Electrochromic system with less than 30 seconds switching time

Claim 1

An electrochromic system comprising of two glass sheets (1, 4) coated with first and second electroconductive layers (2, 5) separated by a layer of an electrochromic material (9), an electrolyte (8) and a counterelectrode (7), said electroconductive layers (2, 5) each being provided with an electroconductive strip (3, 6) made of a material whose electric conductivity is high relative to that of electroconductive layers (2, 5), said electroconductive strips (3, 6) being placed along the opposite edges of the electroconductive layers and connected to a voltage generator which applies in coloring phase (or in fading phase), between two points A and B on the first and second electroconductive layers, respectively, (2, 5) which are in the immediate vicinity of the electroconductive strips (3, 6) a potential difference U 1 =(V A -V B )(t) so that between point A and a point R on the second electroconductive layer, directly facing point A, there is a potential difference U 2 =(V A -V R )(t)=U o , where U o is constant and chosen from the stability range of the coloring (or fading) reaction.

Claim 17

A method of varying light transmission in an electrochromic system comprising: employing an electrochromic system comprising two rectangular and parallel sheets of chemically inert transparent material where the north edge and south edge of the sheets are greater than or of equal length to the east and west edges of the sheets, first and second electroconductive layers coating the inner faces of the two transparent sheets, and separated by a layer of an electrochromic material, an electrolyte, and a counterelectrode, a first electroconductive strip made of a material whose electric conductivity is high relative to that of the first and second electroconductive layers and connected along the entire length of the north edge of the first electroconductive layer, a second electroconductive strip made of a material whose electric conductivity is high relative to that of the first and second electroconductive layers and connected along the entire length of the south edge of the second electroconductive layer, and a third electroconductive strip made of a material whose electric conductivity is high relative to that of the first and second electroconductive layers and connected along the entire length of the north edge of the second electroconductive layer; applying a potential difference, between points A and B associated with the first and second electroconductive strips, respectively, equal to U 1 =(V A -V B ) (t); and maintaining a potential difference, between points A and R, point R associated with the third electroconductive strips, equal to U 2 =(V A -V R )(t)=U o , where U o is a constant and chosen from the stability range of the coloring (or fading) reaction.

Claim 18

A method of varying light transmission in an electrochromic system comprising: employing an electrochromic system comprising two rectangular and parallel sheets of chemically inert transparent material where the north edge and south edge of the sheets are greater than or of equal length to the east and west edges of the sheets, first and second electroconductive layers coating the inner faces of the two transparent sheets, and separated by a layer of an electrochromic material, an electrolyte, and a counterelectrode, a first electroconductive strip made of a material whose electric conductivity is high relative to that of the first and second electroconductive layers and connected along the entire length of the north edge of the first electroconductive layer, a second electroconductive strip made of a material whose electric conductivity is high relative to that of the first and second electroconductive layers and connected along the entire length of the south edge of the second electroconductive layer, and a third electroconductive strip made of a material whose electric conductivity is high relative to that of the first and second electroconductive layers and connected along the entire length of the north edge of the second electroconductive layer; applying a potential difference, between points A and B associated with the first and second electroconductive strips, respectively, equal to U 1 =(V A -V B ) (t); and maintaining a potential difference, between points A and R, point R associated with the third electroconductive strips, equal to U 2 =(V A -V R )(t)=U o , where U o is a constant and chosen from the stability range of the coloring (or fading) reaction.