Multi-zone EC windows
AssigneeView Operating Corporation
InventorsDhairya Shrivastava, Robin Friedman, Vinod Khosla, Rao Mulpuri, Anshu A. Pradhan
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Abstract
Thin-film devices, for example, multi-zone electrochromic windows, and methods of manufacturing are described. In certain cases, a multi-zone electrochromic window comprises a monolithic EC device on a transparent substrate and two or more tinting zones, wherein the tinting zones are configured for independent operation.
Claims18
An electrochromic window comprising:
- a monolithic electrochromic device disposed on a transparent substrate, and comprising a first transparent conductor layer, a second transparent conductor layer, and one or more material layers sandwiched between the first and second transparent conductor layers;
- a pair of bus bars disposed on opposing sides of the transparent substrate of the monolithic electrochromic device, one of the bus bars in electrical communication with the first transparent conductor layer and the other in electrical communication with the second transparent conductor layer;
- and
- a powering mechanism comprising one or more wires attached to each bus bar of the pair of bus bars and one or more powering algorithms for delivering power to the pair of bus bars;
- wherein the bus bars and the powering mechanism are configured to establish and maintain both of:
- 1) a tint gradient along the length of the electrochromic device, and, 2) a uniform tint across the monolithic electrochromic device, in the alternative,
- wherein each bus bar of the pair of bus bars is electrically coupled to a pair of power leads, and
- wherein the pair of bus bars is disposed on the transparent substrate.
A method of controlling tint of an electrochromic device of an electrochromic window, the electrochromic device disposed on a transparent substrate, and comprising a first transparent conductor layer, a second transparent conductor layer, and one or more material layers sandwiched between the first and second transparent conductor layers, the method comprising:
- delivering power to a pair of power leads electrically coupled to a discrete bus bar in electrical communication with one of the first transparent conductor layer and the second transparent conductor layer;
- and
- establishing and maintaining a tint gradient along the length of the electrochromic window or alternatively, a uniform tint across the electrochromic device,
- wherein a voltage gradient is applied to the discrete bus bar via the pair of power leads to establish and maintain the tint gradient.
A method of controlling tint of a monolithic electrochromic device configured into two or more tint zones, the monolithic electrochromic device disposed on a transparent substrate, and comprising a first transparent conductor layer, a second transparent conductor layer, and one or more material layers sandwiched between the first and second transparent conductor layers, the method comprising:
- delivering power to two or more power leads in electrical communication with the first and second transparent conductor layers via one or more bus bars;
- and
- establishing and maintaining in one or more of the tint zones a tint gradient along the length of the monolithic electrochromic device, or alternatively, a uniform tint across the monolithic electrochromic device, and
- further comprising
- changing the tint gradient by varying resistance of one or more resistive nodes within the one or more bus bars.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.