JP4550611B2 - Braille block with solar cell - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a braille block that includes a solar cell and is embedded in a road surface to guide a visually impaired person.

  For a Braille block that includes a solar cell and is embedded in a road surface to guide a visually impaired person, for example, a block main body provided with a protrusion on the upper surface, and a light emitting unit and a sun so that the light emitting unit is not hung on the protrusion. A self-luminous Braille block that is provided with a battery unit and that stores an electromotive force of the solar battery by a power storage unit connected to the solar battery and that emits light by the power supplied from the power storage unit. (For example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2004-257182 A

  However, in the conventional Braille block with a solar cell as described in Patent Document 1, the solar cell is a silicon-based one, so that the solar cell part becomes a dark color close to black and the overall color tone is unnatural. Therefore, the solar cell cannot occupy a large proportion of the area on the upper surface of the Braille block.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and even if a solar cell is provided, the color tone does not become unnatural, and it is possible to occupy a large proportion of the area of the upper surface of the solar cell. We intend to provide a Braille block with solar cells.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows. That is, the solar cell with raised block according to the present invention, the solar cell unit is provided with at least a portion of the light receiving surface of the top surface, the solar cell unit is formed by using a dye-sensitized solar cell, the dye A light emitter is provided below a solar cell portion composed of a sensitive solar cell, and the light emitted by the power generated by the dye-sensitized solar cell is emitted, and the light of the light emitter is dye-sensitized solar. It is characterized in that it is made to pass through the battery and be discharged upward .

  According to the Braille block with solar cell according to the present invention, the color tone of the solar cell part is not easily unnatural by using a dye-sensitized solar cell having a large degree of freedom in color tone for forming the solar cell part. In addition, by setting the solar cell portion to a color tone used as a Braille block, it may be possible to easily occupy a large proportion of the area of the upper surface by the solar cell.

  Further, in the braille block with solar cell according to claim 1, if the solar cell portion has a color tone similar to yellow or yellow when viewed from above, it is disposed with a braille block whose upper surface is generally yellow. However, it is preferable that a sense of incongruity does not occur.

  According to the Braille block with solar cell according to the present invention, the color tone of the solar cell part is not easily unnatural by using a dye-sensitized solar cell having a large degree of freedom in color tone for forming the solar cell part. In addition, by setting the solar cell portion to a color tone used as a Braille block, it may be possible to easily occupy a large proportion of the area of the upper surface by the solar cell.

  BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The best embodiment according to the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

  1A and 1B show a first embodiment of a Braille block with solar cells according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the whole, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. First, in (a), the Braille block with solar cell 10 shown in the present embodiment is called a warning block for a so-called visually impaired person guidance block, and a half-dome-shaped dotted projection 3A is formed on the upper surface of the upper surface plate 2. They are arranged in parallel in 5 rows x 5 rows. In general, a braille block such as a warning block is often formed by molding a synthetic resin colored in yellow.

  Next, in (b), the upper surface plate 2 is a colorless and transparent plate made of polycarbonate resin, and the upper surface plate 2 closes the opening of the block body 4 made of aluminum die-casting opened upward so that the space K is formed. The solar cell portion 1 that is a dye-sensitized solar cell is provided almost entirely under the upper surface plate 2 in the space K. The upper surface plate 2 is fixed to the block main body 4 by screws B shown in FIG. 5A, and it is preferable to sandwich a packing material for ensuring a proper sealing property between the upper surface plate 2 and the block main body 4. . Furthermore, in the space K is stored a power storage means 5 that is a lead storage battery that stores power generated by irradiating the solar cell unit 1 with sunlight.

  The solar cell unit 1 is yellow at least on the upper surface, and the yellow is visually recognized from above the braille block 10 with solar cells through the upper surface plate 2, so that the braille block 10 with solar cells is provided even if the solar cell unit 1 is provided. Can be seen in yellow and can have a natural appearance. In addition, if the portion of the block body 4 that is visible from above (the upper end portion 41 in this embodiment) is also colored yellow, the color tone of the Braille block 10 with solar cells becomes more natural, which is preferable.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing details of the solar cell unit 1. In the solar cell unit 1, the photoelectrode layer 13 is formed on the conductive film 12 provided on the electrode base material 11, and the conductive film 15 provided on the counter base material 16 is provided via the electrolyte layer 14 as a photoelectrode. It is formed by facing the layer 13. The electrode substrate 11 and the conductive coating 12 are transparent to the extent that light transmission is not hindered, and the color tone of the solar cell unit 1 is set by the color tone of the sensitizing dye carried on the photoelectrode layer 13. .

