Connectors for smart windows

• US 9,019,588 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2014
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: View Incorporated
• Original Assignee: View Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen C., Rumer, Alexander, Mullins, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US14/325,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20140355097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 359/275, 349/16
• US Class Current: 359/275
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2417 Light path control; means to control reflection
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66 Units comprising two or more parallel glass or like panes permanently secured together reforming and uniting glass sheets by fusing C03B23/00; joining glass to glass or to other materials C03C27/00; laminated glass B32B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6612 Evacuated glazing units
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6621 with special provisions for fitting in window frames or to adjacent units; Separate edge protecting strips E06B3/66347 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66304 Discrete spacing elements, e.g. for evacuated glazing units
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66309 Section members positioned at the edges of the glazing unit
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66328 of rubber, plastics or similar materials E06B3/66314, E06B3/66323 and E06B3/66342 take precedence; transparent materials E06B3/66333
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/667 Connectors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6722 with adjustable passage of light
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/673 Assembling the units E06B3/677 takes precedence ; making hollow glass sheets or bricks C03B23/24
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/67326 Assembling spacer elements with the panes
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/67391 Apparatus travelling around the periphery of the pane or the unit
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/00 Special arrangements or measures in connection with doors or windows arrangements against burglary at the edges of the wings E06B5/113 ; screening or similar protective devices E06B9/00
• 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 9/00 Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction E06B5/10 takes precedence; wings for doors or windows, connected at their edges, E06B3/48; additional indoor equipment of doors or windows, not forming part of the proper finishing work of a building, e.g. curtains, A47H; gratings as building elements E04C2/24; fastening means E05; operating-mechanisms for wings in general E05F
• 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 1/1345 Conductors connecting electrodes to cell terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1523 comprising inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/161 : Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 : Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/79 : connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 : Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 : allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/73 : Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 : Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/76 : with sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/14 : Rails or bus-bars constructed so that the counterparts can be connected thereto at any point along their length supporting elements for lighting devices, displaceable along guiding elements and making electrical contact with conductors running along the guiding elements F21V21/35
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/162 : Electrical connections between or with rails or bus-bars rails having primarily a non electrical function H01R4/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/12 : by twisting
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 41/00 : Non-rotary current collectors for maintaining contact between moving and stationary parts of an electric circuit end pieces terminating in a hook or the like H01R11/12; current collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

This disclosure provides connectors for smart windows. A smart window may incorporate an optically switchable pane. In one aspect, a window unit includes an insulated glass unit including an optically switchable pane. A wire assembly may be attached to the edge of the insulated glass unit and may include wires in electrical communication with electrodes of the optically switchable pane. A floating connector may be attached to a distal end of the wire assembly. The floating connector may include a flange and a nose, with two holes in the flange for affixing the floating connector to a first frame. The nose may include a terminal face that present two exposed contacts of opposite polarity.

Claims

1. An insulated glass unit comprising:

an electrochromic pane;

at least one other pane;

a sealing separator disposed between the electrochromic pane and the at least one other pane;

a wire assembly comprising two wires, and having a proximal end electrically connected to the electrochromic pane and a distal end having a connector configured to electrically connect to a power source; and

a memory device and/or an integrated circuit device, disposed in the distal end of the wire assembly.

2. The insulated glass unit of claim 1, wherein the wire assembly is a pig-tail.

3. The insulated glass unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory device and/or integrated circuit device stores information for controlling the electrochromic pane.

4. The insulated glass unit of claim 3, wherein the stored information comprises current and voltage information for transitioning the electrochromic pane between a first optical state and a second optical state.

5. The insulated glass unit of claim 3, wherein the stored information includes a maximum electric signal and a minimum electric signal.

6. The insulated glass unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one other pane comprises an electrochromic pane.

7. The insulated glass unit of claim 1, wherein the wires of the wire assembly are braided together and have an insulated covering.

8. The insulated glass unit of claim 1, wherein the wires of the wire assembly form a single cord or line.

9. The insulated glass unit of claim 1, wherein at the proximal end of the wire assembly the wires electrically connect to bus bars in electrical connection with electrodes of an electrochromic device of the electrochromic pane.

