Electrochromic structures

• US 6,594,065 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2001
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Byker, Harlan J., Roberts, John K., Cammenga, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LESTER, EVELYN A
• Application Number:
  US09/866,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20010030793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/275
• 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:

a first element having a first side and a second side;

a second element having a first side and a second side, said first side of said second element confronting said second side of said first element, said first and second elements being spaced apart to define a chamber therebetween;

a first electrically conductive layer carried on said second side of said first element;

a partially reflective electrically conductive layer carried on said first side of said second element; and

an electrochromic medium in said chamber and electrically coupled with said first electrically conductive layer and said partially reflective electrically conductive layer.

2. The electrochromic structure of claim 1 and further comprising a power source electrically coupled to said first electrically conductive layer and said partially reflective electrically conductive layer for applying an electrical potential to said electrochromic medium to cause variations in the transmittance of said electrochromic medium.

3. The electrochromic structure of claim 1, wherein said first electrically conductive layer is transparent to visible light.

4. The electrochromic structure of claim 1, wherein said first and second elements are transparent to visible light.

5. The electrochromic structure of claim 1, wherein said partially reflective layer comprises an alloy including palladium and silver.

6. The electrochromic structure of claim 1, wherein said first electrically conductive layer comprises fluorine doped tin oxide.

7. The electrochromic structure of claim 1, wherein said electrochromic medium is gray-scale controllable over a continuous range of visible light transmittance.

8. The electrochromic structure of claim 1, wherein said partially reflective layer partially reflects visible light.

9. The electrochromic structure of claim 1, wherein said first electrically conductive layer is directly coupled to said electrochromic medium.

10. An electrochromic architectural window for a building structure, said window comprising:

a first element having a first side and a second side, said first side of said first element configured to face the inside of the building structure;

a second element having a first side and a second side, said first side of said second element confronting said second side of said first element, said first and second elements being spaced apart to define a chamber therebetween, said second side of said second element configured to face the outside of the building structure;

a first electrically conductive layer carried on said second side of said first element;

a partially reflective electrically conductive layer carried on said first side of said second element; and

an electrochromic medium in said chamber and electrically coupled with said first electrically conductive layer and said partially reflective electrically conductive layer.

11. The electrochromic window of claim 10 and further comprising a power source electrically coupled to said first electrically conductive layer and said partially reflective electrically conductive layer, for applying an electrical potential to said electrochromic medium to cause variations in the transmittance of said electrochromic medium.

12. The electrochromic window of claim 10, wherein said first electrically conductive layer is transparent to visible light.

13. The electrochromic window of claim 10, wherein said first and second elements are transparent to visible light.

14. The electrochromic window of claim 10, wherein said partially reflective layer comprises an alloy including palladium and silver.

15. The electrochromic window of claim 10, wherein said first electrically conductive layer comprises fluorine doped tin oxide.

16. The electrochromic window of claim 10, wherein said electrochromic medium is gray-scale controllable over a continuous range of visible light transmittance.

17. The electrochromic window of claim 10, wherein said partially reflective layer partially reflects visible light.

18. The electrochromic window of claim 10, wherein said first electrically conductive layer is directly coupled to said electrochromic medium.

19. An electrochromic architectural window for a building structure, said window comprising:

a first transparent element having a first side and a second side, said first side of said first element configured to face the inside of the building structure;

a second transparent element having a first side and a second side, said first side of said second element confronting said second side of said first element, said first and second elements being spaced apart to define a chamber therebetween, said second side of said second element configured to face the outside of the building structure;

a first transparent electrically conductive layer carried on said second side of said first element;

a second transparent electrically conductive layer carried on said first side of said second element;

a partially reflective layer carried on said second side of said second element, said partially reflective layer partially reflecting visible light impinging upon the window from the outside of the building structure; and

an electrochromic medium in said chamber and electrically coupled with said first and second transparent electrically conductive layers.

20. The electrochromic window of claim 19 and further comprising a power source electrically coupled to said first and second electrically conductive layers for applying an electrical potential to said electrochromic medium to cause variations in the transmittance of said electrochromic medium.

21. The electrochromic window of claim 19, wherein said partially reflective layer comprises an alloy including palladium and silver.

22. The electrochromic window of claim 19, wherein said first electrically conductive layer comprises fluorine doped tin oxide.

23. The electrochromic window of claim 19, wherein said electrochromic medium is gray-scale controllable over a continuous range of visible light transmittance.

24. The electrochromic window of claim 19, wherein said first and second transparent electrically conductive layers are directly coupled to said electrochromic medium.