Electronic element for electronic photochromic spectacles

Abstract

To provide an electronic element for electronic photochromic spectacles capable of increasing a freedom degree of lens shape.SOLUTION: An electronic element (20) for electronic photochromic spectacles combined with a lens (19) to acquire dimming effects by supply of an electronic energy, includes substrates (21 and 22), a pair of transparent electrode layers (24 and 25) provided on the substrates, and a dimming layer (26) provided between the pair of transparent electrode layers. The electronic element includes a seal material (32) for covering at least parts of the transparent electrode layers, at a peripheral region (E2) outside a dimming area (E1) where the pair of transparent electrode layers and the dimming layer are superposed. The pair of transparent electrode layers respectively include overhanging portions (24a and 25a) extending to the peripheral region and the overhanging portions come into contact with the seal material without other conductive members interposed therebetween.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic element for electronic dimming glasses. [Background technology]

[0002] Electronic photochromic eyeglasses have electronic elements on the surface or inside of the lenses, which change optical properties (such as light transmittance and color) when electrical energy is supplied to the elements, thereby achieving a photochromic effect. Electrochromic elements (EC elements) are known as an example of an electronic element for photochromic applications. Electrochromic elements can be formed into a curved shape that matches the spherical lens surface, making them suitable for use as electronic elements in electronic photochromic eyeglasses.

[0003] Electrochromic elements utilize the phenomenon (electrochromism) in which reversible optical absorption occurs due to electrochemical redox reactions when an electric charge is applied to a substance. Electrochromic elements for light control generally have a layered structure in which a pair of transparent electrode layers (transparent conductive films) for the positive and negative electrodes are sandwiched between a light control layer made of a material that exhibits electrochromism. ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), which is indium oxide doped with tin oxide, is often used as the material for the transparent electrode layers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6624206 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Spectacle lens shapes are desired to be diverse according to user preferences and spectacle frame designs. However, in electronic photochromic glasses, the lens shape may be restricted by the structure of the photochromic electronic element combined with the lens. Therefore, to increase the commercial value of electronic photochromic glasses, an electronic element that does not restrict the degree of freedom in lens shape is required.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic element for electronic dimming glasses that can increase the degree of freedom in lens shape. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides an electronic element for electronic dimming eyeglasses that is combined with lenses to obtain a dimming effect by supplying electrical energy, the electronic element comprising: a substrate; a pair of transparent electrode layers provided on the substrate; and a dimming layer provided between the pair of transparent electrode layers; a sealing material that covers at least a portion of the transparent electrode layer in a peripheral region outside the dimming region where the pair of transparent electrode layers and the dimming layer overlap; a pair of electrode terminals in the peripheral region that are connected to the pair of transparent electrode layers and exposed on the outer surface of the front substrate; each of the pair of transparent electrode layers having a protrusion that extends to the peripheral region; and the protrusions that are in contact with the sealing material without any other conductive member sandwiched therebetween, except for the locations where the electrode terminals penetrate the sealing material and connect to the protrusions.

[0008] In one embodiment, the pair of transparent electrode layers are formed from IZO.

[0009] In another embodiment, the pair of transparent electrode layers includes a conductive fiber layer formed of conductive fibers.

[0010] The present invention is suitable for an electrochromic element in which a reversible change in optical properties occurs in a light-controlling layer due to an oxidation-reduction reaction when a voltage is applied to a pair of transparent electrode layers. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, an electronic element for electronic dimming glasses can be obtained, which has a simple electrode structure with excellent shape selectivity and allows for a high degree of freedom in lens shape. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of electronic photochromic glasses. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of an electrochromic element that constitutes the electronic dimming glasses. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a transparent electrode layer of a second embodiment constituting an electrochromic element. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a front view of a transparent electrode layer according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] 1 shows electronic photochromic glasses 10 to which the present invention is applied. The electronic photochromic glasses 10 have left and right photochromic lenses 11, 12 and a spectacle frame 13. The spectacle frame 13 has left and right annular rims 14, 15 that hold the photochromic lenses 11, 12, temples 16, 17 extending from the left and right rims 14, 15, and a bridge 18 connecting the left and right rims 14, 15.

