Electrochromic structures

• US 20010030793A1
• Filed: 05/29/2001
• Published: 10/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David J. Cammenga, Harlan J. Byker, John K. Roberts
• Original Assignee: David J. Cammenga, Harlan J. Byker, John K. Roberts
• Inventors: Roberts, John K., Cammenga, David J., Byker, Harlan J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,594,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/265
• 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

Abstract

Electrochromic structures, such as windows and panels, are provided wherein privacy and changes in the color of an electrochromic medium incorporated in the structures may be either enhanced or hidden when viewed from a predetermined direction, as for example, when viewed from the outside of a building or when viewed from one side of a transparent interior panel in a building.

Claims

1. An electrochromic structure comprising, in combination, first and second spaced transparent elements, one side of said first element confronting said second element including a first at least partially light transmissive electrically conductive means, one side of said second element confronting said first element including a second at least partially light transmissive electrically conductive means, said structure defining a chamber disposed between said first and second at least partially light transmissive electrically conductive means on said first and second elements, an electrochromic reversibly variable transmittance medium in said chamber in contact with both said first and second at least partially light transmissive electrically conductive means, one of said first and second transparent elements having a partially light reflective means thereon, and means electrically connected to both said at least partially light transmissive electrically conductive means on said first and second elements for applying an electrical potential to said electrochromic medium to cause variations in the light transmittance of said electrochromic medium.

2. The combination as set forth in

claim 1

, said partially light reflective means being disposed on said one side of said first transparent element confronting said second transparent element.

3. The combination as set forth in

claim 1

, said partially light reflective means being disposed on the other side of said first transparent element.

4. The combination as set forth in

claim 1

, said partially light reflective means being disposed on the side of said second transparent element confronting said first transparent element.

5. The combination as set forth in

claim 1

, said partially light reflective means also being electrically conductive.

6. The combination as set forth in

claim 1

, said partially light reflective means comprising an alloy including palladium and silver.

7. The combination as set forth in

claim 1

, said at least partially light transmissive electrically conductive means including fluorine doped tin oxide.

8. The combination as set forth in

claim 1

wherein said electrochromic medium is gray-scale controllable over a continuous range of light transmittance.

9. An electrochromic window comprising, in combination, first and second spaced optically transparent elements, said elements each having first and second surfaces, said window defining a chamber disposed between said second surface of said first element and said first surface of said second element, an electrochromic medium in said chamber, the transmission of light through said electrochromic medium being variable upon the application of an electrical potential to said medium, means for applying an electrical potential to said electrochromic medium to cause variations in the light transmittance of said medium, said means for applying an electrical potential to said electrochromic medium being electrically connected to electrically conductive coatings on said second surface of said first element and said first surface of said second element, and partially light reflective means disposed on one of said surfaces of said first and second elements, said means for applying electrical potential to said electrochromic medium being effective to cause variations in light transmitted through said partially light reflective means and through said electrochromic medium.

10. The combination as set forth in

claim 9

wherein said partially light reflective means includes an alloy comprised of palladium and silver.

11. The combination as set forth in

claim 9

wherein said transparent electrically conductive coatings include fluorine doped tin oxide having a sheet resistance of 12-13 ohms per square.

12. An electrochromic panel comprising, in combination, first and second spaced optically transparent elements, said elements each having first and second surfaces, said panel defining a chamber disposed between said second surface of said first element and said first surface of said second element, an electrochromic medium in said chamber, the transmission of light through said electrochromic medium being variable upon the application of an electrical potential to said medium, means for applying an electrical potential to said electrochromic medium to cause variations in the light transmittance of said medium, said means for applying an electrical potential to said electrochromic medium being electrically connected to electrically conductive coatings on said second surface of said first element and said first surface of said second element, and partially light reflective means disposed on one of said surfaces of said first and second elements, said means for applying electrical potential to said electrochromic medium being effective to cause variations in light transmitted through said partially light reflective means and through said electrochromic medium.

13. The combination as set forth in

claim 12

wherein said partially light reflective means includes an alloy comprised of palladium and silver.

14. The combination as set forth in

claim 12

wherein said transparent electrically conductive coatings include fluorine doped tin oxide having a sheet resistance of 12-13 ohms per square.

15. An electrochromic structure comprising, in combination, first and second spaced optically transparent elements, one of said elements including a partially light transmissive and partially light reflective means, each of said elements including electrically conductive means, said structure defining a chamber disposed between said electrically conductive means, a self-erasing electrochromic reversibly variable transmittance medium in said chamber in contact with each of said electrically conductive means, and means electrically connectable to said electrically conductive means for applying an electrical potential to said electrochromic medium to cause variations in light transmitted through said partially light transmissive means and said electrochromic medium.

16. The combination as set forth in

claim 15

, said partially light transmissive and partially light reflective means being disposed on the side of said first transparent element confronting said second transparent element.

17. The combination as set forth in

claim 15

, said partially light transmissive and partially light reflective means being disposed on the side of said first transparent element remote from said second transparent element.

18. The combination as set forth in

claim 15

, said partially light transmissive and partially light reflective means being disposed on the side of said second transparent element confronting said first transparent element.

