# US 2019/0172599 A1 · Panel assembly having variable transmissivity and structural rigidity

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- Number: US 2019/0172599 A1
- Document ID: US20190172599A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/211,450
- Filed: 2018-12-06
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-06
- Assignees: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
- Applicants: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
- Inventors: MICHAEL D. HEIBEL; LUKE D. CZERNIAK
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190172599A1

## CPC

- G21F 3/00: Shielding characterised by its physical form, e.g. granules, or shape of the material
- E06B 3/6722: {with adjustable passage of light}
- E06B 5/18: against harmful radiation (against heat E06B5/16)
- E06B 9/24: Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; {Slat blinds}(operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00)
- G01T 1/16: Measuring radiation intensity (G01T1/29 takes precedence {; self-powered detectors G01T3/006; using an ionisation chamber filled with a liquid or solid, e.g. frozen liquid, dielectric G01T3/008})
- G01T 3/00: Measuring neutron radiation (G01T5/00 takes precedence)
- G01T 3/02: by shielding other radiation
- G21F 1/023: {Liquids}
- G21F 1/08: Metals; Alloys; Cermets, i.e. sintered mixtures of ceramics and metals
- E06B 2009/2464: {featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels}
- F15B 21/065: {Use of electro- or magnetosensitive fluids, e.g. electrorheological fluid}
- F16F 13/305: {magnetorheological}
- G02F 2203/01: transmissive
- G21F: PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR (radiation protection by pharmaceutical means A61K8/00, A61Q17/04; in cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/54; combined with a reactor G21C11/00; combined with X-ray tubes H01J35/16; combined with X-ray apparatus H05G1/02)
- E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00)
- G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00)
- F15B: SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION
- 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

## Abstract

A system that utilizes a very thin arrangement of transparent sub panels containing embedded very small distributed electromagnet wires to control the distribution of very fine magneto-rheological fluid particles suspended in a very thin panel sandwiched between the electromagnet wire panels. The current applied to specific electromagnets may be used to control the amount of electromagnetic energy, such as visible light, that can be transmitted through the panel system. The system may also be used to increase or decrease the rigidity of the multi-panel structure as a function of current applied to the electromagnets.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A panel assembly that is transparent to a preselected form of radiation and that is configured to selectively vary the transmissivity of the preselected form of radiation through the panel assembly, the panel assembly comprising:
a first transparent sub panel including a plurality of generally parallel, spaced, first wires extending therethrough from a first edge to an opposite, second edge with at least an end of each first wire connected to an end of an adjacent first wire at one of the first edge or the second edge to form a plurality of U-shaped conductive elements, each U-shaped conductive element having an electromagnetic coil wound thereabout at or about the first edge or the second edge of the first transparent sub panel to form a “horseshoe” electromagnet at each of the connected first wires;
a second transparent sub panel including a plurality of generally parallel, spaced, second wires extending therethrough from a third edge to an opposite, fourth edge with at least an end of each second wire connected to an end of an adjacent second wire at one of the third edge or the fourth edge to form a second plurality of U-shaped conductive elements, each U-shaped conductive element of the second plurality having an electromagnetic coil wound thereabout at or about the third edge or the fourth edge of the second transparent sub panel to form a “horseshoe” electromagnet at each of the connected second wires; and
a magneto-rheological fluid reservoir sandwiched between the first transparent sub panel and the second transparent panel, the reservoir being structured to house a volume of a magneto-rheological fluid.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The panel assembly of claim 1, further comprising a volume of magneto-rheological fluid disposed in the reservoir, wherein the magneto-rheological fluid comprises a quantity of magnetic particles.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The panel assembly of claim 2, wherein the reservoir comprises a reservoir extension which extends from the reservoir beyond one of the first, second, third or fourth edges of the first and second sub panels, and wherein the magnetic particles are disposed in the reservoir extension when none of the electromagnetic coils are energized.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The panel assembly of claim 1, wherein the first wires and the second wires extend at an angle of approximately 90° with respect to each other.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The panel assembly of claim 1, further comprising a control system structured to separately control a supply of electrical current supplied to each of the respective electromagnetic coils.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The panel assembly of claim 5, wherein the preselected form of radiation is electromagnetic radiation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The panel assembly of claim 6, further comprising an electromagnetic radiation detector structured to track a path of the electromagnetic radiation and supply the path to the control system, and to selectively activate the electromagnetic coils which correspond to a location in the panel assembly which intersects with the path.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The panel assembly of claim 7, wherein the electromagnetic radiation detector is one or more photo sensors.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The panel assembly of claim 8, wherein the panel assembly has an inside surface and an outside surface and the photo sensors are supported adjacent the inside surface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The panel assembly of claim 5, wherein the preselected form of radiation comprises thermal neutrons.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The panel assembly of claim 5, wherein the preselected form of radiation comprises X-rays.

### Claim 12 (depends on 2)

The panel assembly of claim 2, wherein the magnetic particles comprise iron.

### Claim 13 (depends on 2)

The panel assembly of claim 2, wherein the magneto-rheological fluid comprises an alcohol.

### Claim 14 (depends on 2)

The panel assembly of claim 2, wherein a concentration of the magnetic particles in a portion of the panel assembly increases the strength of that portion.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The panel assembly of claim 1, wherein the first transparent sub panel and the second transparent sub panel are each formed from a clear glass or plastic.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The panel assembly of claim 1, wherein the first wires and the second wires, respectively, are embedded within the first transparent panel and the second transparent panel.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The panel assembly of claim 1, wherein the first wires and the second wires, respectively, are attached to the first transparent panel and the second transparent panel.