Electrochromic film, color-changing device, and terminal product
By setting multiple straight-edge electrodes and corner electrodes on the edge of the electrochromic diaphragm and adjusting the length of the spacer, the problem of premature failure of the corner area of the diaphragm is solved, and uniform discoloration of the diaphragm and the service life are extended.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/CN2024/099268
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-07-04
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-14
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-09
AI Technical Summary
During use, the corner areas are prone to failure, resulting in the discoloration end point failing to reach the preset transmittance, which leads to the rapid failure of the entire diaphragm.
A plurality of straight-edge electrodes and corner electrodes are arranged on the edge portion of the electrochromic film, and an electrical connection is formed through a bus bar. The length of the first spacer is set to be larger than that of the second spacer to ensure the current conduction speed and voltage equalization , avoid overfilling and overflowing in corner areas.
It effectively prevents the corner failure of the electrochromic diaphragm, increases the service life, and makes the electrochromic layer evenly discolor throughout the entire diaphragm area, avoiding early overcharge and overflow.
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Figure CN2024099268_09012025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Electrochromic film, color-changing device, and terminal product
[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0002] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese patent application number 2023217378267, filed with the Patent Office of China on July 4, 2023, entitled “An electrochromic film, color-changing device and terminal product,” the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this disclosure. Technical Field
[0003] The present disclosure relates to the field of electrochromic technology, and in particular to an electrochromic film, a color-changing device, and a terminal product. Background Art
[0004] Electrochromism is a technology that causes electrochromic materials to reversibly and stably color or fade under the influence of an external voltage. Typically, busbars are placed on the conductive layer of an electrochromic film, which is electrically connected to an external power source via the busbars. This creates a voltage across the film, causing the electrochromic material to change color in response to the voltage changes.
[0005] At present, during the use of electrochromic films, the corner areas of the corresponding films are prone to failure, resulting in the final color change endpoint being unable to reach the preset transmittance, resulting in premature failure, and ultimately causing the entire film to fail rapidly.
[0006] Summary of the Invention
[0007] In view of this, the purpose of the present disclosure is to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art and to provide an electrochromic film, a color-changing device, and a terminal product.
[0008] The present disclosure provides the following technical solutions: an electrochromic film, the electrochromic film comprising an edge portion;
[0009] The edge portion includes: a corner portion corresponding to a corner area of the electrochromic film and a straight edge portion corresponding to a non-corner area of the electrochromic film, the corner portion is provided with a corner electrode, and each of the straight edge portions is provided with a straight edge electrode;
[0010] A first spacing region is formed between the corner electrode and the adjacent straight-edge electrode, and a second spacing region is formed between two adjacent straight-edge electrodes;
[0011] The length of the first spacing region is L1, and the length of the second spacing region is L2, wherein L2<L1.
[0012] Optionally, the length of the corner electrode is L3, and the length of the straight-edge electrode is L4, wherein L3≤L4, and / or L1<L4.
[0013] Optionally, the ratio between L1 and L2 is m, and the value range of m is 1≤m≤4.
[0014] Optionally, the corner electrode and the adjacent straight-edge electrode have opposite polarities.
[0015] Optionally, a plurality of straight-edge electrodes are provided, and the second spacing area is formed between two adjacent straight-edge electrodes;
[0016] In the same edge of the electrochromic film, the lengths of the second spacing regions between two adjacent straight-edge electrodes are equal; or the length of the second spacing regions decreases from both ends of the edge to the middle of the edge.
[0017] Optionally, a length L1 of the first spacing area has a value range of 5 mm < L1 ≤ 200 mm; and / or a length L2 of the second spacing area has a value range of 5 mm < L2 < 200 mm.
[0018] Optionally, the sum of the total length of the first spacer and the total length of the second spacer is S1;
[0019] The sum of the total length of the straight-edge electrodes and the total length of the corner electrodes is S2;
[0020] The ratio between S1 and S2 is n, and the value range of n is 1 / 11≤n<1.
[0021] Optionally, the electrochromic film comprises a first base layer, a first conductive layer, an electrochromic layer, a second conductive layer, and a second base layer stacked in sequence; the corner portion is provided with a first groove and a second groove;
[0022] The corner electrodes include a first corner electrode and a second corner electrode;
[0023] The first groove penetrates the first base layer, the first conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film to expose a portion of the second conductive layer to form the first corner electrode;
[0024] The second groove penetrates the second base layer, the second conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film to expose a portion of the first conductive layer to form the second corner electrode.
[0025] Furthermore, the straight-edge electrode includes a first straight-edge electrode and a second straight-edge electrode, and the straight-edge portion is alternately provided with a third groove and a fourth groove;
[0026] The third groove penetrates the first base layer, the first conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film to expose a portion of the second conductive layer to form the first straight-edge electrode;
[0027] The fourth groove penetrates the second base layer, the second conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film to expose a portion of the first conductive layer to form the second straight-edge electrode.
[0028] Optionally, the straight-edge electrode includes a first straight-edge electrode and a second straight-edge electrode, and the electrochromic film further includes a bus bar, and the bus bar includes a first bus bar and a second bus bar;
[0029] The straight edge portion is alternately provided with a third groove and a fourth groove;
[0030] The third groove penetrates the first base layer, the first conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film to expose a portion of the second conductive layer to form the first straight-edge electrode;
[0031] The fourth groove penetrates the second base layer, the second conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film to expose a portion of the first conductive layer to form the second straight-edge electrode;
[0032] The second bus bar is electrically connected to the second straight-edge electrode and the second corner electrode, and the first bus bar is electrically connected to the first straight-edge electrode and the first corner electrode.
[0033] Furthermore, for any point on the edge portion corresponding to two points at a first preset distance, the vertical distance to the line segment connecting the two points is a second preset distance. When the second preset distance is less than or equal to n times the first preset distance, the value range of n is 5% to 10%, and the edge portion corresponding to the two points is a straight edge portion; or for any point on the edge portion corresponding to the two points at a first preset distance, the edge portion between the two points is divided into a first segment and a second segment, the line passing through the point and tangent to the first segment is the first tangent, and the line passing through the point and tangent to the second segment is the second tangent. When the angle between the first tangent and the second tangent is less than 135°, the edge portion corresponding to the two points is a straight edge portion.
[0034] Furthermore, the corner portion includes a vertex and two connected ends; any point on the edge portion corresponds to two points at a first preset distance, and the edge portion between the two points is divided into a first segment and a second segment. The line passing through the point and tangent to the first segment is the first tangent, and the line passing through the point and tangent to the second segment is the second tangent. When the angle between the first tangent and the second tangent is less than 135°, the point is the vertex of the corner portion.
[0035] Furthermore, the first preset distance has a value range of 30 mm to 300 mm.
[0036] Furthermore, the corner area is an area formed between the ends of two straight sides, and the angle between the two straight sides is less than 135°; or the vertical distance from any point on the edge portion corresponding to two points of the first preset distance to the line segment connecting the two points is a second preset distance. When the second preset distance is greater than n times the first preset distance, the range of n is 5% to 10%, and the area formed by the edge portion corresponding to the two points is a corner area.
[0037] Furthermore, a blocking portion is correspondingly provided at the corner electrode, and the blocking portion is configured to block or limit the current conducted by the corner electrode from being conducted from the blocking portion to the central portion.
[0038] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a color-changing device, comprising at least one substrate layer and the electrochromic film, wherein the substrate layer and the electrochromic film are stacked.
[0039] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a terminal product, including the electrochromic film described above or the color-changing device described above, wherein the terminal product includes any one of a rearview mirror, a curtain wall, a car sunroof, a car side window, a car windshield, an electronic product housing, glasses, a vehicle, and a display panel.
