# US 2019/0171077 A1 · Electrochromic device, optical filter, lens unit, imaging apparatus, window member, and driving method

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- Number: US 2019/0171077 A1
- Document ID: US20190171077A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/253,912
- Filed: 2019-01-22
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-23
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Wataru Kubo; Kenji Yamada; Satoshi Igawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190171077A1

## CPC

- E06B 9/24: Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; {Slat blinds}(operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00)
- E06B 3/6722: {with adjustable passage of light}
- G02F 1/1503: caused by oxidation-reduction reactions in organic liquid solutions, e.g. viologen solutions
- G02F 1/1514: characterised by the electrochromic material, e.g. by the electrodeposited material
- G02F 1/155: Electrodes
- G02F 1/163: Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
- G03B 11/00: Filters or other obturators specially adapted for photographic purposes
- E06B 2009/2464: {featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels}
- G02F 1/15165: {Polymers}
- E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00)
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D)

## Abstract

An electrochromic device according to the present disclosure includes an electrochromic element that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an electrochromic layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The electrochromic layer contains an anodic electrochromic compound and an oxidizable substance. The oxidizable substance is a substance which substantially does not undergo a color change due to oxidation and whose oxidant is not reduced. An oxidation reaction of the oxidizable substance is less likely to occur than an oxidation reaction of the anodic electrochromic compound. A controller is configured to control oxidation of the oxidizable substance based on a charge balance of the electrochromic element.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrochromic device comprising:
an electrochromic element including:
a first electrode,
a second electrode, and
an electrochromic layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and
a controller for the electrochromic element,
wherein the electrochromic layer contains an anodic electrochromic compound and an oxidizable substance,
the oxidizable substance is a substance which substantially does not undergo a color change due to oxidation and whose oxidant is not reduced,
an oxidation reaction of the oxidizable substance is less likely to occur than a reversible oxidation reaction of the anodic electrochromic compound and is more likely to occur than an irreversible oxidation reaction of the anodic electrochromic compound, and
the controller is configured to control oxidation of the oxidizable substance based on a charge balance of the electrochromic element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electrochromic device according to claim 1,
wherein the electrochromic layer further contains a cathodic electrochromic compound and a reducible substance,
the reducible substance is a substance which substantially does not undergo a color change due to reduction and whose reductant is not oxidized, and
a reduction reaction of the reducible substance is less likely to occur than a reversible reduction reaction of the cathodic electrochromic compound and is more likely to occur than an irreversible reduction reaction of the cathodic electrochromic compound.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electrochromic device according to claim 1,
wherein the electrochromic layer further contains an oxidation-reduction substance that is reversibly oxidized, and
an oxidation reaction of the oxidation-reduction substance is more likely to occur than a reversible oxidation reaction of the anodic electrochromic compound and is less likely to occur than an irreversible oxidation reaction of the anodic electrochromic compound.

### Claim 4

An electrochromic device comprising:
an electrochromic element including:
a first electrode,
a second electrode, and
an electrochromic layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and
a controller for the electrochromic element,
wherein the electrochromic layer contains a cathodic electrochromic compound and a reducible substance,
the reducible substance is a substance which substantially does not undergo a color change due to reduction and whose reductant is not oxidized,
a reduction reaction of the reducible substance is less likely to occur than a reversible reduction reaction of the cathodic electrochromic compound and is more likely to occur than an irreversible reduction reaction of the cathodic electrochromic compound, and
the controller is configured to control reduction of the reducible substance based on a charge balance of the electrochromic element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The electrochromic device according to claim 4,
wherein the electrochromic layer further contains an oxidation-reduction substance that is reversibly reduced, and
a reversible reduction reaction of the oxidation-reduction substance is more likely to occur than a reversible reduction reaction of the cathodic electrochromic compound and is less likely to occur than an irreversible reduction reaction of the cathodic electrochromic compound.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electrochromic device according to claim 1, comprising a third electrode disposed at a position different from positions of the first electrode and the second electrode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electrochromic device according to claim 1, comprising an acquisition unit configured to acquire information on a charge balance of the electrochromic element,
wherein the controller is configured to change a voltage applied to the electrochromic element based on the information of the acquisition unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The electrochromic device according to claim 4, comprising an acquisition unit configured to acquire information on a charge balance of the electrochromic element,
wherein the controller is configured to change a voltage applied to the electrochromic element based on the information of the acquisition unit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The electrochromic device according to claim 7, wherein the acquisition unit is a measurement unit configured to measure an amount of light absorbed in the electrochromic layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The electrochromic device according to claim 8, wherein the acquisition unit is a measurement unit configured to measure an amount of light absorbed in the electrochromic layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The electrochromic device according to claim 7, wherein when a charge imbalance is judged to be caused based on the information on a charge balance, the controller changes a potential from a first potential to a second potential by changing the voltage applied to the electrochromic element.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The electrochromic device according to claim 11, wherein the first potential is a potential at which the anodic electrochromic compound is reversibly oxidized and the oxidizable substance is not irreversibly oxidized or a potential at which a cathodic electrochromic compound is reversibly reduced and a reducible substance is not irreversibly reduced.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The electrochromic device according to claim 11, wherein the second potential is a potential at which an irreversible oxidation reaction of the oxidizable substance occurs and an irreversible oxidation reaction of the anodic electrochromic compound does not occur or a potential at which an irreversible reduction reaction of a reducible substance occurs and an irreversible reduction reaction of a cathodic electrochromic compound does not occur.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

An optical filter comprising:
the electrochromic device according to claim 1; and
an active element that is connected to the electrochromic element and is configured to drive the electrochromic element.

### Claim 15 (depends on 4)

An optical filter comprising:
the electrochromic device according to claim 4; and
an active element that is connected to the electrochromic element and is configured to drive the electrochromic element.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

A lens unit comprising:
the optical filter according to claim 14; and
an imaging optical system including a plurality of lenses.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

An imaging apparatus comprising:
an imaging optical system including a plurality of lenses;
the optical filter according to claim 14; and
a light-receiving element configured to receive light that has passed through the optical filter.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

A window member comprising:
a pair of substrates;
the electrochromic device according to claim 1, the electrochromic device being disposed between the pair of substrates; and
an active element that is connected to the electrochromic device and is configured to drive the electrochromic device to control an amount of light that passes through the pair of substrates.

### Claim 19

A driving method for an electrochromic element including a pair of electrodes and an electrochromic layer disposed between the pair of electrodes, the driving method comprising:
a detection step of detecting a charge balance between the pair of electrodes; and
an application step of applying a voltage or a current to the electrochromic element based on a detection result in the detection step; wherein the voltage or the current in the application step is larger than a voltage or a current applied when the electrochromic element is colored.