Electrochromic safety glazing

• US 6,639,708 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schott AG (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: SCHOTT North America, Inc. (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung), Magna Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Elkadi, Yasser, Agrawal, Anoop, Holdmann, Torsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Jordan M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMPSON, TIMOTHY J
• Application Number:
  US10/095,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20020196519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/266, 359/267, 359/268, 359/269, 359/270, 359/271, 359/275-279, 429/323
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• 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 17/10321 Laminated safety glass or glazing containing liquid layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10513 Electrochromic layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10871 in combination with particular heat treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1525 characterised by a particular ion transporting layer, e.g. electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/164 the electrolyte is made of polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/503 Arrangements improving the resistance to shock
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/022 polymeric
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/28 Adhesive materials or arrangements

Abstract

An electrochromic device is achieved that exhibits the characteristics of impact-resistant safety glass by subjecting a solid electrolyte sheet material and a peripheral sealant material sandwiched between substrates to heat and pressure such that the electrolyte bonds to the surfaces of the substrates with an adhesion of at least 1.8 kg/linear cm width causing the electrolyte to exhibit a tensile strength of at least 5 kg/cm².

Claims

1. Chromogenic glazing exhibiting safety impact characteristics, comprising:

first and second spaced transparent panels, at least one of which is of glass, said first and second transparent panels each having a front surface and an opposing rear surface, said rear surface of the first panel facing and spaced from the front surface of the said second panel defining a space between the said first and second panels, said rear surface of said first panel and said front surface of said second panel coated with a transparent conductor; and

a solid electrolyte medium disposed in said space which adheres to any of said coated panels with an adherence which exceeds 1.8 kg/linear cm width.

2. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 1 wherein said electrolyte medium has a tensile strength of at least 5 kg/cm².

3. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 1 wherein said electrolyte medium has an elongation greater than 100%.

4. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 1 wherein said transparent conductors is selected from the group comprising of Indium-tin oxide and fluorine-doped tin oxide.

5. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 1 wherein said panels include an electrochromic layer selected from the group comprising of tungsten oxide, molybdenum oxide, and mixed oxides comprising tungsten and molybdenum.

6. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 1 wherein said panels include an electrochromic layer selected from the group consisting of polyaniline and polythiophene.

7. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 1 wherein said panels include an ion storage layer selected from the group consisting of iridium oxide, nickel oxide, manganese oxide and vanadium oxide, titanium-vanadium oxide, titanium-cerium oxide, niobium-vanadium oxide, and mixtures of said oxides.

8. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 1 wherein said panels are soda-lime glass and include at least one of an anti-iridescent coating and a coating to reduce sodium diffusion.

9. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 1 where the contrast ratio of the electrochromic device is greater than 2:

1.

10. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 1 where the electrolyte conductivity at 25C is greater than 10⁻

6 S/cm.

11. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 1 where the electrolyte exhibits a Tg lower than 0 C.

12. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 1 where the haze of the said glazing is less than 5%.

13. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 1 where the said glazing is UV stable.

14. Chromogenic glazing as in claim 1 having an extruded electrolytic film selected from the group consisting of poly-acrylates, polystyrenes, polyvinyl butyrals, polyurethanes, poly vinyl acetates, poly vinyl chlorides and polycarbonates;

a filler selected from the group consisting of polymer particles, pyrolitic silicas, aluminas, cerium oxides and zinc oxides;

at least one dissociable salt selected from the group consisting of LiClO₄, LiCF₃SO₃, LiN(CF₃ SO₂)₂, and NaCF₃SO₃;

at least one solvent for dissociating said salt selected from the group consisting of propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, gamma-butyro lactone, and tetraglyme, sulfolane.

15. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 14, said film being bonded in situ to the substrates of said glazing under heat and pressure.

16. Chromogenic impact resistant safety glazing, comprising

first and second spaced transparent panels, said first and second transparent panels each having a front surface and an opposing rear surface, said rear surface of the first panel facing and spaced from front surface of the said second panel defining a space between the said first and second panels, said rear surface of said panel and said front surface of said second panel coated with a transparent conductor wherein the said conductive side of at least one of the electrodes is further coated with additional layer where at least one of the said additional layer is reduced;

and

a solid electrolyte medium disposed in said space, where the adhesion of the said electrolyte to any of the said coated panels exceeds 1.8 kg/linear cm width.

17. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 16 where the tensile elongation of the electrolyte to break is greater than is greater than 100%.

18. An electrolyte for glazing assembly as in claim 16 in which said electrolyte has a tensile strength of at least 5 kg/cm².

19. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 16 where the electrolyte conductivity at 25C is greater than 10⁻

6 S/cm.

20. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 16 where the electrolyte Tg is lower than 0°

C.

21. Chromogenic glazing according to claim 16 where the haze of the electrolyte is less than 5%.

22. An electrochromic laminate formed by sandwiching an electrolytic layer between two transparent substrates, said laminate reducing sound transmission by at least 3 dB.

23. An electrochromic laminate as in claim 22 which is impact resistant.

24. An electrochromic laminate in claim 23 in which the substrates are different in thickness.