EP1299768A1

EP1299768A1 - Electrochemical device such as electrochromic or photovoltaic device and electrical connection means thereof

Info

Publication number: EP1299768A1
Application number: EP01955420A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Christophe Giron; Fabien Beteille; Xavier Fanton; Laurent Claude; Samuel Dubrenat
Original assignee: Saint Gobain Glass France SAS; Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA
Current assignee: Sage Electrochromics Inc
Priority date: 2000-07-13
Filing date: 2001-07-12
Publication date: 2003-04-09
Also published as: CA2415479C; FR2811778B1; JP2004504630A; FR2811778A1; KR100775946B1; WO2002006889A1; US7230748B2; US20040053125A1; MXPA03000362A; KR20030015380A; CA2415479A1; JP4938200B2; AU2001277590A1

Abstract

The invention concerns an electrochemical device, in particular an electrically controlled system with variable optical and/or energetic properties or a photovoltaic device, comprising at least a support substrate (1) for an electrically active stack of layers (3) arranged between a so-called lower electrode and a so-called upper electrode. Each electrode comprises at least an electro-conductive layer (2) electrically connected to at least an electric current supply. Said electric current supplies are arranged outside the support substrate (1) zone which is covered by the electrically active stack of layers (3).

Description

ELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICE OF THE ELECTROCHROME TYPE

OR PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICE

AND ITS ELECTRICAL CONNECTION MEANS

The present invention relates to an electrochemical device, in particular an electrically controllable system of the glazing type and with variable optical and / or energy properties or a photovoltaic device. There is indeed currently an increased demand for so-called glazing

"Intelligent" able to adapt to user needs.

There is also an increased demand for photovoltaic glazing, which converts solar energy into electrical energy.

With regard to “intelligent” glazing, it can be a question of controlling the solar contribution through glazing mounted outdoors in buildings or vehicles of the automobile, train or airplane type. The goal is to be able to limit excessive heating inside the cockpit / premises, but only in the case of strong sunshine.

It can also be a question of controlling the degree of vision through glazing, in particular in order to obscure it, to make it diffusing or even to prevent any vision when it is desirable. This may relate to glazing mounted in interior partitions in premises, trains, airplanes or mounted in automobile side windows. This also concerns mirrors used as rear-view mirrors, to temporarily prevent the driver from being dazzled, or traffic signs, so that messages appear when necessary, or intermittently to better attract attention. Glazing which can be made diffusing at will can be used when desired as projection screens.

There are various electrically controllable systems allowing this kind of changes in appearance / thermal properties. To modulate the light transmission or the light absorption of glazing, there are so-called viologen systems, such as those described in patents US-5,239,406 and EP-612,826.

To modulate the light transmission and / or the thermal transmission of glazing, there are also so-called electrochromic systems. These, in known manner, generally comprise two layers of electrochromic material separated by a layer of electrolyte and surrounded by two electroconductive layers. Each of the layers of electrochromic material can reversibly insert cations and electrons, the modification of their degree of oxidation following these insertions / disinsertions leading to a modification in its optical and / or thermal properties.

It is customary to classify electrochromic systems in three categories:

> one where the electrolyte is in the form of a polymer or a gel; for example a proton-conducting polymer like those described in patents EP-253,713 or EP-670,346, or a lithium ion-conducting polymer like those described in patents EP-382,623, EP-518,754 and EP- 532,408; the other layers of the system generally being of mineral nature, that in which the electrolyte is an essentially mineral layer. This category is often designated by the term "all-solid" system, we can find examples in patents EP-867 752, EP-831 360, patent FR99 / 03420 filed on March 19, 1999 corresponding to patent PCT / FR00 / 00675 filed March 17, 2000, and patent FR-2,781,084 corresponding to patent number WO / FR99 / 01653, filed July 08, 1999, that where all of the layers are based on polymers, category which is often referred to as the "all-polymer" system.

There are also systems called "light valves". These are films comprising a generally crosslinked polymer matrix in which are dispersed micro-droplets containing particles which are capable of being placed in a preferred direction under the action of a magnetic or electric field. It is thus known from patent WO93 / 09460 an optical valve comprising a polyorganosilane matrix and particles of the polyiodide type which intercept much less light when the film is tensioned.

We can also cite so-called liquid crystal systems, operation similar to the previous ones. They are based on the use of a film placed between two conductive layers and based on a polymer in which are arranged liquid crystal droplets, in particular nematic with positive dielectric anisotropy. The liquid crystals, when the film is tensioned, orient themselves along a privileged axis, which allows vision. When switched off, in the absence of alignment of the crystals, the film becomes diffusing and prevents vision. Examples of such films are described in particular in European patents EP-0 238 164, and American patents US-4 435 047, US-4 806 922, US-4 732 456. This type of film, once laminated and incorporated between two glass substrates, is marketed by Saint-Gobain Vitrage under the trade name "Priva-Lite".

One can in fact use all the liquid crystal devices known under the terms of “NCAP” (Nematic Curvilinearly Aligned Phases) or “PDLC” (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal). It is also possible to use, for example, polymers with cholesteric liquid crystals, such as those described in patent WO92 / 19695.

All these systems combined have in common the need to be equipped with current leads coming to supply electrodes generally in the form of two electroconductive layers on either side of the layer or of the different active layers of the system.

These current leads are often in the form of metallic foils arranged above and below the zone of the glazing provided with the active layer or layers. They are perceived as unsightly, hence the need to hide them by different means. This masking of the periphery of the electrically controllable systems complicates their manufacture and therefore reduces the “active” surface area of the glazing that can be used by the user.

The invention therefore aims to provide improved connectivity for electrically controllable systems of the type of glazing which have been mentioned above. It aims more particularly to propose a connection which is better visually and / or electrically and which, preferably, remains simple and flexible to use on an industrial scale. It concerns all the systems listed above, and more specifically electrochromic glazing called "all-solid".

The invention firstly relates to an electrochemical device of the type of those described above, which comprises at least one substrate carrying a stack of electroactive layers disposed between a so-called "lower" electrode and a so-called "upper" electrode, each comprising at least one electrically conductive layer. Each of the electrodes is in electrical connection with at least one current supply. According to the invention, these current leads are arranged outside the region of the carrier substrate which is covered by the stack of electroactive layers.

For the purposes of the invention, the expression “lower” electrode means the electrode which is closest to the carrier substrate taken as a reference, on which at least part of the active layers (all of the active layers in an electrochromic system) "All-solid") is deposited. The “upper” electrode is that deposited on the other side, relative to the same reference substrate.

The invention applies to glazing in the broad sense: the carrier substrate is generally rigid and transparent, of the glass or polymer type such as polycarbonate or polymethyl methacrylate (PMAΛA). The invention however includes substrates which are flexible or semi-flexible, based on polymer.

Generally, the electrodes are transparent. One of them can however be opaque if the glazing does not work in transmission but in reflection (mirror). The active system and the upper electrode are generally protected by another rigid type substrate, possibly by lamination using one or more sheets of thermoplastic polymer of the EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate), PVB (polyvinyl butyral), PU ( polyurethane).

The invention also includes protecting the system by a flexible or semi-flexible substrate, in particular based on a polymer.

It is also possible to avoid a lamination operation which is carried out hot, possibly under pressure, by substituting the conventional thermoplastic interlayer sheet with a double-sided adhesive sheet, self-supporting or not, which is commercially available and which has the advantage of be very fine.

Within the meaning of the invention, and for the sake of brevity, the term “active stack” or “electroactive stack” denotes the active layer or layers of the system, that is to say all of the layers of the system excepted the layers belonging to the electrodes. For an electrochromic system, it is therefore essentially consisting of a layer of anodic electrochromic material, an electrolyte layer and a layer of cathodic electrochromic material, each of these layers being able to consist of a single layer or a plurality of overlapping layers contributing to the same function. Generally, each electrode contains an electrically conductive layer or several superimposed electrically conductive layers, which will be considered subsequently as a single layer. For a correct electrical supply of the electrically conductive layer, one generally needs two current leads, arranged along two opposite edges of the layer when it has the contours of a rectangle, a square or a geometric shape. similar to the parallelogram type.

Usually, these leads are in the form of foils, that is to say of opaque metal strips, generally based on often tinned copper. The foils, in particular as regards the "upper" electrode, are arranged on its face opposite to that in contact with the active stack. As the stack and the electroconductive layer in question generally have the same dimensions, this means that 1 or 2 cm of the assembly must be hidden once the system is complete, to hide the area of the glazing provided with the foils. According to the invention, the procedure is different, since these current leads are removed from the active stack. Even if this masking may remain necessary, it will not hide a large portion of the “active” surface of the glazing.

In the invention, the dimensions of the active stack are almost the dimensions of the electrically controllable surface accessible to the user, there is little or no loss of active surface, in any case much less than the loss of surface. caused by the usual placing of the foils on the active stack.

In addition to this important advantage, the invention has another advantage: it is guaranteed that the fitting of the foils will not risk "injuring" the active stack. There is no local allowance in the glazing due to the presence of foils in the essential zone, that where the active layers of the system are present. Finally, the electrical supply of these leads thus remote from the sensitive part of the system can be facilitated, as well as their installation proper. The present patent application firstly sets out to describe a preferred embodiment of the “lower” electrode of the system.

Advantageously, the lower electrode may comprise an electrically conductive layer which covers at least one area of the carrier substrate not covered by the active stack. The advantage of this configuration is on the one hand that it is easy to obtain: the conductive layer can be deposited, for example, over the entire surface of the substrate. This is in fact the case when the electroconductive layer is placed on glass on the same glass production line, by pyrolysis on the float glass ribbon in particular. The rest of the layers of the system can then be deposited on the glass once cut to the desired dimensions, with a temporary mask system.

The other advantage is that these areas of the substrate which are only covered by the lower electroconductive layer will be able to be used to lay the “remote” current leads according to the invention. An example of an electroconductive layer is a layer based on doped metal oxide, in particular indium oxide doped with tin called ITO or tin oxide doped with fluorine Sn0 ₂ : F, possibly deposited on a precoat of the silicon oxide, oxycarbide or oxynitride type, with an optical function and / or with an alkali barrier function when the substrate is made of glass. According to a variant, the electroconductive layer of the lower electrode covers an area Zi of the carrier substrate which completely covers the area Z ₂ which is covered by the active stack, the area Zi being of dimensions greater than the area Z ₂ . It is thus possible to have two zones ZT and Z ₂ essentially of rectangular shapes, with the zone Zi larger than Z ₂ and approximately centered on it.

Alternatively, it is possible to have the zones Zi and Z ₂ both essentially rectangular, these two zones partially overlap. This is then the case where there are areas of the substrate which are covered by the electrically conductive layer and not by the active stack and vice versa.

It is thus possible to have the rectangular zone Zi, which protrudes, on only two of its opposite sides, from the zone Z ₂ .

The zone Z ₃ covered by the electroconductive layer of the upper electrode is preferably essentially identical to the zone Z ₂ covered by the active stack. Its configuration will be detailed later. The advantage of this characteristic is the simplicity of its manufacture, especially when we are dealing with an “all-solid” electrochromic system where all the layers involved are deposited one after the other on a single carrier substrate. The layer thus has the same dimensions and the same configuration as the active layers underlying the active system. It can therefore be deposited following these, for example on a line for depositing vacuum layers of the sputtering type.

We now return to the configuration of the "lower" electrode. We have seen that the lower electroconductive layer has areas not covered by the active stack. Some will be used to lay the ad hoc current leads. It is also necessary to avoid any short circuit between these “bare” conductive zones and the current leads of the upper electrode. With this objective, it is therefore advantageously provided, according to a variant, of "deactivating" this lower electroconductive layer on at least part of its periphery corresponding at least in part to a bare area, not covered by the active stack. By “deactivated” is meant a portion of electrically conductive layer which no longer fulfills its basic function, which no longer participates in the electrical conduction of the rest of the layer from which it is electrically isolated.

Preferably, these “deactivated” areas overlap an area covered by the active stack and an area not covered by the active stack.

This deactivation will be detailed using the examples. This may include, in particular, making an incision in the layer or a localized heat treatment, as described, for example, in the aforementioned patent WO / FR / 99/01653.

According to an embodiment of this variant, the lower electroconductive layer covers a substantially rectangular zone Zi of the substrate, with two zones deactivated along the two opposite edges of said rectangular zone (these zones can then be left in contact with the leads of the '' upper electrode, since electrically insulated, while there can be two other zones, on the edges of the other two opposite edges, which are left bare and electrically active for connection with the current leads of the lower electrode) . According to another embodiment, it is over its entire periphery that the lower electroconductive layer has a deactivated zone (on two of its opposite edges for the reasons stated above, namely to avoid short-circuits with the current leads of the 'upper electrode. On the other two edges, zones are nevertheless left active and bare for connection with the current leads of the lower electrode, the deactivated zones being able to affect only the extreme periphery of the layer on these two edges there).

Whatever the embodiment of the localized deactivation of the lower electroconductive layer, it can be carried out, as mentioned above, by making an incision of the layer along one or more lines. It can be a closed line all around its periphery (deactivation over its entire contour). The incision can also be made along two lines crossing the layer right through (deactivation on two of its opposite edges) , or along two closed lines along two of its opposite edges (delimitation of two deactivated zones, leaving the extreme periphery of the electrically active layer).

The incision of the electroconductive layer can be carried out before the deposition of the other layers and therefore only involve this layer. The incision can also be made after the deposition of the layers of the active system and even after the deposition of the upper conductive layer. In this case, when the incision line is partially under the active layers and possibly under the upper conductive layer, all of the layers are found incised there. Note that to locally deactivate the layer, one can operate a localized ablation rather than incise it, in particular before depositing the other layers, or deposit it with the necessary masks.

The present patent application now endeavors to describe different configurations for the active stack. Regardless of the possible incision of the lower conductive layer which may simultaneously involve that of the active system, the invention advantageously provides for deactivating the active stack on at least part of its periphery. Here, the term "deactivated" has a meaning similar to that of the preceding conductive layer. It means that the stack does not work not in this zone, that it remains passively in a given state, whatever the power supply. This deactivation is as marginal as possible, in order to keep the largest active area possible.

According to one embodiment, the electroactive stack covers a substantially rectangular zone Z ₂ of the carrier substrate, with two peripheral zones thus deactivated, along two of its opposite edges.

Alternatively, the stack has a deactivated zone over its entire periphery.

These deactivated zones can be produced in a similar manner to the deactivated zones of the lower electroconductive layer previously described, by incision of the entire stack, in two lines crossing it right through on two of its edges or in a closed line around its periphery. (We could thus perform a true ablation of the stack in these areas.) We can make these incisions after deposition of the electroconductive layer of the upper electrode, and also incise / deactivate it simultaneously. Preferably, the underlying lower electrode is not incised at the same time.

This deactivation is therefore superimposed on the previous one: in the case of the lower conductive layer, its local deactivation affected at least one area not covered by the active stack (two opposite edges / its entire periphery).

In the case of the active stack, it generally does not affect the lower conductive layer, and can be made on the other two opposite edges or the periphery of the stack. This deactivation of the active stack contributes to the previous one to avoid any risk of short circuit between the two conductive layers "lower" and "upper", and has been described in some of its embodiments in patent WO / FR99 / 01653 cited above, the teaching of which is incorporated into the present application. For more details on the nature of the layers of the active stack, reference may be made to the aforementioned patents. In the case of “all-solid” electrochromic systems, the preferred application of the invention, the active stack comprises a superposition of essentially mineral layers which can be deposited successively by sputtering. The cathodic electrochromic material Protom ^'that is preferably oxide optionally hydrated / hydroxylated tungsten. The protonic anodic electrochromic material is preferably iridium oxide or optionally hydrated / hydroxylated nickel oxide. The electrolyte, in accordance with patent EP-867 752, is preferably a superposition of several layers, comprising for example a layer of proton cathode electrochromic material of the tungsten oxide type associated with at least one other layer, in order to inhibit its character electrochromic and to make it play only a vector role. The present patent application now endeavors to describe preferred configurations of the “upper” electrode.

Advantageously, at least one of the two electrodes, and more particularly the upper electrode, comprises an electrically conductive layer associated with a network of electrically conductive wires or strips.

As seen above, the upper conductive layer is generally of the same dimensions as the active stack and deposited on the same deposition line (sputtering). It is generally layers of doped oxide of the ITO or ZnO type doped, for example with Al, Ga, etc. or layer of metal of the silver type possibly associated with one or more protective layers possibly also conductive (Ni , Cr, NiCr, ..), and one or more protective layers and / or with an optical role, made of dielectric material (metal oxide, Si ₃ N). In this case, the question was how to "deport" these current leads to the outside. It has already been described in PCT / FR00 / 00675 cited above to associate the conductive layer with a more conductive material than it, for example metal wires of copper type, in order to significantly increase its conductivity. The aim was to have, in the case of electrochromic glazing, a system which has a faster switching time, and which attenuates the phenomenon of coloring front: the system colors or discolours uniformly over its entire active surface , without further modification of color propagating from its periphery.

The present invention, by using this type of additional conductive network, will retain these important advantages. But she will also exploit another possibility offered by its presence: thanks to these wires or these bands, we will be able to deport the current leads out of the surface covered by the upper conductive layer, by putting them in electrical connection not with this layer but with the ends of these wires or strips, configured so as to "protrude" from the surface of the conductive layer.

In its preferred implementation, the conductive network comprises a plurality of metal wires, arranged on the surface of a sheet of polymer of the thermoplastic type: this sheet can be affixed with the wires embedded on its surface on the upper conductive layer to ensure their physical contact / electrical connection. The thermoplastic sheet can be used for laminating the first carrier substrate of the glass type with another glass.

Advantageously, the wires / bands are arranged essentially parallel to one another (they can be straight or wavy), preferably in an orientation essentially parallel to the length or to the width of the upper conductive layer. The ends of these wires project from the area of the substrate covered by the upper conductive layer on two of its opposite sides, in particular by at least 0.5 mm, for example by 3 to 10 mm. They can be made of copper, tungsten, graphite tungsten, or even an iron-based alloy of the iron-nickel type. It is advisable to prevent the ends of these wires from being in electrical contact with the lower conductive layer. It is therefore preferred that the ends which protrude from the upper conductive layer are in contact with the lower conductive layer only in the deactivated zones of the latter. Alternatively or cumulatively, to avoid any short circuit with the lower conductive layer, the ends of the wires can be electrically isolated from the latter (where they are likely to be in contact with its active area) by interposition of tape (s ) of insulating material, for example based on polymer. It should be noted that it is possible, alternatively or cumulatively, to use the same type of conductive network for the so-called "lower" electrode.

The present patent application now endeavors to describe different types of current supplies and their arrangements in the system.

As regards the upper electrode, according to a variant, the ends of the wires / strips of the above-mentioned conductive network can be electrically connected to two current leads in the form of flexible strips of insulating polymer covered on one side with conductive coatings. This type of feed is sometimes referred to by the English terms "PFC" (Flexible Printed Circuit) or "FLC" (Fiat Laminated Cable) and is already used in various electrical / electronic systems. Its flexibility, the different configuration variants that can be obtained, the fact that the current supply is electrically isolated on one of its faces, make its use very attractive in the present case. According to another variant, the ends of these wires are in electrical contact with two deactivated zones of the lower conductive layer, and these two deactivated zones are in electrical connection with the current leads intended for the upper electrode. It can conveniently be conductive "clips" pinching the carrier substrate in the aforementioned areas. It is an original solution to use the lower electrode to ensure the electrical connection of the upper electrode.

Regarding the current leads of the lower electrode, it can be electrically connected along two of its opposite edges in active areas not covered by the active stack. These leads can be the previously mentioned clips.

One can also collect the current leads of the lower and upper electrodes in the form of flexible strips mentioned above. It can thus be two substantially identical strips, each having an electrically insulating and flexible polymer support and approximately in the form of an L (of course, there may be many other configurations possible depending on the geometric shape of the substrate. carrier and the layers with which it is provided). On one side of this L, there is a conductive coating on one side. On the other side of the L, there is a conductive coating on the face opposite to the previous one. This global current supply system also consists of two of these "L" s on plastic support. Combined, they provide two conductive strips on one side for one of the electrodes and two conductive strips on their opposite side for the other electrode. It is a compact system, easy to install. Near the junction between the two edges of each L, there is an electrical outlet electrically connected to the coverings feed conductors.

We can also go further in compactness, by replacing these two "L" by a complete frame: we then use an insulating polymer strip of approximately rectangular shape, with on two of its opposite edges a conductive coating on one side, and as well as on its two other opposite edges on the other face. We then preferably have more than one external electrical outlet instead of two. The frame can be in one piece, or in several parts that are just assembled during assembly.

The current leads of the lower and / or upper electrodes can also be in the form of conventional foils, for example in the form of metal strips of the optionally tinned copper type.

The current leads of the lower and / or upper electrodes can also be in the form of a conducting wire (or of several assembled conducting wires). These wires can be made of copper, tungsten or graphite tungsten and can be similar to those used to form the conductive network mentioned above. They can have a diameter ranging from 10 to 600 μm. This type of wire is sufficient in fact to supply the electrodes satisfactorily electrically, and are remarkably discreet: it may become useless to hide them during assembly of the device. The configuration of the current leads is very adaptable. We have described in more detail, above, substantially rectangular active systems, but they can have a number of different geometric shapes, in particular following the geometric shape of their carrier substrate: circle, square, semi-circle, oval, any polygon, rhombus. , trapezoid, square, any parallelogram ... And in these different cases, the current leads are no longer necessarily for each electrode to be supplied with "pairs" of current leads facing each other. It can thus be, for example, current leads which go all around the conductive layer (or at least which runs along a good part of its periphery). It is entirely possible when the current supply is a simple common thread. It can even be occasional current feeds, especially when the device is small.

The device according to the invention can use one or more mass-tinted glass substrates. Advantageously, in the case of laminated glazing, the mass-tinted glass is the glass intended to be turned towards the interior of the room or the passenger compartment, the exterior glass being clear. The tinted glass allows you to adjust the level of light transmission of the glazing. Placed on the inner side, it limits its heating by absorption. Or the glass (s) can (can) also be curved (s), this is the case in applications as an electrochromic automobile roof in particular.

The glazing according to the invention may include additional functionalities: it may for example include an infrared reflecting coating, as described in patent EP-825 478. It may also include a hydrophilic, anti-reflective, hydrophobic coating, a photocatalytic coating with anti-fouling properties comprising titanium oxide in anatase form, as described in patent WO 00/03290.

The invention will be detailed below with nonlimiting exemplary embodiments, using the following figures: Figures 1 to 12: representations in top view of an “all-solid” electrochromic glazing.

All the figures are schematic in order to facilitate reading, and do not necessarily respect the scale between the different elements that they represent.

They all relate to “all-solid” electrochromic glazing, in a laminated structure with two glasses, in a configuration suitable, for example, for use as glazing for automobile roofs.

All the figures represent a glass 1, provided with a lower conductive layer 2, with an active stack 3, surmounted by an upper conductive layer, with a network of conductive wires 4 above the upper conductive layer and encrusted on the surface of a sheet of ethylene vinyl acetate EVA (or polyurethane) not shown for clarity. The glazing also includes a second glass, not shown for clarity, above the EVA sheet 5. The two glasses and the EVA sheet are joined together by a known lamination or calendering technique, by heating. possibly under pressure.

The lower conductive layer 2 is a bilayer consisting of a first SiOC layer of 50 nm surmounted by a second layer of SnO ₂ : F of 400 nm (two layers preferably deposited successively by CVD on the float glass before cutting). Alternatively, it may be a bilayer consisting of a first layer based on Si0 ₂ doped with a little metal of the Al type of approximately 20 nm surmounted by a second layer of ITO of approximately 150 to 350 nm (two layers preferably deposited successively, under vacuum, by cathode sputtering assisted by magnetic field and reactive in the presence of oxygen, possibly hot).

The active stack 3 breaks down as follows: * ^• a first layer of anodic electrochromic material made of iridium oxide (hydrated) lrO _x H _y from 40 to 100 nm, (it can be replaced by a layer of oxide of hydrated nickel), ^• a layer of tungsten oxide of 100 nm, • a second layer of tantalum oxide hydrate of 100 nm, ** ^• a second layer of cathode electrochromic material based on tungsten oxide H _x W0 ₃ of 370 nm. All these layers are deposited in a known manner by reactive sputtering assisted by a magnetic field.

The upper conductive layer is an ITO layer of 100 to 300 nm, also deposited by reactive sputtering assisted by a magnetic field. The conducting wires 4 are parallel rectilinear wires of copper, deposited on the sheet 5 of EVA by a technique known in the field of heated windshields with wires, for example described in patents EP-785,700, EP-553,025 , EP-506 521, EP-496 669. Schematically, this involves using a heated pressure roller which presses the wire on the surface of the polymer sheet, pressure roller supplied with wire from a feed reel thanks to a thread guide device.

The EVA sheet 5 has a thickness of about 0.8 mm.

The two glasses are made of standard clear soda-lime-silica glass, each about 2 mm thick. EXAMPLE 1

This is the configuration shown in Figure 1: * • * ^• the lower conductive layer 2 covers the entire surface of the glass. It is margined along two incision lines li, l ₂ on its two opposite smaller sides (generally rectangular shape of the layer), by laser. The lines incision also affect the active system and the upper electrode because they are made after depositing all the layers. These two lines therefore delimit two zones si and s ₂ which are deactivated for the entire electrochromic system, including the two electrodes. * + the active system and the upper conductive layer 3 are also margins along two other incision lines l ₃ , l ₄ , after deposition of all of the layers. These incisions do not affect the lower conductive layer, and are made on the longest edges of the system and the upper conductive layer. The active system and the upper conductive layer also cover a rectangular area of the substrate, of dimensions smaller than that covered by the lower conductive layer. These two rectangular areas are centered with respect to each other. The incision lines, l ₂ on the one hand and l ₃ , l on the other hand are therefore perpendicular to each other. The incisions l ₃ , U delimit two zones s ₃ , s ₄ deactivated of the active system 3, therefore two other passive zones of the electrochromic glazing as a whole. ^• the current leads 6 are symmetrical with one another: these are two strips 6a, 6b of approximately L shape, made of insulating polymer. On the shorter side of the two Ls, there is a conductive coating 7 facing the wires 4. On the longer side of the two Ls, there is a conductive coating 8 shown in dotted lines because it is present on the other side , on the side facing the lower conductive layer 2.

The conductive coatings 7 are in electrical contact with the wires 4, and therefore provide via these wires 4 the electrical supply of the upper electrode. The end of these wires, outside the surface covered by the stack 3, is in contact only with the polymeric insulating support for the leads 8 or with the zones if, s ₂ deactivated of the lower electrode: this avoids any risk of short circuit between these wires and the lower electrode.

The conductive coatings 8 are in contact with the zones of the lower conductive layer 2 which are active and not covered by the stack 3: they make it possible to supply electricity to the lower conductive layer 2. For each of the current leads, there are has an electrical outlet 12 arranged approximately in the corner of the L of the current supply, with adequate electrical connections for each of the conductive coatings 7 and 8. EXAMPLE 2

This is the configuration shown in Figure 2 and quite similar to that of Example 1.

