# US 11,305,515 B2 · Systems and methods for producing objects incorporating selectably active electromagnetic energy filtering layers and coatings

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- Number: US 11,305,515 B2
- Document ID: US11305515B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/505,660
- Filed: 2019-07-08
- Published: 2019-10-31
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-04-14
- Assignees: Face International Corporation
- Applicants: Face International Corporation
- Inventors: Clark D. Boyd; Bradbury R Face; Jeffrey D Shepard
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305515B2

## CPC

- B32B 17/00: Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres
- B32B 7/02: Physical, chemical or physicochemical properties
- B32B 27/06: as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08)}
- G01J 1/0488: {with spectral filtering}
- G02B 1/10: Optical coatings produced by application to, or surface treatment of, optical elements (G02B1/08 takes precedence)
- G02B 5/0242: {by means of dispersed particles}
- G02B 5/0247: {by means of voids or pores}
- G02B 5/0263: {with positional variation of the diffusing properties, e.g. gradient or patterned diffuser}
- G02B 5/0268: {characterized by the fabrication or manufacturing method}
- G02B 5/0284: {used in reflection}
- G02B 5/0289: {used as a transflector}
- G02B 5/201: {in the form of arrays}
- G02B 5/206: {comprising particles embedded in a solid matrix}
- G02B 27/1006: {for splitting or combining different wavelengths (G02B27/1086, G02B27/141 take precedence)}
- G02F 1/0018: {Electro-optical materials}
- G02F 1/01: for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour (G02F1/29, G02F1/35 take precedence)
- G02F 1/0102: {Constructional details, not otherwise provided for in this subclass}
- G02F 1/0121: {Operation of devices; Circuit arrangements, not otherwise provided for in this subclass}
- G02F 1/19: based on variable-reflection or variable-refraction elements not provided for in groups G02F1/015 - G02F1/169
- G06F 1/16: Constructional details or arrangements
- H02S 40/00: Components or accessories in combination with PV modules, not provided for in groups H02S10/00 - H02S30/00
- H10F 77/306: {for devices having potential barriers}
- H10F 77/315: {the coatings being antireflective or having enhancing optical properties}
- H10F 77/413: {directly associated or integrated with the devices, e.g. back reflectors (directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells H10F77/42)}
- B32B 2255/00: Coating on the layer surface
- B32B 2255/20: Inorganic coating
- B32B 2255/26: Polymeric coating
- B32B 2255/28: Multiple coating on one surface
- B32B 2307/404: Multi-coloured
- B32B 2307/41: Opaque
- B32B 2307/412: Transparent
- B32B 2307/418: Refractive
- B32B 2457/12: Photovoltaic modules
- B32B 2559/00: Photographic equipment or accessories
- G01J 2003/1213: {Filters in general, e.g. dichroic, band}
- G02B 5/26: Reflecting filters (G02B5/28 takes precedence)
- G02B 2207/123: Optical louvre elements, e.g. for directional light blocking
- Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00)
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A system and method are provided for forming body structures including energy filters/shutter components, including energy/light directing/scattering layers that are actively electrically switchable. The filters or components are operable between at least a first mode in which the layers, and thus the presentation of the shutter components, appear substantially transparent when viewed from an energy/light incident side, and a second mode in which the layers, and thus the presentation of the energy filters or shutter components, appear opaque to the incident energy impinging on the energy incident side. The differing modes are selectable by electrically energizing, differentially energizing and/or de-energizing electric fields in a vicinity of the energy scattering layers, including electric fields generated between a pair of transparent electrodes sandwiching an energy scattering layer. Refractive indices of transparent particles, and the transparent matrices in which the particles are fixed, are tunable according to the applied electric fields.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An object body structure, comprising:
a structural body member with an energy-incident face including at least first portions and second portions; and
an energy scattering layer formed over the at least the first portions of the energy-incident face of the structural body member, the energy scattering layer having an energy-incident surface and a body side surface opposite the energy-incident surface, the energy scattering layer comprising:
a plurality of substantially-transparent particles; and
a substantially-transparent matrix material that fixes the particles in a layer arrangement to form the energy scattering layer, the particles being fixed in the matrix material in a manner that causes the energy scattering layer to allow first determined wavelengths of light to pass through the energy scattering layer, and scatters second determined wavelengths of light simultaneously, when subjected to effects from an applied electrical field;
at least one transparent electrode positioned adjacent to one of the energy-incident surface or the opposite surface of the energy scattering layer; and
a power source that generates the applied electrical field via the at least one transparent electrode;
the particles being fixed in the matrix material in a manner that causes the energy scattering layer to have a first refractive index in a first mode, and a second refractive index different from the first refractive index in a second mode when subjected to effects from the applied electrical field;
the at least one transparent electrode being formed to have a plurality of discrete electrode portions for inducing a plurality of separate electrical fields acting on the energy scattering layer, discrete portions of the energy scattering layer exhibiting different responses in the second mode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The object body structure of claim 1, further comprising a controller for controlling the power source, the controller being configured to receive a control input from one of an electrically-activated component or an electronic device with which the object body structure is associated, the controller commanding the power source to generate the electrical field.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The object body structure of claim 2,
the first refractive index in the first mode rendering the energy scattering layer transparent over the at least the first portions of the energy-incident face of the structural body member, and
the second refractive index in the second mode causing at least portions of the energy-incident surface of the energy scattering layer to present an opaque appearance in response to incident energy in the form of light energy in the visual range over the at least the first portions of the energy-incident face of the structural body member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The object body structure of claim 3, the second refractive index in the second mode being adjusted according to (1) the applied electrical field, (2) the refractive indices of the at least some of the particles, and (3) one or more of a size of the particles, a material from which the particles are formed, a structural composition of the particles including a multi-layered structure in which each of a plurality of layers displays a different index of refraction and a composition of the matrix material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The object body structure of claim 1, the discrete portions of the at least one transparent electrode comprising a pattern formed by one or more of (1) valleys formed in and (2) protrusions formed on the energy-scattering layer facing side of the at least one transparent electrode, the different responses causing the pattern to appear in the energy-incident surface of the energy scattering layer in the second mode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The object body structure of claim 1, the energy scattering layer in the second mode reflecting a same wavelength of the incident light from the energy-incident surface in a manner that causes the energy-incident surface to cause the first portions of the structural member to appear as single-color opaque surface portions.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The object body structure of claim 1, the energy scattering layer in the second mode reflecting a first wavelength of the incident light from first discrete portions of the energy-incident surface and at least one second wavelength of the incident light from one or more second discrete portions of the energy-incident surface in a manner that causes the first portions of the structural member to appear as at least one of multi-color or texturized opaque surface portions.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The object body structure of claim 1, the energy scattering layer being formed additionally over the at least the second portions of the energy-incident face of the structural body member.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The object body structure of claim 1, the structural body member being a transparent structural body member.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The object body structure of claim 1, the at least one transparent electrode being positioned in contact with the one of the energy-incident surface or the opposite surface of the energy scattering layer.