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US 11,099,451 B1Granted
Light modulator, substrate comprising electrodes and smart glazing
AssigneeElstar Dynamics Patents B.V.
InventorsRomaric Mathieu Massard, Anthony John Slack, Lennart Ten Kate
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Some embodiments are directed to a light modulator comprising transparent or reflective substrates, multiple electrodes being applied to the substrates in a pattern across the substrate. A controller may apply an electric potential to the electrodes to obtain an electro-magnetic field between the electrodes providing electrophoretic movement of the particles towards or from an electrode.
Claims22
A light modulator comprising:
- a first substrate and a second substrate, the first and second substrates being arranged with inner sides opposite to each other, multiple electrodes being applied to the inner side of each of the first and second substrates, the multiple electrodes of at least one of each substrate comprising at least a first electrode and a second electrode, each of the multiple electrodes being arranged in a pattern across the substrate, the multiple electrodes each comprising:
- a multiple of main-lines extending across the substrate in a first direction, the multiple of main-lines of the multiple electrodes being arranged alternatingly with respect to each other on the substrate, the first electrode and the second electrode each comprising:
- multiple branches extending from the main-lines into the areas between the main-lines, the branches that extend into an area between a first main-line and a second main-line of the first electrode and of the second electrode extending alternatingly from the first and second main-line, at least one of two subsequent branches that extend into the same area extending at least half across the area, measured along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
- an optical layer between the first and second substrates, the optical layer comprising:
- a fluid comprising particles, wherein the particles are electrically charged or chargeable;
- a controller configured to apply an electric potential to the multiple electrodes to obtain an electro-magnetic field between the multiple electrodes providing electrophoretic movement of the particles towards or from one of the multiple electrodes causing modulation of the optical properties of the light modulator, the controller being configured to obtain one of a multiple levels of transparency or reflectivity in the light modulator by using an alternating current or voltage of one of multiple maximum amplitudes.
3 more elements
A light modulator method comprising:
- providing a light modulator comprising:
- a first substrate and a second substrate, the first and second substrates being arranged with inner sides opposite to each other, multiple electrodes being applied to the inner side of each of the first and second substrates, the multiple electrodes of at least one of each substrate comprising at least a first electrode and a second electrode, each of the multiple electrodes being arranged in a pattern across the substrate, the multiple electrodes each comprising:
- a multiple of main-lines extending across the substrate in a first direction, the multiple of main-lines of the multiple electrodes being arranged alternatingly with respect to each other on the substrate, the first electrode and the second electrode each comprising:
- multiple branches extending from the main-lines into the areas between the main-lines, the branches that extend into an area between a first main-line and a second main-line of the first electrode and of the second electrode extending alternatingly from the first and second main-line, at least one of two subsequent branches that extend into the same area extending at least half across the area, measured along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
- an optical layer between the first and second substrates, the optical layer comprising:
- a fluid comprising particles, wherein the particles are electrically charged or chargeable;
- selecting an alternating current or voltage of one of multiple maximum amplitudes corresponding to one of multiple levels of transparency or reflectivity in the light modulator,
- applying the alternating current to the electrodes to obtain an electro-magnetic field between the electrodes providing electrophoretic movement of the particles towards or from an electrode, causing modulation of the optical properties of the light modulator.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.