Optical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10996387-B2
Application number	US-201916969394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2019
Priority date	Jun 12, 2018
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

An optical device and method of manufacturing the same are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, an optical device includes a first outer substrate and a second outer substrate disposed opposite to each other, a liquid crystal element disposed between the first and second outer substrates; and a plurality of adhesive films encapsulating the liquid crystal element, wherein the plurality of adhesive films comprises a curable adhesive film and a non-curable adhesive film. The optical device is capable of varying transmittance and reducing light loss while improving appearance defects. Such an optical device can be used for various applications such as eyewear, for example, sunglasses or augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) eyewear, an outer wall of a building or a sunroof for a vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical device comprising:
a first outer substrate and a second outer substrates disposed opposite to each other;
a liquid crystal element disposed between the first and second outer substrates; and
a plurality of adhesive films encapsulating the liquid crystal element,
wherein the plurality of adhesive films comprises at least one curable adhesive film and a non-curable adhesive film.

2. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second outer substrates are a glass substrate.

3. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein a difference in curvature of the first and second outer substrates is less than 10%.

4. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal element comprises:
a liquid crystal layer, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises a liquid crystal host and a dichroic dye guest, and
wherein the liquid crystal layer is capable of switching between a first oriented state and a second oriented state.

5. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal element comprises:
two base films, and
a liquid crystal layer disposed between the two base films.

6. The optical device according to claim 5 , wherein each of the two base films further comprises a conductive layer or an alignment film on a surface facing the liquid crystal layer.

7. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one curable adhesive film is an ethylene-vinyl acetate adhesive film, or comprises an epoxy adhesive resin, an acrylate adhesive resin or a silicone adhesive resin.

8. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the non-curable adhesive film is a thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive film or a polyolefin adhesive film.

9. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the non-curable adhesive film has an absolute value of a thickness direction phase difference (Rth) of 50 nm or less.

10. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one curable adhesive film comprises a first curable adhesive film and a second curable adhesive film, wherein the first curable adhesive film is disposed between the first outer substrate and the liquid crystal element, and the second curable adhesive film is disposed between the second outer substrate and the liquid crystal element.

11. The optical device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a polarizer disposed between the first and second outer substrates.

12. An optical device comprising:
a first outer substrate;
a second outer substrate;
a liquid crystal element disposed between the first outer substrate and the second outer substrate;
a polarizer disposed between the second outer substrate and the liquid crystal element; and
a plurality of adhesive films encapsulating the liquid crystal element and the polarizer
wherein the plurality of adhesive films comprises at least one curable adhesive film and a non-curable adhesive film, and
wherein the non-curable adhesive film is disposed between the liquid crystal element and the polarizer.

13. The optical device according to claim 12 , wherein the non-curable adhesive film has an absolute value of a thickness direction phase difference (Rth) of 50 nm or less.

14. The optical device according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one curable adhesive film is disposed between at least one of the second outer substrate and the polarizer, or the first outer substrate and the liquid crystal element.

15. The optical device according to claim 14 , the at least one curable adhesive film is disposed between the second outer substrate and the polarizer, and
wherein the non-curable adhesive film and the at least one curable adhesive film encapsulate the polarizer.

16. The optical device according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one curable adhesive film is disposed between the first outer substrate and the liquid crystal element, and
wherein the non-curable adhesive film and the at least one curable film encapsulate the liquid crystal element.

17. A method of manufacturing an optical device comprising:
bonding a liquid crystal element to a first outer substrate and a second outer substrates using a plurality of adhesive films including a curable adhesive film and a non-curable adhesive film, wherein the liquid crystal element is disposed between the first and second outer substrates.

18. An automobile comprising:
a body having one or more openings; and
the optical device of claim 1 mounted on the openings.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Seong Min
• Lee Young Shin
• Jeon Byoung Kun
• Mun In Ju

Classifications

• B32B37/26

  with at least one layer which influences the bonding during the lamination process, e.g. release layers or pressure equalising layers · CPC title

• B32B37/12

  characterised by using adhesives · CPC title

• G02F2202/28

  Adhesive materials or arrangements · CPC title

• G02F1/13725

  based on guest-host interaction (G02F1/13762, G02F1/13737, take precedence) · CPC title

• G02F1/1339

  Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells · CPC title