Patent ID: 12248209

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to make the objects, the technical solutions and the advantages of the present disclosure more apparent, the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in a clear and complete manner in conjunction with the drawings and embodiments. Apparently, the following embodiments merely relate to a part of, rather than all of, the embodiments of the present disclosure, and based on these embodiments, a person skilled in the art may, without any creative effort, obtain the other embodiments, which also fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Unless otherwise defined, any technical or scientific term used herein shall have the common meaning understood by a person of ordinary skills. Such words as “first” and “second” used in the specification and claims are merely used to differentiate different components rather than to represent any order, number or importance. Similarly, such words as “one” or “one of” are merely used to represent the existence of at least one member, rather than to limit the number thereof. Such words as “include” or “including” intends to indicate that an element or object before the word contains an element or object or equivalents thereof listed after the word, without excluding any other element or object. Such words as “connect/connected to” or “couple/coupled to” may include electrical connection, direct or indirect, rather than to be limited to physical or mechanical connection. Such words as “on”, “under”, “left” and “right” are merely used to represent relative position relationship, and when an absolute position of the object is changed, the relative position relationship will be changed too.

Before the detailed description on the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is necessary to describe the related art as follows.

In the related art, a dye liquid crystal dimming glass needs to be designed as a hollow tempered glass structure mainly including an exterior tempered glass and an interior tempered glass oppositely arranged, and a dimming functional layer arranged between the exterior tempered glass and the interior tempered glass, as well as an aluminium frame and an adhesive further arranged between the exterior tempered glass and the interior tempered glass. The aluminium frame and the adhesive are arranged surrounding a peripheral of the dimming functional layer, and an electrical connection portion of the dimming functional layer is integrated into the dimming glass structure.

In the related art, the electrical connection portion of the dimming functional layer is secured in the following manner. The bonding circuit board of the dimming functional layer is directly connected to the printed circuit board at an outer side of the bonding circuit board, the printed circuit board is secured on the glass substrate in a snap-fit manner, one or more conductive leads are connected to the printed circuit board through welding and exposed at a side surface of the dimming glass. When the dimming glass is installed into a building facade and a skylight, an installation construction process is relatively violent, e.g., the dimming glass may be forced into and embedded into a metal section bar, so that the electrical connection leads are squeezed and pulled between the side surface of the dimming glass and the metal section bar, and a pulling force is transmitted to the printed circuit board and the bonding circuit board, leading to the loosening of the electrical connection and the occurrence of an open circuit, and finally a dimming defect phenomenon (e.g., the dimming glass is unable to be energized or a contact defect occurs) occurs frequently in the installed dimming glass. In a later stage, it is troublesome and dangerous to disassemble and repair the installed dimming glass having the defect, and a replacement cost is high. Therefore, there is an urgent need to mitigate the electrical connection failure caused during the installation process of the dimming glass.

In order to address the above-mentioned issues, in some relevant technologies, the dimming functional layer mainly includes upper and lower substrates and a liquid crystal layer located between the upper and lower substrates, grooves are formed in the upper and lower substrates, the conductive leads are placed in the grooves, and the conductive leads in the grooves are pressed and secured through the upper and lower substrates. However, the above-mentioned scheme is only for the structure of the dimming functional layer. The dimming glass further includes an exterior glass and an interior glass, so it is unable to secure the conductive leads by merely using the grooves in the upper and lower substrates of the dimming functional layer. Furthermore, it requires to form the grooves in the upper and lower substrates, an additional manufacturing process and additional costs are required. In addition, in a lamination process, there is a height level difference at a region of each groove in the upper and lower substrates, and cracks and edge collapse are liable to occur due to a local excessive pressure.

In order to address the above-mentioned issues, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a dimming glass and a method for manufacturing the dimming glass, so as to reduce the probability that an electrical connection structure of the dimming glass is damaged during the installation process, and ensure the normal driving of the dimming functional layer.

As shown inFIGS.1to4, the present disclosure provides in some embodiments a dimming glass, including: two glass substrates100arranged oppositely to form a cell, at least one dimming functional layer200arranged between the two glass substrates100and a sealant300. An edge of each glass substrate100has a sealant region110which is not covered by the dimming functional layer200, at least one side of the dimming functional layer200is a bonding side, a bonding circuit board210is arranged at the bonding side of the dimming functional layer200, and a plurality of conductive leads220is connected to the bonding circuit board210. The sealant300is filled between the sealant regions110of the two glass substrates100. Each conductive lead220includes a connecting end221, a protruding end222and an extension segment223connecting the connecting end221and the protruding end222, the connecting end221is connected to the bonding circuit board210, the protruding end222extends out of an outer side of an edge of the glass substrate100, at least a part of the extension segment223extends in a first direction X, the first direction X is an extension direction of the edge of the bonding side of the dimming functional layer200, and the extension segment223is at least partially located in the sealant region110and secured through the sealant300.

