Reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting, electrochromic assembly
AssigneeDonnelly Corporation
InventorNiall R. Lynam
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrochromic assembly which is useful, for example, as a rearview mirror or glazing is disclosed with reduced ultraviolet (UV) radiation degradation and reduced fogging or misting in high humidity conditions. The assembly may include a pair of glass or other elements confining an electrochromic medium therebetween. Ultraviolet radiation is preferably reduced by a sheet of specialized glass which may include higher iron oxide or cerium oxide content than conventional soda lime window glass. The specialized glass is preferably a tinted glass that absorbs substantially more light in those regions of the visible spectrum higher than about 560 nanometers than in other regions of the visible spectrum. An anti-fogging additive may also be included in the assembly.
Claims33
A reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting electrochromic assembly, said 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;
- said ultraviolet radiation reducing means comprising a sheet of specialized glass, said specialized glass sheet being transmitting in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum but having reduced transmission in the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
A reduced ultraviolet radiation transmitting electrochromic assembly, said assembly comprising:
- first and second spaced, optically transparent elements, said elements having facing surfaces defining a space between said first and second elements, and wherein said first element is located closer to a source of ultraviolet radiation than said second element;
- 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;
- said ultraviolet radiation reducing means comprising said first element being a sheet of specialized glass, said specialized glass sheet being transmitting in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum but having reduced transmission in the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum;
- and
- wherein said specialized glass is selected from the group consisting of glass having an iron oxide content of at least 0.2% by weight, and glass having a cerium oxide content of at least 0.2% by weight.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.