Thermochromic devices
First Claim
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1. A thermochromic device comprising:
- a light transmitting substrate;
at least one thermochromic material which changes reversibly from less light energy absorbing to more light energy absorbing as its temperature increases; and
at least one material with residual light energy absorbing character;
wherein the thermochromic material is present in the substrate or on a layer carried on the substrate and the material with residual light energy absorbing character may be the same or different than the thermochromic material and may be present in the same layer or in a different layer than the thermochromic material.
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Abstract
The invention is an energy efficient, thermochromic device for windows that allows sunlight or solar radiation into a building or structure when the ambient temperature is low and substantially blocks solar radiation when the ambient temperature is high, especially when sunlight is directly on the window. Additionally, the invention is a thermochromic device useful as variable transmission shutters for use in lenses or filters.
157 Citations
81 Claims
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1. A thermochromic device comprising:
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a light transmitting substrate; at least one thermochromic material which changes reversibly from less light energy absorbing to more light energy absorbing as its temperature increases; and at least one material with residual light energy absorbing character; wherein the thermochromic material is present in the substrate or on a layer carried on the substrate and the material with residual light energy absorbing character may be the same or different than the thermochromic material and may be present in the same layer or in a different layer than the thermochromic material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A thermochromic device comprising:
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a light transmitting substrate; at least one thermochromic material capable of reversibly increasing in light absorption as the temperature of the thermochromic material increases; and at least one material capable of absorbing incident sunlight and causing a temperature increase in the thermochromic material when the device is exposed to sunlight wherein the thermochromic material is present in the substrate or on a layer carried on the substrate and the material capable of absorbing incident sunlight and causing a temperature increase in the thermochromic material may be the same or different than the thermochromic material and may be present in the same layer or in a different layer than the thermochromic material. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A thermochromic window comprising:
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a first light transmitting substrate; a second light transmitting substrate; at least one thermochromic material which changes reversibly from less light energy absorbing to more light energy absorbing as its temperature increases; and at least one material with residual light energy absorbing character; wherein the thermochromic material is present in the first substrate or on a layer carried on the first substrate and the material with residual light energy absorbing character may be the same or different than the thermochromic material and may be present in the same layer or in a different layer than the thermochromic material. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A thermochromic window comprising:
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a first light transmitting substrate; a second light transmitting substrate; at least one thermochromic material capable of reversibly increasing in light absorption as the temperature of the thermochromic material increases; and at least one material capable of absorbing incident sunlight and causing a temperature increase in the thermochromic materials present when the device is exposed to sunlight; wherein the thermochromic material is present in the first substrate or on a layer carried on the first substrate and the material capable of absorbing incident sunlight and causing a temperature increase in the thermochromic material may be the same or different than the thermochromic material and may be present in the same layer or in a different layer than the thermochromic material. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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Specification