Electrochromic films and end products

Abstract

This application provides an electrochromic film and a terminal product, wherein the electrochromic film includes: a film body; a first busbar and a second busbar, the first busbar and the second busbar being disposed at intervals on the edge of the film body; and an electrical connector disposed between the first busbar and the second busbar, with its two ends respectively welded to the first busbar and the second busbar. The electrochromic film and terminal product provided in this application, by providing an electrical connector between the first busbar and the second busbar and then fixing the first busbar and the second busbar by welding, can effectively improve the connection strength between the first busbar and the second busbar, preventing easy circuit breakage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of electrochromic technology, and particularly relates to an electrochromic film and its end product. Background Technology

[0002] Electrochromism refers to the phenomenon where the optical properties of a material undergo stable and reversible color changes under the influence of an applied electric field, manifesting as reversible changes in color and transparency. To achieve electrochromism, electrochromic devices typically need to be electrically connected to an external power source.

[0003] In existing technologies, electrochromic films typically have multiple electrodes along their edges, which are connected and conductive via busbars. These busbars are usually made of copper foil, with multiple copper foils overlapping to form a complete ring structure. Adjacent copper foils are connected using conductive adhesive. During reliability testing, open circuits can easily occur at the connections between the copper foils, leading to film failure. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide an electrochromic film and a terminal product to solve the technical problem that open circuits are prone to occur at the overlap of the edge busbars of existing electrochromic films.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an electrochromic film, comprising:

[0006] The diaphragm itself;

[0007] The first busbar and the second busbar are disposed at intervals on the edge of the diaphragm body;

[0008] An electrical connector is disposed between the first busbar and the second busbar, with its two ends welded to the first busbar and the second busbar respectively. Compared to the prior art that uses conductive adhesive to connect the first busbar and the second busbar, this embodiment of the application provides an electrical connector between the first busbar and the second busbar, and then fixes the first busbar and the second busbar by welding. This effectively improves the connection strength between the first busbar and the second busbar, preventing easy circuit breakage.

[0009] In some embodiments, the diaphragm body includes adjacent first and second membrane edges, the first busbar is located on the first membrane edge, the second busbar is located on the second membrane edge, and a gap groove is formed between the first and second busbars. The electrical connector is disposed at the gap groove. Thus, because the electrical connector is located at the gap groove, the overlap area between the electrical connector and the busbar can be effectively reduced, thereby ensuring that the diaphragm edge is thin and therefore less prone to cracking during subsequent lamination processes.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first busbar includes a first positive busbar and a first negative busbar, the first positive busbar and the first negative busbar being located on opposite sides of the edge of the first membrane;

[0011] The second busbar includes a second positive busbar and a second negative busbar, which are located on opposite sides of the edge of the second membrane.

[0012] A first gap groove is formed between the first positive busbar and the second positive busbar, and a second gap groove is formed between the first negative busbar and the second negative busbar.

[0013] The projections of the first and second spacers in the thickness direction of the diaphragm body are misaligned.

[0014] In some embodiments, the electrical connector includes a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector, and the first busbar includes a first positive busbar and a first negative busbar, which are located on opposite sides of the edge of the first membrane.

[0015] The second busbar includes a second positive busbar and a second negative busbar, which are located on opposite sides of the edge of the second membrane.

[0016] The two ends of the first electrical connector are welded and fixed to the first positive busbar and the second positive busbar, respectively; the two ends of the second electrical connector are welded and fixed to the first negative busbar and the second negative busbar, respectively.

[0017] The projections of the first and second electrical connectors are misaligned along the thickness direction of the diaphragm body. This ensures that the welding points do not coincide along the thickness direction of the diaphragm body during subsequent installation and welding of the electrical connectors. This not only guarantees a stable connection between the busbars but also helps reduce the thickness at the corners of the diaphragm body, thereby preventing diaphragm cracking during subsequent lamination processes.

[0018] In some embodiments, the electrical connector has a first welding area between itself and the first busbar, and a second welding area between itself and the second busbar, the first welding area and the second welding area being symmetrically arranged relative to the electrical connector. The welding area is the mechanical connection point between the electrical connector and the busbar. Symmetrical welding results in a more even distribution of mechanical stress on the connector. When the diaphragm body is subjected to bending, vibration, or thermal expansion and contraction, the symmetrical support points can better disperse stress, reducing the risk of excessive stress on a single weld point.

[0019] In some embodiments, the width of the electrical connector is the same as the width of the first busbar and the second busbar. The electrical connector at the slot serves to connect the first and second busbars, and the width matching allows the electrical connector to completely fill the slot, forming a tight fit with the busbar. This enhances the overall rigidity of the diaphragm body, making it particularly suitable for flexible or curved surface applications (such as smart car windows), and reducing the risk of deformation due to bending or impact.

