Connectors for smart windows

• US 9,690,162 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2016
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: View Incorporated
• Original Assignee: View Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen C., Wilbur, Travis
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US15/217,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20160357083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2417 Light path control; means to control reflection
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66 Units comprising two or more parallel glass or like panes permanently secured together reforming and uniting glass sheets by fusing C03B23/00; joining glass to glass or to other materials C03C27/00; laminated glass B32B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6612 Evacuated glazing units
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6621 with special provisions for fitting in window frames or to adjacent units; Separate edge protecting strips E06B3/66347 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66304 Discrete spacing elements, e.g. for evacuated glazing units
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66309 Section members positioned at the edges of the glazing unit
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66328 of rubber, plastics or similar materials E06B3/66314, E06B3/66323 and E06B3/66342 take precedence; transparent materials E06B3/66333
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/667 Connectors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6722 with adjustable passage of light
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/673 Assembling the units E06B3/677 takes precedence ; making hollow glass sheets or bricks C03B23/24
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/67326 Assembling spacer elements with the panes
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/67391 Apparatus travelling around the periphery of the pane or the unit
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/00 Special arrangements or measures in connection with doors or windows arrangements against burglary at the edges of the wings E06B5/113 ; screening or similar protective devices E06B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/28 Other arrangements on doors or windows, e.g. door-plates, windows adapted to carry plants, hooks for window cleaners edge protecting devices for door leaves E06B3/88; special glazing; emergency glazing; double glazing E06B3/66
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/00 Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction E06B5/10 takes precedence; wings for doors or windows, connected at their edges, E06B3/48; additional indoor equipment of doors or windows, not forming part of the proper finishing work of a building, e.g. curtains, A47H; gratings as building elements E04C2/24; fastening means E05; operating-mechanisms for wings in general E05F
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1345 Conductors connecting electrodes to cell terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1523 comprising inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/161 : Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 : Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/79 : connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 : Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 : allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/73 : Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 : Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/76 : with sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/14 : Rails or bus-bars constructed so that the counterparts can be connected thereto at any point along their length supporting elements for lighting devices, displaceable along guiding elements and making electrical contact with conductors running along the guiding elements F21V21/35
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/162 : Electrical connections between or with rails or bus-bars rails having primarily a non electrical function H01R4/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/12 : by twisting
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 41/00 : Non-rotary current collectors for maintaining contact between moving and stationary parts of an electric circuit end pieces terminating in a hook or the like H01R11/12; current collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

This disclosure provides connectors for smart windows. A smart window may incorporate an optically switchable pane. In one aspect, a window unit includes an insulated glass unit including an optically switchable pane. A wire assembly may be attached to the edge of the insulated glass unit and may include wires in electrical communication with electrodes of the optically switchable pane. A floating connector may be attached to a distal end of the wire assembly. The floating connector may include a flange and a nose, with two holes in the flange for affixing the floating connector to a first frame. The nose may include a terminal face that present two exposed contacts of opposite polarity.

Claims

1. An electrical connection system comprising:

a smart window including an optically switchable pane; and

a track at the perimeter of the smart window, the track comprising a frame and two or more rails electrically connected via one or more wires and/or bus bars to the optically switchable pane, wherein the track is configured to accept a connector configured to establish electrical communication with the two or more rails and provide power to the optically switchable pane.

2. The electrical connection system of claim 1, wherein the optically switchable pane comprises an electrochromic device.

3. The electrical connection system of claim 1, wherein the smart window also includes a second pane and a separator sealed between the optically switchable pane and the second pane to form an insulated glass unit and wherein the connector is in electrical communication with a window controller.

4. The electrical connection system of claim 3, wherein the frame forms a secondary seal between the optically switchable pane and the second pane.

5. The electrical connection system of claim 4, wherein the frame traverses the entire perimeter of the insulated glass unit.

6. The electrical connection system of claim 3, wherein the two or more rails are wires.

7. The electrical connection system of claim 3, wherein the two or more rails run along only a portion of the perimeter of the frame.

8. The electrical connection system of claim 3, wherein the frame further comprises one or more recesses, and wherein the two or more rails reside within the one or more recesses.

9. The electrical connection system of claim 8, wherein the frame further comprises a slot configured to receive the connector, the connector comprising a pair of conductor tabs, the distal ends of the pair of conductor tabs configured to contact the two or more rails residing in the one or more recesses when the connector is inserted into the slot and twisted.

10. The electrical connection system of claim 9, wherein first ends of two wires of opposite polarity are electrically connected to the pair of conductor tabs respectively and wherein second ends of the two wires are in electrical communication with the window controller.

11. The electrical connection system of claim 10, wherein the frame further comprises one or more additional recesses on an opposite side of the frame, wherein one or more wires electrically connecting the two or more rails to the bus bars are substantially housed in the one or more additional recesses.

12. The electrical connection system of claim 11, further comprising:

an aperture in the frame, wherein the one or more wires electrically connecting the two or more rails to the bus bars pass through the aperture, and

a seal, configured to seal any gaps between the one or more wires and the aperture.

13. The electrical connection system of claim 12, wherein the frame comprises a unitary body.

14. The electrical connection system of claim 9, wherein the one or more recesses comprise a first recess and a second recess, the first recess having a different height than the second recess and the pair of conductor tabs have different thicknesses, each corresponding to the height of the first and second recesses so as to permit installation of the connector in only one way.

15. The electrical connection system of claim 8, wherein the frame is formed of an extruded or molded material and the two or more rails are located in the recesses of the frame after extrusion or molding.

16. The electrical connection system of claim 8, wherein the frame comprises a unitary body.

17. The electrical connection system of claim 3, further comprising one or more wires electrically connecting the two or more rails to the bus bars of the optically switchable pane.

18. The electrical connection system of claim 17, further comprising:

an aperture in the frame, wherein the one or more wires connecting the two or more rails to the bus bars pass through the aperture, and

a seal configured to seal any gaps between the one or more wires and the aperture.

19. The electrical connection system of claim 1, wherein the two or more rails are made of conductive material and the frame is made of non-conductive material.

20. The electrical connection system of claim 19, wherein the frame is made of an extruded polymer formed to hold the two or more rails in place.