[0040] The embodiments of the present disclosure have the following advantages: by arranging multiple straight-edge electrodes and corner electrodes on the edge portion of the electrochromic film and forming an electrical connection with the bus bar, when the bus bar is electrically connected to an external power supply, the conduction speed of the current in the electrochromic film can be increased, thereby increasing the color change speed of the electrochromic film. By setting the length of the first spacing area to be larger than the length of the second spacing area; when the corner electrode and the straight-edge electrode have the same polarity, one corner electrode and the adjacent straight-edge electrode are the edge parts of the same conductive layer, and the current diffuses in the same conductive layer. However, the conductive layer has surface resistance, and when the current diffuses, it is affected by the surface resistance of the conductive layer and there is a voltage drop. Therefore, the farther away from the electrode, the slower the conduction speed and the smaller the corresponding voltage. As a result, the point where the current diffusion conducted by the straight-edge electrode and the corner electrode overlaps is relatively far away from both the straight-edge electrode and the corner electrode. At this time, the overlapping part is affected by the voltage drop of the conductive layer, and the voltage at the overlapping part will be reduced relative to other areas, and the farther away, the greater the relative reduction. In addition, since the first spacing area is close to the corner, the two overlapping parts of the corner area are superimposed again, while the voltage of other non-corner areas due to the superposition of others will be relatively small. Therefore, the voltage corresponding to the corner area is relatively balanced with the voltage intensity of other areas, so that the electrochromic layer in the corner area changes color evenly with other areas, and will not be overcharged or over-discharged in advance, thereby effectively preventing the corner failure of the electrochromic film and increasing the service life of the electrochromic film.
[0041] In order to make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of the present disclosure more obvious and easy to understand, preferred embodiments are given below and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0042] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only illustrate certain embodiments of the present disclosure and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.
[0043] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram showing an embodiment of an electrochromic film according to the present disclosure from one viewing angle;
[0044] FIG2-1 shows a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of the electrochromic film in the present disclosure from one viewing angle;
[0045] FIG2-2 shows a schematic structural diagram of the electrochromic film of FIG2-1 in the present disclosure from another perspective;
[0046] FIG3 shows an enlarged view of section A in FIG2-1;
[0047] FIG4 shows a cross-sectional view of the BB portion in FIG2-1;
[0048] FIG5 shows a schematic structural diagram of the first conductive layer of the electrochromic film in the present disclosure;
[0049] FIG6 shows a schematic structural diagram of the second conductive layer of the electrochromic film in the present disclosure;
[0050] FIG7 shows a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of the electrochromic film in the present disclosure;
[0051] FIG8 shows an enlarged view of portion C in FIG7 ;
[0052] FIG9 shows a cross-sectional view of the DD portion in FIG7 ;
[0053] FIG10 shows a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of the electrochromic film in the present disclosure;
[0054] FIG11 shows a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a color changing device in the present disclosure.
[0055] Description of main component symbols:
[0056] 100 - electrochromic film; 110 - central portion; 120 - edge portion; 130 - corner electrode; 140 - straight-edge electrode; 200 - first spacing area; 300 - second spacing area; 150 - first substrate layer; 160 - first conductive layer; 170 - electrochromic layer; 180 - second conductive layer; 190 - second substrate layer; 400 - first bus bar; 500 - second bus bar; 131 - first corner electrode; 132 - second corner electrode; 141 - first straight-edge electrode; 142 - second straight-edge electrode; 600 - first barrier portion; 700 - second barrier portion; 800 - first groove; 900 - second groove; 1000 - third groove; 1100 - fourth groove; 1200 - substrate layer; 1300 - shielding layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0057] The following describes in detail embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended only to explain the present disclosure and are not to be construed as limiting the present disclosure.
[0058] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" another element, there is no intermediate element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only.
[0059] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, terms such as "mounted," "connected," "connect," and "fixed" should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this disclosure based on specific circumstances.
[0060] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. Throughout the present disclosure, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.
[0061] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The terms used in the template description herein are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit this disclosure. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0062] The present disclosure is further described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 11 .
[0063] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an electrochromic film that can change its color in response to changes in the voltage applied at both ends, thereby changing the transmittance of the film; the electrochromic film is mainly used in windows, such as building curtain walls, car sunroofs, side windows, car windshields, electronic product housings, glasses, and aircraft portholes.
[0064] As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 , in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the electrochromic film 100 includes a first substrate layer 150 , a first conductive layer 160 , an electrochromic layer 170 , a second conductive layer 180 , and a second substrate layer 190 stacked in sequence.
[0065] The first substrate layer 150 and the second substrate layer 190 are both made of transparent flexible materials, such as PET (Polyethyleneterephthalate), PC, etc.; the first conductive layer 160 and the second conductive layer 180 are both made of transparent conductive oxides, such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), IZO, etc. In this embodiment, ITO is attached to the first substrate layer 150 and the second substrate layer 190 by magnetron sputtering.
[0066] It should be noted that the electrochromic layer 170 includes an electrochromic material layer, an electrolyte layer, and an ion conductive layer stacked in sequence; in addition, in other embodiments, the electrochromic layer 170 may also be made of other dimmable materials such as liquid crystal.
[0067] By connecting the first conductive layer 160 and the second conductive layer 180 to a power source at the same time, a voltage difference can be formed between the first conductive layer 160 and the second conductive layer 180, so that the electrochromic layer 170 undergoes a stable and reversible color change under the action of the voltage.
[0068] 1 and 4 , the electrochromic film 100 in the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a central portion 110 and an edge portion 120 adjacent to the central portion 110, the edge portion 120 being connected to the central portion 110 and extending outward from the film; specifically, the first substrate 150 extends from its central portion 110 outward from the film to form the edge portion 120 of the first substrate 150, and the second substrate 190 extends from its central portion 110 outward from the film to form the edge portion 120 of the second substrate 190; the projections of the edge portions 120 of the first substrate 150 and the edge portions 120 of the second substrate 190 on the electrochromic layer 170 are at least partially The first conductive layer 160 also extends from its central portion 110 to the outside of the film and is attached to the surface of the edge portion 120 of the first substrate layer 150 to form the edge portion 120 of the first conductive layer 160. The second conductive layer 180 also extends from its central portion 110 to the outside of the electrochromic film 100 and is attached to the surface of the edge portion 120 of the second substrate layer 190 to form the edge portion 120 of the second conductive layer 180. The edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100 includes the aforementioned edge portion 120 of the first substrate layer 150, the edge portion 120 of the first conductive layer 160, the edge portion 120 of the second substrate layer 190, and the edge portion 120 of the first conductive layer 160. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the periphery of the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100 forms the perimeter of the edge of the electrochromic film 100. Specifically, each side of the central portion 110 of the electrochromic film 100 is adjacent to an edge, and each edge adjacent to the central portion 110 is sequentially connected end to end and enclosed around the outer periphery of the central portion 110 to form the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100.
[0069] For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, in the electrochromic film 100, the central portion 110 of the electrochromic film 100 is formed by stacking the central portions 110 of the first substrate 150, the first conductive layer 160, the electrochromic layer 170, the second conductive layer 180, and the second substrate 190; the electrochromic film 100 also includes a bus bar. The edge portion 120 is connected to the central portion 110 and extends to the outside of the electrochromic film 100; for ease of understanding, please refer to Figure 1. The area enclosed by the dotted line in the figure is the central portion 110 of the film, and the area formed between the outside of the dotted line and the outer edge of the film corresponds to the edge portion 120 of the film. It is worth noting that the dotted line in the figure does not limit the edge of the central area. In other embodiments, the position of the dotted line can be adjusted accordingly according to the specific situation. In other embodiments, the edge portion 120 can be defined according to the width of the diaphragm electrode, and the middle part of the diaphragm adjacent to the edge portion 120 corresponds to the center portion 110; since part of the conductive layer needs to be exposed and then the bus bar is attached, the exposed conductive layer is the electrode, and the area where each electrode is located corresponds to the edge of the diaphragm.
[0070] It should be noted that the central portion 110 corresponds to the visible area of the electrochromic film 100, and the edge portion 120 corresponds to the non-visible area of the electrochromic film 100. The area of the central portion 110 is larger than the area of the edge portion 120. The central portion 110 is used to adjust the transmittance of the film or the amount of light passing through the electrochromic film 100. In addition, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the central portion 110 is the color-changing area of the electrochromic film 100, and the edge portion 120 is the non-color-changing area of the electrochromic film 100.
