Multi-pane electrochromic windows

• US 8,270,059 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: View Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Soladigm, Inc.
• Inventors: Friedman, Robin, Kailasam, Sridhar, Mulpuri, Rao, Powell, Ron, Shrivastava, Dhairya
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, James
• Application Number:
  US12/851,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20120033287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 359/273
• US Class Current: 359/273
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/34 with at least two coatings having different compositions C03C17/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/36 at least one coating being a metal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3657 the multilayer coating having optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3681 the multilayer coating being used in glazing, e.g. windows or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2643 Screens between double windows
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/28 Other arrangements on doors or windows, e.g. door-plates, windows adapted to carry plants, hooks for window cleaners edge protecting devices for door leaves E06B3/88; special glazing; emergency glazing; double glazing E06B3/66
• 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 1/1347 Arrangement of liquid crystal layers or cells in which the final condition of one light beam is achieved by the addition of the effects of two or more layers or cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1523 comprising inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/161 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1555 Counter electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/86 the heating conductors being embedded in the transparent or reflecting material H05B3/845 takes precedence

Abstract

Window units, for example insulating glass units (IGU'"'"'s), that have at least two panes, each pane having an electrochromic device thereon, are described. Two optical state devices on each pane of a dual-pane window unit provide window units having four optical states. Window units described allow the end user a greater choice of how much light is transmitted through the electrochromic window. Also, by using two or more window panes, each with its own electrochromic device, registered in a window unit, visual defects in any of the individual devices are negated by virtue of the extremely small likelihood that any of the visual defects will align perfectly and thus be observable to the user.

Claims

1. A window unit comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate and a first electrochromic device disposed thereon;

a second substantially transparent substrate and a second electrochromic device disposed thereon; and

a sealing separator between the first and second substantially transparent substrates, which sealing separator defines, together with the first and second substantially transparent substrates, an insulating glass unit having an interior region that is thermally insulating,

wherein both of the first and second electrochromic devices are two-state electrochromic devices and the window unit has at least four optical states,

wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices is an entirely solid state and inorganic device, and

wherein the interior region contains an inert gas.

2. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the first and second substantially transparent substrates are substantially rigid.

3. The window unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates comprises architectural glass.

4. The window unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates further comprises a low emissivity coating.

5. The window unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices faces the interior region.

6. The window unit of claim 5, wherein both the first and second electrochromic devices face the interior region.

7. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the first electrochromic device extends over substantially the entire viewable region of the first substantially transparent substrate.

8. The window unit of claim 1, configured such that, when mounted, the first substantially transparent substrate will face outside a room or building and the second substantially transparent substrate will face inside said room or building, and wherein each of the first and second electrochromic devices has its own high transmissive state and low transmissive state, and wherein the transmittance of the second electrochromic device'"'"'s low transmissive state is higher than the transmittance of the first electrochromic device'"'"'s low transmissive state.

9. The window unit of claim 8, wherein the first electrochromic device is better able to withstand environmental degradation than the second electrochromic device.

10. The window unit of claim 8, wherein both the first and second electrochromic devices face the interior region.

11. The window unit of claim 9, wherein the second substantially transparent substrate is thinner than the first substantially transparent substrate.

12. The window unit of claim 1, wherein at least one transparent conductive oxide layer of the first and/or the second electrochromic devices is configured to be heated independently of operation of the electrochromic device of which it is a component.

13. The window unit of claim 8, wherein the transmittance of the first electrochromic device'"'"'s low transmissive state is between about 5% and about 15%, and the first electrochromic devices'"'"' high transmissive state is between about 75% and about 95%;

and the transmittance of the second electrochromic device'"'"'s low transmissive state is between about 20% and about 30%, and the second electrochromic devices'"'"' high transmissive state is between about 75% and about 95%.

14. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the at least four optical states are:

i) overall transmittance of between about 60% and about 90%;

ii) overall transmittance of between about 15% and about 30%;

iii) overall transmittance of between about 5% and about 10%; and

iv) overall transmittance of between about 0.1% and about 5%.

15. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the sealing separator is disposed about peripheral regions of the first and second substantially transparent substrates without substantially obscuring a viewable region of the window unit.

16. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the sealing separator hermetically seals the interior region.

17. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the interior region is substantially liquid and moisture free.

18. The window unit of claim 3, wherein both of the first and second substantially transparent substrates are architectural glass.

19. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the total number of visible defects, pinholes and short-related pinholes created from isolating visible short-related defects in the entirely solid state and inorganic device is less than about 0.1 defects per square centimeter.

20. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the total number of visible defects, pinholes and short-related pinholes created from isolating visible short-related defects in the entirely solid state and inorganic device is less than about 0.045 defects per square centimeter.

21. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the window unit has substantially no visible defects.

