US 5,239,406 A · Near-infrared reflecting, ultraviolet protected, safety protected, electrochromic vehicular glazing

Abstract

An electrochromic window/glazing assembly disclosed which reduces the transmission of near-infrared and ultraviolet radiation while protecting against risk of laceration or chemical contact if broken/damaged, against ultraviolet (UV) radiation degradation, and against fogging or misting in high humidity conditions. The window assembly may include a pair of glass or other elements confining an electrochromic medium therebetween for varying the light transmittance through the assembly. Transmission of near-infrared radiation is reduced by a reflector incorporating at least one semitransparent, elemental, thin metal film. Preferably, the thin metal film has a physical thickness of between about 80 angstroms to about 300 angstroms and of sheet electrical resistance of no greater than about 8 ohms/square, and is sandwiched between optically transparent thin metal compound films to form a thin film stack. One of the elements also may be laminated from a pair of optically transparent, tinted, tempered safety, or other glass panels and incorporate UV radiation reducing paint/lacquer coatings or tinted or clear polymeric films. The tinted glass preferably absorbs substantially more light in those regions of the visible spectrum higher than about 560 nanometers than in other regions of the visible spectrum.

Claims90

Dependent claims

A reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting, reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting, electrochromic glazing assembly comprising:

first and second spaced, optically transparent elements, said elements being adjacent one another and having facing surfaces defining a space between said first and second elements;
an electrochromic medium confined in said space whose light transmittance is variable upon the application of an electric field thereto;
means for applying an electric field to said electrochromic medium to cause variation in the light transmittance of said medium;
ultraviolet radiation reducing means incorporated in said assembly for reducing ultraviolet radiation degradation of said electrochromic medium in said assembly and for reducing ultraviolet radiation transmittance through said assembly;
and
near-infrared reflective means located on at least one of said first and second elements for reducing the transmission of near-infrared radiation through said glazing assembly, said reflective means incorporating at least one semitransparent, elemental, thin metal film;
said elemental thin metal film reflecting at least about 30% of the solar energy for Air Mass 2 in the spectral region from 800 nanometers to 2500 nanometers and having a physical thickness of about 80 angstroms to about 300 angstroms and a sheet electrical resistance of no greater than about 8 ohms/square.

4 more elements

A reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting, reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting, electrochromic glazing assembly comprising:

first and second spaced, optically transparent elements, said elements being adjacent one another and having facing surfaces defining a space between said first and second elements;
an electrochromic medium confined in said space whose light transmittance is variable upon the application of an electric field thereto;
means for applying an electric field to said electrochromic medium to cause variation in the light transmittance of said medium;
ultraviolet radiation reducing means incorporated in said assembly for reducing ultraviolet radiation degradation of said electrochromic medium in said assembly and for reducing ultraviolet radiation transmittance through said assembly;
and
near-infrared reflective means located on at least one of said first and second elements for reducing the transmission of near-infrared radiation through said glazing assembly, said reflective means incorporated at least one semitransparent, elemental, thin metal film;
said elemental thin metal film reflecting at least about 30% of the solar energy for Air Mass 2 in the spectral region from 800 nanometers to 2500 nanometers;
said glazing assembly adapted to be mounted in a vehicle having an exterior;
said second element being a laminate assembly adapted to be closer to the exterior of the vehicle in which said assembly is mounted and including first and second spaced, optically transparent panels, said panels having facing surfaces secured to one another by an intermediate layer.

6 more elements

A reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting, reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting, electrochromic glazing assembly comprising:

first and second spaced, optically transparent elements, said elements being adjacent one another and having facing surfaces defining a space between said first and second elements;
an electrochromic medium confined in said space whose light transmittance is variable upon the application of an electric field thereto;
means for applying an electric field to said electrochromic medium to cause variation in the light transmittance of said medium;
ultraviolet radiation reducing means incorporated in said assembly for reducing ultraviolet radiation degradation of said electrochromic medium in said assembly and for reducing ultraviolet radiation transmittance through said assembly;
and
near-infrared reflective means located on at least one of said first and second elements for reducing the transmission of near-infrared radiation through said glazing assembly, said reflective means incorporating at least one semitransparent, elemental, thin metal film;
said elemental thin metal film reflecting at least about 30% of the solar energy for Air Mass 2 in the spectral region from 800 nanometers to 2500 nanometers;
said glazing assembly adapted for mounting in a vehicle having an interior;
said first element being a laminate assembly adapted to be closer to the interior of the vehicle in which said assembly is mounted and including first and second spaced, optically transparent panels, said panels having facing surfaces secured to one another by an intermediate layer.

6 more elements

A reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting, reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting, electrochromic glazing assembly comprising:

first and second spaced, optically transparent, elements, said elements being adjacent one another and having facing surfaces and defining a space between said first and second elements, one of said elements being a laminated assembly including first and second spaced, optically transparent panels, said panels having facing surfaces secured to one another by an intermediate layer;
an electrochromic medium confined in said space whose light transmittance is variable upon the application of an electric field thereto;
means for applying an electric field to said electrochromic medium to cause variation in the light transmittance of said medium;
means for applying an electric field to said electrochromic medium to cause variation in the light transmittance of said medium;
ultraviolet radiation reducing means incorporated in said assembly for reducing ultraviolet radiation degradation of said electrochromic medium in said assembly and for reducing ultraviolet radiation transmittance through said assembly;
and
near-infrared reflective means located on at least one of said first and second elements for reducing the transmission of near-infrared radiation through said glazing assembly, said reflective means incorporating at least one semitransparent, elemental, thin metal film;
said elemental thin metal film reflecting at least about 30% of the solar energy for Air Mass 2 in the spectral region from 800 nanometers to 2500 nanometers.

