JP2014182287A - Light control panel structure and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a light control panel structure capable of reducing costs, and making it unnecessary to excessively reduce the moisture permeability of a seal material and a method for manufacturing the light control panel structure.SOLUTION: In a light control panel structure 20, a light control sheet 21 is adhered between a first transparent panel 24 and a second transparent panel 26 with first and second adhesive 23 and 25, and an edge face 21a of the light control sheet 21 is covered with a seal member 22. Furthermore, the first adhesive 23 is configured such that a first exposed surface 23a is exposed when viewed from a first panel edge face 24a side between the first transparent panel 24 and the seal member 22. In the same way, the second adhesive 25 is configured such that a second exposed surface 25a is exposed when viewed from a second panel edge face 26a side between the second transparent panel 26 and the seal member 22.

Description

  The present invention relates to a light control panel structure and a method for manufacturing the same, in which a light control sheet is joined to a transparent panel, and external light can be electrically controlled by the joined light control sheet.

In vehicles such as automobiles, light control glass (hereinafter referred to as “light control panel structure”) is used for sun visors, door glass, roof glass, etc., and voltage is applied to the light control elements of the light control panel structure to provide external light. There has been proposed one that electrically dimmers.
A liquid crystal, SPD (Suspended Particle Device), etc. are used as a light control element.
By dimming external light electrically with the dimming panel structure, it is possible to ensure the antiglare property of the sun visor and the dimming property of the door glass (for example, see Patent Document 1).

In this light control panel structure, a pair of transparent panels are superimposed on both surfaces of the light control sheet via an adhesive, and the entire end face of the light control panel structure (that is, the light control sheet, the adhesive, and the pair of transparent panels) A sealing material is applied to each end surface.
By applying a sealing material to the entire end face of the light control panel structure, the light control element is enclosed in the light control sheet.

JP-A-61-201216

  In the light control panel structure of Patent Document 1, a sealing material is applied to the entire end face of the light control panel structure in order to enclose the light control element inside the light control sheet. For this reason, the application quantity of the sealing material which encloses a light control element increases, and it has become the hindrance which suppresses the cost of a light control panel structure.

By the way, when moisture enters the light control element sealed in the light control panel structure, it is difficult to control the light control element by applying a voltage. Therefore, when the moisture in the outside air is absorbed by the sealing material and enters the light control element of the light control sheet, it is considered that the light control of the light control panel structure becomes difficult.
For this reason, it is necessary to use a resin material having low moisture permeability (excellent water-stopping property) as a sealing material for enclosing the light control element of the light control panel structure.

  This invention makes it a subject to provide the light control panel structure which can suppress cost, and does not need to hold down the moisture permeability of a sealing material too low, and its manufacturing method.

  The invention according to claim 1 is a light control panel structure in which the light control sheet is bonded to the back surface of the transparent panel by an adhesive, and includes a sealing material that covers an end surface of the light control sheet, It has moisture permeability higher than that of the sealing material, and is exposed between the transparent panel and the sealing material as viewed from the end face side of the transparent panel.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the sealing material covers only the end surface of the light control sheet as viewed from the end surface side of the transparent panel.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, another transparent panel is bonded to the surface opposite to the surface to be bonded to the transparent panel of the light control sheet via an adhesive, and the adhesive is more than the sealing material. It has high moisture permeability and is exposed between the another transparent panel and the sealing material when viewed from the end surface direction of the transparent panel.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the end face of the light control sheet is arranged on the inner side in the surface direction of the transparent panel than the end faces of the transparent panel and the other transparent panel, and the sealing material is an end face of the transparent panel. And a line passing through the end surface of the other transparent panel.

  A fifth aspect of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a light control panel structure in which a light control sheet is bonded to the back surface of a transparent panel with an adhesive, the step of covering the end surface of the light control sheet with a sealing material, and the end surface covering The broken light control sheet is bonded to the back surface of the transparent panel with an adhesive having moisture permeability higher than that of the sealing material, and the adhesive is bonded between the transparent panel and the sealing material on the end surface side of the transparent panel. And the step of exposing as seen from above.

In the invention according to claim 1, the end face of the light control sheet is covered with a sealing material, and the adhesive between the transparent panel and the sealing material is exposed when viewed from the end face direction of the transparent panel (that is, the adhesive The end surface (hereinafter, exposed surface) was exposed). Therefore, it is not necessary to cover each end face of the adhesive or the transparent panel with the sealing material, and the application area of the sealing material can be reduced.
Thereby, it becomes possible to reduce the application quantity of a sealing material, and can suppress the cost of a light control panel structure.

Further, by exposing the adhesive between the transparent panel and the sealing material when viewed from the end surface direction of the transparent panel, the exposed surface of the adhesive can be disposed in the vicinity of the sealing material. In addition, the moisture permeability of the adhesive was made higher than that of the sealing material.
Therefore, moisture around the sealing material can be absorbed into the adhesive from the exposed surface. Thereby, since the water absorption of a sealing material can be reduced, it is not necessary to suppress the moisture permeability of a sealing material too low, and the selection range of a sealing material can be ensured widely. By ensuring a wide selection range of the sealing material, the degree of freedom in design can be increased.

  In the invention according to claim 2, only the end face (hereinafter referred to as the sheet end face) of the light control sheet is covered with the sealing material as viewed from the end face (hereinafter referred to as the panel end face) side of the transparent panel. Thereby, since the application area | region of a sealing material can be made small to the minimum, the application quantity of a sealing material can be reduced to the required minimum.

  Moreover, by covering only the sheet end surface with the sealing material, the sheet end surface can be covered with the sealing material in a state where the light control sheet is a single body. Thereby, it becomes possible to cover the sheet end surface with the sealing material in both the pre-process for bonding the light control sheet to the transparent panel and the post-bonding process, and the degree of freedom of the manufacturing process can be increased.

In the invention which concerns on Claim 3, the exposed surface of an adhesive agent can be arrange | positioned in the vicinity of a sealing material by exposing the adhesive agent between another transparent panel and a sealing material seeing from the end surface direction of a transparent panel.
Thereby, since the water | moisture content around a sealing material can be absorbed into the inside of an adhesive agent from the exposed surface of the both sides of a light control sheet, the water absorption amount of a sealing material can further be reduced.

In the invention which concerns on Claim 4, the end surface of the light control sheet was arrange | positioned inside each end surface of the transparent panel of both sides, and the sealing material was arrange | positioned inside the straight line which passes through the end surfaces of both sides. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the sealing material from protruding from each end face of the transparent panel and the other transparent panel.
Thereby, it becomes possible to protect a sealing material with a transparent panel and another transparent panel, and it can prevent that external force acts on a sealing material. By preventing the external force from acting on the sealing material, the sealing material can be prevented from peeling from the end face of the light control sheet, and the durability of the light control panel structure can be ensured.

In the invention which concerns on Claim 5, the end surface of the light control sheet was covered with the sealing material, and the light control sheet with which the end surface was covered was adhere | attached on the transparent panel with the adhesive agent. Therefore, the end surface of the light control sheet can be covered with the sealing material when the light control sheet is a single state.
Thereby, since only the end surface of a light control sheet can be easily covered with a sealing material, productivity of a light control panel structure can be improved.

1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle provided with a light control panel structure (Example 1) according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. It is a figure explaining the manufacturing method of the light control panel structure which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the light control panel structure (Example 2) which concerns on this invention.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that “front (Fr)”, “rear (Rr)”, “left (L)”, and “right (R)” follow the direction seen from the driver.

The light control panel structure 20 and the manufacturing method thereof according to Example 1 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 10 includes an opening 12 provided in the right front side portion 11 a of the vehicle body 11 and a side door 13 provided in the opening 12.
The side door 13 has a front end portion 13 a that is swingably supported by the front portion 12 a of the opening 12.

In the side door 13, a door glass (light control panel structure) 20 is supported on a door sash 15 of the door body 14 so as to be movable up and down.
The door glass 20 is configured such that the end surface 20a is exposed to the outside air (outside) in a state where the door glass 20 is lowered along the door sash 15 and the window of the side door 13 is opened.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the door glass 20 includes a light control sheet 21 capable of electrically adjusting external light, and a sealing material 22 that covers an end surface (hereinafter referred to as “sheet end surface”) 21 a of the light control sheet 21. A first adhesive (adhesive) 23 provided on one surface (one surface) 21 b of the light control sheet 21 and a first transparent joined to the one surface 21 b of the light control sheet 21 via the first adhesive 23. A panel (transparent panel) 24 is provided.

Furthermore, the door glass 20 has a second adhesive (adhesive) 25 provided on the other surface (other surface) 21c of the light control sheet 21 and the other surface of the light control sheet 21 via the second adhesive 25. And a second transparent panel (another transparent panel) 26 joined to 21c.
That is, the door glass 20 is a laminated glass in which the first transparent panel 24 and the second transparent panel 26 are provided on both sides of the light control sheet 21.
The other surface 21 c of the light control sheet 21 is a surface opposite to the one surface 21 b of the light control sheet 21.

