Light control device

• US 20070058114A1
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited (AGC, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited (AGC, Inc.)
• Inventors: Niiyama, Satoshi, Tsushima, Hitoshi, Ito, Hiroshige, Takahashi, Kunihisa
• Application Number:
  US11/518,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20070058114A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/106
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13 based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13336 Combining plural substrates to produce large-area displays, e.g. tiled displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133512 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix G02F1/136209 takes precedence

Abstract

In the light control device according to one mode of the present invention, a plurality of liquid crystal optical elements are arrayed between two transparent plates having a curved surface, and the liquid crystal optical elements are bonded to a first transparent plate 11 by a gel, elastic, transparent resin layer. The liquid crystal optical elements and the second transparent plate have a sealed space formed therebetween. By using the gel, elastic, transparent resin layer to fix only one side of each of the liquid crystal optical elements to the first transparent plate, the liquid crystal optical elements are fixed to the curved surface of the first transparent plate, and a stress is prevented from being transmitted to the liquid crystal optical elements.

Claims

1. A light control device comprising

a first plate and a second plate disposed so as to confront each other, at least one of both plates being transparent;

a spacer sandwiched between both plates to ensure a sealed space between both plates;

a bonding layer disposed on the first plate in the sealed space; and

an optical element disposed on the bonding layer, the optical element being electrically controlled to change a light transmissive state;

wherein the optical element is spaced from the second plate by a gap.

2. The light control device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first plate and the second plate is curved.

3. The light control device according to claim 1, wherein the optical element comprises a plurality of optical elements arrayed on the bonding layer.

4. The light control device according to claim 1, further comprising a light-shielding portion to conceal an edge of the optical element or optical elements from an observer'"'"'s sight.

5. The light control device according to claim 1, wherein the bonding layer comprises a transparent resin material having an elasticity.

6. The light control device according to claim 5, wherein the bonding layer is a gel transparent resin comprising at least one of a silicone resin, an acrylic resin and a urethane resin.

7. The light control device according to claim 6, wherein the gel transparent resin has a ¼

consistency of 5 to 800.

8. The light control device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first plate and the second plate has a layer disposed thereon to block a heat ray and/or an ultraviolet ray.

9. The light control device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first plate and the second plate has an electric heater disposed therein or thereon.

10. The light control device according to claim 1, further comprising a circulation system to circulate a gas in the sealed space.

11. The control device according to claim 1, which is used as a member to be fitted into an opening formed in an automobile, a building or the like.

12. The control device according to claim 11, wherein the first plate is disposed on an interior side, and the second plate is disposed on an exterior side.

13. The light control device according to claim 3, further comprising a partition wall disposed between adjacent optical elements to block an observer'"'"'s sight.

14. The light control device according to claim 1, further comprising a controller for displaying at least one of a pattern, a character, a graphic form, a photograph and a picture on the optical element or optical elements.