Liquid type electrochromic element

• US 6,829,074 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2003
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Original Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Inventors: Terada, Yoshiyuki, Mochizuka, Takuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANIG, RICHARD E
• Application Number:
  US10/416,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20040057100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/267, 359/266, 359/269, 359/271, 359/273, 359/275
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes

Abstract

A liquid type electrochromio (EC) element is configured by substrates having tapping electrode portions as a part of a unified substrate by the processing of the substrate. When the upper and lower tapping electrode portions are provided on one side such that they are not piled up with each other, the ratio of the effective area can be increased and the area for covering the tapping electrode portions can be decreased in comparison with the technique in which the upper substrates are shifted with each other. Also, since the areas of the tapping electrode portion can be decreased in comparison with the technique in which the upper substrates are shifted with each other, the weight of the EC element can be decreased. Also, the weight can be decreased by dividing the tapping electrode portion into two tapping electrode portions each having such size that one is not piled up with another. Since the tapping electrode portion and the upper electrode portion are not piled up with each other when viewed from the direction of laminating the substrates, the liquid type electrochromic element can be connected via a clip electrode.

Claims

1. A liquid electrochromic device comprising:

an upper glass substrate;

a lower glass substrate;

an upper electrically conductive layer provided on the upper glass substrate and having a first short side and a first long side which is longer than the first short side, the upper electrically conductive layer having an upper tapping electrode portion provided on the first long side;

a lower electrically conductive layer provided on the lower glass substrate and having a second short side and a second long side which is longer than the second short side and which is positioned to correspond to the first long side, the lower electrically conductive layer having a lower tapping electrode portion provided on the second long side not to overlap the upper tapping electrode portion; and

an electrochromic layer sandwhiched between the lower electrically conductive layer and the upper electrically conductive layer.

2. The liquid electrochromic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the upper and lower tapping electrode portions is connected to an external wire via a clip electrode.

3. The liquid electrochromic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein lengths of the first and second short sides are at most about 7 cm.

4. The liquid electrochromic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the upper and lower tapping electrode portions is so dimensioned that at least two clip electrodes are fit.

5. The liquid electrochromic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the upper and lower tapping electrode portions is so dimensioned as to be able to stabilize voltage and coloration/discoloration of the electrochromic layer according to resistances of the upper and lower electrically conductive layers.

6. The liquid electrochromic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper and lower electrically conductive layers are made from a substantially same material and wherein the upper and lower tapping electrode portions have substantially same dimensions.

7. The liquid electrochromic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid electrochromic device is a part of an automobile interior mirror or an automobile exterior mirror.

8. The liquid electrochromic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the upper and lower tapping electrode portions are positioned on a side of an upper portion of the automobile interior mirror or the automobile exterior mirror.

9. The liquid electrochromic device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a brightness controller configured to control brightness of a light-emitting element which requires the upper and lower tapping electrode portions be positioned on a one side of the liquid electrochromic device.