[0020] In some embodiments, the electrical connector is one of a nickel sheet, a copper sheet, a lead-tin alloy sheet, and a nickel-copper alloy sheet. The choice of these materials can be made according to the actual application scenario. Preferably, the electrical connector is a nickel sheet. Generally, the first and second busbars are copper foils. The welding effect of nickel sheets and copper foils is better, mainly because nickel sheets have a high laser absorption rate; nickel's absorption rate for 1μm wavelength lasers is much higher than that of copper. During welding, the laser first irradiates the nickel, which is rapidly heated and melted. The molten nickel acts as a heat source, efficiently transferring heat to the copper foil below through heat conduction, causing the copper to also reach its melting point. Copper and nickel are infinitely miscible, forming a single, continuous solid solution alloy. This copper-nickel alloy has a dense structure and lacks brittle intermetallic compounds, therefore the weld joint has good mechanical strength and toughness, as well as excellent electrical properties.

[0021] In some embodiments, the thickness of the electrical connector is 50–80 μm. If the electrical connector is too thin, it will lack mechanical strength and be prone to burn-through during welding; if it is too thick, it may increase interfacial stress. This range balances conductivity and flexibility requirements, making it particularly suitable for applications involving curved surfaces.

[0022] In some embodiments, the membrane body includes a first base layer, a first conductive layer, an electrochromic layer, a second conductive layer, and a second base layer stacked sequentially.

[0023] The edge region on one side of the membrane body is provided with a plurality of first grooves, the first grooves penetrating the first base layer, the first conductive layer and the electrochromic layer, and exposing a portion of the second conductive layer to form a plurality of first electrodes on the first membrane edge and the second membrane edge;

[0024] A plurality of second grooves are provided on the edge region of the other side of the membrane body. The second grooves penetrate the second base layer, the second conductive layer, and the electrochromic layer, and expose a portion of the first conductive layer to form a plurality of second electrodes on the first membrane edge and the second membrane edge.

[0025] The first busbar is connected to the first electrode on the first membrane edge and the first electrode on the second membrane edge, respectively, and the second busbar is connected to the second electrode on the first membrane edge and the second electrode on the second membrane edge, respectively. In other embodiments, a plurality of first grooves are formed on the edge region of one side of the membrane body, and the first grooves penetrate the first substrate layer to expose a portion of the first conductive layer to form a plurality of first electrodes on the first membrane edge and the second membrane edge;

[0026] A plurality of second grooves are provided on the edge region of the other side of the diaphragm body. The second grooves penetrate the second base layer and expose part of the second conductive layer to form a plurality of second electrodes on the first membrane edge and the second membrane edge.

[0027] The first busbar is connected to the first electrode on the first membrane edge and the first electrode on the second membrane edge, respectively, and the second busbar is connected to the second electrode on the first membrane edge and the second electrode on the second membrane edge, respectively. Thus, the staggered grooves distribute the electrodes at multiple points, effectively preventing electric field attenuation in the central region of the membrane and ensuring uniform color change of the electrochromic layer.

[0028] In some embodiments, the intersection of the first membrane edge and the second membrane edge forms a corner;

[0029] A first groove is formed at the corner to create a corner electrode, and the electrical connector is located within the first groove; alternatively, a second groove is formed at the corner to create a corner electrode, and the electrical connector is located within the second groove. In this way, the electrical connector is positioned within the groove, and the welding area between the electrical connector and the busbar is also within the groove. This further reduces the thickness at the corner of the diaphragm body, making the diaphragm thinner and lighter, thereby preventing diaphragm cracking during subsequent lamination.

[0030] In some embodiments, a first adhesive layer is covered on the first busbar located on one side of the first membrane edge, the side of the first adhesive layer near the middle of the membrane body being connected to the first substrate layer, and the side of the first adhesive layer near the edge of the electrochromic membrane being connected to the second conductive layer or the first conductive layer; a second adhesive layer is covered on the first busbar located on the other side of the first membrane edge, the side of the second adhesive layer near the middle of the membrane body being connected to the first substrate layer, and the side of the second adhesive layer near the edge of the electrochromic membrane being connected to the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer. In this way, the adhesive layer can limit and fix the busbar corresponding to the groove, thereby improving the stability of the connection between the busbar and the conductive layer in the groove. That is, the adhesive layer can further improve the stability of the busbar at the edge of the electrochromic film. Moreover, the adhesive layer forms an insulating barrier layer on the surface of the busbar, which can prevent microparticles of the external material of the film from entering the electrochromic film through the groove during the subsequent lamination process and reacting with the electrochromic material layer. At the same time, it can also prevent external moisture, dust or other conductive substances from entering the interior of the electrochromic film through the groove.

[0031] In some embodiments, a first adhesive layer is applied to the first busbar on one side of the first membrane edge, and the side of the first adhesive layer near the middle of the membrane body is connected to the first base layer. A second adhesive layer is applied to the first busbar on the other side of the first membrane edge, and the side of the second adhesive layer near the middle of the membrane body is connected to the second base layer. Both the first and second adhesive layers extend outward to cover the edge of the membrane body. Thus, neither the first nor the second adhesive layer is adhered to the conductive layer; instead, they extend outward to the edge of the electrochromic membrane and bond together. This design better prevents moisture and dust from entering the interior of the electrochromic membrane, thereby protecting the membrane edge.

