Method for manufacturing electronic light-modulating device, light-modulating electronic element, and electronic light-modulating glasses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12578594-B2
Application number	US-202118032956-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2021
Priority date	Oct 20, 2020
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an electronic light-modulating device that obtains a light-modulating effect by supplying electrical energy to an electronic element overlapping an optical element includes: forming a laminate in which a pair of electrode layers and a light-modulating layer between the pair of electrode layers are laminated; and setting, in the laminate, an overlapping region having a shape overlapping the optical element in a formation region of the light-modulating layer, setting two or more terminal regions which are continuous to an outer side of the overlapping region and in which one and the other of the pair of electrode layers are independently present, and cutting a portion including the overlapping region and the terminal regions from the laminate to form the electronic element. As a result, production efficiency is improved.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for manufacturing an electronic light-modulating device that obtains a light-modulating effect by supplying electrical energy to an electronic element overlapping an optical element, the method comprising:
forming a laminate in which a pair of electrode layers and a light-modulating layer between the pair of electrode layers are laminated; and setting, in the laminate, an overlapping region having a shape overlapping the optical element in a formation region of the light-modulating layer, setting two or more terminal regions which are continuous to an outer side of the overlapping region and in which one and the other of the pair of electrode layers are independently present, and cutting a portion including the overlapping region and the terminal regions from the laminate to form the electronic element, wherein
the light-modulating layer in the laminate is substantially circular,
each of the pair of electrode layers in the laminate bas a circular portion, which is substantially circular, that overlaps the light-modulating laver, and an outer-diameter portion that is arranged radially outside the circular portion,
the laminate is formed in such a manner that the outer-diameter portions of the pair of electrode layers do not overlap each other in a front view,
the overlapping region is set so that an outer shape of the optical element inscribes a substantially circular outer peripheral shape of the light-modulating layer at two locations, and the terminal region is set so that the outer-diameter portions of one and the other of the pair of electrode layers are located on an outer side of the two inscribed locations.

2 . The method for manufacturing the electronic light-modulating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the circular portion of each of the pair of electrode layers in the laminate has a smaller diameter than the light-modulating layer.

3 . The method for manufacturing the electronic light-modulating device according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the outer-diameter portions of the pair of electrode layers in the laminate is a portion of a circular shape having a larger diameter than the circular portion, and the outer-diameter portion of one electrode layer and the outer-diameter portion of the other electrode layer are arranged symmetrically with respect to a center of the circular portion in a front view.

4 . The method for manufacturing the electronic light-modulating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic element is an electrochromic element that causes a reversible change in optical properties due to an oxidation-reduction reaction in the light-modulating layer when a voltage is applied to the electrode layer.

5 . The method for manufacturing the electronic light-modulating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic light-modulating device is electronic light-modulating glasses in which the electronic element is arranged on or inside a lens which is the optical element.

6 . A light-modulating electronic element that is arranged to overlap an optical element and obtains a light-modulating effect with supply of electrical energy, the light-modulating electronic element comprising:
a laminate in which a pair of electrode layers and a light-modulating layer between the pair of electrode layers are laminated, wherein the laminate includes:
an overlapping region, which is a region positioned within a formation region of the light-modulating layer and overlapping the optical element in a front view; and
two or more terminal regions which are continuous to an outer side of the overlapping region and in which one and the other of the pair of electrode layers are independently present,
the laminate has a shape in which the overlapping region and the terminal region can be set for a plurality of optical elements having different shapes,
the light-modulating layer in the laminate has a substantially circular shape in which an outer shape of the optical element inscribes an outer periphery at two locations, each of the pair of electrode layers in the laminate has a circular portion, which is substantially circular, that overlaps the light-modulating layer, and an outer-diameter portion that is arranged radially outside the circular portion, the outer-diameter portions of the pair of electrode layers do not overlap each other in a front view, and the terminal region is positioned on the pair of electrode layers outside the two locations where the outer shape of the optical element inscribes the outer periphery of the light-modulating layer.

7 . The light-modulating electronic element according to claim 6 , wherein
the circular portion of each of the pair of electrode layers in the laminate has a smaller diameter than the light-modulating layer.

8 . The light-modulating electronic element according to claim 6 , wherein
each of the outer-diameter portions of the pair of electrode layers in the laminate is a portion of a circular shape having a larger diameter than the circular portion, and the outer-diameter portion of one electrode layer and the outer-diameter portion of the other electrode layer are arranged symmetrically with respect to a center of the circular portion in a front view.

9 . The light-modulating electronic element according to claim 6 , wherein
the electronic element is an electrochromic element that causes a reversible change in optical properties due to an oxidation-reduction reaction in the light-modulating layer when a voltage is applied to the electrode layer.

10 . Electronic light-modulating glasses comprising the light-modulating electronic element according to claim 6 , wherein
the optical element is a lens, the light-modulating electronic element includes the overlapping region having a shape corresponding to the lens, and two or more terminal regions outside the overlapping region, and the electronic light-modulating glasses include a light-modulating lens in which the light-modulating electronic element is located on or inside the lens and a frame holding the light-modulating lens.

Assignees

• Hoya Lens Thailand Ltd

Inventors

• Miyazaki Shigeki

Classifications

• G02F1/157

  Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices · CPC title

• G02F1/155 Primary

  Electrodes · CPC title

• G02C2202/16

  Laminated or compound lenses · CPC title

• G02C7/101 Primary

  having an electro-optical light valve (electro-optical elements per se G02F) · CPC title

• G02F1/1533

  structural features not otherwise provided for · CPC title