Electrochromic display device
AssigneeSharp Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTomio Wada, Hisashi Uede, Sadatoshi Takechi, Kohzo Yano
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electrochromic display device in which a display electrode is formed by depositing electrochromic material to a required configuration on a transparent conductive film comprising a portion contacted by the electrochromic material and a portion constituting a lead extension for connection to an external circuit, and both the conductive film lead extension and electrochromic material are covered by a layer of material which permits passage of ions between an electrolyte and the electrochromic material but is an insulator with respect to electrons, and thus colored display may be effected in a required manner but damage of the conductive film is prevented.
Claims17
A display electrode portion of an electrochromic display device comprising a display portion and including a substrate, a transparent conductive film formed on at least a portion of said substrate, an electrochromic film made of an electrochromic material and formed on at least a portion of said conductive film so that the transparent conductive film comprises a portion thereof contacted by the electrochromic material and a portion thereof forming a lead extension for connection to an external circuit, on which the electrochromic material is not formed, and a layer of insulating material covering both the conductive film of the lead extension and the electrochromic material, said layer of insulating material physically isolating the display portion from an electrolyte and acting as an insulator with respect to electrons but permitting passage of ions between the electrolyte, the electrochromic film, and the transparent conductive film of the lead extension, whereby colored display of the electrochromic film may be effected but the flow of the electrons from the transparent conductive film of the lead extension into the electrolyte are prevented so that the transparent conductive film of the lead extension is protected by said layer of insulating material.
A display electrode portion of an electrochromic display device comprising a transparent conductive film on a transparent substrate;
- an electrochromic film made of an electrochromic material and formed on at least a portion of said conductive film so that a first portion of said transparent conductive film is in contact with said electrochromic material while a second portion of said transparent conductive film forms a lead extension for connection to an external circuit on which said electrochromic material has not been formed;
- an electrolyte;
- and a layer of insulating material covering the entire conductive film portion forming the lead extension as well as completely covering, including the edges, said electrochromic film and acting as an insulator with respect to electrons but permitting passage of ions between the electrolyte, the electrochromic film and the transparent conductive film, whereby coloration of said electrochromic film is effected when said transparent conductive film is exposed to negative potential.
An electrochromic display system comprising:
- an electrochromic display device comprising;
- a display electrode portion;
- a counter electrode portion;
- an electrolyte positioned between said display electrode and said counter electrode portions;
- said display electrode portion comprising a display portion and including a substrate, a transparent conductive film formed on at least a portion of said substrate, an electrochromic film made of an electrochromic material and formed on at least a portion of said conductive film so that the transparent conductive film comprises a portion thereof contacted by the electrochromic material and a portion thereof forming a lead extension for connection to an external circuit, on which the electrochromic material is not formed, and a layer of insulating material covering both the conductive film of the lead extension and the electrochromic material, said layer of insulating material physically isolating the display portion from an electrolyte and acting as an insulator with respect to electrons but permitting passage of ions between the electrolyte, the electrochromic film, and the transparent conductive film of the lead extension, whereby colored display of the electrochromic film may be effected but the flow of the electrons from the transparent conductive film of the lead extension into the electrolyte are prevented so that the transparent conductive film of the lead extension is protected by said layer of insulating material;
- and,
- means for imposing a voltage across said electrodes to actuate said device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.