SUNROOF INCORPORATING ELECTRO-OPTIC ELEMENT

• US 20170100991A1
• Filed: 10/07/2016
• Published: 04/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Cammenga, David J., Poll, David L., Tonar, William L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,668,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10005 laminated safety glass or glazing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10513 Electrochromic layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/1077 containing polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10788 containing ethylene vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2323/04 Polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2369/00 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/2094 Protective means for window, e.g. additional panel or foil, against vandalism, dirt, wear, shattered glass, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/04 adjustable in transparency
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/043 Sunroofs B60J7/047 - B60J7/053 take precedencee.g. sliding above the roof
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1536 additional, e.g. protective, layer inside the cell

Abstract

A vehicle sunroof comprising an electro-optic device is disclosed. The electro-optic device forms a variable transmission window comprising a first layer, a second layer, and an electro-optic medium disposed between the first layer and the second layer. At least one of the first layer and the second layer correspond to a polymeric film. The sunroof further comprises a frame configured to connect the electro-optic device to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle sunroof comprising:

an electro-optic device forming a variable transmission window comprising;

a first layer;

a second layer;

an electro-optic medium disposed between the first layer and the second layer, wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer correspond to a polymeric film; and

a frame configured to connect the electro-optic device to the vehicle.

2. The sunroof according to claim 1, further comprising a first protective substrate adjacent to the polymeric film.

3. The sunroof according to claim 2, wherein the polymeric film corresponds to a flexible material configured to conform to a contour of the first protective substrate.

4. The sunroof according to claim 2, wherein the first protective substrate forms an exterior protective layer of the sunroof.

5. The sunroof according to claim 2, wherein the at least one protective substrate is bonded to the polymeric film by a lamination layer.

6. The sunroof according to claim 1, wherein the first layer and the second layer each correspond to a film layer of flexible, polymeric material.

7. The sunroof according to claim 2, further comprising a second protective substrate.

8. The sunroof according to claim 7, wherein the second protective substrate forms an interior protective layer of the sunroof.

9. The sunroof according to claim 7, wherein the first protective substrate is bonded to the first layer by a first lamination substrate and the second protective substrate is bonded to the second layer by a second lamination layer.

10. The sunroof according to claim 9, wherein the first protective substrate, the second protective substrate, the lamination layers, and the electro-optic device form a combined thickness, the thickness being less than or equal to 4 mm.

11. The sunroof according to claim 10, wherein the sunroof of the thickness of less than or equal to 4 mm is operable to prevent a penetration of a 225 gram steel ball striking the first protective substrate after 9 m of gravitational acceleration.

12. The sunroof according to claim 7, wherein the first protective substrate and the second protective substrate each have a thickness or less than or equal to 1.4 mm.

13. A vehicle sunroof comprising:

an electro-optic device forming a variable transmission window comprising;

a first layer;

a second layer;

an electro-optic medium disposed between the first layer and the second layer, wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer correspond to a polymeric film; and

a frame configured to connect the electro-optic device to the vehicle.

14. The sunroof according to claim 13, wherein the electro-optic medium is configured to laminate the first layer and the second layer together.

15. The sunroof according to claim 13, wherein the electro-optic medium corresponds to an electrochromic material a heavily cross-linked material that adheres to the first substrate and the second substrate.

16. The sunroof according to claim 13, further comprising at least one protective substrate adjacent to the first layer.

17. The sunroof according to claim 16, wherein the at least one protective substrate is bonded to the first layer by a lamination layer.

18. The sunroof according to claim 17, wherein the lamination layer comprises a lamination material corresponding to at least one of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), thermoset EVA, and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

19. A vehicle sunroof comprising:

an electro-optic device forming a variable transmission window comprising;

a first film layer;

a second film layer;

an electrochromic medium disposed between the first film layer and the second film layer; and

a first protective substrate bonded to the first film layer via a first lamination layer;

a second protective substrate bonded to the second film layer via a second lamination layer; and

a frame configured to connect the electro-optic device to the vehicle.

20. The sunroof according to claim 19, wherein the electro-optic device, the first protective layer, the second protective layer, and the lamination layer combine to form a thickness of the sunroof, and wherein the thickness less than 4 mm.