10. The insulated glass unit of claim 1, wherein the wire assembly further comprises one or more other wires configured for electrical connection with one or more other components of the insulated glass unit.

12. The insulated glass unit of claim 10, wherein the one or more other components comprises a sensor in the insulated glass unit.

13. The folding assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least two wires of the ribbon cable between adjacent insulated glass units are electrically connected to electrodes of an electrochromic device of the electrochromic pane in one of the adjacent insulated glass units.

14. The folding assembly of claim 12, further comprising another ribbon cable configured to connect to a window controller and to connect to one of the insulated glass units proximal the window controller.

15. The folding assembly of claim 14, wherein the other ribbon cable comprises two connectors for coupling to the proximal insulated glass unit proximal the window controller and to the window controller.

16. The folding assembly of claim 14, wherein the wires of the ribbon cables are running parallel to each other in about the same plane.

17. The folding assembly of claim 14, wherein each ribbon cable comprises at least two wires associated with each insulated glass unit of the plurality of insulated glass units.

18. The folding assembly of claim 14, further comprising a movement mechanism configured to control movement of the plurality of insulated glass units.

19. The folding assembly of claim 18, wherein the window controller is configured to activate the movement mechanism and to control optical transitions of the electrochromic pane.

20. The folding assembly of claim 12, wherein the plurality of insulated glass units are arranged in an accordion fashion.

21. The folding assembly of claim 12, wherein each of the insulated glass units is in a door.

22. The folding assembly of claim 12, wherein each of the insulated glass units is in a window.

23. The folding assembly of claim 12, wherein the plurality of insulated glass units is configured to translate into a recess in a wall.

11. A folding assembly comprising:

a plurality of insulated glass units, each insulated glass unit mounted in a movable frame, the plurality of insulated glass units having hinges between adjacent movable frames, and arranged to fold and unfold into open, closed, and intermediate positioning, wherein at least one of the insulated glass units comprises an electrochromic pane; and

a ribbon cable comprising at least two wires electrically connected between adjacent insulated glass units.

24. A window unit comprising:

an insulated glass unit including an electrochromic pane having an electrochromic device;

a movable frame holding the insulated glass unit, and movably mounted to another frame, wherein the movable frame is configured to move into open, closed, and intermediate positions; and

a ribbon cable electrically comprising at least two wires electrically connected at one end to electrodes of the electrochromic device.

25. The window unit of claim 24, further comprising a movement mechanism including a number of arms, and configured for rotating and translating the movable frame to the open, closed, and intermediate positions.

26. The window unit of claim 25, wherein the ribbon cable is attached to one or more arms of the movement mechanism with an attachment mechanism.

27. The window unit of claim 25, wherein the movement mechanism is configured to move in response to manual input.

28. The window unit of claim 24, wherein the other end of the at least two wires is configured to connect to a window controller configured to control the optical transitions of the electrochromic device.

29. The window unit of claim 28, wherein the window controller is coupled to the other frame.

30. The window unit of claim 28, wherein the ribbon cable includes two connectors for coupling to the window controller and to a connector in electrical connection to bus bars in electrical connection to electrodes of the electrochromic device.

31. The window unit of claim 28, wherein the window controller is further configured to control a movement mechanism connected to the movable frame and the other frame for moving the movable frame into open, closed, and related intermediate positions.

32. The window unit of claim 24, wherein the movable frame is movably mounted to the other frame to rotate along an axis of rotation into open, closed, and intermediate positions.

33. The window unit of claim 24, wherein the movable frame is a hinged sash.

34. The window unit of claim 24, wherein the at least two wires are electrically connected at the one end to the electrodes through bus bars in electrical connection with the electrodes.

37. The window unit of claim 24, wherein the wires of the ribbon cable are running parallel to each other in about the same plane.

35. The window unit of 24, wherein the ribbon cable further comprises one or more other wires configured for electrical connection with one or more other components of the insulated glass unit.

36. The window unit of claim 35, wherein the one or more other components comprises a sensor in the insulated glass unit.