Environmentally safe electrochromic devices and assemblies

• US 20110051219A1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ajjer, LLC
• Original Assignee: Electrochromix, Inc.
• Inventors: Tonazzi, Juan Carlos L., Cronin, John P., Agrawal, Anoop
• Granted Patent: US 8,599,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/270
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors

Abstract

This invention recognizes the hazards of materials used to make electrochromic devices and the resulting mirror assemblies for automotive use. The invention provides novel ways to reduce these hazards and to manufacture these mirrors using renewable resources and smaller environmental footprint.

Claims

1. An environmentally improved rearview electrochromic mirror assembly, comprising a rear element and a transparent front element being sealably bonded together in a spaced apart relationship to define a chamber;

and an electrolyte material contained in the said chamber, wherein the thickness of the chamber being less than 50 microns wherein the said assembly is substantially free of at least one of beryllium, lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, antimony oxide, hexavalent chromium, arsenic and brominated flame retardants.

4. An environmentally improved rearview electrochromic mirror assembly as in claim 1, wherein the electrolyte has an ionic liquid.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

5. An environmentally improved rearview electrochromic mirror assembly, comprising a rear element and a transparent front element being sealably bonded together in a spaced apart relationship to define a chamber;

and an electrolyte material contained in the said chamber, wherein the thickness of the chamber being less than 35 microns.

6. An environmentally improved rearview electrochromic mirror assembly as in claim 5 wherein the front element is coated with an electrically conductive transparent coating facing the chamber, wherein the sheet resistance of the said coating is less than 100 ohms/square.

7. An environmentally improved rearview electrochromic mirror assembly that uses at least one of the materials that are recycled, materials that are produced using renewable resources and materials that are biodegradable.

8. An environmentally improved exterior automotive electrochromic mirror assembly, comprising a rear element and a transparent front element being sealably bonded together in a spaced apart relationship to define a chamber;

and an electrolyte material contained in the said chamber, wherein the thickness of the chamber being less than 100 microns wherein the said assembly is substantially free of at least one of beryllium, lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, antimony oxide, hexavalent chromium, arsenic and brominated flame retardants

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. An electrochromic rear-view mirror with busbars or an electrochromic window with internal busbars, wherein such busbars are deposited from compositions comprising of conductive nano-particles.

12. An electrochromic mirror or a window comprising a rear element and a transparent front element being sealably bonded together along the perimeter with a sealant in a spaced apart relationship to define a chamber;

wherein the said sealant system further comprises of a gap for the electrolyte to be introduced into the said chamber and a dam close to the said gap.

13. An electrochromic mirror or a window as in claim 12 where the said sealant and the dam are made out of the same material.

14. (canceled)