[0032] In some embodiments, the electrical connector is a corner-shaped structure of the electrochromic film, and the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer are each formed by overlapping multiple adhesive strips, with the overlapping area of ​​the adhesive strips located at the corner of the electrochromic film. In some embodiments, the welding areas of the electrical connector with the first busbar and the second busbar are both located at the corner of the electrochromic film, and the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer are each formed by overlapping multiple adhesive strips, with the adhesive strips at the corner of the electrochromic film having a corner-shaped structure. This ensures that the overlapping areas of the adhesive strips and the welding areas of the electrical connector and the busbar do not coincide in the thickness direction, avoiding increasing the thickness of the film at a single location and affecting subsequent lamination.

[0033] In some embodiments, the electrochromic film further includes a first lead-out electrode and a second lead-out electrode. The first lead-out electrode is welded to a first busbar or a second busbar on one side of the film body, and the second lead-out electrode is welded to a first busbar or a second busbar on the other side of the film body. This configuration, connecting electrodes of the same polarity on two film edges via busbars, means that only one pair of lead-out electrodes is needed, simplifying circuit design and reducing the complexity of external circuitry. The welding method also helps to improve the connection strength between the lead-out electrodes and the busbars, preventing open circuits.

[0034] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a terminal product including the electrochromic film described in the first aspect, wherein the terminal product includes any one of a rearview mirror, curtain wall, car sunroof, car side window, car windshield, housing of electronic products, glasses, vehicle, and display panel. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electrochromic film provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0037] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure in which a spacer groove is formed between the first and second busbars;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electrochromic film provided in the embodiments of this application, in which a busbar is provided on one side;

[0039] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A structural diagram showing the electrical connectors installed at the slots;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electrochromic film provided in this application embodiment having a busbar on the other side;

[0041] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A structural diagram showing the electrical connectors installed at the slots;

[0042] Figure 7 yes Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the cross section at point AA;

[0043] Figure 8 yes Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the cross section at point BB;

[0044] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the electrode design of the electrochromic film provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0045] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the electrode design of an electrochromic film provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical connection structure when an electrode is formed at the corner of the electrochromic film provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0047] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the adhesive layer configuration of the electrochromic film provided in this application embodiment. Figure 1 ;

[0048] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the adhesive layer configuration of the electrochromic film provided in this application embodiment. Figure 2 ;

[0049] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the adhesive layer configuration of an electrochromic film provided in another embodiment of this application. Figure 1 ;

[0050] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the adhesive layer configuration of an electrochromic film provided in another embodiment of this application. Figure 2 .

[0051] The attached icon numbers are as follows:

[0052] 10. Membrane body; 100. Spacer groove; 1000. First spacer groove; 1001. Second spacer groove; 11. First membrane edge; 111. First adhesive layer; 112. Second adhesive layer; 12. Second membrane edge; 101. First substrate layer; 102. First conductive layer; 103. Electrochromic layer; 104. Second conductive layer; 105. Second substrate layer; 106. First groove; 107. Second groove;

[0053] 20. First busbar; 21. First positive busbar; 22. First negative busbar;

[0054] 30. Second busbar; 31. Second positive busbar; 32. Second negative busbar;

[0055] 40. Electrical connector; 41. First electrical connector; 42. Second electrical connector;

[0056] 50. First lead-out electrode;

[0057] 60. Second lead-out electrode. Detailed Implementation

[0058] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments of this application can also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the embodiments of this application with unnecessary detail.

[0059] It should also be understood that the term "and / or" as used in the specification of embodiments of this application and the appended claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0060] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0061] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0062] Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments and the appended claims of this application, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used only for distinguishing descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0063] In the description of embodiments in this application, references to "some embodiments" or "some embodiments" mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in some embodiments," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. "A plurality" refers to two or more.

[0064] In this embodiment, the shape of the electrochromic film is not limited; the shape of the electrochromic film can be triangular, fan-shaped, rectangular, irregular, etc. As long as it has two adjacent edges, it is a film protected by this application. A rectangular film is used as an example below.

[0065] The first aspect of this application provides an electrochromic film, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes a diaphragm body 10, a first busbar 20, a second busbar 30, and an electrical connector 40;

[0066] The first busbar 20 and the second busbar 30 are disposed at intervals on the membrane edge of the diaphragm body 10;

[0067] Electrical connector 40 is disposed between the first busbar 20 and the second busbar 30, and its two ends are welded to the first busbar 20 and the second busbar 30 respectively.

[0068] Compared to the prior art which uses conductive adhesive to connect the first and second busbars, this embodiment of the application provides an electrical connector between the first and second busbars, and then welds the electrical connector to the first and second busbars respectively. This effectively improves the connection strength between the first and second busbars and prevents them from easily breaking.

