Flexible circuit board and multi-zone dimming functional element

Abstract

A flexible circuit board and a multi-zone dimming functional element are provided. [Solution] A flexible circuit board (2) includes a first independent circuit group (21) and a second independent circuit group (22). The first independent circuit group is composed of a plurality of first independent circuits, each of which contacts one dimming area (11) of a functional element (1) and connects the dimming area to a control unit (3). A first terminal (23) of the first independent circuit group connects each positive electrode of the functional element to the control unit, and a second terminal (24) of the first independent circuit group connects the negative common of the functional element to the control unit. The second independent circuit group is composed of a plurality of second independent circuits, and includes at least one temperature sensor (25). The temperature sensor is used to measure the temperature of the functional element in a temperature measurement area (12). By integrating the first terminal, second terminal, and temperature sensor on the flexible circuit board, the number of connectors and welding spots is reduced, improving the integration and reliability of the system.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application relates to the field of zone dimming, and more particularly to flexible circuit boards and functional elements for multi-zone dimming. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, zone dimming belongs to a new industry, and the existing manufacturing process is to use ordinary round copper wire to weld onto the top surface of the dimming film with tin paste. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] However, the large volume of a large number of round copper wires occupies a large space, which is disadvantageous for the miniaturization of equipment design. In addition, the connecting and assembling process of round copper wires requires a large number of manpower, the process is complicated, and errors are likely to occur. Moreover, when the round copper wires break or have poor contact, the maintenance costs are high and it is difficult to repair or replace them quickly. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] Therefore, in order to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, the present application provides a flexible circuit board that contacts a functional element (1) having electrically controllable optical properties, and includes a first independent circuit group (21) composed of a plurality of first independent circuits, each of which contacts one dimming area (11) of the functional element (1) and connects the dimming area (11) to a control unit (3), and a second independent circuit group (22) composed of a plurality of second independent circuits and including at least one temperature sensor (25) used to measure the temperature of the functional element (1) in a temperature measurement area (12), wherein a first terminal (23) of the first independent circuit group (21) connects each positive electrode of the functional element (1) to the control unit (3), and a second terminal (24) of the first independent circuit group (21) connects a negative common of the functional element (1) to the control unit (3).

[0005] Specifically, the flexible circuit board is in contact with a functional element (1) having electrically controllable optical properties, and the functional element (1) is a polymer dispersed liquid crystal functional element, a polymer network liquid crystal functional element, or a suspended particle functional element.

[0006] Specifically, the flexible circuit board is in contact with a functional element (1) having electrically controllable optical properties, and the functional element (1) is an intermediate layer in a multi-layer glass made of glass or optically transparent plastic.

[0007] Specifically, the flexible circuit board is in contact with a functional element (1) having electrically controllable optical properties, and the functional element (1) is an intermediate layer of multiple layer glass used in vehicles or architectural glass.

[0008] Specifically, the number of positive electrodes in the functional element (1) is 2 to 49.

[0009] Specifically, the length of the flexible circuit board (2) is 20 mm to 4000 mm.

[0010] Specifically, the height of the temperature sensor (25) is less than 0.7 mm.

[0011] Specifically, a protective layer (26) is applied around the temperature sensor (25) to protect the temperature sensor (25) from mechanical influences.

[0012] Specifically, the protective layer (26) is an adhesive layer for fixing the temperature sensor (25) in the temperature measurement area (12).

[0013] Specifically, a layer of solder paste or anisotropic conductive adhesive is provided between the positive electrode of the functional element (1) and the first terminal (23), and a layer of solder paste or anisotropic conductive adhesive is provided between the negative electrode of the functional element (1) and the second terminal (24). Specifically, the temperature sensor (25) is attached to an independent flexible circuit board (27), and the independent flexible circuit board (27) is connected to the flexible circuit board (2) via a connection layer, which is solder paste or anisotropic conductive adhesive.

[0014] Specifically, the flexible circuit board (2) is composed of a plurality of short flexible circuit boards connected in series, which are connected via a connecting layer made of solder paste or an anisotropic conductive adhesive.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows: Flexible circuit boards enable high-density wiring and extremely long wire harness functions, improving the high-precision connection of complex circuits. Furthermore, flexible circuit boards integrate more functional modules, and the first terminal, second terminal, and temperature sensor are integrated on the flexible circuit board, thereby enabling real-time dimming control and temperature monitoring, reducing the number of connectors and welding spots, and improving the integration and reliability of the system. Furthermore, even after the first terminal, second terminal, and temperature sensor are integrated on the flexible circuit board, the flexible circuit board remains very thin. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] In order to more clearly explain the technical methods of the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings that need to be used in the embodiments. However, the drawings in the following description are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, and it is obvious that those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings from these drawings without performing creative work. [Figure 1]1 is a structural schematic diagram of a control unit controlling multi-zone dimming of a functional element through a flexible circuit board in an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present application in which a temperature sensor is attached to a separate flexible circuit board. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0018] Although the following describes embodiments of the present application through specific examples, those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present application based on the contents disclosed herein. Of course, the described examples are only a portion of the embodiments of the present application, not all of them. The present application can be implemented or applied using different specific embodiments, and the details of the present application can be modified or changed in various ways based on different perspectives and applications, without departing from the spirit of the present application. It should be noted that the following examples and features in the examples can be combined with each other under consistent circumstances. Other examples obtained by those skilled in the art based on the examples of the present application without the need for creative work are all within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0019] It should be noted that the following describes various aspects of embodiments within the scope of protection of the present application. The regions described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any specific structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on this application, one skilled in the art should understand that one region described herein can be implemented independently of any other region, and that two or more of these regions can also be combined in various forms. For example, any number and number of regions described herein can be used to implement an apparatus and / or method of practice. Also, the apparatus can be implemented and / or the method can be practiced using structure and / or functionality other than one or more of the regions described herein.

[0020] It should be further explained that the drawings provided in the following examples merely roughly illustrate the basic concept of the present application, and only elements related to the present application are shown in the drawings, and are not based on the number, shape, or dimensions of the elements when actually implemented. The shape, quantity, and proportion of each element when actually implemented can be freely changed, and the arrangement of the elements can also be made more complex.

[0021] Furthermore, the following description provides specific details for the purpose of facilitating a thorough understanding of the examples, but it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the above-mentioned areas can be practiced without such specific details.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the present application provides a functional element having optical properties that are capable of multi-zone dimming and electrically controllable, and the functional element includes a functional element 1, a flexible circuit board 2, and a control unit 3.

[0023] The functional device 1 has a plurality of light control areas 11 and a temperature measurement area 12. A positive electrode is installed in each of the plurality of light control areas 11. In addition, one negative common is installed in each of the plurality of light control areas, and the positive electrodes installed in each of the plurality of light control areas 11 receive signals provided by the control unit 3 and control the state of the light control film.

[0024] The flexible circuit board 2 is in contact with a functional element 1 having an electrically controllable optical characteristic, and the flexible circuit board 2 includes a first independent circuit group 21 and a second independent circuit group 22 .

[0025] The first independent circuit group 21 is composed of a plurality of first independent circuits, each of which contacts one dimming region 11 of the functional element 1, and is used to connect the control unit 3 to the plurality of dimming regions 11 in the functional element 1. The first independent circuits include a plurality of first terminals 23 and one second terminal 24, and the first terminal 23 is used to connect the control unit 3 to each positive electrode of the functional element 1. The second terminal 24 is used to connect the control unit 3 to the negative common of the functional element 1.

[0026] The second independent circuit group 22 includes a plurality of second independent circuits for communicating the control unit 3 with the temperature measurement area 12 in the functional element 1. The second independent circuits include at least one temperature sensor 25, which is used to measure the temperature of the functional element 1 in the temperature measurement area 12.

[0027] The flexible circuit board of this embodiment realizes high-density wiring and very long wire harness functions, improving the high-precision connection of complex circuits. Moreover, the flexible circuit board integrates more functional modules, and the first terminal, second terminal, and temperature sensor are integrated on the flexible circuit board. This enables real-time dimming control and temperature monitoring, reduces the number of connectors and welding spots, and improves the system integration and reliability. Furthermore, even after the first terminal, second terminal, and temperature sensor are integrated on the flexible circuit board, the flexible circuit board remains very thin.

[0028] In some embodiments, the functional element 1 is a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) functional element, a polymer-network liquid crystal (PNLC) functional element, or a suspended particle detector (SPD) functional element. PDLC consists of microdroplets of liquid crystal dispersed in an organic solid polymer matrix. Because the optic axes of the droplets, composed of liquid crystal molecules, are freely oriented, their refractive index does not match that of the matrix. As light passes through the matrix, it is strongly scattered by the droplets, resulting in an opaque, milky, or translucent state. By applying an electric field, the optic axis orientation of the liquid crystal droplets is adjusted, and a transparent state is achieved when the refractive indices of the droplets match. When the electric field is removed, the liquid crystal droplets return to their original diffused state, providing a display. PNLC is a model of polymer-network liquid crystal. Unlike PDLC, the liquid crystals in PNLC are not spherical (or ellipsoidal) droplets, but are distributed within a three-dimensional polymer network, forming a continuous channel network. The suspended particle detector (SPD) functional element is a new type of electrically controlled color-changeable glass product created by combining the photosensitive properties of SPD with glass. It can be used as a curtain substitute, allowing you to freely adjust the light transmission effect and choose the indoor light that suits you. When AC voltage is applied to SPD film, the particles will be oriented under the action of the electric field, allowing light to pass through.

