Potential driven shields having improved coil strength, methods of making

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments relate to potential driven shades that can be used with insulated glass (IG) units, IG units including such shades, and / or associated methods. In such a unit, a dynamic shade is located between substrates defining the IG unit and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The dynamic shade includes an upper glass layer including a transparent conductor and insulator or dielectric film, and an optical shutter. The shutter includes an elastomeric polymer, a conductor, and optionally an ink. Holes that are invisible to the naked eye may be formed in the polymer. The apertures may be sized, shaped, and arranged to facilitate summer solar reflection and winter solar transmission. The conductor may be transparent or opaque. When the conductor is reflective, an outer coating may be provided to help reduce internal reflections. The polymer may be capable of withstanding high temperature environments and in some cases may be colored.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the Chinese invention patent application with an international application date of July 5, 2019, an international application number of PCT / IB2019 / 055766, an application number of 201980030360.7 entering the Chinese national phase, and an invention name of "Potential-driven shading object with improved coil strength, its preparation method and its operation method". Technical Field

[0002] Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to shades that can be used with insulating glass units (IG units or IGUs), IG units including such shades, and / or methods of making them. More specifically, certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to potential-driven shades that can be used with IG units, IG units including such shades, and / or methods of making them. Background Art

[0003] The building sector is notorious for its high energy consumption, which has been shown to account for 30%-40% of the world's primary energy consumption. Operational costs (such as heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting) account for much of this consumption, especially in older structures built with less stringent energy efficiency construction standards.

[0004] For example, windows provide natural light, fresh air, access, and a connection to the outside world. However, they also sometimes represent a significant source of wasted energy. As the trend toward increasing the use of building windows develops, balancing the conflicting interests of energy efficiency and human comfort becomes increasingly important. In addition, concerns about global warming and carbon footprints have increased the impetus for new energy-efficient glazing systems.

[0005] In this regard, because windows are often the "weak link" in building insulation, and considering modern building designs that often include entire glass curtain walls, it is obvious that having better insulating windows would be beneficial in terms of controlling and reducing energy waste. Therefore, developing highly insulating windows has significant advantages both environmentally and economically.

[0006] Insulating glass units (IG units or IGUs) have been developed and provide improved insulation to buildings and other structures, and Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary IG unit. Figure 1In an exemplary IG unit of , first substrate 102 and second substrate 104 are substantially parallel to and spaced apart from each other. Spacer system 106 is disposed at the periphery of first substrate 102 and second substrate 104 to help maintain them in a substantially parallel, spaced apart relationship with each other and to help define a gap or space 108 between the first substrate and the second substrate. In some cases, gap 108 may be at least partially filled with an inert gas (such as Ar, Kr, Xe, etc.), for example, to improve the isolation characteristics of the overall IG unit. In some cases, an optional outer seal may be provided in addition to spacer system 106.

[0007] Windows are unique elements in most buildings in that they can "supply" energy to the building in the form of winter solar gain and year-round daylight. However, current window technology often results in excessive heating costs in the winter, excessive cooling in the summer, and generally fails to capture the benefits of daylight that would allow lights to be dimmed or turned off in most of the nation's commercial inventory.

[0008] Thin film technology is a promising way to improve window performance. The film can be applied, for example, directly to the glass during production, applied to a polymer web that can be retrofitted to an existing window at a correspondingly low cost, etc. And progress has been made over the past two decades, primarily in reducing the U-value of windows through the use of static or "passive" low-emissivity (low-E) coatings, and by reducing the solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) through the use of spectrally selective low-E coatings. Low-E coatings can be used, for example, in conjunction with IG units, such as in conjunction with Figure 1 However, further enhancements are still possible.

[0009] For example, it will be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide a more dynamic IG unit option that takes into account the desire to provide improved insulation to a building or the like, the ability to "supply" energy to its interior from the sun, and also provide privacy in a more "on-demand" manner. It will be appreciated that it would also be desirable for such a product to have a pleasing aesthetic appearance. Summary of the invention

[0010] Certain exemplary embodiments address these and / or other issues.For example, certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to potential-driven shades that can be used with IG units, IG units including such shades, and / or methods of making the same.

[0011] In certain exemplary embodiments, an insulating glass (IG) unit is provided. A first substrate and a second substrate each have an inner major surface and an outer major surface, wherein the inner major surface of the first substrate faces the inner major surface of the second substrate. A spacer system helps to keep the first substrate and the second substrate in a substantially parallel and spaced relationship with each other and define a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate. A dynamically controllable shade is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the shade comprising: a first conductive film, the first conductive film is directly or indirectly disposed on the inner major surface of the first substrate; a dielectric film or an insulator film, the dielectric film or the insulator film is directly or indirectly disposed on the first conductive film; and a shutter, the shutter comprising a polymer material supporting the second conductive film, the polymer material being extendable to serve as a shutter closed position and being retractable to serve as a shutter open position, the shutter also comprising a plurality of holes extending through at least a portion of the polymer material, the holes being invisible to the human eye, and the size, shape and arrangement of which are set to form a passive shielding element when the polymer material is extended to the shutter closed position, the passive shielding element providing gradual shielding of the sun. The first conductive film and the second conductive film can be electrically connected to a power source that is controllable to selectively set a potential difference to drive the polymer material between the shutter open position and the shutter closed position, respectively.

[0012] In certain exemplary embodiments, a method for preparing an insulating glass (IG) unit is provided. The method includes: providing a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate each have an inner main surface and an outer main surface; directly or indirectly forming a first conductive film on the inner main surface of the first substrate; directly or indirectly providing a dielectric film or an insulator film on the first conductive film; positioning a shutter adjacent to the dielectric film or the insulator film, the shutter including a polymer material supporting the second conductive film, the polymer material being able to extend in use to serve as a shutter closed position and being able to retract to serve as a shutter open position, the shutter also including a plurality of holes extending through at least a portion of the polymer material, the holes being invisible to the human eye in the IG unit, and the size, shape, and arrangement of the holes being set to form a passive shielding element, the polymer material extending to the shutter closed position when the polymer material is extended to the shutter closed position. A dynamic shading element provides gradual shading of the sun for the IG unit; electrically connecting the first conductive film and the second conductive film to a power source, wherein the first conductive film, the dielectric film or the insulator film and the shutter at least partially form a dynamic shading object, and the dynamic shading object can be controlled in conjunction with the power source to selectively set a potential difference and correspondingly drive the polymer material between the shutter open position and the shutter closed position; and connecting the first substrate and the second substrate together in a substantially parallel and spaced relationship with each other in conjunction with a spacer system, so that the inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate face each other when preparing the IG unit, defining a gap between the inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate, and the dynamic shading object is inserted between the first substrate and the second substrate in the gap.

[0013] In certain exemplary embodiments, a method for preparing an insulating glass (IG) unit is provided. The method includes: having a first substrate and a second substrate, each of the first substrate and the second substrate having an inner main surface and an outer main surface, the inner main surface of the first substrate facing the inner main surface of the second substrate. A first conductive film is directly or indirectly formed on the inner main surface of the first substrate, and a dielectric film or an insulator film is directly or indirectly disposed on the first conductive film. A shutter is positioned adjacent to the dielectric film or the insulator film, the shutter comprising a polymer material supporting the second conductive film, the polymer material being capable of extending in use to serve as a shutter closed position and being capable of retracting to serve as a shutter open position, the shutter also comprising a plurality of holes extending through at least a portion of the polymer material, the holes being invisible to the human eye in the IG unit, and the size, shape and arrangement of the holes being set to form a passive shielding element, which provides gradual shielding of the sun for the IG unit when the polymer material extends to the shutter closed position. The first conductive film and the second conductive film are electrically connectable to a power source, wherein the first conductive film, the dielectric film or the insulator film and the shutter at least partially form a dynamic shade, and the dynamic shade can be controlled in conjunction with the power source to selectively set a potential difference and correspondingly drive the polymer material between the shutter open position and the shutter closed position. The method also includes connecting the first substrate and the second substrate together in a substantially parallel and spaced relationship with each other in conjunction with a spacer system, so that the inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate face each other when preparing the IG unit, and a gap is defined between the inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate, and the dynamic shade is inserted between the first substrate and the second substrate in the gap.

[0014] In certain exemplary embodiments, a method of operating a dynamic shade in an insulating glass (IG) unit is provided. The method includes: having an IG unit prepared according to the technology disclosed herein and selectively activating the power supply to move the polymer material between the shutter open position and the shutter closed position.

[0015] The features, aspects, advantages, and exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined to realize another embodiment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] These and other features and advantages may be better and more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of exemplary illustrative embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary insulating glass unit (IG unit or IGU);

[0018] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary IGU incorporating a potential driven shade that may be used in conjunction with certain exemplary embodiments;

[0019] Figure 3 To illustrate the Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary "on glass" component of an exemplary IGU that enables shutter action;

[0020] Figure 4 According to certain exemplary embodiments, Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary shutter of an exemplary IGU;

[0021] Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary IGU including a potential-driven shade incorporating perforations that may be used in conjunction with certain exemplary embodiments;

[0022] Figure 6a to Figure 6b shows how, in some exemplary cases, it is possible to combine Figure 5 The exemplary IGU selectively reflects solar radiation;

[0023] Figure 7 To illustrate the Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of an alternative geometry of perforations formed in an exemplary shade of FIG.

[0024] Figures 8a to 8c According to certain exemplary embodiments, Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of an example shutter of , except that an outer covering is included to improve the aesthetic appearance of the overall light shield;

[0025] Figures 9 to 11 To illustrate the incorporation of Figure 8a to Figure 8b A graph of percent reflectivity versus wavelength for certain exemplary outer cover materials used in a layer stack;

[0026] Fig.12 is a graph showing the effect of temperature on Young's modulus;

[0027] Fig.13 shows the typical stress relaxation curves of PET film at different temperatures;

[0028] Fig.14 Basic constraints on shade functionality that may operate in certain exemplary embodiments are summarized;

[0029] Fig.15 is a table including coil strength related properties of several materials that may be relevant in certain exemplary embodiments;

[0030] Fig.16 is a schematic diagram of a light shutter incorporating a CIGS solar cell that may be used in conjunction with certain exemplary embodiments;

[0031] Figures 17 to 19 shows how a shade may be connected to a glazing and powered according to certain exemplary embodiments;

[0032] Fig. 20 is a schematic diagram illustrating an alternative method of how a shade may be attached to a glazing and powered, according to certain exemplary embodiments; and

[0033] Fig.21 is a schematic diagram illustrating another alternative method of how a shade may be attached to a glazing and powered, according to certain exemplary embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to potential-driven shades that can be used with IG units, IG units including such shades, and / or methods of making them. Referring now more particularly to the drawings, Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary insulating glass unit (IG unit or IGU) incorporating a potential-driven shade that may be used in conjunction with certain exemplary embodiments. More specifically, Figure 2 and Figure 1 104 is similar in that a spacer system 106 is used to separate the substantially parallel and spaced first and second glass substrates 102, 104 from each other, and a gap 108 is defined between the first and second glass substrates. A first potential-driven shade 202a and a second potential-driven shade 202b are disposed in the gap 108, close to the inner major surfaces of the first and second substrates 102, 104, respectively. As will become clearer from the description provided below, the shades 202a and 202b are controlled by creating a potential difference between the shades 202a and 202b and the conductive coating formed on the inner surfaces of the substrates 102 and 104. As will also become clearer from the description provided below, each of the shades 202a and 202b can be produced using a polymer film coated with a conductive coating (e.g., a coating including a layer containing Al, Cr, ITO, etc.). Aluminum-coated shades can provide partial to complete reflection of visible light and up to a significant amount of total solar energy.

[0035] The shades 202a and 202b are typically retracted (e.g., rolled up), but they quickly extend (e.g., unroll) when an appropriate voltage is applied so as to cover at least a portion of the substrates 102 and 104 much like, for example, "conventional" window shades. The rolled-up shades can have a very small diameter, and will typically be much smaller than the width of the gap 108 between the first and second substrates 102, 104, so that they can function between them and be substantially hidden from view when rolled up. The unrolled shades 202a and 202b are strongly attached to the adjacent substrates 102 and 104.

[0036] The shades 202a and 202b extend from a retracted configuration to an extended configuration along all or a portion of the vertical length of the visible or "framed" area of ​​the substrates 102 and 104. In the retracted configuration, the shades 202a and 202b have a first surface area that substantially allows transmission of radiation through the framed area. In the extended configuration, the shades 202a and 202b have a second surface area that substantially controls transmission of radiation through the framed area. In certain exemplary embodiments, the shades 202a and 202b may have a width that extends across all or a portion of the horizontal width of the framed area of ​​the substrates 102 and 104 to which they are attached.

[0037] Each of the light shields 202a and 202b is disposed between the first substrate 102 and the second substrate 104, and each is preferably attached to its inner surface (or a dielectric or other layer disposed thereon) at one end, near its top. An adhesive layer may be used in this regard. The light shields 202 and 204 are preferably attached to the inner surface (or a dielectric or other layer disposed thereon) at one end. Figure 2 In certain exemplary embodiments, shades 202a and 202b and any adhesive layers or other mounting structures are preferably hidden from view so that shades 202a and 202b are visible only when at least partially spread out.

[0038] The diameter of the fully rolled shade is preferably about 1-5 mm, but may be greater than 5 mm in certain exemplary embodiments. Preferably, the diameter of the rolled shade is no greater than the width of the gap 108, which is typically about 10-15 mm, to help facilitate rapid and repeated unrolling and rolling operations. Figure 2 In the example of FIG. 1 , two shades 202a and 202b are shown, but it should be understood that only one shade may be provided in certain exemplary embodiments, and it should also be understood that the one shade may be provided on the inner surface of the inner substrate 102 or the outer substrate 104. In exemplary embodiments where two shades are present, their combined diameter is preferably no greater than the width of the gap 108, for example, to facilitate the unrolling and rolling-up operations of the two shades.

[0039] An electronic controller may be provided to help drive the shades 202a and 202b. The electronic controller may be electrically connected to the shades 202a and 202b and the substrates 102 and 104, for example, via suitable leads or the like. The leads may be obscured from view by the assembled IG unit. The electronic controller is configured to provide an output voltage to the shades 202a and 202b. In certain exemplary embodiments, an output voltage in the range of about 100-500V DC may be used to drive the shades 202a and 202b. In this regard, an external AC or DC power supply, a DC battery, etc. may be used. It should be understood that a higher or lower output voltage may be provided, for example, depending on manufacturing parameters and the materials constituting the layers on the shades 202a and 202b, the substrates 102 and 104, etc.

[0040] The controller may be coupled to a manual switch, a remote (e.g., wireless) control, or other input device, for example to indicate whether the shades 202a and 202b should be retracted or extended. In certain exemplary embodiments, the electronic controller may include a processor operably coupled to a memory storing instructions for receiving and decoding control signals that in turn cause a voltage to be selectively applied to control the extension and / or retraction of the shades 202a and 202b.

[0041] Additional instructions may be provided so that other functions can be implemented. For example, a timer may be provided so that the shades 202a and 202b can be programmed to extend and retract at user-specified times or other times, a temperature sensor may be provided so that the shades 202a and 202b can be programmed to extend and retract when a user-specified indoor and / or outdoor temperature is reached, a light sensor may be provided so that the shades 202a and 202b can be programmed to extend and retract based on the amount of light outside the structure, etc.

[0042] Although in Figure 2 202a and 202b are shown, as described above, but certain exemplary embodiments may incorporate only a single shade. Further, as described above, such shades may be designed to extend vertically and horizontally along and across substantially the entire IG unit, and different exemplary embodiments may involve shades that cover only the portion of the IG unit in which they are disposed. In such cases, multiple shades may be provided to deliver more selectable coverage, taking into account interior or exterior structures (such as muntins), simulated planting shutters, etc.

[0043] In certain exemplary embodiments, a locking constraint may be provided at the bottom of the IGU, for example, along its width, to help prevent the shade from spreading across its entire length. The locking constraint may be made of a conductive material, such as a metal, etc. The locking constraint may also be coated with a low dissipation factor polymer, such as polypropylene, fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), etc.

[0044] Will not combine Figure 3 to Figure 4 Exemplary details of the operation of shades 202a and 202b are provided. More specifically, Figure 3 To illustrate the Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary "on glass" component of an exemplary IGU that enables shutter action; and Figure 4 According to certain exemplary embodiments, Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary light shutter of an exemplary IGU. Figure 3 A glass substrate 302 is shown, which can be used Figure 2 304 and 312. The glass substrate 302 supports the glass upper component 304 and the shutter 312. In certain exemplary embodiments, when deployed, the conductor 404 can be closer to the substrate 302 than the ink layer 406. In other exemplary embodiments, this arrangement can be reversed so that, for example, when deployed, the conductor 404 can be farther away from the substrate 302 than the ink layer 406.

[0045] The upper glass component 304 includes a transparent conductor 306 and a dielectric material 308, which can be attached to the substrate 302 via a clear low haze adhesive 310 or the like. These materials are preferably substantially transparent. In certain exemplary embodiments, the transparent conductor 306 is electrically connected to leads to a controller via terminals. In certain exemplary embodiments, the transparent conductor 306 serves as a fixed electrode of a capacitor, and the dielectric material 308 serves as the dielectric of the capacitor.

[0046] The transparent conductor 306 may be formed of any suitable material, such as ITO, tin oxide (e.g., SnO2 or other suitable stoichiometry), etc. In certain exemplary embodiments, the thickness of the transparent conductor 306 may be 10-500 nm. In certain exemplary embodiments, the dielectric material 308 may be a low dissipation factor polymer. Suitable materials include, for example, polypropylene, FEP, PTFE, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyimide (PI), and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), etc. In certain exemplary embodiments, the dielectric material 308 may have a thickness of 4-25 microns. The thickness of the dielectric material 308 may be selected so as to balance the reliability of the light shield with the amount of voltage (e.g., because thinner dielectric layers generally reduce reliability, whereas thicker dielectric layers generally require high applied voltages for operational purposes).

[0047] As is known, many low emissivity (low-E) coatings are conductive. Therefore, in certain exemplary embodiments, a low-E coating may be used in certain exemplary embodiments to replace transparent conductor 306. The low-E coating may be a silver-based low-E coating, for example, wherein one, two, three or more layers containing Ag may be sandwiched between dielectric layers. In such cases, the need for adhesive 310 may be reduced or completely eliminated.

[0048] The shutter 312 may include an elastic layer 402. In certain exemplary embodiments, a conductor 404 may be used on one side of the elastic layer 402, and a decorative ink 406 may optionally be applied to the other side. In certain exemplary embodiments, the conductor 404 may be transparent, and as indicated, the decorative ink 406 is optional. In certain exemplary embodiments, the conductor 404 and / or the decorative ink 406 may be translucent or otherwise impart a coloring or aesthetic feature to the shutter 312. In certain exemplary embodiments, the elastic layer 402 may be formed of a shrinkable polymer such as PEN, PET, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), etc. In certain exemplary embodiments, the thickness of the elastic layer 402 may be 1-25 microns. In different exemplary embodiments, the conductor 404 may be formed of the same or different material as that used for the conductor 306. For example, a metal or metal oxide material may be used. In certain exemplary embodiments, a 10-50 nm thick material including a layer including, for example, ITO, Al, Ni, NiCr, tin oxide, etc. may be used. In certain exemplary embodiments, the resistance of conductor 404 may be in the range of 40-200 ohms / square.

[0049] Decorative ink 406 may include pigments, particles, and / or other materials that selectively reflect and / or absorb desired visible colors and / or infrared radiation.

[0050] like Figure 2 As shown, shades 202a and 202b are typically wound as spirals, with the outer ends of the spirals attached to substrates 102 and 104 (e.g., or dielectrics thereon) by adhesive. Conductor 404 may be electrically connected to leads or the like via terminals, and may serve as a variable electrode of a capacitor having conductor 306 as its fixed electrode and dielectric 308 as its dielectric.

[0051] When an electrical drive is provided between the variable electrode and the fixed electrode, for example, when an electrical drive of a voltage or current is applied between the conductor 404 of the shutter 312 and the conductor 306 on the substrate 302, the electrostatic force created by the potential difference between the two electrodes pulls the shutter 312 toward the substrate 302. The pulling on the variable electrode causes the rolled-up shade to spread out. The electrostatic force on the variable electrode causes the shutter 312 to be firmly held against the fixed electrode of the substrate 302. Therefore, the ink coating 406 of the shade selectively reflects or absorbs certain visible colors and / or infrared radiation. In this way, the spread-out shade helps to control radiation transmission by selectively blocking and / or reflecting certain light or other radiation so that it does not pass through the IG unit, and thereby changes the overall function of the IG unit from being transmissive to being partially transmissive or selectively transmissive, or even opaque in some cases.

[0052] When the electrical drive between the variable electrode and the fixed electrode is removed, the electrostatic force on the variable electrode is also removed. The spring constant present in the elastic layer 402 and the conductor 404 causes the shade to roll back to its original tightly wound position. Because the movement of the shade is controlled by the main capacitive circuit, the current flows substantially only when the shade is spread out or rolled up. Therefore, the average power consumption of the shade is extremely low. In this way, at least in some cases, a number of standard AA batteries can be used to operate the shade for several years.

[0053] In one example, substrate 302 may be 3 mm thick transparent glass commercially available from assignee. An acrylic adhesive with low haze may be used for adhesive layer 310. Sputtered ITO with a resistance of 100-300 ohms / square may be used for conductor 306. The polymer film may be a 12 micron thick low haze (e.g., <1% haze) PET material. A PVC-based ink commercially available from Sun Chemical Inc. applied to a thickness of 3-8 microns may be used as decorative ink 406. A 6 micron, 12 micron, or 25 micron thick PEN material commercially available from DuPont may be used as elastic layer 402. For opaque conductor 406, evaporated Al with a nominal thickness of 375 nm may be used. For transparent options, sputtered ITO may be used. In both cases, the resistance may be 100-400 ohms / square. In certain exemplary embodiments, ITO or other conductive materials may be sputtered or otherwise formed on their respective polymer carrier layers. Of course, these exemplary materials, thicknesses, electrical properties, and various combinations and sub-combinations thereof, etc. should not be considered limiting unless specifically claimed.

[0054] Further manufacturing, operating, and / or other details and alternatives may be implemented. See, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 8,982,441; 8,736,938; 8,134,112; 8,035,075; 7,705,826; and 7,645,977; the entire contents of each of these U.S. Patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

[0055] Certain exemplary embodiments may include microscopic perforations or through holes that allow light to pass through the sunshade and provide a gradual amount of solar transmission based on the angle of the sun. These perforations or holes can help to gradually shade the direct sun. In certain exemplary embodiments, the shielding effect of the microscopic holes can be compared to the shielding effect of external blinds, except that the holes remain invisible because they are formed to be too small to be seen by the human eye. The size, distribution and angle of the holes can be designed to control the amount of solar energy allowed into the building at different times of the year. For example, in the summer, when the sun is high in the sky, the size, distribution and angle of the holes can help to ensure that the solar transmission from the sunlight is reduced while still allowing some light to enter the building. In contrast, the holes can be designed so that the sunshade allows solar transmission in the winter, which reduces the need for heating during cold periods. For example, through the hole design, the amount of energy from the sunlight passing through the IG unit can be reduced by up to about 90% (and sometimes even more) in the summer, while also allowing about 35% (and sometimes even more) of solar transmission in the winter. Thus, perforations can be used to provide a passive method of solar control combined with a more active and dynamic use of electrostatically driven shades. In certain exemplary embodiments, the hole design can achieve a reduction of at least 50%, more preferably at least 60%, even more preferably at least 75%, and sometimes 80-90% or more in the amount of energy from sunlight passing through the IG unit in the summer. Additionally or alternatively, in certain exemplary embodiments, the hole design can achieve a transmission of at least 20%, more preferably at least 25%, and sometimes 30-35% or more of the energy from sunlight passing through the IG unit in the winter. In certain exemplary embodiments, a single hole design can achieve a difference in the transmission of energy from sunlight passing through the IG unit between the summer and winter of at least about 30%, more preferably at least about 40%, and even more preferably at least about 50-55% and sometimes even more.

[0056] It should be appreciated that the size, shape, and / or arrangement of the apertures may be based on, for example, the approximate latitude at which the IGU is to be installed, the orientation of the IGU at that location (e.g., whether the IGU is upright with respect to a door or window, flat or angled with respect to a skylight, etc.), etc. For example, different angles of the apertures may be adjusted in these and / or other aspects, e.g., to provide improved shading factors, light to solar gain values, etc.

[0057] In addition, with respect to the hole size, diameter, angle, etc., it should be understood that in certain exemplary embodiments, the thickness (T) of the dynamic shade may be 10-32 μm. In some cases, the size of the hole diameter or main distance (D) may depend on the thickness. For example, in certain exemplary embodiments, the hole diameter or main distance may be between 0.5T and 5T. It should be understood that 0.5T is equivalent to direct sunlight not passing through the film at an angle greater than 26.5 degrees relative to the horizontal plane. This assumes that the hole angle is perpendicular to the outer side of the dynamic shade. The amount of light depends on the diameter of the hole, the thickness of the dynamic shade, the angle of the hole, and the number of holes. Angling the hole downward allows similar light blocking capabilities, but the size of the hole can be larger, thereby allowing more indirect light to penetrate. It is possible to angle the hole in such a way that no direct light passes through the shade. In the case where D=T, the hole should be offset 45 degrees (up or down) from the vertical direction. If D>T, the angle increases.

[0058] Figure 5 500 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary IGU incorporating a potential-driven shade including perforations 502 that may be used in conjunction with certain exemplary embodiments. Figure 5 , the hole is formed in the shutter 312 portion of the light shield. That is, the hole 502 extends through the decorative ink 406, the elastic polymer 402, and the transparent conductor 404 thereon. However, in certain exemplary embodiments, the hole 502 need not extend through the lower glass upper portion 304 of the light shield. This may be advantageous from a manufacturing perspective because, in some cases, the glass upper portion 304 may be formed separately from the shutter 312 portion. In addition, in certain exemplary embodiments, the glass upper portion 304 may use a blanket coating process such as sputtering, while the shutter 312 portion may include additional steps implemented after the elastic polymer 402 is coated with the transparent conductor 404 and / or ink 406.

[0059] In certain exemplary embodiments, the hole 502 in the shutter 312 portion can be formed by any suitable technology. For example, micropores can be formed by laser cutting, stamping, punching, photolithography, drilling (e.g., physical drilling, electron beam drilling, etc.). The hole can be formed to have a substantially circular, rectangular, etc. cross-section. In certain exemplary embodiments, the hole diameter or main distance will be about the thickness of the entire light shield, and therefore about 10-30 microns. In certain exemplary embodiments, 30-70% of the shutter 312 portion may be removed due to the formation of the hole, more preferably, 40-60% of the shutter 312 portion may be removed due to the formation of the hole, and in some cases, about 50% of the shutter 312 portion may be removed due to the formation of the hole. In certain exemplary embodiments, no more than 50% of the shutter 312 portion is removed due to the formation of the hole. In certain exemplary embodiments, the apertures modify the overall shade's color rendering index (CRI) value preferably by no more than 10, more preferably by no more than 5, still more preferably by no more than 2-3, and sometimes by no more than 1 (e.g., no more than 0.5).

