Optical stack and manufacturing method therefor, and smart window comprising same and vehicle or building window to which same is applied

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12443071-B2
Application number	US-202218566596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2022
Priority date	Jun 4, 2021
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

The present invention relates to a transmittance variable optical stack and a manufacturing method therefor, and a smart window comprising same and a vehicle to which the same is applied, the optical stack comprising polarizing plates stacked on both surfaces thereof with a liquid crystal layer, driven according to an electric field, interposed therebetween, wherein the polarizing plates comprise a polarizer and a protective layer formed on at least one surface of the polarizer, a transparent conductive layer is formed in direct contact with the polarizing plate, and the optical stack has a total light transmittance that changes according to the application of voltage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A variable transmittance optical stack comprising:
polarizing plates stacked on both surfaces thereof with a liquid crystal layer driven in response to an electric field and located therebetween,
wherein each of the polarizing plates comprises a polarizer and a protective layer formed on at least one surface of the polarizer,
wherein a transparent conductive layer is formed by directly contacting with each of the polarizing plates,
wherein the transparent conductive layer is formed by directly contacting with each of the polarizing plates without a separate substrate between each of the polarizing plates and the transparent conductive layer,
wherein the variable transmittance optical stack further comprises a refractive index-matching layer between each of the polarizing plates and the transparent conductive layer,
wherein the refractive index-matching layer has a refractive index ranging from 1.4 to 2.6, and
wherein a total light transmittance of the optical stack changes in response to application of voltage.

2. The variable transmittance optical stack of claim 1 , wherein the transparent conductive layer is formed by directly contacting with each of the polarizing plates with a highly adhesive layer between each of the polarizing plates and the transparent conductive layer.

3. The variable transmittance optical stack of claim 1 , wherein the transparent conductive layer comprises one or more selected from a group consisting of transparent conductive oxide, metal, carbonaceous material, conductive polymers, conductive ink, and nanowires.

4. The variable transmittance optical stack of claim 1 , wherein each of the polarizing plates further comprises an optical functional layer.

5. The variable transmittance optical stack of claim 4 , wherein the optical functional layer comprises a retardation film.

6. The variable transmittance optical stack of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer comprises one or more selected from a group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene isophthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethyl (meth) acrylate, polyethyl (meth) acrylate, and cyclic olefin-based polymer.

7. The variable transmittance optical stack of claim 1 , wherein each of the polarizing plates has a thickness ranging from 30 to 200 μm.

8. The variable transmittance optical stack of claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises an alignment film formed on at least one surface thereof.

9. The variable transmittance optical stack of claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal layer is driven by any one driving method selected from a group consisting of twisted nematic, super-twisted nematic, in-plane switching, fringe field switching, plane line switching, advanced high-performance IPS, polymer sustained alignment, and vertical alignment.

10. The variable transmittance optical stack of claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises one or more selected from a group consisting of a ball spacer and a column spacer.

11. The variable transmittance optical stack of claim 10 , wherein the ball spacer has a diameter ranging from 1 to 10 μm.

12. The variable transmittance optical stack of claim 10 , wherein the ball spacer has an occupancy area in the liquid crystal layer, which ranges from 0.01 to 10% of the area of the liquid crystal layer.

13. A manufacturing method for the variable transmittance optical stack of claim 1 .

14. A smart window comprising the variable transmittance optical stack of claim 1 .

15. A vehicle in which the smart window of claim 14 is applied to at least one of front windows, rear windows, side windows, sunroof windows, or inner partitions thereof.

16. A window and a door for a building, which comprise the smart window of claim 14 .

Assignees

• Dongwoo Fine Chem Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Dong-Hwi
• Song Seung-Won
• Ahn Hong-Jun
• Oh Pyoung-Yun
• Lee Yu-Jin

Classifications

• G02F1/13363

  Birefringent elements, e.g. for optical compensation · CPC title

• G02F1/133502

  Antiglare, refractive index matching layers · CPC title

• G02B5/3083

  Birefringent or phase retarding elements (G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001) · CPC title

• G02B5/305

  including organic materials, e.g. polymeric layers · CPC title

• G02B5/3016

  involving passive liquid crystal elements (optical properties of liquid crystals G02F1/0063; polarising elements associated with active liquid crystal devices G02F1/133528) · CPC title