JPH087384Y2 - EC glasses - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to eyeglasses having a lens provided with an electric element.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, as a lens for glasses, a lens having an electric element such as an electrochromic (EC) element, a liquid crystal element, or a transparent heating resistor element (anti-fog) formed on the lens surface or inside is used. Glasses have been proposed in which the function (eg, optical characteristics) of a lens is changed by supplying electric energy.

For example, an EC device in which a transparent electrode layer (cathode), a tungsten trioxide (WO ₃ ) layer, an insulating layer such as silicon dioxide, and a transparent electrode layer (anode) are sequentially laminated on a lens (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. S60-12065).
Eyeglasses formed with BP1563929 corresponding to No. 52-54455 are known. When a voltage is applied to this EC element, the WO ₃ layer is colored blue. Then, when a reverse voltage is applied to this EC element, the blue color of the WO ₃ layer disappears and becomes colorless. Although the mechanism of decolorization has not been clarified in detail, it is understood that the trace amount of water contained in the WO ₃ layer and the insulating layer controls the coloring and decoloration of WO ₃ .

The electrode lead-out terminals (8a, 8b) of the lens (1) provided with such an electric element are provided on the outer peripheral portion of the lens (see FIG. 6) in order to secure the field of view of the spectacle wearer. Electric energy is supplied to the electric element through the electrode lead-out terminals (8a, 8b).

[Problems to be solved by the device]

The conventional technique (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 52-54455) has the following problems because the switch is located in the center of the temple.

The weight on the front increases and the burden on the nose becomes heavy.

If the switch protrudes or if the switch is built in, the temple becomes thick, and the aesthetics are impaired in any case.

Due to the switch, the temple design is restricted.

Electric wiring (current passage) from the armor to the temple
Is necessary, and it creates a troublesome problem. That is, since there is a hinge between the armature and the temple and the temple is opened and closed, it is not easy to form a current path across such a portion.

The operability of the switch is a little bad.

[Means for solving the problem]

Therefore, the present invention is characterized in that the switch for driving the electric element and the power source battery are housed in one box, and the box is arranged inside the armature.

[Action]

Of course, there is a need for a current path between the electrical element and the switch, and between the switch and the power source to supply electrical energy. A dedicated wiring cord may be used as the current path, and the cord may be built in the rim (front) or may be provided outside. Alternatively, when the rim (front) is made of metal and has conductivity, the rim (front) itself may be the current path. However, in this case, for example, as shown in FIG.
Corresponding to the two current paths of + and-, they must be divided into two and insulated between them.

The EC element is planar and, as an example of a preferable thin film type structure, a four-layer structure such as electrode layer / EC layer / ion conductive layer / electrode layer, electrode layer / reduction coloring type EC layer / ion conductive layer A five-layer structure such as layer / reversible electrolytic oxidation layer or oxidation coloring type EC layer / electrode layer can be mentioned. In this case, both electrode layers must be transparent.

As the material of the transparent electrode, for example, SnO ₂ , In ₂ O ₃ , ITO or the like is used. Such an electrode layer is generally formed by a vacuum thin film forming technique such as vacuum deposition, ion plating or sputtering. (Reducing colorability) As the EC layer, WO ₃ , M ₀ O ₃ or the like is generally used.

As the ion conductive layer, for example, silicon oxide, tantalum oxide, titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, niobium oxide, zirconium oxide, hafnium oxide, lanthanum oxide, magnesium fluoride or the like is used.

These material thin film is an insulator for electrons by the production method, a proton (H ⁺⁾ and hydroxy ions ^- a good conductor for (OH). Cations are required for the coloring and erasing reaction of the EC layer, and H ⁺ ions and Li ⁺ ions are
It is necessary to include it in a layer or the like. The H ⁺ ion does not have to be an ion from the beginning, and it suffices that the H ⁺ ion is generated when a voltage is applied, and thus water may be contained instead of the H ⁺ ion. Very little water is enough
Often, even water that naturally invades from the atmosphere fades and disappears.

Either of the EC layer and the ion conductive layer may be on the upper side or the lower side. Further, a reversible electrolytic oxidation layer, an oxidation coloring type EC layer, or a catalyst layer may be disposed with respect to the EC layer with an ion conductive layer interposed therebetween. Examples of such a layer include iridium oxide or hydroxide, nickel, chromium, vanadium, ruthenium, rhodium and the like.

These substances may be dispersed in the ion conductive layer or the transparent electrode, or may contain the structural substances in a dispersed state.

When a DC voltage of about 1 to 3 V is applied to such an EC element, the EC element is gradually colored, and when a reverse voltage of the same degree is applied, the EC element is discolored, and as a result, the transmittance of the lens can be changed.

〔Example〕

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section of a lens used in the embodiment of the present invention.

On the rear surface of the substrate lens (1) (concave surface on the wearer's side), a lower ITO transparent electrode layer (2) with a thickness of 2000 Å and a thickness of 1 by vacuum deposition, ion plating, or sputtering.
Oxidative coloring type EC layer (3) made of a mixture of 200 Å Ir ₂ O ₃ and SnO ₂ , an ion conductive layer made of Ta ₂ O _{5 having} a thickness of 5000 Å (4), reduction coloring made of WO _{3 having} a thickness of 5000 Å Type EC layer (5) and upper ITO transparent electrode layer (6) with a thickness of 2000Å
Are formed.

The above-mentioned layers (2) to (6) form an EC element (7).

As an electrode lead-out terminal from each of the electrode layers, a plating layer (8a), (8b) having a two-layer structure in which the lower layer is silver and the upper layer is gold is formed on the lens outer peripheral portion (bevel surface of the bevel),
They are in electrical contact with the upper ITO transparent electrode layer (6) and the lower ITO transparent electrode layer (2), respectively.

The rim upper part (9a) and the rim lower part (9b) are in contact with the plated layers (8a) and (8b).

Generally, the rim is not divided into upper and lower parts, but in the present embodiment, the rim is made of metal, for example, nickel silver, and is also used as the current passage (10). The EC element (7) formed on the lens has +,-
It is necessary to connect the two electric current passages (10) of the electric power source (11) to the EC element (7) through the electric current passages (10). Therefore, two rims corresponding to + and-are required, and an upper part (9a) and a lower part (9b) are prepared. Since both of them must be insulated as a matter of course, when they are to be coupled, they need to be coupled via an insulator. Here, a thin plastic sheet is used as an insulator to join the rim top (9a) and bottom (9b). There are two connection points, a bridge section and a rim lock section.

Figure 5A shows the simplest drive circuit. Here, the IC is not used at all, but a separate drive is required to perform complicated driving.
An IC may be provided. By pressing the switch (12a)
When 1.5V coloring voltage is applied to the EC element (7) from the 1.5V power supply battery (11), the EC element (7) is colored in 1 to several seconds and the light transmittance of the lens is 15 to 20% at maximum. Fall to. Even if the pressing of the switch (12a) is stopped and the application of the coloring voltage is stopped, the EC element (7) retains its transmittance because it has a memory property.

Next, by pressing the switch (12b), a decoloring voltage of 1.5V (reverse pressure when coloring) is applied to the EC element (7), the color is erased half as fast as the coloring time, and the transmittance is Recovers to around 70%. If it takes time, the electrodes (2) and (6) may be short-circuited without applying a back pressure.

By adjusting the time for pressing the switches (12a) and (12b), that is, the voltage application time, it is possible to obtain an arbitrary transmittance between 15 and 80%.

Incidentally, it is possible to combine the switch and the power supply into one, and this example is shown in FIG. 5B. In this example, the switch lever can be pushed down from the neutral position in the direction of the upward arrow or the direction of the downward arrow so that the color can be changed.

FIG. 1 is a top view showing a part of the frame of this embodiment.

Inside the left and right armor (13), the coloring box (17
a) and the erasing box (17b) are attached respectively.

The boxes (17a) and (17b) are made symmetrically, and there is a fool hole (18a) through which the rim lock screw (20) passes, as shown in FIG. The rear end portion is provided with a stupid hole (18b) through which a screw (21) for screwing to the end piece (13) through a hinge (19) passes.

Inside the box (17a), as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a coloring power supply battery (11) and a coloring switch (12a) are housed. The box (17b) is the same.

EC element (7), battery (11), switch (12a), (12
b) and are connected as shown in Fig. 5A.

Although not shown in FIG. 2, actually, metal thin pieces are attached to the top and bottom surfaces of the box body (the body is made of plastic), and these thin pieces are contact terminals. , One of which is connected to the anode of the battery (11) by an electric cord, and the other of which is connected to one of the terminals of the switch (12a) by an electric cord. The other terminal of the switch (12a) is connected to the cathode of the battery (11) by an electric cord.

In the front of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the metal rim is divided into an upper part (9a) and a lower part (9b), and they also serve as + and-current paths, respectively. 9
a), insert the tip of the box (17) between the rim lock at the end (9a ₁ ) and the rim lock at the bottom of the rim (9b) to form a three-layer structure, and tighten it with the rim lock screw (20). To unify the three. At this time, the rim upper part (9
a) and the thin piece (contact terminal) come into contact with each other, and at the same time, the rim lower part (9
b) and the thin piece (contact terminal) also come into contact with each other, and electrical conduction can be achieved.

[Effect of device]

As described above, according to the present invention, the drive unit (which includes the switch and the power supply battery, and in some cases, includes the IC) is housed in a single box separately from the frame, and is housed inside the armor. Since it is arranged, (1) the drive part is hidden by the armor and the driving part is not conspicuous, and it has a good aesthetic appearance. (2) There is no current path in the frame body, so there is no restriction on the frame design, it becomes slim, (3) Since the switch is near the armor, it has good operability, and (4) there is no need to wire to the temple, so there are advantages such as aesthetics and cost.

When two boxes are prepared for coloring and erasing as in the embodiment, and one box is arranged on the left end and the other on the right end, two small switch buttons (for coloring, (For erasing) is far away, so there is no danger of accidentally pressing it,
Operability is improved. Furthermore, since the box is so small that it can be easily hidden by the armor, the aesthetic feeling is improved, and even if it is seen, the sensation is well balanced, the weight is balanced, and the wearing feeling is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top view showing a part of a frame according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional end view taken along the line XX of FIG. FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the box body. FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a lens having an EC element. 5A and 5B are circuit diagrams. FIG. 6 is a front view of a lens provided with an EC element. FIG. 7 is a front perspective view. Many figures are deformed and do not represent the exact dimensional ratio. [Explanation of symbols for main parts] 1 ... Substrate lens (7 ... EC element) 2 ... Lower transparent electrode layer (7 ... EC element) 3 ... Ir ₂ O ₃ / SnO ₂ layer (7 ...... EC) Element) 4 …… Ta ₂ O ₅ layer (7 …… EC element) 5 …… WO ₃ layer (EC layer) (7 …… EC element) 6 …… Upper transparent electrode layer (7 …… EC element) 8a, 8b …… Plated layer (electrode extraction terminal) 9a …… Rim upper part, 9b …… Rim lower part 9a ₁ … Rim lock 10 …… Current passage 11 …… Power supply battery 12, 12a, 12b …… Switch 13 …… Yoroi 14… … Temple 15 …… Missing number 16 …… Missing number 17 …… Box 18a, 18b… Stupid hole 19 …… hinge 20 …… Rim lock screw 21 …… Screw 22 …… Bridge

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A pair of left and right lenses provided with an electrochromic element, a pair of left and right rims that are combined with each other and are connected by a bridge, and a pair of left and right oysters fixed to one end of each of the left and right rims. In a pair of glasses having a temple pivotally attached to one end of each end piece, the pair of left and right sides includes a battery as a power source of a coloring voltage for coloring the electrochromic element and a switch for applying the coloring voltage. Of the pair of left and right lenses having a coloring box for simultaneously coloring the lens, a battery serving as a power source of an erasing voltage which is a reverse voltage to the coloring voltage, and a switch for applying the erasing voltage. The coloring box has a decoloring box for simultaneously decoloring, and the coloring box is almost invisible when the glasses are viewed from the front. Is attached to the inside of the one endpiece, and the erasing box is attached to the inside of the other endpiece so that the erasing box is hardly visible when the glasses are viewed from the front. Glasses to wear.