Method of manufacture of a chromogenic panel

• US 20050184561A1
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John Martino
• Original Assignee: John Martino
• Inventors: Martino, John
• Application Number:
  US11/060,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20050184561A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/211
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1341 Filling or closing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/161 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells

Abstract

An improved method of manufacture of a chromogenic panel (10) includes the steps of securing a chromogenic matrix (20) between conductive surfaces (14, 18) of first and second substrates (12, 16) to form a chromogenic film (23); applying a partial vacuum through a plurality of throughbores (28) in a flat cutting surface (24) to secure the film (23) to the cutting surface (24); and using a laser beam (40) to cut a perimeter edge (22), bus-bar cut-outs (54, 62), or an image field line (75) within the substrates (12, 16) to form and manufacture the chromogenic panel (10). The partial vacuum applied through the flat cutting surface (24) provides for an exceptionally flat cutting surface of the panel (10) to facilitate precise focus and cutting by the laser beam (40).

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a chromogenic panel (10), the method comprising the steps of:

a. securing at least one chromogenic matrix layer (20) between a first electrically conductive surface (14) of a first substrate (12) and a second electrically conductive surface (18) of a second substrate (16) to form a chromogenic film (23);

b. applying a partial vacuum through a plurality of throughbores (28) within a flat cutting surface (24) to secure the chromogenic film (23) to the flat cutting surface (24);

c. applying a laser beam (40) to the chromogenic (23) film to form the chromogenic panel (10) wherein the laser beam (40) is applied to the chromogenic film (23) at a rate of speed across the film (23) sufficient to prevent accumulation of heat within the film (23) adequate to melt the substrates (12, 16) or chromogenic matrix (20).

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of cutting a perimeter edge (22) of the chromogenic film (23) during the applying the partial vacuum step, by applying the laser beam to cut through the chromogenic film (23) along a predetermined perimeter edge (22), wherein the laser beam (40) is applied at an energy level adequate to cut through the first and second substrates (12, 16) and chromogenic matrix (20) without melting the substrates (12, 16) or the chromogenic matrix (20).

3. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of securing a bus bar assembly (42) to a perimeter edge (22) of the chromogenic panel (10) during the applying the partial vacuum step, by the steps of;

a. applying the laser beam (40) to remove a first bus-bar cut-out (54) of the first substrate (56) and an electrically conductive surface of the first substrate (54) to contact a first side of a through cut (60) of the chromogenic panel (52), wherein the laser beam (40) applies only enough energy to cut through the first substrate (56) and through the first conductive surface of the first substrate (56), but not enough energy to cut through the chromogenic matrix (20), the conductive surface of the second substrate (64) or the second substrate (64);

b. applying the laser beam (40) to remove a second bus-bar cut-out (62) of the second substrate (64) and an electrically conductive surface of the second substrate (64) to contact a second side of the through cut (60) opposed to the first side of the through cut (60) of the panel (52), wherein the laser beam (40) applies only enough energy to cut through the second substrate (64) and through the conductive surface of the second substrate (64), but not enough energy to cut through the chromogenic matrix (20), conductive surface of the first substrate (56), or the first substrate (56); and

,

c. securing the bus bar assembly (42) to the conductive surface of the first substrate (56) and the conductive surface of the second substrate (64) on opposed sides of the through cut (60).

4. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of forming an image field (70) in the chromogenic panel (72) during the applying the partial vacuum step, by the steps of;

a. applying a laser beam (40) from an image field start point (74) of the chromogenic panel (72) along a predetermined image field line (75) defined within the first substrate (78) and back to an image field end point (76) of the panel (72), wherein the laser beam (40) applies only enough energy to cut through and remove the first substrate (78) and the conductive surface of the first substrate (78), and not enough energy to remove the chromogenic matrix (20) or the second substrate (80);

b. securing an image field bus bar assembly (82) to the chromogenic panel (72) in electrical communication with the image field start point (74) and the image field end point (76) so that the bus bar assembly (82) is in electrical communication with the conductive surface of the first substrate (78) within the image field (70) defined within the panel (72) to control optical characteristics of the image field (70) of the panel (72).

5. The method of claim 4, comprising the further step of securing a non-image field bus bar assembly (86) to the chromogenic panel (72) in electrical communication with a non-image field (90) of the panel (72) to control optical characteristics of the non-image field (90) of the panel (72).

6. The method of claim 4, comprising the further step of applying a protective cover sheet over the image field line (75) to protect the chromogenic matrix (20) under the image line (75).

7. The method of claim 4, comprising the further step of applying the laser beam (40) along the image field line (75) with only enough energy to cut through and remove about a 0.010 inch wide path in the first substrate (78).

8. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of defining the throughbores (28) within the flat cutting surface (24) so that the throughbores (28) are no greater than one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter and are dispersed no closer than about three-quarters of an inch from each other.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of defining the flat cutting surface (24) so that the flat cutting surface (24) has no variations within a plane of the flat cutting surface (24) greater than about plus or minus one-hundredth of and inch.

10. The method of claim 3, comprising the further step of forming an image field in the chromogenic panel by the steps of:

a. applying a laser beam (40) from an image field start point (74) of the chromogenic panel (72) along a predetermined image field line (75) defined within the first substrate (78) and back to an image field end point (76) of the panel (72), wherein the laser beam (40) applies only enough energy to cut through and remove about a 0.010 inch wide path in the first substrate (78) and the conductive surface of the first substrate (78), and not enough energy to remove the chromogenic matrix (20) or the second substrate (80);

b. securing an image field bus bar assembly (82) to the chromogenic panel (72) in electrical communication with the image field start point (74) and the image field end point (76) so that the bus bar assembly (82) is in electrical communication with the conductive surface of the first substrate (78) within the image field (70) defined within the panel (72) to control optical characteristics of the image field (70) of the panel (72).

11. A flat cutting surface (24) and laser (26) apparatus for manufacturing a chromogenic panel (10), the apparatus comprising a flat cutting surface (24) defining a plurality of throughbores (28) in fluid communication with a vacuum pump (36) applying means for applying a vacuum through the throughbores (28) for securing the chromogenic panel (10) to the flat cutting surface (24) by application of a partial vacuum through the throughbores (28), the laser (26) being disposed so that the chromogenic panel (10) is secured between the flat cutting surface (24) and the laser (26) so that the laser (26) may project a laser beam (40) to the chromogenic panel (10) to cut through the chromogenic panel (10).

12. The flat cutting surface (24) and laser (26) apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a vacuum box table (30) secured in fluid communication with the vacuum pump (36) so that the vacuum pump (36) applies a partial vacuum to a box (34) of the table (30), wherein the box (34) is dimensioned to receive and support the flat cutting surface (24) and seal it against fluid transfer into the box (34) other than through the throughbores (28).

13. The flat cutting surface (24) and laser (26) apparatus of claim 11, wherein the throughbores (28) are defined to be no greater than about one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter and are positioned no closer than about three-quarters on an inch from each other.

14. The flat cutting surface (24) and laser (26) apparatus of claim 11, wherein the flat cutting surface (24) is defined to have no variations within a plane of the flat cutting surface (24) that are greater than plus or minus about one hundredth of an inch.