Distate electrochromic device

• US 8,867,116 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Kloeppner, Leroy J., Petroelje, Zachary J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US13/836,656
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/273
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1506 caused by electrodeposition, e.g. electrolytic deposition of an inorganic material on or close to an electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1502 complementary cell
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/15025 having an inorganic electrochromic layer and a second solid organic electrochromic layer

Abstract

A distate interior electrochromic mirror including: first and second substrates; an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates which includes at least one solvent, at least one anodic material, at least one cathodic material, wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic; a cross-linked polymer matrix; wherein, in a first state, the electrochromic medium exhibits a maximum light transmission; and wherein, in a second state, attenuation occurs to a significant extent in at least one of visible radiation and near-infrared radiation; and further wherein the distate electrochromic device does not materially exhibit segregation after being maintained in the second state for 24 continuous hours at 50 degrees centigrade.

Claims

1. A distate interior electrochromic mirror, comprising:

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

a second substrate having an electrically conductive material and an at least partially reflective material associated therewith;

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

at least one solvent;

at least one anodic material;

at least one cathodic material, wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic;

a cross-linked polymer matrix;

wherein, in a first state, the electrochromic medium exhibits a maximum light transmission; and

wherein, in a second state, attenuation occurs to a significant extent in at least one of visible radiation and near-infrared radiation; and

wherein the distate electrochromic device does not materially exhibit segregation after being maintained in the second state for 24 continuous hours at 50 degrees centigrade.

2. The distate interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 1, wherein, in the second state, attenuation occurs to a significant extent in both visible radiation and near-infrared radiation.

3. The distate interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 1, wherein said mirror does not materially exhibit segregation after being maintained in the second state for 48 continuous hours at 50 degrees centigrade.

4. The distate interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the at least one anodic material comprises a substituted phenazine.

5. The distate interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cathodic material comprises a viologen.

6. The distate interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the at least one anodic material and the at least one cathodic material each ranges from approximately 1 mM to approximately 500 mM.

7. The distate interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises at least one of an anodic and cathodic color-stabilizing redox buffer.

8. The distate interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises anodic and cathodic color-stabilizing redox buffers.

9. The distate interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises a thickness of at least approximately 150 microns.

10. The distate interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises a thickness of at least approximately 160 microns.

11. The distate interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises a thickness of at least approximately 170 microns.

12. The distate interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the conductivity of the electrically conductive material associated with at least one of the first and second substrates is less than 10 ohms/square.

13. The distate interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 1, wherein the conductivity of the electrically conductive material associated with at least one of the first and second substrates is less than 2 ohms/square.

14. An interior electrochromic mirror, comprising:

a front element having first and second surfaces;

a rear element having third and fourth surfaces;

wherein the front and rear elements are sealably bonded together in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber having dimensions such that the width is longer than the height and such that the second surface and the third surface face one another;

a substantially transparent first electrode including a layer of conductive material associated with the second surface and a second electrode including an at least partially reflective material associated with the third surface;

an electrochromic medium contained in the chamber and first and second electrical contacts electrically communicating with a respective one of the first and second electrodes;

wherein the electrochromic mirror is adapted to be in one of a high transmission state and a low transmission state; and

wherein after being maintained in its low transmission state for 24 continuous hours at 50 degrees centigrade, and wherein after the first and second electrodes are shorted to one another, the reflectance of the electrochromic mirror rises above approximately 50 percent of its maximum reflectance in less than 20 seconds, said measurement being taken approximately one centimeter away from an edge where a cathode is connected to a power source of the electrochromic mirror and at a midpoint of the elongated side.

15. The interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 14, wherein the reflectance of said mirror rises above approximately 75 percent of its maximum reflectance in less than 20 seconds.

16. The interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 14, wherein the reflectance of said mirror rises above approximately 90 percent of its maximum reflectance in less than 20 seconds.

17. The interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 14, wherein the reflectance of said mirror rises above approximately 90 percent of its maximum reflectance in less than 10 seconds.

18. An interior electrochromic mirror, comprising:

a front element having first and second surfaces;

a rear element having third and fourth surfaces;

wherein the front and rear elements are sealably bonded together in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber having dimensions such that the width is longer than the height, the thickness greater than approximately 150 microns, and such that the second surface and the third surface face one another;

a substantially transparent first electrode including a layer of conductive material associated with the second surface and a second electrode including an at least partially reflective material associated with the third surface;

an electrochromic medium contained in the chamber and first and second electrical contacts electrically communicating with a respective one of the first and second electrodes;

wherein the electrochromic mirror is adapted to be in one of a high transmission state and a low transmission state; and

wherein after being maintained in its low transmission state for 24 continuous hours at 50 degrees centigrade, and wherein after the first and second electrodes are shorted to one another, the reflectance of the electrochromic mirror rises above approximately 50 percent of its maximum reflectance in less than 20 seconds, said measurement being taken approximately one centimeter away from an edge where a cathode is connected to a power source of the electrochromic mirror and at a midpoint of the elongated side.

19. The interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 18, wherein the reflectance of said mirror rises above approximately 75 percent of its maximum reflectance in less than 20 seconds.

20. The interior electrochromic mirror according to claim 18, wherein the reflectance of said mirror rises above approximately 90 percent of its maximum reflectance in less than 10 seconds.