Electrochromic device having a seal including an epoxy resin cured with a cycloaliphatic amine
AssigneeGentex Corporation
InventorWilliam L. Tonar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrochromic variable reflectance mirror for a vehicle includes a front element and a rear element. A seal is provided to sealably bond the elements together in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber, and an electrochromic material is disposed in the chamber. The seal comprises an epoxy resin cured with a cycloaliphatic amine. The cycloaliphatic amine may be a bis(cycloaliphatic) amine, or more specifically, bis(aminocyclohexyl) methane (PACM). The epoxy resin may be an epoxy novolac resin such as an epoxy phenolic novolac (e.g., DEN431) or an epoxy cresol novolac resin, a bisphenol A epoxy resin, a bisphenol F epoxy resin, a tetraglycidyl methylenebisbenzenamine, or a glycidyl benzenamine.
Claims87
An electrochromic mirror comprising:
- a front element;
- a rear element;
- a seal provided to for a sealed chamber, the sealed chamber being between said elements;
- an electrochromic material disposed in said chamber;
- and
- a reflector disposed on a surface of said rear element,
- wherein said seal comprises an epoxy resin at least partially cured with a cycloaliphatic amine.
The electrochromic mirror of claim 21, wherein said mirror has a reflectance of at least about 70 percent.
The electrochromic device of claim 38, wherein X in said formula is CH3.
An electrochromic mirror comprising:
- a front element;
- a rear element;
- a seal provided to form a sealed chamber, the sealed chamber being between said elements;
- an electrochromic material disposed in said chamber;
- and
- a reflector disposed on a surface of said rear element,
- wherein said seal comprises a bisphenol A epoxy resin at least partially cured with a cycloaliphatic amine.
An electrochromic mirror comprising:
- a front element;
- a rear element;
- a seal provided to form a sealed chamber, the sealed chamber being between said elements;
- an electrochromic material disposed in said chamber;
- and
- a reflector disposed on a surface of said rear element,
- wherein said seal comprises an epoxy novolac resin at least partially cured with a cycloaliphatic amine.
An electrochromic device comprising:
- a front element;
- a rear element;
- a seal provided to form a sealed chamber, the sealed chamber being between said elements;
- and
- an electrochromic material disposed in said chamber,
- wherein said seal comprises an epoxy phenolic novolac resin at least partially cured with a bis(aminocyclohexyl) methane, wherein said epoxy phenolic novolac resin has the following structural formula:
- 7
- wherein n has an average value from about 0.2 to about 1.6.
An electrochromic mirror comprising:
- a front element including a transparent electrically conductive first electrode disposed on a rear surface thereof;
- a rear element having a front surface and a rear surface;
- a seal provided to form a sealed chamber, the sealed chamber being between said front and rear elements;
- an electrochromic material disposed in said chamber;
- and
- a reflector disposed on a surface of said rear element,
- wherein said seal comprises an epoxy phenolic novolac resin at least partially cured with a bis(aminocyclohexyl) methane, wherein said epoxy phenolic novolac resin has the following structural formula:
- 8
- wherein X is hydrogen and n has an average value of about 0.2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.