A dimming film, a dimming glass assembly, and a vehicle
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202522577508.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-03
- Publication Date
- 2026-11-03
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-12-03
AI Technical Summary
Existing dimming films have insufficient light-blocking ability when off, resulting in significant light leakage. When on, they exhibit high haze and low contrast, limiting their performance in high-end applications.
The design employs a dual-layer liquid crystal structure, combining a shared intermediate layer and an anti-reflection layer. The two liquid crystal layers are integrated into a single film component through the shared intermediate layer, and an anti-reflection layer and a hardening layer are set between the conductive layer and the substrate layer to improve optical and mechanical properties.
It significantly reduces the transmittance in the off state and increases the transmittance in the on state, enhancing the contrast and achieving a significant improvement in the light-dark switching effect. At the same time, it improves the wear resistance and anti-stick properties of the membrane, making it suitable for smart devices.
Smart Images
Figure CN224934277U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of dimming films, specifically to a dimming film, a dimming glass assembly, and a vehicle. Background Technology
[0002] With the development of smart cockpits and smart buildings, the application of electrically controlled dimming glass assemblies is becoming increasingly widespread. Polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) technology is one of the mainstream dimming technologies. Its basic principle is: in the absence of an electric field, liquid crystal droplets are randomly arranged in a polymer matrix, causing incident light to scatter and appearing as a fog. After an electric field is applied, the liquid crystal molecules are oriented along the direction of the electric field, so that the refractive index of the material matches that of the polymer, thus becoming transparent. This polymer dispersed liquid crystal is usually combined with a conductive layer and a base layer to form a dimming film, and then the dimming film is applied to the corresponding dimming glass assembly.
[0003] In existing technologies, dimming films typically consist of only a single-layer polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer. Single-layer liquid crystal dimming films have the following drawbacks: insufficient light-blocking ability in the off state (foggy state), resulting in obvious "light leakage" and poor visual privacy; high haze in the on state (transparent state), leading to poor transparency; and most importantly, a low ratio of off-state transmittance to on-state transmittance (i.e., contrast ratio, CR), resulting in a less distinct effect when switching between light and dark. These problems limit their performance in high-end application scenarios. Utility Model Content
[0004] This utility model addresses the aforementioned problems and aims to provide a dimming film, a dimming glass assembly, and a vehicle that have low off-state transmittance, high on-state transmittance, and high contrast.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a dimming film, comprising:
[0006] First substrate layer, shared intermediate layer and second substrate layer;
[0007] A first liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first substrate layer and the shared intermediate layer;
[0008] A second liquid crystal layer is disposed between the shared intermediate layer and the second substrate layer;
[0009] Wherein, one surface of the shared intermediate layer is in contact with the first liquid crystal layer, and the other surface of the shared intermediate layer is in contact with the second liquid crystal layer, so that the first liquid crystal layer and the second liquid crystal layer are integrated into a single film component through the shared intermediate layer;
[0010] A first conductive layer is provided on the side of the first substrate layer near the first liquid crystal layer, and a second conductive layer is provided on the side of the shared intermediate layer near the first liquid crystal layer. Both the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are in contact with the first liquid crystal layer.
[0011] The shared intermediate layer has a third conductive layer on the side near the second liquid crystal layer, and the second substrate layer has a fourth conductive layer on the side near the second liquid crystal layer. Both the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer are in contact with the second liquid crystal layer.
[0012] The dimming film described above further includes multiple antireflection layers, which are respectively disposed between the first substrate layer and the first conductive layer, the shared intermediate layer and the second conductive layer, the shared intermediate layer and the third conductive layer, and the second substrate layer and the fourth conductive layer.
[0013] The dimming film described above further includes a curing layer, one of which is disposed on the side of the first substrate layer away from the first liquid crystal layer, and the other of which is disposed on the side of the second substrate layer away from the second liquid crystal layer.
[0014] According to the dimming film described above, both the first liquid crystal layer and the second liquid crystal layer include dye liquid crystal, polymer, and spacers.
[0015] According to the dimming film described above, the first substrate layer, the shared intermediate layer, and the second substrate layer are all made of flexible polymer film or rigid transparent material.
[0016] According to the dimming film described above, the thickness of the first substrate layer, the shared intermediate layer and the second substrate layer is between 50μm and 250μm.
[0017] A dimming glass assembly, comprising:
[0018] First glass plate and second glass plate;
[0019] As described above, the dimming film is disposed between the first glass plate and the second glass plate. One side of the dimming film is bonded to the first glass plate through a first adhesive layer, and the other side of the dimming film is bonded to the second glass plate through a second adhesive layer.
[0020] A vehicle comprising:
[0021] Body;
[0022] The dimming glass assembly described above is mounted on the vehicle body.
[0023] This utility model has the following beneficial effects:
[0024] 1. Through the dual liquid crystal layer structure design, the optical effects of the two liquid crystal layers are superimposed, which significantly reduces the transmittance of the dimming film in the off state, while maintaining a high transmittance in the on state, thereby increasing the contrast ratio to 3-4 times that of the traditional single-layer liquid crystal layer, and making the bright and dark switching effect more obvious.
[0025] 2. By sharing an intermediate layer, two independent liquid crystal layers are integrated into a single film component, resulting in a compact and stable structure;
[0026] 3. By introducing an anti-reflection layer and a hardening layer, the open transmittance of the dimming film is further improved, the haze is reduced, and the wear resistance, scratch resistance and anti-adhesion performance of the film are enhanced, thus extending the product life. Attached Figure Description
[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the dimming film in the embodiment;
[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the dimming glass assembly structure in an embodiment.
[0029] In the picture:
[0030] 100. Dimming film; 110. First substrate layer; 111. First conductive layer; 120. Second substrate layer; 121. Fourth conductive layer; 130. Shared intermediate layer; 131. Second conductive layer; 132. Third conductive layer; 140. First liquid crystal layer; 150. Second liquid crystal layer; 160. Anti-reflection layer; 170. Curing layer;
[0031] 200. First glass plate; 210. First adhesive film layer;
[0032] 300. Second glass plate; 310. Second adhesive film layer. Detailed Implementation
[0033] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention, which are described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.
[0034] like Figure 1-2 As shown, a dimming film includes a first substrate layer 110, a shared intermediate layer 130, a second substrate layer 120, a first liquid crystal layer 140, and a second liquid crystal layer 150.
[0035] Specifically, a first conductive layer 111 is provided on the side of the first substrate layer 110 near the first liquid crystal layer 140, and a second conductive layer 131 is provided on the side of the shared intermediate layer 130 near the first liquid crystal layer 140. Both the first conductive layer 111 and the second conductive layer 131 are in contact with the first liquid crystal layer 140. A third conductive layer 132 is provided on the side of the shared intermediate layer 130 near the second liquid crystal layer 150, and a fourth conductive layer 121 is provided on the side of the second substrate layer 120 near the second liquid crystal layer 150. Both the third conductive layer 132 and the fourth conductive layer 121 are in contact with the second liquid crystal layer 150. Thus, the structure of the dimming film 100 is arranged from top to bottom or from... The film component consisting of a first substrate layer 110, a first conductive layer 111, a first liquid crystal layer 140, a second conductive layer 131, an intermediate shared layer, a third conductive layer 132, a second liquid crystal layer 150, a fourth conductive layer 121, and a second substrate layer 120 stacked sequentially from bottom to top, innovatively features a double-layer liquid crystal structure within the same dimming film 100. The optical effects of the first liquid crystal layer 140 and the second liquid crystal layer 150 are superimposed, resulting in a significant reduction in the transmittance of the dimming film 100 in the off state while maintaining a high transmittance in the on state. This enhances the contrast ratio to 3-4 times that of a single liquid crystal layer, making the switching effect between light and dark more pronounced.
[0036] The shared intermediate layer 130 serves as a common support base, with its two opposing surfaces used to form two independent liquid crystal cells. The shared intermediate layer 130, the second conductive layer 131, and the third conductive layer 132 together constitute a double-sided functional layer.
[0037] The first substrate layer 110, the second substrate layer 120, and the shared intermediate layer 130 are made of the same material. In a preferred embodiment, they are made of flexible polymer film, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polycarbonate (PC). The dimming film 100 itself has the characteristics of being flexible and rollable, which makes it applicable to non-planar curved structures, such as the sunroof of automobiles and airplane windows. Flexible polymer film is also lighter and less prone to breakage, making it easy to transport and install. Furthermore, flexible polymer film is an ideal substrate for roll-to-roll production processes, enabling large-scale, high-efficiency, and low-cost continuous coating, lamination, and curing, which greatly reduces the unit production cost.
[0038] In another embodiment, the first substrate layer 110, the second substrate layer 120 and the shared intermediate layer 130 are made of rigid transparent materials, such as glass and acrylic sheets. The dimming film 100 made of these materials has a certain structural strength and flatness, and can be used directly as a rigid optical element, or provide better dimensional stability in subsequent lamination processes. It can be applied to display screens or building partition glass with high flatness requirements.