The light control sheet 21 includes a light control layer 31, a first transparent electrode layer 32 stacked on one surface 31 a of the light control layer 31, and a first PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film stacked on the first transparent electrode layer 32. , A second transparent electrode layer 33 laminated on the other surface 31 b of the light control layer 31, and a second PET film 35 laminated on the second transparent electrode layer 33.
The light control layer 31 is formed of a light control element such as SPD or liquid crystal.

In the light control sheet 21, the sheet end surface 21 a has a dimension H 1 with respect to the surface direction (arrow A direction) of the first transparent panel 24 rather than the end surface (hereinafter referred to as “first panel end surface”) 24 a of the first transparent panel 24. Just placed inside.
Further, the sheet end surface 21a is disposed inward by the dimension H1 with respect to the surface direction (arrow A direction) of the second transparent panel 26 relative to the end surface (hereinafter referred to as “second panel end surface”) 26a of the second transparent panel 26. Has been.
Here, the first panel end face 24a and the second panel end face 26a are arranged flush with each other.

The sealing material 22 is a urethane or silicon sealer, and is applied so as to cover only the sheet end surface 21a when viewed in the direction of arrow B from the first panel end surface 24a and the second panel end surface 26a side.
By covering the sheet end surface 21 a with the sealing material 22, the light control layer 31 is sealed with the sealing material 22 between the first PET film 34 and the second PET film 35.

  Moreover, it is not necessary to cover the periphery of the light control sheet 21 with the sealing material 22 by covering the sheet end surface 21 a with the sealing material 22. Therefore, the entire region of the door glass 20 (see also FIG. 1) can be set as the light control range (that is, the visible range). Thereby, the visibility of the door glass 20 is securable.

By the way, the sealing material 22 is arranged inside the straight line 38 passing through the first panel end surface 24a and the second panel end surface 26a by the dimension H2.
In this way, by disposing the sealing material 22 inside the straight line 38 passing through the first panel end surface 24a and the second panel end surface 26a, the sealing material 22 does not protrude from the first panel end surface 24a and the second panel end surface 26a. Can be.

  Therefore, the sealing material 22 can be protected by the first transparent panel 24 and the second transparent panel 26, and external force can be prevented from acting on the sealing material 22. Thereby, it can suppress that the sealing material 22 peels from the sheet | seat end surface 21a, can ensure the durability of the door glass 20, and can improve reliability.

As an example, the first adhesive 23 is formed of PVD (polyvinyl butyral), and has a higher moisture permeability (water vapor (gas phase moisture contained in the outside air) and moisture such as rain water than the sealing material 22. ) A transparent adhesive film.
The first adhesive 23 is laminated between the first transparent panel 24 and the light control sheet 21. The first adhesive 23 has an end portion (hereinafter referred to as a “first exposed surface”) 23 a exposed between the first transparent panel 24 and the sealing material 22 as viewed in the direction of arrow B from the first panel end surface 24 a side. Yes.
The first exposed surface 23a is disposed flush with the sheet end surface 21a. Therefore, the first exposed surface 23 a is exposed in the vicinity of the sealing material 22.

Similar to the first adhesive 23, the second adhesive 25 is formed of PVD (polyvinyl butyral) and has higher moisture permeability (water vapor (gas phase moisture contained in the outside air), rainwater, etc. than the sealing material 22. It is a transparent adhesive film having the property of absorbing water.
The second adhesive 25 is laminated between the second transparent panel 26 and the light control sheet 21. The second adhesive 25 has an end portion (hereinafter referred to as a “second exposed surface”) 25 a exposed between the second transparent panel 26 and the sealing material 22 as viewed in the direction of arrow B from the second panel end surface 26 a side. Yes.
The second exposed surface 25a is disposed flush with the sheet end surface 21a. Therefore, the second exposed surface 25a is exposed in the vicinity of the sealing material 22.

Thus, it is not necessary to cover the first exposed surface 23a and the second exposed surface 25a with the sealing material 22 by exposing the first exposed surface 23a and the second exposed surface 25a. Furthermore, it is not necessary to cover the first panel end surface 24a and the second panel end surface 26a with the sealing material 22.
Therefore, it is sufficient to apply only the sheet end surface 21a with the sealing material 22, and the application area of the sealing material 22 can be minimized.
Thereby, it becomes possible to reduce the application amount (use amount) of the sealing material 22 to a necessary minimum, and the cost of the door glass 20 can be suppressed.

  Further, by exposing the first exposed surface 23 a and the second exposed surface 25 a, the first exposed surface 23 a and the second exposed surface 25 a can be exposed in the vicinity of the sealing material 22. Further, the moisture permeability of the first adhesive 23 and the second adhesive 25 is set higher than that of the sealing material 22.

