JPH0732967U - Electronic clock with solar cell - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Structure] A diffusion layer 4 that diffuses and transmits light on a solar cell including a substrate 1, a solar cell layer 2, and a protective film 3, and a diffusion layer 4.
And a photochromic layer 5 thereon. [Effect] By providing a photochromic layer and a diffusion layer or a gas layer on the surface of the solar cell, the problem of restrictions on the design of the color peculiar to the solar cell can be solved, and the conventional electronic timepiece with a solar cell can operate normally. The power generation efficiency does not change even with weak light, and when you use an amorphous silicon solar cell as the solar cell, you can secure sufficient power generation to drive the clock.
It has an effect of preventing the power generation output characteristics of the amorphous silicon solar cell from being deteriorated by intense light irradiation.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a structure of an electronic timepiece with a solar cell, which uses a solar cell as a driving power source.

[0002]

[Prior art and its problems]

As a first problem of the conventional electronic timepiece with a solar cell, in the conventional electronic timepiece with a solar cell, the solar cell is installed in a place where there is light irradiation of the timepiece, that is, in a place where it is always visible, and to some extent. The above area is required. Since current solar cells mainly show a color close to dark black, there is a problem that the color design is limited when it is installed on a watch design, especially on a dial.

As a means for solving the problem of the color design of the solar cell, a means using a color filter or the like has been proposed, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-147681. As shown in FIG. 2, it is a means for coloring by providing a color filter 6 and a diffusion layer 4 on the solar cell composed of the solar cell layer 2 and the protective film 3 on the substrate 1.

However, this means reduces the transmittance irrespective of the intensity of light and reduces the power generation efficiency of the solar cell even in the case of weak light irradiation.

A conventional electronic timepiece with a solar cell is designed to be driven at a minimum with weak light irradiation such as indoors. For this reason, even if the light is exposed to strong light such as direct sunlight, power can be generated sufficiently even if the efficiency is lowered to some extent by using a color filter, but if the light is weak, the efficiency is further reduced and the conventional electronic timepiece with a solar cell operates normally. It is impossible to drive normally with the minimum light intensity to drive.

In the case of an electronic timepiece with a solar cell, the minimum light intensity for normal driving is an important factor in evaluating the performance of the electronic timepiece with a solar cell, and the performance will be degraded. That is a very big problem, and a problem to solve this problem arises.

As a second problem of the conventional electronic timepiece with a solar cell, when a solar cell made of amorphous silicon is used as the solar cell, the amorphous silicon becomes amorphous when exposed to strong light such as direct sunlight. Due to a certain property, there is a problem that the power generation output characteristics deteriorate.

It is considered that this is because the dangling bonds of silicon are formed by irradiating the amorphous silicon with strong light.

A conventional electronic timepiece with a solar cell, if it is exposed to direct sunlight with a strong light of about 100,000 lux, depends on the type of the electronic timepiece with a solar cell, but if it is irradiated for about 10 minutes, it will take about 1 week. Can secure enough power to keep driving.

However, there is a limit to the charging performance of the electric double layer capacitor used as a charger for a conventional electronic timepiece with a solar cell. The multilayer capacitor is discharged to prevent overcharging.

That is, after the electric double layer capacitor is fully charged, further intense light irradiation is not only useless, but also causes deterioration in power generation output characteristics of the amorphous silicon solar cell. Even if it is about 10,000 lux in cloudy weather, it can be fully charged in 1 to 2 hours, so it is considered that about 100,000 lux of direct sunlight is too strong as the light intensity.

That is, it is possible to sufficiently charge the battery even when it is irradiated with light that is not as intense as 100,000 lux and is weaker than direct sunlight, and it is possible to prevent deterioration of the power generation output characteristics of the solar battery made of amorphous silicon. .

Therefore, in the case of strong light irradiation such as direct sunlight, it is necessary to reduce the light intensity to some extent.

As a means for solving the problem of deterioration of the solar cell made of amorphous silicon, a method of providing a layer having a light control function such as a photochromic layer has been proposed. However, since the photochromic layer is directly laminated on the solar cell, the color of the solar cell is conspicuous and the appearance becomes poor. Therefore, from the viewpoint of color design, there is a problem that the above-mentioned first problem cannot be solved, which is almost the same as the conventional solar cell.

Therefore, by solving the above problems at the same time, the solar cell is irradiated with light as it is without reducing the transmittance in the case of weak light irradiation such as indoors to ensure sufficient power generation for clock driving. However, if the limitation on the color design of the electronic timepiece with a solar cell is eliminated and a solar cell made of amorphous silicon is used as the solar cell, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of the power generation output characteristics under strong light irradiation. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic timepiece with a battery.

[0017]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, the construction of the electronic timepiece with a solar cell of the present invention adopts the means described below.

An electronic timepiece equipped with a solar cell comprising a substrate, a solar cell layer, and a protective film, comprising a structure having a diffusion layer on the protective film and a photochromic layer on the diffusion layer. Or a structure having a diffusion layer and a photochromic layer on the diffusion layer between the solar cell and the protective film, or a gas layer made of air or an inert gas on the protective film. And a photochromic layer on the gas layer.

The photochromic layer of the present invention is formed by coating or containing a photochromic material on a transparent film or transparent glass, or by forming a photochromic coating material containing the photochromic material into a film. Suru

[0020]

[Action]

 By providing the photochromic layer and the diffusion layer or the gas layer on the surface of the solar cell, the photochromic layer is colored by intense light irradiation, and the diffusion layer makes the color of the lower solar cell inconspicuous. By making the color of the photochromic layer stand out, a colorful design is formed, unlike the color of conventional solar cells, and an electronic timepiece with a solar cell in which design restrictions are eliminated can be obtained.

Further, the coloring density of the photochromic layer changes depending on the intensity of light, and the photochromic layer is colored deeper as the light is irradiated more intensely, and the light transmittance is controlled by the intensity of the light. The smaller the transmittance, the smaller.

As a result, the solar cell transmits light without being colored when irradiated with weak light, and has a low transmittance when irradiated with strong light, but the solar cell is irradiated with light of sufficient intensity. It is possible to secure sufficient power generation for clock driving.

Further, in the case of a solar cell made of amorphous silicon, the photochromic layer is colored to restrict strong light irradiation, which reduces deterioration of power generation output characteristics of the amorphous silicon solar cell and reduces the life of the electronic timepiece with a solar cell. Can be realized.

[0024]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a solar cell provided in an electronic timepiece with a solar cell according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a solar cell provided in an electronic timepiece with a solar cell according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a solar cell provided in an electronic timepiece with a solar cell according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, the diffusion layer 4 is provided on the protective film 3 on the solar cell layer 2 provided on the substrate 1, and the photochromic layer 5 is provided on the diffusion layer 4.

The substrate 1 is made of a conductive metal in order to serve as an electrode plate and a support plate. The solar battery layer 2 is formed by providing a transparent electrode such as ITO (In ₂ O ₃ —SnO ₂ ) which is a transparent conductive film on an amorphous silicon layer having a P—N junction or a P—I—N junction. Constitute. The protective film 3 is formed by thinly hardening a transparent resin or the like, and is configured to protect the lower solar cell layer 2 and the like.

The photochromic layer 5 is colored when irradiated with intense light, and the diffusion layer 4 makes the color of the solar cell inconspicuous and enhances the color of the colored photochromic layer 5. This makes it possible to change the color of the conventional solar cell close to the dark black color to form a colorful solar cell.

Further, the photochromic layer 5 is not colored by weak light irradiation and allows almost all light to pass therethrough, the power generation efficiency is almost unchanged, and a sufficient power generation amount for driving the timepiece can be secured.

Furthermore, when the photochromic layer 5 is colored deeply and exhibits a colorful color, when a solar cell made of amorphous silicon is used as the solar cell, it is possible to prevent deterioration of its power generation output characteristics.

The light transmittance of the photochromic layer 5 and the coloring density of the photochromic layer 5 can be controlled by the components of the photochromic material, the thickness of the photochromic layer 5, and the like.

As described in claim 4, the photochromic layer 5 uses a photochromic paint or powder such as a spiropyran compound as a photochromic material. For example, a transparent thin film or a transparent glass having good light transmittance is used. It is formed by coating or applying a film of photochromic paint on top.

Alternatively, the photochromic coating 5 is evenly dispersed in the liquid state in the process of forming a film or glass, and contained in a transparent film or transparent glass to form the photochromic layer 5.

Furthermore, as for the photochromic layer 5, as described in claim 5, the photochromic paint is coated or applied on glass or the like, and then dried and solidified into a film, and the film-shaped photochromic paint is removed from the glass. It can also be formed by removing it.

As a coating method, a spin coating method is used. In this spin coating method, it is possible to form the photochromic layer 5 in which the thickness of the photochromic layer 5 is controlled by the rotation speed and the light transmittance and the coloring density are controlled.

In addition, as a means for forming the photochromic layer 5, any method capable of controlling the thickness by a coating method may be used.

