Electrochromic Lens Sealing Layout for Tint and Visual Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrochromic lenses for eyewear lack sufficient design freedom in tint control and suffer from reduced performance due to yellowish reflected light and compromised moisture and oxygen gas barrier properties from wide sealing members.
Innovation Solution
The electrochromic lens and sheet designs incorporate specific ratios and configurations of sealing member areas, transparent base material layers, and electrode structures to control reflected light chromaticity and maintain performance, including a sealing member with defined edge ratios and through electrodes, along with transparent electrode layers made from materials like ITO and FTO.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wide sealing member is used to ensure moisture and oxygen gas barrier properties, then the barrier performance is improved, but the visual comfort is reduced and the seal becomes visually recognizable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetric positioning of the sealing member, placing it at specific positions (e.g., upper or lower edge) rather than uniformly around the cavity. This dimensional repositioning allows the seal to maintain barrier function while reducing visual prominence in critical viewing areas, thus improving visual comfort without sacrificing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member is strategically positioned only where needed for barrier protection (e.g., at the upper or lower edge) rather than uniformly surrounding the entire cavity. This local placement optimizes the balance between maintaining moisture and oxygen barrier properties and minimizing visual impact on the user's field of view
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the sealing member width is reduced to improve visual comfort, then the visual recognition is reduced, but the moisture barrier properties and oxygen gas barrier properties are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of reducing sealing member width uniformly, the patent repositions the seal to specific dimensional locations (upper or lower edges) where it provides barrier protection without interfering with the user's visual field, thus maintaining both visual comfort and barrier performance
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member is concentrated at specific critical locations (e.g., upper or lower edge) rather than distributed uniformly. This local concentration ensures adequate barrier properties at key areas while minimizing visual impact, resolving the contradiction between seal visibility and barrier performance
3Illumination intensity
If the electrochromic element is used with standard transparent electrode layers, then the light transmittance is good, but the degree of freedom in design of the tint is limited due to yellowish reflected light
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the optical parameters of the transparent electrode layers by controlling their thickness (40-200 nm) and material composition (ITO, FTO, ATO, IZO). These parameter changes adjust the reflected light characteristics to reduce yellowish tint while maintaining good light transmittance, thereby expanding design freedom for the electrochromic lens
4Reliability
If the transparent electrode layer thickness is increased to improve electrical conductivity, then the electrical performance is improved, but the light transmittance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the thickness parameter of transparent electrode layers within the range of 40-200 nm. This precise parameter control ensures sufficient electrical conductivity for electrochromic operation while maintaining adequate light transmittance, resolving the trade-off between electrical performance and optical performance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The designs enhance tint design freedom and appearance while maintaining performance, improving mechanical strength and reducing visual discomfort by controlling reflected light and sealing member visibility.
Implementation Method 1
An electrochromic element is known as an element utilizing electrochromism that is a phenomenon in which a redox reaction occurs reversibly by applying a voltage, and a transmittance changes reversibly
Implementation Method 2
a redox reaction occurs reversibly by applying a voltage
Implementation Method 3
a* and b* in CIE 1976 L*a*b* chromaticity coordinates of reflected light obtained by irradiating a surface of the electrochromic sheet
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(d)
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
An electrochromic lens (300) includes an electrochromic element (10); a sealing member (8) that covers a side surface of the electrochromic element (10); and a pair of transparent base material layers (a first transparent base material layer (1) and a second transparent base material layer (7)) that sandwich the electrochromic element (10) and the sealing member (8), and satisfies a predetermined Requirement a.