[0014] As shown in cross section in FIG. 1, the photochromic lenses 11 and 12 are electronic photochromic lenses in which an electrochromic element (EC element) 20, which is an electronic element for photochromic use, is superimposed on the surface of a lens 19, which is an optical element.

[0015] The electrochromic element 20 contains an electrochromic material that reversibly changes its optical properties through an oxidation-reduction reaction caused by the application of a voltage, and is normally transparent (having the highest transmittance for visible light) when no voltage is applied, but is colored a predetermined color corresponding to the electrochromic material when a voltage is applied, thereby reducing the light transmittance. The configuration of the electrochromic element 20 will be described later.

[0016] The eyeglass frame 13 is provided with a power supply, a control unit, and an operation unit (not shown). Furthermore, a power supply wiring member 50 for electrically connecting the electrochromic elements 20 of each photochromic lens 11, 12 to a power supply is provided inside the eyeglass frame 13. A pair of first and second electrode terminals 40 and 41 provided on the electrochromic elements 20 are connected to the power supply wiring member 50.

[0017] When the user operates the operation unit, the control unit controls the supply of electricity to the electrochromic element 20, thereby obtaining the photochromic effect in the photochromic lenses 11, 12. The control unit may change the photochromic effect (light transmittance) of the photochromic lenses 11, 12 in multiple stages in response to the operation of the operation unit.

[0018] Fig. 2 is a front view of the electrochromic element 20, and Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views of the electrochromic element 20. The electrochromic element 20 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is in a flat state (not curved to fit the surface of the lens 19) before being attached to the lens 19.

[0019] The electrochromic element 20 is configured to include a pair of a first substrate 21 and a second substrate 22 , and an electrochromic film 23 sandwiched between the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 .

[0020] The first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 are made of polycarbonate (PC) substrates. The thickness of the polycarbonate substrate is about several hundred μm, although it is not limited thereto.

[0021] The electrochromic film 23 has a pair of a first transparent electrode layer 24 and a second transparent electrode layer 25, and an electrochromic layer 26, which is a light-controlling layer, provided between the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25. Furthermore, the electrochromic layer 26 is configured to have a reduction layer 27 arranged on the first transparent electrode layer 24 side, an oxidation layer 28 arranged on the second transparent electrode layer 25 side, and an electrolyte layer 29 provided between the reduction layer 27 and the oxidation layer 28.

[0022] The reduction layer 27, the oxidation layer 28, and the electrolyte layer 29 that constitute the electrochromic layer 26 can be made of existing materials.

[0023] The reduction layer 27 is a layer that develops color as a result of a reduction reaction. Existing reduction-type electrochromic compounds can be used for the reduction layer 27. Regardless of whether the compound is organic or inorganic, examples of the compound include, but are not limited to, azobenzenes, anthraquinones, diarylethenes, dihydroprenes, dipyridines, styryls, styrylspiropyrans, spirooxazines, spirothiopyrans, thioindigo compounds, tetrathiafulvalenes, terephthalic acids, triphenylmethanes, triphenylamines, naphthopyrans, viologens, pyrazolines, phenazines, phenylenediamines, phenoxazines, phenothiazines, phthalocyanines, fluorans, fulgides, benzopyrans, metallocenes, tungsten oxide, molybdenum oxide, iridium oxide, and titanium oxide.

[0024] The oxide layer 28 is a layer that develops color as a result of an oxidation reaction. An existing oxidative electrochromic compound can be used for the oxide layer 28. The oxide layer 28 may be made of either an organic or inorganic material, and may be selected from, but is not limited to, a composition containing a radical polymerizable compound having triarylamine, a Prussian blue complex, nickel oxide, iridium oxide, and the like.

[0025] The electrolyte layer 29 preferably has electronic insulation and ionic conductivity, and is also transparent. The electrolyte layer 29 may be a solid electrolyte, a gel, a liquid, or the like. A gel is preferable in order to maintain high ionic conductivity. Existing electrolyte materials may be used, but are not limited to, inorganic ion salts such as alkali metal salts and alkaline earth metal salts, quaternary ammonium salts, acids, and the like.

[0026] The first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 are thin-film electrode layers with high visible light transmittance and conductivity, and are configured in either the first or second embodiment described below.

[0027] The first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 in the first embodiment are transparent conductive films made of IZO (Indium Zinc Oxide), a composite oxide of indium oxide and zinc oxide. The IZO films formed on the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 are annealed (heat treated) to obtain the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 having good conductive properties and transmittance properties.

[0028] Conventionally, ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) has been widely used as a material for transparent electrodes. The first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 made of IZO have superior performance in resistance characteristics, transmittance characteristics, bending resistance, etc. compared to transparent electrode layers of similar thickness made of ITO.

[0029] For example, when the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 are polycarbonate substrates, which have lower heat resistance than glass substrates, the annealing treatment of the transparent electrode layers 24, 25 formed on the substrates 21, 22 is performed at a relatively low temperature (for example, 200°C or lower). It is known that when annealing treatment is performed at such a low temperature, the resistivity of a transparent conductive film made of IZO is smaller than the resistivity of a transparent conductive film made of ITO (for example, less than half when the annealing temperature is about 100°C).

[0030] Furthermore, whether the transparent conductive film is made of IZO or ITO, the transmittance is higher after annealing over the entire wavelength range of visible light compared to before annealing, but experimental results have shown that transparent conductive films made of IZO in particular have higher light transmittance after annealing than transparent conductive films made of ITO.

[0031] Furthermore, transparent conductive films made from IZO have superior resistance to bending loads compared to transparent conductive films made from ITO. For example, when a durability test was conducted in which a transparent conductive film was repeatedly bent under the same conditions, experimental results showed that a transparent conductive film made from IZO had a smaller resistance change rate and was less affected by bending than a transparent conductive film made from ITO. Furthermore, a transparent conductive film made from IZO is less likely to develop damage such as cracks when bent when combined with lens 19 than a transparent conductive film made from ITO.

[0032] As described above, by constructing the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 using a transparent conductive film made of IZO, it is possible to obtain a first transparent electrode layer 24 and a second transparent electrode layer 25 that have low resistance, high light transmittance, and excellent resistance to bending and curving.

[0033] 5 and 6 show a first transparent electrode layer 24 and a second transparent electrode layer 25 in the second embodiment. The transparent electrode layers 24 and 25 have a configuration in which a conductive fiber layer 31 made of conductive fibers is provided on a transparent conductive film 30 made of ITO.

[0034] Carbon nanotubes or silver nanowires are suitable as the conductive fibers that make up the conductive fiber layer 31. The conductive fiber layer 31 is formed by arranging carbon nanotubes or silver nanowires in a scattered manner (without regularity) on the transparent conductive film 30 to form a mesh-like matrix.

[0035] The carbon nanotubes and silver nanowires that make up the conductive fiber layer 31 have extremely high conductivity. Therefore, even with a two-layer structure of the transparent conductive film 30 and the conductive fiber layer 31, excellent conductive properties can be obtained without increasing the overall thickness of the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25, compared to when the transparent electrode layer is made of ITO alone.

[0036] The conductive fiber layer 31 itself is made of extremely fine conductive fibers thinly and scatteredly arranged, and therefore can be configured so as not to impair the light transmittance of the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25. The first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25, which are configured with the transparent conductive film 30 and the conductive fiber layer 31, can have lower resistance than transparent electrode layers configured only with ITO. Furthermore, the conductive fiber layer 31, which is configured with carbon nanotubes or silver nanowires, has excellent strength, which contributes to improving the bending and curvature resistance of the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25.

[0037] Therefore, by combining the transparent conductive film 30 and the conductive fiber layer 31, it is possible to obtain a first transparent electrode layer 24 and a second transparent electrode layer 25 that have lower resistance, higher light transmittance, and better resistance to bending and curving than when the transparent electrode layer is made of ITO alone.

[0038] As an example of a variation different from the configurations shown in Figures 5 and 6, the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 may be configured as a transparent electrode layer with a single layer structure consisting only of conductive fibers (carbon nanotubes or silver nanowires) aggregated into a sheet shape.

[0039] 2 to 4, the region of electrochromic element 20 where first transparent electrode layer 24, second transparent electrode layer 25, and electrochromic layer 26 overlap is dimming region E1 (active area) where a color change (change in transmittance) occurs when a voltage is applied. Dimming region E1 is located in the central part of electrochromic element 20, and outside dimming region E1 is peripheral region E2 where no color change occurs when a voltage is applied.

[0040] 3 and 4, a portion of each of the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 extends to the peripheral region E2 to form the overhanging portion 24a and the overhanging portion 25a. The overhanging portion 24a and the overhanging portion 25a are arranged so as to exist independently without facing each other in the thickness direction of the electrochromic element 20. In the peripheral region E2, the overhanging portion 24a faces the second substrate 22 with a gap therebetween, and the overhanging portion 25a faces the first substrate 21 with a gap therebetween.

[0041] In the peripheral region E2 of the electrochromic element 20, an adhesive sealant 32 is applied between the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22. The sealant 32 is arranged in an annular shape surrounding the outside of the dimming region E1, and seals the gap between the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22. The first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 are fixed to each other via the sealant 32, resulting in the electrochromic element 20 having the layered structure shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0042] 3 and 4, the overhanging portion 24a and the overhanging portion 25a are also bonded by the sealant 32, and the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 are fixed between the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22. More specifically, the front side of the overhanging portion 24a contacts the rear side of the first substrate 21, the rear side of the overhanging portion 24a contacts the sealant 32, and the space between the overhanging portion 24a and the second substrate 22 is filled with the sealant 32. Furthermore, the rear side of the overhanging portion 25a contacts the front side of the second substrate 22, the front side of the overhanging portion 25a contacts the sealant 32, and the space between the overhanging portion 25a and the first substrate 21 is filled with the sealant 32.

[0043] The sealant 32 also has a sealing function that prevents the passage of water and other foreign substances, thereby protecting the electrochromic film 23 from the external environment.

[0044] The sealant 32 is made of an insulating material and prevents the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 from short-circuiting.

[0045] 2 and 3, the electrochromic element 20 is provided with a first electrode terminal 40 connected (conductive) to the protruding portion 24a of the first transparent electrode layer 24, and a second electrode terminal 41 connected (conductive) to the protruding portion 25a of the second transparent electrode layer 25. The first electrode terminal 40 and the second electrode terminal 41 are each formed of a highly conductive metal material (such as silver or copper).

[0046] The first electrode terminal 40 passes through a through hole formed in the first substrate 21 and is connected to the protruding portion 24a. The second electrode terminal 41 passes through through holes formed in the first substrate 21 and the sealing material 32 and is connected to the protruding portion 25a. The ends of the first electrode terminal 40 and the second electrode terminal 41 opposite to the ends connected to the protruding portion 24a and the protruding portion 25a are exposed on the outer surface of the first substrate 21 (the front surface side of the electrochromic element 20).

[0047] Although omitted in each drawing, a coating layer having a predetermined function (such as ultraviolet and infrared transmission control, lens protection effect, etc.) may be formed on the front surface (first substrate 21 side) or rear surface (second substrate 22 side) of the electrochromic element 20.

[0048] The photochromic lens 11 or 12 is obtained by overlaying the sheet-like electrochromic element 20 configured as described above on the front side of the lens 19. The front side of the lens 19 is convex and the back side is concave. When combined with the lens 19, the electrochromic element 20 changes from the flat shape shown in Figures 3 and 4 to a curved shape that fits the convex surface of the lens 19 (see Figure 1).

