Electrochromic assembly including at least one polymeric substrate

• US 6,193,379 B1
• Filed: 06/09/2000
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Van Ast, Michael J., Tonar, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US09/595,072
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 359/603, 359/604, 359/605, 359/265, 359/267, 359/269, 359/270, 359/271, 359/273
• US Class Current: 359/603
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1503 caused by oxidation-reduction reactions in organic liquid solutions, e.g. viologen solutions
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for

Abstract

An electrochromic assembly includes a transparent front element and a rear element each having front and rear surfaces. At least one of the front and rear elements is made from a plastic that maintains its integrity when exposed to organic solvents. A layer of transparent conductive material is disposed on the rear surface of the front element. A layer of conductive material is also disposed on the front surface of the rear element. The front element and the rear element when joined form a chamber therebetween. The chamber contains at least one electrochromic material in solution with the organic solvent, which is effective to attenuate light passing therethrough.

Claims

1. An electrochromic assembly, the electrochromic assembly comprising:

a transparent front element and a rear element each having front and rear surfaces, wherein at least one of the front and rear elements is made from a material including aliphatic hydrocarbon that maintains physical integrity of said at least one of the front and rear elements when exposed to an organic solvent;

a layer of transparent conductive material disposed on said rear surface of said front element; and

a layer of conductive material disposed on said front surface of said rear element,

wherein said front element and said rear element when joined form a chamber therebetween, where said chamber contains at least one electrochromic material in solution with the organic solvent, and where said electrochromic material is effective to attenuate light passing therethrough, and wherein said at least one of the front and rear elements include means for reducing oxygen permeability therethrough.

2. The electrochromic assembly of claim 1, wherein the organic solvent is an aprotic solvent.

3. The electrochromic assembly of claim 1, wherein said means for reducing oxygen permeability comprises an oxygen barrier on at least one surface of said one of the front and rear elements.

4. The electrochromic assembly of claim 3, wherein the oxygen barrier includes a scratch resistant barrier on at least the front surface of the front element.

5. The electrochromic assembly of claim 3, wherein the oxygen barrier includes a scratch resistant barrier on one surface of the rear element.

6. The electrochromic assembly of claim 3, wherein the oxygen barrier includes a scratch resistant barrier on each surface of the front and rear elements.

7. The electrochromic assembly of claim 3, wherein the oxygen barrier includes oriented polyolefin films.

8. The electrochromic assembly of claim 7, wherein the orientation of two of the oriented polyolefin films are at an angle relative to one another.

9. The electrochromic assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the front and rear elements is made of a material including aliphatic hydrocarbons.

10. The electrochromic assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the front and rear elements is made of a material including polyalkenes.

11. The electrochromic assembly of claim 10, wherein at least one of the front and rear elements is made of a material including polycyclicalkene.

12. The electrochromic assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the front and rear elements is made of a material including polyolefins.

13. The electrochromic assembly of claim 12, wherein at least one of the front and rear elements is made of a material including polycyclicolefin.

14. The electrochromic assembly of claim 1, wherein the front element and the rear element are joined by an epoxy seal.

15. The electrochromic assembly of claim 1, wherein the front and rear elements are plastic elements, and wherein the front element and the rear element are joined by a thermal, ultrasonic or laser weld.

16. The electrochromic assembly of claim 15, wherein the front and rear elements include an oxygen barrier on at least one surface.

17. The electrochromic assembly of claim 16, wherein the oxygen barrier includes a scratch resistant barrier.

18. The electrochromic assembly of claim 16, further comprising:

a first glass element laminated to the front surface of the front element; and

a second glass element laminated to the rear surface of the rear element.

19. The electrochromic assembly of claim 1, wherein the front and rear elements are plastic elements, and wherein the front element and the rear element are retained within a plastic bezel which forms a seal around the circumference of the front element and the rear element, the front element, the rear element and the plastic bezel maintaining their integrity when exposed to at least one of the organic solvent and a plastisizer.

20. The electrochromic assembly of claim 19, wherein the front element, the rear element and the plastic bezel include an oxygen barrier on at least one surface.

21. The electrochromic assembly of claim 1, wherein the front and rear elements are plastic elements that maintain their integrity when exposed to at least one of the organic solvent and a plastisizer, and wherein the front element is retained by the rear element which forms a seal around the circumference of the front element.

22. The electrochromic assembly of claim 21, wherein the front and rear elements include an oxygen barrier on at least one surface.

23. The electrochromic assembly of claim 1, wherein the front element and the rear element are non-planar.

24. The electrochromic assembly of claim 1, wherein the front and rear elements are plastic elements that maintain their integrity when exposed to the organic solvent, and wherein the front and rear elements each include a supplemental conductor that is imbedded in one of a mechanical and thermal manner through the respective element and is attached on one end to the respective conductive layer.

25. The electrochromic assembly of claim 24, wherein the front and rear elements include an oxygen barrier on at least one surface.

26. The electrochromic assembly of claim 1, wherein the front and rear elements are plastic elements that maintain their integrity when exposed to the organic solvent, and wherein the front element and the rear element each include a conductor that is insertion molded through the respective element and is attached on one end to the respective conductive layer.

27. The electrochromic assembly of claim 26, wherein the front and rear elements include an oxygen barrier on at least one surface.

28. The electrochromic assembly of claim 1, wherein a reflector is disposed on said rear surface of said rear element or said layer of conductive material disposed on said front surface of said rear element also acts as a reflector.

29. The electrochromic assembly according to claim 1, wherein the organic solvent is one of an ethylene carbonate, acrylonitrile, acetonitrile and dimethylformamide.

30. An electrochromic rearview mirror, the electrochromic rearview mirror comprising:

an electrochromic assembly further including;

a transparent front element and a rear element each having front and rear surfaces, wherein at least one of the front and rear elements is made from a material including aliphatic hydrocarbon that maintains physical integrity of said at least one of the front and rear elements when exposed to an organic solvent;

a layer of transparent conductive material disposed on said rear surface of said front element; and

a layer of conductive material disposed on said front surface of said rear element,

wherein said front element and said rear element when joined form a chamber therebetween, where said chamber contains at least one electrochromic material in solution with at least one of an organic solvent and a plastisizer, and where said electrochromic material is effective to attenuate light passing into said chamber, and wherein said at least one of the front and rear elements include means for reducing oxygen permeability therethrough; and

a housing for accepting and retaining the electrochromic assembly.

31. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, further including:

a control circuit contained within the housing, the control circuit controlling the attenuation of light passing into the chamber of the electrochromic assembly based on surrounding light levels.

32. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, wherein said means for reducing oxygen permeability comprises an oxygen barrier on at least one surface of said one of the front and rear elements.

33. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, wherein at least one of the front and rear elements is made of a material including aliphatic hydrocarbons.

34. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, wherein at least one of the front and rear elements is made of a material including polyalkenes.

35. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, wherein at least one of the front and rear elements is made of a material including polyolefins.

36. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, wherein the front element and the rear element are joined by an epoxy seal.

37. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, wherein the front and rear elements are plastic elements that maintain their integrity when exposed to the at least one of the organic solvent and the plastisizer, and wherein the front element and the rear element are joined by a thermal, ultrasonic or laser weld.

38. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 37, wherein the front and rear elements include an oxygen barrier on at least one surface.

39. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 38, further comprising:

a first glass element laminated to the front surface of the front element; and

a second glass element laminated to the rear surface of the rear element.

40. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, wherein the front and rear elements are plastic elements, and wherein the front element and the rear element are retained within a plastic bezel which forms a seal around the circumference of the front element and the rear element, the front element, the rear element and the plastic bezel maintaining their integrity when exposed to the at least one of the organic solvent and the plastisizer.

41. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 40, wherein the front element, the rear element and the plastic bezel include an oxygen barrier on at least one surface.

42. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, wherein the front and rear elements are plastic elements that maintain their integrity when exposed to the at least one of the organic solvent and the plastisizer, and wherein the front element is retained by the rear element which forms a seal around the circumference of the front element.

43. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 37, wherein the front and rear elements include an oxygen barrier on at least one surface.

44. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, wherein the front element and the rear element are non-planar.

45. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, wherein the front and rear elements are plastic elements that maintain their integrity when exposed to the at least one of the organic solvent and the plastisizer, and wherein the front and rear elements each include a conductor that is imbedded in one of a mechanical and thermal manner through the respective element and is attached on one end to the respective conductive layer.

46. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 45, wherein the front and rear elements include an oxygen barrier on at least one surface.

47. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, wherein the front and rear elements are plastic elements that maintain their integrity when exposed to at least one of the organic solvent and a plastisizer, and wherein the front element and the rear element each include a conductor that is insertion molded through the respective element and is attached on one end to the respective conductive layer.

48. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 47, wherein the front and rear elements include an oxygen barrier on at least one surface.

49. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, wherein a reflector is disposed on said rear surface of said rear element or said layer of conductive material disposed on said front surface of said rear element also acts as a reflector.

50. The electrochromic rearview mirror of claim 30, wherein the organic solvent is at least one of an ethylene carbonate, acrylonitrile, acetonitrile and dimethylformamide.