JPS627027A - Light quantity adjusting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten a color erasing time, to use the titled device even at a position having a large luminance change of external light, and to remove the unevenness of color erasing by irregularly arranging plural transparent heat generators on a base material consisting of a photochromic material. CONSTITUTION:Plural transparent heat generators 15 are irregularly arranged on the base plate 11 consisting for a photochromic material, transparent electrodes 12, 14 are connected to the heat generators 15 and an insulating layer 13 is formed on an area other than the heat generators 15. Under said constitution, areas on which the heat generators 15 are arranged are colored in accordance with the intensity of incident light flux. To erase the color of the areas, current is applied to the transparent electrodes 12, 14 and the color is erased by heating. Consequently, coloring/erasing can be efficiently executed by the heat generators 15 without coloring/erasing the whole base plate 11 as compared to an ordinary method, so that the color erasing time can be shortened, the device can be used also at a position having a large luminance change of external light and unevenness of color erasing can be reduced.

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】 （産業上の利用分野） 本発明は光量調節装置に関し、特に°入射光量に応じて
物質中に誘起される可逆的な色の変化を示す材料、例え
ばフォトクロミック材料を利用したカメラ等に用いる場
合好適な光量調節装置に関するものである。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a light amount adjustment device, and particularly to a device that uses a material that exhibits a reversible color change induced in the substance depending on the amount of incident light, such as a photochromic material. The present invention relates to a light amount adjustment device suitable for use in a camera or the like.

（従来の技ｖ＃） 従来より撮影系に用いられる絞り装置は撮影レンズを通
過する光量を検出手段により検出し、シャッター速度や
感光材料の感度等を考慮して機械的に撮影レンズ内の有
効口径、即ち絞り径を制御していた。このときの絞り径
の制限は画面全体の平均的な明るさ若しくは一定領域の
明るさを重点的に検出して行っていた。この為例えば画
面内に輝度差の大きな部分が存在すると感光材料の調子
再現範囲を逸脱し画面全体にわたり適正な露出が得られ
なくなる場合があった。そこで従来よりフォトクロミッ
ク材料を利用した光量調節装置を撮影レンズの一部に配
置して露出を制限することが考えられていた。即ち入射
光量の強い部分においてはフォトクロミック材料の着色
変化、所謂濃度が大きく変化するので、これにより透過
光を制限することにより適正露光を得ることができる。(Conventional technique v#) Aperture devices conventionally used in photographic systems use detection means to detect the amount of light passing through the photographic lens, and mechanically adjust the effective amount of light within the photographic lens, taking into account the shutter speed, sensitivity of the photosensitive material, etc. The aperture, or aperture diameter, was controlled. At this time, the aperture diameter is limited by detecting the average brightness of the entire screen or the brightness of a certain area. For this reason, for example, if there is a portion with a large brightness difference within the screen, the tone reproduction range of the photosensitive material may be exceeded, and proper exposure may not be obtained over the entire screen. Therefore, it has been considered to limit the exposure by placing a light amount adjusting device using a photochromic material in a part of the photographic lens. That is, in areas where the amount of incident light is strong, the coloring change, so-called density, of the photochromic material changes greatly, so by limiting the transmitted light, proper exposure can be obtained.

