A light control film and a light control device

Abstract

The application provides a dimming film and a dimming device, and belongs to the technical field of dimming. The dimming film comprises an edge portion, the edge portion comprises a plurality of corner portions and connecting portions, two adjacent corner portions are connected through the connecting portions; the corner portion is provided with a corner electrode, the connecting portion is provided with a first electrode and a second electrode which are alternately arranged along the length direction of the connecting portion, the polarities of the corner electrode and the second electrode are the same, and the polarities of the corner electrode and the first electrode are opposite; in the same side of the edge portion, the length of the corner electrode is L1, the length of the first electrode is L2, the length of the second electrode is L3, and the following relationship is satisfied: L1>L2>L3. The dimming film provided by the application increases the lengths of the corner electrode and the first electrode, so that the electric field intensity in the local area of the dimming film is avoided to be too high, and the speed of local failure of the dimming film is relieved. In addition, the electric field intensities of different areas of the dimming film are also made to be closer, and the field intensity of the whole dimming film is more uniform.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of dimming technology, and in particular to a dimming diaphragm and a dimming device. Background Technology

[0002] With technological advancements, the demand for light and heat regulation is increasing, leading to greater attention being paid to dimming technology. Specifically, dimming technology refers to the technique where the optical properties of dimming materials change under the influence of an applied electric field, external light intensity, or other external factors. Typically, this results in reversible changes in color and transparency in the appearance of dimming devices containing the material. In recent years, dimming devices have been widely used in energy-saving windows, automotive rearview mirrors, display devices, mobile terminals, and other fields, demonstrating promising market prospects.

[0003] Existing dimming films typically have multiple electrodes at their edges to achieve a uniform distribution of driving current across the film surface. However, in practical applications, improper electrode length design can lead to uneven electric field distribution among the edge electrodes, resulting in asynchronous response speeds and uneven color transitions during color changing. More seriously, long-term abnormal electric fields in localized areas can even cause performance degradation of the electrochromic material, leading to premature failure of the dimming film and affecting the overall device stability and lifespan. Therefore, it is crucial to optimize the electrode structure to improve electric field distribution, enhance the synchronicity and uniformity of the color-changing process, and thus improve the performance stability and lifespan of the dimming film. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a dimming diaphragm and a dimming device.

[0005] This application provides the following technical solution: a dimming film, comprising:

[0006] An edge portion, the edge portion including multiple corner portions and connecting portions, two adjacent corner portions being connected by the connecting portions;

[0007] The corner portion is provided with a corner electrode, and the connecting portion is provided with a first electrode and a second electrode arranged along its length direction. The corner electrode and the second electrode have the same polarity, and the corner electrode and the first electrode have opposite polarities.

[0008] On the same side of the edge portion, the length of the corner electrode is L1, the length of the first electrode is L2, and the length of the second electrode is L3, satisfying the relationship: L1 > L2 > L3.

[0009] In some embodiments, the dimming film has a quadrilateral structure, and the edge portion includes four corner portions and four connecting portions, with the corner portions and the connecting portions alternately arranged along the edge portion of the dimming film; the included angle of each corner portion is α, and the value of α is in the range of 60°≤α≤120°.

[0010] In some embodiments, the four connecting portions include a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion that are adjacent to each other, the length of the first connecting portion being greater than the length of the second connecting portion; the dimming film also includes a first lead-out electrode and a second lead-out electrode, the first lead-out electrode and the second lead-out electrode being disposed on the first connecting portion.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first connection portion further includes at least one third electrode, and the second electrode and the third electrode are alternately arranged along the extending direction of the first connection portion.

[0012] In some embodiments, the length of the second electrode on the first connection portion is equal to the length of the fourth electrode.

[0013] In some embodiments, the second connection portion further includes a fourth electrode, and along the extending direction of the second connection portion, a first electrode, a second electrode, a fourth electrode, a second electrode, and a first electrode are sequentially arranged.

[0014] In some embodiments, the dimming film includes a first base layer, a first conductive layer, an electrochromic layer, a second conductive layer, and a second base layer stacked sequentially.

[0015] The edge portion of the dimming film is provided with a first groove and a second groove;

[0016] The first groove extends through the first substrate layer, the first conductive layer, and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the dimming film, and exposes a portion of the second conductive layer to form the corner electrode or the second electrode;

[0017] The second groove extends through the second base layer, the second conductive layer, and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the dimming film, and exposes a portion of the first conductive layer to form the first electrode.

[0018] In some embodiments, the edge portion of the dimming film is provided with a third groove, which penetrates the second base layer, the second conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the dimming film and exposes a portion of the first conductive layer to form the third electrode.

[0019] In some embodiments, the edge portion of the dimming film is provided with a fourth groove, which penetrates the second base layer, the second conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the dimming film and exposes a portion of the first conductive layer to form the fourth electrode.

[0020] In some embodiments, the dimming diaphragm further includes a first busbar and a second busbar;

[0021] The first busbar is disposed on the side of the first substrate layer away from the second substrate layer, and the first busbar is at least partially connected to the second electrode and the corner electrode;

[0022] The second busbar is disposed on the side of the second substrate layer opposite to the first substrate layer, and the second busbar is at least partially connected to the first electrode.

[0023] Secondly, this application provides a dimming device, comprising a first substrate layer, a first adhesive layer, a dimming film, a second adhesive layer, and a second substrate layer stacked sequentially, wherein a sealing element is provided on the periphery of the dimming film, and the sealing element is disposed between the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer.

[0024] The embodiments of this application have the following advantages: by increasing the length of the corner electrode 111 and the first electrode 121, excessively high electric field strength in local areas of the dimming film is avoided, thus mitigating the rate of local failure of the dimming film. Furthermore, the electric field strength in different areas of the dimming film can be made more similar, resulting in a more uniform field strength across the entire dimming film and improving its stability and lifespan.

[0025] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This paper shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a dimming diaphragm provided in some embodiments of this application from one perspective;

[0028] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 Sectional view of section AA;

[0029] Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 Sectional view of the middle BB section;

[0030] Figure 4 The diagram shows a structural schematic of a dimming device provided by some embodiments of this application from one perspective.

[0031] Explanation of key component symbols:

[0032] 100 - Edge portion; 110 - Corner portion; 120 - Connecting portion; 111 - Corner electrode; 121 - First electrode; 122 - Second electrode; 123 - Third electrode; 124 - Fourth electrode; 125 - First connecting portion; 126 - Second connecting portion; 1111 - First corner electrode; 1112 - Second corner electrode; 200 - First substrate layer; 300 - First conductive layer; 400 - Electrochromic layer; 500 - Second conductive layer; 600-Second base layer; 130-First groove; 140-Second groove; 150-Third groove; 160-Fourth groove; 700-First busbar; 800-Second busbar; 900-First lead electrode; 1000-Second lead electrode; 1100-First substrate layer; 1200-First adhesive layer; 1300-Second adhesive layer; 1400-Second substrate layer; 1500-Seal. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0034] It should be noted that when an element is said to be "fixed" to another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is said to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. Conversely, when an element is said to be "directly" on another element, there is no intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0035] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0036] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0037] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the template description is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0038] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, some embodiments of this application provide a dimming film, which is mainly used to avoid the situation where the electric field intensity in a local area of ​​the dimming film is too high, causing the area to fail rapidly, thereby improving the stability and service life of the dimming film.

[0039] The dimming film includes an edge portion 100. The edge portion 100 includes a plurality of corner portions 110 and a plurality of connecting portions 120, wherein two adjacent corner portions 110 are connected by the connecting portions 120 to form a closed edge portion 100.

[0040] For example, the connecting portion 120 can be at least one of a straight connecting structure and a curved connecting structure. Specifically, when the dimming film is applied to a rectangular visual carrier (such as a window), the connecting portion 120 is a straight connecting structure; when the dimming film is applied to a curved visual carrier (such as a window), the connecting portion 120 is a curved connecting structure. It is understood that the shape of the connecting portion 120 can be determined according to the actual product design requirements.

[0041] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1As shown, when the outline of the edge portion 100 of the dimming film is approximately linear, it can be regarded as the connecting portion 120 of the dimming film. In other words, the connecting portion 120 is usually a linear or near-linear connection area between the corner portions 110, which serves to connect the two corner portions 110 and helps to design the electrodes continuously along the edge portion 100 of the dimming film.

[0042] Furthermore, there are at least two corner portions 110. For example, if the dimming film has a semi-circular structure, there are two corner portions 110, each located at the intersection of an arc and a straight line; if the dimming film has a triangular structure, there are three corner portions 110, each located at the intersection of two adjacent straight lines; if the dimming film has a quadrilateral structure, there are four corner portions 110, each located at the intersection of two adjacent straight lines.

[0043] In other embodiments, the overall shape of the dimming film is not limited to regular semicircles, triangles, and quadrilaterals, but can also be an irregular shape with polygonal boundaries or free-curved boundaries. For example, when the dimming film is an n-sided polygon, the number of corner portions 110 is n; when the dimming film is an irregular shape, the number of corner portions 110 is determined according to the number of irregular structures, which typically correspond to irregular corners or turns in the dimming film.

[0044] In the embodiments of this application, the regions with obvious transitions, abrupt changes in curvature, or significant changes in angle in semicircles, triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, and irregular shapes are defined as corners 110.

[0045] It should be noted that dimming films can be widely used in different types of windows, and the windows they are adapted to are usually composed of multiple boundaries that are connected to each other and enclose a closed outline, thereby defining the edge portion of the dimming film.

[0046] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the dimming film has a quadrilateral structure, and the edge portion 100 includes a plurality of four edges connected end to end in sequence, forming the edge portion 100. Specifically, in the edge portion 100 of the dimming film, the included angle formed by connecting two adjacent edges constitutes the corner portion 110 of the edge portion 100, and the area of ​​the edge portion 100 between adjacent corner portions 110 corresponds to the connecting portion 120. For example... Figure 1 As shown in the embodiment of this application, the dimming film further includes a central portion, which is located within the edge portion 100, that is, the edge portion 100 is adjacent to the central portion, the edge portion 100 is connected to the central portion, and extends outward from the dimming film.

[0047] In this embodiment, the central portion is the visible area of ​​the dimming film, and the edge portion 100 is the non-visible area of ​​the dimming film. By adjusting the transmittance of the visible area, the transmittance of the dimming film is adjusted, or the amount of light passing through the dimming film is adjusted, allowing the user to observe the scene on the other side of the dimming film through the visible area. Additionally, in other embodiments of this application, the central portion is a color-changing area in the dimming film, and the edge portion 100 is a non-color-changing area of ​​the dimming film.

[0048] In this embodiment, the corner portion 110 is provided with a corner electrode 111, and the connecting portion 120 is provided with a first electrode 121 and a second electrode 122 arranged along its length direction. For example, the first electrode 121 is used to connect to the positive terminal of an external power source, the second electrode 122 is used to connect to the negative terminal of an external power source, and the corner electrode 111 is used to connect to the negative terminal of an external power source.

[0049] Specifically, a corner electrode 111 is provided at the corner 110 of the dimming film, and the corner electrode 111 extends along the shape of the corner 110. For example, the corner electrode can be arranged in an L-shape and extends along two adjacent edge portions respectively. The connection portion 120 having a first electrode 121 and a second electrode 122 arranged along its length means that on the same side of the dimming film, the first electrode 121 and the second electrode 122 are provided along the length of the connection portion 120, and both the first electrode 121 and the second electrode 122 are disposed on the connection portion 120.

[0050] Furthermore, along the thickness direction of the dimming film, there is a gap between the corner electrode 111 and the adjacent first electrode 121, as shown in the projection. Figure 1 As shown, along the extension direction of the edge portion, one side of the interval area is provided with a corner electrode 111 connected to the negative terminal of an external power supply, and the other side is provided with a first electrode 121 connected to the positive terminal of an external power supply.

[0051] Furthermore, along the thickness direction of the dimming film, there is a gap between the first electrode 121 and the adjacent second electrode 122, as shown in the projection. Figure 1 As shown, along the extending direction of the edge portion 100, one side of the interval area is provided with a second electrode 122 connected to the negative terminal of an external power supply, and the other side is provided with a first electrode 121 connected to the positive terminal of an external power supply.

[0052] like Figure 2As shown, the first electrode 121 and the second electrode 122 are arranged sequentially along the length direction of the connecting portion 120. The first electrode 121 is disposed on one side of the thickness direction of the edge portion 100, and the second electrode 122 is disposed on the other side of the thickness direction of the edge portion 100. By electrically connecting the first electrode 121 and the second electrode 122 to an external power source, the dimming diaphragm is electrically connected to the external power source.

[0053] On the same side of the edge portion 100, the length of the corner electrode 111 is L1, the length of the first electrode 121 is L2, and the length of the second electrode 122 is L3, satisfying the relationship: L1 > L2 > L3.

[0054] In the above embodiments, the electrodes disposed on both sides of the interval region have opposite polarities, and because the distance between the boundaries of the two electrodes is relatively short, the electric field intensity inside the interval region and its adjacent area is significantly higher than that of other areas of the dimming film. During the electrochromic process of the dimming film, because this area is continuously subjected to a high electric field during repeated color-changing cycles, its electrochromic material may preferentially experience performance degradation due to the concentration of the electric field, causing the interval region and its adjacent area to become the first part of the dimming film to fail.

[0055] During their research, the inventors discovered that appropriately extending the length of the corner electrode 111 can reduce the electric field intensity within the interval region to some extent, but this improvement has certain limitations. This is because when the current value conducted through the connection portion 120 of the edge portion 100 is high, the current flowing through the interval region and reaching the corner electrode 111 already reaches a high level. Excessive current density itself induces changes in the electromotive force in the aforementioned local area, thereby enhancing the electric field intensity in the interval region and its adjacent areas, resulting in the electric field intensity in this region still being higher than in other areas of the dimming film. Therefore, simply adjusting the length of the corner electrode 111 is insufficient to fundamentally suppress the electric field concentration phenomenon. To this end, this application further provides a longer first electrode 121 on the side of the interval region away from the corner electrode 111, such that the length L2 of the first electrode 121 is greater than the length L3 of the second electrode 122. That is, the longer first electrode 121 is used as a current buffer structure to reduce the voltage before the current reaches the interval region, thereby reducing the current density in the interval region adjacent to the corner electrode 111. This achieves a balance of electric field strength between the corner 110 and the connecting portion 120 of the dimming film, avoids local failure of the dimming film, and further improves the stability and durability of the dimming film.

[0056] It is understood that in the above embodiments of this application, by increasing the length of the corner electrode 111 and further increasing the length of the first electrode 121, the lengths L1 of the corner electrode 111, L2 of the first electrode 121, and L3 of the second electrode 122 satisfy the following relationship: L1 > L2 > L3. Through this arrangement, the path length of the current conducted to the connection portion 120 and further to the corner portion 110 is effectively extended. Since a voltage drop occurs during the current transmission along the second electrode 122 and the first electrode 121, when the current diffuses from the adjacent second electrode 122 and first electrode 121 to the corner electrode 111, its current intensity will decrease accordingly, thereby reducing the electric field intensity at the interval and further reducing the electric field intensity of the corner electrode 111. This reduces the risk of failure in local areas of the dimming film, avoids problems such as rapid material aging or premature performance failure in local areas due to voltage concentration, improves the overall stability of the dimming film, and increases its service life.

[0057] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the dimming film includes a first substrate layer 200, a first conductive layer 300, an electrochromic layer 400, a second conductive layer 500, and a second substrate layer 600 stacked sequentially.

[0058] It should be noted that the electrochromic layer 400 includes a color-changing material layer, an electrolyte layer, and an ion storage layer.

[0059] The first substrate layer 200 and the second substrate layer 600 are both made of transparent and flexible materials, such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and PC (polycarbonate). The first conductive layer 300 and the second conductive layer 500 are both made of transparent conductive oxides, such as ITO (indium tin oxide) and IZO (indium doped zinc oxide).

[0060] In this embodiment, the edge portion 100 of the dimming film is provided with a first groove 130 and a second groove 140, and the number of the first groove 130 and the second groove 140 can be specifically set according to the actual situation.

[0061] The first groove 130 penetrates the first substrate layer 200, the first conductive layer 300, and the electrochromic layer 400 along the thickness direction of the dimming film, exposing a portion of the second conductive layer 500. This portion of the second conductive layer 500 exposed by the first groove 130 forms the second electrode 122 or the corner electrode 111. It should be noted that the first groove 130 on the connecting portion 120 exposes a portion of the second conductive layer 500 on the connecting portion 120 to form the second electrode 122; the first groove 130 on the corner portion 110 exposes a portion of the second conductive layer 500 on the corner portion 110 to form the corner electrode 111. In this embodiment, the first groove 130 on the corner portion 110 can be considered a corner groove.

[0062] In addition, the second groove 140 penetrates the second base layer 600, the second conductive layer 500 and the electrochromic layer 400 along the thickness direction of the dimming film, and exposes a portion of the first conductive layer 300. The first electrode 121 is formed by the portion of the first conductive layer 300 exposed through the second groove 140.

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the dimming film has a quadrilateral structure, and the edge portion 100 includes four corner portions 110 and four connecting portions 120. The corner portions 110 and the connecting portions 120 are alternately arranged along the edge portion of the dimming film; the included angle of each corner portion 110 is α, and the value of α is in the range of 60°≤α≤120°.

[0064] In this embodiment, the dimming diaphragm has a quadrilateral structure, and its edge portion 100 includes four corner portions 110 and four connecting portions 120. The corner portions 110 and the connecting portions 120 are alternately arranged along the edge portion 100 of the dimming diaphragm. When the dimming diaphragm has a quadrilateral structure, in order to achieve a uniform distribution of the electric field and avoid the electric field concentration phenomenon caused by the included angle of the four corner electrodes 111 being too small, and also to avoid the included angle of the four corner electrodes 111 being too large, which would affect the wiring efficiency of the dimming diaphragm, the included angle of the four corner electrodes 111 needs to be limited to a reasonable range. This ensures the controllability of the dimming diaphragm size while effectively suppressing excessively strong electric fields in local areas of the dimming diaphragm, and improving the overall balance and long-term stability of the electric field distribution of the dimming diaphragm. Therefore, the included angle α of the corner electrodes 111 is in the range of 60°≤α≤120°.

