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US 5,523,877 AGranted
Reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting ultraviolet protected, safety protected, electrochromic vehicular glazing
AssigneeDonnelly Corporation
InventorNiall R. Lynam
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ultraviolet protected, safety protected, reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting vehicular glazing assembly is disclosed incorporating spaced glass elements, an electrochromic medium therebetween, near-infrared-reflective means, and safety means for preventing injury upon impact to the assembly. The glazing assembly is useful as a vehicle window, a vehicle sunroof, a vehicle sun visor or a vehicle shade band.
Claims16
A reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting, reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting, safety-protected electrochromic vehicular glazing assembly wherein said assembly is one of a vehicle window, a vehicle sunroof, a vehicle sun visor, and a vehicle shade band, said 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:
- and
- safety means incorporated in said assembly for preventing injury upon impact to said assembly, said safety means comprising at least one of a tear-resistant, 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, safety-protected electrochromic vehicular glazing assembly wherein said assembly is one of a vehicle window, a vehicle sunroof, a vehicle sun visor, and a vehicle shade band, said 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;
- safety means incorporated in said assembly for preventing injury upon impact to said assembly, said safety means comprising at least one of a tear-resistant, 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;
- and
- spectrally selective absorbing means for absorbing more light in those regions of the visible spectrum from about 560 nanometers to about 780 nanometers than is absorbed in those regions of the visible spectrum from about 400 nanometers to about 560 nanometers.
5 more elements
A reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting, reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting, safety-protected electrochromic vehicular glazing assembly wherein said assembly is one of a vehicle window, a vehicle sunroof, a vehicle sun visor, and a vehicle shade band, said 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;
- safety means incorporated in said assembly for preventing injury upon impact to said assembly, said safety means comprising at least one of a tear-resistant, 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;
- and
- at least one of said glass elements being formed from highly light transmitting glass;
- said one glass element being formed from specialized glass which absorbs substantially more visible light in wavelengths higher than about 560 nanometers than in other regions of the visible spectrum.
6 more elements
A reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting, reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting, safety-protected electrochromic vehicular glazing assembly wherein said assembly is one of a vehicle window, a vehicle sunroof, a vehicle sun visor, and a vehicle shade band, said 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;
- safety means incorporated in said assembly for preventing injury upon impact to said assembly, said safety means comprising at least one of a tear-resistant, 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;
- and
- said polymeric layer absorbing substantially more visible light in wavelengths higher than about 560 nanometers than in other regions of the visible spectrum.
5 more elements
A reduced near-infrared radiation transmitting, reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting, safety-protected electrochromic vehicular glazing assembly wherein said assembly is one of a vehicle window, a vehicle sunroof, a vehicle sun visor, and a vehicle shade band, said 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;
- safety means incorporated in said assembly for preventing injury upon impact to said assembly, said safety means comprising at least one of a tear-resistant, 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;
- and
- at least one of said glass elements incorporating a UV absorbing glass sheet comprising at least 0.2 weight percent of one of cerium oxide, iron oxide, and titanium dioxide.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.