[0060] Although certain exemplary embodiments have been described as involving through holes, different embodiments may involve holes that extend only partially through the shutter 312. In certain exemplary embodiments, the hole may be formed by providing a plurality of thin sheets stacked one on top of another. In such cases, the holes in adjacent thin sheets may partially or completely overlap each other or may not partially or completely overlap each other. For example, in one example, multiple thin sheet layers may completely overlap each other to substantially form a through hole, while another example may involve adjacent thin sheet layers that may only partially overlap each other to substantially form an angled through hole. In another example, multiple thin sheet layers may not overlap each other. In certain exemplary embodiments, multiple thin sheets may be stacked to form (or substantially replace a single) shutter 312.

[0061] Figure 6a to Figure 6b shows how, in some exemplary cases, it is possible to combine Figure 5 The exemplary IGU selectively reflects solar radiation. Figure 6a As shown in , for example, when the sun 600 is high (e.g., during the summer months), solar radiation 602A is more likely to encounter the unremoved portion of the shutter 312 of the extended shade than the aperture 502 formed therein. As a result, a greater amount of solar radiation is reflected 602b (and / or absorbed, depending on the exemplary embodiment). In contrast, Figure 6b As shown in , when the sun 600 is low in the sky (eg, during the winter months), solar radiation 602c is more likely to pass through the apertures 502 formed in the shutter portion of the shade 312.

[0062] Figure 7 To illustrate the Figure 5 sectional view of an alternative geometry of perforations formed in an exemplary shade. In certain exemplary embodiments, the apertures formed in the shutter 312 portion of the shade may be angled. For example, Figure 7 An angled aperture 502' is shown formed in the shutter 312. In certain exemplary embodiments, this may facilitate selective transmission through the shutter.

[0063] It should be understood from the above description that the dynamic shade mechanism uses a wound polymer with a conductive layer. In certain exemplary embodiments, the conductor 402 may be formed integrally with the polymer 402, or it may be an external coating applied, deposited, or otherwise formed on the polymer 402. As also described above, the decorative ink 406 may be used with a transparent conductor material (e.g., based on ITO) and / or a conductive layer that is only partially transparent or opaque. In certain exemplary embodiments, an opaque or only partially transparent conductive layer may eliminate the need for ink. In this regard, a metal or substantially metallic material may be used in certain exemplary embodiments. Aluminum is an exemplary material that may be used with or without a decorative ink.

[0064] The use of aluminum may be viewed as advantageous in some circumstances because it provides excellent electrical conductivity (low resistivity) as well as a high level of reflectivity relative to incident light from the sun (in both the visible and infrared spectrums). Another concern with the use of metallic or substantially metallic layers, such as layers comprising or consisting essentially of aluminum, is that internal reflections (and especially specular reflections) therefrom may be unsightly. Additionally, even when reflections are not an issue, the inclusion of such a layer may result in coloration on the interior-facing side of the IGU that is objectionable to an observer.

[0065] Anti-reflection (AR) technology is known and used in conjunction with certain coated articles. Typically, one or a series of layers may be deposited on top of a surface whose reflection is to be reduced. Such techniques typically use an optical interference model, for example, where high and low refractive index materials are typically arranged in an alternating manner on a surface whose reflection is to be reduced. Unfortunately, however, there are increased technical challenges in reducing the reflection of "very shiny" metals (such as reflections produced by surfaces coated with aluminum, chromium, molybdenum or otherwise). For example, reducing the reflection of an uncoated glass surface from about 10% to about 1% may be complex, but can still be achieved using the above-mentioned optical interference techniques. However, reducing the reflection of an aluminum-coated surface that may have a reflection of about 90% to as low as possible is even more complex, and standard techniques (including standard materials) may not work as expected and in other ways based on typical coated article experience expectations. When working with highly reflective materials (such as aluminum) and trying to reduce their reflection, it may also be very challenging to maintain color consistency and / or consistency of color variation across visible light wavelengths. In fact, there are good reasons why aluminum is often used for mirror coatings.

[0066] Certain exemplary embodiments help address these issues by providing one or more overcoats over the conductors to help reduce visible light reflections and / or change the color of the shade to provide a more aesthetically pleasing product, and / or "splitting" the conductors so that a phase shifter layer appears between them. In this regard, Figures 8a to 8c According to certain exemplary embodiments, Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of an example light shutter of FIG. 1 , except that an outer covering is included to improve the aesthetic appearance of the overall light shield. Figure 8a The shutter 312' includes an anti-reflective outer coating 802, however Figure 8b The shutter 312" includes a dielectric mirror coating 804. Figure 8a to Figure 8b As shown in FIG, an anti-reflective overcoat 802 and a dielectric mirror overcoat 804 are disposed over the conductor 404 and on a major surface of a light shield polymer 402 comprising, for example, PEN opposite to the decorative ink 406. However, it should be understood that ink 406 need not be provided, for example, if the conductor 404 is not transparent. A mirror coating such as Al may eliminate the need for decorative ink 406. It should also be understood that in certain exemplary embodiments, the anti-reflective overcoat 802 and the dielectric mirror overcoat 804 may be disposed on a major surface of a light shield polymer 402 comprising, for example, PEN opposite to the conductor 404.

[0067] Various materials can be used for the anti-reflective coating 802 and the dielectric mirror coating 804. The single layer that can be used for the anti-reflective coating 802 can include, for example, a layer containing or consisting essentially of Ni, Cr, NiCr, NiCrOx, Inconel, amorphous silicon (a-Si), arc carbon, tetrahedral amorphous carbon (Ta-C), Sb, Ti, NiTi, NiTiOx, etc. Generally speaking, such layers can be formed to a thickness of 5-100 nm, more preferably 5-60 nm, still more preferably 10-60 nm, and sometimes 20-50 nm or 30-50 nm. More specific examples will be provided below.

[0068] The same or similar materials may be used in conjunction with the dielectric mirror overcoat 804. For example, in certain exemplary embodiments, a layer stack comprising an Al layer sandwiched between layers comprising oxides of Ni, Ti, and / or Cr (e.g., layers comprising NiCrOx) may be used in certain exemplary embodiments.

[0069] Figure 8c According to certain exemplary embodiments, Figure 3 The difference is that the phase shifter layer 806 actually "splits" the conductive layer. In other words, Figure 8c It can be seen that in the process of forming the optical shutter 312'', the first conductive layer 404a and the second conductive layer 404b sandwich the phase shifter layer 806. Figure 8c The example uses the above Figure 8a to Figure 8bThe same or similar materials and / or material thicknesses as those described in the examples of . For example, the first conductive layer 404a and the second conductive layer 404b may include or consist essentially of a metal (such as Al or Ni), NiCr, tin oxide, ITO, etc. The phase shifter layer 806 may include or consist essentially of Ni, Cr and / or Ti or oxides thereof. Titanium nitride and titanium oxynitride may also be used in conjunction with the phase shifter layer 806. The phase shifter layer 806 works in conjunction with the first conductor conductive layer 404a and the second conductor conductive layer 404b and can be considered as an anti-reflection layer. More specifically, having a phase shifter between a fully reflective layer and a partially reflective layer advantageously creates two lights of equal intensity and simply phase shifts them to obtain at least a partial cancellation effect. It should be understood that in certain exemplary embodiments, the lower conductive layer 404a may be conductive. In certain exemplary embodiments, the stack including the phase shifter layer 806 and the conductive layers 404a and 404b may be conductive. As indicated above, different levels of reflectivity may be provided for the first conductive layer 404a and the second conductive layer 404b, but this need not necessarily be the case in all exemplary embodiments. In certain exemplary embodiments, the reflectivity level may be tuned based on the thickness of the coating (e.g., thicker coatings tend to be more reflective). In certain exemplary embodiments, the first conductive layer 404a may be thinner and / or less reflective than the second conductive layer 404b, for example, to allow light to be absorbed by the decorative ink 406. In certain exemplary embodiments, this arrangement may be reversed.

[0070] In general, the spectral reflectance can also be adjusted by reducing total reflection and / or moving layers from specular reflective materials to diffuse reflective materials. In this regard, the following techniques may be used and may be interrelated with each other and with each other. Figures 8a to 8c The methods are used in any suitable combination, subcombination, or combination of subcombinations. The first technique involves roughening the upper surface of the conductive (usually metal) layer by sand, bead, grit or other blasting, by laser ablation, embossing using a stamp, etc. This can help increase the surface roughness of the conductive layer and create a desired diffuse reflective effect. In certain exemplary embodiments, the surface roughness (Ra) is less than 3.2 μm.