[0049] As a method for manufacturing the photochromic lenses 11, 12, for example, the lens 19 and the electrochromic element 20 can be manufactured separately, and the electrochromic element 20 can be preformed into a curved shape corresponding to the surface of the lens 19, and then the electrochromic element 20 and the lens 19 can be bonded together. Alternatively, the photochromic lenses 11, 12 can be obtained by molding the lens 19 integrally with the electrochromic element 20 during the molding process.

[0050] The completed photochromic lenses 11, 12 are incorporated into the rims 14, 15 of the eyeglass frame 13. In the electrochromic element 20, the photochromic region E1 is located inside (at the openings of) the rims 14, 15. The peripheral region E2 is within the range covered by the rims 14, 15 and is not exposed to the outside of the electronic photochromic eyeglasses 10. Therefore, in the completed state of the electronic photochromic eyeglasses 10, the photochromic effect of the photochromic lenses 11, 12 can be obtained over the entire area inside the rims 14, 15.

[0051] When the photochromic lenses 11, 12 are incorporated into the eyeglass frame 13, the first electrode terminal 40 and the second electrode terminal 41 provided on the electrochromic element 20 come into conductive contact with the power supply wiring member 50 arranged inside the eyeglass frame 13.

[0052] The presence of the metallic first electrode terminal 40 and second electrode terminal 41 has the effect of improving the conductivity and connectivity with the power supply wiring member 50. For example, when the lens 19 and electrochromic element 20 are combined, the second transparent electrode layer 25 is positioned so that it is not exposed on the front or back of the photochromic lenses 11, 12, but can be electrically connected to the power supply wiring member 50 via the second electrode terminal 41.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 1, in the eyeglass frame 13 of the electronic photochromic eyeglasses 10, temples 16, 17 and a bridge 18 are connected to both sides of positions near the upper edges of the left and right rims 14, 15. A power supply wiring member 50 that supplies power to the electrochromic elements 20 of the left and right photochromic lenses 11, 12 is disposed along the upper edge side of the eyeglass frame 13, passing through the inside of the bridge 18, etc. In order to connect to the power supply wiring member 50 disposed in this manner, a first electrode terminal 40 and a second electrode terminal 41 are disposed on both the left and right sides of the electrochromic element 20 near the upper edge of the peripheral region E2 (see Fig. 2).

[0054] Generally, transparent electrodes have a higher resistivity than metal electrodes, and when an electrochromic element is driven, the driving voltage drops in parts of the transparent electrode that are far from the power supply point, which can lead to uneven color change in the light-controlling layer. To prevent such problems, conventional electrochromic elements have been provided with bus electrodes, which are metal electrodes, laminated on the transparent electrode layer in order to reduce electrical resistance. In the manufacturing process of an electrochromic element, a metal film is laminated on the transparent electrode layer, and a portion of the metal film is left by a process such as etching, thereby forming the bus electrodes.

[0055] In the case of electronic photochromic glasses, if bus electrodes are present in the active area inside the rim of the eyeglass frame (the area corresponding to the above-mentioned photochromic area E1), it can detract from the aesthetics and cause the bus electrodes to block part of the field of view, resulting in a poor user experience. Therefore, the bus electrodes are placed in a location that is hidden by the eyeglass frame and cannot be seen from the outside (the area corresponding to the above-mentioned peripheral area E2). Because the locational condition for providing the bus electrodes is the peripheral portion of the lens that overlaps the rim of the eyeglass frame, the presence of the bus electrodes restricts the outer shape of the lens and the rim shape of the eyeglass frame. In other words, an electrode structure using bus electrodes reduces the freedom of choice for lens shape (shape) and eyeglass frame selection.

[0056] Ordinary eyeglass lenses without electronic photochromic functionality can be manufactured by cutting out any shape from semi-finished lenses, which are unfinished products, and can be tailored to suit user preferences and various eyeglass frames. Even with electronic photochromic eyeglasses, it is desirable to minimize the limitations on lens shape and frame design imposed by the electrode structure, thereby improving usability and commercial value. From the perspective of manufacturing efficiency, an electrode structure without bus electrodes is also desirable.

