ELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR AND ROOM MIRROR MODULE FOR VEHICLE COMPRISING THE SAME

• US 20140085700A1
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: PARK, Sang Young
• Granted Patent: US 9,494,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/272
• 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 1/1508 using a solid electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices

Abstract

Provided are an electrochromic mirror and a method of manufacturing the same, the electrochromic mirror including: a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other; and an electrochromic layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and containing an electrochromic material and an electrolyte, wherein at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate is a transparent film, whereby an entire thickness and weight of the electrochromic mirror can be reduced, and as a result, the degree of design freedom can be improved, and since the electrochromic layer containing the electrochromic material and the electrolyte is formed by a coating method, the efficiency of a manufacturing process can be improved, and a production cost can be reduced.

Claims

1. electrochromic mirror, comprising:

a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other; and

an electrochromic layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate is a transparent film material.

2. The electrochromic mirror of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate is a substrate made of a transparent material.

3. The electrochromic mirror of claim 1, wherein the electrochromic layer contains an electrochromic material and an electrolyte.

4. The electrochromic mirror of claim 3, further comprising a first electrode and a conductive reflection layer each formed on facing surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate.

5. The electrochromic mirror of claim 3, further comprising:

a first electrode formed between the first substrate and the electrochromic layer;

a second electrode formed between the electrochromic layer and one surface of the second substrate; and

a reflective layer formed on another surface opposite to the one surface of the second substrate.

6. The electrochromic mirror of claim 3, wherein the transparent film material is any one of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyether sulfone (PES), a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), a TAC (Triacetylcellulose) film, a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film, a polyimide (PI) film, and polystyrene (PS).

7. The electrochromic mirror of claim 3, wherein the electrochromic layer is made of a mixture of a liquid electrochromic material and a liquid electrolyte.

8. The electrochromic mirror of claim 3, wherein the electrochromic layer comprises a solid electrochromic material layer and an electrolyte layer.

9. The electrochromic mirror of claim 8, wherein the electrochromic layer is configured such that the electrochromic material layer is disposed on one surface or both surfaces of the electrolyte layer.

10. The electrochromic mirror of claim 4, wherein the electrochromic layer comprises:

an electrolyte layer interposed between the first electrode and the conductive reflection layer; and

an electrochromic coating layer formed on one surface or both surfaces of the electrolyte layer.

11. The electrochromic mirror of claim 5, wherein the electrochromic layer comprises:

an electrolyte layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

an electrochromic coating layer formed on one surface or both surfaces of the electrolyte layer.

12. The electrochromic mirror of claim 11, wherein the reflective layer is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Au, Ag, Ni, Al, Cr, Ru, Re, Ph, Sn, In and Zn, or an alloy containing these metals.

13. The electrochromic mirror of claim 5, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are made of a transparent material.

14. The electrochromic mirror of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is any one selected form the group consisting of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), FTO (Fluor doped Tin Oxide), AZO (Aluminum doped Zinc Oxide), GZO (Gallium doped Zinc Oxide), ATO (Antimony doped Tin Oxide), IZO (Indium doped Zinc Oxide), NTO (Niobium doped Titanium Oxide), ZnO, and a combination thereof.

15. The electrochromic mirror of claim 3, wherein the electrochromic material contains at least one metal oxide of tungsten, iridium, nickel and vanadium oxides.

16. The electrochromic mirror of claim 3, wherein the electrochromic material is an organic electrochromic material containing viologen or quinone.

17. The electrochromic mirror of claim 3, wherein the electrochromic material is any one selected from the group consisting of polythiophene, polyaniline, polypyrrole, polyanthracene, polyfluorene, polycarbazole, polyphenylenevinylene, and a derivative thereof.

18. A room mirror module for a vehicle, comprising an electrochromic mirror of claim 1.