ACTIVE DEVICE HAVING VARIABLE ENERGY/OPTICAL PROPERTIES

• US 20090323162A1
• Filed: 07/20/2007
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Joeris, Hermann, Giron, Jean-Christopher, Fanton, Xavier, Letocart, Philippe, Messere, Rino, Paffen, Karl-Heinz, Gillissen, Manfred, Andreau-Wiedenmaier, Annabelle
• Granted Patent: US 8,035,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/275
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/161 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1557 Side by side arrangements of working and counter electrodes

Abstract

The invention relates to an active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100) comprising an active system (1, 12) between a protective substrate (2) and a protective cover (3), selected from an essentially inorganic electrochromic system, a light valve system, a liquid crystal system, a gasochromic system, a thermochromic system, means leakproof to liquid water and/or water vapor, a surround (50) made from at least one metal based part (5a, 5b) on the periphery of the device, the surround being assembled with the cover and with the substrate by assembling means (61′ to 64′) forming at least part of the means leakproof to water vapor.

Claims

1. An active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100 to 900) comprising:

an active system (1,1′

, 12, 12′

) between a protective substrate (2) and a protective cover (3), selected from an essentially inorganic electrochromic system, a light valve system, a liquid crystal system, a gasochromic system, a thermochromic system,

leakproof means to liquid water and/or water vapor,

characterized in that it comprises a surround (50), made from at least one metal based part (5a, 5b) on the periphery of the device, and in that the surround is assembled at least partly by the edge (21) of said substrate and/or by the edge (31) of said cover by assembling means (61′

to 64′

) forming at least part of the water vapor leakproof means.

2. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100 to 900) as claimed in the preceding claim, characterized in that the surround and the assembling means (61′

to 64′

) form at least a majority of the leakproof means to liquid water and to water vapor.

3. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100 to 900) as claimed in either of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surround (50) is assembled at least partly by the main outer borders (23, 33) of said substrate and/or of said cover.

4. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100 to 900) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the assembling means (61′

to 64′

) are at least partly selected from one or the following means;

a material (610) based on thermofusible polymer(s) selected from at least one of the following polymer families;

ethylene vinylacetate, polyisobutylene, polyamide, optionally covered with a material that is leakproof to liquid water such as polysulfide, polyurethane or silicone,

at least one metal weld or a solder,

an adhesive leakproof to water vapor and liquid water of the cement type like a thermofusible polyurethane.

5. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (600) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surround and the associated assembling means form a single element (50′

) comprising a membrane (61′

) composed in bulk of a material based on polyisobutylene, a membrane covered on the outer surface with a film (51′

) composed of metal and synthetic material(s).

6. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100 to 500, 700 to 900) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the surround is made from metal (50) or at least part of the assembling means are conductive (63 to 64′

), preferably comprising at least one metal weld (63, 63′

, 64, 64′

).

7. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100 to 500, 700 to 900) as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the active system arranged between two electrodes (11, 11′

, 13′

, 13), the surround is made from metal and serves at least for a first electrical connection to one of the electrodes.

8. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties as claimed in either of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that it comprises at least one internal electrical connecting means, for at least the first electrical connection, selected in particular from at least one of the following electrical connecting means associated with the surround (50, 5a, 5b):

at least one electroconductive wire (93),

at least one electroconductive strip (110′

, 130′

), in particular metallic, of the foil type,

an electroconductive filling material (65),

an electroconductive enamel (110, 130, 130bis),

an electroconductive cement,

at least one metal weld.

9. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100 to 9000) as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, for at least the first electrical connection, it comprises:

an internal connecting means projecting on at least one border of the edge (21, 31) of said substrate or of said cover, and selected from one or the following means;

an electroconductive strip (110′

, 130′

) of the foil type, an electroconductive enamel (110, 130, 130bis), an electroconductive thin layer, an electroconductive cement and/or a projecting part of one of the electrodes (11′

, 13′

).

10. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that one of the electrodes comprises two projecting portions on two borders, optionally opposite borders, of the edge of the substrate or of the cover, one of the projecting portions being electrically insulated from the other projecting portion and serving as an electrical connection of the other electrode.

11. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the surround (50) is at least made from two metal parts (5a, 5b) serving as a distinct electrical connection, the parts being joined and electrically insulated by at least one of the following joining means (610):

a material based on thermofusible polymer(s) selected from at least one of the following polymer families;

ethylene vinylacetate, polyisobutylene, polyamide, optionally covered with a material that is leakproof to liquid water such as polysulfide or polyurethane,

an adhesive leakproof to water vapor and liquid water of the cement type like a thermofusible polyurethane.

12. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (400, 800) as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the surround (50) is made of a single metal part (5a), and preferably, the second electrical connection is provided by a through hole (311) preferably arranged in the dielectric selected cover (3), the hole being filled with a metal solder and/or with another conductive material (630′

, 65).

13. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (500, 700) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that at least one of the electrical connections is provided by an electrical connecting element projecting outside the device between said surround and the substrate or the cover, said element possibly preferably being one or the following means:

an electroconductive layer (66, 66′

) or a foil type electroconductive strip (121, 131).

14. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100 to 900) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover is spaced or sealed to the substrate by means called peripheral means surrounding the layer or by means, called covering means, on the active system (41, 42, 43, 43′

, 44), or the substrate and the cover are kept at a distance by said surround.

15. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100 to 900) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substrate and the cover are assembled by a lamination spacer (43) in particular a sheet of thermoplastic material preferably substantially having the same size as the cover and the substrate and optionally with a network of electroconductive wires (93) encrusted on an internal surface of the lamination spacer (43) facing the electrode, and/or an electroconductive layer or electroconductive strips on said internal surface.

16. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (200 to 400) as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that it comprises one of the following electrical connecting means associated with one or the other of the electrodes (11 to 13′

);

an electroconductive strip (110′

, 130′

), in particular U-shaped, of the foil type, fixed at least one border of the lamination spacer and in contact with an internal wall of the metal surround,

an electroconductive strip (110′

, 130′

) in particular U-shaped, of the foil type, with a first end associated with said electrode and with a second end in contact with a through hole filled with metallic material of a dielectric cover and between these ends, a portion passing through said spacer which is cut.

17. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100 to 900) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the essentially inorganic electrochemical system selected is an electrochromic system.

18. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100 to 900) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substrate and/or the cover (3) is a sheet of plate glass, convex and/or tempered, optionally associated with a polymer sheet, and in that the main outer borders of the cover (3) and the associated borders of the surround (5) optionally have matching texturizings.

19. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100 to 900) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surround is protected against corrosion preferably by a polysulfide (620) or a polyimide.

20. The active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100 to 900) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is intended for the building optionally erected with double glazing, thus in particular a faç

ade, a window or a French window, and/or is intended for a transport vehicle, such as a rear window, a side window or an automobile roof, a rear-view mirror, a windshield or a portion of windshield, or for any other land, aquatic or aerial vehicle, in particular a window or a cockpit and/or is intended for urban furniture or for interior decoration, such as a bus shelter, a display case, a jewelry display, a shop window, a shelf element, an aquarium wall, a greenhouse, a mirror, a furniture faç

ade, a paving block, for wall or floor or ceiling linings, the device optionally being placed in front of a lighting fixture to adjust the intensity or facing an element that is temporarily masked, in particular in the extinguished position, or an optical element such as a camera lens, or even serving as the front or an element to be placed on or near the front of a display screen of an apparatus such as a computer or a television or a lighting fixture.