Mitigating thermal shock in tintable windows
AssigneeView, Inc.
InventorRonald M. Parker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Tintable optical components such as windows are provided with a controller designed or configured to control the tinting in a manner that resists exposure to damaging thermal shock. The controller determines that a trigger condition for thermal shock is occurring or is about to occur and takes steps to avoid damaging thermal shock. In some cases, these steps include increasing the transmissivity of the optical component or holding the component in a highly transmissive state. In some cases, the steps involve heating the component.
Claims25
A method of reducing a likelihood of thermal shock in an electrochromic window, the electrochromic window in communication with a controller configured for sending control signals to the electrochromic window, the method comprising:
- determining that a trigger condition is likely to induce thermal shock in the electrochromic window in a first tint state at a particular time, wherein the trigger condition is a rapid change in radiation flux striking the electrochromic window, a rapid change in ambient temperature on an exterior face of the electrochromic window, or a pre-determined temperature difference between the environment proximate one side of the electrochromic window and the environment proximate the other side of the electrochromic window, and wherein the particular time is either at or about sunrise, or, at or near a predicted change in weather conditions;
- and
- in response to the determination, sending a first signal from the controller to the electrochromic window to transition the electrochromic window from the first tint state to the second tint state that reduces the likelihood that the trigger condition induces thermal shock.
A control system for reducing a likelihood of thermal shock in an electrochromic window, the control system comprising:
- a controller configured to
- determine that a trigger condition is likely to induce thermal shock in the electrochromic window at a particular time, wherein the trigger condition is a rapid change in radiation flux striking the electrochromic window, a rapid change in ambient temperature on an exterior face of the electrochromic window, or a predicted temperature difference between the environment proximate one side of the electrochromic window and the environment proximate the other side of the electrochromic window, and wherein the particular time is either at or about sunrise, or, at or near a predicted change in weather conditions, and
- cause the electrochromic window to transition the electrochromic window from a first tint state to a second tint state that reduces the likelihood that the trigger condition will induce thermal shock in the electrochromic window.
A method of reducing a likelihood of thermal shock in an electrochromic window, the electrochromic window in communication with a controller configured to send signals to the electrochromic window to transition tint state and/or heat the electrochromic window, the method comprising:
- determining that a trigger condition is likely to induce thermal shock in the electrochromic window at a particular time;
- and
- in response to the determination, sending a signal from the controller to the electrochromic window to cause the electrochromic window to transition from a first tint state to a second tint state and/or to cause resistive heating of a coating of the electrochromic window, wherein resistive heating is caused by applying current to a transparent conductive layer disposed on a pane of the electrochromic window.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.