The difference from example 1 lies in the way the lower conductive layer 2 is blended: in example 2, the incision is made along a closed line l ₅ , which delimits an inactivated zone S ₅ over the whole around the lower conductive layer, as well as on two opposite edges of the active system (as in the previous case). EXAMPLE 3 This is the configuration shown in Figure 3 and which is a variant of the previous two. This time, the margining of the lower conductive layer 2 is done according to two closed lines l ₆ , l ₇ which have a substantially rectangular outline, partly on the area covered by the conductive layer 2, partly on the area also covered by l active stack 3. As in example 1, there are also two deactivated zones s ₆ , s on the two opposite edges of the layer 2, delimited by the two lines l ₆ and l, and which therefore do not go as far as at the extreme periphery of the layer.

These three examples therefore have in common the deactivation of electrochromic glazing on two of its opposite edges, in zones overlapping the zone covered only by the lower conductive layer, and the zone covered both by this layer and by the active stack 3 EXAMPLE 4

This is the configuration shown in Figure 4. The margins of the lower conductive layer 2 is made as in Example 1, along two lines crossing right through the layer on its two opposite opposite sides the smallest.

The margins of the active stack 3 are also identical to that produced in Example 1.

It is the type of current supply that changes: here, we use conductive clips 9, 9 'to supply the lower conductive layer 2 and conductive clips 10, 10' to supply the upper electrode.

These clips are commercial products that can pinch the glass made conductive, and available in variable dimensions.

For the lower conductive layer 2, these clips 9, 9 'are fixed and cover the edge of the glass, so as to be electrically connected to the edges of layer 2 which are active. They are less than the length separating the two incision lines from the diaper.

For the upper electrode, FIG. 4 shows the second glass 11, which is smaller in size than glass 1, the clips 10, 10 'are clipped like the clips 9, 9', than on glass 1, establishing thus an electrical connection with the zones si, s ₂ deactivated of the layer 2. These deactivated zones, isolated from the rest of the layer, will make the electrical connection with the ends of the wires 4, and also make it possible to supply the upper conductive layer . The deactivated zones of the lower electrode are thus used in order to be able to supply electricity to the upper electrode via the conducting wires.

EXAMPLE 5

This is the configuration of Figure 5, which is similar to Example 1 shown in Figure 1 with three differences, however: ^• Here, the margining of the active stack is done around its entire periphery, with not two but four incision lines l ₈ , l ₉ , I10, read on each of the edges of the stack. An inactive zone s5 is therefore created which follows the periphery of the active stack 3. • In addition, here, the lower conductive layer 2 is not blended.

> • * ^• To avoid short circuits, however, this configuration uses electrical insulating strips (of the adhesive insulating polymer type on one of its faces). These strips 12, 12 ′ are interposed between all of the layers and the current leads, at the two opposite edges of the system, so as to delimit zones identical to the zones s ₆ , s of Example 3. These zones overlap in the conductive layer 2 not coated with layers and the conductive layer coated with the active stack 3, and “cover” the entire area where the ends of the wires 4 protrude from the active stack 3.

A margining operation is thus replaced by the use of additional insulating strips.

EXAMPLE 6 This is the configuration of Figure 6. It is very similar to that of Example 1 (Figure 1).

The only difference concerns the way in which the lower conductive layer 2 is locally deactivated: instead of making incision lines, the layer has been completely removed in the zones corresponding to the zones si and s ₂ in FIG. 1. Either it is effectively removed, before deposition of the active stack 3, by laser ablation or other etching techniques, or it is deposited directly to the desired dimensions on the glass already cut with an appropriate mask. In both cases, we arrive at a rectangular type layer 2 surmounted by the active system 3 and the upper electrode, also of rectangular contours but whose greatest length is perpendicular to that of layer 2. EXAMPLE 7

It is the configuration of figure 7. It is very close to that of figure 6. It differs from it by the type of current leads used: here, we actually use standard foils, in the form of copper bands 3 mm wide tinned:

> - strips 14a, 14b, 14c to supply the lower conductive layer 2,> - strips 15a, 15b, 15c to supply the upper conductive layer via the end of the wires 4 of the conductive network (in fact two overlapping foils coming to take sandwich the ends of the wires 4).

These strips are electrically connected to a single electrical outlet 16. To avoid a short circuit between the strips 14a and 15a, a sheet of electrically insulating polymer material 17 is interposed, for example, between the two strips. EXAMPLE 8

This configuration, represented in FIG. 8, is very similar to that of FIG. 6. It differs therefrom by the type of current supply used: here, the same standard tinned copper foils are used as those of Example 7. In this example 8, there are thus two electrical sockets 18, 19, each is electrically connected to two superimposed foils 20a, 20b intended to supply the upper conductive layer via the end of the wires 4, and to a foil 21a, 21b intended to supply the lower conductive layer 2. The connection of the foils to the sockets is made by welding. EXAMPLE 9

This configuration shown in Figure 9 is very similar to that of Figure 7. However, in the case of Example 9, only a part of the carrier substrate is covered by the lower conductive layer. This is achieved either by removing the lower conductive layer after deposition by a appropriate means (acid attack, mechanical attack or laser ablation) or by masking part of the substrate before depositing it. The latter technique is preferred in the case of large dimensions. The advantage of this embodiment is to produce zones which are not electrically conductive and to be able to cause foils to circulate around the active zone without risk of short circuit. Thanks to an adequate positioning of the foils and to the electrical insulation, the whole of the glazing is supplied by a single electrical output, with savings in cost and simplicity of assembly. EXAMPLE 10 This configuration shown in Figure 10 is close to that shown in Figure 9, but the masking of the lower conductive layer is performed on three sides instead of two. The electrical insulation is ensured by bordering the lower conductive layer with a laser along a line z. The advantage compared to FIG. 9 is that the use of a laser is simpler than the manipulation of masks. EXAMPLE 11

This configuration is shown in Figure 11. The lower conductive layer is deposited over the entire surface of the carrier substrate. The various margins are produced after the deposition of the active layers. A peripheral ablation is also carried out around the entire periphery of the glazing to avoid short circuits which could occur at the edges. EXAMPLE 12

This configuration is shown in FIG. 12. To avoid any short circuit at the level of the wires, a double margining y is carried out in the zone CC. The first is carried out after the deposition of the lower conductive layer with a width of 1 mm to 50 mm. The second, finer (100 to 500 μm) is carried out on the trace of the previous one, after the deposition of the active layers. The wires are separated from the lower conductive layer by the entire stack and there is no longer any risk of short circuit. In conclusion, the invention allows many variations in the way of electrically supplying systems of the electrochromic type (or viologene, optical valve, liquid crystals and any similar electrochemical system) of the type. It is conceivable to use a network of conductive wires or screen-printed conductive strips for the lower electrode, in place of or in addition to wires used in the examples for the upper electrode. Different current leads can be used, including standard foils or flexible polymer strips provided with conductive coatings. Particularly discrete current leads can also be used, such as simple conducting wires or even point current leads.

Depending on the type of assembly, it may be possible to have only two electrical outlets, and even only one electrical outlet, which makes the electrical supply of the device very easy.

Devices of the electrochromic glazing type of very different geometry can be made, even if the examples, for the sake of simplicity, describe active stacks of rectangular surface.

The invention resides in the fact of spreading the visible electrical leads up to the periphery of the active layers delimiting the strictly speaking active zone of the glazing, while avoiding short-circuits between the two electrodes by different types of margining. It selectively "deactivates" one or the other of the electrodes and / or the active layers and / or to choose them of dimensions and relative positions suitable for achieving this.

The invention applies in the same way to photovoltaic devices, as well as, more generally, to any electrocontrollable or photovoltaic system which comprises at least one “upper” (or “lower”) conductive electrode in the sense of invention: in fact, it is also within the framework of the invention to modify the position with respect to the “active” layers only for the current supply (s) from one of the electrodes only and not from the two electrodes ( either by choice or because the device in question contains only one electrode of the type described above, namely with an electrically conductive layer).

In cases where the lower electrode and the rest of the stack of layers of the active system are incised along the same line, it may be advantageous to provide the incision line of the lower electrode wider than the incision line of the rest of the layers, for electrical considerations: the two incision lines overlapping and being centered with respect to each other, it is thus avoided that conductive areas of the lower electrode are left at naked (these are the other layers which "extend" at the level of the incisions relative to the lower electrode).

Claims

1. Electrochemical device, in particular electrocontrollable system with variable optical and / or energetic properties or photovoltaic device, comprising at least one carrier substrate (1) of a stack of electroactive layers (3) disposed between a so-called "lower" electrode and an electrode called "upper", each comprising at least one electrically conductive layer (2) in electrical connection with at least one current supply, characterized in that said current supplies of at least one of the electrodes, in particular of the two electrodes, are arranged in outside the area of the carrier substrate (1) which is covered by the stack of electroactive layers (3).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the "lower" electrode comprises an electrically conductive layer (2) which covers at least one area of the carrier substrate not covered by the electroactive stack (3).

3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the "lower" electrode comprises an electrically conductive layer (2) which covers an area Z1 of the carrier substrate (1) completely covering the area Z2 of the carrier substrate covered by the stack of electroactive layers 3, and of dimensions greater than this.

4. Device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the "lower" electrode comprises an electrically conductive layer (2) covering an area of the carrier substrate, in particular essentially rectangular Z1, and in that the electroactive stack ( 3) also covers an area, in particular essentially rectangular Z2, of the carrier substrate, these two areas partially overlapping.

5. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the electroconductive layer (2) of the "lower" electrode covers an essentially rectangular area Z1 of the substrate (1) which is of larger dimensions and essentially centered on the rectangular area Z2 plus small, covered by the electroactive stack (3).

6. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the electroconductive layer (2) of the "lower" electrode covers a rectangular zone Z1 which protrudes on two of its opposite sides only from the zone rectangular Z2 covered by the stack (3).

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electroconductive layer (2) of the "upper" electrode covers an area Z3 of the carrier substrate (1) essentially identical to that covered by the electroactive stack 3.

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electroconductive layer (2) of the "lower" electrode is deactivated over at least part of its periphery, at least partly over an area not covered by the electroactive stack (3), in particular on an area overlapping a covered area and an area not covered by the electroactive stack (3).

9. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the electroconductive layer 2 of the "lower" electrode covers a substantially rectangular area of the carrier substrate (1) and in that it comprises two deactivated peripheral areas (s1, s2) , along two opposite edges of said rectangular area.

10. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the electrically conductive layer (2) of the "lower" electrode comprises a deactivated zone (s5) over its entire periphery.

11. Device according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the deactivated zone (s) is (are) obtained by incision of the electroconductive layer (2) according to one or more lines, in particular along a closed line all around its periphery (15), or along two lines (11, 12) crossing the layer right through on two of its opposite edges, or along two closed lines (16,17) the along two of two of its opposite edges.