[0065] For example, the range of values ​​for α is 60°≤α≤120°, 65°≤α≤120°, 70°≤α≤120°, 75°≤α≤120°, 80°≤α≤120°, 85°≤α≤120°, 90°≤α≤120°, 95°≤α≤120°, 100°≤α≤120°, 105°≤α≤120°, and 110°≤α≤120°. Any range of 115°≤α≤120°, 60°≤α≤115°, 60°≤α≤110°, 60°≤α≤105°, 60°≤α≤100°, 60°≤α≤95°, 60°≤α≤90°, 65°≤α≤115°, 70°≤α≤110°, 75°≤α≤105°, 80°≤α≤100°, and 85°≤α≤95°.

[0066] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the corner electrode 111 includes a first corner electrode 1111 and a second corner electrode 1112. The first corner electrode 1111 is disposed on one side of the edge portion 100, and the second corner electrode 1112 is disposed on the other side of the edge portion 100 and connected to the first corner electrode 1111.

[0067] It should be noted that the first corner electrode 1111 and the second corner electrode 1112 are respectively disposed on adjacent sides of the edge portion 100, and one end of the first corner electrode 1111 and the second corner electrode 1112 are connected to form the corner electrode 111.

[0068] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the length of the first corner electrode 1111 is equal to the length of the second corner electrode 1112. It can be understood that the lengths of both the first corner electrode 1111 and the second corner electrode 1112 are L1. That is, the electric field strength on adjacent sides of the corner 110 of the edge portion 100 is substantially equal, thereby ensuring the uniformity of the electric field strength of the corner electrodes and preventing discoloration failure or premature aging in the local area corresponding to the corner 110.

[0069] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the four connecting portions 120 include a first connecting portion 125 and a second connecting portion 126 that are adjacent to each other, the length of the first connecting portion 125 is greater than the length of the second connecting portion 126; the dimming film also includes a first lead-out electrode 900 and a second lead-out electrode 1000, the first lead-out electrode 900 and the second lead-out electrode 1000 being disposed on the first connecting portion 125.

[0070] In this embodiment, the four connecting parts include a first connecting part 125 and a second connecting part 126 arranged adjacent to each other. The length of the first connecting part 125 is greater than the length of the second connecting part 126. By setting the lengths of the connecting parts differently, there is sufficient space on the longer first connecting part 125 for setting the lead-out electrode, which facilitates the lead-out wiring operation of the electrode.

[0071] Furthermore, after the first lead-out electrode 900 and the second lead-out electrode 1000 are set, the driving current is conducted from the lead-out electrode and conducted to the adjacent corner portion 110 in two directions opposite to the connection portion. When the lead-out electrode is set on the longer first connection portion 125, the current conduction path in at least one direction is correspondingly increased. The increase in the conduction path will cause the current reaching the corner electrode in that direction to attenuate to a certain extent, thereby reducing the electric field intensity in the local area in that direction and further reducing the risk of premature failure of the dimming film, thus improving the stability of the dimming film in the local area.

[0072] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the first connecting portion 125 further includes at least one third electrode 123, and the second electrode 122 and the third electrode 123 are alternately arranged along the extending direction of the first connecting portion 125.

[0073] In this embodiment, the first connecting portion 125 is the relatively longer of the four edges of the dimming film. To improve the current distribution in this edge portion 100, at least one third electrode 123 is provided on the first connecting portion 125 along its extension direction, and the polarity of the third electrode 123 is the same as that of the first electrode 121. Specifically, a second electrode 122 is provided on one side of the length direction of the third electrode 123, and another second electrode 122 is provided on the other side of the length direction of the third electrode 123. This arrangement ensures that second electrodes 122 and third electrodes 123 with different polarities are alternately distributed along the edge direction, so that an electric field superposition is formed between the second electrodes 122 and the third electrodes 123, thereby accelerating the current conduction speed of the first connecting portion 125, and thus improving the color-changing response speed of the dimming film in this edge portion 100, achieving the technical effect of improving color-changing uniformity and conductivity efficiency.

[0074] In this embodiment, the edge portion 100 of the dimming film is provided with a third groove 150. The third groove 150 penetrates the second base layer 600, the second conductive layer 500 and the electrochromic layer 400 along the thickness direction of the dimming film, and exposes a portion of the first conductive layer 300 to form a third electrode 123.

