Dual-pane thermal window with liquid crystal shade

Claim 1

A thermal-pane window with an electro-optical shade for use in a window space of a building structure, comprising: (a) window frame means for securing the mutual orientation of a plurality of transparent, substantially parallel, sequentially spaced panes and for sealingly isolating a space therebetween; (b) a first transparent pane mounted in said window frame means in a position toward an exterior facing side of said frame means; (c) a second transparent pane, substantially parallel to and spaced from said first pane, mounted in said frame means in a position toward an interior facing side of said frame means; (d) a liquid crystal cell comprising a first wall composed of transparent, electrically conductive film, a second wall composed of transparent, electrically conductive film and a liquid crystal material disposed between opposing faces of said first and second walls, said liquid crystal material being electro-optically responsive and said first and second walls having sufficient supporting strength to maintain the integrity of said cells; (e) said first wall of said cell being affixed to a fractional portion of one of the opposing faces of said first and second panes, said other of said opposing faces having affixed thereto one wall of a second liquid crystal cell and said second wall of said cell delimiting with the other opposing face of said first and second panes a space providing a thermal break; and (f) electrical means for applying an electric field between said conductive films and through said liquid crystal material of a selected field strength at least sufficient to change the optical transmission of said liquid crystal material.

Claim 6

A method for decreasing radiative and conductive heat transfer between the exterior and the interior of a building, comprising the steps of: (a) mounting within a window frame a plurality of spaced window panes, a first and a second of said panes having opposing faces; (b) affixing to one of the opposing faces a first wall of a liquid crystal cell, said first wall being composed of transparent, electrically conductive film to form a cavity containing an electro-optically responsive liquid crystal material providing a selected light transmittance; said film being composed of plastic and said first and second walls having sufficient supporting strength to maintain the integrity of said cell; (c) affixing to said other of said opposing faces one wall of a second liquid crystal cell, said one wall of said second liquid crystal cell being affixed to a fractional portion of said other of said opposing faces and (d) delimiting between said second wall of said cell and the other of said opposing faces of said panes a space providing a thermal break.

Claim 7

A method for decreasing radiative and conductive heat transfer between the exterior and the interior of a building, comprising the steps of: (a) mounting within a window frame a plurality of spaced window panes, a first and a second of said panes having opposing faces; (b) affixing to one of the opposing faces a first wall of a liquid crystal cell, said first wall being composed of transparent, electrically conductive film to form a cavity containing an electro-optically responsive liquid crystal material providing a selected light transmittance; said film being composed of plastic and said first and second walls having sufficient supporting strength to maintain the integrity of said cell; (c) affixing to said other of said opposing faces one wall of a second liquid crystal cell, said one wall of said second liquid crystal cell being affixed to a fractional portion of said other of said opposing faces and (d) delimiting between said second wall of said cell and the other of said opposing faces of said panes a space providing a thermal break.