Composite glass with light adjusting function, preparation method thereof and vehicle comprising same

Abstract

This invention discloses a composite glass with dimming function, its preparation method, and a vehicle containing the same. The composite glass includes inner and outer glass panels. The outer glass panel is a single piece, while the inner glass panel is composed of two pieces of different sizes joined together. Flexible electrical connection elements and control circuitry of the dimming film pass through the seam and are fixed to the outer surface of the smaller inner glass piece. This composite glass also enables arbitrary zone dimming, solving the problems of high transmittance in dark states and the difficulty in commercializing stepless dimming. It can display text or graphic information without the need for a separate integrated display screen, thus providing necessary prompts and assistance to the operator when needed. The preparation method of this invention provides a reliable method for combining a glass-based or flexible substrate dimming film with flexible electrical connection elements and control circuitry with vehicle window glass, producing several vehicle window glass structures with dimming, touch, and display functions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle glass, specifically to a composite glass with dimming function, a method for preparing it, and a vehicle containing the same. Background Technology

[0002] A dimming window is a new type of optoelectronic window that integrates a dimming functional layer into the middle of the window, controlling the visible light transmittance by controlling voltage or current. Currently, common dimming windows often employ technologies such as polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC), electrochromic (EC), SPD (suspended particle device), and GH-LC (guest-host type dye liquid crystal). However, currently, dimming windows that can be mass-produced typically only achieve overall control of the visible light transmittance of the window (e.g., ...). Figure 1 As shown), it does not have zone control functionality. Windows with zone dimming functionality are under development, but they can only be controlled individually based on pre-set rows or columns (e.g., ...). Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown), it cannot perform fine-grained arbitrary zone control based on the diverse wishes of passengers (such as...). Figure 4 As shown in the image, it is even more impossible to realize the display function on the car window.

[0003] As the trend towards vehicle intelligence becomes increasingly apparent and certain, consumers' demands for zoned dimming windows will inevitably become more diverse and sophisticated. For example... Figure 5 As shown, current local dimming technology often employs the following operations on a pre-processed overall dimming film to achieve local dimming functionality: 1) dividing the transparent conductive layer 1 into zones; 2) electrically connecting the portion of each transparent conductive layer 1 extending to the edge of the film to an opaque low-sheet resistance conductive material 2; 3) leading out and collecting the opaque low-sheet resistance conductive material 2; 4) connecting the opaque low-sheet resistance conductive material 2 to an external controller 3, etc. Due to limitations in ITO conductive layer partitioning, connection between low-sheet resistance conductive materials and transparent conductive materials, and wiring layout, significant difficulties exist in improving the precision of local dimming.

[0004] In addition, the dark transmittance of existing dimming technologies is mostly above 1%, and some dimming technologies can achieve a dark transmittance of around 0.5%. However, there is still a problem of high dark transmittance, which is insufficient in terms of blocking sunlight and protecting privacy inside the vehicle.

[0005] Furthermore, due to the significant variations in ambient light across seasons and time, if the dimming layer has a dark-state transmittance of <0.1% and possesses stepless dimming functionality, passengers can adjust the transmittance in real-time according to changes in ambient light to achieve a combination of functions such as sun shading, protecting in-vehicle privacy, and observing the external environment. However, existing voltage modulation dimming technologies, such as PDLC (polymer dispersed liquid crystal), SPD (suspended particle device), and GH-LC (guest-host type dye liquid crystal), all exhibit the problem of abrupt changes in transmittance due to small voltage variations within a certain area (e.g., ...). Figure 6 As shown in the diagram, the voltage transmittance curve fluctuates within a certain range as the ambient temperature changes. These factors mean that to achieve stepless dimming, the dimming film control circuit needs to precisely control the voltage within a small range and perform real-time compensation based on ambient temperature, resulting in a complex circuit design, lower reliability, and higher cost. In practical applications, although the transmittance of the dimming layer has a certain range of variation, only the maximum and minimum transmittance conditions are applicable, making stepless dimming difficult to implement commercially.

[0006] Because current technology can only achieve relatively crude local dimming control, when a product requires the addition of touch functionality to adjust dimming via touch, the dimming layer alone cannot provide appropriate operating areas and instructions. Additional display technology needs to be integrated, further increasing the product's complexity, overall thickness, and cost. Furthermore, existing active-matrix display technologies, such as OLED and mini-LED, often present problems when directly used on car windows during the day due to the order-of-magnitude difference in brightness compared to natural light. Forcibly increasing display brightness often leads to reliability issues such as shortened lifespan, increased power consumption, and increased heat generation. Traditional flat panel display products, such as LCD and OLED, all use a glass 4 plus a chip-on-film (COF) 5 plus a printed circuit board (PCB) 6 (e.g., Figure 7 (As shown). Because the surfaces of components such as flip-chip films and printed circuit boards are uneven and easily damaged by external forces, integrating them with traditional car windows presents numerous challenges. Furthermore, uneven pressure on the glass of LCD products can easily lead to mura (display defects). Traditional car windows, due to their curved shape and glass fit issues, are prone to causing localized uneven pressure on the integrated LCD products, resulting in mura. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a composite glass with dimming function, a method for preparing it, and a vehicle containing the same.

[0008] The composite glass of this invention can realize the function of arbitrary zone dimming according to various wishes, solving the problems of high dark transmittance and the difficulty in commercial application of stepless dimming function. It can realize the display of some text or graphic information without the need for a separate integrated display screen, thereby providing necessary prompts and assistance to the operator when necessary.

[0009] The preparation method of the present invention provides a reliable method for bonding a glass-based or flexible substrate dimming film with flexible electrical connection elements and control circuits to a glass substrate, and prepares several composite glass structures with dimming, touch and display functions.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0011] In one aspect, the present invention provides a composite glass with dimming function, the composite glass comprising: an inner glass plate, an outer glass plate, and a dimming film sandwiched between the inner glass plate and the outer glass plate;

[0012] The dimming film has a local dimming function and is connected to an external control circuit (preferably a printed circuit board PCB) via a flexible electrical connection element;

[0013] The inner glass panel is composed of two pieces of different sizes spliced ​​together. The larger inner glass panel covers the dimming film. The flexible electrical connection element passes through the splice seam of the inner glass panel and is connected to the control circuit. The control circuit is fixed to the outer surface of the smaller inner glass panel.

[0014] In this invention, the outer surface of the inner and outer glass plates refers to the surface facing the outside of the composite glass, and the opposite surfaces of the inner and outer glass plates facing each other are the inner surfaces.

[0015] The flexible electrical connection elements and control circuits, which are more susceptible to damage in the dimming film, extend from the splicing seam inside the glass, without passing through the glass edge. The control circuit is fixed to the outer surface of the inner glass panel. When the composite glass is used as a vehicle window, the inner glass panel faces the inside of the vehicle, and the control circuit is fixed to the inside of the vehicle. This structure can reduce damage caused by various vibrations and misoperations during handling, loading, and driving. It also features convenient heat dissipation, simple structure, ease of implementation, and low cost.

[0016] According to the composite glass of the present invention, preferably, the dimming film has multiple grid-like zones, which can be independently controlled to have a local dimming function.

[0017] According to the composite glass of the present invention, preferably, the dimming film comprises a first substrate, a first electrode, a visible light transmittance adjusting material, a second electrode, and a second substrate stacked sequentially.

[0018] The second electrode and the visible light transmittance adjustment material are respectively set as micron-level gridded partitions. The gaps in the micron-level gridded partitions of the second electrode and the surrounding area of ​​the second electrode are provided with a low sheet resistance conductive material network. Each partition of the second electrode is connected to the low sheet resistance conductive material network. The low sheet resistance conductive material network is gathered at the edge of the dimming film and connected to the external control circuit through the flexible electrical connection element.

[0019] According to the composite glass of the present invention, preferably, the micron-level gridded partitions are typically rectangular, for example, square, with a side length preferably of 30 to 3000 μm.

