Single and double sided electrochromic displays
First Claim
1. A double-sided electrochromic display device, comprising:
- a substrate having at least a first surface and a second surface;
an electrode assembly consisting essentially of a working electrode on the first surface of the substrate and a counter electrode on the second surface of the substrate;
a first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer on and electrically coupled to the working electrode;
a first electrolyte layer over the first surface of the substrate covering the first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer;
a second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer on and electrically coupled to the counter electrode;
a second electrolyte layer over the second surface of the substrate covering the second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer, and in ionic communication with the first electrolyte layer; and
an electrochemically active material disposed within the electrochromic display device so that, when an electric potential is applied between the working electrode and the counter electrode, a first electrochromic reaction occurs at an interface between the first electrolyte layer and the first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer and a second electrochromic reaction occurs at an interface between the second electrolyte layer and the second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer, the first electrochromic reaction resulting in a first color change and the second electrochromic reaction resulting in a second color change; and
one of the first electrochromic reaction and the second electrochromic reaction being an anodic reaction and the other being a cathodic reaction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrochromic display device and method are disclosed. The device comprises an ionically isolative layer containing an electrochromic material in contact with an electrolyte layer and a working electrode. The working electrode is positioned on a first side of a substrate, while a counter electrode is positioned on an opposite side of the substrate. The counter electrode is electrically coupled to the electrolyte layer on the substrate first side through one or more openings extending through the substrate. In another embodiment, ionically isolative and electrolyte layers are also provided in contact with the counter electrode on the backside of the substrate to create a double sided display. The method comprises reversible electrochromic effects of the electrochromic materials contained in either the ionically isolative layers or the electrolyte layers.
31 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A double-sided electrochromic display device, comprising:
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a substrate having at least a first surface and a second surface; an electrode assembly consisting essentially of a working electrode on the first surface of the substrate and a counter electrode on the second surface of the substrate; a first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer on and electrically coupled to the working electrode; a first electrolyte layer over the first surface of the substrate covering the first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer; a second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer on and electrically coupled to the counter electrode; a second electrolyte layer over the second surface of the substrate covering the second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer, and in ionic communication with the first electrolyte layer; and an electrochemically active material disposed within the electrochromic display device so that, when an electric potential is applied between the working electrode and the counter electrode, a first electrochromic reaction occurs at an interface between the first electrolyte layer and the first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer and a second electrochromic reaction occurs at an interface between the second electrolyte layer and the second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer, the first electrochromic reaction resulting in a first color change and the second electrochromic reaction resulting in a second color change; and one of the first electrochromic reaction and the second electrochromic reaction being an anodic reaction and the other being a cathodic reaction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of operating a double-sided electrochromic display device containing electrochromic material and having an electrode assembly consisting essentially of a working electrode on a first side of a substrate and a counter electrode on a second side of the substrate, a first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer covering the working electrode, a first electrolytic layer over the first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer, and a second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer covering the counter electrode, and a second electrolytic layer over the second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer, wherein the first and second electrolytic layers are in ionic communication with one another, the method comprising the step of:
applying a voltage across the working and counter electrodes to change a color of electrochromic material at an interface between the first electrolytic layer and the first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer and to change a color of electrochromic material at an interface between the second electrolytic layer and the second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer, the electrochromic material at one of the interfaces undergoing an anodic electrochromic reaction and the electrochromic material at the other interface undergoing a cathodic electrochromic reaction. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A process for manufacturing a double-sided electrochromic display device, comprising the steps of:
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positioning an electrode assembly consisting essentially of a working electrode on a first side of a substrate and a counter electrode on a second side of the substrate; laminating a first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer containing a first electrochromically active material over the working electrode and a second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer containing a second electrochromically active material over the counter electrode; laminating a first electrolyte layer over the first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer and a second electrolyte layer over the second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer; and ionically coupling the first electrolyte layer to the second electrolyte layer through at least one opening in the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A process for manufacturing a double-sided electrochromic display device, comprising the steps of:
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positioning an electrode assembly consisting essentially of a working electrode on a first side of a substrate and a counter electrode on a second side of the substrate; laminating a first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer over the working electrode and a second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer over the counter electrode; laminating a first electrolyte layer over the first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer and a second electrolyte layer over the second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer; and ionically coupling the first electrolyte layer to the second electrolyte layer through at least one opening in the substrate; wherein the first electrolyte layer and the second electrolyte layer contain a dissolved salt of a reversibly precipitable metal that precipitates at either an interface of the first electrolyte layer and the first ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer or an interface of the second electrolyte layer and the second ionically isolative, electrically conductive layer, depending upon a polarity of the applied voltage. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification