Busbars for electrically powered cells

• US 20020044331A1
• Filed: 09/20/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anoop Agrawal, Gimtong Teowee, John Cronin, Juan Carlos Lopez Tonazzi, Kevin Mccarthy, Matthew Denesuk, Robert Lecompte, Steve Kennedy
• Original Assignee: Anoop Agrawal, Gimtong Teowee, John Cronin, Juan Carlos Lopez Tonazzi, Kevin Mccarthy, Matthew Denesuk, Robert Lecompte, Steve Kennedy
• Inventors: Kennedy, Steve, Agrawal, Anoop, McCarthy, Kevin, Teowee, Gimtong, Denesuk, Matthew, Tonazzi, Juan Carlos Lopez, Cronin, John, LeCompte, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 6,449,082 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 14/005 Photoelectrochemical storage cells light sensitive devices H01G9/20, semiconductors sensitive to light H01L31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7076 for connection between PCB and component, e.g. display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/403 Edge contacts; Windows or holes in the substrate having plural connections on the walls thereof H05K3/4092 takes precedence

Abstract

Edge busbars on a substantial perimeter of an electrochromic device are disclosed having electrical paths wrapping over the perimeter edge. Internal busbars interior from the perimeter are disclosed which lower the conductivity of the conductive layer of an electrochromic device. Signals supplied to the busbars to control the electrochromic device are controlled by a switching power supply that allows the maintaining of the color of the electrochromic device without application of continuous power.

Claims

1. An edge busbar having a shape effective to be peripherally disposed about a substantial perimeter of an edge, between a first surface and an opposite second surface, of an electrical device, wherein said edge busbar comprises:

at least one electrically conductive connector portion effective to form an electrically conductive path from said first surface, wrapping transversely around a portion of said edge, to said opposite second surface; and

an electrically conductive perimeter portion in electrical contact with said connector portion, wherein said perimeter portion is peripherally on said substantial perimeter.

2. An edge busbar according to claim 1, wherein said connector portion includes a plurality of said electrically conductive paths;

and wherein said perimeter portion is in electrical contact with said plurality of electrically conductive paths.

3. An edge busbar according to claim 1, further including a conductive layer formed on said first surface;

and wherein said connector portion has at least one separating portion electrically bridged by said conductive layer.

4. An edge busbar according to claim 1, wherein said connector portion and said perimeter portion are composed of aluminum, copper, gold, silver, tungsten, stainless steel, tin, copper/beryllium alloy, indium, nickel, rhodium, nichrome, solder, or a conductive metal oxide.

5. An edge busbar according to claim 1, wherein said edge busbar is composed of a metal in substantially a sheet configuration, wherein said sheet includes a ribbon having a plurality of first finger portions extending from a side of said ribbon, said ribbon forming said perimeter portion and said first finger portions forming said connector portions.

6. An edge busbar according to claim 5, wherein said sheet further includes a second plurality of finger portions extending from an opposite second side of said ribbon, said ribbon forming said perimeter portion and said first and second finger portions forming said connector portions.

7. An edge busbar according to claim 1, wherein said at least one connector portion is made from a cured metallic frit, conductive ink, or conductive adhesive.

8. An edge busbar according to claim 1, wherein said at least one connector portion is composed of indium tin oxide or doped tin oxide.

9. An edge busbar pair comprising a first edge busbar and a second edge busbar, each edge busbar of said pair having a shape to be peripherally disposed about a respective substantial perimeter edge of a first substrate and a second substrate respectively of an electrical device, said edge busbar pair further including:

said first busbar comprising a first connector portion and a first perimeter portion, said first connector portion effective to form an electrically conductive first path from a first front surface of said first substrate, wrapping around a portion of said edge of said first substrate, to an opposite first back surface of said first substrate, said first perimeter portion being in electrical contact with said first connector portion, and wherein said first perimeter portion is peripherally on said first substantial perimeter of said first substrate;

a second busbar comprising a second connector portion and a second perimeter portion, said second connector portion effective to form an electrically conductive second path from a second front surface of said second substrate, wrapping around a portion of an edge of said second substrate, to an opposite second back surface of said second substrate, said second perimeter portion being in electrical contact with said second connector portion, and wherein said second perimeter portion is peripherally on said second substantial perimeter of said second substrate; and

wherein said first front surface and said second front surface proximately face each other.

10. An edge busbar pair according to claim 9, wherein said first substantial perimeter is correspondingly opposite said second substantial perimeter.

11. An edge busbar pair according to claim 9, wherein said first and second connector portions each includes a plurality of said electrically conductive respective first and second paths;

and wherein said first and second perimeter portions are in electrical contact with said respective plurality of electrically conductive first and second paths.