Further, since the intensity of light, particularly the intensity of ultraviolet rays, can be detected by the shade of coloring, it is possible to have a function as a simple light intensity sensor clock or an ultraviolet intensity sensor clock.

Further, when forming a photochromic layer by applying a photochromic paint, an electronic timepiece with a solar cell of various designs that floats under strong light irradiation by drawing a multicolored pattern or pattern. To enable.

The diffusing layer 4 has a layer such as frosted glass, which has a property of diffusing and transmitting and reflecting light, on the surface or in the middle of the layers, and has a small reflectance while diffusing and reflecting light, and almost transmits light. Composed of things.

The diffusion layer 4 has a role of making the color of the dark solar cell inconspicuous by diffusing and transmitting the color of the lower solar cell layer 2 and enhancing the effect of coloring the photochromic layer 5.

Further, as described in claim 2, even when the photochromic layer 5 and the diffusion layer 4 are provided between the protective film 3 and the solar cell layer 2 shown in FIG. 3, the same structure as that of FIG. Bring effect.

Further, by providing the protective film 3 that covers the entire photochromic layer 5, the effect of protecting the photochromic layer 5 can be brought about.

Further, as described in claim 3, a gas layer 7 may be provided between the protective film 3 and the photochromic layer 5 shown in FIG. As a result, light is diffused at the boundary between the gas layer 7 and the photochromic layer 5, and the color of the solar cell layer 2 is made inconspicuous like the diffusion layer, and the colored color of the photochromic layer 5 is enhanced. There is.

As described in claim 6, the gas layer 7 may be a layer of air or an inert gas, and may have a gap into which the gas can enter.

The gas layer 7 can be easily constructed by supporting the photochromic layer 5 with the support member 8.

In addition to the above, it is also possible to use an organic or inorganic material such as a silver halide compound or a spirooxazine compound, or another photochromic material as the photochromic material.

Further, it is also possible to use a photochromic layer in which the photochromic material is coated or contained in a transparent film or a transparent material other than transparent glass. In addition, any transparent layer having a photochromic effect may be used.

In addition to the structure in which the photochromic layer 5 is provided above or below the protective film 3, the light does not directly enter the solar cell layer 2, and the light transmitted through the photochromic layer 5 and the diffusion layer 4 is the solar cell layer. Any structure may be used as long as it is incident on 2.

[0048]

[Effect of device]

 As is clear from the above description, in the structure of the present invention, the photochromic layer and the diffusion layer or the gas layer are provided on the surface of the solar cell.

As a result, the problem of limitation of the design of the color peculiar to the solar cell is solved, the power generation efficiency does not change even with the minimum weak light that the conventional electronic timepiece with a solar cell normally drives, and it is sufficient for clock drive. It is possible to secure the amount of power generation. Furthermore, when an amorphous silicon solar cell is used as the solar cell, it is possible to prevent the power generation output characteristics of the amorphous silicon solar cell from deteriorating due to strong light irradiation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a solar cell provided in an electronic timepiece with a solar cell according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional solar cell.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a solar cell provided in an electronic timepiece with a solar cell according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a solar cell provided in an electronic timepiece with a solar cell according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 substrate 2 solar cell layer 3 protective film 4 diffusion layer 5 photochromic layer 7 gas layer 8 support member

Claims (6)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An electronic timepiece with a solar cell comprising a solar cell comprising a substrate, a solar cell layer and a protective film, comprising a diffusion layer on the protective film and a photochromic layer on the diffusion layer. An electronic timepiece with a solar cell characterized by the following. 2. An electronic timepiece with a solar cell comprising a solar cell comprising a substrate, a solar cell layer and a protective film, wherein the solar cell and the protective film have a diffusion layer in the middle, and a photochromic layer on the diffusion layer. An electronic timepiece with a solar cell, comprising: 3. An electronic timepiece with a solar cell comprising a solar cell comprising a substrate, a solar cell layer and a protective film, comprising: a gas layer on the protective film; and a photochromic layer and a photochromic layer on the gas layer. An electronic timepiece equipped with a solar cell, characterized in that the electronic timepiece has a structure having a support member for fixing the. 4. The photochromic layer is formed by coating or containing a photochromic material in a transparent film or transparent glass.
An electronic timepiece with a solar cell according to claim 2 or claim 3. 5. The electronic timepiece with a solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the photochromic layer is formed by hardening a photochromic coating material containing a photochromic material into a film. . 6. The electronic timepiece with a solar cell according to claim 3, wherein the gas layer is made of air or an inert gas.