Electrochromic devices having no positional offset between substrates
First Claim
1. An electrochromic device comprising:
- a front element having a front surface and a rear surface having a first layer of electrically conductive material disposed thereon;
a rear element having a front surface and a rear surface, said front surface of said rear element having a second layer of electrically conductive material disposed thereon;
a seal provided to sealably bond said elements together in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber;
an electrochromic material disposed in said chamber; and
an electrical conductor selected from the group comprising;
a conductor provided to electrically couple a portion of said first conductive layer with a portion of said second conductive layer wherein said conductor is provided on an outside peripheral edge of at least one of said front and rear elements; and
an electrically conductive wire or strip disposed between said first and second conductive layers and in electrical contact with at least one of said conductive layers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
To allow an electrochromic device to have little or no offset between its front and rear elements, an electrical conductor may be provided to electrically couple a portion of a first conductive layer provided on the rear surface of the front element with a portion of a second conductive layer provided on the front surface of the rear element. The electrical conductor may be in the form of a conductive portion of the seal. To prevent shorting across the electrochromic medium, at least one of the first and second conductive layers is separated into a first portion and a second portion that is electrically isolated from the first portion and is in electrical contact with the electrochromic material. An elastomeric bezel may be utilized. Also, an edge seal may optionally be employed so as to reduce the need or width of the bezel.
25 Citations
51 Claims
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1. An electrochromic device comprising:
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a front element having a front surface and a rear surface having a first layer of electrically conductive material disposed thereon;
a rear element having a front surface and a rear surface, said front surface of said rear element having a second layer of electrically conductive material disposed thereon;
a seal provided to sealably bond said elements together in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber;
an electrochromic material disposed in said chamber; and
an electrical conductor selected from the group comprising;
a conductor provided to electrically couple a portion of said first conductive layer with a portion of said second conductive layer wherein said conductor is provided on an outside peripheral edge of at least one of said front and rear elements; and
an electrically conductive wire or strip disposed between said first and second conductive layers and in electrical contact with at least one of said conductive layers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of making an electrochromic device, said method comprising:
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providing a front element having a peripheral edge, a front surface, and a rear surface having a first layer of electrically conductive material disposed thereon;
providing a rear element having a peripheral edge, a front surface, and a rear surface, said front surface of said rear element having a second layer of electrically conductive material disposed thereon;
coating an electrically conductive material to at least a portion of at least one of said peripheral edges;
providing a seal provided to sealably bond said elements together in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber; and
dispensing an electrochromic material in said chamber, wherein said front and rear elements are substantially aligned with less than 0.5 mm offset in any lateral direction. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An electrochromic device comprising:
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a front element having a peripheral edge, a front surface, and a rear surface having a first layer of electrically conductive material disposed thereon;
a rear element having a peripheral edge, a front surface, and a rear surface, said front surface of said rear element having a second layer of electrically conductive material disposed thereon;
an electrochromic material; and
a seal provided to sealably bond said elements together to define a chamber in which said electrochromic material is disposed, wherein said seal is selected from the group comprising;
a seal having at least two electrically conductive regions;
a seal having at least one electrically conductive region wherein said electrically conductive region of said seal extends less than all of the height of said seal;
a seal provided on both said front and rear elements wherein said seal comprises a thin member bonded to the peripheral edge of at least one of said front and rear elements;
a seal provided on both said front and rear elements wherein said seal is provided predominately on the peripheral edges of said front and rear elements; and
a seal provided on the peripheral edges of both said front and rear elements comprising a first material having an oxygen permeability of less than about 2.0 cm3·
mm/m2·
day·
atm. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification