Liquid Crystal Protective Glasses with Electronic Light Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current eyewear technologies, such as photochromic, electrochromic, and liquid crystal lenses, fail to provide optimal light protection and vision adaptation to sudden changes in ambient lighting conditions, especially in dynamic environments like sports and transportation, due to slow response times, poor control over light transmission, and mechanical stress issues.
Innovation Solution
The development of protective glasses featuring a structural lens with a GH liquid crystal film controlled by an electronic board and a photovoltaic cell, which maintains maximum transparency until a specific lighting threshold is reached, then adjusts transparency based on ambient lighting levels using a non-linear activation curve, and includes a depolarizing layer and a sensitivity cone for adaptive light management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If photochromic lenses are used to automatically adapt to ambient light, then light protection is provided, but response time is slow and control over light transmission is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical reaction mechanism of photochromic lenses with an electronic control system using liquid crystal films. The liquid crystal film's optical properties are controlled by an electronic board that receives signals from a light sensor, enabling fast electronic response instead of slow chemical transitions. This substitution of chemical mechanism with electronic control resolves the contradiction between automatic light adaptation and slow response time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback control system where a light sensor continuously monitors ambient lighting conditions and sends signals to an electronic board, which then adjusts the liquid crystal film's transparency accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables precise control over light transmission, allowing the lens to respond quickly and accurately to changing light conditions, thereby resolving the issue of poor control over light transmission.
2Adaptability or versatility
If photochromic lenses are used for automatic light adaptation, then light protection is achieved, but mechanical stress causes strong alterations in local transparency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanically sensitive photochromic chemical system with an electronically controlled liquid crystal system. The liquid crystal film's optical properties are adjusted through electrical signals rather than chemical reactions, making it immune to mechanical stress-induced transparency changes. This substitution eliminates the reliability issue caused by mechanical stress while maintaining automatic light adaptation capability.
3Illumination intensity
If GH liquid crystal film is used to increase transparency, then light protection is improved, but mechanical stresses cause strong alterations in local transparency level
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses electronically controlled liquid crystal technology instead of mechanically sensitive GH liquid crystal films. The electronic control mechanism adjusts optical properties through electrical signals, eliminating sensitivity to mechanical stresses that would otherwise cause local transparency variations. This allows maintenance of high light transmission while ensuring transparency uniformity under mechanical stress conditions.
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
These glasses ensure optimal protection and comfortable vision across a wide range of lighting conditions by maintaining maximum transparency in low-light situations and adjusting as needed, providing a large optimal usage range and reducing mechanical stress on the lens.
Implementation Method 1
a recess (4) in which a photovoltaic cell (51) is housed
Implementation Method 2
at least one liquid crystal film (9) arranged internally with respect to the structural lens (8)
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are protective glasses and/or sunglasses equipped with a frame adapted to support a lens assembly having at least one structural lens made of plastics material and at least one liquid crystal (LC) film of the guest host type arranged on an inner side of the at least one structural lens and controlled by an electronic board powered by an energy source. The at least one structural lens has a free edge extending beyond an outline of the at least one LC film at which the lens assembly is fixed to the frame. A free space is provided between the frame and the at least one LC film. The frame is provided with a vertically projecting rib covering the free edge and the free space. The rib not only reduces deformations of the lens assembly, but also prevents infiltrations of light around the LC film that would compromise comfortable vision.