12. An edge busbar pair according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of first paths and said plurality of second paths are in an alternating relation.

13. An edge busbar pair according to claim 12, wherein said first and second connector portions have a thickness in the range of from more than one half of a gap distance to less than said gap distance;

and wherein said gap distance is the distance separating said first front surface and said second front surface.

14. An edge busbar pair according to claim 9 or 11, further including an insulator disposed between said first substrate and said second substrate effective to prevent electrical shorting of said first connector portion to said second connector portion.

15. An edge busbar pair according to claim 9, wherein said first and second connector portions and said first and second connector perimeter portions are composed of aluminum, copper, gold, silver, tungsten, stainless steel, tin, copper/beryllium alloy, indium, nickel, rhodium, nichrome, solder, or a conductive metal oxide.

17. An electrochromic device according to claim 16, wherein said plurality of first paths and said plurality of second paths are in an alternating relation.

18. An electrochromic device according to claim 16, wherein said first and second connector portions have a thickness in the range of from more than one half of a gap distance to less than said gap distance;

and wherein said gap distance is the distance separating said first substrate and said second substrate.

20. An internal busbar according to claim 19, wherein said conductive layer is isolated from chemical reaction with said reactive layer by a passivation layer.

21. An internal busbar according to claim 19, wherein said at least one conductive strip is substantially embedded in the substrate.

22. An internal busbar according to claim 19, wherein said at least one conductive strip is on an opposite second surface of said substrate, and said at least one connecting portion extends through said substrate from said first surface to said at least one conductive strip.

24. An internal busbar according to claim 23, wherein said conductive strip is substantially embedded in the substrate.

25. An internal busbar according to claim 23, wherein said conductive strip is embedded in the substrate, and wherein said conductive strip has a longitudinal surface coextensive with a surface of the conductive surface layer.

26. An internal busbar according to claim 23, comprising a plurality of said conductive strips;

and further comprising;

at least one sublayer conductive strip under the conductive layer, said sublayer conductive strip having increased electrical conductance per unit length from the conductive layer.

27. An internal busbar according to claim 23, wherein said at least one conductive strip has a transverse axis at an angle to the axis perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.

28. An internal busbar according to claim 27, wherein said transverse axis is parallel to a viewing direction of the substrate.

29. An internal busbar according to claim 28, wherein the substrate is a part of a window, a windshield, a sunroof, a light filter, or a mirror.

30. An internal busbar according to claim 23, wherein said at least one conductive strip is composed of a cured metallic frit, conductive ink, conductive epoxy, a metal rod, or a metal bar.

16. An electrochromic device comprising a first substrate;

a second substrate; and

an edge busbar pair, wherein said edge busbar pair comprising a first edge busbar and a second edge busbar, each edge busbar of said pair peripherally disposed about a respective substantial perimeter edge of said first substrate and said second substrate respectively, said edge busbar pair further including;

said first busbar comprising a first connector portion and a first perimeter portion, said first connector portion effective to form an electrically conductive first path from a first front surface of said first substrate, wrapping around a portion of said edge of said first substrate, to an opposite first back surface of said first substrate, said first perimeter portion being in electrical contact with said first connector portion, and wherein said first perimeter portion is peripherally on said first substantial perimeter of said first substrate;

a second busbar comprising a second connector portion and a second perimeter portion, said second connector portion effective to form an electrically conductive second path from a second front surface of said second substrate, wrapping around a portion of an edge of said second substrate, to an opposite second back surface of said second substrate, said second perimeter portion being in electrical contact with said second connector portion, and wherein said second perimeter portion is peripherally on said second substantial perimeter of said second substrate; and

wherein said first front surface and said second front surface face each other.

19. An internal busbar for a substrate having a conductive layer and a reactive layer on a first surface, said internal busbar comprising:

at least one conductive strip, isolated from chemical reaction with said reactive layer; and

at least one conductive connecting portion, each connecting portion electrically connecting a non-peripheral portion of said conductive layer to a segment of said conductive strip.

23. An internal busbar for a substrate having a conductive layer on a surface of the substrate, said internal busbar comprising:

at least one conductive strip having increased electrical conductance per unit length from the conductive layer in a longitudinal direction of said conductive strip, and said conductive strip having a perimeter in contact with the conductive layer.

31. A transparent conducting sheet comprising:

a transparent substrate sheet;

a transparent electrically conducting layer on a substantial surface of said substrate sheet; and

at least one conductive strip interior to a perimeter edge of said conducting layer;

said at least on e conductive strip effective to lower an effective conductivity of said conducting layer.

