Obscuring bus bars in electrochromic glass structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11966141-B2
Application number	US-202117178242-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2021
Priority date	Dec 24, 2013
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

Embodiments described include bus bars for electrochromic or other optical state changing devices. The bus bars are configured to color match and/or provide minimal optical contrast with their surrounding environment in the optical device. Such bus bars may be transparent bus bars.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An insulated glass unit, comprising:
a first substantially transparent substrate and a second substantially transparent substrate;
a spacer between the first and second substantially transparent substrates;
a primary seal between the spacer and the first substantially transparent substrate and between the spacer and the second substantially transparent substrate;
an electrochromic device disposed on at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates; and
a bus bar in electrical communication with the electrochromic device, the bus bar comprising an electrically conductive material with one or more tinting agents configured to approximate color and/or luminescence of a background to the bus bar, wherein the bus bar is located in the primary seal.

2. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more tinting agents are configured for a contrast in luminescence and/or color between the bus bar and the background that is within a predefined range.

3. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the background is from a vantage point of an observer outside the insulated glass unit.

4. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more tinting agents comprise carbon black, graphite, and/or graphene.

5. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the bus bar comprises one or more of carbon black, graphite, a graphite-based material, graphene, and a graphene-based material.

6. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive material of the bus bar comprises a metallic ink with the one or more tinting agents.

7. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive material of the bus bar comprises a silver ink with the one or more tinting agents comprising carbon black, graphite, and/or graphene.

8. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the primary seal comprises an elastomeric material.

9. The insulated glass unit of claim 8 , wherein the elastomeric material is polyisobutylene (PIB) or polyvinyl butyral (PVB).

10. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the primary seal comprises a tinting agent.

11. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the bus bar is located between the spacer and the first and second substantially transparent substrates.

12. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the background of the bus bar comprises the spacer and/or the primary seal.

13. The insulated glass unit of claim 12 , wherein the spacer comprises a metal material with an electrically insulating coating.

14. The insulated glass unit of claim 12 , wherein the spacer comprises a metal material or a polymeric material.

15. The insulated glass unit of claim 12 , wherein the spacer comprises a steel material.

16. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the background of the bus bar comprises a metal material or a polymeric material.

17. An insulated glass unit, comprising:
a first substantially transparent substrate and a second substantially transparent substrate;
a spacer between the first and second substantially transparent substrates;
a primary seal between the spacer and the first substantially transparent substrate and between the spacer and the second substantially transparent substrate;
an electrochromic device disposed on at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates; and
a bus bar in electrical communication with the electrochromic device, the bus bar comprising an electrically conductive material with one or more materials having a color similar to a background of the bus bar, wherein the bus bar is located in the primary seal.

18. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the background is from a vantage point of an observer outside the insulated glass unit.

19. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the one or more materials comprises one or more of carbon black, graphite, a graphite-based material, graphene, and a graphene-based material.

20. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the electrically conductive material of the bus bar comprises a metallic ink with one or more tinting agents.

21. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the electrically conductive material of the bus bar comprises a silver ink with one or more tinting agents comprising carbon black, graphite, and/or graphene.

22. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the primary seal comprises an elastomeric material.

23. The insulated glass unit of claim 22 , wherein the elastomeric material is polyisobutylene (PIB) or polyvinyl butyral (PVB).

24. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the primary seal comprises a tinting agent.

25. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the bus bar is located between the spacer and the first and second substantially transparent substrates.

26. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the background of the bus bar comprises the spacer and/or the primary seal.

27. The insulated glass unit of claim 26 , wherein the spacer comprises a metal material with an electrically insulating coating.

28. The insulated glass unit of claim 26 , wherein the spacer comprises a metal material or a polymeric material.

29. The insulated glass unit of claim 26 , wherein the spacer comprises a steel material.

30. The insulated glass unit of claim 26 , wherein the background of the bus bar comprises a metal material or a polymeric material.

Assignees

• View Inc

Inventors

• Rozbicki Robert T
• Jack Gordon E
• Mehtani Disha

Classifications

• G02F1/1533 Primary

  structural features not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G02F1/155

  Electrodes · CPC title

• G02F1/153

  Constructional details · CPC title

• B32B17/10036

  comprising two outer glass sheets · CPC title

• B32B17/10055

  with at least one intermediate air space · CPC title