[0020] In the low sheet resistance conductive material network, the horizontally and vertically distributed low sheet resistance conductive materials avoid conduction at their intersections using barrier materials. The horizontally distributed low sheet resistance conductive materials are responsible for selecting a row of micron-level gridded second electrodes connected to them via a high-level signal, while the vertically distributed low sheet resistance conductive materials are responsible for adjusting the voltage of a column of micron-level gridded second electrodes connected to them. The second electrode and the first electrode form a capacitor structure, which can store and maintain a constant voltage for a certain period, preventing an immediate change in transmittance after power failure. By appropriately selecting the scanning frequency of the horizontally and vertically distributed low sheet resistance conductive materials, real-time and precise control of the transmittance of any zone in the entire dimming film can be achieved.

[0021] The dimming film used in the composite glass of this invention employs micron-level grid partitioning and corresponding low sheet resistance conductive material grids, enabling independent control of each specific grid partition. This allows for arbitrary dimming functionality based on diverse preferences. When necessary, it can also display text or graphic information through combinations of adjacent grid partitions to provide necessary prompts and assistance to the operator.

[0022] In the composite glass of the present invention, preferably, the visible light transmittance adjusting material is liquid crystal, PDLC (polymer dispersed liquid crystal), suspended particle (SPD), dye liquid crystal, or other light-adjusting materials that will produce transmittance changes under the action of voltage or current.

[0023] According to the composite glass of the present invention, preferably, the flexible electrical connection element is a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) or a chip-on-film (COF); the connection between the flexible electrical connection element and the control circuit is achieved by bonding.

[0024] In the composite glass according to the present invention, the first substrate and the second substrate may be glass-based or polymer-based.

[0025] According to the composite glass of the present invention, at the location where the flexible electrical connection element passes through the seam, the inner edge of the seam is 3-20 mm away from the edge of the dimming film. This part of the seam is approximately parallel to one edge of the bonding of the flexible electrical connection element. The inner edge of the seam refers to the edge of the corresponding large inner glass plate, and the edge of the corresponding small inner glass plate is the outer edge.

[0026] According to the composite glass of the present invention, the width of the splicing seam is sufficient for the flexible electrical connection element to pass through. To ensure the strength of the composite glass, the width of the splicing seam should not be too wide, preferably 0.1 to 10 mm.

[0027] The seam can be designed as a straight line, or as a wave, sawtooth, U-shape, or square, or any combination thereof. When the seam is wave-shaped, the radius of curvature of the wave arc is preferably 30–200 mm, and the width of the arc is preferably 2–10 mm wider than the flexible electrical connection element. The undulation period should be such that all flexible electrical connection elements are simultaneously at the crest or trough of the wave. Furthermore, the seam can also, based on a straight line, form an arc-shaped protrusion at the location of the flexible electrical connection element towards the side of the large or small inner glass panel; the radius of curvature of the arc is preferably 30–200 mm, and the width of the arc is preferably 2–10 mm wider than the flexible electrical connection element. When the seam is sawtooth-shaped, at the location of the flexible electrical connection element, the seam protrudes towards the direction of the large or small inner glass panel to form sawtooths. The width of the sawtooth should be 2-10 mm wider than that of the flexible electrical connector; the sawtooth corners can be set with an appropriate radius of 1-10 mm; the sawtooth profile can be designed as a rectangle, trapezoid, or inverted trapezoid. When the splice is U-shaped or U-shaped, one of the long sides should be roughly parallel to one of the bonding sides of the flexible electrical connector.

[0028] When glass is impacted, the force and crack propagation typically occur along a straight line. A wavy seam effectively distributes the force and prevents crack propagation after impact, thus preventing the glass from fracturing along the seam. The flexible electrical connector is located at the trough of the wavy edge on one side of the large inner glass panel to increase the distance between the drive chip on the flexible electrical connector and the seam. If the design requires reducing the distance between the drive chip on the flexible electrical connector and the seam, the flexible electrical connector can be placed at the convex crest of the wavy edge on one side of the large inner glass panel.

[0029] According to the composite glass of the present invention, the width of the splicing seam is preferably constant, and its length dimension should be 2-10 mm larger than the length of the control circuit so that the flexible electrical connection element and the control circuit can be led out from the splicing seam. The width of the inner glass plate of the small piece should be equal to or greater than the sum of the widths of the flexible electrical connection element and the control circuit to accommodate the flexible electrical connection element and the control circuit; considering the glass manufacturing process and vehicle loading requirements, the minimum width of the inner glass plate of the small piece is 20 mm, and the maximum width is 200 mm, that is, the width of the inner glass plate of the small piece is preferably 20-200 mm. In addition, the splicing seam and the outer surface of the inner glass plate of the small piece can be reinforced by injection molding edging.

[0030] According to the composite glass of the present invention, preferably, the dimming film is bonded to the outer glass plate by an adhesive material, and to the large inner glass plate by a liquid optically transparent adhesive (LOCA); the small inner glass plate is bonded to the outer glass plate by an adhesive material; the adhesive material is selected from PVB, EVA, TPU or SGP, etc.

[0031] The dimming film is bonded to the outer glass panel using highly impact-resistant adhesive materials such as PVB, EVA, and SGP to ensure the safety performance of the car window. The dimming film is bonded to the large inner glass panel using a soft liquid LOCA filler followed by curing to ensure that the dimming film is subjected to less pressure on both sides, thus avoiding poor display in certain areas.

[0032] According to the composite glass of the present invention, preferably, an edge seal is provided at the edge of the inner surface of the large inner glass panel, the other end of the edge seal at the splicing seam is connected to the adhesive material, and the other end of the remaining edge seals is directly connected to the outer glass panel; the flexible electrical connection element passes through the edge seal at the splicing seam. Directly fabricating the edge seals at non-splicing seam locations on the surfaces of the inner and outer glass panels can improve the bonding strength of the edge seals and increase the shear force between the inner and outer glass panels.

[0033] More preferably, the edge seal at the seam comprises upper and lower layers, with the flexible electrical connection element passing between the two layers; except for the location where the flexible electrical connection element passes through, the edge seal is tightly bonded together to prevent air or moisture penetration. At the location where the flexible electrical connection element passes through the edge seal, the edge seal is divided into upper and lower layers, ensuring good adhesion between the edge seal and the glass, and also ensuring good adhesion between the edge seal and the flexible electrical connection element, preventing air or moisture penetration.

[0034] More preferably, the width of the edge seal is 1-10 mm. Even more preferably, the width of the edge seal at the splice seam is preferably greater than the width of other edge seals; in this case, the edge seal at the splice seam, in addition to bonding with the large inner glass plate, also serves to fill the gap in the splice seam; its preparation can be divided into two steps (or made separately and simultaneously). For example, the first step is to prepare the portion below the flexible electrical connection element and the portion within the gap between it and the small inner glass plate, and then bond the flexible electrical connection element; the second step is to prepare the portion above the flexible electrical connection element; the edge seal at the splice seam, prepared in two steps or separately, fills the gap in the splice seam while bonding the large inner glass plate.

[0035] According to the composite glass of the present invention, preferably, the edge seal is formed by applying adhesive (room temperature vulcanizing rubber, polyurethane adhesive, silicone adhesive, etc.) or by pasting tape. Before the edge seal is applied at non-joint areas, the corresponding adhesive material is recessed 1-10 mm relative to the edge of the outer glass plate, and then the edge seal is applied in the recessed area.

[0036] According to the composite glass of the present invention, preferably, when a driving chip is provided on the flexible electrical connection element, the driving chip is 1-10 mm away from the outer edge of the splicing seam where the flexible electrical connection element passes through, so as to prevent the driving chip from being wrapped by the edge seal and causing problems such as poor heat dissipation and misalignment. The electronic components on the control circuit should be arranged on the side of the control circuit away from the composite glass to ensure that the side in contact with the composite glass is smooth and without protrusions.

[0037] According to the composite glass of the present invention, preferably, a protective cover is provided outside the control circuit to protect the driver chip and the control circuit; the protective cover is made of a high thermal conductivity material.

[0038] According to the composite glass of the present invention, preferably, the large inner glass panel and / or outer glass panel are laminated glass. The laminated glass can integrate other types of dimming layers, ambient lighting, projection, display, touch and other functions, or it can be a simple PVB laminated glass to improve the product's impact resistance and block ultraviolet rays.

[0039] According to the composite glass of the present invention, preferably, the large inner glass plate and the outer glass plate are laminated glass containing polarizers inside, and the polarization directions of the two polarizers are 0° or 90°; the dimming film has the function of adjusting the polarization state of the transmitted light.

[0040] A dimming film capable of adjusting the polarization state of transmitted light only modulates the polarization angle of the light without significantly absorbing it. It can change the polarization angle of the light in one of two scenarios: with and without power, while maintaining the polarization angle of the transmitted light in the other. By matching the angles of two polarizers, this dimming film can achieve a dark-state transmittance of <0.1% and a bright-state transmittance of >20%, solving the problem of excessively high dark-state transmittance. Furthermore, because the dimming film with the ability to adjust the polarization state of transmitted light has a relatively stable voltage response and does not exhibit abrupt changes in the transmittance-voltage curve, the commercial application of stepless dimming functionality becomes possible.

[0041] The composite glass can also consist of only a single-layer polarizer and a dimming film with dichroism, wherein the polarization direction of the single-layer polarizer is at 90° to the polarization direction of the dimming film. Specifically, the large inner or outer glass plate is laminated glass, and the single-layer polarizer can be integrated into the laminated glass.

[0042] A dichroic dimming film significantly absorbs polarized light in a specific direction, whether energized or de-energized, while having no effect on light polarized in the other direction. By setting a single-layer polarizer with its polarization direction at 90° to that of the dimming film, light passes through in one of the two conditions (energized or de-energized), while no light passes through in the other, thus regulating the light and reducing dark-state transmittance.

[0043] When the large inner glass plate and / or outer glass plate are single-layer glass, polarizers can be combined with adhesive materials on the opposite inner surfaces of the single-layer glass. Alternatively, the polarizers can be combined with the dimming film first, and then the dimming film with the polarizers can be combined with the inner and outer glass plates. When two polarizers are combined, the polarization directions of the two polarizers are 0° or 90°, and the dimming film has the function of adjusting the polarization state of the transmitted light. When a single-layer polarizer is combined, the polarization direction of the single-layer polarizer and the dimming film is 90°, and the dimming film has dichroism.

[0044] According to the composite glass of the present invention, a touch-sensitive film can also be combined to realize touch functionality. The touch-sensitive film is integrated into the large inner glass panel, specifically on the inner or outer surface of the large inner glass panel, preferably the inner surface. When the inner glass panel is laminated glass, the touch-sensitive film can also be integrated inside the laminated glass through a lamination process; when the large inner glass panel is a single-layer glass, the touch-sensitive film can be bonded to the inner surface of the large inner glass panel using an adhesive material. After the touch-sensitive film and the large inner glass panel are combined, the large inner glass panel with the touch-sensitive film is then combined with the outer glass panel or a dimming film.

[0045] The flexible electrical connection element of the touch film also flips the control circuit onto the outer surface of the small inner glass plate and fixes it through the splicing seam.

[0046] According to the composite glass of the present invention, the large inner glass panel and the outer glass panel can be hyperboloid glass with the same profile. Furthermore, when the outer glass panel is laminated glass, the large inner glass panel can differ in profile from the outer glass panel. For example, the large inner glass panel can be flat glass, or a single-curved glass with a curvature change in the driving direction that is the same as or close to that of the outer window, and no curvature perpendicular to the driving direction. The combination of a laminated outer glass panel and a flat or single-curved inner glass panel can effectively solve the problem of edge wrinkles formed when a flat dimming film is applied to hyperboloid glass.

[0047] According to the composite glass of the present invention, preferably, the outer glass plate is laminated glass, and both sides of the dimming film are LOCA (Local Oscillator-Alternating Current). In this embodiment, the dimming film does not need to undergo high temperature and pressure during the composite glass manufacturing process, making it possible to combine some dimming films that are not heat- and pressure-resistant with the composite glass.

[0048] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing the above-mentioned composite glass, the method comprising the following steps:

[0049] The outer glass plate and the dimming film, as well as the outer glass plate and the inner glass plate of the small piece, are bonded together with an adhesive material to form an intermediate assembly; wherein, the flexible electrical connection element of the dimming film passes through a predetermined splicing seam and is fixed to the outer surface of the inner glass plate of the small piece along with the control circuit.

[0050] The composite glass is formed by bonding a large inner glass plate to the aforementioned intermediate components through the application and curing of liquid optically transparent adhesive (LOCA).

[0051] According to the preparation method of the present invention, preferably, the preparation method includes the following steps:

[0052] The outer glass plate, adhesive material, and dimming film are stacked sequentially, and the small inner glass plate is stacked on top of the adhesive material at the corresponding position (the total thickness of this area is consistent with the total thickness of the final composite glass) to form the intermediate component; wherein, the dimming film is arranged in the corresponding area of ​​the large inner glass plate, and the adhesive material is recessed 1-10mm inward relative to the edge of the outer glass plate at the edge of the large inner glass plate (excluding the splicing seam); the flexible electrical connection element of the dimming film passes through the predetermined splicing seam and is temporarily fixed to the outer surface of the small inner glass plate along with the control circuit, and both the upper and lower surfaces are covered with heat insulation material;

[0053] After fixing the intermediate components in their relative positions, they are placed in a vacuum bag and vacuumed for a certain period of time. The vacuuming time increases with the number of layers of adhesive material used. For each layer of adhesive material used, the vacuuming time should be increased by approximately 20 to 40 minutes.

[0054] The vacuum bag is then placed into an autoclave, and the vacuum state inside the vacuum bag is maintained continuously. After a certain period of temperature and pressure (e.g., 2 to 4 hours, maximum temperature 100°C to 120°C, pressure 0 to 4 bar), the dimming film and the inner and outer glass plates are bonded together, and the vacuum bag is removed. After the vacuum bag is removed, one side of the dimming film is bonded to the outer glass plate, and the other side is in contact with air and is in a free state, ensuring that the dimming film does not produce poor block display due to pressure on both sides.

[0055] Edge seals are arranged on the inner recessed area of ​​the adhesive material and on the adhesive material corresponding to the edge of the splicing seam in the large inner glass panel. The height of the edge seals corresponding to non-splicing seams and the height of the edge seals and adhesive material corresponding to splicing seams are equal to the distance between the large inner glass panel and the outer glass panel. The edge seals are provided with more than two glue-filling ports.

[0056] The large inner glass plate is fastened to the adhesive edge seal to ensure the gap between the large inner glass plate and the outer glass plate; after the edge seal has cured into a box, liquid optical transparent adhesive (LOCA) is poured in through the glue inlet and cured, and then the glue inlet is sealed.

[0057] Separate the fixed flexible electrical connection element and control circuit from the inner glass plate and remove the covering heat insulation material; bend the flexible electrical connection element and fix the control circuit to the outer surface of the inner glass plate.

[0058] According to the preparation method of the present invention, preferably, during the formation of the intermediate component, the recessed area of ​​the adhesive material is filled with a separating material of the same height as the adhesive material and the edge of the glass plate to prevent adhesive overflow.

[0059] According to the preparation method of the present invention, preferably, when the thickness of the dimming film exceeds 0.2 mm, the space between the periphery of the dimming film and the edge of the outer glass plate is filled with an insulating material of the same height as the dimming film. More preferably, in order to ensure that the dimming film and the adhesive material do not undergo large deformation during processing, a layer of insulating material and another top cover glass with the same shape are added sequentially above the dimming film to be flush with the inner glass plate of the small piece. Using a top cover glass can ensure that the adhesive material and the surface of the dimming film are flat, and can ensure that the overall surface of the glass is flat, and the deviation between the glass shape and the design value after lamination is small. After the insulating material or the insulating material and the top cover glass are set, after the vacuum bag of the intermediate component is removed, all the insulating material and the top cover glass are removed.

[0060] According to the preparation method of the present invention, preferably, the insulating material is polytetrafluoroethylene or silicone strip, etc.

[0061] According to the preparation method of the present invention, both the upper and lower surfaces of the control circuit and the flexible electrical connection element are covered with heat-insulating material. This ensures that the uneven surfaces of the control circuit and the flexible electrical connection element are not damaged during high-temperature and high-pressure processes, and also prevents the control circuit and the flexible electrical connection element from being contaminated by overflowing adhesive material. Preferably, the heat-insulating material is a flexible, heat-resistant material such as silicone rubber.

[0062] According to the preparation method of the present invention, preferably, the edge seal is arranged by applying adhesive (room temperature vulcanizing rubber, polyurethane adhesive, silicone adhesive, etc.) or attaching tape.

[0063] According to the preparation method of the present invention, preferably, at the location where the flexible electrical connection element passes through the edge seal, the edge seal is divided into upper and lower layers, and the flexible electrical connection element passes through the two layers. Except at the location where the flexible electrical connection element passes through, the upper and lower layers of the edge seal should be tightly bonded together to prevent air or moisture from passing through. The width of the edge seal at the splice seam should be greater than that of the edge seals on other sides, in order to not only achieve bonding with the large inner glass plate, but also to fill the gap in the splice seam. The specific preparation process of the edge seal at the splicing seam includes: 1) Folding the flexible electrical connection element and control circuit over and temporarily fixing them to the surface of the dimming film; arranging edge seals in the area from the edge of the dimming film to the edge of the small inner glass plate and on the sidewalls of the small inner glass plate and the adhesive material, which can be done by applying glue or tape; 2) Folding the flexible electrical connection element and control circuit over again and temporarily fixing them to the outer surface of the small inner glass plate, and bonding the flexible electrical connection element to the edge seal below it; 3) Arranging edge seals on the exposed surface of the flexible electrical connection element to fill the splicing seam and bond the large inner glass plate; if glue is used, the glue should fill the entire splicing seam and penetrate 3-6 mm into the area of ​​the large inner glass plate; the part penetrating into the area of ​​the large inner glass plate can be replaced by tape, while the part filling the splicing seam is preferably done by glue. Then, the large inner glass plate can be fastened to the adhesive edge seal (including the edge seal in the recessed area of ​​the adhesive material) and subsequent operations can be performed.

[0064] According to the preparation method of the present invention, preferably, when the large inner glass plate is fastened to the adhesive edge seal, a fixed thickness tape or an external mold or an object of fixed thickness is inserted through a reserved glue-filling port to ensure the gap between the large inner glass plate and the outer glass plate.

[0065] According to the preparation method of the present invention, preferably, the temporary fixing method of the control circuit on the outer surface of the inner glass plate of the small piece is to use double-sided adhesive tape.

[0066] According to the preparation method of the present invention, preferably, the curing of the liquid optically transparent adhesive (LOCA) is achieved by a certain temperature or ultraviolet light irradiation.

[0067] According to the preparation method of the present invention, preferably, the preparation method further includes the step of setting a protective cover outside the control circuit to protect the driver chip and the control circuit; the protective cover is made of a high thermal conductivity material.

[0068] According to the preparation method of the present invention, when the outer glass plate is laminated glass, the bonding material between the light-adjusting layer and the outer window glass can also be selected as LOCA. In this case, the small inner glass plate can be omitted and injection molding edge reinforcement is not required. The control circuit can be flipped and fixed to the outer surface of the large inner glass plate after passing through the edge of the large inner glass plate, or it can be directly fixed to the outer surface of the outer glass plate without flipping.

[0069] In another aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle comprising the above-mentioned composite glass.

[0070] Specifically, the inner glass panel of the composite glass faces inwards into the vehicle. Preferably, the smaller inner glass panel faces downwards. Attached Figure Description

[0071] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall control of a vehicle window with dimming function in the prior art.

[0072] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the split control of a car window with dimming function in the prior art.

[0073] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the segmented control of a car window with dimming function in the prior art.

[0074] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of arbitrary zone control of the dimming function of the vehicle window glass of the present invention.

[0075] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of local dimming technology in the prior art.

[0076] Figure 6 This is the voltage transmittance curve of voltage modulation dimming technology in the prior art.

[0077] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of a traditional flat panel display product.

[0078] Figure 8 This is a top view of the composite glass with local dimming function of the present invention.

[0079] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of composite glass with local dimming function.

[0080] Figure 10 for Figure 9 A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0081] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the dimming film structure with local dimming function of the present invention.

[0082] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the corrugated splicing seam of the inner glass plate of the present invention.

[0083] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another feasible configuration of the splicing seam of the inner glass plate in this invention.

[0084] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the sawtooth-shaped splicing seam of the inner glass plate of the present invention.

[0085] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the U-shaped splicing seam of the inner glass plate of the present invention.

[0086] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the U-shaped splicing seam of the inner glass plate of the present invention.

[0087] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of an intermediate assembly in a preferred manufacturing process of the present invention.

[0088] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of an intermediate assembly in another preferred manufacturing process of the present invention.

[0089] Figure 19 This is one of the specific preparation processes for the edge seal at the splicing seam in a preferred preparation process of the present invention.

[0090] Figure 20 This is the second specific preparation process of the edge seal at the splicing seam in a preferred preparation process of the present invention.

[0091] Figure 21 This is the third specific preparation process of the edge seal at the splicing seam in a preferred preparation process of the present invention.

[0092] Figure 22 This is the fourth specific preparation process of the edge seal at the splicing seam in a preferred preparation process of the present invention.

[0093] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0094] 1. Transparent conductive layer; 2. Opaque low sheet resistance conductive material; 3. Controller; 4. Glass; 5. Chip-on-Foil (COF); 6. Printed circuit board (PCB).

[0095] 30. Dimming film; 31. First substrate; 32. First electrode; 33. Visible light transmittance adjustment material; 34. Low sheet resistance conductive material network; 35. Second electrode; 36. Second substrate; 37. Flexible electrical connection element; 38. Control circuit; 39. Driver chip.

[0096] 10-1. Small inner glass panel; 10-2. Large inner glass panel; 20. Adhesive material; 40. Liquid optically clear adhesive (LOCA); 50. Outer glass panel; 60. Edge sealant; 70. Protective cover; 80. Adhesive for connecting body sheet metal.

[0097] 71. Adhesive for fixing PCB, 72. Thermal insulation material, 73. Insulation material, 74. Top cover glass. Detailed Implementation

[0098] To more clearly illustrate the present invention, the following description, in conjunction with preferred embodiments, further clarifies the invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the specific descriptions below are illustrative rather than restrictive, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0099] The composite glass of this invention comprises inner and outer glass plates. The outer glass plate is a single piece, while the inner glass plate is composed of two pieces of different sizes joined together. The flexible electrical connection element and control circuit of the dimming film pass through the seam and are fixed to the outer surface of the smaller inner glass plate. This composite glass also enables arbitrary zone dimming according to various preferences, solving the problems of high transmittance in dark states and the difficulty in commercializing stepless dimming functionality. It can display text or graphic information without the need for a separate integrated display screen, thus providing necessary prompts and assistance to the operator when needed. The preparation method of this invention provides a reliable method for combining a glass-based or flexible substrate dimming film with flexible electrical connection elements and control circuits with automotive window glass, producing several automotive window glass structures with dimming, touch, and display functions.

[0100] This invention provides, in one aspect, a composite glass with dimming function, such as... Figures 8-10 As shown, the composite glass includes: an inner glass plate, an outer glass plate 50, and a dimming film 30 sandwiched between the inner glass plate and the outer glass plate 50;

[0101] The dimming film 30 has a local dimming function and is connected to an external control circuit 38 (preferably a printed circuit board PCB) via a flexible electrical connection element 37.

[0102] The inner glass panel is composed of two pieces (a small inner glass panel 10-1 and a large inner glass panel 10-2) spliced ​​together. The large inner glass panel 10-2 covers the dimming film 30. The flexible electrical connection element 37 passes through the splice seam of the inner glass panel and is connected to the control circuit 38. The control circuit 38 is fixed to the outer surface of the small inner glass panel 10-1.

