Liquid crystal panel shade
First Claim
1. In combination with a vehicle having a window through which sunlight shines into an interior occupant space of the vehicle, an electrically controllable sun shade comprising a liquid crystal medium disposed as a layer having a area of expanse overlying a certain area of the window of a vehicle to provide for sun shading of an occupant, said liquid crystal medium having an electro-optical characteristic wherein the degree of opaqueness is correlated with the voltage gradient existing at any point in the medium, a pair of electrodes bounding the area of expanse of liquid crystal medium on opposite sides, means for creating a selectable voltage across said electrodes, and hence across the area of expanse of said liquid crystal medium layer, and means for creating from said selectable voltage desired sun shading patterns within the interior space on the occupant by creating different voltage gradients at different locations over the area of expanse of the liquid crystal medium layer wherein the different voltage gradients result from the liquid crystal medium layer having different thicknesses at different locations over its area of expanse corresponding to the desired sun shading patterns to be achieved within the interior space.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid crystal panel shading system is disclosed in which the light transmission characteristics of a liquid crystal panel are varied to produce desired shading effects. The preferred embodiment is disclosed in the application to a windshield sun visor for an automotive vehicle. The panel may be a separate element applied against the existing windshield or it may be integrally incorporated into the windshield. The panel is constructed with a tapered shape, which in association with a control, is effective to produce zones of varying light transmission characteristics to produce new and unique modes of shading.
88 Citations
11 Claims
- 1. In combination with a vehicle having a window through which sunlight shines into an interior occupant space of the vehicle, an electrically controllable sun shade comprising a liquid crystal medium disposed as a layer having a area of expanse overlying a certain area of the window of a vehicle to provide for sun shading of an occupant, said liquid crystal medium having an electro-optical characteristic wherein the degree of opaqueness is correlated with the voltage gradient existing at any point in the medium, a pair of electrodes bounding the area of expanse of liquid crystal medium on opposite sides, means for creating a selectable voltage across said electrodes, and hence across the area of expanse of said liquid crystal medium layer, and means for creating from said selectable voltage desired sun shading patterns within the interior space on the occupant by creating different voltage gradients at different locations over the area of expanse of the liquid crystal medium layer wherein the different voltage gradients result from the liquid crystal medium layer having different thicknesses at different locations over its area of expanse corresponding to the desired sun shading patterns to be achieved within the interior space.
- 3. In combination with the windshield of a vehicle through which sunlight shines into an interior space of the vehicle, an electrically controllable shade comprising a liquid crystal medium disposed as a layer having an area of expanse overlying a certain area adjacent the top of the windshield, said liquid crystal medium having an electro-optical characteristic wherein the degree of opaqueness is correlated with the voltage gradient existing at any point in the medium, a pair of electrodes bounding the area of expanse of the liquid crystal medium on opposite sides, means for creating selectable voltage across said electrodes, and hence across the area of expanse of said liquid crystal medium layer, and means for creating from said selectable voltage desired shading patterns within the interior space of the vehicle by creating different voltage gradients at different locations over the area of expanse of the liquid crystal medium layer wherein the different voltage gradients result from the liquid crystal medium layer having different thicknesses at different locations across its area of expanse corresponding to the desired shading patterns to be achieved within the interior space.
Specification