Connectors for smart windows

• US 10,175,549 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2016
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: View Incorporated
• Original Assignee: View Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen C., Shrivastava, Dhairya, Groechel, David Walter, Pradhan, Anshu A., Jack, Gordon, Mehtani, Disha, Rozbicki, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US15/243,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20170045795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/28 Other arrangements on doors or windows, e.g. door-plates, windows adapted to carry plants, hooks for window cleaners edge protecting devices for door leaves E06B3/88; special glazing; emergency glazing; double glazing E06B3/66
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13452 Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor

Abstract

This disclosure provides connectors for smart windows. A smart window may incorporate an optically switchable pane. In one aspect, a window unit includes an insulated glass unit including an optically switchable pane. A wire assembly may be attached to the edge of the insulated glass unit and may include wires in electrical communication with electrodes of the optically switchable pane. A floating connector may be attached to a distal end of the wire assembly. The floating connector may include a flange and a nose, with two holes in the flange for affixing the floating connector to a first frame. The nose may include a terminal face that present two exposed contacts of opposite polarity. Pre-wired spacers improve fabrication efficiency and seal integrity of insulated glass units. Electrical connection systems include those embedded in the secondary seal of the insulated glass unit.

Claims

1. A window unit comprising:

an electrochromic pane comprising a transparent substrate with an electrochromic device thereon and bus bars in electrical communication with conductive layers of the electrochromic device;

a second pane; and

a memory and/or circuit device storing information about the electrochromic pane, wherein the memory and/or circuit device is part of a wiring assembly configured to establish electrical connection between a controller and the bus bars.

2. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the memory and/or circuit device is physically separate from the controller and the controller is configured to communicate with the memory and/or circuit device and deliver power for optical transitions of the electrochromic device via the wiring assembly.

3. The window unit of claim 2, wherein the wiring assembly includes a first connector at a distal end, the first connector configured to mate with and establish electrical communication with a second connector in electrical communication with the controller.

4. The window unit of claim 3, wherein the first connector is a pigtail connector.

5. The window unit of claim 3, wherein the memory and/or circuit device is in the first connector or the second connector.

6. The window unit of claim 2, wherein the information about the electrochromic pane comprises characteristics of the electrochromic pane and/or control parameters for the electrochromic pane.

7. The window unit of claim 6, wherein the information about the electrochromic pane comprises voltage and current information for transitioning the electrochromic pane between a colored state and a bleached state.

8. The window unit of claim 7, wherein the voltage and current information for transitioning the electrochromic pane between the colored stated and the bleached state comprises one or more of a voltage algorithm and a current algorithm.

9. The window unit of claim 8, wherein the one or more of the voltage algorithm and the current algorithm is based on the size of the electrochromic pane.

10. The window unit of claim 6, wherein the information about the electrochromic pane includes the size and shape of the electrochromic pane.

11. The window unit of claim 6, wherein the control parameters comprise a maximum electric signal and a minimum electric signal for applying to the electrochromic pane by the controller when controlling optical transitions.

12. The window unit of claim 2, wherein the information about the electrochromic device comprises information and/or logic to allow identification of the electrochromic device during a testing or initial programming phase when electrical communication with the controller is established.

13. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the electrochromic device is solid-state and inorganic.

14. The window unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a spacer between the electrochromic pane and the second pane; and

a seal between the spacer and the panes forming a sealed volume of an insulated glass unit.

15. The window unit of claim 14, wherein the wiring assembly is configured to establish electrical connection to the bus bars through the seal of the insulated glass unit.

16. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the wiring assembly comprises two or more wires for delivering power to the bus bars and two or more wires for communicating to the controller the information about the electrochromic device from the memory and/or circuit device.

17. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the wire assembly is detachable from the window unit.

18. A window unit comprising:

an optically switchable pane;

a second pane;

a memory and/or circuit device storing information about the optically switchable pane, wherein the memory and/or circuit device is part of a wiring assembly, the wiring assembly configured to establish electrical connection between a controller and bus bars in electrical communication with conductive layers of the optically switchable pane, the controller configured to power optical transitions of the optically switchable pane by delivering power to the bus bars via the wiring assembly.

19. The window unit of claim 18, wherein the optically switchable pane includes a transparent substrate with a solid-state and inorganic electrochromic device thereon.

20. The window unit of claim 19, wherein the information about the optically switchable pane comprises physical characteristics of and/or control parameters for the solid-state and inorganic electrochromic device.

21. The window unit of claim 19, wherein the information about the optically switchable pane comprises voltage and current information for transitioning the solid-state and inorganic electrochromic device.

22. The window unit of claim 18, wherein the wiring assembly includes a first connector at a distal end, the first connector configured to mate with and establish electrical communication with a second connector which is in electrical communication with the controller.

23. The window unit of claim 18, wherein the memory and/or circuit device is in the first connector or the second connector.

24. The window unit of claim 18, wherein the information about the optically switchable pane comprises information and/or logic to allow identification of the optically switchable pane during a testing or initial programming phase when electrical communication with the controller is established.

25. A window controller configured to read information from a memory and/or circuit device that is separate from the window controller and part of a pigtail of a window unit,

wherein the window unit comprises an electrochromic pane and a second pane, the electrochromic pane comprising a transparent substrate and an electrochromic device disposed thereon, and

wherein the pigtail is configured to establish electrical connection between the electrochromic device and the window controller, wherein the window controller is configured to read the information from the memory and/or circuit device when the controller is in electrical communication with the pigtail.

26. The window controller of claim 25, wherein the window unit further comprises a spacer between the electrochromic pane and the second pane and a seal between the spacer and the panes forming a sealed volume of an insulated glass unit.

27. The window controller of claim 26, wherein the pigtail is electrically connected to the electrochromic device through the seal in the insulated glass unit.

28. The window controller of claim 25, wherein the information from the memory and/or circuit device comprises information and/or logic to allow identification of the electrochromic pane during a testing or initial programming phase when electrical communication with the window controller is established.

29. The window controller of claim 25, wherein the pigtail includes a first connector at a distal end, the first connector configured to mate with and establish electrical communication with a second connector in electrical communication with the window controller.

30. The window controller of claim 29, wherein the memory and/or circuit device is in the first connector.

31. The window controller of claim 25, wherein the information from the memory and/or circuit device comprises identifying characteristics of and/or control parameters for the electrochromic device.

32. The window controller of claim 25, wherein the information from the memory and/or circuit device comprises voltage and current information for transitioning the electrochromic device between tint states.

33. The window controller of claim 32, wherein the voltage and current information is based on the size of the electrochromic pane.

34. The window controller of claim 25, wherein the electrochromic device is solid-state and inorganic.

35. The window controller of claim 25, further comprising a communications interface for communication with a control pad and/or a network controller.