Light masked smart glazing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9904136-B2
Application number	US-201514668636-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2015
Priority date	Mar 28, 2014
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A multiple-pane insulating glazing unit may include multiple panes of transparent material and a layer of electrically controllable optically active material that provides controllable privacy for the glazing unit. Despite efforts to fully black out the multiple-pane insulating glazing unit by switching the optically active material from a transmissive state to a privacy state, the glazing unit may exhibit some residual direct visible transmission. In some examples, the multiple-pane insulating glazing unit may include a light emitting element positioned to direct light at the layer of optically active material to address this issue. Light emitted by the light emitting element may reflect and mask residual visibility through the electrically controllable optically active material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A glazing structure comprising:
a first substrate defining an inner surface and an outer surface;
a second substrate defining an inner surface and an outer surface;
a layer of electrically controllable optically active material positioned between the inner surface of the first substrate and the inner surface of the second substrate, the electrically controllable optically active material having a light transmissive state and a privacy state; and
at least one light emitting element positioned to direct light at either the outer surface of the first substrate or the outer surface of the second substrate,
wherein the at least one light emitting element is configured to be inactive when the electronically controllable optically active material is in the light transmissive state but activate when the electronically controllable optically active material is placed in the privacy state such that light emitted by the at least one light emitting element reflects off the electrically controllable optically active material and through the outer surface of the first substrate or the outer surface of the second substrate at which the light is directed and masks residual visibility through the electrically controllable optically active material when in the privacy state.

2. The glazing structure of claim 1 , wherein the glazing structure is part of a multiple-pane insulating glazing unit comprising a third substrate and a spacer holding the third substrate generally parallel to and spaced apart from the first substrate to define a between-pane space filled with an insulative gas, the outer face of the first substrate being positioned inside the between-pane space.

3. The glazing structure of claim 2 , wherein the at least one light emitting element comprises a plurality of light emitting elements positioned about the perimeter of the multiple-pane insulating glazing unit.

4. The glazing structure of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of light emitting elements are positioned to direct light at the first plane at an angle ranging from 15 degrees to 75 degrees with respect to normal.

5. The glazing structure of claim 2 , further comprising a frame positioned around the multiple-pane insulating glazing unit.

6. The glazing structure of claim 5 , wherein the at least one light emitting element is positioned in at least one of the spacer of the multiple-pane insulating glazing unit and the frame positioned around the multiple-pane insulating glazing unit.

7. The glazing structure of claim 2 , wherein
the multiple-pane insulating glazing unit defines from an external environment inwards toward an internal environment a number one surface, a number two surface, a number three surface, and a number four surface,
the third substrate is positioned to provide the number one surface and the number two surface, and the first substrate is positioned to provide the outer surface as the number three surface and the inner surface as the number four surface, and
the at least one light emitting element is configured to direct light through the number one surface followed by the number two, three, and four surfaces of the multiple-pane insulating glazing unit, at least a portion of which is reflected by the electrically controllable optically active material back through the number four surface followed by the number three, two, and one surfaces of the multiple-pane insulating glazing unit.

8. The glazing structure of claim 1 , wherein the electrically controllable optically active material is configured to reflect at least 5 percent of the light emitted by the at least one light emitting element.

9. The glazing structure of claim 1 , wherein the electrically controllable optically active material comprises liquid crystals.

10. The glazing structure of claim 9 , wherein the electrically controllable optically active material comprises a liquid crystal layer that is optically scattering in an absence of an applied electrical field.

11. The glazing structure of claim 1 , wherein the electrically controllable optically active material, when in the privacy state, exhibits a visible transmittance of greater than 0.05 percent.

12. The glazing structure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light emitting element comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes.

13. The glazing structure of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is configured to emit at a single wavelength.

14. A multiple-pane insulating glazing unit comprising:
a first pane of transparent material defining a first surface and second surface;
a second pane of transparent material that is generally parallel to the first pane of transparent material, the second pane of transparent material defining a third surface and a fourth surface;
a spacer positioned between the second surface of the first pane of transparent material and the third surface of the second pane of transparent material to define a first between-pane space;
a layer of electrically controllable optically active material positioned behind the fourth surface of the second pane of transparent material, the electrically controllable optically active material having a light transmissive state and a privacy state; and
at least one light emitting element positioned to direct light at the layer of electrically controllable optically active material through at least the third and fourth surfaces of the second pane of transparent material such that light emitted by the at least one light emitting element reflects off the electrically controllable optically active material and through the third and fourth surfaces of the second pane of transparent material and masks residual visibility through the electrically controllable optically active material when in the privacy state.

15. The multiple-pane insulating glazing unit of claim 14 , wherein the at least one light emitting element comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes positioned to direct light at an angle ranging from 15 degrees to 75 degrees with respect to normal.

16. The multiple-pane insulating glazing unit of claim 14 , wherein the spacer comprises a first spacer and further comprising:
a third pane of transparent material that is generally parallel to the second pane of transparent material; and
a second spacer positioned between the second pane of transparent material and the third pane of transparent material to define a second between-pane space,
wherein the layer of electrically controllable optically active material is positioned behind the third pane of transparent material and the at least one light emitting element positioned to direct light at the layer of electrically controllable optically active material directs light through at least the second pane of transparent material and the third pane of transparent material.

17. The multiple-pane insulating glazing unit of claim 14 , further comprising a frame positioned around the multiple-pane insulating glazing unit.

18. The multiple-pane insulating glazing unit of claim 17 , wherein the at least one light emitting element is positioned in at least one of the spacer and the frame positioned around the multiple-pane insulating glazing unit.

19. The multiple-pane insulating glazing unit of claim 14 , wherein the first pane of transparent material and the second pane of transparent material each comprises glass.

20. The multiple-pane insulating glazing unit of claim 14 , wherein
the multiple-pane insulating glazing unit defines from an external environment in

Assignees

• Cardinal Cg Co

Inventors

• Burrows Keith James
• Hartig Klaus

Classifications

• G02F1/153

  Constructional details · CPC title

• E06B9/24 Primary

  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

• E06B2009/247

  Electrically powered illumination · CPC title

• G02F1/133615

  Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side · CPC title