In the above-mentioned scheme, an electrical connection portion of the dimming functional layer200arranged between two glass substrates100is improved, the plurality of conductive leads220connected to the bonding circuit board210extends along the edge of the bonding side of the dimming functional layer200for a distance and then extends out of the glass substrates100, i.e., the connecting end221and the protruding end222of each conductive lead220are spaced apart from each other by a certain distance, and the conductive leads220are secured through the sealant300. In this way, when the protruding end222of the conductive lead220is pulled through an external force, the conductive lead220is secured through the sealant300, and the protruding end222and the connecting end221are spaced apart from each other by the certain distance, as compared with the scheme in the related art that the conductive lead220is directly extracted from the printed circuit board, it is able for the sealant300to provide better protection for the conductive leads220, so that the conductive leads220are not easy to be pulled out. Therefore, when the dimming glass is installed into a building curtain wall or a skylight, it is able to mitigate the electrical connection failure of the dimming functional layer200due to the pulling of the conductive leads220, provide a simple and effective structure, realize a low cost as compared with the manner of the grooves in the glass substrates100, and save a high cost of replacing the dimming glass due to the electrical connection failure.

It should be appreciated that, the connecting end221may be at least partially or fully located in a region covered by the sealant300, namely, an orthogonal projection of the connecting end221onto the glass substrate100at least partially overlaps an orthographic projection of the sealant300onto the glass substrate100. When the protruding end222extends to the outside of the edge of the glass substrate100, it means that the protruding end222is at least partially located outside the region covered by the sealant300, i.e., an orthogonal projection of the protruding end222onto the glass substrate100is at least partially located outside the orthographic projection of the sealant onto the glass substrate.

It should be appreciated that, in the above-mentioned solution, at least a part of the extension segment223extends in the first direction X, a main object thereof is to enable the connecting end221and the protruding end222to be spaced apart from each other by the certain distance, and a routing direction of the extension segment223extends substantially in the first direction X, and may be completely identical to the first direction X or may not be parallel to the first direction X, as long as it extends substantially in the first direction X.

The dimming functional layer200may include at least one of a dye liquid crystal dimming layer, a polymer dispersed liquid crystal dimming layer, an electrochromic dimming layer, etc. The dimming functional layer may include an upper substrate and a lower substrate, and a dye liquid crystal layer or a polymer dispersed liquid crystal layer or an electrochromic layer between the upper and lower substrates. Such an electrical driving structure as a driving electrode, a thin film transistor, an alignment layer is arranged on the upper and lower substrates. The upper and lower substrates may each be any appropriate substrate, such as a flexible substrate or a rigid substrate. The bonding circuit board210is connected to the bonding side of the dimming functional layer200. It should be appreciated that the specific structure of the dimming functional layer200is not particularly defined herein.

In some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown inFIGS.1and3, the extension segment223is laid in the sealant region110of at least one of the glass substrates100, at least one fixing structure400is secured in the sealant region110, and the extension segment223is partially secured in the sealant region110through the fixing structure400.

Based on the above-mentioned solution, the conductive leads220are secured through the fixing structure400, and the fixing structure400is secured in the sealant region110, so that when the conductive leads220are pulled, a stress may be released at a position where the fixing structure400is secured to the glass substrate100. In this way it is unable to destroy the connection between the conductive leads220and the bonding circuit board210and the connection between the bonding circuit board210and the dimming functional layer200due to pulling of the conductive leads220, and it is able to efficiently avoid the electrical connection failure caused by directly extracting the conductive lead220from the printed circuit board in the related art, and save the high cost of replacing the dimming glass.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown inFIGS.2and4, the fixing structure400is secured to the glass substrate100through an adhesive500. The adhesive500may be a strong adhesives, so as to enhance the securing strength of the fixing structure400. In this way, the fixing structure400may be firmly secured to the glass substrate100through the adhesive500and the sealant300.

It should be appreciated that the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only, but shall not be used to limit the manner in which the fixing structure400is secured.

In addition, illustratively, the fixing structure400includes a clamping member, the clamping member includes a clamping main body420, a channel410is provided in such a manner as to penetrate through the clamping main body420, and the extension segment223passes through the channel410and is secured to the channel410through a solid adhesive430.

Based on the above-mentioned scheme, the extension segment223of the conductive lead220passes through the channel410of the clamping member, and the solid adhesive430, such as a glass cement, a silicone adhesive or a resin adhesive, may be coated in the channel410in the clamping main body420, and the conductive lead220is firmly secured to the clamping member via the solid adhesive430. It should be appreciated that a specific structure of the fixing structure400is by no means limited thereto. For example, the fixing structure400may also be any other appropriate fixing structure such as a buckle. In addition, apart from the solid adhesive430, the conductive leads220may be clamped and secured through the fixing structure400in the following manner. The conductive leads220are clamped tightly through the design of an inner diameter of the channel410, so as to secure the conductive leads220.

Furthermore, in some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.5, the clamping main body420includes two shells421capable of being connected to each other in a snap-fit manner, the two shells421are hinged to each other via a hinge422at one side and connected to each other at the other side via a snap-fitting assembly423, a groove411is formed in each shell421, and when the two shells421are connected to each other in the snap-fit manner, two grooves411cooperate to form the channel410.

Based on the above-mentioned scheme, when assembling the dimming glass, as shown inFIG.6, the snap-fitting assembly423may be opened to separate the two shells of the clamping main body420(as shown inFIG.6(a)), the solid adhesive430is coated in a region A of the groove411, the conductive leads220are laid in the groove411coated with the solid adhesive430(as shown inFIG.6(b)), and then the snap-fitting assembly is closed to enable the two shells421to connected to each other in the snap-fit manner (as shown inFIG.6(c)). In this way, the structure is simple, the assembly is convenient, and the solid adhesive430is uniformly coated. It should be appreciated that the above-mentioned clamping main body420is arranged in a split-type manner, and able to be opened or closed, but in practical applications, the clamping main body420may also be arranged in a one-piece manner.

It should be further appreciated that, in the above-described embodiments, the two shells in the clamping main body420are hinged to each other at one side and connected to each other at the other side via the snap-fitting assembly, so as to enable the two shells to be opened and closed. In other embodiments not illustrated, the two shells in the clamping main body420may also be connected to each other through other manners so as to enable the two shells to be opened and closed. For example, two opposite sides of the two shells are connected to each other in the snap-fit manner, which will not be particularly defined herein.

In addition, there may be one or more fixing structures400. To further improve a pulling force that the conductive leads220is capable of bearing, in some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the quantity of fixing structures400is at least two. It should be appreciated that, the specific quantity of fixing structures400may be reasonably selected according to practical applications.

Furthermore, in some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a distance that the extension segment223of each conductive lead220extends in the first direction X may range from 15 cm to 20 cm, and the fixing structure400may have a maximum length of 1 cm to 10 cm in the first direction X. For example, the maximum length of the fixing structure400in the first direction X may be 3 cm to 4 cm. The fixing structure400has a maximum height of 1 mm to 25 mm in the second direction perpendicular to the glass substrate. For example, the height of the fixing structure in the second direction Y perpendicular to the glass substrate100is less than a height of a gap between the two glass substrates100, and is about 6-8 mm. The fixing structure400may have a maximum width of 1 mm to 20 mm in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. For example, the width of the fixing structure in the third direction Z perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Y is 8 mm to 10 mm. The channel410may have an inner diameter greater than or equal to a sectional area of the plurality of conductive leads220, and has a maximum inner diameter of about 1 mm to 10 mm. For example, the channel410has an inner diameter of 3 mm to 4 mm.

It should be appreciated that, in practical applications, the parameters of a size of the fixing structure400and the length of the extension segment223may be reasonably selected according to practical requirements, which will not be particularly defined herein.

Furthermore, in some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown inFIGS.1and3, the extension segment223is configured to: after extending from the connecting end221, bend towards a side where the dimming functional layer200is located, and after extending in the first direction X for a predetermined distance, bend towards the outer side of the glass substrate100and extend out of the glass substrate100. That is, the extension segment223may be laid toward the inner side (i.e., toward the side where the dimming functional layer200is located) as possible, so that the conductive lead220is protected in a better manner after the sealant300is cured, thereby the conductive lead220is less likely to be pulled out.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the sealant300may be made of any appropriate material such as black butyl sealant. Preferably, the fixing structure400has a same color as the sealant300.

Further, the quantity of dimming functional layers200may be one or at least two.FIG.1andFIG.2each shows a case where there is one dimming functional layer200. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, at least two conductive leads220are connected to the bonding circuit board210and pass through the channel410of the same clamping member. In this way, it is able to save the cost, provide a simple structure and facilitate the assembly.

FIG.3andFIG.4each shows a case where there are two dimming functional layers200. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, there are at least two dimming functional layer200, at least two conductive leads220are connected to the bonding circuit board210of each dimming functional layer200, and multiple conductive leads220of the at least two dimming functional layers200pass through the channel410of a same clamping member. In this way, multiple conductive leads220of different dimming functional layers200share the clamping member, so as to save the quantity of clamping members, reduce the cost, and facilitate the assembly.

It should be appreciated that when there are at least two dimming functional layers200, multiple conductive leads220of the same dimming functional layer200may share the same clamping member, while conductive leads220of different dimming functional layers200do not share the same clamping member.

It is should be further appreciated that, one of the two glass substrates100is an interior glass substrate100, the other thereof is an exterior glass substrate100, the conductive leads220of the dimming functional layer200may be secured onto the interior glass substrate100via the clamping member, or the exterior glass substrate100via the clamping member. When there are at least two dimming functional layers200, the conductive leads220corresponding to the dimming functional layer200close to the interior glass substrate100are secured onto the interior glass substrate100via the clamping member, and the conductive leads220corresponding to the dimming functional layer200close to the exterior glass substrate100are secured onto the exterior glass substrate100via the clamping member.

In addition, in the related art, the bonding circuit board210is directly connected to the printed circuit board at the outer side of the bonding circuit board, the printed circuit board is connected to the glass substrate100in the snap-fit manner, the conductive leads220are directly extracted from the printed circuit board, and when the conductive lead220is pulled, the printed circuit board is easy to loosen. However, in some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in the figures, the bonding circuit board210includes conductive spacers211to which the conductive leads220are directly connected through welding. Since the conductive leads220may extend the predetermined distance in the first direction X, and/or the conductive leads220are secured through the fixing structure400, and the conductive leads220are further secured through the sealant300, the printed circuit board is not provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and the conductive leads220are directly secured to the conductive spacers of the bonding circuit board210through welding, it is able to reduce the cost, be applicable to products of various sizes, and avoid the phenomenon that the printed circuit board becomes loose easily.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown inFIGS.1and3, a welding position where each conductive lead220is connected to each the conductive spacer through welding is wrapped with an anti-oxidation protection layer224, so as to prevent oxidation at the welding position. The anti-oxidation protection layer224may be any appropriate material such as acetate cloth.

Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown inFIGS.1to4, the dimming glass further includes a support frame600located between the two glass substrates100and at a periphery of the dimming functional layer200, and the sealant region110is located at a periphery of the support frame600. The support frame600may be such a metal frame as an aluminum frame. The strength of the hollow tempered structure is improved through the support frame600. The fixing structure400may be not adhered to the support frame600.

The present disclosure further provides in some embodiments a method for manufacturing the above-mentioned dimming glass. The method includes the following steps.

Step S01, the dimming functional layer200is attached to one of the glass substrates100.

The dimming functional layer200may be attached to a surface of the interior glass substrate100at a high temperature and a high pressure via an adhesive layer such as a PVB (polyvinyl butyral) adhesive film.

Step S02, the plurality of conductive leads220is laid at the bonding side of the dimming functional layer200in the sealant region110.

The conductive leads220are laid on the surface of the interior glass substrate100.

Step S03, the other one of the glass substrates100is placed on the dimming functional layer200, and the sealant300is filled between the sealant regions110of two the glass substrates100, the extension segment223is secured through the sealant300.

The exterior glass substrate100may be placed on the dimming functional layer200, and the sealant300is pressed into the gap between the interior glass substrate100and the exterior glass substrate, and after the sealant300is cured, the excess sealant protruding the outer side of the glass substrate100is removed.

Illustratively, subsequent to step S02, the method further includes: step S021, securing the extension segment223is through the fixing structure400, and securing the fixing structure400is to the glass substrate100through an adhesive500.

Specifically, the step S021includes: opening the two shells of the fixing structure400, coating the solid adhesive430(the glass cement, the silicone adhesive or the resin adhesive, etc.) in the groove, laying the conductive leads220in the groove coated with the solid adhesive430, closing the fixing structure400through the snap-fitting assembly, and applying a strong adhesive to the bottom of the closed fixing structure400, so as to enable the closed fixing structure400to be adhered to the surface of the glass substrate100.

