EC element architecture for concealment and coating designed to hide cameras and components behind a substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11269232-B2
Application number	US-201916596080-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2019
Priority date	Oct 8, 2018
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A switchable device is provided. The switchable device includes an electro-optic element switchable between a darkened state and a transmissive state in addition to a sensor having a field of view at least partially defined by a perimeter portion of the electro-optic element. The darkened state is configured to mask the sensor and visibly match the perimeter portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A switchable device, comprising:
an electro-optic element switchable between a darkened state and a transmissive state; and
a sensor having a field of view at least partially defined by a perimeter portion of the electro-optic element,
wherein the darkened state is configured to mask the sensor and visibly match the perimeter portion.

2. The switchable device of claim 1 , wherein a shift of a color with angle should be less than about 10.0 C* units when a viewing angle is shifted up to about 60°.

3. The switchable device of claim 1 , wherein a shift of a color with angle should be less than about 5.0 C* units when a viewing angle is shifted up to about 45°.

4. The switchable device of claim 1 , wherein a shift of a color with angle should be less than about 2.5 C* units when a viewing angle is shifted up to about 30°.

5. The switchable device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a camera, a proximity sensor, a speed sensor, a light sensor, a weather sensor, a particle sensor, an animal sensor, or a combination thereof.

6. The switchable device of claim 1 , wherein the electro-optic element further comprises:
a first substantially transparent substrate defining a first surface and a second surface;
a second substantially transparent substrate defining a third surface and a fourth surface;
a primary seal disposed between the first and second substrates, the seal and the first and second substrates defining a cavity therebetween;
an electro-optic material positioned within the cavity; and
a transflective coating having a reflectance less than about 15% in a visible wavelength band positioned on the second surface, comprising:
a first layer comprising a first transparent conductive oxide;
a second layer comprising a first absorbing metal;
a third layer comprising a second transparent conductive oxide; and
a fourth layer comprising a second absorbing metal, wherein the transflective coating is in contact with the electro-optic material.

7. The switchable device of claim 6 , wherein the transflective coating has a reflectance less than about 10%.

8. The switchable device element of claim 6 , wherein a sheet resistance of the transflective coating is less than or equal to about 10 ohms/sq.

9. The switchable device of claim 6 , wherein the electro-optic material is an electrochromic material.

10. The switchable device of claim 1 , wherein the electro-optic element further comprises:
a first substantially transparent substrate defining a first surface and a second surface;
a second substantially transparent substrate defining a third surface and a fourth surface;
a primary seal disposed between the first and second substrates, the seal and the first and second substrates defining a cavity therebetween;
an electro-optic material positioned within the cavity;
a color suppressed transparent conducting oxide layer positioned on the second surface; and
an optical stack positioned on the color suppressed transparent conducting oxide layer.

11. The switchable device of claim 10 , wherein the optical stack comprises:
a first layer comprising a transparent conductive oxide;
a second layer comprising a first absorbing metal;
a third layer comprising a quarter wave transparent conductive oxide; and
a fourth layer comprising a second absorbing metal, wherein the optical stack is in contact with the electro-optic material.

12. The switchable device of claim 11 , wherein the optical stack is positioned directly on the second surface between the first substrate and the color suppressed transparent conducting oxide layer.

13. The switchable device of claim 11 , wherein the color suppressed transparent conducting oxide layer is positioned directly on the second surface between the first substrate and the optical stack.

14. The switchable device of claim 10 , wherein the optical stack comprises:
a chromium oxynitride (CrO x N y ) layer.

15. The switchable device of claim 10 , wherein the perimeter portion comprises a black conductive coating positioned between the optical stack and the seal.

16. A transparency, comprising:
a substrate defining a first surface and a second surface; and
a transflective coating having a reflectance less than about 15% in a visible wavelength band positioned on the second surface, comprising:
a first layer comprising a transparent conductive oxide;
a second layer comprising a first absorbing metal;
a third layer comprising a transparent conductive oxide; and
a fourth layer comprising a second absorbing metal, wherein the transflective coating is in contact with an electro-optic material.

17. The transparency of claim 16 , wherein a color value is less than about 10 C* for at least one of transmittance, reflectance measured from the first surface and an exterior reflectance.

18. The transparency of claim 16 , wherein the transflective coating has a reflectance less than about 10%.

19. The transparency of claim 16 , wherein the transflective coating has a reflectance of about 6%.

20. The transparency of claim 16 , wherein a sheet resistance of the transflective coating is less than or equal to about 10 ohms/sq.

Assignees

• Gentex Corp

Inventors

• Heintzelman Adam R
• Neuman George A
• Cammenga David J
• Saenger Nayver Mario F
• Gao Jian
• Niu Xiaoxu

Classifications

• G02F1/163 Primary

  Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor · CPC title

• G02F1/1524

  Transition metal compounds · CPC title

• G02F1/157 Primary

  Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices · CPC title

• G02F2203/62

  Switchable arrangements whereby the element being usually not switchable · CPC title

• G02B1/115

  Multilayers · CPC title