[0071] For example, when the electrochromic film 100 is applied to various windows, it has multiple edges, which enclose the closed edge of the film. The ends connected between two adjacent edges correspond to the corner portion of the electrochromic film 100. The corner portion includes a vertex and the ends connected to the two edges. Any point on the edge portion 120 corresponding to the first preset distance divides the edge portion 120 into a first segment and a second segment. The line tangent to the first segment through the point is the first tangent, and the line tangent to the second segment through the point is the second tangent. When the angle between the first tangent and the second tangent is less than 135°, the point is the vertex of the corner portion. The ends connected between two adjacent edges correspond to the corner area of the electrochromic film 100. The edge can be a straight edge or an irregular shape with a small degree of curvature that can be regarded as a straight edge. Therefore, the polygonal electrochromic film 100 has multiple corner areas. In this embodiment, in the polygonal electrochromic film 100, the edge portion 120 includes a plurality of edges connected end to end in sequence, and the plurality of edges are connected end to end to enclose the edge portion 120. Among them, in the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100, the angle formed by the connection between two adjacent edges forms the corner portion of the edge portion 120, and the area within the film corresponding to the corner corresponds to the corner area of the film; and the area of the edge portion 120 between adjacent corners corresponds to the straight edge portion. Of course, in other embodiments, the shape of the electrochromic film 100 can be irregular. For irregular shapes, there are curved parts on the edge, and the curved parts correspond to the corner portions of the film. In addition, it can be specified that the curvature of the edge portion 120 is greater than a preset value, which is a corner portion, and the curvature is less than the preset value, which is considered to be a straight edge portion, to indicate that this portion can be approximately regarded as a straight edge portion.
[0072] Furthermore, the straight edge portion referred to in the present disclosure does not require a perfectly straight line. In an optional embodiment of the present disclosure, the perpendicular distance from any point on the edge portion 120 between two points at a first preset distance to the line segment connecting the two points is a second preset distance. When the second preset distance is less than or equal to n times the first preset distance, where n is in the range of 5% to 10%, the edge portion 120 corresponding to the two points is considered a straight edge portion. Optionally, the first preset distance ranges from 30 mm to 300 mm. Optionally, the first preset distance is from 5 cm to 20 cm; the second preset distance is 5% to 10% of the first preset distance, preferably 6%. For example, if the distance between the farthest point of two points at a first preset distance of 5 cm and the line connecting the two points is less than 0.3 cm. For another example, if the distance between the farthest point of two points at a distance of 10 cm and the line connecting the two points is less than 0.5 cm. For another example, if the distance between the farthest point of two points at a distance of 20 cm and the line connecting the two points is less than 1 cm, the portion corresponding to the two points is considered a straight edge portion. Specifically, the size of the first preset distance depends on the size of the electrochromic device, the material of the conductive layer, and the length of the electrodes of the electrochromic device, and can be adjusted accordingly based on specific actual usage. In any embodiment of the present disclosure, the edge portion 120 corresponding to the two points at the first preset distance refers to the edge portion 120 corresponding to the first preset distance when the line connecting the two ends is connected. Any point on the edge portion 120 corresponding to the two points at the first preset distance can also be said to be any point on the edge portion 120 corresponding to the first preset distance between the two points.
[0073] In an optional embodiment of the present disclosure, any point on the edge portion 120 corresponding to two points at a first preset distance, or any point on the edge portion 120 corresponding to two ends at a first preset distance, is used to divide the edge portion 120 between the two points at the first preset distance into a first segment and a second segment. The line passing through the point and tangent to the first segment is the first tangent line, and the line passing through the point and tangent to the second segment is the second tangent line. When the angle between the first tangent line and the second tangent line is less than 135°, the edge portion 120 corresponding to the two points is a straight edge. When there are multiple smaller curved portions in the edge portion 120, and the degree of these curves is small, the tangent lines can more accurately describe whether the edge portion 120 is a straight edge.
[0074] In an optional embodiment of the present disclosure, the vertical distance from any point on the edge portion 120 corresponding to two points at a first preset distance to the line segment connecting the two points is a second preset distance. When the second preset distance is greater than n times the first preset distance, the range of n is 5% to 10%, and the edge portion 120 corresponding to the two points is considered to be a corner portion, the area formed by the edge portion 120 corresponding to the two points is a corner area, and the corresponding electrode is a corner electrode.
[0075] In an optional embodiment of the present disclosure, the two straight sides intersect to form the corner portion, and the angle between the two straight sides is less than 135°. The corner region is defined as the region between the connected ends of the two straight sides, and the angle between the two straight sides is less than 135°. The length of the ends of the straight sides is determined based on the size of the electrochromic device. Alternatively, the region between the edge portions 120 corresponding to the maximum distance between the connecting lines of the two end points is greater than the second predetermined distance is defined as the corner region.
[0076] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the edge portion 120 includes a corner portion corresponding to the corner area of the electrochromic film 100 and a straight edge portion corresponding to the non-corner area of the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100. Each of the corner portions is provided with a corner electrode 130, and each of the straight edge portions is provided with a straight edge electrode 140. The corner electrodes 130 and the straight edge electrodes 140 are respectively electrically connected to bus bars. It should be noted that the corner electrodes 130 and the straight edge electrodes 140 are respectively electrically connected to the bus bars, which means that in adjacent corner electrodes and straight edge electrodes, the bus bars connected to the corner electrodes and the bus bars connected to the straight edge electrodes are respectively electrically connected to the positive and negative poles of the external power supply, that is, the corner electrodes and the adjacent straight edge electrodes are respectively located on different conductive layers. For example, when a corner electrode is connected to the positive electrode of an external power source via a bus bar, the straight-edge electrode adjacent to the corner electrode is connected to the negative electrode of the external power source. Furthermore, when multiple straight-edge electrodes are provided in any straight-edge portion of the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100, along the circumference of the electrochromic film 100, two adjacent straight-edge electrodes are connected to the positive and negative electrodes of the external power source via different bus bars, respectively. That is, of the two adjacent straight-edge electrodes, one straight-edge electrode is connected to the positive electrode of the external power source via one bus bar, and the other straight-edge electrode is connected to the negative electrode of the external power source via another bus bar. Of course, in other embodiments, the corner electrode 130 and the straight-edge electrode 140 are respectively electrically connected to bus bars of the same polarity, that is, the corner electrode and the adjacent straight-edge electrode are located on the same conductive layer.
[0077] When the busbar is electrically connected to the external power supply, the current of the external power supply is conducted to the conductive layer of the electrochromic film 100 through the busbar, so that the electrochromic film 100 is electrically connected to the external power supply, and the electrochromic film 100 can undergo stable and reversible color changes.
[0078] It is understood that the number of corner portions of the electrochromic film 100 is associated with the shape of the electrochromic film 100. It is understood that the number of corner portions is equal to the number of sides of the electrochromic film 100. For example, if the shape of the electrochromic film 100 is a quadrilateral, the number of corner portions is four; if the shape of the electrochromic film 100 is an N-gon, the number of corner portions is N. Of course, in other embodiments, the shape of the electrochromic film 100 can be irregular. For irregular shapes, there are curved portions on the edges, and the curved portions correspond to corner portions. In addition, the curvature of the edge portion 120 can be considered as a straight edge portion within a certain range to indicate that this portion can be approximately regarded as a straight line portion.
[0079] Furthermore, the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100 includes at least a first edge, a second edge, and a third edge connected end to end, and in the disclosed embodiment, also includes a fourth edge. The edges are connected end to end to form the enclosed edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100. It is worth noting that electrode regions may be provided on all edges, or on some edges, depending on specific needs.
[0080] Specifically, the inventors discovered that during the use of the electrochromic film 100, since the busbar occupancy per unit area in the corner area of the film is higher than that in the non-corner area, the surface resistance of this corner area is smaller than that in other areas; therefore, during the process of charging and discharging the film, the current or voltage in the corner area of the film is stronger than that in other areas; relatively speaking, the electric field or current corresponding to the corner area is much larger than that in other areas. Long-term use accelerates the aging of the conductive layer in this area, and also causes overcharging and over-discharging of the electrochromic layer 170 in this area, thereby causing the entire film to fail prematurely.