[0069] It should be noted that, Figure 1 The preferred embodiment is shown, in which the electrical connector 40 is located at a corner of the diaphragm body 10. In other embodiments, the electrical connector 40 may also be located at a non-corner location of the diaphragm body 10, i.e., on any edge of the diaphragm body 10.

[0070] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the diaphragm body 10 includes adjacent first membrane edge 11 and second membrane edge 12. A first busbar 20 is located on the first membrane edge 11, and a second busbar 30 is located on the second membrane edge 12. A gap groove 100 is formed between the first busbar 20 and the second busbar 30. An electrical connector 40 is disposed at the gap groove 100. By placing the electrical connector at the gap groove and connecting the two ends of the electrical connector 40 to the first busbar 20 and the second busbar 30, the overlap area between the electrical connector 40 and the busbar can be effectively reduced, thereby ensuring that the diaphragm edge is thin and therefore less prone to cracking during subsequent lamination processes.

[0071] In applications, the busbar material is typically copper foil, while in this embodiment, the electrical connector uses one of the following: nickel sheet, copper sheet, lead-tin alloy sheet, or nickel-copper alloy sheet. The choice of material can be made based on the specific application scenario. Preferably, the electrical connector is a nickel sheet. Generally, the first and second busbars are made of copper foil. The welding effect between nickel sheet and copper foil is better, mainly because nickel has a high laser absorption rate; nickel's absorption rate for 1μm wavelength laser light is much higher than that of copper. During welding, the laser first irradiates the nickel, which is rapidly heated and melted. The molten nickel acts as a heat source, efficiently transferring heat to the copper foil below through thermal conduction, causing the copper to reach its melting point. Copper and nickel are infinitely miscible, forming a single, continuous solid solution alloy. This copper-nickel alloy has a dense structure and lacks brittle intermetallic compounds, resulting in welds with good mechanical strength and toughness, as well as excellent electrical properties. Compared to copper foil-to-copper foil bonding using conductive adhesive, welding nickel sheets to copper foil results in a smaller impedance change after aging tests. The conductive adhesive bonding method increases impedance, and the conductive adhesive is prone to deformation under high temperature and high pressure, which can cause the bonded copper foil to easily separate. Nickel sheet welding, on the other hand, does not break. Furthermore, compared to the previous copper foil overlap with conductive adhesive, welding results in a smaller welded area, a smaller overlap between the electrical connector 40 and the first busbar 20 and the second busbar 30, and a thinner edge to the electrochromic film.

[0072] In applications, welding can be done by spot welding or surface welding. The welding temperature is between 1500 and 1700℃; the weld length is 0.8 to 1 mm; and the number of weld points is 6 to 12. Compared to copper foil overlap, nickel foil has a thinner welded thickness and a thinner overlapping area, which reduces the thickness at the corners of the film and avoids cracking during subsequent lamination processes.

[0073] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 , Figure 5 , Figure 7 as well as Figure 8 As shown, the first busbar 20 includes a first positive busbar 21 and a first negative busbar 22, which are located on opposite sides of the first membrane edge 11.

[0074] The second busbar 30 includes a second positive busbar 31 and a second negative busbar 32, which are located on opposite sides of the second membrane edge 12.

[0075] A first gap 1000 is formed between the first positive busbar 21 and the second positive busbar 31, and a second gap 1001 is formed between the first negative busbar 22 and the second negative busbar 32. The projections of the first gap 1000 and the second gap 1001 in the thickness direction of the diaphragm body 10 are misaligned. This is to ensure that the electrical connectors are placed at different positions on the front and back of the diaphragm, avoiding them being placed at the same position on both sides, thereby reducing the thickness of the diaphragm corners.

[0076] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 , Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the electrical connector 40 includes a first electrical connector 41 and a second electrical connector 42. The two ends of the first electrical connector 41 are welded and fixed to the first positive busbar 21 and the second positive busbar 31, respectively. The two ends of the second electrical connector 42 are welded and fixed to the first negative busbar 22 and the second negative busbar 32, respectively.

[0077] The projection misalignment of the first electrical connector 41 and the second electrical connector 42 in the thickness direction of the diaphragm body 10. It should be noted that this projection misalignment includes two scenarios: First, if the first spacer groove 1000 and the second spacer groove 1001 are also misaligned, this ensures that the welding points will not coincide in the thickness direction of the diaphragm body during subsequent installation and welding of the electrical connectors. This guarantees a stable connection between the busbars and also helps reduce the thickness at the corners of the diaphragm body, thus preventing cracking during subsequent lamination. Second, there is no restriction on whether the first spacer groove 1000 and the second spacer groove 1001 are misaligned; only the misalignment of the first electrical connector 41 and the second electrical connector 42 is required. The first spacer groove 1000 and the second spacer groove 1001 can be misaligned, and they can also completely or partially overlap in the thickness direction of the diaphragm body. An electrochromic film has two opposing sides, namely a first side and a second side (also referred to as the front and back sides of the electrochromic film). Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first side of the electrochromic film. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the second side of the electrochromic film. In this case, if the first side is the front, then the second side is the back; or, if the first side is the back, then the second side is the front.

[0078] It should be noted that the projection misalignment in the thickness direction of the diaphragm body 10 refers to the fact that the projections of (the first spacer 1000 and the second spacer 1001, the first electrical connector 41 and the second electrical connector 42) in the thickness direction of the diaphragm do not overlap completely or partially.

[0079] In some embodiments, the electrical connector 40 has a first welding area between itself and the first busbar 20, and the electrical connector 40 has a second welding area between itself and the second busbar 30. The first and second welding areas are symmetrically arranged relative to the electrical connector 40. The welding area is the mechanical connection point between the electrical connector 40 and the busbar. Symmetrical welding makes the mechanical stress distribution on the connector more even. When the diaphragm body 10 is subjected to bending, vibration, or thermal expansion and contraction, the symmetrical support points can better disperse the stress and reduce the risk of a single weld point bearing excessive stress.

[0080] It should be noted that the welding area refers to the place where the electrical connector 40 is welded to the busbar. Specifically, the electrical connector 40 is set in the spacer groove 100, with both ends of the electrical connector 40 contacting the first busbar 20 and the second busbar 30 respectively, and the middle part of the electrical connector 40 covering the spacer groove 100. The area where the electrical connector 40 contacts the first busbar 20 is the first welding area, and the area where the electrical connector 40 contacts the second busbar 30 is the second welding area. Specifically, the first welding area and the second welding area can be located within the spacer groove 100. Alternatively, the first welding area and the second welding area can also be located outside the spacer groove 100, in the contact area between the electrical connector 40 and the first busbar 20 and the second busbar 30.

[0081] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the width of the electrical connector 40 is the same as the width of the first busbar 20 and the second busbar 30. The electrical connector 40 at the slot 100 serves to connect the first busbar 20 and the second busbar 30. The width matching allows the electrical connector to completely fill the slot, forming a tight fit with the busbar. This enhances the overall rigidity of the diaphragm body, making it particularly suitable for flexible or curved applications (such as smart car windows), reducing the risk of deformation caused by bending or impact.

[0082] In some embodiments, the thickness of the electrical connector 40 is 50–80 μm. In specific embodiments, the thickness of the electrical connector 40 can be any value within the range of 50–80 μm, such as 50 μm, 55 μm, 58 μm, 60 μm, 62 μm, 65 μm, 68 μm, 70 μm, 75 μm, 78 μm, or 80 μm. If the thickness of the electrical connector 40 is too thin, it will result in insufficient mechanical strength and a high risk of burn-through during welding; if it is too thick, it may increase interfacial stress. This range balances conductivity and flexibility requirements, making it particularly suitable for applications involving curved surfaces.

[0083] In applications, the rectangular electrochromic diaphragm has four membrane edges, which are adjacent to each other to form four corners. The busbars and electrical connectors on each pair of adjacent membrane edges are arranged as described above.

[0084] In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 As shown, the membrane body 10 includes a first base layer 101, a first conductive layer 102, an electrochromic layer 103, a second conductive layer 104, and a second base layer 105 stacked sequentially.

[0085] A plurality of first grooves 106 are provided on one side edge region of the diaphragm body 10. The first grooves 106 penetrate the first base layer 101, the first conductive layer 102, the electrochromic layer 103, and the exposed portion of the second conductive layer 104 to form a plurality of first electrodes on the first membrane edge 11 and the second membrane edge 12.

[0086] A plurality of second grooves 107 are provided on the edge region of the other side of the diaphragm body 10. The second grooves 107 penetrate the second base layer 105, the second conductive layer 104, the electrochromic layer 103, and the exposed portion of the first conductive layer 102 to form a plurality of second electrodes on the first membrane edge 11 and the second membrane edge 12.

[0087] The first busbar 20 is connected to the first electrode on the first membrane edge 11 and the first electrode on the second membrane edge 12, respectively. The second busbar 30 is connected to the second electrode on the first membrane edge 11 and the second electrode on the second membrane edge 12, respectively. Specifically, the first positive busbar 21 is connected to the first electrode on the first membrane edge 11, the first negative busbar 22 is connected to the second electrode on the first membrane edge 11, the second positive busbar 31 is connected to the first electrode on the first membrane edge 11, and the second negative busbar 32 is connected to the second electrode on the second membrane edge 12.

[0088] In other embodiments, such as Figure 10 As shown, in some other embodiments, a plurality of first grooves 106 are provided on the edge region of one side of the diaphragm body 10. The first grooves 106 penetrate the first base layer 101 to expose a portion of the first conductive layer 102 so as to form a plurality of first electrodes on the first membrane edge 11 and the second membrane edge 12.

[0089] Multiple second grooves 107 are provided on the edge region of the other side of the diaphragm body 10, and the second grooves 107 penetrate the second base layer 105 and expose a portion of the second conductive layer 104 to form multiple second electrodes on the first membrane edge 11 and the second membrane edge 12.

[0090] The first busbar 20 is connected to the first electrode on the first membrane edge 11 and the first electrode on the second membrane edge 12, respectively. The second busbar 30 is connected to the second electrode on the first membrane edge 11 and the second electrode on the second membrane edge 12, respectively. Specifically, the first positive busbar 21 is connected to the first electrode on the first membrane edge 11, the first negative busbar 22 is connected to the second electrode on the first membrane edge 11, the second positive busbar 31 is connected to the first electrode on the first membrane edge 11, and the second negative busbar 32 is connected to the second electrode on the second membrane edge 12. In this way, the staggered grooves distribute the electrodes at multiple points, effectively avoiding electric field attenuation in the central region of the membrane and ensuring uniform electrochromic layer reaction.

[0091] In some embodiments, such as Figure 11 As shown, a corner is formed at the intersection of the first membrane edge 11 and the second membrane edge 12; a corner electrode is formed by a first groove 106 and / or a second groove 107 at the corner, and an electrical connector is located on the surface of the corner electrode. Specifically, a corner electrode is formed by a first groove 106 at the corner, and the electrical connector 40 is located within the first groove 106; or, a corner electrode is formed by a second groove 107 at the corner, and the electrical connector 40 is located within the second groove 107; or, both a first groove 106 and a second groove 107 are provided at the corner, and the electrical connector 40 is located within both the first groove 106 and the second groove 107. In this way, the electrical connector 40 is disposed within the groove, and the welding area between the electrical connector 40 and the busbar is also within the groove, which can further reduce the thickness at the corner of the membrane edge body, making the membrane thinner and lighter, thereby avoiding cracking during subsequent lamination.

[0092] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 , Figure 8 , Figure 12 and Figure 13As shown, a first adhesive layer 111 covers the first busbar 20 (including the first positive busbar 21 or the first negative busbar 22) located on one side of the first membrane edge 11. The side of the first adhesive layer 111 near the middle of the membrane body 10 is connected to the first base layer 101, and the side of the first adhesive layer 111 near the edge of the electrochromic membrane is connected to the second conductive layer 104 or the first conductive layer 102. A second adhesive layer 112 covers the first busbar 20 (including the first positive busbar 21 or the first negative busbar 22) located on the other side of the first membrane edge 11. The side of the second adhesive layer 112 near the middle of the membrane body 10 is connected to the first base layer 101, and the side of the second adhesive layer 112 near the edge of the electrochromic membrane is connected to the first conductive layer 102 or the second conductive layer 104. In this way, the adhesive layer can limit and fix the busbar corresponding to the groove, thereby improving the stability of the connection between the busbar and the conductive layer in the groove. That is, the adhesive layer can further improve the stability of the busbar at the edge of the electrochromic film. Moreover, the adhesive layer forms an insulating barrier layer on the surface of the busbar, which can prevent micro-particles from the outside of the film from entering the electrochromic film through the groove during the subsequent lamination process and reacting with the electrochromic material layer. At the same time, it can also prevent external moisture, dust or other conductive substances from entering the interior of the electrochromic film through the groove.

[0093] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 , Figure 8 , Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, a first adhesive layer 111 covers the first busbar 20 (including the first positive busbar 21 or the first negative busbar 22) located on one side of the first membrane edge 11. The side of the first adhesive layer 111 near the middle of the membrane body 10 is connected to the first substrate layer 101. A second adhesive layer 112 covers the first busbar 20 (including the first positive busbar 21 or the first negative busbar 22) located on the other side of the first membrane edge 11. The side of the second adhesive layer 112 near the middle of the membrane body 10 is connected to the second substrate layer 105. Both the first adhesive layer 111 and the second adhesive layer 112 extend outward to cover the edge of the membrane body 10. In this way, neither the first adhesive layer nor the second adhesive layer is attached to the conductive layer, but rather extends outward to the edge of the electrochromic membrane and is bonded together. This design can better prevent moisture and dust from entering the interior of the electrochromic membrane, thereby protecting the edge of the membrane.

[0094] In some embodiments, the electrical connector 40 is a contoured structure of the corner of the electrochromic film, and the first adhesive layer 111 and the second adhesive layer 112 are respectively formed by overlapping multiple adhesive strips, with the overlapping area of ​​the adhesive strips located at the corner of the electrochromic film. In some embodiments, the welding areas of the electrical connector 40 with the first busbar 20 and the second busbar 30 are both located at the corner of the electrochromic film, and the first adhesive layer 111 and the second adhesive layer 112 are respectively formed by overlapping multiple adhesive strips, with the adhesive strips located at the corner of the electrochromic film having a corner contoured structure. This ensures that the overlapping areas of the adhesive strips and the welding areas of the electrical connector 40 and the busbars do not coincide in the thickness direction, avoiding increasing the thickness of the film at a single location and affecting subsequent lamination.

