Multi-zone ec windows

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019242184-A1
Application number	US-201916388743-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 18, 2019
Priority date	Mar 13, 2012
Publication date	Aug 8, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Thin-film devices, for example, multi-zone electrochromic windows, and methods of manufacturing are described. In certain cases, a multi-zone electrochromic window comprises a monolithic EC device on a transparent substrate and two or more tinting zones, wherein the tinting zones are configured for independent operation.

First claim

1 . An electrochromic (EC) window comprising:
an EC device on a transparent substrate, the EC device comprising bus bars; a region of the transparent substrate that is not covered by the EC device, the region capable of providing, when not mitigated, a bright spot or bright region when the EC device is tinted; and an obscuring material over the region, wherein the obscuring material has a lower transmittance than the transparent substrate.

2 . The electrochromic window of claim 1 , wherein the region is a pinhole, a scribe line, or an edge line.

3 . A method of obscuring a bright area produced by a region of a transparent substrate that is not covered by an EC device, the method comprising:
i. providing an electrochromic lite having the EC device on a substrate; ii. identifying a site of the bright area on the substrate; and iii. applying an obscuring material over the site, wherein the obscuring material has a lower transmittance than the substrate.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the region is a pinhole, a scribe line, or an edge line.

5 . An electrochromic window comprising:
an EC device disposed on a transparent substrate, the EC device comprising a first transparent conducting oxide (TCO) and a second TCO; and a pair of bus bars coupled to the first and second TCOs, wherein each bus bar is configured to generate and maintain a voltage drop along the bus bar's length when voltage is applied, so that the electrochromic window maintains a tint gradient along its length.

6 . The electrochromic window of claim 5 , wherein the voltage drop is achieved by varying thickness or width along the length of each of the pair of bus bars.

7 . The electrochromic window of claim 5 , wherein the voltage drop is achieved by varying composition along the length of each of the pair of bus bars.

8 . The electrochromic window of claim 5 , wherein the voltage drop is achieved by varying resistivity along the length of each of the pair of bus bars.

9 . The electrochromic window of claim 8 , wherein each bus bar of the pair of bus bars comprises two portions of an electrically conductive material, and an electrically resistive material establishing electrical communication between the two portions of the electrically conductive material, the electrically resistive material, although electrically conductive, having less electrical conductivity than the electrically conductive material.

10 . The electrochromic window of claim 9 , wherein the electrically conductive material is a silver based ink.

11 . The electrochromic window of claim 9 , wherein the electrically resistive material is a silver based ink.

12 . The electrochromic window of claim 5 , wherein the voltage drop is achieved by varying cross-sectional area along the length of each of the pair of bus bars.

13 . The electrochromic window of claim 5 , wherein the voltage drop is achieved by varying morphology along the length of each of the pair of bus bars.

14 . The electrochromic window of claim 5 , wherein voltage is applied at one or both ends of each of the pair of bus bars.

15 . The electrochromic window of claim 5 , wherein voltage is applied at more than one point along at least one of the pair of bus bars.

16 . The electrochromic window of claim 15 , wherein each bus bar of the pair of bus bars comprises a pair of power leads.

17 . The electrochromic window of claim 16 , wherein each bus bar of the pair of bus bars is configured to be powered by a first voltage at one power lead and by a second voltage at the other power lead.

18 . The electrochromic window of claim 5 , wherein each bus bar of the pair of bus bars comprises a material having regions of higher and lower electrical conductivity, wherein the regions of lower electrical conductivity are areas where the material is perforated.

Assignees

• View Inc

Inventors

• Shrivastava Dhairya
• Friedman Robin
• Khosla Vinod
• Mulpuri Rao

Classifications

• E06B2009/2464

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

• E06B3/6722

  with adjustable passage of light · CPC title

• E06B3/6715

  specially adapted for increased thermal insulation or for controlled passage of light (E06B3/66323 takes precedence; coating of glass pains C03C17/00; devices or arrangements for controlling the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light G02F1/00) · CPC title

• G09F23/02

  the advertising matter being displayed by the operation of the article · CPC title

• E06B2009/2405

  Areas of differing opacity for light transmission control · CPC title