Optical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11719981-B2
Application number	US-202017429060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2020
Priority date	Feb 25, 2019
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

An optical device is provided in the present application. The present application provides an optical device that may prevent defects such as short circuits even when an external power source has been connected in an encapsulated structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical device comprising:
an optical film, wherein the optical film comprises first and second base films disposed to face each other; and a light modulation layer between the first and second base films,
wherein a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer are formed on surfaces of the first and second base films respectively that face each other,
wherein each electrode layer comprises a first region configured to apply an electric field to the light modulation layer, and a second region configured to connect to an external power source to supply power to the first region for applying the electric field,
wherein the first region is a central compartment and the second region is a plurality of peripheral compartments surrounding the central compartment,
wherein at least one peripheral compartment among the plurality of peripheral compartments in the second region is a region A that is electrically connected to the first region via a passage structure, and at least one peripheral compartment among the plurality of peripheral compartments in the second region is a region B that is not electrically connected to the first region,
wherein the region A formed on the first base film and the region A formed on the second base film are disposed so as not to face each other, wherein each electrode layer is scribed to form the regions A and B.

2. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the second region completely surrounds the first region.

3. The optical device according to claim 1 , further comprising a sealant attaching the first and second base films to each other, wherein the sealant is present at boundaries of the first and second regions of the base films.

4. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the region A is connected to the external power source.

5. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the light modulation layer is an active liquid crystal layer comprising a liquid crystal host and an anisotropic dye guest and configured to switch between at least two differently oriented states.

6. The optical device according to claim 5 , wherein the differently oriented states comprise a vertically oriented state and a horizontally oriented state.

7. The optical device according to claim 6 , further comprising a linear polarizer, wherein the linear polarizer is disposed so that an angle formed by an average optical axis of the active liquid crystal layer at the horizontally oriented state and a light absorption axis of the linear polarizer is in a range of 80 degrees to 100 degrees or 35 degrees to 55 degrees.

8. The optical device according to claim 1 , further comprising a linear polarizer.

9. The optical device according to claim 1 , further comprising alignment films present on the surfaces of the first and second base films toward the light modulation layer.

10. The optical device according to claim 9 , wherein an angle formed by orientation directions of the alignment films on the first and second base films is in a range of −10 degrees to 10 degrees or in a range of 80 degrees to 90 degrees.

11. The optical device according to claim 1 , further comprising a linear polarizer disposed on at least one side of the optical film, wherein the optical film further comprises alignment films present on the surfaces of the first and second base films toward the light modulation layer, and an angle formed by an orientation direction of the alignment film formed on the base films close to the linear polarizer among the first and second base films and a light absorption axis of the linear polarizer is in a range of 80 degrees to 90 degrees.

12. The optical device according to claim 1 , further comprising two outer substrates disposed to face each other, wherein the optical film is present between the outer substrates.

13. The optical device according to claim 12 , wherein an entire surface of the optical film is encapsulated with an encapsulant between the two outer substrates.

14. An automobile comprising an auto body having one or more openings formed therein; and the optical device of claim 1 mounted to the openings.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Park Ji Hoon
• Lee Young Shin

Classifications

• G02F1/134309 Primary

  characterised by their geometrical arrangement · CPC title

• B60J3/06

  using polarising effect · CPC title

• G02F1/1339

  Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells · CPC title

• G02F1/13725

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

• G02F1/133531

  characterised by the arrangement of polariser or analyser axes · CPC title