Therefore, moisture around the sealing material 22 (that is, moisture in the gas phase or rainwater contained in the outside air) can be absorbed into the first adhesive 23 from the first exposed surface 23a. Similarly, moisture around the sealing material 22 can be absorbed into the second adhesive 25 from the second exposed surface 25a.
Thereby, the water | moisture content of the sealing material 22 can be decreased and the water absorption amount of the sealing material 22 can be reduced, and it is not necessary to keep the moisture permeability of the sealing material 22 too low. As a result, the selection range of the sealing material 22 is widened, and the degree of freedom in design can be increased.

Further, by covering only the sheet end surface 21 a with the sealing material 22, the sheet end surface 21 a can be applied to the sealing material 22 with the light control sheet 21 alone.
Further, the sheet end surface 21 a can be applied to the sealing material 22 in a state where the light control sheet 21 is bonded to the first transparent panel 24 and the second transparent panel 26.
Therefore, the process of applying the sealing material 22 to the sheet end surface 21a can be selected from either the pre-process for bonding the light control sheet 21 to the first and second transparent panels 24, 26 or the post-bonding process. The degree of freedom in the manufacturing process can be increased.

As an example, the first transparent panel 24 is made of transparent plate glass (specifically, curved glass), and the back surface 24b of the light control sheet 21 is formed by the first adhesive 23 (via the first adhesive 23). It is bonded to one surface 21b.
Similarly to the first transparent panel 24, the second transparent panel 26 is made of, for example, a transparent plate glass (specifically, curved glass), and the back surface 26b is formed by the second adhesive 25 (the second adhesive 25). Is adhered to the other surface 21c of the light control sheet 21.

  In this state, the first panel end surface 24a and the second panel end surface 26a are disposed flush with each other and protrude outward from the sealing material 22 by the dimension H2. Therefore, the sealing material 22 is protected by the first transparent panel 24 and the second transparent panel 26.

According to the door glass 20 shown in FIG. 1, external light is electrically modulated by the light control sheet 21 by applying a voltage to the first transparent electrode layer 32 and the second transparent electrode layer 33 of the light control sheet 21. it can.
By dimming external light electrically with the light control sheet 21, the light control property of the door glass 20 etc. is securable.

The door glass 20 is configured such that the end surface 20a is exposed to the outside air in a state where the door glass 20 is lowered along the door sash 15 and the window of the side door 13 is opened.
Furthermore, the door glass 20 is covered only with the sheet | seat end surface 21a (refer FIG. 2) with the sealing material 22. FIG. That is, the periphery of the light control sheet 21 is not covered with the sealing material 22. Thereby, the whole region of the door glass 20 can be secured as a light control range (that is, a visible range), and the appearance and visibility of the vehicle 10 can be enhanced.

Next, a method for manufacturing the light control panel structure (ie, door glass) 20 will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 3, a representative example is a manufacturing method in which the step of applying the sealing material 22 to the sheet end surface 21 a is included in the previous step of bonding the light control sheet 21 to the first and second transparent panels 24 and 26. explain.

As shown in FIG. 3A, in the application step, the sheet end surface 21 a is covered with the seal material 22 by applying the seal material 22 to the end surface (sheet end surface) 21 a of the light control sheet 21.
Since the sheet end surface 21a can be satisfactorily exposed to the outside when the light control sheet 21 is a single unit, the sealing material 22 can be easily applied to the sheet end surface 21a.

As shown in FIG. 3B, in the joining process, one surface 21 b of the light control sheet 21 covered with the sheet end surface 21 a is bonded to the back surface 24 b of the first transparent panel 24 by the first adhesive 23. Similarly, the other surface 21 c of the light control sheet 21 is bonded to the back surface 26 b of the second transparent panel 26 by the second adhesive 25.
Thereby, the manufacturing process of door glass (light control panel structure) 20 (refer FIG. 2) is completed.

In this way, the sheet end surface 21 a is covered with the sealing material 22, and the light control sheet 21 covered with the sheet end surface 21 a is bonded to the first transparent panel 24 and the second transparent panel 26. Therefore, the sheet end surface 21 a can be covered with the sealing material 22 when the light control sheet 21 is a single state.
Thereby, since only the sheet | seat end surface 21a can be easily covered with the sealing material 22, productivity of the door glass 20 can be improved.