しかしながらフォトクロミック材料は入射光に対する濃
度変化の応答速度は数秒から数十秒と比較的速いが着色
状態から消色状態に戻るまでには数分から士数分要して
いた。この為例えばフォトクロミック材料を用いた光量
調節装置を取り付けたカメラで戸外の明るい所から比較
的暗い屋内に移動して撮影を行う場合にはフォトクロミ
ック材料が消色状態に戻るまで長時間待たねばならなく
なると考えられる。これに対して従来よりフォトクロミ
ック材料に熱を与えると消色作用が促進するという特性
を利用し、第５図に示すようにフォトクロミック材料上
に発熱体を一様に設けることが提案されている。第５図
において１１はフォトクロミック材料を有する基材、１
５は発熱体である。しかしながら第５図に示すように発
熱体１５を基材１１上に一様に設けると発熱体に電圧な
印加する際に発熱体自体の面積にわたり電圧降下、即ち
電位分布が生じ、消色作用にムラが生じてしまうという
問題があった。However, although photochromic materials have a relatively fast response speed for changing concentration to incident light, ranging from several seconds to several tens of seconds, it takes several minutes to several minutes for the material to return from a colored state to a decolored state. For this reason, for example, when a camera equipped with a light intensity adjustment device using photochromic material is moved from a bright place outdoors to a relatively dark room to take a picture, it is necessary to wait for a long time until the photochromic material returns to its decolorized state. it is conceivable that. On the other hand, it has been proposed to take advantage of the property that applying heat to a photochromic material accelerates the decoloring action, and to uniformly provide a heating element on the photochromic material as shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, 11 is a base material having a photochromic material;
5 is a heating element. However, as shown in FIG. 5, if the heating elements 15 are uniformly provided on the base material 11, when a voltage is applied to the heating elements, a voltage drop, that is, a potential distribution occurs over the area of the heating elements themselves, resulting in a decolorizing effect. There was a problem that unevenness occurred.

（発明が解決しようとする問題点） 本発明は入射光量に応じた濃度変化及び消色変化を所定
面積にわたりムラなく迅速に行うことのできるフォトク
ロミック材料を利用した光量調節装置の提供を目的とす
る。(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) An object of the present invention is to provide a light amount adjustment device using a photochromic material that can quickly and uniformly change density and change color over a predetermined area in accordance with the amount of incident light. .

（問題点を解決するための手段） フォトクロミズムを示す物質を有する基材と前記基材上
に円形様の透明の発熱体を複数個、不規則に配置し、前
記発熱体を動作させるべく２つの透明電極層を該発熱体
を介して配置し、前記基材上の前記発熱体の配置されて
いない領域に前記フォトクロミズムを示す物質を動作さ
せる光束を遮光する絶縁層を配置したことである。(Means for Solving the Problem) A base material having a substance exhibiting photochromism and a plurality of circular transparent heating elements are arranged irregularly on the base material, and two A transparent electrode layer is disposed through the heating element, and an insulating layer is disposed on the base material in a region where the heating element is not disposed to block the light flux that activates the substance exhibiting photochromism.

この他本発明の特徴は実施例において記載されている。Other features of the invention are described in the Examples.

（実施例） 第１図は本発明の一実施例の光量調節装置の平面図、第
２図は第１図のＡ　−Ａ’線の断面図である。図中１は
光量調節素子、１１はフォトクロミック材料を有する基
材、１５は可視域及び紫外域透過の発熱体で、例えばＳ
。０□より円形上に構成され基板１１上に複数個不規則
に配設されている。１６は絶縁体であり可視域及び紫外
域を透過し、発熱体１５内部の電界分布を均一にする為
のものである。１２．１４は各々透明電極（ＩＴＯ膜）
であり発熱体１５に接続されており更に電源Ｖに接続さ
れている。１３は絶縁層であり可視域を透過し、ホトク
ロミック材料を動作させ濃度変化を起させる分光分布を
有する光束、例えば紫外域の光束を反射し若しくは吸収
させるものであり基材１１上の発熱体１５の配置されて
いない領域に配置されている。(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a light amount adjusting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA' in FIG. 1. In the figure, 1 is a light amount adjustment element, 11 is a base material containing a photochromic material, and 15 is a heating element that transmits visible and ultraviolet regions, such as S
. A plurality of them are arranged irregularly on the substrate 11, and are configured in a circular shape from 0□. Reference numeral 16 is an insulator that transmits visible and ultraviolet light to make the electric field distribution inside the heating element 15 uniform. 12.14 are transparent electrodes (ITO film)
It is connected to the heating element 15 and further connected to the power supply V. Reference numeral 13 denotes an insulating layer which reflects or absorbs a light flux that transmits the visible range and has a spectral distribution that activates the photochromic material and causes a concentration change, for example, a light flux in the ultraviolet range. It is arranged in the area where 15 is not arranged.

本実施例においては第２図に示すＢの方向から入射した
光束はその強度に応じてフォトクロミック材料を有する
基材１１上の発熱体１５が配置されている領域を透過し
、その部分を着色させる。In this embodiment, the light flux incident from the direction B shown in FIG. 2 is transmitted through the area where the heating element 15 is placed on the base material 11 having a photochromic material according to its intensity, and the area is colored. .

このとき基材１１上の絶縁層１３で覆われた領域にはホ
トクロミック材料を動作させる紫外域の光束が入射しな
い為着色しない。フォトクロミック材料は一般に第３図
に示すように入射光量に対する着色時の応答速度は曲線
Ｓ１で示す如く速いが補色時に元の濃度に復帰するには
曲線Ｓ２で示す如く数分から数十分要する。ところがフ
ォトクロミック材料は第４図に示すように濃度が上昇す
るに従って透過率が高くなる特性を有している。この為
本実施例ではこの特性を利用し消色時にはフォトクロミ
ック材料を第２図に示す構成により加熱することにより
消色作用を促進させている。At this time, the region covered with the insulating layer 13 on the base material 11 is not colored because the light beam in the ultraviolet region that activates the photochromic material is not incident thereon. As shown in FIG. 3, photochromic materials generally have a fast response speed when coloring to the amount of incident light, as shown by curve S1, but it takes several minutes to several tens of minutes to return to the original density when using complementary colors, as shown by curve S2. However, as shown in FIG. 4, photochromic materials have the characteristic that their transmittance increases as their concentration increases. For this reason, in this embodiment, this characteristic is utilized to accelerate the decoloring action by heating the photochromic material with the configuration shown in FIG. 2 when decoloring.

即ち本実施例においては発熱体１５をホトクロミック材
料の着色位置に各々配置し、このときの発熱体１５を例
えばＳ。０２等の比抵抗の高い材料から構成し、透明電
極１２．１４間に電流を流した際、熱を発生させている
。この結果消色時にはフォトクロミック材料の着色部分
を効率的に加熱することができホトクロミック材料の消
色作用を促進し、消色時間の短縮化を可能としている。That is, in this embodiment, the heating elements 15 are arranged at the colored positions of the photochromic material, and the heating elements 15 at this time are made of, for example, S. The transparent electrodes 12 and 14 generate heat when a current is passed between them. As a result, when decoloring, the colored portion of the photochromic material can be efficiently heated, promoting the decoloring action of the photochromic material, and making it possible to shorten the decoloring time.

尚、本実施例において透明電極１２．１４の比抵抗は発
熱体１５の比抵抗よりも高いことが好ましい。一般には
透明電極の比抵抗は ｌＸｌ０−４［Ω・Ｃｍ］程度である為、発熱体１５の
比抵抗を透明電極の比抵抗より大きい値に維持しておく
のが発熱体としての機能を良好に発揮させることができ
るので好ましい。In this embodiment, the specific resistance of the transparent electrodes 12 and 14 is preferably higher than that of the heating element 15. Generally, the specific resistance of a transparent electrode is about lXl0-4 [Ω・Cm], so it is best to maintain the specific resistance of the heating element 15 at a value larger than that of the transparent electrode to improve its function as a heating element. It is preferable because it can be made to exhibit.

本実施例においてフォトクロミック材料を不規則的な着
色分布を有するもので構成すれば第２図に示す着色防止
用の絶縁層１３は特に設ける必要はない。又フォトクロ
ミック材料を有する基材１１は平板に限らず曲率な有し
たものであっても良い。In this embodiment, if the photochromic material has an irregular coloring distribution, there is no particular need to provide the insulating layer 13 for preventing coloring shown in FIG. 2. Further, the base material 11 having the photochromic material is not limited to a flat plate, and may have a curvature.

本実施例における光量調節装置は着色時の着色部分のフ
ァインダー内の見えを考慮して着色部分が不規則的にな
るように構成したが撮影系の一部に配置する際にはｗＬ
影レンズの後方若しくは撮影レンズ中に配置しても本発
明の目的を達成することができる。The light amount adjusting device in this embodiment was configured so that the colored portion was irregular in consideration of the visibility of the colored portion in the viewfinder during coloring, but when disposed in a part of the photographing system, wL
The object of the present invention can also be achieved even if it is placed behind the shadow lens or in the photographic lens.

（発明の効果） 本発明によればフォトクロミック材料からなる基材上に
円形状の複数の発熱体を不規則的に配設することにより
、フォトクロミック材料の消色特性が改善され外光輝度
変化の大きい場所での使用を可能ならしめるとともに発
熱体に電圧を印加した際の電圧降下或いは電位分布によ
り生じた消色作用のムラを除去した光量調節装置を達成
することができる。(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, by irregularly arranging a plurality of circular heating elements on a substrate made of a photochromic material, the decoloring property of the photochromic material is improved and changes in external light brightness are prevented. It is possible to achieve a light amount adjusting device that can be used in large places and eliminates unevenness in decoloring effect caused by voltage drop or potential distribution when voltage is applied to the heating element.

【図面の簡単な説明】[Brief explanation of the drawing]

第１図は本発明の一実施例の光量調節装置の平面図、第
２図は第１図のＡ　−Ａ’線断面図、第３図、第４図は
各々ホロクロミック材料の特性を示す説明図、第５図は
従来の光量調節装置の説明図である。図中１は光ｆｆｉ
調節素子、１−１はフォトクロミック材料を有する基材
、１２．１４は各々透明電極、１３．１６は絶縁層、１
５は発熱体である。Fig. 1 is a plan view of a light amount adjusting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A' in Fig. 1, and Figs. 3 and 4 each show the characteristics of the holochromic material. An explanatory diagram, FIG. 5, is an explanatory diagram of a conventional light amount adjusting device. 1 in the figure is optical ffi
Adjustment element, 1-1 is a base material having a photochromic material, 12.14 is a transparent electrode, 13.16 is an insulating layer, 1
5 is a heating element.

Claims (3)

【特許請求の範囲】[Claims] （１）フォトクロミズムを示す物質を有する基材と前記
基材上に島状の透明の発熱体を複数個、不規則に配置し
、前記発熱体を動作させるべく２つの透明電極層を該発
熱体を介して配置し、前記基材上の前記発熱体の配置さ
れていない領域に前記フォトクロミズムを示す物質を動
作させる光束を遮光する絶縁層を配置したことを特徴と
する光量調節装置。(1) A base material having a substance exhibiting photochromism, a plurality of island-shaped transparent heating elements arranged irregularly on the base material, and two transparent electrode layers placed on the heating elements to operate the heating elements. A light amount adjusting device, characterized in that an insulating layer is disposed on the base material in a region where the heating element is not disposed to block the light flux that causes the substance exhibiting photochromism to operate. （２）前記発熱体を比抵抗１×１０＾−＾４［Ω・ｃｍ
］以上の透明導電物質から構成したことを特徴とする特
許請求の範囲第１項記載の光量調節装置。(2) The heating element has a specific resistance of 1×10^-^4 [Ω・cm
] The light amount adjusting device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is made of the above transparent conductive material. （３）前記島状の発熱体は円形であることを特徴とする
特許請求の範囲第２項記載の光量調節装置。(3) The light amount adjusting device according to claim 2, wherein the island-shaped heating element is circular.