Hereinafter, the method for manufacturing the dimming glass will be described in more detail by taking the embodiments shown inFIGS.1and3as examples. The method includes the following steps.

Step S01, the conductive leads220are connected to the conductive spacers of the bonding circuit board210of the dimming functional layer200through welding, the dimming functional layers200(Cell1and Cell2in the figure) are attached to a surface of the interior tempered glass at a high temperature and a high pressure by using an adhesive layer, such as a PVB (polyvinyl butyral) adhesive film, and an anti-oxidation prevention layer, such as an acetic acid cloth, is used to wrap the welding position so as to prevent the oxidation thereof.

Step S02, the conductive leads220are laid on the surface of the interior tempered glass, and at least a certain length of the conductive leads are laid as close to one side of the support frame as possible.

Step S021, the two shells of the clamping member are opened, the solid adhesive430(the glass cement, the silicone adhesive or the resin adhesive, etc.) is coated in the groove, the conductive leads220are laid in the groove coated with the solid adhesive430, and the fixing structure400is closed through the snap-fitting assembly, and a strong adhesive is applied to the bottom of the closed clamping member, so as to enable the clamping member to be adhered to the surface of the glass substrate100.

Step S03, the exterior glass substrate100may be placed on the dimming functional layer200, and the sealant300is pressed into the gap between the interior glass substrate100and the exterior glass substrate, and after the sealant300is cured, the excess sealant protruding the outer side of the glass substrate100is removed to obtain the dimming glass.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is able to reduce the probability that the electrical connection structure of the dimming glass is damaged during the installation process, and ensure the normal driving of the dimming functional layer200.

A test experiment on the pull stress of the conductive leads220of the dimming glass in the embodiments of the present disclosure and the dimming glass in the related art are performed in the present disclosure.

In the test experiment, as Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 corresponding to the dimming glass of the present disclosure are provided, the quantity of clamping members in Embodiment 1 is two and the quantity of clamping members in Embodiment 2 is one. The dimming glass in the related art is used as a reference example.

The test process is as follows.

Firstly, the dimming glass is energized, so that the internal dimming functional layer200thereof is in an on state.

Next, the dimming glass is placed on the ground and secured, and an external lead is pulled in a direction perpendicular to the ground by using a pull scale, so that an actual installation process where the dimming glass is squeezed and pulled by the peripheral metal section bar may be simulated.

Next, the conductive leads220are pulled hard until the dimming functional layer200inside the dimming glass fails, where the inner electrical connection is considered as failure when a light transmittance of dimming functional layer200suddenly becomes small.

A test result is as follows.

In the dimming glass of Embodiment 1, the conductive leads220thereof is capable of bearing a pulling force of 40 Kg or more, a force-bearing point during the pulling process of the leads is located at a position where the fixing structure400is adhered to the glass substrate100, and when the fixing structure400is broken, the external force is transmitted to the welding position between the printed circuit board and the conductive lead220.

In the dimming glass of Embodiment 2, the conductive leads220thereof is capable of bearing a pulling force of 34 Kg or more, a force-bearing point during the pulling process of the leads is located at the position where the fixing structure400is adhered to the glass substrate100, and when the fixing structure400is broken, the external force is transmitted to the welding position between the printed circuit board and the conductive lead220.

In the dimming glass of the reference example, the conductive leads220is capable of bearing a pulling force of 6 Kg or more.

In other words, the strength of the conductive leads220in the dimming glass in the embodiments of the present disclosure is increased by 7 times. When the dimming glass is installed in an actual construction, a force of frictional, squeezing and pulling between the side surface of the dimming glass and the metal section frame is about 5 Kg to 15 Kg. Therefore, according to the dimming glass and the method for manufacturing the dimming glass in the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is able to effectively reduce the probability that the electrical connection structure of the dimming glass is damaged during the installation process, and ensure the normal driving of the dimming functional layer200.

Some descriptions will be given as follows.

(1) The drawings merely relate to structures involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and the other structures may refer to those known in the art.

(2) For clarification, in the drawings for describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, a thickness of a layer or region is zoomed out or in, i.e., these drawings are not provided in accordance with an actual scale. It should be appreciated that, in the case that such an element as layer, film, region or substrate is arranged “on” or “under” another element, it may be directly arranged “on” or “under” the other element, or an intermediate element may be arranged therebetween.

(3) In the case of no conflict, the embodiments of the present disclosure and the features therein may be combined to acquire new embodiments.

The above embodiments are merely for illustrative purposes, but shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure shall be subject to the scope defined by the appended claims.