12. Device according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the incision of the electroconductive layer (2) is made after the deposition of the electroactive stack (3) and optionally after that of the "upper" electrode »Also, with simultaneous incision of all of the layers when the region of the electrically conductive layer to be incised is covered by the electroactive stack (3).

13. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electroactive stack (3) is deactivated over at least part of its periphery.

14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the electroactive stack (3) covers a substantially rectangular area of the carrier substrate (1) and in that it comprises two deactivated peripheral areas (s3, s4), along two opposite edges of said rectangular area.

15. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the electroactive stack (3) comprises a deactivated zone (s6) over its entire periphery.

16. Device according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the deactivated zone or zones of the electroactive stack (3) is (are) obtained by incision of the entire stack and possibly also from the upper electrode, along two lines (13,14) crossing the stack right through on two of its opposite edges or along a closed line (18,19,110,111) all around its periphery, preferably without incising in at the same time the underlying "lower" electrode (2).

17. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower electrode (2) and the stack of electroactive layers (3) are incised in the same place on at least part of their common surface, the two lines of incision being superimposed and the line of incision of the lower electrode being wider than that of the stack of electroactive layers.

18. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the two electrodes, preferably the electrode

"Upper" comprises an electrically conductive layer associated with a network (4) of conductive wires / conductive strips.

19. Device according to claim 18, characterized in that the conductive network (4) comprises a plurality of essentially metallic wires arranged on the surface of a sheet of polymer 5, in particular of the thermoplastic type.

20. Device according to claim 17 or claim 19, characterized in that the wires / strips (4) are arranged essentially parallel to each other, preferably in an orientation essentially parallel to the length or the width of the electrically conductive layer of the “upper” electrode, the ends of said wires / strips projecting from the area of the substrate covered by said electrically conductive layer on two of its opposite edges, in particular by at least 0.5 mm.

21. Device according to claim 20, characterized in that the ends wires / strips (4) which are outside the area covered by the electroconductive layer of the “upper” electrode are in contact with the “lower” electroconductive layer (2) only in its deactivated zone (s).

22. Device according to claim 20 or claim 21, characterized in that the ends of the wires / strips (4) which are outside the area covered by the electroconductive layer of the "upper" electrode are electrically insulated from contact with the active area of the electroconductive layer (2) of the "lower" electrode, in particular by interposing strip (s) of insulating material.

23. Device according to one of claims 18 to 22, characterized in that the ends of the wires / strips (4) associated with the electroconductive layer of the "upper" electrode are electrically connected to two current leads in the form of flexible strips (6a, 6b) of insulating polymer covered on one or their faces of conductive coating (7,8).

24. Device according to one of claims 18 to 22, characterized in that the ends of the wires / bands 4 associated with the electroconductive layer of the “upper” electrode are in electrical contact with two deactivated zones of the electrically conductive layer (2) of the “lower” electrode and in that said deactivated zones are in electrical connection with current leads, in particular in the form of conductive “clips” (10, 10 ') pinching the carrier substrate (1 ).

25. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conductive layer (2) of the "lower" electrode is electrically connected to current leads, in particular along two of its opposite edges, in zones active and not covered with the electroactive stack 3.

26. Device according to claim 25, characterized in that said feeds are in the form of conductive "clips" (9,9 ') pinching the carrier substrate (1).

27. Device according to claim 23, characterized in that all of the current leads of the “lower” and “upper” electrodes are brought together in the form of two substantially identical strips (6a, 6b), each strip being made up of a electrically insulating polymer support weak and approximately in the form of an "L", with on one side of the "L" a conductive coating (7) on one of the faces and on the other side of the "L" a conductive coating (8 ) on the side opposite the previous one.

28. Device according to claim 27, characterized in that each current supply (6a, 6b) in the form of "L" has an external electrical outlet

(12) near the junction between the two sides of said "L".

29. Device according to claim 23, characterized in that all of the current leads of the "lower" and "upper" electrodes are brought together in the form of a strip of approximately rectangular shape, formed by an electrically insulating polymer support. and flexible, with a conductive coating on one side on two opposite edges and on its other two edges a conductive coating on the face opposite to the previous one, preferably with a single external electrical outlet.

30. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the current leads is in the form of a foil (14,15), in particular a metal strip, or in the form of one or more wires conductors, or in the form of a point supply of conductive material.

31. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electroactive stack (3) covers an area of the carrier substrate which is a polygon, a rectangle, a rhombus, a trapezoid, a square, a circle, a half - circle, one oval, all parallelogram.

32. Device according to claims 30 and 31, characterized in that at least one of the current leads is in the form of a wire or a plurality of conductive wires running along all or part of the perimeter delimiting the surface of the covered carrier substrate by the electroactive stack (3).

33. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is an electrochromic system, in particular of the "all-solid" type, a viologene system, a liquid crystal system, d '' a light valve system or a photovoltaic system.

34. Device according to claim 33, characterized in that it is an “all-solid” electrochromic glazing, in particular of laminated structure.

35. Device according to claim 34, characterized in that the electrochromic glazing comprises at least one tinted glass in the mass and / or at least one curved glass.

36. Device according to one of claims 33 to 35, characterized in that it also comprises at least one of the following coatings: infrared reflecting coating, hydrophilic coating, hydrophobic coating, photocatalytic coating with anti-fouling properties, anti-reflection coating , electromagnetic shielding coating.

37. Device according to one of claims 33 to 36, characterized in that the carrier substrate (1) is rigid, semi-rigid or flexible.