Manufacturing of electrochromic devices

• US 7,952,785 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ChromoGenics Sweden AB
• Original Assignee: ChromoGenics Sweden AB
• Inventors: Granqvist, Claes Goran, Azens, Andris, Karmhag, Richard, Gustavsson, Greger
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack; Ricky L
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US12/375,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20090316248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133351 Manufacturing of individual cells out of a plurality of cells, e.g. by dicing
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/161 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/164 the electrolyte is made of polymers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1043 Subsequent to assembly

Abstract

A manufacturing method of electrochromic devices (10) includes the steps of providing a first and second sheet including a first (22) and second (24) plastic substrate, respectively, at least partially coated with a first (12) and second (14) electron conducting layer, respectively. The first sheet is at least partially coated with a first electrochromic layer (16). The second sheet is at least partially coated with a counter electrode layer (18). The first and second sheets are laminated with an electrolyte layer (20) interposed in-between into an electrochromic laminate sheet (30). The electrochromic device is at least partially defined by forming a seal (50) through the electrochromic laminate sheet (30) at a distance (D) from a peripheral edge (31). The distance (D) is preferably larger than the mean diffusion lengths of oxygen, water or an electrolyte component in the electrolyte during a predetermined time period.

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing of electrochromic device, comprising the steps of:

providing a first sheet comprising a first plastic substrate at least partially coated with a first electron conducting layer and a first electrochromic layer;

providing a second sheet comprising a second plastic substrate at least partially coated with a second electron conducting layer and a counter electrode layer;

laminating an electrolyte layer interposed between said first sheet and said second sheet into an electrochromic laminate sheet (30); and

defining at least a major part of an interior portion, in a lateral direction, of at least one electrochromic device by forming a seal through said electrochromic laminate sheet at a distance from a peripheral edge of said first sheet and from a peripheral edge of said second sheet, thereby obtaining an interior portion of each one of said at least one electrochromic device having a size smaller than said first sheet and said second sheet.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said distance is larger than a largest one of mean diffusion lengths of:

oxygen;

water; and

an electrolyte component;

in said electrolyte layer during a predetermined time period.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein said step of defining comprises forming of a seal in a substantially closed path.

4. Method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of:

cutting away at least a part of said electrochromic laminate sheet;

whereby said cutting step is performed in conjunction with or after said step of defining.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein said step of cutting away at least a part of said electrochromic laminate sheet is performed essentially along said seal formed by said step of defining.

6. Method according to claim 4, wherein said step of cutting is performed in a substantially closed path, thereby releasing an electrochromic device, having a size smaller than said first sheet and said second sheet, from remaining parts of said electrochromic laminate sheet.

7. Method according to claim 4, wherein said step of defining is performed along a multitude of closed paths, thereby defining a multitude of electrochromic devices, interior portions of which having sizes smaller than said first sheet and said second sheet.

8. Method according to claim 4, wherein said step of cutting is performed along a multitude of closed paths, thereby releasing a multitude of electrochromic devices, having sizes smaller than said first sheet and said second sheet, from remaining parts of said electrochromic laminate sheet.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein said step of defining is performed by local heat generation in said electrochromic laminate sheet.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein said step of defining is performed by ultrasonic welding.

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein said ultrasonic welding is performed by moving an ultrasonic horn along a surface of said electrochromic laminate sheet, whereby a centre line of said ultrasonic horn being tilted relative to a surface normal of said electrochromic laminate sheet.

12. Method according to claim 9, wherein said step of defining is performed by laser welding.

13. Method according to claim 4, wherein said steps of defining and cutting are performed jointly by ultrasonic welding of said electrochromic laminate sheet.

14. Method according to claim 13, comprising the further step of reinforcing said seal after said step of defining.

15. Method according to claim 4, wherein said steps of defining and cutting are performed jointly by laser welding of said electrochromic laminate sheet.

16. Method according to claim 15, comprising the further step of reinforcing said seal after said step of defining.

17. Method according to claim 1, wherein said step of defining is performed through said first plastic substrate, said second plastic substrate and at least one of:

said first electron conducting layer;

said second electron conducting layer;

said electrolyte layer;

said first electrochromic layer; and

said counter electrode layer.

18. Method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of providing at least one of said first sheet and said second sheet with at least one additional layer.

19. Method according to claim 18, wherein said at least one additional layer is selected from the list of:

bus bar;

chemical compatibility layer;

anti-scratch layer;

anti-fog layer;

anti-reflection layer;

diffusion barrier;

photocatalytic layer; and

specularly or diffusively reflecting layer.

20. Electrochromic device, manufactured by a method according to the steps of:

providing a first sheet comprising a first plastic substrate at least partially coated with a first electron conducting layer and a first electrochromic layer;

providing a second sheet comprising a second plastic substrate at least partially coated with a second electron conducting layer and a counter electrode layer;

laminating an electrolyte layer interposed between said first sheet and said second sheet into an electrochromic laminate sheet (30); and

defining at least a major part of an interior portion, in a lateral direction, of at least one electrochromic device by forming a seal through said electrochromic laminate sheet at a distance from a peripheral edge of said first sheet and from a peripheral edge of said second sheet, thereby obtaining an interior portion of each one of said at least one electrochromic device having a size smaller than said first sheet and said second sheet.