JP2930850B2 - Method for injecting electrolyte into cell for electrochromic device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method for injecting an electrolytic solution into a cell for an electrochromic device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for injecting an electrolyte into a cell by a pressure difference between a sealed space inside the cell and the outside of the cell.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a cell for an electrochromic device using a liquid electrolyte (hereinafter simply referred to as an electrolyte), the electrolyte is sealed in the cell after the cell is assembled. The electrolyte is injected by changing the pressure of a space (hereinafter, referred to as a sealed space) (for example, see Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-39725). For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the cell 1 is for sealing an electrolytic solution between the electrochromic substrates 2 and 3 by sealing the periphery of the pair of electrochromic substrates 2 and 3 with an annular sealing portion 4. A space 5 is formed, and the sealed space 5 and the outside of the cell are communicated with each other through an inlet 6 formed in the annular sealing portion 4.

Therefore, the cell 1 is moved into a vacuum chamber 7 so that the electrolytic solution 8 contained therein is sucked into the cell 1 while the inside of the vacuum vessel 7 is changed to an upper pressure and a vacuum pressure. I have. That is, after carrying the cell 1 into the vacuum chamber 7, the inside of the vacuum chamber 7 is evacuated to evacuate the sealed space 5 in the cell 1. Next, the cell 1 is slightly submerged in the electrolytic solution 8 with the injection port 6 facing down. After that, the inside of the vacuum chamber 7 is returned to normal pressure, and the electrolytic solution 8 is injected into the sealed space 5 of the cell 1 in a vacuum state by utilizing a pressure difference from the outside of the cell. afterwards,
Although not shown, the inlet 6 is plugged in the electrolyte 8 to seal the enclosure space 5.

[0004]

However, according to such an electrolytic solution injection method, since the electrolytic solution flows against gravity, it is difficult for the electrolytic solution to flow into the sealed space 5 of the cell 1 only by the pressure difference. is there. For example, in the case of an electrolytic solution using a solvent having a viscosity such as propylene carbonate, since the viscous resistance is larger than that of an aqueous electrolytic solution,
In some cases, the sealed space 5 cannot be filled with the electrolyte 8 because the electrolyte is difficult to flow. At this time, there is a problem that the portion not filled with the electrolytic solution remains as bubbles.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for injecting an electrolytic solution which ensures that even an electrolytic solution having a high viscosity flows into a sealed space and no bubbles remain.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a method for injecting an electrolytic solution into an electrochromic device cell according to the present invention comprises: storing an electrochromic device cell in a vacuum chamber; After evacuating, immerse the cell in the vacuum chamber with the injection port facing upward and the injection port is completely immersed in the electrolyte, and then return the vacuum chamber to normal pressure The electrolyte is injected from the injection port into the sealed space.

[0007]

Therefore, the flow of the electrolyte into the sealed space in the cell is downward, and the direction of gravity applied to the electrolyte and the direction of the flow of the electrolyte are the same.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The construction of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a method for injecting an electrolytic solution into a cell for an electrochromic device according to the present invention. This electrolytic solution injection operation is performed using the vacuum chamber 7 after the cell 1 for an electrochromic element having a configuration as shown in FIG. 2 is assembled, for example.

First, an amount of the electrolytic solution 8 is stored in the vacuum chamber 7 in an amount larger than a depth at which the cell 1 for an electrochromic element can be completely immersed. The inside of the vacuum tank 7 is sealed while the electrochromic element cell 1 is carried into the vacuum tank 7 and suspended in the space above the electrolytic solution 8. In this state, for example, 15 minutes until the enclosed space 5 becomes a sufficient vacuum state.
The pressure is reduced to a vacuum for about 30 minutes (see FIG. 1A). As a result, the sealed space 5 in the cell 1 is evacuated similarly to the outside of the cell 1.

Thereafter, the cell 1 is immersed in the electrolyte 8 with the inlet 6 facing upward. After the cell 1 is immersed and the injection port 6 sinks in the electrolytic solution 8, the inside of the vacuum chamber 7 is returned to normal pressure (FIG. 1).
(B)). As a result, a pressure difference is generated between the sealed space 5 of the cell 1 and the space in the external vacuum vessel 7, and the electrolyte 8 is injected into the sealed space 5 of the cell 1 so as to be sucked. At the same time, since the direction of gravity applied to the electrolytic solution 8 and the direction in which the electrolytic solution 8 flows into the enclosed space 5 coincide with the direction of gravity applied to the electrolytic solution 8 because the inlet 6 faces upward, it is easy even if the viscosity of the electrolytic solution 8 is high. Into the enclosed space 5. After the filling space 5 is completely filled with the electrolytic solution 8, the cell 1 is pulled out of the electrolytic solution 8 and a plug (not shown) made of the same material as the sealing portion 4 is pressed into the injection port 6 of the annular sealing portion 4. Then, a sealing material such as a UV epoxy-modified acrylate is potted and cured by ultraviolet irradiation to complete the injection operation.

The above embodiment is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0013]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the method for injecting an electrolytic solution into a cell for an electrochromic device of the present invention, the entire cell is immersed in the electrolytic solution so that the injection port faces upward, Since the direction of gravity applied to the solution and the direction in which the electrolyte flows are the same, even when the viscosity of the electrolyte is high, the electrolyte easily flows into the cell. For this reason, it is possible to efficiently inject the electrolyte solution and to fill the enclosed space with the electrolyte solution without leaving bubbles even with a relatively viscous electrolyte solution.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a process chart showing an example of a method for injecting an electrolytic solution into a cell for an electrochromic element of the present invention, wherein (A) shows a pressure reduction step and (B) shows an injection step.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a structure of a general cell for an electrolytic solution type electrochromic device.

FIG. 3 is a process chart showing a conventional method for injecting an electrolytic solution into a cell for an electrochromic element, wherein (A) shows a decompression step;
(B) shows the implantation step.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cell 5 Enclosure space 6 Inlet 7 Vacuum tank 8 Electrolyte

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An injection hole provided in a sealing portion in a space in which an electrolytic solution formed by a pair of electrochromic substrates and an annular sealing portion provided at a peripheral portion between the electrochromic substrates is sealed. In the method of injecting the electrolytic solution through, the cell for the electrochromic element is housed in a vacuum tank, and the inside of the vacuum tank is evacuated. Injecting the electrolyte into the sealed space from the inlet by returning the inside of the vacuum chamber to normal pressure and then immersing the inlet so that the inlet is completely immersed in the electrolyte while facing upward. A method for injecting an electrolytic solution into a cell for an electrochromic device, comprising: