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US 12,153,322 B2Granted
Electrically-actuated variable transmission film having very low haze and a visible grid in a clear state
AssigneeE Ink Corporation
InventorsDonal Martin O'Keeffe, Timothy O'Keeffe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A light attenuator that provides transparent light states and absorbing dark states for use in selectively controlling light, especially for smart glass applications. The light attenuator includes abutting areas of attenuation and transparency that form a repeat pattern or a quasi-repeat pattern. The attenuating areas are visible when the light attenuator is in the light state, but the repeat pattern is sufficiently large that a viewer looks through the attenuator and sees no haze.
Claims11
A light attenuator comprising:
- a first transparent substrate;
- a second transparent substrate;
- a first transparent electrode adjacent the first transparent substrate;
- a second transparent electrode adjacent the second transparent substrate,
- a transparent polymer structure disposed between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode, the transparent polymer structure defining a volume between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode;
- and
- an electrophoretic ink disposed in the volume, the electrophoretic ink comprising charged light-scattering particles dispersed in a transparent fluid,
- wherein the charged light-scattering particles are responsive to electric fields applied between the first and second transparent electrodes, and with the application of electric fields the charged light-scattering particles move between:
- a first state in which the charged light-scattering particles are distributed throughout the volume, thereby scattering light incident on the light attenuator, and
- a second state in which the charged light-scattering particles are concentrated within locations in the transparent polymer structure, thereby removing the charged light-scattering particles from a path of light passing through the light attenuator, thereby providing visible transmission for the light between the first and second transparent substrates,
- wherein the locations in the transparent polymer structure include a color mask, such that, in the second state, diffuse reflection from the concentrated charged light-scattering particles are reduced compared to concentrated charged light-scattering particles at locations in the transparent polymer structure without the color mask.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.