Thermally switched optical filter incorporating a guest-host architecture
First Claim
1. A window comprising a thermochromic filter device incorporated into a structure of the window and further comprisingan order-providing, thermotropic carrier material defining a director orientation;
- andan orientation-dependent colorant material included within the thermotropic carrier material responsive in order to the director orientation;
whereinthe director orientation of the thermotropic carrier material is responsive to temperature-induced changes in the thermotropic carrier material;
the orientation-dependent colorant material changes orientation with the director orientation, whereby light transmission properties of the window vary with temperature as a result.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Thermochromic filters are constructed using absorptive, reflective, or fluorescent dyes, molecules, polymers, particles, rods, or other orientation-dependent colorants that have their orientation, order, or director influenced by carrier materials, which are themselves influenced by temperature. These order-influencing carrier materials include thermotropic liquid crystals, which provide orientation to dyes and polymers in a Guest-Host system in the liquid-crystalline state at lower temperatures, but do not provide such order in the isotropic state at higher temperatures. The varying degree to which the absorptive, reflective, or fluorescent particles interact with light in the two states can be exploited to make many varieties of thermochromic filters. Thermochromic filters can control the flow of light and radiant heat through selective reflection, transmission, absorption, and/or re-emission. The filters have particular application in passive or active light-regulating and temperature-regulating films, materials, and devices, and particularly as construction materials and building and vehicle surfaces.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A window comprising a thermochromic filter device incorporated into a structure of the window and further comprising
an order-providing, thermotropic carrier material defining a director orientation; - and
an orientation-dependent colorant material included within the thermotropic carrier material responsive in order to the director orientation;
whereinthe director orientation of the thermotropic carrier material is responsive to temperature-induced changes in the thermotropic carrier material; the orientation-dependent colorant material changes orientation with the director orientation, whereby light transmission properties of the window vary with temperature as a result. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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2. A thermochromic filter device comprising
an order-providing, thermotropic liquid crystal carrier host material defining a director orientation; -
an orientation-dependent, negative-dichroic colorant guest material included in the thermotropic liquid crystal carrier host material; and a pair of alignment structures positioned on opposing sides of a layer of the thermotropic liquid crystal carrier host material wherein the director orientation of the thermotropic carrier material is responsive to temperature-induced changes in the thermotropic carrier material, and opposing inner surfaces of the alignment structures are configured to provide a parallel alignment for the thermotropic liquid crystal carrier host material when in a nematic state; and the colorant guest material changes orientation with the director orientation to produce a higher light transmission in the nematic state and a lower light transmission in an isotropic state for a wavelength range. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15)
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Specification