[0075] The third groove 150 penetrates the second base layer 600, the second conductive layer 500 and the electrochromic layer 400 along the thickness direction of the dimming film, and exposes a portion of the first conductive layer 300. The third electrode 123 is formed by the portion of the first conductive layer exposed by the third groove 150. The number of third grooves 150 can be specifically set according to the actual situation. The third groove 150 is disposed on the first connecting part 125.

[0076] In some embodiments of this application, on the first connecting portion 125, the length of the second electrode 122 is equal to the length of the third electrode 123.

[0077] Combination Figure 1 It is known that multiple second electrodes 122 and multiple third electrodes 123 are alternately arranged along the length of the first connecting portion 125 to achieve uniform charge distribution and electric field control. In order to achieve the uniformity of current conduction on the first connecting portion 125, the second electrodes 122 and the third electrodes 123 are made to have equal lengths, so that the electric field strength at both ends of the first connecting portion 125 is similar when the current diffuses from the lead-out electrodes to both ends of the first connecting portion 125. This makes the electric field strength as consistent as possible in the direction at both ends of the first connecting portion 125, thereby making the response speed of the dimming film during the color-changing process consistent on the first connecting portion 125. This avoids inconsistent color-changing speeds caused by different electrode lengths or uneven arrangement, thereby effectively improving the uniformity and stability of the overall color-changing effect of the dimming film.

[0078] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the second connection portion 126 further includes a fourth electrode 124, and along the extending direction of the second connection portion 126, a first electrode 121, a second electrode 122, a fourth electrode 124, a second electrode 122 and a first electrode 121 are sequentially arranged.

[0079] In this embodiment, the second connecting portion 126 is the shorter of the four edges of the dimming film. To improve the current distribution of this edge portion 100, a first electrode 121, a second electrode 122, a fourth electrode 124, another second electrode 122, and another first electrode 121 are sequentially arranged along the extending direction of the second connecting portion 126, forming an arrangement of first electrode 121—second electrode 122—fourth electrode 124—second electrode 122—first electrode 121, with the polarity of the fourth electrode 124 being the same as that of the first electrode 121. This achieves alternating positive and negative electrode arrangement in the structure, which is beneficial for improving the electric field balance of the dimming film. In this embodiment, by setting three electrodes of the same polarity, the current conduction efficiency of the second connecting portion 126 can be effectively improved, promoting the uniform distribution of current on the dimming film.

[0080] It should be noted that, compared to the case without the fourth electrode 124, if the two second electrodes 122 are directly adjacent, they cannot form a positive and negative electric field effect because they have the same polarity. This slows down the current conduction speed in that area, thus affecting the color-changing response speed of the dimming film at the second connection portion 126. However, by setting the fourth electrode 124 between the two second electrodes 122, a more balanced electrochromic effect can be achieved. Therefore, by setting five electrodes on the shorter second connection portion 126, the technical effect of improving color-changing uniformity and conductivity efficiency is achieved using a smaller electrode structure.

[0081] In this embodiment, the edge portion 100 of the dimming film is provided with a fourth groove 160. The fourth groove 160 penetrates the second base layer 600, the second conductive layer 500 and the electrochromic layer 400 along the thickness direction of the dimming film, and exposes a portion of the first conductive layer 300 to form a fourth electrode 124.

[0082] The fourth groove 160 penetrates the second base layer 600, the second conductive layer 500 and the electrochromic layer 400 along the thickness direction of the dimming film, and exposes a portion of the first conductive layer 300. The fourth electrode 124 is formed by the portion of the first conductive layer 300 exposed by the fourth groove 160. The fourth groove 160 is disposed on the second connecting portion 126.

[0083] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the dimming film further includes a first busbar 700 and a second busbar 800, which are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the edge portion 100.

[0084] The first busbar 700 and the second busbar 800 can be made of conductive materials such as copper foil, silver wire, and conductive resin.

[0085] Furthermore, the first busbar 700 is disposed on the side of the first substrate 200 opposite to the second substrate 600. The first busbar 700 at least partially connects the second electrode 122 and the corner electrode 111. It should be noted that a portion of the first busbar 700 is disposed in the first groove 130, and is connected to the second electrode 122 and the corner electrode 111 through the first busbar 700 disposed in the first groove 130. It is understood that by directly connecting the first busbar 700 to the second electrode 122 and the corner electrode 111, it is possible to connect to an external power source through the first busbar 700.

[0086] In this embodiment, the second busbar 800 is disposed on the side of the second substrate layer 600 away from the first substrate layer 200. The second busbar 800 is at least partially connected to the first electrode 121. It should be noted that a portion of the second busbar 800 is disposed in the second groove 140 and connected through the first electrode 121 disposed in the second groove 140.

