Glazing with variable optical and/or energetic properties

• US 6,055,088 A
• Filed: 08/22/1997
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
• Inventors: Guiselin, Olivier, Fix, Renaud, Lin, Xue Yun
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lester, Evelyn A.
• Application Number:
  US08/916,234
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/267-275
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10005 laminated safety glass or glazing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10055 with at least one intermediate air space
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/1011 having predetermined tint or excitation purity
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10174 Coatings of a metallic or dielectric material on a constituent layer of glass or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10504 Liquid crystal layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10513 Electrochromic layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/1077 containing polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10788 containing ethylene vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/04 adjustable in transparency
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3435 comprising a nitride, oxynitride, boronitride or carbonitride
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/36 at least one coating being a metal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3613 Coatings of type glass/inorganic compound/metal/inorganic compound/metal/other
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3618 Coatings of type glass/inorganic compound/other inorganic layers, at least one layer being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3639 Multilayers containing at least two functional metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3642 the multilayer coating containing a metal layer
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3644 the metal being silver
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3652 the coating stack containing at least one sacrificial layer to protect the metal from oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/366 : Low-emissivity or solar control coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3663 : specially adapted for use as mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3681 : the multilayer coating being used in glazing, e.g. windows or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/78 : Coatings specially designed to be durable, e.g. scratch-resistant
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2411 : Coloured fluid flow for light transmission control
• 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 1/1334 : based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133509 : Filters, e.g. light shielding masks
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 : Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices

Abstract

A glazing is described, which includes at least one active layer and at least one reflecting coating on the active layer. A pane, partition, mirror, or door is also described that includes the glazing. A method for making is also described. The glazing exhibits superior thermal and radiative durability, and is capable of modulating the optical appearance of the active layer.

Claims

1. A transparent glazing, comprising:

at least one active layer, and

at least one reflecting coating on said active layer,

wherein said at least one active layer comprises at least one optically variable layer selected from the group consisting of an electrically controllable system and a photochromic system,

wherein said reflecting coating acts as a heat filter or a thermal screen, and comprises at least one reflecting layer that comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of Ag, Au, Cu, A1, Cr, Ni, Fe, Ta, Zn, Zr, Sn, In, Rh, Cd, TiN, ZrN, HfN, and a mixture thereof, and

wherein said at least one active layer and said at least one reflecting layer are separated by at least one substrate layer, and

(1) wherein said at least one active layer and said at least one reflecting layer is separated by a gas interlayer, or

(2) wherein said electrically controllable system is laminated to a single transparent rigid carrier substrate, and wherein said glazing further comprises at least one other rigid substrate and a gas layer, wherein said gas layer is between the two rigid substrates, or

(3) wherein said glazing comprises the following layers in the order sequence;

glass/reflecting coating/sheet of bonding polymer/glass/electrically controllable system/glass/gas interlayer/glass.

2. The glazing according to claim 1, wherein said coating comprises at least one reflecting layer, and at least one layer of dielectric material.

3. The glazing according to claim 1, wherein said coating comprises at least one reflecting layer that comprises at least one metal oxide or doped metal oxide.

4. The glazing according to claim 1, wherein said electrically controllable system comprises an electrochromic system, and said electrochromic system comprises a stack of one or more functional layers selected from the group consisting of an electrically conductive layer, a cathodic electrochromic layer capable of reversibly inserting cations, an electrolyte layer, and an anodic electrochromic layer capable of reversibly inserting cations.

5. The glazing according to claim 4, wherein said electrolyte layer comprises an electrolyte material selected from the group consisting of aqueous liquid, anhydrous liquid, solid electrolyte, polymers, and gels.

6. The glazing according to claim 5, wherein said solid electrolyte comprises a metal oxide.

7. The glazing according to claim 1, further comprising a second transparent rigid carrier substrate, and said electrically controllable system is placed between the two transparent rigid carrier substrates.

8. The glazing according to claim 1, wherein said carrier substrate is laminated to another rigid substrate with a sheet of bonding polymer selected from the group consisting of PVB, EVA and PU.

9. The glazing according to claim 8, further comprising a sheet of bonding polymer and glass sheets bonded together in the order sequence:

glass/reflecting coating/sheet of bonding polymer/glass/electrically controllable system/glass.

10. The glazing according to claim 1,

wherein said electrically controllable system is laminated to a single transparent rigid carrier substrate, and wherein said glazing further comprises at least one other rigid substrate and a gas layer, wherein said gas layer is between the two rigid substrates.

11. A pane, partition, mirror, or door, comprising:

the transparent glazing of claim 1.

12. The glazing according to claim 1, comprising the following layers in the order sequence:

glass/reflecting coating/sheet of bonding polymer/glass/electrically controllable system/glass/gas interlayer/glass.

13. The glazing according to claim 1, wherein said at least one active layer and said at least one reflecting layer is separated by a gas interlayer.