Multi-cell electrochromic devices

• US 20060268385A1
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Guarr, Thomas F., Bauer, Frederick T., Theiste, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,256,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor

Abstract

A multi-cell electrochromic device comprising: first and second electrochromic device sub-assemblies which each comprise; a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith and second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates, wherein the electrochromic medium comprises: at least one solvent; at least one anodic electroactive material; at least one cathodic electroactive material; wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and wherein the first and second electrochromic device sub-assemblies are in optical alignment, and further wherein the multi-cell electrochromic device exhibits a transmittance of less than approximately 1.5% in a low transmission state.

Claims

1. A multi-cell electrochromic device, comprising:

a first electrochromic device sub-assembly comprising;

a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith;

a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and

an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates, wherein the electrochromic medium comprises;

at least one solvent;

at least one anodic electroactive material;

at least one cathodic electroactive material; and

wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic;

a second electrochromic device sub-assembly comprising;

a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith;

a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and

an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates, wherein the electrochromic medium comprises;

at least one solvent;

at least one anodic electroactive material;

at least one cathodic electroactive material; and

wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and

wherein the first and second electrochromic device sub-assemblies are in optical alignment, and wherein the multi-cell electrochromic device exhibits a transmittance of less than approximately 1.5% in a low transmission state.

2. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the multi-cell electrochromic device exhibits a transmittance of less than approximately 1.0% in a low transmission state.

3. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the multi-cell electrochromic device exhibits a transmittance of less than approximately 0.5% in a low transmission state.

4. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the multi-cell electrochromic device transitions upon clearing from a lowest transmission state to approximately 1% transmission in a shorter period of time than a single-cell electrochromic device having essentially the same optical properties.

5. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the multi-cell electrochromic device transitions upon clearing from a lowest transmission state to approximately 2% transmission in a shorter period of time than a single-cell electrochromic device having essentially the same optical properties.

6. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the multi-cell electrochromic device sub-assembly substrates comprises a thickness of less than approximately 1 millimeter.

7. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein each one of the multi-cell electrochromic device sub-assembly substrates comprises a thickness of less than approximately 1 millimeter.

8. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the multi-cell electrochromic device comprises an electrochromic window.

9. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein a substrate is coated with a reflective material.

10. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 9, wherein the reflective material is selected from the group comprising chromium, ruthenium, rhodium, silver, alloys and/or combinations of the same, and stacked layers thereof.

11. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 10, wherein the multi-cell electrochromic device is an electrochromic mirror.

12. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 1, where the multi-cell electrochromic device is an aircraft transparency.

13. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the multi-cell electrochromic device comprises a metallic ring around the perimeter.

14. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein an electrochromic medium further comprises at least one of a cross-linked polymer matrix, a free-standing gel, and a substantially non-weeping gel.

15. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein an electrochromic medium further comprises at least one redox buffer.

16. A multi-cell electrochromic device, comprising:

a first electrochromic device sub-assembly comprising;

a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith;

a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and

an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates, wherein the electrochromic medium comprises;

at least one solvent;

at least one anodic electroactive material;

at least one cathodic electroactive material; and

wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic;

a second electrochromic device sub-assembly comprising;

a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith;

a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and

an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates, wherein the electrochromic medium comprises;

at least one solvent;

at least one anodic electroactive material;

at least one cathodic electroactive material; and

wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and

wherein the first and second electrochromic device sub-assemblies are in optical alignment, and wherein the multi-cell electrochromic device exhibits a transmittance of less than approximately 1.0% in a low transmission state, and further wherein the multi-cell electrochromic device transitions upon clearing from a lowest transmission state to approximately 1% transmission in a shorter period of time than a single-cell electrochromic device having essentially the same optical properties.

17. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the multi-cell electrochromic device sub-assembly substrates comprises a thickness of less than approximately 1 millimeter.

18. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 16, wherein each one of the multi-cell electrochromic device sub-assembly substrates comprises a thickness of less than approximately 1 millimeter.

19. The multi-cell electrochromic device according to claim 16, wherein an electrochromic medium further comprises at least one of a cross-linked polymer matrix, a free-standing gel, and a substantially non-weeping gel.

20. An aircraft transparency, comprising:

a first aircraft transparency sub-assembly comprising;

a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith;

a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and

an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates, wherein the electrochromic medium comprises;

at least one solvent;

at least one anodic electroactive material;

at least one cathodic electroactive material; and

wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic;

a second aircraft transparency sub-assembly comprising;

a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith;

a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and

an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates, wherein the electrochromic medium comprises;

at least one solvent;

at least one anodic electroactive material;

at least one cathodic electroactive material; and

wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and

wherein the first and second aircraft transparency sub-assemblies are in optical alignment, and wherein the aircraft transparency exhibits a transmittance of less than approximately 1.0% in a low transmission state.