[0103] The outer surface of the inner and outer glass plates refers to the surface facing outwards from the composite glass, while the inner surface refers to the surface facing each other from the outer and inner glass plates.

[0104] The flexible electrical connection element 37 and control circuit 38, which are more susceptible to damage in the dimming film 30, extend from the splicing seam inside the glass and do not pass through the glass edge. The PCB is fixed to the outer surface of the small inner glass panel 10-1. When the composite glass is used as a car window, the inner glass panel faces the inside of the vehicle, and the control circuit 38 is fixed to the inside of the vehicle. This structure can reduce damage caused by various vibrations and misoperations during product handling, loading, and driving. It also features convenient heat dissipation, simple structure, ease of implementation, and low cost.

[0105] Preferably, the dimming film 30 used in the composite glass of the present invention comprises multiple grid-like partitions, each of which can be independently controlled to provide local dimming functionality. A preferred dimming film structure is as follows: Figure 11 As shown, the dimming film 30 includes a first substrate 31, a first electrode 32, a visible light transmittance adjusting material 33, a second electrode 35, and a second substrate 36 stacked sequentially.

[0106] The second electrode 35 and the visible light transmittance adjusting material 33 are respectively configured as micrometer-level gridded partitions. These partitions are typically square, with side lengths ranging from 30 to 3000 micrometers. A low-sheet resistance conductive material network 34 is disposed in the gaps of the micrometer-level gridded partitions of the second electrode 35 and around the second electrode 35. Each partition of the second electrode 35 is connected to the low-sheet resistance conductive material network 34. The conductive materials distributed laterally and vertically in the low-sheet resistance conductive material network are prevented from conducting at their intersections by using barrier materials. The laterally distributed low-sheet resistance conductive material is responsible for selecting a row of gridded partitions connected to it via a high-level signal, while the vertically distributed low-sheet resistance conductive material is responsible for adjusting the voltage of a column of gridded partitions connected to it. The second electrode and the first electrode form a capacitor structure, which can store and maintain a constant voltage for a certain period, preventing immediate changes in transmittance after power failure. By appropriately selecting the scanning frequency of the laterally and vertically distributed low-sheet resistance conductive materials, real-time and precise control of the transmittance of any partition of the entire dimming film can be achieved. The low sheet resistance conductive material network 34 is gathered at the edge of the dimming film and connected to the external control circuit 38 through the flexible electrical connection element 37.

[0107] The first substrate 31 and the second substrate 36 can be glass-based or polymer-based. The visible light transmittance adjusting material 33 can be liquid crystal, PDLC (polymer dispersed liquid crystal), suspended particle (SPD), dye liquid crystal, or other light-adjusting materials that change transmittance under voltage or current. The flexible electrical connection element 37 is a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) or a chip-on-film (COF) film. The connection between the flexible electrical connection element 37 and the control circuit 38 is achieved by bonding.

[0108] The dimming film 30 used in the composite glass of this invention employs micron-level grid partitioning and corresponding low sheet resistance conductive material grids, enabling independent control of each specific grid partition. This allows for arbitrary dimming functionality based on diverse preferences. When necessary, it can also display text or graphic information through combinations of adjacent grid partitions to provide necessary prompts and assistance to the operator.

[0109] Figure 14 As shown, at the location where the flexible electrical connector 37 passes through the seam, the distance d1 from the inner edge of the seam to the edge of the dimming film 30 is 3-20 mm. This part of the seam is approximately parallel to one edge of the flexible electrical connector 37 being bonded. The inner edge of the seam refers to the edge of the corresponding large inner glass plate 10-2, and the edge of the corresponding small inner glass plate 10-1 is the outer edge.

[0110] The width of the splice seam should be sufficient to allow the flexible electrical connector 37 to pass through. To ensure the strength of the composite glass, the width d2 of the splice seam should not be too wide, preferably 0.1 to 10 mm.

[0111] When a driving chip is provided on the flexible electrical connection element 37, the distance d3 from the driving chip to the outer edge of the splice seam where the flexible electrical connection element 37 passes through is 1 to 10 mm, so that the driving chip is not wrapped by the edge seal, which could cause problems such as poor heat dissipation or misalignment. The electronic components on the control circuit 38 should be arranged on the side of the control circuit away from the composite glass, ensuring that the side in contact with the composite glass is smooth and without protrusions.

[0112] The seam can be designed as a straight line. Figure 8 It can also be designed in a wave shape. Figure 12 ), serrated ( Figure 14 ), U-shaped ( Figure 15 ) or a square shape ( Figure 16 ) etc., and can also be any combination of the aforementioned. For example Figure 12As shown, when the splice seam is wavy, the radius of curvature of the wavy arc should preferably be 30–200 mm, the width of the arc should preferably be 2–10 mm wider than the flexible electrical connector 37, and the undulation period should preferably be such that all flexible electrical connectors 37 are simultaneously at the crest or trough of the wave. Furthermore, as... Figure 13 As shown, the splicing seam can also be formed on the basis of a straight line, with an arc-shaped protrusion at the position of the flexible electrical connector 37 towards the side of the large inner glass plate 10-2 or the small inner glass plate 10-1; the radius of curvature of the arc is preferably 30-200mm, and the width of the arc is preferably 2-10mm wider than the flexible electrical connector. For example... Figure 14 As shown, when the splice seam is sawtooth-shaped, at the flexible electrical connector 37, the splice seam protrudes towards the large inner glass plate 10-2 or the small inner glass plate 10-1 to form a sawtooth. The width of the sawtooth is preferably 2-10mm wider than the flexible electrical connector 37; the sawtooth corners can be set with an appropriate R angle, preferably with a radius of 1-10mm; the sawtooth outline can be designed as a rectangle. Figure 14 The shape can be rectangular (in the middle), or it can be designed as a trapezoid or an inverted trapezoid. For example... Figure 15 and Figure 16 As shown, when the seam is U-shaped or U-shaped, one of the long sides is roughly parallel to one side of the flexible electrical connection element being bonded.

[0113] When glass is impacted, the force and crack propagation typically occur along a straight line. The wavy seam effectively distributes the force and prevents crack propagation after impact, thus preventing overall glass breakage along the seam. The flexible electrical connection element 37 is located at the bottom of the wavy edge recess on one side of the large inner glass panel 10-2 to increase the distance between the driving chip 39 on the flexible electrical connection element 37 and the seam. If the design requires reducing the distance between the driving chip 39 on the flexible electrical connection element 37 and the seam, the flexible electrical connection element 37 can be placed at the peak of the wavy edge on one side of the large inner glass panel 10-2.

[0114] like Figure 8 As shown, the width of the splicing seam is preferably constant, and its length dimension should be 2-10 mm larger than the length of the control circuit 38 so that the flexible electrical connection element 37 and the control circuit 38 can be led out from the splicing seam. The width of the inner glass plate 10-1 should be equal to or greater than the sum of the widths of the flexible electrical connection element 37 and the control circuit 38 to accommodate them. Considering the glass manufacturing process and vehicle loading requirements, the minimum width of the inner glass plate 10-1 is 20 mm, and the maximum width is 200 mm, that is, the width of the inner glass plate 10-1 is preferably 20-200 mm. In addition, the splicing seam and the outer surface of the inner glass plate 10-1 can be reinforced by injection molding edging.

[0115] like Figure 9 As shown, the dimming film 30 is bonded to the outer glass plate 50 by an adhesive material 20, and to the large inner glass plate by a liquid optical transparent adhesive (LOCA) 40; the small inner glass plate 10-1 is bonded to the outer glass plate 50 by an adhesive material 20; the adhesive material 20 is selected from PVB, EVA, TPU or SGP, etc.

[0116] The dimming film 30 and the outer glass plate 50 are bonded with PVB, EVA, SGP and other materials with strong impact resistance to ensure the safety performance of the laminated glass; the dimming film 30 and the large inner glass plate 10-2 are filled with liquid LOCA with a soft material and then cured to ensure that the dimming film 30 is subjected to less pressure on both sides and avoid the occurrence of poor block display.