19. The combination as set forth in

claim 15

, said partially light transmissive and partially light reflective means being disposed on the side of said second transparent element nearest to said first transparent element.

20. The combination as set forth in

claim 15

, said partially light transmissive and partially light reflective means comprising an alloy including palladium and silver.

21. The combination as set forth in

claim 15

, said electrically conductive means including fluorine doped tin oxide.

22. The combination as set forth in

claim 15

wherein said electrochromic medium is gray-scale controllable over a continuous range of light transmittance.

23. An electrochromic structure comprising, in combination, first and second spaced transparent elements, one side of said first element confronting said second element including a first at least partially light transmissive electrically conductive layer, one side of said second element confronting said first element including a second at least partially light transmissive electrically conductive layer, said structure defining a chamber disposed between said first and second at least partially light transmissive electrically conductive layers on said first and second elements, an electrochromic reversibly variable transmittance medium disposed in said chamber in contact with both said first and second at least partially light transmissive electrically conductive layers, one of said first and second transparent elements having a partially light reflective layer thereon, both said at least partially light transmissive electrically conductive layers on said first and second elements being electrically connectable to a source of electrical potential so as to apply an electrical potential to said electrochromic medium to cause variations in the light transmittance of said electrochromic medium.

24. The combination as set forth in

claim 23

, said partially light reflective layer being disposed on said one side of said first transparent element confronting said second transparent element.

25. The combination as set forth in

claim 23

, said partially light reflective layer being disposed on the other side of said first transparent element.

26. The combination as set forth in

claim 23

, said partially light reflective layer being disposed on the side of said second transparent element confronting said first transparent element.

27. The combination as set forth in

claim 23

, said partially light reflective layer also being electrically conductive.

28. The combination as set forth in

claim 23

, said partially light reflective layer comprising an alloy including palladium and silver.

29. The combination as set forth in

claim 23

, said at least partially light transmissive electrically conductive means including fluorine doped tin oxide.

30. The combination as set forth in

claim 23

wherein said electrochromic medium is gray-scale controllable over a continuous range of light transmittance.

31. An electrochromic window comprising, in combination, first and second spaced optically transparent elements, said elements each having first and second sides, said window defining a chamber disposed between said second side of said first element and said first side of said second element, an electrochromic medium in said chamber, the transmission of light through said electrochromic medium being variable upon the application of an electrical potential to electrically conductive coatings on said second side of said first element and said first side of said second element, and a partially light reflective layer disposed on one of said sides of said first and second elements, the application of an electrical potential to said electrochromic medium being effective to cause variations in light transmitted through said partially light reflective layer and through said electrochromic medium.

32. The combination as set forth in

claim 31

wherein said partially light reflective layer includes an alloy comprised of palladium and silver.

33. The combination as set forth in

claim 31

wherein said transparent electrically conductive coatings include fluorine doped tin oxide having a sheet resistance of 12-13 ohms per square.

34. An electrochromic panel comprising, in combination, first and second spaced optically transparent elements, said elements each having first and second sides, said panel defining a chamber disposed between said second side of said first element and said first side of said second element, an electrochromic medium in said chamber, the transmission of light through said electrochromic medium being variable upon the application of an electrical potential to said medium, said panel including electrically conductive coatings on said second side of said first element and said first side of said second element, and a partially light reflective layer disposed on one side of one of said first and second elements, the application of electrical potentials to said electrochromic medium being effective to cause variations in light transmitted through said partially light reflective layer and through said electrochromic medium.

35. The combination as set forth in

claim 34

wherein said partially light reflective layer includes an alloy comprised of palladium and silver.

36. The combination as set forth in

claim 34

wherein said transparent electrically conductive coatings include fluorine doped tin oxide having a sheet resistance of 12-13 ohms per square.

37. An electrochromic structure comprising, in combination, first and second spaced optically transparent elements, one of said elements including a partially light transmissive and partially light reflective layer, each of said elements including electrically conductive layers, said structure defining a chamber disposed between said electrically conductive layers, a self-erasing electrochromic reversibly variable transmittance medium in said chamber in contact with each of said electrically conductive layers, the application of electrical potential to said electrically conductive layers effecting the application of an electrical potential to said electrochromic medium to cause variations in light transmitted through said partially light transmissive and partially light reflective layer.

38. The combination as set forth in

claim 37

, said partially light transmissive and partially light reflective layer being disposed on the side of said first transparent element confronting said second transparent element.

39. The combination as set forth in

claim 37

, said partially light transmissive and partially light reflective layer being disposed on the side of said first transparent element remote from said second transparent element.

40. The combination as set forth in

claim 37

, said partially light transmissive and partially light reflective layer being disposed on the side of said second transparent element confronting said first transparent element.

41. The combination as set forth in

claim 37

, said partially light transmissive and partially light reflective layer also being electrically conductive.

42. The combination as set forth in

claim 37

, said partially light transmissive and partially light reflective layer comprising an alloy including palladium and silver.

43. The combination as set forth in

claim 37

, said electrically conductive layer including fluorine doped tin oxide.

44. The combination as set forth in

claim 37

wherein said electrochromic medium is gray-scale controllable over a continuous range of light transmittance.