[0081] To address this, the disclosed embodiment provides corner electrodes 130 at the corners of the electrochromic film 100 and straight-edge electrodes at the straight-edge portions of the edge portion 120 corresponding to the non-corner regions, thereby forming a first spacing region 200 between the corner electrode and the adjacent straight-edge electrode, and a second spacing region 300 between two adjacent straight-edge electrodes 140. Two adjacent straight-edge electrodes refer to adjacent straight-edge electrodes on the same side of the electrochromic film 100, that is, between two adjacent corner electrodes. The length of the first spacing region 200 is L1, and the length of the second spacing region 300 is L2, where 0 < L2 < L1. By setting the length of the first spacing area 200 closest to the corner longer than the length of the other spacing areas (the second spacing area 300); when the corner electrode and the adjacent straight-edge electrode have the same polarity (as shown in FIG1 ), that is, both are positive or negative, that is, one of the corner electrodes and the adjacent straight-edge electrode is the edge portion 120 of the same conductive layer; at this time, relative to the same busbar, the current diffuses in the same conductive layer, and the conductive layer has surface resistance. When the current diffuses, it is affected by the surface resistance of the conductive layer and a voltage drop occurs. Therefore, the farther away from the electrode, the slower the conduction speed and the corresponding voltage are. Therefore, in this embodiment, the distance between the straight-edge electrode and the corner electrode increases, and the point where the current conducted by the straight-edge electrode and the corner electrode diffuses and overlaps is relatively far away from both the straight-edge electrode and the corner electrode. At this time, the overlap is affected by the voltage drop of the conductive layer, and the voltage at the overlap is reduced relative to other areas. The farther away, the greater the relative reduction, thereby reducing the current intensity in the corner area. Furthermore, because the first spacer 200 has busbars on both sides near the corners, the current from one busbar will also diffuse to the other busbar, forming an overlap. Other non-corner areas are affected by the overlap because the relative busbars are farther away, resulting in a much smaller current in the overlapped area. This effectively prevents aging of the conductive layer in these areas and corner failure of the electrochromic film 100. Consequently, the voltage intensity in the corresponding corner area is increased due to the overlap of the two busbars. At the same time, the increased spacer reduces the diffusion effect of the straight-edge electrodes, resulting in a more balanced voltage across the entire corner area and the voltage intensity in other areas. This allows the electrochromic layer 170 in the corner area to change color evenly with other areas, preventing premature overcharging and over-discharging, thereby extending the device's service life.
[0082] Specifically, the length of the first spacer 200 refers to the length L1 of the straight edge portion of the non-corner region of the edge portion 120, where the first spacer 200 is located on one of the straight edges of the straight edge portion. The length L2 of the second spacer 300 refers to the length L2 of the second spacer 300 along the straight edge portion of the non-corner region of the edge portion 120, where the second spacer 300 is located on one of the straight edges of the straight edge portion.
[0083] Optionally, in other embodiments of the present disclosure, the difference from the above-described embodiments lies in that, as shown in Figures 2-1, 2-2, 5, and 6, the corner electrode and the adjacent straight-edge electrode are electrodes of opposite polarity, that is, one positive and one negative, i.e., the corner electrode is at the edge portion 120 of one conductive layer, while the adjacent straight-edge electrode is at the edge portion 120 of another conductive layer. After power is applied to the electrochromic film 100, positive charges are introduced into the conductive layer corresponding to the corner electrode, while negative charges are introduced into the corresponding straight-edge electrode (similarly, the conductive layer corresponding to the corner electrode is negatively charged, while the corresponding straight-edge electrode is positively charged). At this time, in the first spacer 200, the positive charges point to the negative charges, forming an electric field that diffuses in all directions. The strength of this electric field is affected by the distance between the two electrodes. The greater the distance, the smaller the electric field strength. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, since the length of the first spacer area 200 is greater than the length of the second spacer area 300, the electric field formed by the first spacer area 200 is smaller than the electric field formed by the second spacer area 300; in addition, since the electric field strength of the two first spacer areas 200 adjacent to the corners is smaller than the electric field strength formed by the second spacer area 300 in the straight-edge portion, the electric field at the superposition of the electric fields formed by the first spacer areas 200 corresponding to the two corner areas will not be too large. Therefore, the corner area is placed in a working environment with a smaller electric field strength, which reduces the possibility of aging of the conductive layer, thereby effectively preventing corner failure.
[0084] Optionally, based on any of the above embodiments, an improvement is made, wherein the ratio between L1 and L2 is m, m=L1 / L2, wherein the value range of m is 1≤m≤4, optionally 2≤m≤3; optionally m=2. By adjusting the proportional relationship between the first spacer 200 and the second spacer 300, the electric field intensity ratio of the corner area and the non-corner area is adjusted, so that the electric field corresponding to the corner area reaches a relatively balanced state with the electric field intensity of other areas, so that the electrochromic layer 170 in the corner area changes color uniformly with other areas, and will not be overcharged or over-discharged prematurely, thereby effectively preventing the corner failure of the electrochromic film 100 and ensuring that other areas will not fail prematurely, thereby ensuring the service life of the entire electrochromic film 100. In addition, a plurality of straight-edge electrodes are arranged between two adjacent corner electrodes, and the plurality of straight-edge electrodes are arranged at intervals, and the polarities of any two adjacent straight-edge electrodes are opposite, that is, the electrodes of the same polarity (such as the first straight-edge electrode 141) are arranged at substantially equal intervals, and the other electrode of opposite polarity (such as the second straight-edge electrode 142) is also arranged between the first electrodes at substantially the same intervals, thus forming a basically symmetrical structure. After the bus bar is connected to each electrode, the current can be conducted from each edge of the diaphragm to the central portion 110 of the diaphragm. Since the electrodes of opposite polarity are arranged alternately, the current diffuses from each edge to the inside, which has the advantage of fast and uniform color change.
[0085] In other embodiments, the polarities of the corner electrodes and the adjacent straight-edge electrodes of the entire diaphragm can be arbitrarily combined, that is, some corner electrodes have the same polarity as the straight-edge electrodes, while other corner electrodes have opposite polarity to the straight-edge electrodes.
[0086] It is understood that, regardless of the polarity of the corner electrodes and adjacent straight-edge electrodes in each embodiment of the present disclosure, by setting the length of the first spacer 200 longer than the length of the second spacer 300, the electric field across the entire film can be balanced, thereby preventing corner failure of the electrochromic film 100 and increasing the service life of the electrochromic film 100. The corner electrodes 130 each have a first spacer 200 at both ends. This means that the electric field in the first spacer 200 at both ends of the corner electrodes 130, during diffusion, forms a superposition of electric fields at the angle between the corner electrodes 130. By increasing the length of the first spacer 200, the intensity of the superimposed electric field formed at the corners of the electrochromic film 100 during the diffusion process of the electric field in the first spacer 200 is reduced, thereby reducing the electric field intensity at the corners of the electrochromic film 100, avoiding excessive electric field intensity at the corners of the electrochromic film 100, and achieving balanced electric field intensity at various positions in the electrochromic film 100, thereby improving the stability and durability of the electrochromic film 100.
[0087] Optionally, based on any of the above embodiments, an improvement is made, wherein the length of the corner electrode 130 is L3, and the length of the straight-edge electrode 140 is L4, wherein L3 ≤ L4. That is, the length of the straight-edge electrode is not less than the length of the corner electrode. In addition, the corner electrode can be directly shortened on the basis of the original membrane to increase the length of the first spacer 200, and the spacing between the other straight-edge electrodes does not need to be adjusted. Therefore, the original drawings can be used for production directly, or the length of the corner electrode can be adjusted directly after production. In this way, by increasing the length of the straight-edge electrode to increase the electric field strength of the straight edge portion in the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic membrane 100, the electric field strength of the corner portion in the edge portion 120 is reduced, which plays a role in reducing and preventing premature failure of the corner and improving the service life of the membrane; at the same time, no redesign of the processing drawings is required, and the process is simple. It should be noted that the length of the corner electrode 130 is the length of the corner electrode extending along the adjacent two sides, and the length of the straight-edge electrode 140 refers to the length of a single straight-edge electrode extending along the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic membrane 100.
[0088] Optionally, based on any of the above embodiments, an improvement is made in which the length of the corner electrode 130 is equal to the length of the straight-edge electrode 140. Therefore, by setting the corner electrodes and the straight-edge electrodes equal in length, the disclosed embodiment avoids the corner electrodes being too short, which would cause the electric fields generated by the first spacer regions 200 on two adjacent sides to overlap, thereby increasing the corner electric field and causing premature failure in the corner area.