[0071] Another method that can be used involves chemical (e.g., acid) etching of the conductive material, which adds pits and thus increases surface roughness. Yet another method involves imprinting a polymer substrate with various patterns before coating the material with a conductive coating. Doing so can help increase the surface roughness of the polymer substrate, and through a roughly conformal film forming process (such as sputtering, etc.), the texture of the polymer substrate can actually be transferred to the conductive coating. This can be achieved during the calendering process, for example, where the roller through which the polymer film passes has a pattern transferred to the polymer substrate. When using a physical texturing method similar to this, the first major surface and / or the second major surface of the polymer substrate can be patterned to have a texture in a predefined pattern, for example, where the pattern is at least partially defined according to the texture features to be given to the polymer material. In this sense, the depth of the feature can be predefined. In addition, in certain exemplary embodiments, the predefined pattern can be at least partially defined relative to the area extending across the polymer substrate. In certain exemplary embodiments, a fractal pattern can be used. It should be understood that in addition to calendering or in place of calendering, embossing, stamping, etc. can be used.

[0072] When a metal layer (such as aluminum) is used, it can be anodized. Anodization of the metal layer can also help to roughen the surface and add color, which can be advantageous in certain exemplary embodiments.

[0073] Yet another method involves applying ink directly or indirectly to the surface of the conductive layer. The ink may or may not be continuous. Currently, PVC-based inks are applied to polymer substrates on the side opposite to the conductive layer. However, placing the ink on the conductive layer will help reduce reflections and create another way to add different colors, images, etc. to the light gate. The ink here can be used to replace the ink on the opposite side of the polymer substrate or used together with the ink on the opposite side of the polymer substrate.

[0074] In small containers, in addition to or instead of using optical interference techniques to reduce reflections, a textured surface can be added to the base polymer, the conductive layer can be chemically or physically modified, and / or an ink layer can be added, for example to achieve the same or similar results, achieve further reduction of unwanted reflections, etc.

[0075] Figures 9 to 11 is a diagram that can be combined in certain exemplary embodiments Figure 8a to Figure 8b Graphs of percent reflectivity versus wavelength for certain exemplary overcoat materials used in the stack of layers of FIG. The data shown in these graphs were modeled. Figures 9 to 11Each of the graphs shows the reflection of bare aluminum on a 12 micron thick PET sheet as a function of wavelength. Aluminum can be deposited via evaporation techniques, electrochemical deposition, etc. The graphs also show the reflection of stacks including the same aluminum layer overcoated with a single layer coating of various materials (except for the overcoated NiCrOx / Al / NiCrO stack).

[0076] The thickness of these layers has been selected to achieve the lowest possible reflection while minimizing the color change of the reflection. It can be understood from these figures that low reflectivity and panchromaticity are difficult to achieve at the same time. The best curve is achieved by arc carbon, which is a material that is not sputtered but can be formed by striking an arc through a pure carbon rod pressed against a carbon plate. Although this material is desirable from the perspective of reflectivity and chromaticity, it may not be feasible for large-scale production. However, Ta-C is close to the performance of arc carbon, and Ta-C can be sputtered using, for example, a graphite target. Therefore, a layer comprising Ta-C may be desirable in certain exemplary embodiments. The following proposes additional findings about the outer coating material.

[0077] An overcoat layer comprising NiCrOx is formed on the layer comprising Al, thereby reducing Fig. 9 and Fig.11 The thickness of the overcoat comprising NiCrOx is typically in the range of 20 nm to 60 nm, with specific examples including 20 nm, 30 nm, 40 nm, 45 nm, 47 nm, 49 nm, 50 nm, and 57 nm. In certain exemplary embodiments, a 80Ni-20Cr target may be used, and this target is assumed to be used for Fig. 9 and Fig.11 The purpose of the simulation shown in . The oxygen content can be modified to produce different color arrays while still being conductive. A 50nm-60nm thick sample film was formed over the layer containing Al, and the color of the film was blue-purple, which showed good agreement with the model. In this case, alternative stoichiometries of NiCr can produce different results in different exemplary embodiments.

[0078] To further reduce the reflection of visible light from the shade, additional layers of NiCrOx and Al can be applied to the shade. That is, a layer containing Al is sandwiched between layers containing NiCrOx, and the three-layer stack is applied over a conductive layer containing Al. Modeling is done to optimize the layers to produce a low reflectivity top coating surface. Fig. 9The results of the model can be seen in . The total reflectivity is less than 15%. In this case, 80Ni-20Cr is used, but alternative stoichiometries of NiCr can produce different results. As described above, the oxygen content can be modified to produce different color arrays while still being conductive. In certain exemplary embodiments, the layer stack comprising NiCrOx / Al / NiCrO may have a total thickness of 3nm-60nm, more preferably 3nm-30nm, and even more preferably 3nm-15nm. In certain exemplary embodiments, the thickness of a single layer comprising NiCrOx, Al, etc. may be 3-15nm.

[0079] Another method for significantly reducing the total visible light reflectance of aluminum layers involves adding a carbon overcoat. Carbon application via cathodic arc deposition was modeled to determine the reduction in visible light reflectance and can be found in Fig. 9 and Fig.11 The optimized model predicts a total reflectivity of less than 10%. Exemplary thicknesses are in the range of 30-60 nm, with specific examples being 45 nm and 50 nm.

[0080] A layer comprising metallic NiCr may also be deposited over the conductive layer comprising Al to reduce total visible light reflection. Fig.10 Modeled performance for layers 10 nm thick, 20 nm thick, 30 nm thick, and 40 nm thick is shown. Fig.11 A 43 nm thick example is shown, and 45 nm and 47 nm thick samples are also specifically contemplated.

[0081] As described above, other materials that can be used for single layers or other overlayers include: a-Si (e.g., 20 nm to 30 nm thick, and for example, 21 nm thick, 23 nm thick (e.g., Fig.11 Inconel, such as Inconel 600 (e.g., 40-60 nm thick, and, for example, 47 nm thick, 50 nm thick (as shown in Fig.11 and Ta-C (e.g., 20-60 nm thick, with specific examples being 39 nm thick, 41 nm thick, 43 nm thick, 45 nm thick (e.g., Fig.11 ), 47nm thick and 49nm thick). Layers containing Sb and / or Ti may also be used in the above general thicknesses and can be used to achieve low reflection and good coloring. As is well known, Inconel is a class of austenitic nickel-chromium-based superalloys that are resistant to oxidation corrosion. Inconel 600 contains (by mass) 72.0% Ni, 14.0-17.0% Cr, 6.0-10.0% Fe, 1.0% Mn, 0.5% Cu, 0.5% Si, 0.15% C and 0.015% S.

[0082] In certain exemplary embodiments, by using an overcoat of the type described herein and / or other overcoats, internal reflections are preferably reduced to less than 60% over all or substantially all of the wavelength range of 400-700 nm, more preferably reduced to less than 50% over all or substantially all of the wavelength range of 400-700 nm, and even more preferably reduced to less than 30-40% over all or substantially all of the wavelength range of 400-700 nm. Sometimes, internal reflections are reduced to less than 20% over all or substantially all of the wavelength range of 400-700 nm (e.g., as may be the case with carbon-based overcoats). Preferably, the amount of internal reflection over all or substantially all of the wavelength range of 400-700 nm does not vary by more than 30%, more preferably the amount of internal reflection over all or substantially all of the wavelength range of 400-700 nm does not vary by more than 20%, and sometimes the amount of internal reflection over all or substantially all of the wavelength range of 400-700 nm does not vary by more than 10-15%.

[0083] In certain exemplary embodiments, oxygen plasma and / or other cleaning processes may be used on polymer 402 , for example, prior to forming conductor layer 404 .

[0084] Considering that the film and / or other materials that make up the light shutter should be subjected to multiple rolling and unrolling operations depending on the function of the overall light shield, it should be understood that the materials can be selected and the overall layer stack can be formed to have mechanical and / or other properties that are beneficial to it. For example, excessive stress in a thin film layer stack is generally considered to be disadvantageous. However, in certain exemplary embodiments, excessive stress can cause cracking, "delamination" / removal, and / or other damage to the conductor 404 and / or one or more outer coatings formed thereon. Therefore, in certain exemplary embodiments, low stress (and particularly low tensile stress) may be particularly desirable in conjunction with the layers formed on the light shutter polymer base.

[0085] In this regard, the adhesion of the sputtered film depends on (among other things) the stress in the deposited film. One way that stress can be adjusted is to use deposition pressure. Stress does not follow a monotonic curve to sputtering pressure, but changes at a transition pressure that is essentially unique to each material and is a function of the ratio of the material's melting temperature to the substrate temperature. Stress engineering can be achieved via gas pressure optimization, keeping these guidelines in mind.

[0086] Other physical and mechanical properties of the shade that may be considered include the elastic modulus of the polymer and layers formed thereon, density ratios of the layers (which may have an effect on stress / strain), etc. These properties may be balanced against their effects on internal reflection, conductivity, etc.

[0087] It is well known that the temperature inside the IG unit can become quite high. For example, it has been observed that Figure 2 For example, an IG unit including a black pigment may reach a temperature of 87°C, for example, if the black portion of the shade faces the sun in a high temperature, high solar radiation climate (e.g., in areas of the southwestern United States such as Arizona). It may be advantageous to use PEN materials for rollable / non-rollable polymers because PEN has a higher glass transition temperature (-120°C) than other common polymers such as PET (Tg = 67°C-81°C), polypropylene or PP (Tg = -32°C). However, if PEN is exposed to temperatures close to the glass transition temperature, other favorable mechanical properties of the material (including its elastic modulus, yield strength, tensile strength, stress relaxation modulus, etc.) may degrade over time, especially if exposed to high temperatures. If these mechanical properties degrade significantly, the shade may no longer function (e.g., the shade will not retract).

