Smart film for displays
The PDLC screen with phase-shifted signal control and laser-etched electrodes addresses alignment and environmental needs, enabling dynamic optical patterns and cost-effective manufacturing.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2025520907
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-10-14
- Filing Date
- 2023-07-31
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-24
AI Technical Summary
Existing smart films and glazes, particularly polymer dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs), lack efficient methods for creating dynamic and complex optical patterns without the need for precise alignment and clean room environments.
A PDLC screen with a control unit that divides transparent conductive electrodes into sections, allowing for independent electrical signaling and pattern creation through phase-shifted signals, and a manufacturing method using picosecond ultraviolet laser etching to align electrodes without clean rooms.
Enables dynamic optical patterns and reduces manufacturing complexity and costs by eliminating precise alignment and clean room requirements, offering versatile transparency control and energy savings.
Smart Images
Figure 2025535266000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] This application relates to the field of smart films and smart glazes that have electrically modifiable elements embedded between two conductive substrates. [Background technology]
[0002] Smart films and glazing systems are typically used in showrooms, exhibitions, hotels, automotive industry, as room dividers and windows to create instant privacy and / or image of attraction, and as a barrier to UV and IR rays to save energy and bring comfort to the space in which they are applied. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0003] As a particular example of switchable smart films and glazes, polymer dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) have been investigated. These devices can convert transparent sections of a substrate to opaque, or vice versa, by controlling each section independently or by converting the section to semi-opaque, depending on the state of the liquid crystal.
[0004] The present invention utilizes this technology to provide a significant system that improves the use and end result of the equipment. [Means for solving the problem]
[0005] The present invention provides an alternative solution for a PDLC screen by means of a device according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are set out in the dependent claims.
[0006] Unless otherwise specified, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this application should be interpreted as conventional in the relevant field. Furthermore, commonly used terms should be interpreted as conventional in the relevant field, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly stated as such in this application.
[0007] In this application, the term "comprises" and its derivatives (e.g., "comprising") should not be construed in an exclusive sense, i.e., these terms should not be interpreted as excluding the possibility that what is described and defined may include additional elements, steps, etc.
[0008] In a first aspect of the invention, the present invention provides an optical arrangement comprising: a first transparent conductive electrode, a second transparent conductive electrode, and an optically active material disposed between and in electrical contact with the first and second transparent conductive electrodes; the active optical material is configured to change at least one optical property when subjected to a voltage; the first transparent conductive electrode is divided into a plurality of first sections, each of the first sections being electrically isolated from the rest of the first sections; the second transparent conductive electrode is divided into a plurality of second sections, each second section being electrically isolated from the rest of the second sections; the optical arrangement further comprising a control unit configured to provide an electrical signal to each of the first sections and each of the second sections; the control unit is configured to provide at least a first scenario and a second scenario; In the first scenario, all of the second sections receive the same electrical signal and at least two of the first sections receive different electrical signals; In the second scenario, an optical arrangement is provided in which all the first sections receive the same electrical signal and at least two second sections receive different electrical signals.
[0009] An active optical material is a material that is configured to change at least one optical property (e.g., its transparency to a particular range of light wavelengths) when a voltage is applied between its two sides. There are many different types of active optical materials.
[0010] This structure allows the same optical arrangement to function in two different scenarios: In the first scenario, all second sections are supplied with the same electrical signal, so that they all function as a single electrode; the first sections are supplied with different signals (each first section does not necessarily have to have a different signal itself; second sections may be grouped), and the relationship between the signal of each specific first section and the common signal of the second sections determines the transparency level of each first section.
[0011] The second scenario has the same principle, but the first partition is replaced by the second partition and vice versa.
[0012] Thus, depending on the scenario chosen, the same optical system can be configured to provide two entirely different patterns.
[0013] In a particular embodiment, the control unit comprises a first element configured to receive a sinusoidal alternating current and convert the sinusoidal alternating current into a direct current signal; the control unit has a second element configured to convert the DC signal into an AC square wave; The control unit has a third element configured to generate a phase-shifted signal from the square wave and provide the phase-shifted signal to the first and second sections.
[0014] The control unit uses a common power supply to generate multiple phase-shifted square waves that can be easily compared. Because the optical properties of the active optical element depend on the voltage between the two sides, comparing the two square waves is useful for defining the operation of each part of the optical arrangement.
[0015] In certain embodiments, the active optical material has a thickness between 5 and 100 μm.
[0016] In this application, a smaller thickness may not be sufficient.
[0017] In certain embodiments, the first transparent conductive electrode and / or the second transparent conductive electrode comprise indium tin oxide, silver nanowires, carbon nanotubes, graphene, a transparent conductive polymer, or a nanometal.
[0018] These examples correspond to materials that offer a good compromise between transparency and electrical conductivity.