[0039] In this embodiment, the first substrate layer 110, the second substrate layer 120, and the shared intermediate layer 130 are all support layers. Their thickness affects the mechanical properties, optical properties, and overall thickness of the dimming film 100. Therefore, the thickness of the first substrate layer 110, the shared intermediate layer 130, and the second substrate layer 120 is set between 50μm and 250μm. From a mechanical property perspective, it is necessary to ensure that the substrate layer has sufficient mechanical strength to prevent deformation or breakage during production. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the thickness of all three layers is above 50μm. However, an excessively thick substrate layer will make the entire dimming film 100 stiff and ineffective. To avoid compromising flexibility and adding unnecessary volume and weight, the maximum thickness is limited to within 250μm. This ensures that the dimming film 100 has sufficient strength while maintaining lightweight and a certain degree of flexibility. From an optical performance perspective, the thickness of the substrate layer affects light transmittance and scattering. Within the range of 50μm-250μm, the material can have both good light transmittance and low internal stress, reducing optical distortion caused by uneven thickness or stress, and providing a flat and stable support platform for the upper and lower liquid crystal layers. At the same time, maintaining the thickness of the three substrate layers within this range still allows for the dimming film 100 to be made thinner and lighter.
[0040] The first conductive layer 111, the second conductive layer 131, the third conductive layer 132 and the fourth conductive layer 121 are all made of indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent conductive film.
[0041] Both the first liquid crystal layer 140 and the second liquid crystal layer 150 include dye liquid crystal, polymer, and spacers. The dye liquid crystal is formed by filtering liquid crystal through a filtration device and then mixing it with dye in a certain proportion. In this embodiment, the microstructure formed by the polymer and dye liquid crystal causes light scattering, which improves the fogging effect. The dye liquid crystal can selectively absorb light of specific wavelengths. Under the combined action of the first liquid crystal layer 140 and the second liquid crystal layer 150, the light blocking effect in the off state is no longer a simple addition, but a synergistic multiplication of scattering and absorption. Light needs to continuously penetrate two layers with strong absorption and scattering effects, resulting in the off state transmittance being reduced to an extremely low level. At the same time, in the on state, the liquid crystal molecules are arranged in an orderly manner, and the scattering effect disappears. Since the dye molecules are also arranged in an orderly manner with the liquid crystal direction, their absorption of parallel light direction is weakened, so the on state transmittance can still be maintained at a high level. Through experiments, the contrast ratio (CR = on state transmittance / off state transmittance) has achieved a leap from 6.75-8.83 in the traditional single liquid crystal layer to 27-28.89 in this embodiment, which is about 3-4 times higher.
[0042] Furthermore, it also includes multiple antireflection layers 160, which are respectively arranged between the first substrate layer 110 and the first conductive layer 111, the shared intermediate layer 130 and the second conductive layer 131, the shared intermediate layer 130 and the third conductive layer 132, and the second substrate layer 120 and the fourth conductive layer 121. When light passes through any two media interfaces with different refractive indices, reflection will occur. The antireflection layer 160 can greatly reduce this interface reflection through the principle of light interference cancellation. In this embodiment, an antireflection layer 160 is provided between each conductive layer and the substrate layer, which can improve the light transmittance between the conductive layer and the non-conductive layer. Since the antireflection layer 160 systematically eliminates interface reflection, it ensures that the dimming film 100 of the dual liquid crystal layer can maintain extremely high light transmittance in the on state while obtaining extremely high off-state light blocking performance, so that the final contrast ratio (CR) improvement reaches the theoretical optimal value.
[0043] Furthermore, it also includes a hardening layer 170. One hardening layer 170 is disposed on the side of the first substrate layer 110 away from the first liquid crystal layer 140, and the other hardening layer 170 is disposed on the side of the second substrate layer 120 away from the second liquid crystal layer 150. The hardening layer 170 is used to increase the hardness of the outer sides of the first substrate layer 110 and the second substrate layer 120. The core functional layers (conductive layer and liquid crystal layer) of the dimming film 100 are very fragile and located inside. However, its outermost substrate is easily scratched by hard objects during daily installation and cleaning. After the first substrate layer 110 and the second substrate layer 120 are scratched, the scratches on their surfaces will scatter light, causing permanent fogging defects to appear on the dimming film 100 even in the open state (transparent state), which seriously reduces the light transmittance and visual effect. By providing a hard "armor", the hardening layer 170 significantly improves the surface scratch resistance and ensures that the product maintains its initial high-definition optical performance throughout its entire life cycle.
