Electrochromic mirror having variable reflectivity

• US 7,088,490 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Nakaho, Junichi, Hattori, Masaharu, Ayabe, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARTINEZ, JOSEPH P
• Application Number:
  US10/867,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20050002080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/267, 359/273, 359/275, 359/601, 359/604, 359/270, 359/839
• 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 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrochromic mirror including: a transparent substrate; a transparent electrode film which is formed on the transparent substrate and has conductivity; an electrochromic film which is formed on the transparent electrode film and can be colored by reduction; a light reflecting film which is formed on the electrochromic film and which hydrogen atoms or lithium atoms can permeate; a support substrate which has a conductive part having conductivity formed on at least one surface thereof; and an electrolytic solution containing at least hydrogen ions or lithium ions, and neutral molecules or negative ions which can be oxidized, wherein the transparent substrate is located close to the support substrate such that the conductive part faces the light reflecting film, and the electrolytic solution is enclosed between the light reflecting film and the conductive part.

Claims

1. An electrochromic mirror comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a transparent electrode film which is formed on the transparent substrate and has conductivity;

an electrochromic film which is formed on the transparent electrode film and can be colored by reduction;

a light reflecting film which is formed on the electrochromic film and which hydrogen atoms can permeate;

a support substrate which has a conductive part having conductivity formed on at least one surface thereof; and

an electrolytic solution containing at least hydrogen ions, and a reduction promoting agent including neutral molecules or negative ions which can be oxidized to promote a coloring of the electrochromic film by reduction.

wherein the transparent substrate is located close to the support substrate such that the conductive part faces the light reflecting film, and the electrolytic solution is enclosed between the light reflecting film and the conductive part.

2. The electrochromic mirror of claim 1, wherein the conductive part of the support substrate is an electrode film which is formed on the support substrate and has conductivity.

3. The electrochromic mirror of claim 2, wherein the support substrate and the transparent substrate are made of the same material.

4. The electrochromic mirror of claim 1, wherein the electrochromic film comprises at least one of tungsten trioxide and molybdenum trioxide.

5. The electrochromic mirror of claim 1, wherein the light reflecting film comprises at least one of a platinum-group metal, and an alloy of a platinum-group metal and silver.

6. The electrochromic mirror of claim 1, wherein the light reflecting film comprises rhodium.

7. The electrochromic mirror of claim 1, wherein the electrolytic solution contains a gelling agent formed from a polymer or an inorganic substance which is nonreactive with the electrolytic solution, wherein said gelling agent is different from said agent that provides said neutral molecules or negative ions which can be oxidized.

8. The electrochromic mirror of claim 7, wherein the polymer which is nonreactive with the electrolytic solution is an acrylic resin.

9. The electrochromic mirror of claim 7, wherein the inorganic substance which is nonreactive with the electrolytic solution is silica.

10. An electrochromic mirror of claim 1, wherein said light reflecting film is a specularly reflecting film of metal.

11. An electrochromic mirror comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a transparent electrode film which is formed on the transparent substrate and has conductivity;

an electrochromic film which is formed on the transparent electrode film and can be colored by reduction;

a light reflecting film which is formed on the electrochromic film and which lithium atoms can permeate;

a support substrate which has a conductive part having conductivity formed on at least one surface thereof; and

an electrolytic solution containing at least lithium ions, and a reduction promoting agent including neutral molecules or negative ions which can be oxidized to promote a coloring of the electrochromic film by reduction.

wherein the transparent substrate is located close to the support substrate such that the conductive part faces the light reflecting film, and The electrolytic solution is enclosed between the light reflecting film and the conductive part.

12. The electrochromic mirror of claim 11, wherein the conductive part of the support substrate is an electrode film which is formed on the support substrate and has conductivity.

13. The electrochromic mirror of claim 12, wherein the support substrate and the transparent substrate are made of the same material.

14. The electrochromic mirror of claim 11, wherein the electrochromic film comprises at least one of tungsten trioxide and molybdenum trioxide.

15. The electrochromic mirror of claim 11, wherein the light reflecting film comprises at least one of a platinum-group metal, and an alloy of a platinum-group metal and silver.

16. The electrochromic mirror of claim 11, wherein the light reflecting film comprises rhodium.

17. The electrochromic mirror of claim 11, wherein the electrolytic solution contains a polymer or an inorganic substance which is nonreactive with the electrolytic solution, and is gelled, and is different from said reduction promoting agent.

18. The electrochromic mirror of claim 17, wherein the polymer which is nonreactive with the electrolytic solution is an acrylic resin.

19. The electrochromic mirror of claim 17, wherein the inorganic substance which is nonreactive with the electrolytic solution is silica.

20. The electrochromic mirror of claim 11, wherein the support substrate and the transparent electrode film are adhered to each other by using a sealant.

21. An electrochromic mirror comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a transparent electrode film which is formed on the transparent substrate and has conductivity;

an electrochromic film which is formed on the transparent electrode film and can be colored by reduction;

a light reflecting film which is formed on the electrochromic film and which lithium atoms can permeate;

a support substrate which has a conductive part having conductivity formed on at least one surface thereof; and

an electrolytic solution containing one hydrogen and lithium ions, and an organo-metallic compound,

wherein the transparent substrate is located close to the support substrate such that the conductive part faces the light reflecting film, and the electrolytic solution is enclosed between the light reflecting film and the conductive part.

22. An electrochromic mirror of claim 21, wherein said solution contains a metallocene.

23. An electrochromic mirror of claim 22, wherein said metallocene is ferrocene.

24. An electrochromic mirror of claim 21, wherein said electrolyte solution includes ferrocyanic acid.

25. An electrochromic mirror of claim 21, wherein said electrolyte includes water and potassium ferrocyanide.

26. An electrochromic mirror comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a transparent electrode film which is formed on the transparent substrate and has conductivity;

an electrochromic film which is formed on the transparent electrode film and can be colored by reduction;

a light reflecting film which is formed on the electrochromic film and which hydrogen atoms can permeate;

a support substrate which has a conductive part having conductivity formed on at least one surface thereof;

a sealant disposed between said transparent electrode film and said conducting part of said support substrate that contains said electrolytic solution,

wherein the transparent substrate is located close to the support substrate such that the conductive part faces the light reflecting film, and side edges of said electrochromic film and said light reflecting film are spaced away from said sealant such that electrolytic solution contacts said side edge.