[0029] In one embodiment, the functional element 1 is an interlayer in a multi-layer glazing made of glass or optically clear plastic. A flexible circuit board 2 is placed on the glass or at the interlayer of the multi-layer glazing.

[0030] In one embodiment, the functional element 1 is an interlayer of multiple layer glass used in vehicles or architectural glass, and the flexible circuit board 2 is placed at the interlayer of the multiple layer glass.

[0031] In one embodiment, the number of positive electrodes of the functional element 1 is 2 to 49. That is, the number of first terminals 23 in the flexible circuit board 2 is 2 to 49, the number of first terminals 23 in the first independent circuit group 21 matches the number of positive electrodes in the functional element 1, and the first terminals 23 of the first independent circuit group 21 are connected in one-to-one correspondence to the positive electrodes in the functional element 1. The first terminals 23 of the first independent circuit group 21 connect each positive electrode of the functional element 1 to the control unit 3, and the control unit 3 realizes multi-zone dimming control.

[0032] In one embodiment, the length of the flexible circuit board 2 is 20 mm to 4000 mm, and by installing the flexible circuit board 2 with a length of 20 mm to 4000 mm, it is possible to span a relatively long functional element 1 and realize the multi-size needs of the functional element 1.

[0033] In one embodiment, the temperature sensor 25 has a height of less than 0.7 mm, allowing the temperature sensor 25 to be installed in a thin form that can be completely crimped and inserted into the functional device 1 .

[0034] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a protective layer 26 is provided around the temperature sensor 25 to protect the temperature sensor 25 from mechanical influences.

[0035] In one embodiment, the protective layer 26 placed around the temperature sensor 25 is an adhesive layer, which fixes the position of the temperature sensor 25 within the functional element 1, and by placing an adhesive layer around the periphery and not placing an adhesive liquid layer on top of the temperature sensor 25, the temperature sensor 25 is in direct contact with the temperature measurement area 12 of the functional element 1, thereby preventing the adhesive layer from affecting the temperature measurement sensitivity of the temperature sensor 25.

[0036] In one embodiment, a layer of solder paste or anisotropic conductive adhesive is provided between the positive electrode of the functional element 1 and the first terminal 23, and a layer of solder paste or anisotropic conductive adhesive is provided between the negative electrode of the functional element 1 and the second terminal 24. Through the processes of welding with solder paste and pressing a film with anisotropic conductive adhesive, a tight and fixed connection between the positive electrode and the first terminal 23 and between the negative electrode and the second terminal 24 is realized.

[0037] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the temperature sensor 25 is mounted on a separate flexible circuit board 27, which is connected to the flexible circuit board 2 by a connecting layer of solder paste or anisotropic conductive adhesive.

[0038] In one embodiment, a relatively long flexible circuit board is made up of multiple short flexible circuit boards connected in series, and flexible circuit board 2 includes multiple short flexible circuit boards connected in series, with the short flexible circuit boards connected to each other by connecting layers of solder paste or anisotropic conductive adhesive.

[0039] Example 1 The functional element 1 is an intermediate layer of multi-layer glass used in vehicles or architectural glass, and a number of dimming areas 11 and a temperature measurement area 12 are installed within the intermediate layer of the multi-layer glass. The positive poles of the functional element 1 are installed in parallel on the edge of the same side of the dimming area 11, and the negative common of the functional element 1 is installed on one side of the dimming area 11. The dimming area 11 receives a signal from the control unit 3 via the flexible circuit board 2 and controls the state of the dimming area 11.

[0040] The flexible circuit board 2 is disposed at the intermediate layer of the multi-layer glass and includes a first independent circuit group 21 and a second independent circuit group 22.

[0041] The first independent circuit group 21 includes multiple first independent circuits that are mutually independent and parallel. The first independent circuits include multiple positive independent circuits and one negative independent circuit. The first independent circuit group is used to connect the control unit 3 and the multiple dimming regions 11 in the functional device 1. The negative independent circuit is located closest to the dimming region 11 in the first independent circuit group 21. The length of the first independent circuits increases from the electrically controlled side to the non-electrically controlled side, with the first independent circuits between the first independent circuit group and the second independent circuit group being the longest. That is, the length of the first independent circuits increases from the dimming region 11 side to the temperature measurement area 12 side, with the ends of some of the positive independent circuits all leading to the edge of the second independent circuit group, away from the first independent circuit group. That is, the edge of the flexible circuit board 2 on the dimming region 11 side forms the connection point for the end of a single linear positive independent circuit.