  Next, a light control panel structure according to Example 2 will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, in the light control panel structure of Example 2, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the same similar member as the door glass 20 of Example 1, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

A light control panel structure 50 according to Example 2 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 4, the light control panel structure 50 is obtained by removing the second adhesive 25 and the second transparent panel 26 from the door glass 20 of the first embodiment, and other configurations are the door glass of the first embodiment. 20 is substantially the same.
As an example, the light control panel structure 50 is used for a door glass as in the first embodiment.

Similarly to the door glass 20 of the first embodiment, the door glass 50 can protect the sealing material 22 with the first transparent panel 24 and can suppress the peeling of the sealing material 22 from the sheet end surface 21a.
Furthermore, by applying only the sheet end surface 21a with the sealing material 22, the application amount (usage amount) of the sealing material 22 can be reduced to a necessary minimum.
In addition, by absorbing moisture around the sealing material 22 from the first exposed surface 23a into the first adhesive 23, it is not necessary to keep the moisture permeability of the sealing material 22 too low.

That is, according to the door panel 50 of Example 2, the same effect as the light control panel structure 20 of Example 1 can be acquired.
In addition, since the 2nd adhesive agent 25 and the 2nd transparent panel 26 can be removed from the door glass 20 of Example 1, the simplification of the door panel 50 can be achieved and cost can be held down.

The light control panel structure and the manufacturing method thereof according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be changed or improved as appropriate.
For example, in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the example in which the light control panel structure is applied to the door glass 20 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the light control panel structure can be used for other members such as a roof glass and a sun visor. It is.

  Moreover, in the said Example 1 and Example 2, although the example using glass as the 1st transparent panel 24 and the 2nd transparent panel 26 was demonstrated, it is not restricted to this, Other members, such as a transparent resin material, are used. It is also possible to apply.

  Further, the vehicle, the door glass (light control panel structure), the light control sheet, the sealing material, the first and second adhesives, the first and second transparent panels, etc., shown in the first and second embodiments. These shapes and configurations are not limited to those illustrated, and can be changed as appropriate.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION This invention is suitable for the application to the motor vehicle provided with the light control panel structure body which the light control sheet | seat is joined to the transparent panel, and external light can be electrically light-controlled with the joined light control sheet.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Vehicle, 20, 50 ... Door glass (light control panel structure), 21 ... Light control sheet, 21a ... Sheet end surface (end surface of light control sheet), 21b ... One surface of light control sheet (1st of light control sheet) Surface to be bonded to the transparent panel), 21c ... other surface of the light control sheet (surface opposite to the surface to be bonded to the transparent panel of the light control sheet), 22 ... sealant, 23 ... first adhesive (adhesion) Agent), 24 ... first transparent panel (transparent panel), 24a ... first panel end face (end face of the first transparent panel), 24b ... back face of the first transparent panel, 25 ... second adhesive (adhesive), 26 ... 2nd transparent panel (another transparent panel), 26a ... 2nd panel end face (end face of 2nd transparent panel), 26b ... Back face of 2nd transparent panel, 38 ... Straight line (end face and 2nd of 1st transparent panel) A straight line passing through the end face of the transparent panel).

Claims (5)

A light control panel structure in which a light control sheet is bonded to the back surface of the transparent panel by an adhesive,
A sealing material covering an end surface of the light control sheet;
The adhesive is
A light control panel structure having moisture permeability higher than that of the sealing material and exposed between the transparent panel and the sealing material as viewed from an end surface side of the transparent panel.   2. The light control panel structure according to claim 1, wherein the sealing material covers only an end surface of the light control sheet as viewed from an end surface side of the transparent panel. Another transparent panel is bonded via an adhesive to the surface opposite to the surface to be bonded to the transparent panel of the light control sheet,
The adhesive is
3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising moisture permeability higher than that of the sealing material, and being exposed between the another transparent panel and the sealing material as viewed from an end surface direction of the transparent panel. Dimming panel structure. The end face of the light control sheet is
It is arranged on the inner side in the surface direction of the transparent panel than the respective end surfaces of the transparent panel and the other transparent panel,
The sealing material is
The light control panel structure according to claim 3, wherein the light control panel structure is disposed inside a straight line passing through an end face of the transparent panel and an end face of the other transparent panel. A method of manufacturing a light control panel structure in which a light control sheet is bonded to the back surface of a transparent panel with an adhesive,
Covering the end face of the light control sheet with a sealing material;
The light control sheet with the end face covered is adhered to the back surface of the transparent panel with an adhesive having higher moisture permeability than the sealing material, and the adhesive is transparent between the transparent panel and the sealing material. A process of exposing from the end face side of the panel; and
The manufacturing method of the light control panel structure characterized by including.

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