[0057] Increasing the thickness of the transparent electrode layer reduces the resistivity, so one possible solution is to make the bus electrode unnecessary by increasing the thickness of the transparent electrode layer. However, if the transparent electrode layer is made thicker, other problems arise, such as a decrease in light transmittance and a significant increase in the time and cost required to manufacture the transparent electrode layer itself.

[0058] For the reasons above, it has been difficult to achieve both low resistance and high transmittance without using bus electrodes in existing transparent electrode layers made of ITO in electronic elements for electronic dimming glasses.

[0059] In contrast, the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 according to each of the above-described embodiments have conductive properties with lower resistance than a transparent electrode layer formed only from ITO, and realize a simple electrode structure that does not include a bus electrode without sacrificing transmittance or significantly increasing thickness.

[0060] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, in the electrochromic element 20 of this embodiment, no bus electrodes are present in either the dimming region E1 or the peripheral region E2. In the dimming region E1, the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 contact the entire front and back surfaces of the electrochromic layer 26, with no other conductive member such as a bus electrode sandwiched between them. Furthermore, in the peripheral region E2, the entire areas of the protruding portions 24a and 25a contact the sealing material 32 without any other conductive member such as a bus electrode sandwiched between them. Furthermore, no other conductive member such as a bus electrode is present between the first substrate 21 and the first transparent electrode layer 24 (including the protruding portion 24a) or between the second substrate 22 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 (including the protruding portion 25a).

[0061] In other words, the electrochromic element 20 of this embodiment is configured as an electrode structure that does not have bus electrodes in all parts (particularly the protruding portions 24a and 25a in the peripheral region E2) of the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25. Here, the electrode structure that does not have bus electrodes is not limited to a bus electrode that extends over the entire periphery and width of the peripheral region E2, and does not even have a bus electrode that is partially missing.

[0062] For example, if the annular peripheral region E2 has a C-shaped bus electrode that is interrupted in part of the circumferential direction, then focusing only on that part of the circumferential range would result in no bus electrode being present. Also, if the lens has a thin bus electrode that occupies only part of the width of peripheral region E2 in the radial direction, then in cross-sectional views such as those shown in Figures 3 and 4, peripheral region E2 will include both areas where the bus electrode is present and areas where it is not. However, these electrode structures inevitably limit the shape of the lens or eyeglass frame, at least in the areas where the bus electrode is present.

[0063] In contrast, the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 in this embodiment have a uniform film configuration that does not include elements that limit their position, such as bus electrodes, and therefore can be formed with a margin of area and then cut out into any shape to match the lens 19. Therefore, the electrode structure in the electrochromic element 20 does not restrict the shape setting of the photochromic lenses 11, 12, and contributes to improving the degree of freedom in the design of the electronic photochromic glasses 10.

[0064] The first electrode terminal 40 and the second electrode terminal 41 can be assembled after the electrochromic element 20 is completed (after the sealing material 32 is applied). Furthermore, the first electrode terminal 40 and the second electrode terminal 41 can be disposed at any position within the peripheral region E2 as long as the protruding portion 24a and the protruding portion 25a are present.

[0065] 1 and 2 are positioned near the points where the temples 16, 17 and the bridge 18 are connected to the rims 14, 15. As a result, the first electrode terminal 40 and the second electrode terminal 41 are located on the path of the power supply wiring member 50, which is arranged in a generally straight line along the upper edge sides of the rims 14, 15 and the bridge 18, thereby realizing a simple and short shape for the power supply wiring member 50.

[0066] However, it is also possible to select positions other than those shown in the drawings for the first electrode terminal 40 and the second electrode terminal 41. For example, since the protruding portions 24a, 25a of the transparent electrode layers 24, 25 are also present in the electrochromic element 20 at the cross-sectional position closer to the bottom as shown in Fig. 4, the first electrode terminal 40 and the second electrode terminal 41 can also be provided at this cross-sectional position. In this case, the power supply wiring member 50 provided in the eyeglass frame 13 can be extended so as to wrap around partway around the rims 14, 15, thereby being connected to the first electrode terminal 40 and the second electrode terminal 41.