[0117] Preferably, such as Figure 9 As shown, an edge seal 60 is provided at the edge of the inner surface of the large inner glass panel 10-2. The other end of the edge seal 60 at the joint is connected to the adhesive material 20, while the other end of the edge seal 60 at other joints is directly connected to the outer glass panel 50. A flexible electrical connection element 37 passes through the edge seal at the joint. Directly fabricating the edge seal 60 on the surfaces of the inner and outer glass panels at non-joint locations can improve the bonding strength of the edge seal 60 and increase the shear force between the inner and outer glass panels. More preferably, as... Figure 10 As shown, the edge seal 60 at the seam comprises upper and lower layers, with the flexible electrical connection element 37 passing between them. Except where the flexible electrical connection element 37 passes, the edge seal 60 is tightly bonded together to prevent air or moisture penetration. At the location where the flexible electrical connection element 37 passes through the edge seal 60, the edge seal 60 is divided into upper and lower layers, ensuring good adhesion between the edge seal 60 and the glass, and also ensuring good adhesion between the edge seal 60 and the flexible electrical connection element 37, preventing air or moisture penetration. The manufacturing process can be carried out in two steps: first, the flexible electrical connection element 37 is bent, and the control circuit 38 is flipped and temporarily fixed to the surface of the dimming film 30 to prepare the lower edge seal; then, the flexible electrical connection element 37 is bent, and the control circuit 38 is flipped and temporarily fixed to the outer surface of the inner glass plate 10-1 to prepare the upper edge seal.

[0118] The width of the edge seal 60 is 1-10 mm. More preferably, the width of the edge seal 60 at the splice seam is greater than the width of other edge seals; in addition to bonding with the large inner glass plate 10-2, the edge seal 60 at the splice seam also serves to fill the gap in the splice seam. Its preparation can be divided into two parts (or made separately and simultaneously). The first part is prepared below the flexible electrical connection element 37 and in the gap between it and the side of the small inner glass plate, and then the flexible electrical connection element 37 is bonded; the second part is prepared above the flexible electrical connection element 37; the edge seal 60 at the splice seam, prepared in two parts or separately, fills the gap in the splice seam while bonding the large inner glass plate 10-2.

[0119] The edge seal 60 is formed by applying adhesive (room temperature vulcanizing rubber, polyurethane adhesive, silicone adhesive, etc.) or sticking tape. Before the edge seal 60 is applied at non-joint areas, the corresponding adhesive material 20 is recessed 1-10mm from the edge of the outer glass plate 50, and then the edge seal 60 is applied in the recessed area.

[0120] Preferably, a protective cover 70 is provided outside the control circuit 38 to protect the driver chip 39 and the control circuit 38; the protective cover 70 is made of a high thermal conductivity material.

[0121] In the composite glass of the present invention, the large inner glass plate and / or outer glass plate 50 can be laminated glass. The laminated glass can integrate other types of dimming layers, ambient lighting, projection, display, touch and other functions, or it can be a simple PVB laminated glass to improve the product's impact resistance and block ultraviolet rays.

[0122] The large inner and outer glass plates 50 can be laminated glass containing internal polarizers, with the polarization directions of the two polarizers at 0° or 90°. The dimming film 30 is a dimming film capable of adjusting the polarization state of transmitted light. This dimming film only adjusts the polarization angle of the light and does not significantly absorb light; it can change the polarization angle of the light in one of two scenarios (powered and unpowered), while maintaining the polarization angle of the transmitted light in the other. By matching the angles of the two polarizers, this dimming film can achieve a dark-state transmittance of <0.1% and a bright-state transmittance of >20%, solving the problem of excessively high dark-state transmittance. Furthermore, because the dimming film capable of adjusting the polarization state of transmitted light has a relatively stable voltage response and does not exhibit abrupt changes in the transmittance-voltage curve, the commercial application of stepless dimming functionality becomes possible.

[0123] The composite glass of this invention can also employ only a single-layer polarizer and a dichroic dimming film 30, wherein the polarization direction of the single-layer polarizer is 90° to the polarization direction of the dimming film. Specifically, the large inner or outer glass plate 50 is laminated glass, and the single-layer polarizer can be integrated into the laminated glass. The dichroic dimming film significantly absorbs polarized light in a specific direction when energized or de-energized, while having no effect on polarized light in the other direction. By setting the polarization direction of the single-layer polarizer to 90° with the polarization direction of the dimming film, light passes through in one of the two conditions (energized or de-energized) while no light passes through in the other, thereby regulating the light and reducing dark-state transmittance.

[0124] When the large inner glass plate and / or outer glass plate 50 are single-layer glass, polarizers can be combined with adhesive materials on the opposite inner surfaces of the single-layer glass. Alternatively, the polarizers and the dimming film 30 can be combined first, and then the dimming film with the polarizers can be combined with the inner and outer glass plates 50. When two polarizers are combined, the polarization directions of the two polarizers are 0° or 90°, and the dimming film 30 has the function of adjusting the polarization state of the transmitted light. When a single-layer polarizer is combined, the polarization direction of the single-layer polarizer and the dimming film 30 is 90°, and the dimming film 30 has dichroism.

[0125] The composite glass of this invention can also be combined with a touch film to achieve touch functionality. The touch film is integrated into a large inner glass panel, specifically on the inner or outer surface of the large inner glass panel, preferably the inner surface. When the large inner glass panel is laminated glass, the touch film can also be integrated inside the laminated glass through a lamination process; when the large inner glass panel is single-layer glass, the touch film can be bonded to the inner surface of the large inner glass panel using an adhesive material. After the touch film and the large inner glass panel are combined, the large inner glass panel with the touch film is then combined with the outer glass panel 50 or the dimming film 30. The flexible electrical connection element of the touch film also fixes the control circuit to the outer surface of the small inner glass panel through the splicing seam.

[0126] In the composite glass of this invention, the large inner glass panel and the outer glass panel can both be hyperboloid glass with the same profile. Furthermore, when the outer glass panel is laminated glass, the large inner glass panel can differ in profile from the outer glass panel. For example, the large inner glass panel can be flat glass, or a single-curved glass with a curvature change in the driving direction that is the same as or close to that of the outer window, and no curvature perpendicular to the driving direction. The combination of a laminated outer glass panel and a flat or single-curved inner glass panel can effectively solve the problem of edge wrinkles formed when a flat dimming film is applied to hyperboloid glass.

[0127] When the outer glass is laminated glass, both sides of the dimming film 30 can be set to LOCA. In this scheme, the dimming film 30 does not need to undergo high temperature and pressure during the composite glass preparation process, which makes it possible to combine some dimming films 30 that are not heat-resistant or pressure-resistant with composite glass.

[0128] The present invention also provides a method for preparing the above-mentioned composite glass, comprising the following steps:

[0129] The outer glass plate 50 and the dimming film 30, as well as the outer glass plate 50 and the small inner glass plate 10-1, are bonded together with the adhesive material 20 to form an intermediate assembly; wherein, the flexible electrical connection element 37 of the dimming film 30 passes through the predetermined splicing seam and is fixed to the outer surface of the small inner glass plate 10-1 along with the control circuit 38; the adhesive material 20 is selected from PVB, EVA, TPU or SGP.

[0130] The composite glass is formed by bonding the large inner glass plate 10-2 to the aforementioned intermediate components through the application and curing of liquid optically transparent adhesive (LOCA).

[0131] When the bonding material 20 is PVB, EVA, TPU, or SGP, bonding is achieved using a lamination process to form the intermediate component. Furthermore, when the outer glass plate 50 is laminated glass and both sides of the dimming film 30 use liquid optically transparent adhesive (LOCA), the bonding material 20 is also LOCA. Bonding is achieved by applying and curing LOCA, similar to the second step, to form the intermediate component. The preparation process does not require high temperatures and pressures, making it possible to combine some dimming films that are not heat- or pressure-resistant with composite glass.