[0089] Optionally, based on any of the above embodiments, the length of the corner electrode 130 is smaller than the length of the straight-edge electrode 140. Optionally, the ratio of the straight-edge electrode length to the corner electrode length is 3:1 to 2:1. By reducing the length of the corner electrode 130, the contact area between the corner region of the conductive layer and the busbar is reduced, thereby increasing the corresponding surface resistance at that location, thereby reducing the current flow and, in turn, lowering the electric field strength at the corner of the electrochromic film 100. This allows the field strength of the entire film to reach a balanced state, reducing the risk of film corner failure.
[0090] Optionally, based on any of the above embodiments, an improvement is made, wherein the straight-edge electrodes are multiple, and multiple straight-edge electrodes with opposite electrical properties are alternately arranged, and the electrical properties of the corner electrodes and the adjacent straight-edge electrodes are opposite, so as to form a multi-electrode structure. It can be understood that the embodiment of the present disclosure forms a multi-electrode structure at the edge portion 120 to increase the conduction speed of the current in the electrochromic film 100, thereby increasing the color change speed of the electrochromic film 100. The number of straight-edge electrodes can be specifically set according to actual conditions.
[0091] Optionally, based on any of the above embodiments, improvements are made, in which, in the same edge of the electrochromic film 100, the same edge refers to each edge of the electrochromic film 100, such as the first edge, the second edge, the third edge, and the fourth edge. The lengths of the second spacers 300 between any two adjacent straight-edge electrodes are equal. For large-area color-changing devices, the distance between the two relative sides is longer, and the electric field where the electric fields generated by the second spacers 300 on the corresponding relative sides are superimposed on each other is relatively small. In other words, the possibility of the second spacers 300 on the corresponding relative sides affecting each other is relatively small. If the length of the straight-edge electrode is large, the influence between the two second spacers 300 on the same side can also be ignored. Therefore, the lengths of the second spacers 300 on the edges are set to be equal, so that the entire film structure is more neatly processed.
[0092] Optionally, based on any of the above embodiments, improvements may be made. As shown in FIG. 7 to FIG. 9 , in other embodiments of the present disclosure, within the same edge of the electrochromic film 100, the length of the second spacer 300 decreases from both ends of the edge to the middle of the edge; the length of the second spacer 300 gradually decreases from the side close to the corner electrode 130 to the side away from the corner electrode 130. Of course, in other embodiments, when the device area is large, within the same edge, the length of the first spacer 200 may be greater than the length of any second spacer 300, or the length of the middle second spacer 300 may be the largest among the second spacers 300. Since the middle second spacer 300 is relatively far from the corner, its impact on the corner area is negligible. In this case, the length of the second spacer 300 may be increased.
[0093] For example, in the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100, when the number of the second spacers 300 located on one side of the edge of the electrochromic film 100 is 5, the length of the first overlapping area is d1, and the lengths of the 5 second spacers 300 from one end to the other end of the edge portion 120 are d2, d3, d4, d3, and d2 respectively.
[0094] It can be understood that d4<d3<d2<d1. It should be noted that, for small-area devices, the distance between the two sides is small, especially when the length of the straight-edge electrode is small, since each spacer will spread to the surroundings, the closer the spacer is to the corner area, the greater the electric field intensity of the overlapped spacer at the corner; therefore, by adjusting the length of each second spacer 300 located on the same side of the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100, that is, the length of each second spacer 300 is reduced in sequence from the direction away from the corner area, that is, on the same side. , each spacer area decreases from both ends to the middle, so that the field strength of each second spacer area 300 tends to increase from the direction away from the corner area; therefore, the overlapping field strength of each second spacer area 300 in the corner area is smaller and more balanced with the electric field in other areas, further reducing the superimposed electric field strength of the corner portion of the electrochromic film 100, further improving the uniformity of the electric field strength of the entire film during the charging process, avoiding the phenomenon of local premature aging at the corner portion of the electrochromic film 100, and improving the stability and service life of the electrochromic film 100. In addition, the length of the second spacer area 300 in this embodiment is smaller in the middle, and the smaller the length of the spacer area, the faster the corresponding color change speed. Since the middle is closer to the visual area of the human eye and is the first thing to notice, the middle part of the electrochromic film 100 can quickly respond to voltage changes and change color, thereby better satisfying the human visual effect.
[0095] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the length L1 of the first spacer 200 is in the range of 5 mm < L1 ≤ 200 mm. The length L1 is in any of the following ranges: 5 mm < L1 ≤ 200 mm, 5 mm < L1 ≤ 150 mm, 5 mm < L1 ≤ 100 mm, 5 mm < L1 ≤ 50 mm, 5 mm < L1 ≤ 25 mm, 5 mm < L1 ≤ 20 mm, 5 mm < L1 ≤ 15 mm, or 5 mm < L1 ≤ 10 mm.
[0096] In addition, the length L2 of the second spacer 300 has a value range of 5 mm ≤ L2 < 200 mm.
[0097] It should be noted that the value range of L2 is any range of 5mm<L1≤200mm, 5mm<L1≤150mm, 5mm<L1≤100mm, 5mm<L1≤50mm, 5mm<L1≤25mm, 5mm<L1≤20mm, 5mm<L1≤15mm, and 5mm<L1≤10mm.
[0098] It is understandable that 5mm≤L2<L1≤200mm. By controlling the length of the first spacer 200 and the length of the second spacer 300 between 5mm and 200mm, it is possible to avoid the length of the spacer being greater than the length of the electrode area, which affects the electrical conduction speed of the diaphragm and thus affects the electrochromic speed. Specifically, when the length of the edge portion 120 is a certain value, if the length of the spacer is reduced, the length of the electrode area increases. Therefore, by reducing the length of the spacer, it is possible to ensure the balance of the electric field strength in the corner area and the non-corner area of the edge portion 120, while also increasing the length of the electrode area to increase the conduction speed of the current on the electrochromic film 100, thereby increasing the color change speed of the electrochromic film 100.
[0099] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the sum of the total length of the first spacer 200 and the total length of the second spacer 300 is S1, and the sum of the total length of the straight-edge electrode 140 and the total length of the corner electrode 130 is S2.
[0100] It should be noted that the sum of the total length of the first spacer 200 and the total length of the second spacer 300, S1, refers to the sum of the total length of the first spacer 200 and the total length of the second spacer 300 on each side of the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100. In addition, the sum of the total length of the straight-edge electrode 140 and the total length of the corner electrode 130, S2, refers to the sum of the length of the straight-edge electrode 140 and the total length of the corner electrode 130 on the same side of the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100.
[0101] Wherein, the ratio between S1 and S2 is n, specifically, n=S1 / S2, and the value range of n is 1 / 11≤n<1. The length of the edge portion 120 along the periphery of the electrochromic film 100 is S, wherein S=S1+S2, and the longer the length of S2, the shorter the length of S1. Optionally, the value of n is 1 / 11. Since the electrochromic film 100 is electrically connected to the external power supply through the corner electrodes and straight-edge electrodes provided at the edge portion 120, and the busbar is connected to the corner electrodes and the straight-edge electrodes, therefore, when the length of S2 is longer, the contact area between the busbar and the corner electrodes and the straight-edge electrodes is larger, and the current is conducted through the corner electrodes and the straight-edge electrodes to the edge portion 120 and the center portion 110 of the electrochromic film 100 faster, thereby improving the color change speed of the electrochromic film 100. In addition, when the electrochromic film 100 is assembled, since the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100 has the first spacer area 200 and the second spacer area 300, the thickness of the spacer area and the electrode area is uneven, which will cause wrinkles to easily appear when the electrochromic film 100 is assembled. Therefore, by increasing the length of the corner electrode and the straight-edge electrode, the length of the first spacer area 200 and the second spacer area 300 is reduced, thereby avoiding wrinkles when the electrochromic film 100 is assembled, and improving the aesthetics, stability and safety of the edge of the electrochromic film 100.
[0102] Specifically, by reducing the ratio between the length of the spacer and the length of the electrode on the same side of the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100, the length of the electrode area (i.e., the straight-edge electrode and the corner electrode) is increased relative to the spacer. Since the straight-edge electrode and the corner electrode are longer at the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100, the larger the contact area with the bus bar, the faster the current is conducted through the bus bar to the straight-edge electrode and the corner electrode when the bus bar is electrically connected to the external power supply, thereby increasing the conduction speed of the current on the electrochromic film 100 and thus improving the color change speed of the electrochromic film 100.
[0103] Optionally, improvements are made based on any of the above embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 1, 5 and 6. Figure 1 shows that the corner electrode and the adjacent corner electrode are located in the same conductive layer. If the corner electrode and the adjacent corner electrode are located in different conductive layers, then as shown in Figures 5 and 6, in the two schemes, the projections of each electrode on the electrochromic layer 170 are consistent, but because they are located in different conductive layers, the orientations of the grooves are inconsistent. Exemplarily, as shown in Figure 10, the corner portion of the electrochromic film 100 is provided with a first groove 800 and a second groove 900. Among them, the number of the first groove 800 and the number of the second groove 900 can be one, two or more than two arbitrary values, respectively, and can be specifically set according to actual conditions. In this embodiment, a first groove 800 and a second groove 900 are alternately provided on each edge of the electrochromic film 100, and there is a spacing area between adjacent first grooves 800 and second grooves 900.
[0104] Among them, the bus bar includes a first bus bar 400 and a second bus bar 500, and the first bus bar 400 and the second bus bar 500 are respectively arranged on both sides of the thickness direction of the electrochromic film 100, one bus bar is electrically connected to the first conductive layer 160, and the other bus bar is electrically connected to the second conductive layer 180, and the two bus bars are separated by a spacer in the non-electrode area to avoid the short circuit phenomenon caused by contact between the first bus bar 400 and the second bus bar 500, so as to improve the stability and safety of the first bus bar 400 and the second bus bar 500 in the process of forming electrical connections with the external power supply respectively.
[0105] In addition, the corner electrode 130 includes a first corner electrode 131 and a second corner electrode 132. It should be noted that the first corner electrode 131 and the second corner electrode 132 are arranged at intervals, that is, one first corner electrode 131 or one second corner electrode 132 is provided at each corner of the electrochromic film 100.
[0106] Specifically, the first groove 800 sequentially penetrates the first base layer 150, the first conductive layer 160, and the electrochromic layer 170 along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film 100 to expose a portion of the second conductive layer 180. The second conductive layer 180 exposed by the first groove 800 forms the first corner electrode 131, and the first corner electrode 131 is electrically connected to the first bus bar 400. It will be understood that when the first bus bar 400 is electrically connected to an external power source, the current of the external power source can be conducted to the second conductive layer 180 through the first bus bar 400, thereby forming an electrical connection between the second conductive layer 180 and the external power source. In this embodiment, the area of the second conductive layer 180 exposed by the first groove 800 and in contact with the external power source is the first corner electrode 131, which serves to conduct the external power from the corner portion of the second conductive layer 180 to the center portion 110 of the second conductive layer 180 of the electrochromic film 100.
[0107] In addition, the second groove 900 sequentially penetrates the second base layer 190, the second conductive layer 180, and the electrochromic layer 170 in the thickness direction of the electrochromic film 100 to expose a portion of the first conductive layer 160. The second corner electrode 132 is formed corresponding to the first conductive layer 160 exposed by the second groove 900. The second corner electrode 132 is electrically connected to the second bus bar 500. It can be understood that when the second bus bar 500 is electrically connected to an external power source, the current of the external power source can be conducted to the first conductive layer 160 through the second bus bar 500, thereby forming an electrical connection between the first conductive layer 160 and the external power source. In this embodiment, the area of the first conductive layer 160 exposed by the second groove 900 and in contact with the external power source is the second corner electrode 132, which serves to conduct the external power from the corner portion of the first conductive layer 160 to the center portion 110 of the first conductive layer 160 of the electrochromic film 100.
[0108] It should be noted that the electrochromic film 100 is electrically connected to the external power source by connecting the first bus bar 400 and the second bus bar 500 to the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the external power source respectively.
[0109] Optionally, based on any of the above embodiments of the present disclosure, improvements are made, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 7, and 9, wherein the straight-edge electrode 140 includes a first straight-edge electrode 141 and a second straight-edge electrode 142. It should be noted that the first straight-edge electrode 141 and the second straight-edge electrode 142 are arranged at intervals on the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100, and the first straight-edge electrode 141 and the second straight-edge electrode 142 are respectively configured to be electrically connected to the positive and negative poles of an external power supply.
[0110] As shown in FIG5 and FIG6 , the straight side of the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100 is provided with a third groove 1000 and a fourth groove 1100 , and the third groove 1000 and the fourth groove 1100 are arranged at intervals.
[0111] Specifically, the third groove 1000 passes through the first base layer 150, the first conductive layer 160 and the electrochromic layer 170 in sequence along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film 100 to expose a portion of the second conductive layer 180, and the first straight-edge electrode 141 is formed corresponding to the second conductive layer 180 exposed by the third groove 1000. The first straight-edge electrode 141 is electrically connected to the first bus bar 400 and contacts the external power supply through the first bus bar 400. It can be understood that in this embodiment, the area of the second conductive layer 180 exposed by the third groove 1000 and in contact with the external power supply is the first straight-edge electrode 141, which serves to conduct the external power supply from the straight-edge portion of the second conductive layer 180 to the central portion 110 of the second conductive layer 180 of the electrochromic film 100; the first straight-edge electrode 141 and the first corner electrode 131 are arranged at the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100 to form a multi-electrode structure at the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100. By attaching the first bus bar 400 to one side of the electrochromic film 100 in the thickness direction and contacting it with the first straight-edge electrode 141 and the first corner electrode 131, the multi-electrode setting can improve the conduction speed of the current of the external power supply through the second conductive layer 180.
[0112] At the same time, the fourth groove 1100 sequentially penetrates the second base layer 190, the second conductive layer 180, and the electrochromic layer 170 along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film 100 to expose a portion of the first conductive layer 160. The second straight-edge electrode 142 is formed corresponding to the first conductive layer 160 exposed by the fourth groove 1100. In this embodiment, the area of the first conductive layer 160 exposed by the fourth groove 1100 that contacts the external power source serves as the second straight-edge electrode 142, which serves to conduct the external power source from the edge straight edge of the first conductive layer 160 to the center portion 110 of the first conductive layer 160 of the electrochromic film 100.
[0113] Optionally, based on the above embodiment, the busbars may be further improved, wherein the busbars include a first busbar 400 and a second busbar 500, and the first straight-edge electrode 141 is electrically connected to the first busbar 400. It is understood that the first straight-edge electrode 141 and the first corner electrode 131 are provided at the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100 to form a multi-electrode structure at the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100. By placing the first busbar 400 on one side of the thickness line of the electrochromic film 100 and contacting the first straight-edge electrode 141 and the first corner electrode 131, the multi-electrode arrangement can increase the conduction speed of the current from the external power source through the second conductive layer 180. The second straight-edge electrode 142 is electrically connected to the second busbar 500. It can be understood that a second straight-edge electrode 142 and a second corner electrode 132 are provided at the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100 to form a multi-electrode structure at the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100. The second bus bar 500 is attached to the other side of the electrochromic film 100 in the thickness direction and is electrically connected to the second straight-edge electrode 142 and the second corner electrode 132. The second bus bar 400 supplies power to the electrochromic film 100 together, thereby improving the conduction speed of the current of the external power supply through the first conductive layer 160.
[0114] Specifically, by arranging a first corner electrode 131, a second corner electrode 132, a first straight-side electrode 141 and a second straight-side electrode 142 at the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100, and connecting them to the positive and negative electrodes of the external power supply through the first bus bar 400 and the second bus bar 500, respectively, the external current is conducted from the edge portion 120 to the center portion 110 of the electrochromic film 100, so as to increase the conduction speed of the current of the external power supply in the first conductive layer 160 and the second conductive layer 180, thereby increasing the color changing speed of the electrochromic film 100.