[0067] In this way, unlike bus electrodes that are incorporated into the laminated structure during the manufacturing process of the electrochromic element, the placement of the first electrode terminal 40 and the second electrode terminal 41 can be selected after the electrochromic element 20 is constructed in accordance with the shapes of the lens 19 and the eyeglass frame 13, and does not restrict the degree of freedom in the design of the electronic photochromic eyeglasses 10. Therefore, the above-mentioned effects can also be obtained with an electrode structure that provides the first electrode terminal 40 and the second electrode terminal 41 in addition to the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25.

[0068] Although the above description has been given based on the illustrated embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications and changes are possible without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0069] For example, the photochromic lenses 11 and 12 in the above embodiments have a structure in which the electrochromic element 20 is layered on the surface (convex surface) of the lens 19. Alternatively, the photochromic lens may have a structure in which the electrochromic element is disposed (sandwiched) inside the lens in the thickness direction.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the electrochromic element 20 is provided with the first electrode terminal 40 and the second electrode terminal 41. Alternatively, it is possible to select a configuration in which transparent electrode layers such as the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the second transparent electrode layer 25 are directly connected to the power supply wiring member without using metal electrode terminals. For example, the protruding portion 24a of the first transparent electrode layer 24 and the protruding portion 25a of the second transparent electrode layer 25 may be extended to a position protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the electrochromic element 20 and connected to the power supply wiring member.

[0071] The portions of the electrochromic element 20 other than the transparent electrode layers 24 and 25 may be made of materials other than those mentioned above. For example, the substrates 21 and 22 may be made of glass.

[0072] The electrochromic element 20 of the above embodiment has a first substrate 21 and a second substrate 22 on either side of the electrochromic film 23, but the present invention can also be applied to an electronic element having a single substrate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 10 Electronic dimming glasses 11 Photochromic lenses 12 Photochromic lenses 13 Eyeglass frames 19 Lenses 20 Electrochromic elements (electronic elements) 21 First substrate 22 Second board 23 Electrochromic Film 24 First transparent electrode layer 24a Overhang 25 Second transparent electrode layer 25a Overhang 26 Electrochromic layer (light-adjusting layer) 27 Reduction layer 28 Oxide layer 29 Electrolyte layer 30 Transparent conductive film 31 Conductive fiber layer 32 Sealing material 40 first electrode terminal 41 Second electrode terminal 50 Power supply wiring material E1 dimming area E2 Peripheral area

Claims

1. An electronic element for electronic dimming glasses that is combined with a lens to obtain a dimming effect by supplying electrical energy, a substrate, a pair of transparent electrode layers provided on the substrate, and a light control layer provided between the pair of transparent electrode layers; a sealing material that covers at least a part of the transparent electrode layer in a peripheral region outside a light control region where the pair of transparent electrode layers and the light control layer overlap; An electronic element for electronic dimming glasses, characterized in that the pair of transparent electrode layers each have a protruding portion extending to the peripheral region, and the protruding portion is in contact with the sealing material without sandwiching any other conductive member.

2. 2. The electronic element for electronic dimming eyeglasses according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of electrode terminals in the peripheral region that are connected to the pair of transparent electrode layers and exposed on the outer surface of the substrate.

3. 3. The electronic element for electronic dimming eyeglasses according to claim 1, wherein the pair of transparent electrode layers are made of IZO.

4. 3. The electronic element for electronic dimming eyeglasses according to claim 1, wherein the pair of transparent electrode layers includes a conductive fiber layer made of conductive fibers.

5. 3. The electronic element for electronic dimming glasses according to claim 1, wherein the electronic element is an electrochromic element that generates a reversible change in optical properties due to an oxidation-reduction reaction in the dimming layer when a voltage is applied to the pair of transparent electrode layers.

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