[0087] In other embodiments, on the first connection portion 125, the first busbar 700 is disposed on the side of the first substrate layer 200 opposite to the second substrate layer 600, and the first busbar 700 is at least partially connected to the second electrode 122. The second busbar 800 is disposed on the side of the second substrate layer 600 opposite to the first substrate layer 200, and the second busbar 800 is at least partially connected to the third electrode and the first electrode 121.

[0088] In some other embodiments, on the second connection portion 126, the first busbar 700 is disposed on the side of the first substrate layer 200 away from the second substrate layer 600, and the first busbar 700 is at least partially connected to the second electrode 122. The second busbar 800 is disposed on the side of the second substrate layer 600 away from the first substrate layer 200, and the second busbar 800 is at least partially connected to the fourth electrode and the first electrode 121.

[0089] It is understandable that when the first busbar 700 and the second busbar 800 are electrically connected to an external power source, the first busbar 700 and the second busbar 800 can conduct the current from the external power source to the first conductive layer 300 and the second conductive layer 500 of the dimming film, thereby forming a voltage difference between the first conductive layer 300 and the second conductive layer 500, so that the electrochromic layer 400 undergoes a stable and reversible color change under the action of the voltage.

[0090] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the dimming film further includes a first lead-out electrode 900 and a second lead-out electrode 1000. The first lead-out electrode 900 and the second lead-out electrode 1000 are respectively disposed on the first connecting portion, and one end of the first lead-out electrode 900 is disposed in the second groove 140. One end of the first lead-out electrode 900 is connected to the second electrode 122, and one end of the second lead-out electrode 1000 is disposed in the third groove 150. One end of the second lead-out electrode 1000 is connected to the third electrode 123. The first lead-out electrode 900 and the second lead-out electrode 1000 are respectively disposed on the same first connecting portion 125 of the dimming film.

[0091] In this configuration, one end of the first lead-out electrode 900 is connected to the first busbar 700, and the other end of the first lead-out electrode 900 can be connected to an external power source, thereby electrically connecting the first busbar 700 to the external power source. Similarly, one end of the second lead-out electrode 1000 is connected to the second busbar 800, and the other end of the second lead-out electrode 1000 can be connected to an external power source, thereby electrically connecting the second busbar 800 to the external power source.

[0092] It should be noted that in the above embodiments of this application, by increasing the length of the corner electrode 111 and the first electrode 121, excessively high electric field strength in local areas of the dimming film is avoided, thus mitigating the rate of local failure of the dimming film. Furthermore, this also makes the electric field strength in different areas of the dimming film more similar, resulting in a more uniform field strength across the entire dimming film and improving its stability and lifespan.

[0093] like Figure 4 As shown, some embodiments of this application provide a dimming device, including a first substrate layer 1100, a first adhesive layer 1200 and the dimming device in any of the above embodiments, a second adhesive layer 1300 and a second substrate layer 1400, which are stacked sequentially.

[0094] The dimming device also includes a sealing element 1500, which is disposed between the first substrate layer 1100 and the second substrate layer 1400. Specifically, the side of the sealing element 1500 facing the first substrate layer 1100 is connected to the first substrate layer 1100, and the side of the sealing element 1500 facing the second substrate layer 1400 is connected to the second substrate layer 1400. The first adhesive layer 1200 and the second adhesive layer 1300 are respectively connected to the sealing element 1500 on the side facing the sealing element 1500, so that the first substrate layer 1100, the sealing element 1500 and the second substrate layer 1400 enclose a sealed space, in which the dimming device is housed.

[0095] Specifically, both the first substrate layer 1100 and the second substrate layer 1400 are transparent structures. For example, the first substrate layer 1100 and the second substrate layer 1400 can be transparent glass, transparent acrylic sheets, or transparent PVC sheets. Preferably, the first substrate layer 1100 and the second substrate layer 1400 are glass, and by sandwiching the dimming device between the first substrate layer 1100 and the second substrate layer 1400, a sealed dimming device is formed, preventing the dimming film from contacting external moisture and oxygen, thereby improving the service life of the dimming film and the dimming device.

[0096] The material of the seal 1500 includes one of the adhesives conventional in the art that have the effect of blocking water and oxygen, such as pressure-sensitive adhesives, hot melt adhesives, UV-curable adhesives, thermosetting adhesives, or UV-heat-cured adhesives. It is understood that in some cases, the seal 1500 may be made of the same material as the first adhesive layer 1200 and the second adhesive layer 1300.

[0097] Additionally, a shielding layer is provided on the surface of the first substrate layer 1100 and / or the second substrate layer 1400 corresponding to the edge portion 100 of the dimming device. The shielding layer can be located on the inner or outer surface of the first substrate layer 1100 and / or the second substrate layer 1400; the shielding layer can be made of shielding materials such as metal or black ink. To prevent users from directly seeing the edge portion 100 of the dimming device through the transparent first substrate layer 1100 and / or the second substrate layer 1400, and to improve the overall appearance of the device, a shielding layer is provided at the edge of the first substrate layer 1100 and / or the second substrate layer 1400. This shielding layer also blocks the busbar and sealant of the dimming device, thereby enhancing the aesthetics of the dimming device.

[0098] The dimming films or dimming devices of some embodiments of this application can be used in dimming products, and the dimming products have the functions and beneficial effects of the dimming devices or dimming devices in any of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0099] The dimming products include any one of the following: rearview mirrors, curtain walls, car sunroofs, car side windows, car windshields, electronic product casings, eyeglasses, vehicles, and display panels. Vehicles include cars, trains, airplanes, ships, etc.; electronic products include mobile phones, computers, tablets, smart wearable devices, etc.; eyeglasses include ordinary eyeglasses, AR (Augmented Reality) eyeglasses, VR (Virtual Reality) eyeglasses, sunglasses, or ski goggles, etc.

[0100] In all examples shown and described herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations; therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0101] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0102] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A dimming film, characterized in that, include: An edge portion, the edge portion including multiple corner portions and connecting portions, two adjacent corner portions being connected by the connecting portions; The corner portion is provided with a corner electrode, and the connecting portion is provided with a first electrode and a second electrode arranged along its length direction. The corner electrode and the second electrode have the same polarity, and the corner electrode and the first electrode have opposite polarities. On the same side of the edge portion, the length of the corner electrode is L1, the length of the first electrode is L2, and the length of the second electrode is L3, satisfying the relationship: L1 > L2 > L3.

2. The dimming film according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dimming film has a quadrilateral structure, and the edge portion includes four corner portions and four connecting portions. The corner portions and the connecting portions are alternately arranged along the edge portion of the dimming film. The included angle of each corner portion is α, and the value of α is in the range of 60°≤α≤120°.

3. The dimming film according to claim 2, characterized in that, The four connecting portions include a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion that are adjacent to each other, and the length of the first connecting portion is greater than the length of the second connecting portion; the dimming film also includes a first lead-out electrode and a second lead-out electrode, and the first lead-out electrode and the second lead-out electrode are disposed on the first connecting portion.

4. The dimming film according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first connecting portion further includes at least one third electrode, and the second electrode and the third electrode are alternately arranged along the extending direction of the first connecting portion.

5. The dimming film according to claim 4, characterized in that, On the first connecting portion, the length of the second electrode is equal to the length of the third electrode.

6. The dimming film according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second connecting portion further includes a fourth electrode, and along the extending direction of the second connecting portion, a first electrode, a second electrode, a fourth electrode, a second electrode, and a first electrode are sequentially arranged.

7. The dimming film according to claim 6, characterized in that, The dimming film comprises a first base layer, a first conductive layer, an electrochromic layer, a second conductive layer, and a second base layer, which are stacked sequentially. The edge portion of the dimming film is provided with a first groove and a second groove; The first groove extends through the first substrate layer, the first conductive layer, and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the dimming film, and exposes a portion of the second conductive layer to form the corner electrode or the second electrode; The second groove extends through the second base layer, the second conductive layer, and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the dimming film, and exposes a portion of the first conductive layer to form the first electrode.

8. The dimming film according to claim 7, characterized in that, The edge portion of the dimming film is provided with a third groove, which penetrates the second base layer, the second conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the dimming film, and exposes a portion of the first conductive layer to form the third electrode; The edge portion of the dimming film is provided with a fourth groove, which penetrates the second base layer, the second conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the dimming film, and exposes a portion of the first conductive layer to form the fourth electrode.

9. The dimming film according to claim 8, characterized in that, The dimming diaphragm also includes a first busbar and a second busbar; The first busbar is disposed on the side of the first substrate layer away from the second substrate layer, and the first busbar is at least partially connected to the second electrode and the corner electrode; The second busbar is disposed on the side of the second substrate layer opposite to the first substrate layer, and the second busbar is at least partially connected to the first electrode.

10. A dimming device, characterized in that, The device comprises a first substrate layer, a first adhesive layer, a dimming film as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, a second adhesive layer, and a second substrate layer, which are stacked sequentially. A sealing element is provided on the periphery of the dimming film, and the sealing element is disposed between the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer.

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