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US 9,684,218 B2Granted
Low-cost chromatic devices
AssigneeUniversity of South Florida
InventorsManoj Kumar Ram, Elias K. Stefanakos, D. Yogi Goswami
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one embodiment, a chromatic device includes an active layer and an electrolyte layer in contact with the active layer, wherein the active layer has an opaque color that blocks light but changes to a translucent color that transmits light when a metal object is placed in electrical contact with the active layer in the presence of the electrolyte layer.
Claims20
A chromatic device comprising:
- an active layer;
- an electrolyte layer in contact with the active layer;
- and
- a metal object that can be alternately placed into and out of electrical contact with the active layer;
- wherein the active layer has an opaque color that blocks light when the metal object is not in electrical contact with the active layer but changes to a translucent color that transmits light when the metal object is placed in electrical contact with the active layer in the presence of the electrolyte layer, wherein the active layer changes color without applying electrical energy to the active layer.
2 more elements
A chromatic window for alternately blocking and transmitting light, the window comprising:
- a conductive, transparent substrate;
- an active layer formed on the substrate;
- an electrolyte layer in contact with the active layer;
- and
- a metal object that can be alternately placed into and out of electrical contact with the active layer;
- wherein the active layer has an opaque color that blocks light when no metal object is in electrical contact with the active layer but changes to a translucent color that transmits light when a metal object is placed in electrical contact with the active layer in the presence of the electrolyte layer, wherein the active layer changes color without applying electrical energy to the active layer.
3 more elements
A method for controlling the transmission of light, the method comprising:
- covering a window with an active layer and an electrolyte layer in contact with the active layer, wherein the active layer is opaque in its natural state and prevents light from passing through the window;
- and
- moving a metal object into electrical contact with the active layer to supply electrons from the metal object to the active layer to cause the active layer to change to a translucent color that enables light to pass through the window, wherein no electrical potential or field is applied to the active layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.