[0132] In a preferred embodiment, the preparation method specifically includes the following steps:

[0133] 1) such as Figure 17As shown, the outer glass plate 50, adhesive material 20 (selected from PVB, EVA, TPU or SGP), and dimming film 30 are stacked in sequence. The small inner glass plate 10-1 is stacked on the adhesive material 20 at the corresponding position (here, the adhesive material 20 is composed of at least two or more layers, the layer of adhesive material near the outer glass plate 50 has the same thickness as the adhesive material below the large inner glass plate and is connected as one piece, and the layer or several layers of adhesive material above this layer make the total thickness of the corresponding area of ​​the large and small inner glass plates consistent), forming an intermediate component; wherein, the dimming film 30 is arranged in the corresponding area of ​​the large inner glass plate 10-2, and the adhesive material 20 is recessed 1 to 10 mm inward relative to the edge of the outer glass plate 50 at the non-seam edge of the large inner glass plate 10-2. The recessed area can preferably be filled with the edge of the glass plate by an isolation material 73 (preferably polytetrafluoroethylene or silicone strip, etc.) of the same height as the adhesive material 20 to prevent glue overflow. The flexible electrical connection element 37 of the dimming film 30 passes through the predetermined splicing seam and is temporarily fixed (e.g., with double-sided tape) to the outer surface of the inner glass plate 10-1 along with the control circuit 38. Both the upper and lower surfaces are covered with heat-insulating material 72 (e.g., flexible heat-resistant material such as silicone rubber). This ensures that the uneven surface of the control circuit 38 and the flexible electrical connection element is not damaged during high-temperature and high-pressure processes, and also prevents contamination of the control circuit 38 and the flexible electrical connection element 37 by overflowing adhesive material. Preferably, the space between the flexible electrical connection element 37 and the adhesive material 20 is filled with an insulating material 73 of the same thickness as the single substrate of the dimming layer 30. At the edge of the splicing seam of the inner glass plate, an insulating material 73 with a contour matching the splicing seam is arranged on a layer of adhesive material near the outer glass plate 50. The upper edge of the insulating material 73 is flush with the inner glass plate 10-1. When preparing intermediate components, it is preferable to use insulating material 73 to fill in the gaps in the intermediate components as much as possible to make them look neat, so as to facilitate the next step.

[0134] More preferably, when the thickness of the dimming film 30 exceeds 0.2 mm, such as Figure 18 As shown, the space between the perimeter of the dimming film 30 and the edge of the outer glass plate 50 is filled with an insulating material 73 of the same height as the dimming film 30. More preferably, to ensure that the dimming film 30 and the adhesive material 20 do not undergo significant deformation during processing, an additional layer of insulating material 73 and another top cover glass 74 with the same profile are added above the dimming film 30 to be flush with the inner glass plate 10-1. Using the top cover glass 74 ensures the flatness of the adhesive material 20 and the surface of the dimming film 30, and ensures the overall flatness of the glass surface, resulting in a smaller deviation between the glass shape and the design value after lamination. After the insulating material 73 or the insulating material 73 and the top cover glass 74 are installed, all the insulating materials and the top cover glass are removed after the vacuum bag is removed from the intermediate components.

[0135] 2) After fixing the intermediate components in their relative positions, put them into a vacuum bag and vacuum them for a certain period of time. The vacuuming time increases with the number of layers of adhesive material used. Generally, the vacuuming time should be increased by 20 to 40 minutes for each layer of adhesive material used.

[0136] 3) The vacuum bag is then placed into the autoclave, and the vacuum state inside the bag is maintained continuously. After a certain period of temperature and pressure (e.g., 2 to 4 hours, maximum temperature 100°C to 120°C, pressure 0 to 4 bar), the dimming film 30 and the inner glass plate 10-1 are bonded to the outer glass plate 50, and the vacuum bag is removed. If there is an insulating material 73 and a top cover glass 74, they are also removed. After the vacuum bag is removed, one side of the dimming film 30 is bonded to the outer glass plate 50, and the other side is in contact with air, in a free state, ensuring that the dimming film 30 does not produce poor block display due to pressure on both sides.

[0137] 4) Edge seals 60 are arranged in the recessed area of ​​the adhesive material 20 and on the adhesive material corresponding to the edge of the splice seam in the large inner glass plate 10-2, and more than two glue injection ports are reserved on the edge seals 60; the height of the edge seals 60 corresponding to non-splice seams and the height of the edge seals 60 and adhesive material 20 corresponding to splice seams are the distance between the large inner glass plate 10-2 and the outer glass plate 50.

[0138] The edge sealant 60 is preferably installed using methods such as applying adhesive (room temperature vulcanizing rubber, polyurethane adhesive, silicone adhesive, etc.) or pasting tape. At the joint, the edge sealant 60 is preferably divided into upper and lower layers, with the flexible electrical connection element 37 passing between the two layers. Except for the location where the flexible electrical connection element 37 passes through, the upper and lower layers of the edge sealant 60 should be tightly bonded together to prevent air or moisture from passing through. The width of the edge sealant at the joint should be greater than other parts, in addition to achieving bonding with the large inner glass plate 10-2, it should also fill the gap in the joint, which can be achieved in two stages.

[0139] The specific preparation process of the edge seal at the splice seam includes: ① Figure 19 As shown, the flexible electrical connection element 37 and the control circuit 38 are folded and temporarily fixed to the surface of the dimming film 30; edge seals 60 are arranged in the area from the edge of the dimming film 30 to the edge of the inner glass plate 10-1 and on the side wall of the inner glass plate 10-1 and the adhesive material 20, which can be done by applying glue or tape; ② as Figure 20 As shown, the flexible electrical connection element 37 and the control circuit 38 are folded over again and temporarily fixed to the outer surface of the small inner glass plate 10-1, and the flexible electrical connection element 37 is bonded to the edge seal 60 below it; ③ As shown Figure 21As shown, edge seals 60 are arranged on the exposed surface of the flexible electrical connection element 37 to fill the splicing seam and bond the large inner glass plate 10-2; if adhesive is used, the adhesive should fill the entire splicing seam and penetrate 3-6 mm into the area of ​​the large inner glass plate 10-2; the portion penetrating into the area of ​​the large inner glass plate 10-2 can be replaced with tape, while the portion filling the splicing seam is preferably filled by adhesive. Figure 22 As shown, the large inner glass plate 10-2 can then be fastened onto the adhesive edge seal 60 (including the edge seal of the recessed area of ​​the adhesive material) and subsequent operations can be performed.

[0140] 5) Attach the large inner glass plate 10-2 to the adhesive edge sealant 60, ensuring a gap between the large inner glass plate 10-2 and the outer glass plate 50 (this can be achieved using tape of a pre-set fixed thickness, an external mold, or by inserting an object of a fixed thickness into the pre-reserved notch during the glue-filling process). Allow the edge sealant 60 to cure into a box under controlled temperature, humidity, pressure, and time. During box formation, use pressure control and external molds to ensure equal total glass thickness and smooth connection between the large and small inner glass plates. Then, inject liquid optically clear adhesive (LOCA) through the glue-filling port to expel gas from the box. Allow the LOCA inside the box to cure under a specific temperature or by UV irradiation. After curing, seal the glue-filling port and vent with adhesive.

[0141] 6) Separate the temporarily fixed flexible electrical connection element 37 and control circuit 38 from the inner glass panel 10-1, and remove the covering heat insulation material 72. The flexible electrical connection element 37 and control circuit 38 then extend from the seam to the outer surface of the inner glass panel 10-1 and are fixed. The fixing method can be VHB adhesive or silicone strips with RTV around the edges. Alternatively, the control circuit 38 can be left unfixed to the glass surface, allowing the flexible electrical connection element 37 and control circuit 38 to remain free, and then fixed to the vehicle body sheet metal or interior trim during installation.

[0142] Preferably, the manufacturing method further includes the step of providing a protective cover 70 outside the control circuit 38 to protect the driver chip 39 and the control circuit 38. More preferably, the protective cover 70 is made of a material with high thermal conductivity.

