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US3840286A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electrochromic device

Assignee: Optel Corp
•
Filing: 1973-07-30
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Granted: 1974-10-08
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Expires: 1993-07-30
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Abstract

Abstract An electrooptic device comprises adjacent solid state layers, one layer including an oxidizable ion and the second layer includes a reducible ion therein such that upon injection of holes into said layer including oxidizable ions and electrons into said layer including reducible ions, the ions are respectively oxidized and reduced causing a change in the color state of at least one of said layers so as to cause a change in color of said electrochromic device. The device includes means for injecting holes and electrons into said layers.

Inventors

  • 👤 Z Kiss

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 22:48
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/15; G02F1/1514; G02F1/1523

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 76 words
AN ELECTROCHROMIC DEVICE COMPRISING A SANDWICH STRUCTURE INCLUDING A FIRST AND SECOND SOLID STATE LAYER SAID FIRST LAYER CONTAINING IONS WHOSE VALENCE STATE IS OXIDIZABLE AND SAID SECOND LAYER CONTAINING IONS WHOSE VALENCE STATE IS REDUCIBLE AND FURTHER CHARACTERIZED IN THAT THE CHANGE OF VALENCE STATE OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID IONS CAUSES A CHANGE OF VALENCE MAGNETIC ABSORPTION SPECTRA OF THE LAYER WITH WHICH SAID IONS ARE ASSOCATED, SAID LAYERS BEING SANDWICHED BETWEEN ELECTRODES.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 76 words
AN ELECTROCHROMIC DEVICE COMPRISING A SANDWICH STRUCTURE INCLUDING A FIRST AND SECOND SOLID STATE LAYER SAID FIRST LAYER CONTAINING IONS WHOSE VALENCE STATE IS OXIDIZABLE AND SAID SECOND LAYER CONTAINING IONS WHOSE VALENCE STATE IS REDUCIBLE AND FURTHER CHARACTERIZED IN THAT THE CHANGE OF VALENCE STATE OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID IONS CAUSES A CHANGE OF VALENCE MAGNETIC ABSORPTION SPECTRA OF THE LAYER WITH WHICH SAID IONS ARE ASSOCATED, SAID LAYERS BEING SANDWICHED BETWEEN ELECTRODES.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 26 words
The device recited in claim 1 including a support plate over which one of said electrodes are formed and wherein one of said electrodes is patterned.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
The device recited in claim 1 wherein said transparent support plate, said electrodes and said solid state layers are all essentially light transmitting.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 15 words
The device recited in claim 2 wherein at least one of said electrodes is reflective.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 29 words
The device recited in claim 2 wherein light is essentially completely absorbed by at least one of said solid state layers in at least one of its colored states.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
The device recited in claim 1 wherein said first layer contains trivalent iron and said second layer contains hexavalent tungsten ions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
The device recited in claim 6 wherein said iron and tungsten ions are present in a host material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 13 words
The device recited in claim 7 wherein said host material is aluminum oxied.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 24 words
The device recited in claim 6 wherein at least one of said iron and tungsten ions are in the form of their respective oxides.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 31 words
The device recited in claim 6 wherein said iron ions are contained in an aluminum oxide host and wherein said tungsten ions are in the form of a tungsten oxide layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 18 words
The device recited in claim 2 wherein said solid state layers are less than one micron in thickness.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 76 words
The method of operating an electrochromic device including the steps of simultaneously injecting electrons and holes into adjacent layers of said device for causing a change in valence states of ionic constituents in said layers thereby causing a change in color of said device followed by the step of changing the electrode polarity across said layers causing said ions to return to their original valence states thereby causing the device to return to its original color.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 76 words
The method of operating an electrochromic device including the steps of simultaneously injecting electrons and holes into adjacent layers of said device for causing a change in valence states of ionic constituents in said layers thereby causing a change in color of said device followed by the step of changing the electrode polarity across said layers causing said ions to return to their original valence states thereby causing the device to return to its original color.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method of operating an electrochromic device as recited in claim 11 including the step of causing ions to migrate from one adjacent layer to the other of said adjacent layers so as to cause charge compensation within said layers.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-10-07 1978-04-08 1978-10-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-10-07 1982-04-08 1982-10-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-10-07 1986-04-08 1986-10-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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