DEVICE FOR OPERATING FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS HAVING ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLABLE OPTICAL PROPERTIES

• US 20200133042A1
• Filed: 07/10/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: MANZ, Florian, WEBER, Patrick, EFFERTZ, Christian, DRAGAS, Thorsten
• Granted Patent: US 11,054,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10348 comprising an obscuration band
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10504 Liquid crystal layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10532 Suspended particle layer
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/04 adjustable in transparency
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2417 Light path control; means to control reflection
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/247 Electrically powered illumination
• 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 1/009 Thermal properties
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13306 Circuit arrangements or driving methods for the control of single liquid crystal cells G02F1/132, G02F1/133382 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/166 characterised by the electro-optical or magneto-optical effect
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1685 Operation of cells; Circuit arrangements affecting the entire cell

Abstract

A device having a functional element having electrically controllable optical properties, includes an electrical energy source having an output voltage U, a functional element having electrically controllable optical properties, and at least two supply lines, by means of which the electrical energy source and the functional element are connected. The output voltage U has an alternating voltage having a frequency f from 40 Hz to 210 Hz, a maximum amplitude U_max from 24 V to 100 V, and a slope in the range of the output voltage U between −80% U_max and 80% U_max from 0.05*U_max/100 μs to 0.1*U_max/100 μs and in the range of the output voltage U between 80% U_max and −80% U_max from −0.05*U_max/100 μs to −0.1*U_max/100 μs.

Claims

1. A device having at least one functional element having electrically controllable optical properties, comprising:

an electrical energy source having an output voltage U,

at least one functional element having electrically controllable optical properties, and

at least two supply lines, by means of which the electrical energy source and the functional element are connected,

wherein the output voltage U has an alternating voltage having

a frequency f of 40 Hz to 210 Hz,

a maximum amplitude U_max of 24 V to 100 V,

a slope in the range of the output voltage U between −

80% U_max and 80% U_max of 0.05*U_max/100 μ

s to 0.1*U_max/100 μ

s and in the range of the output voltage U between 80% U_max and −

80% U_max of −

0.05*U_max/100 μ

s to −

0.1*U_max/100 μ

s.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the functional element is planar.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the functional element is a suspended particle device film or a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal film.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the frequency f is from 45 Hz to 105 Hz.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the maximum amplitude U_max is from 50 V to 75 V.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the slope in the range between −

100% U_max to −

80% U_max as well as between 80% U_max to 100% U_max is less than 0.05*U_max/100 μ

s and between 100% U_max to 80% U_max as well as between −

80% U_max to −

100% U_max is greater than −

0.05*U_max/100 μ

s.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the slope in the range between −

90% U_max and −

80% U_max as well as in the range from 80% U_max to 90% U_max is from 0.05*U_max/100 μ

s to 0.1*U_max/100 μ

s.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the slope in the range between −

100% U_max and −

90% U_max as well as in the range from 90% U_max to 100% U_max is less than 0.05*U_max/100 μ

s.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein a thermometer is arranged on the functional element and the thermometer is coupled to the power supply.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the functional element is arranged inside a composite pane.

11. A method for controlling the device according to claim 9, wherein

a) a temperature T is measured at the thermometer, and

b) the maximum amplitude U_max of the output voltage U is adapted to the temperature, wherein from a certain threshold temperature T_S as the temperature T increases at the thermometer, the maximum output voltage U_max is lowered and up to a certain threshold temperature T_S as the temperature T drops, the maximum output voltage U_max is increased.

12. A method for controlling a device according to claim 9, wherein the temperature T is measured at the thermometer and the maximum amplitude U_max of the output voltage U is adapted as a function of the temperature T, wherein

for T≤

T_S;

U_max=U_max,k=constant at 50 V≤

U_max,k≤

75 V and

for T>

T_S;

50 V−

1.5 V/°

C.*(T−

T_S)≤

U_max≤

75 V−

0.5 V/°

C.*(T−

T_S)

and T_S=constant at 40°

C.≤

T_S≤

60°

C.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein

for T≤

T_S;

U_max=U_max,k=constant at 50 V≤

U_max,k≤

75 V and

for T>

T_S;

U_max=U_max,k+g (T−

T_S) with −

1.5 V/°

C.≤

g≤

−

0.5 V/°

C.

and T_S=constant at 40°

C.≤

T_S≤

60°

C.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein

for T≤

T_S;

U_max=U_max,k=constant at 60 V≤

U_max,k≤

70 V and

for T>

T_S;

U_max=U_max,k+g (T−

T_S) with

g=constant and −

1.5 V/°

C.≤

g≤

−

0.5 V/°

C. and

T_S=constant at 40°

C.≤

T_S≤

60°

C.

15. A method comprising utilizing a device according to claim 1 for controlling a functional element in a vehicle on water, on land, or in the air, or in an interior glazing or an exterior glazing of a building, as a sun screen or as a privacy screen.

16. The device according to claim 4, wherein the frequency f is from 49 Hz to 69 Hz.

17. The device according to claim 5, wherein the maximum amplitude U_max is from 60 V to 70 V.

18. The device according to claim 10, wherein a thermometer is arranged inside the composite pane.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the device includes a windshield or a roof panel of a motor vehicle.