[0115] Optionally, further improvements are made based on any of the above embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 1, 6 and 7. In order to reduce the electric field at the corner of the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100 and prevent the electric field of the corner electrode 130 from affecting the central portion 110 of the electrochromic film 100, a blocking portion is provided at the corner portion, and the blocking portion blocks or reduces the current at the corner electrode from being transmitted from the blocking portion to the central portion 110. Specifically, since the current is conducted from the busbar to the edge portion 120 of the conductive layer to the center portion 110 of the conductive layer, the blocking portion is arranged on the side of the edge portion 120 close to the center portion 110, so as to block the current of the busbar from being conducted from the edge portion 120 of the conductive layer to the center portion 110 of the conductive layer of the electrochromic film 100 through the blocking portion arranged at the corner of the edge portion 120, thereby reducing the current at the corner of the electrochromic film 100 and preventing the electrochromic layer 170 at the corner from being in a state of overcharge and over-discharge for a long time and causing premature failure; in addition, by reducing the current at the corner, the electric field strength at the corner is reduced, so as to achieve a balanced electric field strength in the corner area and non-corner area of the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100, thereby avoiding the phenomenon of aging failure at the corner or local area of the entire electrochromic film 100, and improving the stability and durability of the electrochromic film 100.
[0116] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the barrier portion includes a first barrier portion 600 and a second barrier portion 700. The first barrier portion 600 is provided corresponding to the first corner electrode 131, and the second barrier portion 700 is provided corresponding to the second corner electrode 132. Both the first barrier portion 600 and the second barrier portion 700 are located on the side of the first busbar 400 that is close to the central portion 110. By providing a barrier portion penetrating the corresponding conductive layer at each corner electrode, the structure is simpler, more compact, and symmetrical. The thickness of the diaphragm is also prevented from being locally too thick, thereby affecting the quality of the assembly. Furthermore, the production process is simplified.
[0117] As shown in FIG4 , the first barrier portion 600 corresponds to the first corner electrode 131 and penetrates at least the conductive layer in contact with the busbar in the thickness direction of the electrochromic film 100. The first corner electrode 131 is formed by a first groove 800 that penetrates the first substrate, the first conductive layer 160, and the electrochromic layer 170, revealing the second conductive layer 180. At this point, the barrier portion can be formed by laser etching at the position of the second groove 900 away from the center portion 110. Since the first groove 800 has already been etched in the corner after the electrode is cut, as shown in FIG2 , it is only necessary to cut the barrier portion based on the first groove 800. This arrangement effectively prevents current from being conducted from the first barrier portion 600 to the corner of the conductive layer, effectively preventing premature failure at the corner. Furthermore, the film production process is simple, and the laser cutting process is relatively low cost, saving time and money. In other optional embodiments, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the distance between the first barrier portion 600 and the first groove 800 ranges from 1 mm to 20 mm, and the distance between the second barrier portion 700 and the second groove 900 ranges from 1 mm to 20 mm. This allows sufficient distance between the barrier portion and the bus bar, allowing space for the bus bar to adhere, and preventing the bus bar from being too wide and being attached to the side of the conductive layer near the center portion 110, thereby failing to effectively prevent the bus bar from conducting from the corner to the center. Alternatively, the depth data of the first groove 800 at the corner can be directly modified when cutting the first groove 800 at the corner, such as setting the first groove 800 at the corner to pass through the first substrate, the first conductive layer 160, the electrochromic layer 170, and the second conductive layer 180. The first barrier portion 600 can be formed at any location between the edge of the first groove 800 and the busbar. Of course, in other embodiments, the first barrier portion 600 can also be positioned on one side of the groove near the center, such as by infrared radiation penetrating the second substrate and acting on the second conductive layer 180 at the corresponding location, or by laser cutting through the second substrate and the second conductive layer 180. The method for forming the corresponding second barrier portion 700, which penetrates the corresponding second corner electrode 132 and at least penetrates the first conductive layer 160 in the thickness direction of the electrochromic film 100, can refer to any of the above-mentioned methods for forming the first barrier portion 600, and will not be further described here.
[0118] As shown in FIG. 10 , in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the barrier portion is disposed between the bus bar and the corner electrode 130 .
[0119] Optionally, the barrier portion is disposed between the bus bar and the conductive layer, and the surface resistance of the barrier portion is greater than the surface resistance of the bus bar. As shown in FIG10 , in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first barrier portion 600 is disposed between the bus bar and the first corner electrode 131. The barrier portion can be an insulating high-temperature glue, an insulating glue, or other materials with relatively high resistance. That is, a first barrier portion 600 is provided between the first bus bar 400 and the first corner electrode 131. The first barrier portion 600 separates the first bus bar 400 from the first corner electrode 131 to prevent direct contact between the bus bar and the first corner electrode 131. The first barrier portion 600 blocks or reduces the current from the first bus bar 400 during conduction to the first corner electrode 131, thereby reducing the magnitude of the current conducted to the first corner electrode 131 and reducing the electric field strength of the conductive layer corresponding to the first corner electrode 131.
[0120] And / or the second blocking portion 700 is arranged between the bus bar and the second corner electrode 132, that is, a second blocking portion 700 is provided between the second bus bar 500 and the second corner electrode 132, and the second blocking portion 700 is used to separate the second bus bar 500 from the second corner electrode 132 to avoid direct contact between the second bus bar 500 and the second corner electrode 132, so as to form a blocking, limiting or reducing effect on the current of the second bus bar 500 during the conduction to the second corner electrode 132 through the second blocking portion 700, thereby reducing the current conducted to the second corner electrode 132 and reducing the electric field strength at the second corner electrode 132.
[0121] It should be noted that in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first blocking portion 600 and the second blocking portion 700 are respectively insulating materials, which include insulating glue or high-temperature glue, so as to block the current on the first bus bar 400 from being conducted to the first corner electrode 131 through the first blocking portion 600, and block the current on the second bus bar 500 from being conducted to the second corner electrode 132 through the second blocking portion 700, thereby avoiding the influence of the electric field at the first corner electrode 131 and the electric field at the second corner electrode 132 on the interior of the electrochromic film 100, so as to improve the stability of the electrochromic film 100 and the balance between the electric field at the corners and the electric field at non-corners of the electrochromic film 100, thereby improving the service life of the electrochromic film 100. In addition, the first bus bar 400 and the second bus bar 500 can be bonded to the electrochromic film 100 by insulating glue and high-temperature glue to improve the stability of the connection between the first bus bar 400 and the second bus bar 500 and the electrochromic film 100 respectively.
[0122] As shown in FIG11 , some embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a color-changing device, which may be used in, but is not limited to, any of a vehicle sunroof, side windows, rearview mirrors, building curtain walls, and electronic device housings. The device comprises at least one substrate layer 1200 and the electrochromic film 100 described in any of the aforementioned embodiments, wherein the substrate layer 1200 and the electrochromic film 100 are stacked.
[0123] Specifically, the substrate layer 1200 is a transparent structure. For example, the substrate layer 1200 can be transparent glass, a transparent acrylic plate, or a transparent PVC plate.
[0124] The electrochromic film 100 is sandwiched between two substrate layers 1200 , and the edges of the electrochromic film 100 are sealed by a sealant. At the same time, the two substrate layers 1200 are connected by PVB to form a sealed color-changing device.
[0125] The sealant is a transparent insulating colloid, and may be, for example, PVB (Polyvinyl Butyral) or OCA (Optically Clear Adhesive).
[0126] In addition, the sealant can not only form adhesion between the two substrate layers 1200 and the electrochromic film 100, but also seal the electrochromic film 100 to isolate oxygen and air, preventing the electrochromic film 100 from contacting external moisture and oxygen, thereby increasing the service life of the electrochromic film 100 and the service life of the color-changing device.
[0127] In addition, a shielding layer 1300 is provided on the surface of the substrate layer 1200, corresponding to the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100. The shielding layer 1300 can be provided on the inner or outer surface of the substrate layer 1200; the shielding layer 1300 can be made of a shielding material such as metal or black ink. As shown in the figure, the width of the shielding layer 1300 is greater than or equal to the width of the edge portion 120. To prevent users from directly viewing the edge portion 120 of the electrochromic film 100 through the transparent substrate layer 1200, the shielding layer 1300 is provided at the edge of the substrate layer 1200. The shielding layer 1300 shields the busbars and barrier portion at the edge of the electrochromic film 100, thereby enhancing the aesthetics of the color-changing device. In addition, the width of the shielding layer 1300 is greater than the width of the edge portion 120. Generally speaking, the width of the shielding layer 1300 extends from the outer edge of the film toward the center area, exceeding the edge portion 120 of the film. Optionally, the shielding layer 1300 extends beyond the width of the corner electrode by 10 mm to 20 mm. Due to the long-term use of the diaphragm, the edge portion 120 will fail earlier. The shielding layer 1300 is provided to cover the edge portion 120 of the diaphragm and also to shield the part that may fail, thereby preventing the user from directly observing the failed area and affecting the user's vision.