5 more elements

A reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting, reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting, safety-protected electrochromic vehicular glazing assembly adapted for mounting in a vehicle having an interior, an exterior, and structure adjacent said assembly, said assembly comprising:

first and second spaced, optically transparent elements, said elements being adjacent one another and having facing surfaces defining a space between said first and second elements, said second element being a laminate assembly adapted to be closer to the exterior of the vehicle in which said assembly is mounted and including first and second spaced, optically transparent panels, said panels having facing surfaces secured to one another by an intermediate layer;
an electrochromic medium confined in said space whose light transmittance is variable upon the application of an electric field thereto;
means for applying an electric field to said electrochromic medium to cause variation in the light transmittance of said medium;
ultraviolet radiation reducing means incorporated in said assembly for reducing ultraviolet radiation degradation of said electrochromic medium in said assembly and for reducing ultraviolet radiation transmittance through said assembly;
safety means incorporated in said assembly for preventing fragment scattering, lacerative injuries and contact with said electrochromic medium should one of said elements break or crack;
and
near-infrared reflective means located on at least one of said first and second elements for reducing the transmission of near-infrared radiation through said glazing assembly, said reflective means incorporating at least one semitransparent, elemental, thin metal film.

4 more elements

A reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting, reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting, safety-protected electrochromic glazing assembly comprising:

first and second spaced, optically transparent, glass elements, said elements having facing surfaces defining a space between said first and second elements;
an electrochromic medium confined in said space whose light transmittance is variable upon the application of an electric field thereto;
means for applying an electric field to said electrochromic medium to cause variation in the light transmittance of said medium;
ultraviolet radiation reducing means incorporated in said assembly for reducing ultraviolet radiation degradation of said electrochromic medium in said assembly and for reducing ultraviolet radiation transmittance through said assembly;
near-infrared reflective means located on at least one of said first and second elements for reducing the transmission of near-infrared radiation through said glazing assembly, said reflective means incorporating at least one semitransparent, elemental, thin metal film;
said elemental thin metal film reflecting at least about 30% of the solar energy for Air Mass 2 in the spectral region from 800 nanometers to 2500 nanometers;
safety means incorporated in said assembly for preventing injury upon impact to said assembly, said safety means comprising at least one of a tear-resistance, resilient polymeric layer positioned on a surface of one of said glass elements for preventing fragment scattering, lacerative injuries, and contact with said electrochromic medium should one of said glass elements break or crack, and a tempered, safety glass panel forming one of said glass elements.

4 more elements

A reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting, reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting, electrochromic glazing assembly comprising:

first and second spaced, optically transparent elements, said elements having facing surfaces defining a space between said first and second elements;
an electrochromic medium confined in said space whose light transmittance is variable upon the application of an electric field thereto;
means for applying an electric field to said electrochromic medium to cause variation in the light transmittance of said medium;
ultraviolet radiation reducing means incorporated in said assembly for reducing ultraviolet radiation degradation of said electrochromic medium in said assembly and for reducing ultraviolet radiation transmittance through said assembly;
said ultraviolet radiation reducing means comprising an additive for absorbing, blocking, and/or screening ultraviolet radiation included in said electrochromic medium, said additive stabilizing said medium against degradation from ultraviolet radiation, said additive being selected from the group consisting of benzophenones, cinnamic acid derivatives, esters of benzoin acids, salicylic acid, terephthalic and isophthalic acids with resorcinol and phenols, pentamethyl piperdine derivatives, salicylates, benzotriazoles, cyanoacrylates, benzilidenes, malonates and oxalanilides;
near-infrared reflective means located on at least one of said first and second elements for reducing the transmission of near-infrared radiation through said glazing assembly, said reflective means incorporating at least one semitransparent, elemental, thin metal film;
and
said elemental thin metal film reflecting at least about 30% of the solar energy for Air Mass 2 in the spectral region from 800 nanometers to 2500 nanometers.

5 more elements

A reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting, reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting, safety-protected electrochromic vehicular glazing assembly comprising:

first and second spaced, optically transparent elements, said elements having facing surfaces defining a space between said first and second elements, said second element being a laminate assembly and including first and second spaced, optically transparent panels, and panels having facing surfaces secured to one another by an intermediate layer;
an electrochromic medium confined in said space whose light transmittance is variable upon the application of an electric field thereto;
means for applying an electric field to said electrochromic medium to cause variation in the light transmittance of said medium;
ultraviolet radiation reducing means incorporated in said assembly for reducing ultraviolet radiation degradation of said electrochromic medium in said assembly and for reducing ultraviolet radiation transmittance through said assembly;
safety means incorporated in said assembly for preventing fragment scattering, lacerative injuries and contact with said electrochromic medium should one of said elements break or crack;
and
near-infrared reflective means located on at least one of said first and second elements for reducing the transmission of near-infrared radiation through said glazing assembly, said reflective means incorporating at least one semitransparent, elemental, thin metal film;
said elemental thin metal film reflecting at least about 30% of the solar energy for Air Mass 2 in the spectral region from 800 nanometers to 2500 nanometers and located between said first and second panels of said second element.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Near-infrared reflecting, ultraviolet protected, safety protected, electrochromic vehicular glazing

Life of this patent

Near-infrared reflecting, ultraviolet protected, safety protected, electrochromic vehicular glazing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims90