Multi-pane electrochromic windows

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016154289-A1
Application number	US-201615013905-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 2, 2016
Priority date	Aug 5, 2010
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Window units, for example insulating glass units (IGU's), that have at least two panes, each pane having an electrochromic device thereon, are described. Two optical state devices on each pane of a dual-pane window unit provide window units having four optical states. Window units described allow the end user a greater choice of how much light is transmitted through the electrochromic window. Also, by using two or more window panes, each with its own electrochromic device, registered in a window unit, visual defects in any of the individual devices are negated by virtue of the extremely small likelihood that any of the visual defects will align perfectly and thus be observable to the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A window unit comprising:
a first substantially transparent substrate and a first electrochromic device disposed thereon; a second substantially transparent substrate and a second electrochromic device disposed thereon; and a sealing separator between the first and second substantially transparent substrates, which sealing separator defines, together with the first and second substantially transparent substrates, an interior region that is thermally insulating.

2 . The window unit of claim 1 , wherein the first and second substantially transparent substrates are substantially rigid.

3 . The window unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates comprises architectural glass.

4 . The window unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates further comprises a low emissivity coating.

5 . The window unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices faces the interior region.

6 . The window unit of claim 5 , wherein both the first and second electrochromic devices face the interior region.

7 . The window unit of claim 1 , wherein the first electrochromic device extends over substantially the entire viewable region of the first substantially transparent substrate.

8 . The window unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices is a two-state electrochromic device.

9 . The window unit of claim 8 , wherein both of the first and second electrochromic devices are two-state electrochromic devices and the window unit has two optical states.

10 . The window unit of claim 8 , wherein both of the first and second electrochromic devices are two-state electrochromic devices and the window unit has four optical states.

11 . The window unit of claim 10 , configured such that, when mounted, the first substantially transparent substrate will face outside a room or building and the second substantially transparent substrate will face inside said room or building, and wherein each of the first and second electrochromic devices has its own high transmissive state and low transmissive state, and wherein the transmittance of the second electrochromic device's low transmissive state is higher than the transmittance of the first electrochromic device's low transmissive state.

12 . The window unit of claim 11 , wherein the first electrochromic device is better able to withstand environmental degradation than the second electrochromic device.

13 . The window unit of claim 11 , wherein both the first and second electrochromic devices face the interior region.

14 . The window unit of claim 12 , wherein the second substantially transparent substrate is thinner than the first substantially transparent substrate.

15 . The window unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices is an entirely solid state and inorganic device.

16 . The window unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one transparent conductive oxide layer of the first and/or the second electrochromic devices is configured to be heated independently of operation of the electrochromic device of which it is a component.

17 . The window unit of claim 11 , wherein the transmittance of the first electrochromic device's low transmissive state is between about 5% and about 15%, and the first electrochromic devices' high transmissive state is between about 75% and about 95%; and the transmittance of the second electrochromic device's low transmissive state is between about 20% and about 30%, and the second electrochromic devices' high transmissive state is between about 75% and about 95%.

18 . The window unit of claim 10 , wherein the four optical states are:
i) overall transmittance of between about 60% and about 90%; ii) overall transmittance of between about 15% and about 30%; iii) overall transmittance of between about 5% and about 10%; and iv) overall transmittance of between about 0.1% and about 5%.

19 . The window unit of claim 1 , wherein the sealing separator is disposed about peripheral regions of the first and second substantially transparent substrates without substantially obscuring a viewable region of the window unit.

20 . The window unit of claim 1 , wherein the sealing separator hermetically seals the interior region.

21 . The window unit of claim 1 , wherein the interior region is substantially liquid and moisture free.

22 . The window unit of claim 1 , wherein the interior region contains an inert gas.

23 . The window unit of claim 3 , wherein both of the first and second substantially transparent substrates are architectural glass.

24 . The window unit of claim 14 , wherein the total number of visible defects, pinholes and short-related pinholes created from isolating visible short-related defects in the entirely solid state and inorganic device is less than about 0.1 defects per square centimeter.

25 . The window unit of claim 15 , wherein the total number of visible defects, pinholes and short-related pinholes created from isolating visible short-related defects in the entirely solid state and inorganic device is less than about 0.045 defects per square centimeter.

26 . The window unit of claim 1 , wherein the window unit has substantially no visible defects.

27 . A method of fabricating a window unit, the method comprising:
arranging, substantially parallel to each other, a first substantially transparent substrate with a first electrochromic device disposed thereon and a second substantially transparent substrate with a second electrochromic device disposed thereon; and installing a sealing separator between the first and second substantially transparent substrates, which sealing separator defines, together with the first and second substantially transparent substrates, an interior region, said interior region thermally insulating.

28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates comprises architectural glass.

29 . The method of claim 27 , wherein at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates further comprises a low emissivity coating.

30 . The method of claim 27 , wherein both the first and second electrochromic devices face the interior region.

31 . The method of claim 27 , wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices is a two-state electrochromic device.

32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein both of the first and second electrochromic devices are two-state electrochromic devices and the window unit has four optical states.

33 . The method of claim 27 , wherein at least one of the first and second electrochromic devices is an entirely solid state and inorganic device.

34 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the transmittance of the first electrochromic device's low transmissive state is between about 5% and about 15%, and the first electrochromic devices' high transmissive state is between about 75% and about 95%; and the transmittance of the second electrochromic device's low transmissive state is between about 20% and about 30%, and the second electrochromic devices' high transmissive

Assignees

• View Inc

Inventors

• Friedman Robin
• Kailasam Sridhar K
• Mulpuri Rao
• Powell Ronald A
• Shrivastava Dhairya

Classifications

• E06B9/24

  Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; {Slat blinds}(operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00) · CPC title

• E06B2009/2464

  featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels · CPC title

• H05B3/86

  the heating conductors being embedded in the transparent or reflecting material {(H05B3/845 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• C03C17/36

  at least one coating being a metal · CPC title

• H05B2203/013

  Heaters using resistive films or coatings · CPC title