32. A transparent conducting sheet according to claim 31, further including at least one edge conductor electrically connected to said transparent conducting layer on a portion of a peripheral edge of said substrate sheet.

33. A transparent conducting sheet according to claim 31, wherein an end of said conductive strip is proximate to said edge conductor, separated by a proximate distance from said edge conductor, and wherein said proximate distance is electrically bridged by said conducting layer.

35. An electrical device according to claim 36, wherein said at least one conductive strip has an end proximate to said edge conductor.

36. An electrical device according to claim 37, wherein said end and said edge conductor form a gap bridged by said conductive layer.

38. A chromogenic device according to claim 37, wherein said first property is optical transmittance.

39. A chromogenic device according to claim 37, wherein said second property is temperature.

34. An electrical device comprising:

a conductive layer;

an edge conductor on a perimeter portion of said conductive layer; and

at least one conductive strip having increased electrical conductance per unit length from said conductive layer, and said conductive strip having a perimeter in contact with said conductive layer.

37. A chromogenic device comprising:

a plurality of layers responsive to a first signal applied transversely effective to cause a change in a first property of said chromogenic device, and responsive to a second signal applied in a laminar direction effective to cause a change in a second property of said chromogenic device;

at least one conductor strip arranged in said laminar direction, said conductor strip interior of a perimeter of said layers;

a first edge conductor at a first perimeter portion of a first layer of said layers;

a second edge conductor at a second perimeter portion of a second layer of said layers;

wherein application of said first signal transversely from said first edge conductor to said second edge conductor, without application of a potential difference longitudinally along said at least one conductor strip, causes a responsive change in said first property without a change in said second property; and

wherein application of said second signal as a longitudinal signal along said at least one conductor strip, without a transverse potential difference between said first and second edge conductors, causes a responsive change in said second property without a change in said first property.

40. A method to form an interior busbar comprising the steps of:

forming at least one channel on a surface of a substrate interior to the perimeter;

applying a conductive material to said at least one channel;

applying a conductive layer over said surface effective to completely cover said applied conductive material.

41. A method to control an electrochromic device having a light transmission property that responds to a physical or chemical effect, wherein the light transmission property changes in response to an electrical signal, wherein said method comprises the step of:

intermittently applying the electrical signal by controlling the on duration t₁ and the off duration t₂ of the electrical signal individually, in response to the physical or chemical effect, effective to maintain the light transmission property within a range of about 1% to about 10% of a predetermined value of said light transmission property.

42. A method according to claim 41, wherein said t₁ and t₂ are controlled in response to the physical effect of temperature.

43. A method according to claim 41, wherein at least one of (i) the current, and (ii) the change of current with time, (iii) output from photosensors, (iv) charge passed through the device, (v) cell potential, to said electrochromic device is used to respond to the change caused in the device by the change in temperature;

by changing said t₁ and t₂.

44. A method according to claim 41, wherein the temperature of the electrochromic cell is used to influence the control circuit so as to adjust t₁ and t₂.

46. An electrochromic device according to claim 45, wherein the means to intermittently apply the electrical signal is a control circuit which includes:

an astable timer that supplies an input to a first RC timing circuit; and

a monostable timer that supplies an input to a second RC timing circuit;

wherein a first output from the first RC timing circuit and a second output from the second RC timing circuit is applied to the electrochromic device.

47. An electrochromic device according to claim 46, wherein a microcontroller provides t₁ and t₂.

48. An electrochromic device according to claim 45 or 46, wherein the voltage of the electrical signal is supplied from a regulated power supply that is regulated by a switching voltage regulator.

45. An electrochromic device having a light transmission property that responds to a physical or chemical property, wherein the light transmission property changes in response to an electrical signal, wherein said electrochromic device includes:

a means to intermittently apply the electrical signal by controlling the on duration t₁ and the off duration t₂ of the electrical signal individually, in response to the physical or chemical property, effective to maintain the light transmission property within a range of about 1% to about 10% of a predetermined value of the light transmission property.

49. A method to control an electrochromic device having a light transmission property that responds to a physical or chemical property, wherein the light transmission property changes in response to an electrical signal, wherein said method comprises the step of:

intermittently applying the electrical signal by controlling the on duration t₁ and the off duration t₂ of the electrical signal individually, in response to the physical or chemical property, effective to maintain the light transmission property within a range of about 1% to about 10% of a predetermined value of said light transmission property;

wherein the voltage of the applied electrical signal is supplied from a regulated power supply that is regulated by a switching voltage regulator.

50. An electronic circuit to power a chromogenic device wherein the voltage reduction is carried out using a switching voltage regulator.