  Further, not only the color tone of the sensitizing dye, but also the color tone of the upper surface plate 2 may be set in combination with the color tone of the sensitizing dye so that the top plate 2 is colored and transparent. And / or the color tone of the top plate 2 may be set to set the color tone of the Braille block 10 with solar cells.

  As a sensitizing dye, yellow can be expressed by using a carotenoid pigment such as gardenia pigment or honeysuckle pigment or a coumarin pigment such as coumarin 343. In developing other color tones, it can be expressed using eosin-based dyes for red, and Scarylium-based dyes for blue, and various combinations of these three primary colors at appropriate ratios. It may be possible to set different color tones. Further, it is difficult to form a complete white color as long as a dye is used. However, a color tone that approximates white can be obtained by reducing the amount of the carrier supported by using the above-described high-lightness dye used for yellow.

  Depending on the application used, ruthenium metal complex dyes generally known as sensitizing dyes include N3, black dye, bipyridine-carboxylic acid group, bipyridine series, phenanthroline, quinoline, β-diketonate complex, and other Os metal complexes, Metal complex dyes such as Fe metal complex, Cu metal complex, Pt metal complex, Re metal complex, methine dyes such as cyanine dyes and merocyanine dyes, mercurochrome dyes, xanthene dyes, porphyrin dyes, phthalocyanine dyes, azo dyes, coumarins Organic dyes such as dyes can also be used.

The photoelectrode layer 13 is made of Fe ₂ O ₃ , Cu ₂ O, In ₂ O ₃ , WO ₃ , Fe ₂ TiO ₃ , PbO, V ₂ O ₅ , FeTiO ₃ , Bi ₂ O ₃ , Nb ₂ O ₃ , SrTiO _3. , ZnO, BaTiO ₃ , CaTiO ₃ , KTaO ₃ , SnO ₂ , ZrO _2, etc. can be formed by supporting the above sensitizing dye on a thin film formed using a semiconductor material, and among these, Titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ) and zinc oxide (ZnO) are preferable from the viewpoint of cost, workability, and the like, but are not limited thereto, and appropriate ones can be used.

  Examples of the electrolyte layer 14 include a liquid electrolyte such as a mixed solution of acetonitrile and ethylene carbonate, a solvent such as methoxypropionitrile and an electrolyte such as lithium iodide and metal iodine, and a polymer gel electrolyte. Liquid electrolyte systems such as quasi-solidified electrolytes, solid electrolyte systems such as p-type semiconductors and hole transport agents, and the like can be used.

  For example, highly transparent glass, tempered glass, polycarbonate resin, highly transparent synthetic resin such as acrylic resin, polyarylate resin, polymethacrylate, and polyvinyl chloride are suitable for the electrode substrate 11 and the counter substrate 16. Can be used. In addition to the highly durable polyethylene terephthalate resin for the electrolyte layer 14, polyester synthetic resins such as polybutylene terephthalate resin and polyethylene naphthalate resin, and polyolefin-based synthetic resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and cyclic polyolefin resins can also be suitably used. Further, the counter electrode 16 can be formed using an appropriate material when transparency is not required.

  As the conductive coating 12 on the electrode substrate 11 side, tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), gold, platinum, etc., which are excellent in transparency and have high conductivity, or a combination thereof are used. It is formed by an appropriate method such as a vacuum vapor deposition method, a sputter vapor deposition method, an ion plating method, a CVD method, an electrophoretic electrodeposition method, or a film on which these thin films are formed is attached to the electrode substrate 2 Etc. can be formed.