[0044] This utility model also provides a dimming glass assembly, including a first glass plate 200, a second glass plate 300, and the dimming film 100 mentioned above. The dimming film 100 is disposed between the first glass plate 200 and the second glass plate 300. One side of the dimming film 100 is bonded to the first glass plate 200 through a first adhesive layer 210, and the other side of the dimming film 100 is bonded to the second glass plate 300 through a second adhesive layer 310. The first adhesive layer 210 and the second adhesive layer 310 achieve the connection between both sides of the dimming film 100 and the first glass plate 200 and the second glass plate 300.
[0045] This dimming glass assembly has the advantages of high transmittance in the open state and good shielding in the closed state.
[0046] This utility model also provides a vehicle, including a body and the aforementioned dimming glass assembly. The dimming glass assembly is installed on the vehicle body and can be widely used in scenarios such as vehicle sunroofs, side windows, rear windows, and interior partitions.
[0047] In this embodiment, a dimming film, a dimming glass assembly, and a vehicle are disclosed. The dimming film 100 includes a first substrate layer 110, a first conductive layer 111, a first liquid crystal layer 140, a second conductive layer 131, a shared intermediate layer 130, a third conductive layer 132, a second liquid crystal layer 150, a fourth conductive layer 121, and a second substrate layer 120 stacked sequentially to form a dual liquid crystal layer structure. The first conductive layer 111 and the second conductive layer 131 apply an electric field to the first liquid crystal layer 140, and the third conductive layer 132 and the fourth conductive layer 121 apply an electric field to the second liquid crystal layer 150. Through the synergistic effect of the two liquid crystal layers, the off-state transmittance is greatly reduced, thereby achieving an ultra-high contrast ratio far exceeding that of traditional single-layer liquid crystal layers.
[0048] Furthermore, in this utility model, the use of terms such as "first," "second," and "a" is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0049] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixing" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.
[0050] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of this utility model can be combined with each other, but only if they are based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.
Claims
1. A dimming film, characterized in that, include: First substrate layer, shared intermediate layer and second substrate layer; A first liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first substrate layer and the shared intermediate layer; A second liquid crystal layer is disposed between the shared intermediate layer and the second substrate layer; Wherein, one surface of the shared intermediate layer is in contact with the first liquid crystal layer, and the other surface of the shared intermediate layer is in contact with the second liquid crystal layer, so that the first liquid crystal layer and the second liquid crystal layer are integrated into a single film component through the shared intermediate layer; A first conductive layer is provided on the side of the first substrate layer near the first liquid crystal layer, and a second conductive layer is provided on the side of the shared intermediate layer near the first liquid crystal layer. Both the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are in contact with the first liquid crystal layer. The shared intermediate layer has a third conductive layer on the side near the second liquid crystal layer, and the second substrate layer has a fourth conductive layer on the side near the second liquid crystal layer. Both the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer are in contact with the second liquid crystal layer.
2. The dimming film according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes multiple antireflection layers, which are respectively disposed between the first substrate layer and the first conductive layer, the shared intermediate layer and the second conductive layer, the shared intermediate layer and the third conductive layer, and the second substrate layer and the fourth conductive layer.
3. The dimming film according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a hardening layer, one of which is disposed on the side of the first substrate layer away from the first liquid crystal layer, and the other of which is disposed on the side of the second substrate layer away from the second liquid crystal layer.
4. A dimming film according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first liquid crystal layer and the second liquid crystal layer include dye liquid crystal, polymer and spacers.
5. A dimming film according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first substrate layer, the shared intermediate layer, and the second substrate layer are all made of flexible polymer film or rigid transparent material.
6. A dimming film according to claim 5, characterized in that, The thickness of the first substrate layer, the shared intermediate layer, and the second substrate layer is between 50 μm and 250 μm.
7. A dimming glass assembly, characterized in that, include: The first glass plate and the second glass plate; The dimming film as described in any one of claims 1-6, wherein the dimming film is disposed between the first glass plate and the second glass plate, one side of the dimming film is bonded to the first glass plate through a first adhesive film layer, and the other side of the dimming film is bonded to the second glass plate through a second adhesive film layer.
8. A vehicle, characterized in that, include: Body; The dimming glass assembly as described in claim 7 is mounted on the vehicle body.