Vision panel having a multi-layer primer

• US 7,248,392 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Original Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Rukavina, Thomas G., Hunia, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lester; Evelyn A.
• Application Number:
  US11/472,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20070002421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 359/601, 359/614, 359/265, 359/275
• US Class Current: 359/275
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13452 Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1536 additional, e.g. protective, layer inside the cell

Abstract

An electrochromic window includes a first transparent, e.g., plastic, substrate having a first primer over at least a portion thereof and a first electrically conductive coating over at least a portion of the first primer. A second transparent plastic substrate has a second primer over at least a portion thereof and a second electrically conductive coating over at least a portion of the second primer. The first primer has a coefficient of expansion less than the coefficient of expansion of the first plastic substrate, and the second primer has a coefficient of expansion less than the coefficient of expansion of the second plastic substrate. An electrochromic medium is located between the first and second electrically conductive coatings. At least one of the first and second electrically conductive coatings has a metal layer located between first and second metal oxide layers.

Claims

1. An electrochromic window comprising:

a first transparent substrate having a first electrically-conductive coating over at least a portion thereof;

a second transparent plastic substrate having a second electrically-conductive coating over at least a portion thereof, wherein the second electrically-conductive coating comprises a metal layer located between first and second metal oxide layers; and

an electrochromic medium located between the first and second electrically-conductive coatings,

wherein the second substrate includes a primer layer located between the second substrate and the second electrically-conductive coating.

2. The electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein both substrates are plastic.

3. The electrochromic window of claim 2, wherein said first and second transparent plastic substrates are selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, acrylic and urethane plastics.

4. The electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein each substrate has a primer layer positioned between the substrate and the electrically conductive coating.

5. The electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein the metal layer comprises silver.

6. The electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second metal oxide layers comprises indium tin oxide.

7. The electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein the primer layer comprises a multi-layer primer structure.

8. The electrochromic window of claim 7, wherein the primer layer comprises at least two film layers, each film layer having a coefficient of expansion less than a coefficient of expansion of the second substrate.

9. The electrochromic window of claim 7, wherein the primer layer comprises a first film, a second film adjacent said first film, and a third film adjacent said second film, wherein said third film is closest to said electrochromic medium, said first film has a coefficient of expansion less than the coefficient of expansion of the second substrate, said second film has a coefficient of expansion less than said first film, and said third film has a coefficient of expansion less than or equal to said second film.

10. The electrochromic window of claim 1, including a primer layer located between the first substrate and the first conductive coating.

11. The electrochromic window of claim 10, wherein at least one of said primers layers comprises an epoxy silane.

12. The electrochromic window of claim 11, wherein said epoxy silane is bis phenyl A epoxy.

13. The electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein said electrochromic medium contains a viologen dye and a dimethylphenazine dye.

14. The electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein said electrochromic medium contains at least one of a polyurethane polymer or a polyurethane acrylate polymer.

15. The electrochromic window claim 1, wherein said electrochromic medium comprises tetrabutyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate.

16. The electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein an oxygen barrier layer is positioned between the electrochromic medium and at least one substrate.

17. The electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein said electrochromic medium comprises at least one anodic electrochromic compound and at least one cathodic electrochromic compound, and application of electrical potential to said electrochromic medium causes simultaneous oxidation of said anodic electrochromic compound and reduction of said cathodic electrochromic compound, thereby causing reduced luminous transmittance.

18. The electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein the window is selected from aircraft cabin windows and aircraft cockpit windows.

19. The electrochromic window of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of first spaced facilities contacting said first conductive coating and capable of delivering electrical current to said first conductive coating;

a plurality of second spaced facilities contacting said second conductive coating and capable of delivering electrical current to said second conductive coating to establish said electrical potential through said electrochromic medium;

a first plurality of connectors, each one of the first plurality of connectors connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of first spaced facilities to deliver electrical current to the at least corresponding one of the plurality of first spaced facilities; and

a second plurality of connectors, each one of the second plurality of connectors connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of second spaced facilities to deliver electrical current to the at least corresponding one of the plurality of second spaced facilities.

20. The electrochromic window of claim 19, wherein said plurality of first spaced facilities contact said first conductive coating along opposing ends thereof, and said plurality of second spaced facilities contact said second conductive coating at least along opposing ends thereof.

21. The electrochromic window of claim 20, wherein said opposing ends of said first conductive coating and said opposing ends of said second conductive coating are spaced from each other.

22. The electrochromic window of claim 1, further comprising a dust cover spaced apart from the window in an interior position of an aircraft.

23. An electrochromic window comprising:

a first transparent plastic substrate having a first primer layer over at least a portion thereof and a first electrically-conductive coating over at least a portion of said first primer layer, said first primer layer comprising a multi-film coating comprising at least a first primer film overlaying at least a portion of the first substrate and having a coefficient of expansion less than that of the first substrate, and a second primer film overlaying at least a portion of the first primer film of the first primer layer and having a coefficient of expansion less than that of the first primer film of the first primer layer;

a second transparent plastic substrate having a second primer layer over at least a portion thereof and a second electrically-conductive coating over at least a portion of said second primer layer, said second primer layer comprising a multi-film coating comprising at least a first primer film overlaying at least a portion of the second substrate and having a coefficient of expansion less than that of the second substrate, and a second primer film overlaying at least a portion of the first primer film of the second primer layer and having a coefficient of expansion less than that of the first primer film of the second primer layer; and

an electrochromic medium located between the first and second conductive coatings.

24. The electrochromic window of claim 23, wherein the first and second primer layers each further comprise a third primer film having a coefficient of expansion less than that of an adjacent second primer film.

25. The electrochromic window of claim 23, wherein the electrically conductive coatings comprise at least one metallic silver layer.