[0019] In certain embodiments, the first transparent conductive electrode is deposited on a first transparent substrate and / or the second transparent conductive electrode is deposited on a second transparent substrate.
[0020] The present invention may be applied to many different types of substrates. In one particular embodiment, the first transparent substrate and / or the second transparent substrate (5) comprises glass. In another particular embodiment, the first transparent substrate and / or the second transparent substrate comprises a plastic film, the plastic film being composed of polyethylene terephthalate.
[0021] In certain embodiments, the first transparent substrate and / or the second transparent substrate include an IR coating.
[0022] This is significant in that it blocks IR radiation.
[0023] In one particular embodiment, the active optical material comprises a polymer dispersed liquid crystal.
[0024] The material operates over a wide range of voltage values and offers good transparency and opacity properties.
[0025] In one particular embodiment, the active optical material comprises a polymer dispersed liquid crystal of a black dichroic dye.
[0026] The material also provides IR protection.
[0027] In another inventive aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing the aforementioned optical arrangement, comprising the steps of: providing a first transparent conductive electrode, a second transparent conductive electrode, and an active optical material, the active optical material configured to change at least one optical property when subjected to a voltage, the active optical material having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; attaching the first transparent conductive electrode to the first side of the optical material and the second transparent conductive electrode to the second side of the active optical material, thereby obtaining a pre-fabricated film; Etching the first transparent conductive electrode into a plurality of first sections, each first section being electrically isolated from the rest of the first sections, the etching being performed using a picosecond ultraviolet laser; etching the second transparent conductive electrode into a plurality of second sections, each second section being electrically isolated from the rest of the second sections, the etching being performed using a picosecond ultraviolet laser; connecting a control unit to the first and second transparent conductive electrodes, the control unit being configured to provide at least a first scenario and a second scenario, in which in the first scenario, all of the second sections receive the same electrical signal and at least two of the first sections receive different electrical signals, and in the second scenario, all of the first sections receive the same electrical signal and at least two of the second sections receive different electrical signals; A method is provided, comprising:
[0028] In this method, the step of etching the conductive electrodes is performed directly on the pre-fabricated film, rather than on the individual electrode parts. Furthermore, this method eliminates the need for precise alignment of the two electrodes relative to each other during the lamination process of the PDLC film. Such alignment takes time and results in some waste. This complicated process is not necessary because the electrodes are already in place and automatically aligned.
[0029] Another advantage is that there is no need to provide a clean room environment, as the risk of contamination is eliminated.
[0030] Finally, the present etching operation is cleaner, faster, greener (there are many scrap savings, they do not require clean rooms, and there is a lot of energy saved in the process) and more economical than etching each conductive layer separately.
[0031] In certain embodiments, the method further comprises rotating the pre-fabricated film between etching the first transparent conductive electrode and etching the second transparent conductive electrode.
[0032] This step allows operation on both sides using the same picosecond ultraviolet laser device and allows the rotation mechanism to be calibrated to accurately perform the etching operation.
[0033] In certain embodiments, the shape of at least one of the second compartments is different from the shape of at least one of the first compartments.
[0034] If each side has a different pattern, the same end product can be used to create different patterns.
[0035] To complete the description and provide a better understanding of the invention, a set of drawings are provided. These drawings form an integral part of the description and illustrate embodiments of the invention. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but merely as an example of how the invention may be practiced. The drawings include the following figures: [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0036] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a film configuration according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of such a film arrangement. [Figure 3] 10A-10C show different perspective views of such a film arrangement. [Figure 4] 1A-1C illustrate different scenarios of operation of the film arrangement. [Figure 5] Figures 11-19 show different scenarios of operation of the film arrangement. In these figures the following reference symbols are used: 1 first transparent electrode 2 second transparent electrode 3 active optical material 4 PET sheet 5 PET sheet 6 control unit 11-19 first compartment 21-23 second compartment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0037] An example embodiment is described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to embody and practice the systems and processes described herein. It is important to understand that embodiments may be provided in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein.
[0038] Accordingly, the embodiments can be modified in various ways and can take various alternative forms. Specific embodiments are shown in the drawings and will be described in detail below by way of example. There is no intention to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims must be included. Where appropriate, elements of exemplary embodiments will be consistently designated by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings and detailed description.
[0039] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a film configuration according to the present invention.
[0040] In this schematic diagram, the film configuration has a first transparent electrode 1, a second transparent electrode 2, and an active optical material 3 disposed between the first transparent electrode 1 and the second transparent electrode 2. The active optical material 3 is in direct contact with the first and second transparent electrodes.
[0041] The optical properties of the active optical material are defined by the voltage received by it: when the received voltage exceeds a certain threshold, the transparency of the material changes.
[0042] In some cases, the material is opaque when no voltage is applied and changes from opaque to transparent when a voltage is applied between the two sides. In other cases (called the "reverse mode case"), the material is transparent when no voltage is applied and changes from transparent to opaque when a voltage is applied between the two sides.
[0043] In this particular embodiment, the active optical material 3 is a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC), although other embodiments of the invention may use different materials. Also, the transparent electrodes are indium tin oxide (ITO), although other types of transparent electrodes (e.g., silver nanowires, AgNWs, etc.) may be used in other cases.
[0044] Each transparent electrode is deposited on a PET sheet 4, 5. Thus, in one example, the structure may be implemented, for example, in a partition panel in an office. However, in other embodiments, the electrodes may be implemented on other substrates, such as glass panes, and the structure may be implemented in a house (either a door or a window).
[0045] In this figure, it can also be seen how the first transparent electrode 1 is divided into first sections 11-19. In this figure, the first nine sections are shown, but this is only a general example. These device sections are obtained by etching, which is usually done by laser cutting. The end result is that each first section is electrically independent, although additional connections may be made between some of them to create section groups.
[0046] The second transparent electrode 2 is also divided into second sections 21-23. These sections are obtained by etching, which is usually performed by laser cutting. The end result is that each second section is electrically independent, although there may be additional connections between some of them to form section groups. Again, only three second sections are shown, but in different embodiments any number of second sections may be implemented.
[0047] Each section is supplied with an electrical signal by a control unit 6 which accepts a standard AC voltage and converts it to a DC voltage which is then converted to an alternating square wave, with or without a phase shift.
[0048] As will be seen below, in an actual product there may be dozens of different compartments, so this diagram is intentionally simplified for understanding the invention.
[0049] FIG. 2 shows an example of a first scenario of use of the present optical arrangement.
[0050] In this first scenario, all second segments are powered by the same signal S1, so that they function as a single electrode.
[0051] Different groups of the first segments are fed with different phase-shifted signals, for example, a first group of the first segments is fed with a second signal S2, which is shifted by 45° with respect to the first signal S1 fed to the second segments.
[0052] As a result, the corresponding section is only activated during 25% of the wave period (waves S1 and S2 provide different values and therefore the corresponding section has a transmission value of 25%).
[0053] A second group of the first segments is supplied with a third signal S3, which is shifted by 135° with respect to the first signal S1 supplied to the second segments.
[0054] As a result, the corresponding compartment is only activated during 75% of the wave period (if waves S1 and S3 provide different values, the corresponding compartment therefore has a transmission value of 75%).
[0055] Finally, the third group of the first segments is supplied with a third signal S4, which is shifted by 0° with respect to the first signal S1 supplied to the second segments.
[0056] As a result, the corresponding section is not activated during the wave period (waves S1 and S4 do not provide different values and therefore there is a voltage value of 0 in the corresponding section).
[0057] 3 and 4 show an example of this operation, in which different embodiments of this first scenario can be seen.
[0058] As can be seen in these figures, the first section is delimited as a silhouette of the tree trunk. There are nine different groups in this figure, but in different examples, any number of groups is possible.
[0059] In this first scenario, all segments of the second transparent electrode are supplied with the same electrical signal, so that they act as a single electrode, and the observed pattern is therefore defined by the different signals provided to each of the first sections.
[0060] According to the above diagram, some trees are fed by signal S2, some of them are fed by signal S3, and some of them are fed by signal S4. For the remaining trees, more signals are available, but these three signals are sufficient for the purposes of describing the present invention.
[0061] Thus, each tree will have a different level of transparency (a tree fed with S2 will have 25% transparency, a tree fed with S3 will have 75% transparency, and a tree fed with S4 will be opaque).
[0062] FIG. 4 shows the same embodiment, but the signal provided to each group has been changed (eg, the tree that received signal S2 in FIG. 2 now receives S3, etc.).
[0063] Thus, dynamic control may gradually create patterned variations in the transparency (shading) of each group of trees in thousands of different combinations.
[0064] By utilizing these differences, different levels can be achieved by moving the rear tree forward and the front tree backward, or vice versa, thus creating a dynamic art scene. This effect can be continued or stopped at the user's discretion through the app installed on the user's mobile phone or tablet.
[0065] Figure 5 shows the same optical arrangement in a second scenario, where all first sections are fed with the same common electrical signal, and the second sections are fed with different signals. This time, the pattern is defined by the second sections being completely different from the first sections. In this figure, one can see the many different effects that can be achieved with this arrangement.
[0066] A significant advantage of this arrangement is that these different effects can be seen from each of the two sides of the same glass because the two conductive elements are transparent. The same glass viewed from the same side may provide either a circle pattern or a tree pattern. Of course, these two patterns may be as complex as required by the design, and the examples shown in these figures are intentionally simplified for clarity and easy understanding of the invention.
[0067] FIG. 6 shows some steps of a method according to the invention suitable for producing a product such as that described in the previous figures.