[0088] Figure 12 to Figure 13 helps to illustrate these points. More specifically, Fig.12 shows the effect of temperature on Young's modulus as it plots the Young's modulus versus temperature for different polymer materials, and Fig.13 Figure 2 shows typical stress relaxation curves of PET films at different temperatures. Fig.12 , film A is PEN, film B is PET, and film C is PI. Generally speaking, polymer materials with higher glass transition temperatures have improved high temperature mechanical properties.

[0089] To help the shade better withstand high temperature environments, it may be advantageous to substitute from PEN to a polymer with better high temperature resistance. Two possible polymers include PEEK and polyimide (PI or Kapton). PEEK has a Tg of about 142°C and Kapton HN has a Tg of about 380°C. Both of these materials have better mechanical properties in high temperature environments than PEN. This is especially true at temperatures above 100°C. The chart below demonstrates this, referencing the mechanical properties of PEN (Teonex), PEEK, and PI (Kapton HN). UTS stands for Ultimate Tensile Strength in the chart.

[0090] PEN PEEK PI 25℃ UTS(psi) 39,000 16,000 33,500 Modulus (psi) 880,000 520,000 370,000 Yield (psi) 17,500 10,000 200℃ UTS(psi) 13,000 8,000 20,000 Modulus (psi) 290,000 Yield (psi) <1,000 6,000 Tg About 121℃ About 143℃ About 380℃

[0091] It will be appreciated that in certain exemplary embodiments, modification of the shade base material from its current material (PEN) to an alternative polymer (e.g., PEEK or PI / Kapton) having increased high temperature mechanical properties may be advantageous as it may enable the shade to better withstand internal IG temperatures, especially if the shade is installed in a higher temperature climate. It will be appreciated that in certain exemplary embodiments, the use of an alternative polymer may be used in conjunction with a shutter and / or glass upper layer.

[0092] Additionally or alternatively, certain exemplary embodiments may utilize dyed polymeric materials. For example, dyed PEN, PEEK, PI / Kapton, or other polymers may be used to create shades with various colors and / or aesthetics. For example, dyed polymers may be advantageous for embodiments in transparent / translucent applications, such as where the shade conductive layer is a transparent conductive coating, etc.

[0093] Although PI / Kapton is a known polymer that has been used in a variety of applications, it is sometimes considered unacceptable in applications where optics and aesthetics are important. This includes many window applications. One reason for the limited adoption of PI / Kapton relates to the conventional view that it has a roughly yellow-orange coloration. This coloration is generally considered to be less aesthetically pleasing. In view of the excessive number of available alternative polymers, PI / Kapton can be easily avoided. However, in certain exemplary embodiments, it is desirable to use PI / Kapton (and / or PEN) for sunshades because it can withstand high temperatures and has good mechanical properties even at high temperatures (e.g., as described above). PI / Kapton (and / or PEN) also has good shrinkage properties (e.g., ability to control and high shrinkage, ability to form strong coils, etc.), thereby providing a good spring for the shutter. However, considering typical optical limitations and the bias of those skilled in the art, it would be counterintuitive to use PI / Kapton for the shutter. However, the inventors have recognized that in exemplary embodiments where the shutter is opaque or substantially opaque, the coloring of PI / Kapton becomes quite unimportant. That is, when PI / Kapton is used in combination with an opaque or only partially transparent shutter, its yellow-orange coloring is not easily noticeable to the naked eye. Therefore, the favorable properties of PI / Kapton related to high temperature survival rate, spring action, etc. can be achieved even in window-type applications, otherwise the use of this material would be non-intuitive. In certain exemplary embodiments, PI / Kapton can be applied as a liquid (e.g., above ITO or another conductive coating) and cured, thereby allowing rapid, low-cost and large-scale manufacturing on potentially large areas suitable for windows. In general, PI / Kapton has better high temperature modulus and high temperature yield strength, better high temperature stress relaxation, higher glass transition temperature, etc. compared to alternative shutter materials. PI / Kapton can now also be presented in different colors (e.g., related to dyeing), such as black.

[0094] In this regard, it should be understood that for some applications, transparent or translucent shades may be desired. These types of shades can be created using a base polymer (e.g., PEN) together with a conductive layer of a transparent conductive coating (such as ITO or a low E-type coating) that produces a color shift. In order to provide a translucent or transparent shade with a variety of colors, certain exemplary embodiments may use a dyed base polymer (e.g., PEN, PEEK, PI / Kapton) and / or other materials. Dyeing can be achieved by impregnating pigments, UV absorbers, etc. into the entire matrix of the film substrate. This can produce a film with properties such as, for example, a transmittance of 1%-85% of VLT5 (5% visible light transmittance) and can be lower at some wavelengths; an optical density of 0.10 to 1.3; UV protection up to 97% absorption; any color; etc.

[0095] Based on the above description, it should be understood that the conductor on the shutter is used for several purposes, including, for example, receiving a voltage to make the shade up and down. In certain exemplary embodiments, the conductor on the shutter may be highly reflective in the IR and / or UV spectrum. The transparent conductor also increases the helical spring force of the shade, for example due to its mechanical properties (including elastic modulus and yield strength). During the heat treatment process for making the coil, the coil force is also increased via the transparent conductor due to the thermal expansion mismatch between the conductor material and the polymer substrate. The polymer substrate (e.g., PI, PEN, etc.) shrinks irreversibly when heated to above its glass transition temperature (Tg). When both materials are heated to above Tg and then cooled back to room temperature, the irreversible shrinkage of the polymer causes a residual stress mismatch between the polymer substrate and the conductive layer, thereby generating a helical spring. Generally speaking, the CTE difference is good for the coil force, but is bad for cracking / cracking / delamination, etc. This is one reason why the metal conductive layer or the conductive coating including the metal conductive layer as described herein can perform better than the ITO layer. That is, ITO is inherently brittle and cracks sufficiently under high stress to result in a loss of the ability to maintain the stress required for spring force generation.

[0096] Therefore, it should be understood that the strength of the coil spring depends on the material used as the conductive layer and the thickness of the conductive layer. As indicated above, the conductive layer present on the polymer may include Al, a combination of Al and Cr, ITO, etc. The Al-containing conductive layer may be beneficial for opaque applications, whereas the ITO-containing conductive layer may be better suited for transparent / translucent applications. For an exemplary Al thickness of about 375 nm and in view of the low elastic modulus of Al, a coil with this composition may be limited in the extent to which it can function (e.g., the height of the IG unit or the length of the light shield may be limited).

[0097] All else being equal, a longer coil will have more mass, and if the spring force is not greater than the weight of the coil in the extended condition, the shade will not retract (roll up). There is a range of spring forces that a coil must have in order to be a working shade. For example, if the spring force of the coil is less than the weight of the coil, the coil will not retract (and the shade will always be in the down position). Similarly, if the helical spring force is greater than the sum of the weight of the coil and the maximum electrostatic force that can be applied (where the electrostatic force is a function of the applied voltage and the thickness of the dielectric layer and its dielectric constant), the coil will not extend (move down). Fig.14 Basic constraints on shade functionality that may operate in certain exemplary embodiments are summarized.

[0098] Certain exemplary embodiments are directed to alternative conductive materials that advantageously modify the spring force of the wound shade to allow it to be used in a variety of lengths. In this regard, the inventors have recognized that the properties of the conductive layer that increase coil strength include an increase in the elastic modulus, an increase in the difference in coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between the polymer substrate and the conductive layer, and an increase in the elastic modulus to density ratio. Some of the pure metals that can be used to increase coil strength compared to Al or Cr include Ni, W, Mo, Ti, and Ta. The elastic modulus of the metal layers studied ranged from 70 GPa for Al to 330 GPa for Mo. The CTE of the metal layers studied ranged from 23.5×10 -6 / k to Mo's 4.8×10 -6 In general, the higher the elastic modulus, the greater the CTE mismatch between the PEN or other polymer and the metal, the lower the density, etc., the better the material choice with respect to coil formation. It has been found that incorporating Mo and Ti based conductive layers into the shade has resulted in coils with spring forces significantly higher than that achievable with Al. Fig.15 The table includes coil strength related properties of several materials that may be relevant in certain exemplary embodiments. Certain exemplary embodiments advantageously include a polymer substrate based on PEN, PEEK, PI, etc., which supports (in order moving away from the substrate) a layer comprising Al followed by a layer comprising Mo. Certain exemplary embodiments advantageously include one or more thin film layers in the conductive coating and / or the conductive coating itself having a greater modulus and lower CTE than Al.

[0099] Some materials identified herein may not be as corrosion resistant as desired. Therefore, some exemplary embodiments may incorporate thin overcoats comprising Al, Ti, stainless steel, etc., for example to increase corrosion resistance. The formation of protective oxides (e.g., aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, or chromium oxide for SS) will generally contribute to corrosion resistance. Generally speaking, oxides will be formed to be about 2-7nm thick. A base metal of at least 5nm is required to provide certain protection, and some exemplary embodiments may include a base material of about 50nm or greater, because the additional thickness may contribute to increasing coil strength. It should also be noted that, although the spring strength and tightness of the coil may be improved compared to the Al-based conductive layer, the stress mismatch between the polymer layer and these alternative conductive materials may be problematic. For example, relative to Mo and Ti in the conductive layer based on these materials, cracks, ruptures, delamination, and / or other problems have been observed. It is believed that these problems are related to the residual stress left in the conductive layer. However, introducing a thin layer comprising Al between the polymer substrate and the conductive layer can alleviate some of these problems, for example, by promoting the creation of stress structures that are not too fragile and / or unlikely to wrinkle, delaminate, etc. For example, in certain exemplary embodiments, a thin layer comprising Al can be used to convert the stress structure of the stack supported by the polymer substrate from a net tensile stress structure to a net compressive stress structure. However, it should be noted that there is a balance in terms of the structure movement from the structure that can promote rupture to the structure that can produce wrinkles if too much is borne. Therefore, it should be understood that certain exemplary embodiments can improve spring performance by using alternative materials with or without stress-improving pads. The thickness of the stress-reducing layer can vary based on the amount of stress to be relieved, and other materials can be used in different exemplary embodiments. In addition, because the thin layer comprising Al is used for stress-reducing pads and / or corrosion-reducing overcoats, even for transparent type applications, the reflectivity may not be as high as originally and / or the coloring cannot be shifted too far in the unfavorable range. In certain exemplary embodiments, the thickness of the pad and / or corrosion-reducing overcoat (alone or together) may be less than 375nm. It should be understood that the thin film layer in the second conductive coating can be selected and formed so that the shutter moves between the open position and the closed position by a spring force greater than the spring force of the shutter having the second conductive coating only including the Al layer.

[0100] Thus, in certain exemplary embodiments, for stress engineering purposes, a PEN, PI or other polymer substrate used as a shutter may support a thin layer comprising Al, on which directly or indirectly resides a conductive layer comprising Mo, Ti, etc. The conductive layer may support a corrosion resistant layer comprising Al, Ti, stainless steel, etc. The side of the substrate opposite these layers may optionally support decorative inks, etc.

[0101] Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technology continues to gain attention in a variety of home and commercial environments. Certain exemplary embodiments may incorporate solar cells into IG unit designs, and therefore relate to BIPV technology. For example, certain exemplary embodiments incorporate solar cells into light gates. In this way, solar energy will not be "wasted". A variety of different solar technologies are available. However, certain exemplary embodiments utilize copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) type solar cells because they are generally the most flexible type of available solar cells. CIGS solar cells are thin-film solar cells for converting sunlight into electricity. CIGS solar cells can be manufactured by depositing thin layers of copper, indium, gallium and selenide together with electrodes on the front and back sides on a glass or plastic backing to collect current. Since the material has a high absorption coefficient and strongly absorbs sunlight, a much thinner film than other semiconductor materials is required. This in turn gives the possibility of the above-mentioned high flexibility. Certain exemplary embodiments use a conductive (e.g., metal) layer on a coil as a base conductive layer of a CIGS module. A thin n-type buffer layer is added on top of the absorber. The buffer layer on the conductive layer is typically cadmium sulfide (CdS) deposited via chemical bath deposition or the like. The buffer layer is covered with a thin intrinsic zinc oxide layer (i-ZnO), which is capped by a thicker aluminum-doped zinc oxide layer (ZnO:Al or AZO). The i-ZnO layer is used to protect the CdS and absorber layers from sputtering damage while the ZnO:Al layer is deposited, as the latter is usually deposited by DC sputtering, which is a process known to be potentially damaging to sensitive materials. The salting process is also known to use high temperatures. Therefore, the use of PI, PEN, etc. is a good choice for the light gate, for example because they can handle higher temperatures (as discussed above). The AZO layer acts as a transparent conductive oxide to collect and move electrons out of the cell while absorbing as little light as possible. Additional details regarding CIGS technology, including techniques for creating CIGS solar cells, materials and material thicknesses that can be used, etc., may be found in U.S. Patent Nos. 9,691,917; 9,419,151; 9,312,417; 9,246,025; 8,809,674; and 8,415,194, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0102] As will be understood from the above description, a voltage is applied to the conductive layer to move the shade up and down. When no voltage is applied to the conductive layer, and when the shutter is in the extended position, the shade can act as a CIGS photovoltaic module. The power generated by the CIGS shade can be used to power a rechargeable battery for shade operation, or to contact a home / office. This may be particularly advantageous in retrofit applications, for example, where it may be difficult or impossible to connect the shade to an external power source. Regardless of whether the IG unit is for retrofit or new installation applications, the unit of certain exemplary embodiments may be self-sufficient in terms of power due to the inclusion of CIGS solar cells.

[0103] Fig.16 is a schematic diagram of a light shutter incorporating a CIGS solar cell that may be used in conjunction with certain exemplary embodiments. Fig.16As shown in , the shade polymer substrate 406 supports a conductive layer 404 on one major surface and an optional decorative ink on the opposite major surface. Other layers related to the functionality of the CIGS solar cell are formed on the conductive layer 404 and include, for example, a CIGS absorber layer 404, another conductive layer 1604 (e.g., a ZnO layer or containing ZnO). An optional anti-reflective coating 1606 is formed on the upper conductive layer 1604. In certain exemplary embodiments, the anti-reflective coating 1606 can help increase the amount of visible light reaching the CIGS absorber layer 404. In certain exemplary embodiments, the AR coating 1606 can be a single broadband AR layer. In other exemplary embodiments, the AR coating 1606 may include multiple layers that act on the optical interference principle described above, and therefore may include alternating layers of high refractive index dielectric materials and low refractive index dielectric materials. The AR coating 1606 can also contribute to the coloring of the light gate, as described above. A front contact 1608 is also provided. In certain exemplary embodiments, the conductive layer 404 may be a multilayer coating. In such cases, the conductive coating may include one or more layers comprising Mo, Al, Cr, Ni, Y, and the like. For example, in certain exemplary embodiments, a thin layer comprising Al may support a layer comprising Mo. This arrangement may be advantageous because including a Mo-containing layer may serve as an effective back contact for the CIGS absorber layer 1602 while also improving the operation of a spring associated with the optical shutter, while including an Al-containing layer may help maintain the conductivity of the Mo back contact while also favorably affecting the stress structure in the overlying CIGS-related layers (including the Mo-containing layer). Thus, in certain exemplary embodiments, an already flexible CIGS material may be made more suitable for optical shutter-related applications. The following are exemplary thicknesses that may be used in conjunction with certain exemplary embodiments: a 0.5 μm-5 μm thick layer comprising Mo, a 1 μm-7 μm thick layer comprising CIS, a 0.01 μm-0.1 μm thick layer comprising CdS, a 0.1 μm-1 μm thick layer comprising ZnO, and a 0.05 μm-0.15 μm thick AR coating.

[0104] In all embodiments, it is not necessary to provide a CIGS solar cell or other self-powering mechanism. Therefore, alternative techniques for electrically connecting the shade to an external power source and / or controller may be provided. In this regard, Figures 17 to 19 Shown is how a shade can be connected to and powered to a window glass according to certain exemplary embodiments. As shown in these figures, the over glass component of the shade 1702 is attached to a hollow anchor stop 1704 or bus bar and substrate 1706 via silver paste 1708 and epoxy 1710 or the like. The wires are soldered to the anchor stop 1704 and then run around the perimeter to the bottom of the IG unit where the bottom anchor stop (locking constraint) is located.

[0105] An electrical connection is created between the ITO or other conductive coating 306 on the substrate 302 and the conductive tapes 1802 and 1804 (such as copper tape) via a conductive epoxy, anisotropic conductive film (ACF), etc. 1806. Wires are soldered to the conductive tapes 1802 and 1804 and run along the perimeter of the IG unit to the bottom corner, where two wires (ITO substrate wires and anchor stop wires) protrude outside the IG unit through the IG spacers, e.g., for electrical connection to an external power source, etc. In certain exemplary embodiments, generally speaking, there is a connection from the ITO to the conductive epoxy to the copper tape or Ag frit on the glass.

