Electrochromic mirror

• US 7,903,314 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2009
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Atsushi, Nakaho, Junichi, Hattori, Masaharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben; Loha
• Application Number:
  US12/355,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20090185256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/267, 359/269, 359273-275, 345/105, 345/107, 252/62.2
• US Class Current: 359/270
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1524 Transition metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1536 additional, e.g. protective, layer inside the cell

Abstract

In an electrochromic mirror, an insulating film is disposed between a conductive reflective film and an electrolytic solution and the conductive reflective film and the electrolytic solution are electrically insulated from each other except inside of insulating film side small holes. Accordingly, in a portion where the insulating film side small holes are not formed, the conductive reflective film does not come into contact with the electrolytic solution, as the result, a ferrocene ion is not reduction-reacted. Thereby, a current is very effectively suppressed from steadily flowing between the conductive film and the conductive reflective film due to repetition of a redox reaction of ferrocene, resulting in very effectively suppressing a voltage from dropping due to the current.

Claims

1. An electrochromic mirror in which an electrolytic material including a predetermined ion and an oxidation-reduction agent is enclosed between an anode and a cathode, and when a voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode, a reduction reaction is caused between the predetermined ion and an electrochromic film formed on the cathode to color the electrochromic film, whereby transmittance of light of the electrochromic film is varied to vary reflectance of light of the electrochromic mirror, the electrochromic mirror comprising:

a reduction reaction suppressing member that, in a state where the voltage is applied, permits the predetermined ion to reach the electrochromic film; and

suppresses the oxidation-reduction agent that has been oxidized at the anode due to application of the voltage from being subject to reduction reaction at the cathode.

2. The electrochromic mirror of claim 1, further comprising:

a conductive reflective film that reflects light from a front side where the electrochromic film is provided, permits the predetermined ion to permeate and constitutes the cathode; and

an insulating film that is interposed between the conductive reflective film and the electrolytic material on a back side of the conductive reflective film, permits the predetermined ion to permeate and has an electric insulating property, wherein

the reduction reaction suppressing member includes the insulating film.

3. The electrochromic mirror of claim 2, wherein reflective film side small holes that communicate the front side and the back side of the conductive reflective film are formed in the conductive reflective film so as to permit the predetermined ion to permeate the conductive reflective film.

4. The electrochromic mirror of claim 3, wherein insulating film side small holes that communicate a front side and a back side of the insulating film are formed in the insulating film so as to permit the predetermined ion to permeate the insulating film, the insulating film side small holes communicating with the reflective film side small holes at a side of the conductive reflective film.

5. The electrochromic mirror of claim 4, wherein the reflective film side small holes and the insulating film side small holes have an inner diameter of 20 μ

m or less.

6. The electrochromic mirror of claim 3, wherein the insulating film is conductive with respect to the predetermined ion but is not conductive with respect to the oxidation-reduction agent that has been oxidized.

7. The electrochromic mirror of claim 3, wherein the reflective film side small holes have an inner diameter of 20 μ

m or less.

8. The electrochromic mirror of claim 2, further comprising:

a conductive film that constitutes the anode,

wherein the electrolytic material is enclosed between the insulating film and the conductive film.

9. An electrochromic mirror in which an electrolytic material including a predetermined ion and an oxidation-reduction agent is enclosed between an anode and a cathode, and when a voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode, a reduction reaction is caused between the predetermined ion and an electrochromic film formed on the cathode to color the electrochromic film, whereby transmittance of light of the electrochromic film is varied to vary reflectance of light of the electrochromic mirror, the electrochromic mirror comprising:

a conductive reflective film that reflects light from a front side where the electrochromic film is provided, permits the predetermined ion to permeate and constitutes the cathode;

an insulating film that is interposed between the conductive reflective film and the electrolytic material on a back side of the conductive reflective film, permits the predetermined ion to permeate and has an electric insulating property; and

a conductive film that constitutes the anode;

wherein,

reflective film side small holes that communicate the front side and the back side of the conductive reflective film are formed in the conductive reflective film so as to permit the predetermined ion to permeate the conductive reflective film, and

in a state where the voltage is applied, the predetermined ion is permitted to reach the electrochromic film via the reflective film side small holes and the insulating film, and the insulating film suppresses the oxidation-reduction agent that has been oxidized at the anode due to application of the voltage from being subject to reduction reaction at the cathode.

10. The electrochromic mirror of claim 9, wherein insulating film side small holes that communicate a front side and a back side of the insulating film are formed in the insulating film so as to permit the predetermined ion to permeate the insulating film, the insulating film side small holes communicating with the reflective film side small holes at a side of the conductive reflective film.

11. The electrochromic mirror of claim 9, wherein the insulating film is conductive with respect to only the predetermined ion.