[0068] In this figure, there is provided a first transparent conductive electrode 1, a second transparent conductive electrode 2, and a PDLC film 3. The PDLC film 3 is configured to change at least one optical property when subjected to a voltage and has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface.
[0069] A first transparent conductive electrode 1 is attached to a first side of the PDLC film 3 and a second transparent conductive electrode 2 is attached to a second side of the active optical material 3, thereby forming a pre-fabricated film.
[0070] 7a and 7b show different steps of the method. First, the first transparent conductive electrode 1 is etched into first sections, each of which is electrically isolated from the remaining first sections. The etching process is performed by a picosecond ultraviolet laser device 20.
[0071] The pre-formed film is then rotated, and the second transparent conductive electrode 2 is etched into second sections, each electrically isolated from the remaining second sections. These sections have a different shape than the first sections. This etching process is also performed using a picosecond ultraviolet laser device 20.
[0072] Finally, a control unit is connected to the first and second transparent conductive electrodes, and the control unit is configured to provide at least a first scenario and a second scenario, in which in the first scenario, all of the second segments receive the same electrical signal and at least two of the first segments receive different electrical signals, and in the second scenario, all of the first segments receive the same electrical signal and at least two of the second segments receive different electrical signals.
Claims
1. 1. An optical arrangement comprising: a first transparent conductive electrode, a second transparent conductive electrode, and an active optical material disposed between and in electrical contact with the first and second transparent conductive electrodes; the active optical material is configured to change at least one optical property when subjected to a voltage; the first transparent conductive electrode is divided into a plurality of first sections, each of the first sections being electrically isolated from the rest of the first sections; the second transparent conductive electrode is divided into a plurality of second sections, each second section being electrically isolated from the rest of the second sections; the optical arrangement further comprising a control unit configured to provide an electrical signal to each of the first sections and each of the second sections; the control unit is configured to provide at least a first scenario and a second scenario; In the first scenario, all of the second sections receive the same electrical signal and at least two of the first sections receive different electrical signals; In the second scenario, all of the first sections receive the same electrical signal and at least two second sections receive different electrical signals.
2. the control unit includes a first element configured to receive a sinusoidal alternating current and convert the sinusoidal alternating current into a DC signal; the control unit has a second element configured to convert the DC signal into an AC square wave; The optical arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises a third element configured to generate a phase-shifted signal from the square wave and to supply the phase-shifted signal to the first and second sections.
3. 3. The optical arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the active optical material has a thickness between 5 and 100 μm.
4. 4. The optical arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first transparent conductive electrode and / or the second transparent conductive electrode comprises indium tin oxide, silver nanowires, carbon nanotubes, graphene, a transparent conductive polymer or a nanometal.
5. 5. The optical arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first transparent conductive electrode is deposited on a first transparent substrate and / or the second transparent conductive electrode is deposited on a second transparent substrate.
6. The optical arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the first transparent substrate and / or the second transparent substrate comprises glass.
7. 6. The optical arrangement of claim 5, wherein the first transparent substrate and / or the second transparent substrate comprises a plastic film, the plastic film being made of polyethylene terephthalate.
8. 8. The optical arrangement of claim 5, wherein the first transparent substrate and / or the second transparent substrate comprises an IR coating.
9. 9. The optical arrangement of claim 1, wherein the active optical material comprises a polymer dispersed liquid crystal.
10. 8. The optical arrangement of claim 1, wherein the active optical material comprises a polymer dispersed liquid crystal of a black dichroic dye.
11. A method for manufacturing an optical arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the steps of: providing a first transparent conductive electrode, a second transparent conductive electrode, and an active optical material, the active optical material configured to change at least one optical property when subjected to a voltage, the active optical material having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; attaching the first transparent conductive electrode to the first side of the optical material and the second transparent conductive electrode to the second side of the active optical material, thereby obtaining a pre-fabricated film; Etching the first transparent conductive electrode into a plurality of first sections, each first section being electrically isolated from the rest of the first sections, the etching being performed using a picosecond ultraviolet laser; etching the second transparent conductive electrode into a plurality of second sections, each second section being electrically isolated from the rest of the second sections, the etching being performed using a picosecond ultraviolet laser; connecting a control unit to the first and second transparent conductive electrodes, the control unit being configured to provide at least a first scenario and a second scenario, in which in the first scenario, all of the second sections receive the same electrical signal and at least two of the first sections receive different electrical signals, and in the second scenario, all of the first sections receive the same electrical signal and at least two of the second sections receive different electrical signals; A method comprising:
12. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of rotating the pre-fabricated film between the step of etching the first transparent conductive electrode and the step of etching the second transparent conductive electrode.
13. 13. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein the shape of at least one of the second compartments is different from the shape of at least one of the first compartments.