22. A method of fabricating a window unit, the method comprising:

arranging, substantially parallel to each other, a first substantially transparent substrate with a first electrochromic device disposed thereon and a second substantially transparent substrate with a second electrochromic device disposed thereon; and

installing a sealing separator between the first and second substantially transparent substrates, which sealing separator defines, together with the first and second substantially transparent substrates, an interior region in an insulating glass unit, said interior region thermally insulating,

wherein both of the first and second electrochromic devices are two-state electrochromic devices and the fabricated window unit has at least four optical states,

wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices is an entirely solid state and inorganic device, and

wherein the interior region contains an inert gas.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates comprises architectural glass.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates further comprises a low emissivity coating.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein both the first and second electrochromic devices face the interior region.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the transmittance of the first electrochromic device'"'"'s low transmissive state is between about 5% and about 15%, and the first electrochromic devices'"'"' high transmissive state is between about 75% and about 95%;

and the transmittance of the second electrochromic device'"'"'s low transmissive state is between about 20% and about 30%, and the second electrochromic devices'"'"' high transmissive state is between about 75% and about 95%.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least four optical states are:

i) overall transmittance of between about 60% and about 90%;

ii) overall transmittance of between about 15% and about 30%;

iii) overall transmittance of between about 5% and about 10%; and

iv) overall transmittance of between about 0.1% and about 5%.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the sealing separator hermetically seals the interior region.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the window unit has no visible defects.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the total number of visible defects, pinholes and short-related pinholes created from isolating visible short-related defects in the entirely solid state and inorganic device is less than about 0.1 defects per square centimeter.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein the total number of visible defects, pinholes and short-related pinholes created from isolating visible short-related defects in the entirely solid state and inorganic device is less than about 0.045 defects per square centimeter.

32. A window unit comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate and an electrochromic device disposed thereon;

a second substantially transparent substrate and a heatable transparent conductive oxide layer thereon; and

a sealing separator between the first and second substantially transparent substrates, which sealing separator defines, together with the first and second substantially transparent substrates, an insulating glass unit having an interior region that is thermally insulating,

wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices is an entirely solid state and inorganic device, and

wherein the interior region contains an inert gas.

33. The window unit of claim 32, wherein the electrochromic device and the heatable transparent conductive oxide are both in the interior region.

34. The window unit of claim 33, wherein the second substantially transparent substrate comprises an infrared reflective and/or infrared absorbing coating.

35. A window unit comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate and a first electrochromic device disposed thereon;

a second substantially transparent substrate and a second electrochromic device disposed thereon; and

a sealing separator between the first and second substantially transparent substrates, which sealing separator defines, together with the first and second substantially transparent substrates, an insulating glass unit having an interior region that is thermally insulating,

wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices has intermediate state capability,

wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices is an entirely solid state and inorganic device, and

wherein the interior region contains an inert gas.

36. The window unit of claim 35, wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates comprises architectural glass.

37. The window unit of claim 35, wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates further comprises a low emissivity coating.

38. The window unit of claim 35, wherein both the first and second electrochromic devices face the interior region.

39. A window unit comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate and a first electrochromic device disposed thereon;

a second substantially transparent substrate and a second electrochromic device disposed thereon; and

a sealing separator between the first and second substantially transparent substrates, which sealing separator defines, together with the first and second substantially transparent substrates, an interior region that is thermally insulating,

wherein the interior region contains an inert gas,

wherein both of the first and second electrochromic devices are two-state electrochromic devices and the window unit has at least four optical states, and

wherein the at least four optical states are;

i) overall transmittance of between about 60% and about 90%;

ii) overall transmittance of between about 15% and about 30%;

iii) overall transmittance of between about 5% and about 10%; and

iv) overall transmittance of between about 0.1% and about 5%.

40. The window unit of claim 39, wherein the first and second substantially transparent substrates are substantially rigid.

41. The window unit of claim 39, wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates comprises architectural glass.

42. The window unit of claim 39, wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates further comprises a low emissivity coating.

43. The window unit of claim 39, wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices faces the interior region.

44. The window unit of claim 43, wherein both the first and second electrochromic devices face the interior region.

45. The window unit of claim 39, wherein the first electrochromic device extends over substantially the entire viewable region of the first substantially transparent substrate.

46. The window unit of claim 39, configured such that, when mounted, the first substantially transparent substrate will face outside a room or building and the second substantially transparent substrate will face inside said room or building, and wherein each of the first and second electrochromic devices has its own high transmissive state and low transmissive state, and wherein the transmittance of the second electrochromic device'"'"'s low transmissive state is higher than the transmittance of the first electrochromic device'"'"'s low transmissive state.

47. The window unit of claim 45, wherein the first electrochromic device is better able to withstand environmental degradation than the second electrochromic device.

48. The window unit of claim 46, wherein both the first and second electrochromic devices face the interior region.

49. The window unit of claim 47, wherein the second substantially transparent substrate is thinner than the first substantially transparent substrate.

50. The window unit of claim 39, wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices is an entirely solid state and inorganic device.

51. The window unit of claim 39, wherein at least one transparent conductive oxide layer of the first and/or the second electrochromic devices is configured to be heated independently of operation of the electrochromic device of which it is a component.

52. The window unit of claim 46, wherein the transmittance of the first electrochromic device'"'"'s low transmissive state is between about 5% and about 15%, and the first electrochromic devices'"'"' high transmissive state is between about 75% and about 95%;

and the transmittance of the second electrochromic device'"'"'s low transmissive state is between about 20% and about 30%, and the second electrochromic devices'"'"' high transmissive state is between about 75% and about 95%.

53. The window unit of claim 39, wherein the sealing separator is disposed about peripheral regions of the first and second substantially transparent substrates without substantially obscuring a viewable region of the window unit.

54. The window unit of claim 39, wherein the sealing separator hermetically seals the interior region.

55. The window unit of claim 39, wherein the interior region is substantially liquid and moisture free.

56. The window unit of claim 41, wherein both of the first and second substantially transparent substrates are architectural glass.

57. The window unit of claim 50, wherein the total number of visible defects, pinholes and short-related pinholes created from isolating visible short-related defects in the entirely solid state and inorganic device is less than about 0.1 defects per square centimeter.

58. The window unit of claim 50, wherein the total number of visible defects, pinholes and short-related pinholes created from isolating visible short-related defects in the entirely solid state and inorganic device is less than about 0.045 defects per square centimeter.

59. The window unit of claim 39, wherein the window unit has substantially no visible defects.

60. A method of fabricating a window unit, the method comprising:

arranging, substantially parallel to each other, a first substantially transparent substrate with a first electrochromic device disposed thereon and a second substantially transparent substrate with a second electrochromic device disposed thereon; and

installing a sealing separator between the first and second substantially transparent substrates, which sealing separator defines, together with the first and second substantially transparent substrates, an interior region, said interior region thermally insulating,

wherein the interior region contains an inert gas,

wherein both of the first and second electrochromic devices are two-state electrochromic devices and the fabricated window unit has at least four optical states, and

wherein the at least four optical states are;

i) overall transmittance of between about 60% and about 90%;

ii) overall transmittance of between about 15% and about 30%;

iii) overall transmittance of between about 5% and about 10%; and

iv) overall transmittance of between about 0.1% and about 5%.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates comprises architectural glass.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates further comprises a low emissivity coating.

63. The method of claim 60, wherein both the first and second electrochromic devices face the interior region.

64. The method of claim 60, wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices is an entirely solid state and inorganic device.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the total number of visible defects, pinholes and short-related pinholes created from isolating visible short-related defects in the entirely solid state and inorganic device is less than about 0.1 defects per square centimeter.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein the total number of visible defects, pinholes and short-related pinholes created from isolating visible short-related defects in the entirely solid state and inorganic device is less than about 0.045 defects per square centimeter.

67. The method of claim 60, wherein the transmittance of the first electrochromic device'"'"'s low transmissive state is between about 5% and about 15%, and the first electrochromic devices'"'"' high transmissive state is between about 75% and about 95%;

and the transmittance of the second electrochromic device'"'"'s low transmissive state is between about 20% and about 30%, and the second electrochromic devices'"'"' high transmissive state is between about 75% and about 95%.

68. The method of claim 60, wherein the sealing separator hermetically seals the interior region.

69. The method of claim 60, wherein the window unit has no visible defects.

70. The method of claim 60, wherein the window unit is an insulating glass unit.

71. A window unit comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate and an electrochromic device disposed thereon;

a second substantially transparent substrate and a heatable transparent conductive oxide layer thereon; and

a sealing separator between the first and second substantially transparent substrates, which sealing separator defines, together with the first and second substantially transparent substrates, an interior region that is thermally insulating,

wherein at least one transparent conductive oxide layer of the first and/or the second electrochromic devices is configured to be heated independently of operation of the electrochromic device of which it is a component, and

wherein the interior region contains an inert gas.

72. The window unit of claim 71, wherein the electrochromic device and the heatable transparent conductive oxide are both in the interior region.

73. The window unit of claim 72, wherein the second substantially transparent substrate comprises an infrared reflective and/or infrared absorbing coating.

74. The window unit of claim 71, wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices is an entirely solid state and inorganic device.

75. A window unit comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate and a first electrochromic device disposed thereon;

a second substantially transparent substrate and a second electrochromic device disposed thereon; and

a sealing separator between the first and second substantially transparent substrates, which sealing separator defines, together with the first and second substantially transparent substrates, an interior region that is thermally insulating,

wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices has intermediate state capability, and

wherein the interior region contains an inert gas.

76. The window unit of claim 75, wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates comprises architectural glass.

77. The window unit of claim 75, wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates further comprises a low emissivity coating.

78. The window unit of claim 75, wherein both the first and second electrochromic devices face the interior region.

79. The window unit of claim 75, wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices is an entirely solid state and inorganic device.