  Further, as the conductive coating 15 on the opposite substrate 16 side, platinum, carbon, conductive polymer, a composite material of the above-mentioned substance with a metal oxide such as tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), or the like , Using a suitable method such as a vacuum deposition method, a sputtering deposition method, an ion plating method, a CVD method, or an electrophoretic electrodeposition method, or affixing a film on which these thin films are formed, etc. Can be formed.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a modification of the first embodiment of the Braille block with solar cell according to the present invention. In this figure, the solar cell portion 1 is provided almost directly below the upper surface plate 2, but a light emitter 6, which is an LED attached to the substrate 61, is further provided below the solar cell portion 1. is there. The electric power generated by the solar cell unit 1 is stored in the power storage means 5, and when the surroundings become dark, the light emitter 6 emits light by the brightness sensor and the control unit (not shown) so that the presence of the warning block is triggered. The electric power related to the light emission is supplied from the power storage means 5.

  Here, in the solar cell unit 1, at least in the upper part where the light emitter 6 is provided, the photoelectrode layer 13, the electrolyte layer 14, the conductive coating 15 and the counter electrode 16 are made transparent so that the light emitter 6 The emitted light passes through the solar cell unit 1 and is emitted upward. In order to make these transparent, they can be formed by appropriately selecting and using transparent materials among the materials described above.

  FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the Braille block with solar cell according to the present invention, wherein (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a cross-sectional view. First, in (a), the Braille block 10 with solar cell in the present embodiment is called a guide block of a visually impaired person guide block, and four linear protrusions 3B having a half dome-shaped cross section are formed on the top surface of the top plate 2. They are arranged in parallel in columns. In many cases, the induction block is formed by molding a synthetic resin colored in yellow.

  Next, in (b), the solar cell unit 1 is provided in the linear projection 3B, and the linear projection 3B is formed from a highly light-transmitting material such as polycarbonate resin, so that sunlight is emitted to the solar cell unit 1. It is designed to be incident. By setting the solar cell unit 1 to a yellow color tone, the color tone of the Braille block 10 with solar cell can be made natural even when the solar cell unit 1 is provided.

  In the present embodiment, a light emitter 6 that is an LED attached to the substrate 61 is provided below the upper surface plate 2, and the light emitter 6 emits light when the surroundings become dark as in the above-described embodiment. The top plate 2 is made of a transparent material so that light from the light emitter 6 can be emitted, but when the light emitter 6 is not provided, the solar cell portion 1 is provided on the linear protrusion 3B. Therefore, the upper plate 2 can be formed using an opaque material, for example, a synthetic resin material obtained by kneading a yellow pigment in an opaque synthetic resin.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the solar cell portion 1 formed on the linear protrusion 3B. (A) is the shape along the outer shape of the linear protrusion 3B, and the power generation amount can be increased by increasing the light receiving surface of the solar cell unit 1. Moreover, (b) is a case where the cross-sectional shape of the linear protrusion 3B is a semicircle, and this also increases the power generation amount by making the shape of the solar cell portion 1 along the semicircular shape. it can. Further, as shown in (c), the solar cell portion 1 is continuously formed inside the upper surface plate 2 and the linear protrusion 3B, and the entire upper surface of the Braille block 10 with solar cells is used as the light receiving surface to increase the power generation amount. May be. These shapes can also be applied to the point-like protrusions 3A shown in the first embodiment. By using a dye-sensitized solar cell that can flexibly cope with various shapes, it is possible to obtain advantages such as the formation of the above-described protrusions to increase the amount of power generation.

It is explanatory drawing which shows 1st embodiment of the braille block with a solar cell concerning this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the detail of the solar cell part in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of a deformation | transformation of 1st embodiment of the braille block with a solar cell concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows 2nd embodiment of the braille block with a solar cell concerning this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of a deformation | transformation of the solar cell part in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Solar cell part 10 Braille block with solar cell

Claims (2)

A solar cell part having at least a part of the upper surface as a light-receiving surface is provided, the solar cell part is formed using a dye-sensitized solar cell, and emits light below the solar cell part composed of the dye-sensitized solar cell. The light emitter is emitted by the electric power generated by the dye-sensitized solar cell, and the light of the light emitter is transmitted through the dye-sensitized solar cell and emitted upward. Braille block with solar battery characterized by that.   The Braille block with solar cells according to claim 1, wherein the solar cell portion has a yellow color or a color tone similar to yellow when viewed from above.

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