[0143] If the outer glass panel 50 is laminated glass, the bonding material between the light-adjusting layer 30 and the outer window glass 50 can also be LOCA. In this case, the small inner glass panel 10-1 can be omitted and injection molding edge reinforcement is not required. The control circuit 38 can be flipped and fixed to the outer surface of the large inner glass panel 10-2 after passing through the edge of the large inner glass panel, or it can be directly fixed to the outer surface of the outer glass panel without flipping.

[0144] The present invention further provides a vehicle comprising the above-mentioned composite glass. Specifically, the inner glass panel of the composite glass faces inwards into the vehicle; preferably, the smaller inner glass panel faces downwards. Figure 8 As shown, the composite glass is installed on the vehicle as a window glass using adhesive 80 connected to the body sheet metal.

[0145] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is impossible to exhaustively list all the implementation methods here. All obvious variations or modifications derived from the technical solutions of the present invention are still within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A composite glass having a light adjusting function, characterized by, The composite glass includes: an inner glass plate, an outer glass plate, and a dimming film sandwiched between the inner glass plate and the outer glass plate; The dimming film has a local dimming function and is connected to an external control circuit through a flexible electrical connection element; The inner glass panel is composed of two pieces of different sizes spliced ​​together. The larger inner glass panel covers the dimming film. The flexible electrical connection element passes through the splice seam of the inner glass panel and is connected to the control circuit. The control circuit is fixed to the outer surface of the smaller inner glass panel.

2. The composite glass of claim 1, wherein, The dimming film has multiple grid-like zones, and each grid-like zone can be independently controlled to provide local dimming functionality.

3. The composite glass of claim 2, wherein, The dimming film includes a first substrate, a first electrode, a visible light transmittance adjusting material, a second electrode, and a second substrate stacked sequentially. The second electrode and the visible light transmittance adjustment material are respectively set as micron-level gridded partitions. The gaps in the micron-level gridded partitions of the second electrode and the surrounding area of ​​the second electrode are provided with a low sheet resistance conductive material network. Each partition of the second electrode is connected to the low sheet resistance conductive material network. The low sheet resistance conductive material network is gathered at the edge of the dimming film and connected to the external control circuit through the flexible electrical connection element.

4. The composite glass of claim 1, wherein, The flexible electrical connection element passes through the seam, and the inner edge of the seam is 3-20 mm away from the edge of the dimming film.

5. The composite glass according to claim 4, characterized in that, The seam can be straight, wavy, sawtooth, U-shaped, or square-shaped, or any combination thereof.

6. The composite glass according to claim 5, characterized in that, The splice seam is wavy, with a radius of curvature of 30-200mm. The width of the wavy arc is 2-10mm wider than the flexible electrical connection element. The undulation period ensures that all flexible electrical connection elements are simultaneously at the crest or trough of the wave.

7. The composite glass according to claim 1, characterized in that, The width of the inner glass plate of the small piece is 20-200mm.

8. The composite glass according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dimming film is bonded to the outer glass plate using an adhesive material, and to the large inner glass plate using a liquid optical transparent adhesive; the small inner glass plate is bonded to the outer glass plate using an adhesive material.

9. The composite glass according to claim 1, characterized in that, An edge seal is provided on the inner surface edge of the large inner glass panel. The other end of the edge seal at the splice seam is connected to the adhesive material, and the other end of the remaining edge seals is directly connected to the outer glass panel. The flexible electrical connection element passes through the edge seal at the splice seam.

10. The composite glass according to claim 9, characterized in that, The edge seal at the seam consists of two layers, and the flexible electrical connection element passes between the two layers.

11. The composite glass according to claim 1, characterized in that, A driving chip is provided on the flexible electrical connection element; at the location where the flexible electrical connection element passes through the splice seam, the driving chip is 1 to 10 mm away from the outer edge of the splice seam.

12. The composite glass according to claim 1, characterized in that, The large inner and outer glass plates are laminated glass containing polarizers, with the polarization directions of the two polarizers being 0° or 90°; the dimming film has the function of adjusting the polarization state of the transmitted light.

13. The composite glass according to claim 1, characterized in that, The large inner or outer glass plate is a laminated glass containing a single-layer polarizer, and the dimming film has dichroism; the polarization direction of the single-layer polarizer is 90° with the polarization direction of the dimming film.

14. The composite glass according to claim 1, characterized in that, The large inner and / or outer glass plates are single-layer glass. Polarizing films are bonded to the inner surface of the single-layer glass using an adhesive material, or the polarizing films are first bonded to the dimming film, and then the dimming film with the polarizing films is bonded to the inner and outer glass plates. When two polarizing films are bonded, their polarization directions are 0° or 90°, and the dimming film has the function of adjusting the polarization state of the transmitted light. When a single-layer polarizing film is bonded, its polarization direction is 90° to that of the dimming film, and the dimming film has dichroism.

15. The composite glass according to claim 1, characterized in that, The composite glass also includes a touch film, which is integrated into the large inner glass panel.

16. A method for preparing the composite glass according to any one of claims 1-15, characterized in that, The preparation method includes the following steps: The outer glass plate and the dimming film, as well as the outer glass plate and the inner glass plate of the small piece, are bonded together with an adhesive material to form an intermediate assembly; wherein, the flexible electrical connection element of the dimming film passes through a predetermined splicing seam and is fixed to the outer surface of the inner glass plate of the small piece along with the control circuit. The composite glass is formed by bonding a large inner glass plate to the intermediate component by applying and curing a liquid optical transparent adhesive.

17. The preparation method according to claim 16, characterized in that, The preparation method includes the following steps: The outer glass plate, adhesive material, and dimming film are stacked sequentially, and the small inner glass plate is stacked on the adhesive material at the corresponding position to form the intermediate component; wherein, the dimming film is arranged in the corresponding area of ​​the large inner glass plate, and the adhesive material is recessed 1-10mm inward relative to the edge of the outer glass plate at the edge of the large inner glass plate (excluding the splicing seam); the flexible electrical connection element of the dimming film passes through the predetermined splicing seam and is temporarily fixed to the outer surface of the small inner glass plate along with the control circuit, and both the upper and lower surfaces are covered with heat insulation material; After fixing the intermediate components in their relative positions, they are placed in a vacuum bag and vacuumed for a certain period of time. The vacuum bag is then placed into an autoclave, and the vacuum state inside the vacuum bag is maintained continuously. After a certain period of temperature and pressure, the dimming film and the inner glass plate of the small piece are bonded to the outer glass plate, and the vacuum bag is removed. Edge seals are arranged on the inner recessed area of ​​the adhesive material and on the adhesive material corresponding to the edge of the splicing seam in the large inner glass panel. The height of the edge seals corresponding to non-splicing seams and the height of the edge seals and adhesive material corresponding to splicing seams are equal to the distance between the large inner glass panel and the outer glass panel. The edge seals are provided with more than two glue-filling ports. The large inner glass plate is fastened to the adhesive edge seal to ensure the gap between the large inner glass plate and the outer glass plate; after the edge seal has cured into a box, liquid optical transparent adhesive is poured in through the glue inlet and cured, and then the glue inlet is sealed. Separate the fixed flexible electrical connection element and control circuit from the inner glass plate and remove the covering heat insulation material; bend the flexible electrical connection element and fix the control circuit to the outer surface of the inner glass plate.

18. The preparation method according to claim 17, characterized in that, During the formation of the intermediate component, the recessed area of ​​the adhesive material is filled with a separating material of the same height as the adhesive material and the edge of the glass plate.

19. The preparation method according to claim 18, characterized in that, When the thickness of the dimming film exceeds 0.2mm, the space between the perimeter of the dimming film and the edge of the outer glass plate is filled with an insulating material of the same height as the dimming film.

20. The preparation method according to claim 19, characterized in that, A layer of insulating material and another top cover glass with the same shape are added on top of the dimming film to make them flush with the inner glass plate of the small piece.

21. A vehicle comprising the composite glass according to any one of claims 1-15.

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