonal to the extension direction L, and at least a portion of the solar cell C corresponding to the visual confirmation area VAr visually confirmed from the outside is constituted as a transparent power generation area SAr, in which the power generation area 51 and the transmission area 52 for transmitting light extend along the extension direction L and are alternately arranged, and within the transparent power generation area SAr, the dividing area 53 that separates the solar cells C from each other is formed into a strip having a width equal to that of the transmission area 52.

[0100] By making the portion corresponding to the visible area VAr the transparent power generation area SAr, even if the solar panel 5 is arranged on the upper side of the display unit 4, visibility can be ensured.

[0101] Moreover, within the transparent power generation area SAr, the dividing area 53 has a width equal to that of the transmission area 52. Therefore, when viewed from the outside, the dividing position of the solar cell C is not obvious. Even in the case where the solar panel 5 is composed of multiple solar cells C, an excellent appearance with inconspicuous stripes can be achieved.

[0102] Furthermore, since the light emitting region 51 (in the present embodiment, the thin-line power generation region 51 a ) can be arranged on the surface side of the timepiece 100 which easily receives light, a larger amount of power generation can be ensured.

[0103] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the power generation regions 51 are arranged at a constant pitch in the transparent power generation region SAr.

[0104] By arranging the power generation areas 51 at a constant pitch, the grid structure is not noticeable even when the solar panel 5 is visually viewed from the outside. In addition, even if it overlaps the visual confirmation area VAr, stripes and the like are not noticeable, thereby forming a beautiful appearance.

[0105] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, a portion of the solar cell C corresponding to an area other than the visual confirmation area VAr is constituted by the power generation area 51 .

[0106] Therefore, a large amount of power generation can be ensured in a portion that cannot be visually confirmed from the outside and does not affect the appearance, and both a beautiful appearance and excellent power generation capacity can be achieved.

[0107] According to the present embodiment, the power generation region 51 disposed in the transparent power generation region SAr is a thin line power generation region 51 a formed in a thin line shape having a width narrower than that of the transmission region 52 .

[0108] Therefore, even if the power generation region 51 is overlapped on the portion corresponding to the visibility region VAr, the visibility of the display unit 4 is not impaired, and the appearance can be improved.

[0109] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the divided region 53 is formed to have a width narrower than the width of the transmissive region 52 in a portion corresponding to a region other than the visual confirmation region VAr.

[0110] Therefore, the area of ​​the power generation region 51 can be increased in a portion that cannot be visually recognized from the outside and does not affect the appearance, thereby ensuring a large amount of power generation, and achieving both a beautiful appearance and excellent power generation capacity.

[0111] Furthermore, when the solar panel 5 of the present embodiment is applied to the timepiece 100 as a display device, it is possible to achieve both ensuring visibility of the display unit 4 and improving the power generation efficiency of the solar panel 5 .

[0112] Therefore, it is possible to realize a timepiece 100 (display device) that allows easy visual confirmation of the time, various functional displays, etc., and even if the timepiece 100 (display device) has a functional unit that requires a large amount of power, sufficient power generation can be ensured by the solar panel 5.

[0113] In the watch 100 (display device) having the solar panel 5 of this embodiment, the solar panel 5 is overlapped and arranged on the visual confirmation side of the display unit 4, and the transparent power generation area SAr is formed in a portion corresponding to the visual confirmation area VAr visually confirmed from the outside of the display unit 4.

[0114] Therefore, even if a large amount of power generation is ensured by the solar panel 5 , the visibility of the visual confirmation area VAr is not hindered, and the timepiece 100 (display device) in which the display unit 4 is easily visible can be realized.

[0115] Furthermore, although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0116] For example, in the above embodiment, if Figure 2 1 and 2 , the dividing region 53 for dividing the solar cells C is formed to have the width of the transmission region 52 from one end to the other end in the extension direction L of the solar cell C. However, the shape of the dividing region 53 is not limited thereto.

[0117] For example, you can also Figure 6 As shown in the solar panel 6 shown in the figure, in the portion other than the transparent power generation area SAr in the solar cell C (the portion corresponding to the portion other than the visual confirmation area VAr), the width of the divided area 53 is narrowed to form a narrow width divided area 53a.

[0118] Since the portion outside the transparent power generation area SAr cannot be visually recognized from the outside, even if the portion does not maintain the same width as the transparent power generation area SAr, it does not affect the appearance.

[0119] In this case, if the divided regions 53 are formed as narrow divided regions 53 a , the area of ​​the power generation region 51 is increased accordingly, and a larger amount of power generation can be ensured.

[0120] In the present embodiment, the case where only the portion corresponding to the substantially central portion of the solar panel 5 in each solar cell C is the transparent power generation region SAr is exemplified, but the range of the transparent power generation region SAr is not limited thereto.

[0121] For example, you can also Figure 7 As shown in the solar panel 7 , the entire solar cells C1 to C8 (ie, the entire solar panel 7 ) are the transparent power generation area SAr.

[0122] For example, when the decorative portion 31 is not provided and the visual confirmation area VAr of the display portion 4 is ensured to be large, the transparent power generation area SAr corresponding to the visual confirmation area VAr needs to be enlarged to ensure the visibility of the display portion 4 .