[0095] It should be noted that the electrical connector 40 is a contoured structure of the corner of the electrochromic diaphragm, meaning the shape of the electrical connector 40 is identical to the corner of the diaphragm. This allows the electrical connector to be positioned precisely at the corner of the diaphragm. In this case, the welding area between the electrical connector 40 and the busbar is located outside the corner (on the edge of the diaphragm). The adhesive layer is formed by overlapping adhesive strips, and the overlapping area of ​​the adhesive strips is located at the corner. This ensures that the welding point between the electrical connector 40 and the busbar does not coincide with the overlapping area of ​​the adhesive strips in the thickness direction of the diaphragm body, which helps to reduce the thickness of the corner of the diaphragm body. Similarly, when the welding area between the electrical connector 40 and the busbar is located at the corner, the overlapping area of ​​the adhesive strips is located outside the corner, making the shape of the adhesive strips at the corner identical to that of the corner.

[0096] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the electrochromic film also includes a first lead-out electrode 50 and a second lead-out electrode 60. The first lead-out electrode 50 is welded and fixed to a first busbar 20 or a second busbar 30 on one side of the film body 10, and the second lead-out electrode 60 is welded and fixed to a first busbar 20 or a second busbar 30 on the other side of the film body 10. This configuration, connecting electrodes of the same polarity on two film edges via busbars, means that only one pair of lead-out electrodes is needed, which simplifies circuit design and reduces the complexity of external circuitry. The welding method helps to improve the connection strength between the lead-out electrodes and the busbars, preventing open circuits. Similarly, the first lead-out electrode 50 and the second lead-out electrode 60 can also be nickel sheets.

[0097] Substrate layer description: Both the first and second substrate layers are transparent substrates. "Transparent substrate" refers to an optically grade transparent material, specifically a flexible substrate material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), polyimide (PI), cyclic olefin copolymers, or cellulose triacetate. The first and second substrate layers can also be glass substrates.

[0098] Description of conductive layers: Both the first and second conductive layers are transparent conductive layers. The material of the "transparent conductive layer" can be any transparent conductive material well known to those skilled in the art, such as indium-tin oxide (ITO), aluminum zinc oxide (AZO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), silver nanowires, graphene, carbon nanotubes, metal meshes, or silver nanoparticles.

[0099] Electrochromic layer description: An electrochromic layer is a sheet composed of one or more layers of material in a gel or solid state, such as polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) layers, suspended particle device (SPD) layers, and electrochromic (EC) types. For electrochromic (EC) type electrochromic layers, it may include a color-changing material layer, an electrolyte layer, and an ion storage layer stacked sequentially. The materials of the color-changing material layer, electrolyte layer, and ion storage layer can be those available in the prior art, and this application does not impose any special limitations on them.

[0100] Busbar Description: The electrochromic film has busbars on both sides in the thickness direction. Exemplarily, the busbars can be, but are not limited to, conductive copper foil, conductive adhesive, and conductive resin, or other conductive materials. This allows for the formation of a multi-electrode structure at the edge of the dimming film, accelerating the color-changing speed of the dimming film. The first and second busbars can be made of conductive materials well-known to those skilled in the art, such as at least one of conductive silver paste, conductive copper paste, conductive carbon paste, nano-silver conductive ink, copper foil, copper wire, and conductive adhesive film.

[0101] Lead-out electrodes are typically located on the busbar to enable conduction between the busbar and the external power supply circuit. These electrodes can be flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs), rolled copper / aluminum foil, electrolytic copper / aluminum foil, etc., and the materials can be aluminum, copper, silver, tin, or other conductive elemental metals, non-metallic semiconductor conductive materials, their platings, or other conductive metal oxides or combinations thereof. FPCs can also be directly formed as power supplies with control modules to directly conduct electricity to the EC layer. FPCs can be directly soldered to the busbar or connected to the busbar using conductive adhesive (such as ACF).

[0102] The first and second adhesive layers can also be waterproof tape or insulating tape. Their main function is to cover and seal the edges of the membrane, thereby preventing moisture, impurities and other contaminants from entering the interior of the membrane through the first or second groove, thus achieving sealing protection for the dimming membrane.

[0103] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a terminal product, including the electrochromic film of the first aspect, wherein the terminal product includes any one of a rearview mirror, curtain wall, car sunroof, car side window, car windshield, housing of electronic products, glasses, vehicle, and display panel.

[0104] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0105] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although the embodiments of this application have been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. An electrochromic film, characterized by, include: The diaphragm itself; The first busbar and the second busbar are disposed at intervals on the edge of the diaphragm body; An electrical connector is disposed between the first busbar and the second busbar, with its two ends welded to the first busbar and the second busbar, respectively.

2. The electrochromic louver of claim 1, wherein, The diaphragm body includes an adjacent first membrane edge and a second membrane edge, the first busbar is located on the first membrane edge, the second busbar is located on the second membrane edge, a gap groove is formed between the first busbar and the second busbar, and the electrical connector is disposed at the gap groove.

3. The electrochromic film as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first busbar includes a first positive busbar and a first negative busbar, which are located on opposite sides of the edge of the first membrane. The second busbar includes a second positive busbar and a second negative busbar, which are located on opposite sides of the edge of the second membrane. A first gap is formed between the first positive busbar and the second positive busbar, and a second gap is formed between the first negative busbar and the second negative busbar. The projections of the first and second spacers in the thickness direction of the diaphragm body are misaligned.

4. The electrochromic louver of claim 2, wherein, The electrical connector includes a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector, and the first busbar includes a first positive busbar and a first negative busbar, which are located on opposite sides of the edge of the first membrane. The second busbar includes a second positive busbar and a second negative busbar, which are located on opposite sides of the edge of the second membrane. The two ends of the first electrical connector are welded and fixed to the first positive busbar and the second positive busbar, respectively; the two ends of the second electrical connector are welded and fixed to the first negative busbar and the second negative busbar, respectively. The projections of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are misaligned in the thickness direction of the diaphragm body.

5. The electrochromic film of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein, The membrane body 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. A plurality of first grooves are formed on one side edge of the membrane body. The first grooves penetrate the first base layer, the first conductive layer, the electrochromic layer, and expose part of the second conductive layer to form a plurality of first electrodes on the first membrane edge and the second membrane edge. A plurality of second grooves are provided on the edge region of the other side of the membrane body. The second grooves penetrate the second base layer, the second conductive layer, and the electrochromic layer, and expose part of the first conductive layer to form a plurality of second electrodes on the first membrane edge and the second membrane edge. The first busbar is connected to and conductively connected to multiple first electrodes, and the second busbar is connected to and conductively connected to multiple second electrodes; or, The edge region on one side of the diaphragm body is provided with a plurality of first grooves, the first grooves penetrate the first substrate layer to expose part of the first conductive layer, and a plurality of first electrodes are formed on the first membrane edge and the second membrane edge; A plurality of second grooves are provided on the edge region of the other side of the diaphragm body. The second grooves penetrate the second base layer and expose part of the second conductive layer to form a plurality of second electrodes on the first membrane edge and the second membrane edge. The first busbar is connected to multiple first electrodes and is conductive, and the second busbar is connected to multiple second electrodes and is conductive.

6. The electrochromic louver of claim 5, wherein, The intersection of the first membrane edge and the second membrane edge forms a corner; The corner is provided with the first groove and / or the second groove to form a corner electrode, and the electrical connector is located on the surface of the corner electrode.

7. The electrochromic louver of claim 5, wherein, A first adhesive layer is applied to the first busbar located on one side of the first membrane edge. The side of the first adhesive layer near the middle of the membrane body is connected to the first base layer, and the side of the first adhesive layer near the edge of the electrochromic membrane is connected to the second conductive layer or the first conductive layer. A second adhesive layer is applied to the first busbar located on the other side of the first membrane edge. The side of the second adhesive layer near the middle of the membrane body is connected to the first base layer, and the side of the second adhesive layer near the edge of the electrochromic membrane is connected to the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer. Alternatively, a first adhesive layer is covered on the first busbar located on one side of the first membrane edge, and the side of the first adhesive layer near the middle of the membrane body is connected to the first base layer. A second adhesive layer is covered on the first busbar located on the other side of the first membrane edge, and the side of the second adhesive layer near the middle of the membrane body is connected to the second base layer. Both the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer extend outward to cover the edge of the membrane body.

8. The electrochromic louver of claim 7, wherein, The electrical connector is a contoured structure of the corner of the electrochromic film. The first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer are each formed by overlapping multiple adhesive strips, with the overlapping area of ​​the adhesive strips located at the corner of the electrochromic film; or, The welding areas of the electrical connector and the first and second busbars are both located at the corners of the electrochromic film. The first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer are respectively formed by multiple adhesive strips overlapping each other, and the adhesive strips located at the corners of the electrochromic film have corner-shaped structures.

9. The electrochromic louver of claim 1, wherein, The electrical connector has a first welding area between itself and the first busbar, and the electrical connector has a second welding area between itself and the second busbar. The first welding area and the second welding area are symmetrically arranged relative to the electrical connector. And / or, the width of the electrical connector is the same as the width of the first busbar and the second busbar.

10. The electrochromic louver of claim 1, wherein, The electrical connector is one of nickel sheet, copper sheet, lead-tin alloy sheet, and nickel-copper alloy sheet; And / or, the thickness of the electrical connector is 50–80 μm.

11. The electrochromic louver of claim 1, wherein, The electrochromic film further includes a first lead-out electrode and a second lead-out electrode. The first lead-out electrode is welded and fixed to the first busbar or the second busbar on one side of the film body, and the second lead-out electrode is welded and fixed to the first busbar or the second busbar on the other side of the film body.

12. A terminal product, characterized in that Includes the electrochromic film as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the end product includes any one of rearview mirrors, curtain walls, car sunroofs, car side windows, car windshields, housings of electronic products, eyeglasses, vehicles, and display panels.

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