Dynamic shade with reactive gas compatible desiccant, and/or associated methods
AssigneeGuardian Glass, LLC
InventorsDavid J. Cooper, Duane O. Recker, John Matuszewski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Certain example embodiments relate to electric, potentially-driven shades usable with insulating glass (IG) units, IG units including such shades, and/or associated methods. In such a unit, a dynamic shade is located between the substrates defining the IG unit, and is movable between retracted and extended positions. The dynamic shade includes on-glass layers including a transparent conductor and an insulator or dielectric film, as well as a shutter. The shutter includes a resilient polymer-based layer and layers on opposing surfaces thereof. A first voltage is applied to the transparent conductors to cause the shutter to extend to a closed position.
Claims12
An insulating glass (IG) unit, comprising:
- first and second substrates, each having interior and exterior major surfaces, the interior major surface of the first substrate facing the interior major surface of the second substrate;
- a spacer system helping to maintain the first and second substrates in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to one another and to define a gap therebetween, wherein the gap is at least partially filled with a gas selected from the group consisting of SF6, CO2, and combinations thereof;
- a dynamically controllable shade interposed between the first and second substrates, the shade including:
- a first conductive layer provided, directly or indirectly, on the interior major surface of the first substrate;
- a first dielectric layer provided, directly or indirectly, on the first conductive layer on a side thereof opposite the first substrate;
- and
- a shutter including a flexible substrate supporting a second conductive layer, the shutter being extendible from a shutter open position to a shutter closed position and being retractable from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position;
- a control circuit configured to provide a voltage to create electrostatic forces that drive the flexible substrate to the shutter closed position;
- and
- a desiccant material comprising a molecular sieve replacement material and lacks a molecular sieve, the molecular sieve replacement material including a salt, the salt comprising MgCl2, and the desiccant material being compatible with the gas such that the desiccant material fails to trap an appreciable number of molecules of the gas.
A method of making an insulating glass (IG) unit, the method comprising:
- having first and second substrates, each having interior and exterior major surfaces, the interior major surface of the first substrate facing the interior major surface of the second substrate;
- providing a dynamically controllable shade on the first and/or second substrate, the shade including:
- a first conductive layer provided, directly or indirectly, on the interior major surface of the first substrate;
- a first dielectric layer provided, directly or indirectly, on the first conductive layer on a side thereof opposite the first substrate;
- and
- a shutter including a flexible substrate supporting a second conductive layer, the shutter being extendible from a shutter open position to a shutter closed position and being retractable from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position;
- and
- connecting the first and second substrates to one another in substantially parallel, spaced apart relation using a spacer system, such that a gap is defined therebetween and such that the dynamically controllable shade is located in the gap, wherein the gap is at least partially filled with a gas selected from the group consisting of SF6, CO2, and combinations thereof,
- wherein a desiccant material is located in a body of the spacer system, the desiccant material comprising a molecular sieve replacement material and lacks a molecular sieve, the molecular sieve replacement material including a salt, the salt comprising MgCl2, and the desiccant material being compatible with the gas such that the desiccant material fails to trap an appreciable number of molecules of the gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.