[0123] In this case, if Figure 7 As shown, in all the solar cells C1 to C8 , the entire area from one end to the other end in the extension direction L is the thin-line power generation region 51 a , and therefore the resistance value during charge transfer is further increased.

[0124] In this regard, similarly to the present embodiment, if the connection portions 54 connecting the solar cells C are alternately arranged at either the end on one side and the end on the other side in the extension direction L, the charges alternately move from one end to the other end in the extension direction L of the solar cells C from C1 to C8, thereby avoiding the reciprocating movement of the charges.

[0125] As a result, the distance that charges travel can be shortened as much as possible, and the electrical loss caused by the increase in resistance when charges pass through can be suppressed, thereby maintaining good power generation efficiency.

[0126] When the entire solar cells C1 to C8 (that is, the entire solar panel 7 ) are the transparent power generation region SAr, the transmission region 52 may also serve as the division region 53 .

[0127] In this case, if Figure 7 As shown by the middle dotted line, half of each divided region 53 along the extension direction L belongs to one solar cell C (eg, solar cell C1 ), and the other half belongs to another adjacent solar cell C (eg, solar cell C2 ).

[0128] In addition, the shapes of the solar panel and the solar cells constituting the solar panel are not limited to the substantially circular shapes shown in the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0129] For example, it can also be an elliptical shape, or it can be Figure 8 As shown in the figure, the solar panel 8 is a polygonal shape such as an octagon.

[0130] In addition, Figure 8 2 shows an example in which the solar panel 8 is composed of six solar cells C1 to C6 . However, even in the case of a polygonal solar panel 8 , the number of solar cells C constituting the solar panel 8 is not particularly limited.

[0131] Even in this case, a portion corresponding to the visual confirmation area VAr of the display unit 4 is set as the transparent power generation area SAr.

[0132] Furthermore, each of the solar cells C1 to C6 is divided by the division region 53 (including the narrow division region 53a) at a position where the areas of the respective power generation regions 51 (including the narrow power generation region 51a) are substantially equal.

[0133] Since the shape of the solar panel can be freely set, the solar panel of the present invention can be applied to the timepiece 100 (display device) having the display unit 4 of various shapes.

[0134] In addition, in the present embodiment, the case where the solar panel 5 is incorporated in the timepiece 100 is exemplified, but the device in which the solar panel 5 is incorporated is not limited to the timepiece 100 .

[0135] As long as the display device generates electricity through the solar panel 5 and uses the generated electricity as a driving source to operate, it can be widely used. For example, it can also be a biological information display device such as a pedometer, a heart rate meter, a pulse meter, a display device that displays various information such as moving distance, moving speed information, altitude information, air pressure information, etc.

[0136] Several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and the scope of equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A solar panel, characterized in that: have: A plurality of solar cells are formed into a strip shape extending in a predetermined direction within a plate-shaped surface and arranged in a battery width direction orthogonal to the extending direction. The plurality of solar cells include: a first solar cell, wherein in at least a visual confirmation area visually confirmed from the outside, power generation areas and transmission areas for transmitting light are alternately arranged along the extension direction; and a second solar cell, the second solar cell being adjacent to the first solar cell in the cell width direction across a dividing region, In at least a portion of the extending direction, the widths of the transmission region and the dividing region in the battery width direction are the same, Both ends of the plurality of power generation regions included in one of the first solar cells in the extending direction outside the visible area are connected to each other.

2. The solar panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the first solar cell, the power generation regions disposed in the visual confirmation region are arranged at a constant pitch.

3. The solar panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the first solar cell, a portion corresponding to an area other than the visual confirmation area is composed only of the power generation area.

4. The solar panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the first solar cell, the power generation region disposed in the visual confirmation region is formed in a thin line shape having a narrower width than the transmission region.

5. The solar panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the first solar cell, the divided region provided in a portion corresponding to a region other than the visual confirmation region is formed to have a width narrower than a width of the transmission region.

6. A display device, characterized in that: have: The solar panel according to any one of claims 1 to 5; and Display unit.

7. The display device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The display unit is a dot matrix in which display elements are arranged in a predetermined direction. The extending direction of the solar cell is a direction inclined at a predetermined angle from the predetermined direction.

8. The display device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The solar panel is overlapped and arranged on the visual confirmation side of the display unit. The first solar cell forms the transmission region and the division region in a state where the display portion is overlapped on the solar panel so that the display portion overlaps the visual confirmation region.

9. A timepiece, characterized in that: have: The solar panel according to any one of claims 1 to 5; a display unit; and A timing unit performs timing processing.

10. The timepiece according to claim 9, characterized in that The display unit is a dot matrix in which display elements are arranged in a predetermined direction. The extending direction of the solar cell is a direction inclined at a predetermined angle from the predetermined direction.

11. The timepiece according to claim 9, characterized in that The solar panel is overlapped and arranged on the visual confirmation side of the display unit. The first solar cell forms the transmission region and the division region in a state where the display portion is overlapped on the solar panel so that the display portion overlaps the visual confirmation region.

Images