Electro-optic window incorporating a discrete photovoltaic device
US5805330A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 15, 1996 |
| Grant date | Sep 8, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 15, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/163
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An electro-optic window is provided which is powered solely by at least one discrete photovoltaic cell within an electro-optic window. The electro-optic window has front and back spaced-apart glass elements sealably bonded together in a spaced-apart relationship and defining a chamber filled with an electro-optic material. The front glass element has a transparent conductive layer on the face of the front glass element confronting the rear glass element and the rear glass element has a transparent conductive layer on the face confronting the front glass element. The seal is generally disposed along the perimeter of three edges of both glass elements and some distance in from the remaining (fourth) edge. The photovoltaic assembly is electrically connected to the two transparent conductive layers and is placed on the outer perimeter along this fourth edge with the photon-absorbing side of all the photovoltaic cells within the photovoltaic assembly facing in one direction ("out" the window). When light impinges on the photovoltaic cell a current is created which darkens the electro-optic material in proportion to the amount of impinging light. By choosing the relative area of the phot…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.