Electric cell of the type comprising two parallel plates or substrates in particular made of plastic material separated from each other by a sealing frame

• US 5,742,006 A
• Filed: 03/22/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asulab SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Asulab SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Lemarie, Bernard, Grupp, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): Ledynh, Bot L.
• Application Number:
  US08/620,312
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 257/431-434, 361/323, 174/52.2, 349/22, 349/31, 349/33-34, 349/153-155, 349/190
• US Class Current: 174/525
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1339 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells

Abstract

An electric cell comprises first and second parallel flexible substrates, set apart from each other at a determined spacing, carrying electrodes on their opposing faces, the substrates enclosing between them a layer of sensitive material which can change its physical properties, in particular its optical properties, as a result of a voltage applied to the electrodes, or change its electrical properties as a result of stress or radiation passing through one of the substrates, the sensitive material being protected from contact with the atmosphere by a sealing frame which connects, in a sealed manner, peripheral parts of the substrates, said frame having a width parallel to the substrates. The electric cell is characterised in that at least the first substrate comprises on its face opposing the second substrate at least a first continuous peripheral groove into which at least a part of the sealing frame extends, the cross-section of the sealing frame being a multiple of an area equal to the product of the width multiplied by the spacing, the thickness of the sealing frame at any point being greater than or equal to the spacing.

Claims

1. An electric cell of the type comprising a first and a second parallel flexible substrates, set apart from each other at a determined distance, carrying electrodes on their opposing faces, these substrates enclosing between them a layer of sensitive material which can change its physical properties as a result of a voltage applied to the electrodes, said sensitive material being protected from contact with the atmosphere by a sealing frame which connects, in a sealed manner, peripheral parts of said substrates, said frame having a width parallel to the substrates, wherein at least the first substrate comprises on its face opposing the second substrate at least a first continuous peripheral groove into which at least a part of said sealing frame extends, the cross-section of the sealing frame being a multiple of an area equal to the product of said width multiplied by said spacing, the thickness of the sealing frame at any point being greater than or equal to said spacing and said multiple being equal to or greater than 2.

2. An electric cell according to claim 1, wherein it comprises in the internal zone delimited by the sealing frame and between the substrates, spacers which determine the spacing between the opposing faces of the substrates.

3. An electric cell according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises at least a second continuous peripheral groove being parallel to the first groove, said second groove being arranged in the vicinity of said first groove and wherein a part of said sealing frame penetrates said second groove.

4. An electric cell according to claim 3, wherein the second substrate comprises at least two grooves arranged respectively substantially facing said at least first and second grooves and which are penetrated by at least a part of said sealing frame.

5. An electric cell according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises a second continuous peripheral groove having a width greater than that of the first groove and being superposed onto said first groove, and wherein a part of said sealing frame penetrates said second groove.

6. An electric cell according to claim 5, wherein the second substrate comprises two superposed continuous peripheral grooves, one of the grooves having a greater width than the other, these two grooves extending facing said first and second grooves, and wherein a part of said sealing frame penetrates the two grooves.

7. An electric cell according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate comprises a groove arranged substantially facing said first groove, and which is penetrated by at least a part of said sealing frame.

8. An electric cell according to claim 1, wherein the groove or grooves comprise positive sloping lateral walls.

9. An electric cell according to claim 1, wherein the internal walls of the grooves are treated with the aid of an oxygen, nitrogen or CF₄ O₂ plasma.

10. An electric cell according to claim 1, wherein the depth of the grooves is between 0.15 and 0.2 mm.

11. An electric cell according to claim 1, wherein the spacing between the opposing faces of the substrates is between 5 and 12 μ

m.

12. An electric cell according to claim 1, wherein the substrates have a thickness of between 1 and 1.5 mm.

13. An electric cell according to claim 1, wherein the width of the sealing frame is between 0.5 and 10 mm.

14. An electric cell according to claim 1, wherein said multiple is between 5 and 7.

15. An electric cell as claimed in claim 1 wherein said layer of sensitive material can change its optical properties as a result of a voltage applied to the electrodes.

16. An electric cell according to claim 15, wherein said multiple is between 5 and 7.

18. An electric cell according to claim 15, wherein said multiple is between 5 and 7.

17. An electric cell of the type comprising a first and a second parallel flexible substrates, set apart from each other at a determined distance, carrying electrodes on their opposing faces, these substrates enclosing between them a layer of sensitive material which can change its electrical properties as a result of stress or radiation passing through one of the substrates, said sensitive material being protected from contact with the atmosphere by a sealing frame which connects, in a sealed manner, peripheral parts of said substrates, said frame having a width parallel to the substrates, wherein at least the first substrate comprises on its face opposing the second substrate at least a first continuous peripheral groove into which at least a part of said sealing frame extends, the cross-section of the sealing frame being a multiple of an area equal to the product of said width multiplied by said spacing, the thickness of the sealing frame at any point being greater than or equal to said spacing and said multiple being equal to or greater than 2.

19. An electric cell according to claim 17 wherein the first substrate comprises a second continuous peripheral groove having a width greater than that of the first groove and being superposed onto said first groove, and wherein a part of said sealing frame penetrates said second groove.

20. An electric cell according to claim 19, wherein the second substrate comprises two superposed continuous peripheral grooves, one of the grooves having a greater width than the other, these two grooves extending facing said first and second grooves, and wherein a part of said sealing frame penetrates the two grooves.