Light control apparatus to control the quantity of incident light with a plurality of electrochromic panels

• US 5,397,888 A
• Filed: 12/21/1992
• Issued: 03/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Muramatsu, Rikuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, QUE TAN
• Application Number:
  US07/995,668
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 250/205, 250/214 AL, 359/275, 359/267, 359/268, 359/269, 345/105
• US Class Current: 250/205
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• 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 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/24 Structural elements or technologies for improving thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 80/00 Architectural or constructional elements improving the thermal performance of buildings

Abstract

A light control board comprises a plurality of electrochromic panels which are composed of electrochromic elements and which are situated in one plane. Control means controls the optical transmissivity of each of the electrochromic panels. Thus, the quantity of light passing through the light control board is controlled with resultant illumination control of an empty space. By employing belt-shaped electrochromic panels, it is possible to block or pass the light partially at the surface of the light control board for effective utilization of light according to an intended purpose. Furthermore, by incorporating measurement means into the light control apparatus to detect environmental conditions inside as well as outside, it is also possible to utilize light more efficiently in compliance with changes in surrounding conditions.

Claims

1. A light control apparatus comprising:

a light control board which has a plurality of electrochromic panels spread over its surface; and

control means for controlling the quantity of incident light passing through said light control board by separately controlling the optical transmissivity of each one of said plural electrochromic panels;

wherein each of the plurality of electrochromic panels is a circular belt-shaped and the light control board has said plurality of panels in one plane.

2. A light control apparatus comprising:

a light control board which has a plurality of electrochromic panels spread over its surface; and

control means for controlling the quantity of incident light passing through said light control board by separately controlling the optical transmissivity of each one of said plural electrochromic panels;

wherein each of said plurality of electrochromic panels has a first surface and a second surface, a lamination of a transparent substrate and a transparent electroconductive layer formed on each one of said first surface and said second surface respectively, and an electrochromic layer and an electrolyte layer, both being formed between said lamination formed on said first surface and said lamination formed on said second surface, and wherein the control means controls the voltage to be applied across said transparent electroconductive layer.

3. A light control apparatus comprising:

a light control board which has a plurality of electrochromic panels spread over its surface; and

control means for controlling the quantity of incident light passing through said light control board by separately controlling the optical transmissivity of each one of said plural electrochromic panels;

wherein each of the plurality of electrochromic panels is belt-shaped and the light control board has said plurality of panels in one plane in order to control transmission of the incident light passing through said light control board.

4. A light control apparatus comprising:

a light control board which has a plurality of electrochromic panels spread over its surface; and

control means

a) for controlling the quantity of incident light parsing through said light control board by separately controlling the optical transmissivity of each one of said plural electrochromic panels and

b) for adjusting the optical transmissivity of one of said plural electrochromic panels to a first optical transmissivity level and the optical transmissivity of another of said plural electrochromic panels to a second optical transmissivity level at substantially the same time, said first optical transmissivity level different from said second optical transmissivity level.

5. A light control apparatus comprising:

a light control board which has a plurality of electrochromic panels spread over its surface; and

control means for controlling the quantity of incident light passing through said light control board by separately controlling the optical transmissivity of each one of said plural electrochromic panels;

light condition measurement means for measuring the intensity of light illumination at a predetermined location and for outputting an illumination signal,

wherein said control means is for separately controlling the optical transmissivity of each one of said plurality of electrochromic panels as a function of said illumination signal.

6. A light control apparatus comprising:

a light control board which has a plurality of electrochromic panels spread over its surface, control means for controlling the optical transmissivity of each of said plurality of electrochromic panels, outdoor condition measurement means for measuring the intensity of outdoor illumination, indoor condition measurement means for measuring the intensity of indoor illumination; and

computing means for processing illumination data outputted from said outdoor condition measurement means and said indoor condition measurement means and for producing a first output, wherein the control means controls the quantity of incident light passing through said light control board by controlling the optical transmissivity of each of said plurality of electrochromic panels in response to said first output of said computing means.

7. A light control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

each of said plurality of electrochromic panels has a first surface and a second surface, a lamination of a transparent substrate and a transparent electroconductive layer formed on each one of said first surface and said second surface respectively, an electrochromic layer and an electrolyte layer, both being formed between said lamination formed on said first surface and said lamination formed on said second surface, and wherein the control means controls the voltage to be applied across said transparent electroconductive layer.

8. A light control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

each of the plurality of electrochromic panels is belt-shaped and the light control board has said plurality of panels in one plane in order to control transmission of the light passing through said light control board.

9. A light control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of electrochromic panels is circular belt-shaped and the light control board has said plurality of panels in one plane.

10. A light control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of electrochromic panels are divided into groups, each group comprising ones of said plurality of electrochromic panels and wherein the control means controls said plurality of electrochromic panels by controlling the optical transmissivity of said groups.

11. A light control apparatus comprising:

a light control board which has a plurality of electrochromic panels spread over its surface,

control means for controlling the optical transmissivity of each of said plurality of electrochromic panels,

outdoor condition measurement means for measuring the intensity of outdoor illumination,

indoor condition measurement means for measuring the intensity of indoor illumination;

sun light path angle measurement means for measuring sun light path angle; and

computing means for processing illumination data outputted from said outdoor condition measurement means, said indoor condition measurement means and said sun light path angle measurement means and for producing a first output, wherein the control means controls the quantity of incident light passing through said light control board by controlling the optical transmissivity of each of said plurality of electrochromic panels in response to said first output of said computing means.

12. A light control apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein each of said plurality of electrochromic panels has a first surface and a second surface, a lamination of a transparent substrate and a transparent electroconductive layer formed on each one of said first surface and said second surface respectively, and an electrochromic layer and an electrolyte layer, both being formed between said lamination formed on said first surface and said lamination formed on said second surface, and wherein the control means controls the voltage to be applied across said transparent electroconductive layer.

13. A light control apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein each of the plurality of electrochromic panels is belt-shaped and the light control board has said plurality of panels in one plane in order to control transmission of the incident light passing through said light control board.

14. A light control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of electrochromic panels is circular belt-shaped and the light control board has said plurality of said plurality of panels in one plane.

15. A light control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of electrochromic panels are divided into groups, each group comprising ones of said plurality of electrochromic panels and wherein the control means controls said plurality of electrochromic panels by controlling the optical transmissivity of said groups.