[0128] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a terminal product comprising the electrochromic film 100 or the color-changing device described above, wherein the terminal product comprises any one of a rearview mirror, a curtain wall, a car sunroof, a car side window, a car windshield, an electronic product housing, glasses, a vehicle, and a display panel. The alternate vehicle may be a car, a train, an airplane, or the like. Because the terminal product utilizes the electrochromic film 100, it possesses all the advantages of the aforementioned electrochromic film 100.
[0129] In all examples shown and described herein, any specific values should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not limiting, and thus other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.
[0130] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined or explained in subsequent drawings.
[0131] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation methods of the present disclosure. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would be able to make various modifications and improvements without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Industrial Applicability
[0132] The present disclosure provides an electrochromic film, a color-changing device, and a terminal product, wherein the electrochromic film includes an edge portion; the edge portion includes: a corner portion corresponding to a corner area of the electrochromic film and a straight edge portion corresponding to a non-corner area of the electrochromic film; the corner portion is provided with a corner electrode, and each straight edge portion is provided with a straight edge electrode; a first spacing region is formed between the corner electrode and an adjacent straight edge electrode, and a second spacing region is formed between two adjacent straight edge electrodes; the length of the first spacing region is L1, and the length of the second spacing region is L2, wherein L2 is less than L1. By setting the length of the first spacing region to be greater than the length of the second spacing region, the electrochromic layer in the corner area changes color uniformly with other areas, and overcharging and over-discharging are prevented, thereby effectively preventing premature corner failure of the electrochromic film.
[0133] Furthermore, it is understood that the electrochromic film, color-changing device, and end product disclosed herein are reproducible and can be used in a variety of industrial applications. For example, the electrochromic film, color-changing device, and end product disclosed herein can be used in the field of electrochromic technology.
Claims
1. An electrochromic film, characterized in that: The electrochromic film comprises an edge portion; The edge portion includes: a corner portion corresponding to the corner area of the electrochromic film and a straight edge portion corresponding to the non-corner area of the electrochromic film, the corner portion is provided with a corner electrode, and the straight edge portion is provided with a straight edge electrode; A first spacing region is formed between the corner electrode and the adjacent straight-edge electrode, and a second spacing region is formed between two adjacent straight-edge electrodes; The length of the first spacing area is L1, and the length of the second spacing area is L2, wherein L2<L1.
2. The electrochromic film according to claim 1, characterized in that: The length of the corner electrode is L3, and the length of the straight edge electrode is L4, wherein L3≤L4, and / or L1 <L4。 3. The electrochromic film according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ratio between L1 and L2 is m, and the value range of m is 1≤m≤4.
4. The electrochromic film according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The corner electrodes have opposite polarities to the adjacent straight-edge electrodes.
5. The electrochromic film according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are a plurality of straight-edge electrodes, and the second spacing area is formed between two adjacent straight-edge electrodes; Wherein, in the same edge of the electrochromic film, the lengths of the second spacing areas between two adjacent straight-edge electrodes are equal; or the length of the second spacing areas decreases from both ends of the edge to the middle of the edge.
6. The electrochromic film according to claim 1, characterized in that: The length L1 of the first spacing area has a value range of 5 mm < L1 ≤ 200 mm; And / or the length L2 of the second spacing area has a value range of 5 mm ≤ L2 < 200 mm.
7. The electrochromic film according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sum of the total length of the first spacer and the total length of the second spacer is S1; The sum of the total length of the straight edge electrodes and the total length of the corner electrodes is S2; The ratio between S1 and S2 is n, and the value range of n is 1 / 11≤n<1.
8. The electrochromic film according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electrochromic film comprises a first substrate layer, a first conductive layer, an electrochromic layer, a second conductive layer and a second substrate layer which are stacked in sequence; the corner portion is provided with a first groove and a second groove; The corner electrodes include a first corner electrode and a second corner electrode; The first groove penetrates the first substrate layer, the first conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film to expose a portion of the second conductive layer to form the first corner electrode; The second groove penetrates the second substrate layer, the second conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film to expose a portion of the first conductive layer to form the second corner electrode.
9. The electrochromic film according to claim 8, characterized in that: The straight-edge electrode comprises a first straight-edge electrode and a second straight-edge electrode, and the straight-edge portion is alternately provided with a third groove and a fourth groove; The third groove penetrates the first substrate layer, the first conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film to expose a portion of the second conductive layer to form the first straight-edge electrode; The fourth groove penetrates the second substrate layer, the second conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film to expose a portion of the first conductive layer to form the second straight-edge electrode.
10. The electrochromic film according to claim 8, characterized in that: The straight-edge electrode includes a first straight-edge electrode and a second straight-edge electrode, and the electrochromic film further includes a bus bar, and the bus bar includes a first bus bar and a second bus bar; The straight edge portion is alternately provided with a third groove and a fourth groove; The third groove penetrates the first substrate layer, the first conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film to expose a portion of the second conductive layer to form the first straight-edge electrode; The fourth groove penetrates the second substrate layer, the second conductive layer and the electrochromic layer along the thickness direction of the electrochromic film to expose a portion of the first conductive layer to form the second straight-edge electrode; The second bus bar is electrically connected to the second straight-edge electrode and the second corner electrode, and the first bus bar is electrically connected to the first straight-edge electrode and the first corner electrode.
11. The electrochromic film according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The vertical distance between two points of the first preset distance corresponding to any point on the edge portion to the line segment formed by the two points is the second preset distance. When the second preset distance is less than or equal to n times the first preset distance, the value range of n is 5% to 10%, and the edge portion corresponding to the two points is a straight edge portion; Or any point on the edge portion corresponding to two points at a first preset distance divides the edge portion between the two points into a first segment and a second segment, the line passing through the point tangent to the first segment is the first tangent, and the line passing through the point tangent to the second segment is the second tangent, and when the angle between the first tangent and the second tangent is greater than or equal to 135°, the edge portion corresponding to the two points is a straight edge portion.
12. The electrochromic film according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The vertical distance between two points of the first preset distance corresponding to any point on the edge portion to the line segment formed by the two points is the second preset distance. When the second preset distance is greater than n times the first preset distance, the value range of n is 5% to 10%, and the edge portion corresponding to the two points is the corner portion; Or the corner portion includes a vertex and two ends connected on both sides; any point on the edge portion corresponds to two points at a first preset distance, and the edge portion between the two points is divided into a first segment and a second segment. The line passing through the point and tangent to the first segment is the first tangent, and the line passing through the point and tangent to the second segment is the second tangent. When the angle between the first tangent and the second tangent is less than 135°, the point is the vertex of the corner portion.
13. The electrochromic film according to claim 11, characterized in that: The first preset distance has a value range of 30 mm to 300 mm.
14. The electrochromic film according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The corner area is an area formed between the ends of two straight sides, and the angle between the two straight sides is less than 135°; or the vertical distance from any point on the edge portion corresponding to two points of the first preset distance to the line segment connecting the two points is a second preset distance, and when the second preset distance is greater than n times the first preset distance, the range of n is 5% to 10%, and the area formed by the edge portion corresponding to the two points is a corner area.
15. The electrochromic film according to claim 10, characterized in that: A blocking portion is correspondingly arranged at the corner electrode, and the blocking portion is configured to block or limit the current conducted by the corner electrode from being conducted from the blocking portion to the central portion.
16. The electrochromic film according to claim 15, characterized in that: The barrier portion includes an etched area formed by etching a portion of the conductive layer and / or a filler having a greater resistance than the bus bar.
17. A color changing device, characterized in that: The invention comprises at least one substrate layer and the electrochromic film according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the substrate layer and the electrochromic film are stacked.
18. A terminal product, characterized in that: An electrochromic film comprising any one of claims 1 to 16 or The color changing device according to claim 17, wherein: The terminal product includes any one of a rearview mirror, a curtain wall, a car sunroof, a car side window, a car windshield, a housing of an electronic product, glasses, a vehicle and a display panel.
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