[0042] The second independent circuit group 22 is installed on the same plane as the first independent circuit group 21, and the independent circuits within the two groups are installed in parallel. The second independent circuit group 22 includes multiple second independent circuits, which are used to connect the control unit 3 and the temperature measurement area 12 in the functional device 1. The length of the first independent circuits increases from the electrically controlled side to the non-electrically controlled side, and the second independent circuits between the first and second independent circuit groups are the longest. That is, the length of the second independent circuits increases from the temperature measurement area 12 side to the dimming area side 11, and the ends of the second independent circuits are all guided to the edge of the first independent circuit group, away from the second independent circuit group. That is, the edge of the flexible circuit board 2 on the temperature measurement area 12 side forms a connection point for the end of a single linear second independent circuit.

[0043] The first terminal 23 is installed between the first independent circuit and the dimming region 11, and connects the first independent circuit to the dimming region 11. The first terminal 23 is integrated on the first independent circuit group 21, and the multiple first terminals 23 are installed in one-to-one correspondence with the multiple dimming regions 11, and each performs dimming control.

[0044] The second terminal 24 is installed at the end of the negative independent circuit installed in the first independent circuit group 21, and connects the first independent circuit to the negative common of the dimming area 11. The second terminal 24 is connected to each of the multiple first terminals 23, and the control unit 3, the positive independent circuit, the first terminal 23, the second terminal 24 and the negative independent circuit form a single closed conductive circuit, allowing the control unit 3 to control the dimming area 11.

[0045] At least one temperature sensor 25 is installed between the second independent circuit group 22 and the temperature measurement area 12, i.e., at the end of an independent circuit in the second independent circuit group 22, connecting the second independent circuit and the temperature measurement area, and is used to monitor the temperature of the temperature measurement area 12. Three to nine temperature sensors 25 can be installed, and by arranging them evenly in parallel within the temperature measurement area 12, the sensitivity and uniformity of the temperature monitoring are improved.

[0046] The above-described configurations are merely specific embodiments of the present application, and the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. All modifications or replacements that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present application are intended to be included within the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A flexible circuit board in contact with a functional element having electrically controllable optical properties, a first independent circuit group configured by a plurality of first independent circuits; a second independent circuit group configured by a plurality of second independent circuits; the first independent circuit contacts one dimming region of the functional element and connects the dimming region to a control unit; the second independent circuit group includes at least one temperature sensor used to measure the temperature of the functional element within a temperature measurement area; a first terminal of the first independent circuit group connecting each positive electrode of the functional element to the control unit; A flexible circuit board, characterized in that the second terminal of the first independent circuit group connects the negative common of the functional element to the control unit.

2. the flexible circuit board is in contact with the functional element having electrically controllable optical properties; 2. The flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the functional element is a polymer dispersed liquid crystal functional element, a polymer network liquid crystal functional element, or a suspended particle functional element.

3. the flexible circuit board is in contact with the functional element having electrically controllable optical properties; 2. The flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the functional element is an intermediate layer in a multi-layer glass made of glass or optically transparent plastic.

4. the flexible circuit board is in contact with the functional element having electrically controllable optical properties; 2. The flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the functional element is an intermediate layer of multiple layer glass used in vehicles or architectural glass.

5. 2. The flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the number of the positive electrodes in the functional element is 2 to 49.

6. 2. The flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the length of the flexible circuit board is 20 mm to 4000 mm.

7. 2. The flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor has a height of less than 0.7 mm.

8. 2. The flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein a protective layer is applied around the temperature sensor to protect the temperature sensor from mechanical influences.

9. 9. The flexible circuit board according to claim 8, wherein the protective layer is an adhesive layer for fixing the temperature sensor within the temperature measurement area.

10. a connecting layer of solder paste or anisotropic conductive adhesive is provided between the positive electrode and the first terminal of the functional element; 2. The flexible circuit board according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting layer of solder paste or anisotropic conductive adhesive disposed between the negative electrode of the functional element and the second terminal.

11. the temperature sensor is attached to a separate flexible circuit board; the independent flexible circuit board is connected to the flexible circuit board via a connection layer; 2. The flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the connecting layer is a solder paste or an anisotropic conductive adhesive.

12. the flexible circuit board is composed of a plurality of short flexible circuit boards connected in series; 2. The flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of short flexible circuit boards are connected via a connecting layer made of solder paste or an anisotropic conductive adhesive.

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