[0106] Fig. 20 is a schematic diagram showing an alternative method of how a shade may be connected to a window glass and powered, according to certain exemplary embodiments. The exemplary alternative design includes printing or otherwise applying silver frit 2002a-2002b onto a glass substrate 2000, such as around its peripheral edge. An upper glass component 304 (e.g., comprising a PET or other polymer film 308 and a TCC 306 comprising ITO or the like) is laminated on top of the Ag frit 2002a-2002b. A first portion of the Ag frit 2002a on the glass 2002 is bonded or otherwise electrically connected to the TCC 306 comprising ITO or the like via a conductive epoxy, ACF, or the like, thereby forming a connection 2012 of the Ag frit to the ITO layer. The shade (for purposes of explanation, not shown in FIG. 1 ) is a schematic diagram showing an alternative method of how a shade may be connected to a window glass and powered, according to certain exemplary embodiments. The exemplary alternative design includes printing or otherwise applying silver frit 2002a-2002b onto a glass substrate 2000, such as around its peripheral edge. An upper glass component 304 (e.g., comprising a PET or other polymer film 308 and a TCC 306 comprising ITO or the like) is laminated on top of the Ag frit 2002a-2002b. A first portion of the Ag frit 2002a on the glass 2002 is bonded or otherwise electrically connected to the TCC 306 comprising ITO or the like via a conductive epoxy, ACF, or the like, thereby forming a connection 2012 of the Ag frit to the ITO layer. Fig. 20 The upper bus bar 2004 and the lower bus bar 2006 are fixed on top of the glass upper component 304 by epoxy resin or the like. The wires 2008a and 2008b are soldered from the upper bus bar 2004 and the lower bus bar 2006 to the second portion of the Ag glass frit 2002b (shown as being in a partially extended configuration 2016). Fig. 20 2002a) and soldered from the lower bus bar 2006 and the first portion of the Ag glass frit 2002a. Wires 2014a and 2014b from the first portion of the Ag glass frit 2002a and the lower bus bar 2006 protrude to the outside of the IG through the IG spacer. These protruding wires can be connected to a power source and / or controller. One or more seals can be provided to help limit outgassing from the cavity of the IG unit, moisture entering the cavity of the IG unit, etc.

[0107] Fig.21 is a schematic diagram showing an alternative method of how a shade may be connected to and powered by a glazing according to certain exemplary embodiments. This exemplary alternative design includes the use of Ag frit, but lacks wires (at least within the spacer). Fig. 20As in the example of FIG. 2 , the glass upper component 304 is laminated on top of the Ag glass frit 2002a-2002b. Also as described above, the first portion of the glass frit 2002a is bonded or otherwise electrically connected to the TCC 306 comprising ITO or the like via conductive epoxy, ACF, etc. The shade, upper bus bar 2004, and lower bus bar 2006 are secured on top of the glass 2000' via epoxy, etc., and secured to the Ag glass frit via brazing, soldering, etc. Thus, the configuration is similar to FIG. Fig. 20 However, brazing, welding, conductive epoxy, ACF, etc. are used to form Fig.21 2. The bus bar to Ag glass frit connections 2100a-2100b shown in FIG. These bus bar to Ag glass frit connections 2100a-2100b are provided relative to the second portion of the Ag glass frit 2002b and replace the wires 2008a-2008b. The electrical connection to the glass edge is made via the Ag glass frit 2102 located below the spacer. The Ag glass frit 2102 extends from the lower bus bar 2006 and the end of the first portion of the Ag glass frit 2002a closer to the lower bus bar 2006, thereby replacing the Fig. 20 The wires 2014a-2014b in the embodiment of the present invention can be connected to the Ag glass frit on the outside of the IG or at least on the outside of the spacer, and potentially eliminate the need for one or more holes through the spacer. Likewise, brazing, welding, conductive epoxy, ACF, etc. can be used to form these electrical connections. The electrical wire connector can be welded to the Ag glass frit on the outside of the IG or at least on the outside of the spacer.

[0108] It should be understood that in certain exemplary embodiments, it may be advantageous to have Ag located on the glass 2000' and running under the spacer (rather than forming holes in the spacer). For example, the lack of holes may reduce the likelihood or slow the progression of gas leaks, moisture entering the cavity of the IG unit, etc. These problems may otherwise reduce the life of the IG unit, for example, by reducing the likelihood of internal moisture appearing. The presence of internal moisture may create unwanted haze and may lead to unwanted charging and premature shade failure at even 5-8% relative humidity.

[0109] Although Ag glass frit is mentioned, it should be understood that other types of glass frits may be used in different exemplary embodiments. It should also be understood that having a low-E coating, ITO or other conductive material directly on the glass (e.g., without a lamination layer) can be used to achieve the same or similar purposes as Ag glass frit.

[0110] Therefore, from Figure 20 to Figure 21It should be understood that the first conductive bus bar and the second conductive bus bar may be located at opposite first and second edges of the first substrate, wherein each of the bus bars has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first bus bar and the second bus bar are directly or indirectly disposed on a dielectric film or an insulator film. The first and second patterns of conductive glass frit may be directly or indirectly applied to the first substrate, the glass frit being interposed between the first substrate and the first conductive coating, wherein the first pattern of the glass frit is electrically connected to the first conductive coating, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern extend along opposite third and fourth edges of the first substrate, wherein the first edge to the fourth edge are different from each other, and wherein the first pattern extends in a direction from the first end of the first bus bar toward the first end of the second bus bar, and the second pattern extends in a direction from the second end of the first bus bar toward the second end of the second bus bar. Conductive epoxy, anisotropic conductive film (ACF), etc. may electrically connect the first pattern of the glass frit to the first conductive coating.

[0111] In certain exemplary embodiments, the first set of wires may electrically connect the first bus bar and the second bus bar to the second pattern of the frit adjacent to the second end thereof; and the second set of wires may electrically connect to the first end of the second bus bar and the end of the first pattern of the frit adjacent to the first end of the second bus bar. In such cases, the second set of wires may protrude through the hole in the spacer system for electrical connection to a power source.

[0112] In certain exemplary embodiments, the third and fourth patterns of the conductive glass frit may electrically connect the first and second bus bars to the second pattern of the glass frit near the second ends of the first and second bus bars; and the fifth and sixth patterns of the conductive glass frit may electrically connect to the first end of the second bus bar and the end of the first pattern of the glass frit adjacent to the first end of the second bus bar. In such cases, the fifth and sixth patterns of the glass frit may extend toward the outer edge of the first substrate under the spacer system for electrical connection to a power source, such as such that the fifth and sixth patterns of the glass frit are disposed between the spacer system and the first substrate. In certain exemplary embodiments, the electrical connection between the power source and the first and second conductive coatings may lack wires inside the spacer system.

[0113] The IG units described herein may incorporate a low-E coating on any one or more of surfaces 1, 2, 3, and 4. As described above, for example, such a low-E coating may be used as a conductive layer for a shade. In other exemplary embodiments, in addition to being used as a conductive layer for a shade, a low-E coating may also be provided on another internal surface. For example, a low-E coating may be provided on surface 2, and a shade may be provided relative to surface 3. In another example, the positions of the shade and the low-E coating may be reversed. In either case, a separate low-E coating may or may not be used to assist in operating a shade provided relative to surface three. In certain exemplary embodiments, the low-E coating provided on surfaces 2 and 3 may be a silver-based low-E coating. Exemplary low-E coatings are set forth in the following: U.S. Patent Nos. 9,802,860; 8,557,391; 7,998,320; 7,771,830; 7,198,851; 7,189,458; 7,056,588; and 6,887,575; the entire contents of each of these U.S. Patents are hereby incorporated by reference. Low-E coatings based on ITO and the like can be used for interior surfaces and / or exterior surfaces. See, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 9,695,085 and 9,670,092; the entire contents of each of these U.S. Patents are hereby incorporated by reference. These low-E coatings can be used in conjunction with certain exemplary embodiments.

[0114] Anti-reflective coatings may also be disposed on the major surfaces of the IG units. In certain exemplary embodiments, an AR coating may be disposed on each major surface on which a low-E coating and a light shield are not disposed. Exemplary AR coatings are described in, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 9,796,619 and 8,668,990 and U.S. Publication No. 2014 / 0272314; the entire contents of each of these U.S. Patents are hereby incorporated by reference. See also 9,556,066, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. These AR coatings may be used in conjunction with certain exemplary embodiments.

[0115] The exemplary embodiments described herein may be incorporated into a variety of applications including, for example, interior and exterior windows for commercial and / or residential applications, skylights, doors, commercial goods such as refrigerators / freezers (e.g., for doors and / or "walls") thereof, vehicular applications, and the like.

[0116] Although certain exemplary embodiments have been described in conjunction with an IG unit comprising two substrates, it should be understood that the techniques described herein may be applied with respect to a so-called triple IG unit. In such a unit, a substantially parallel spaced first substrate, a second substrate, and a third substrate are separated by a first spacer system and a second spacer system, and a light shield may be disposed adjacent to any one or more of the interior surfaces of the innermost substrate and the outermost substrate, and / or adjacent to one or both of the surfaces of the intermediate substrates.

[0117] Although certain exemplary embodiments have been described as incorporating glass substrates (e.g., for the inner and outer panes of the IG units described herein), it should be understood that other exemplary embodiments may incorporate non-glass substrates for one or both of such panes. For example, plastics, composite materials, etc. may be used. When glass substrates are used, such substrates may be thermally treated (e.g., heat strengthened and / or thermally tempered), chemically tempered, maintained in an annealed state, etc. In certain exemplary embodiments, the inner or outer substrate may be laminated to another substrate of the same or different material.

[0118] As used herein, unless explicitly stated, the terms "on," "supported by," etc. should not be interpreted as meaning that two elements are directly adjacent to each other. In other words, a first layer can be said to be "on" or "supported by" a second layer even if there are one or more layers between them.

[0119] In certain exemplary embodiments, an insulating glass (IG) unit is provided. A first substrate and a second substrate each have an inner major surface and an outer major surface, wherein the inner major surface of the first substrate faces the inner major surface of the second substrate. A spacer system helps to keep the first substrate and the second substrate in a substantially parallel and spaced relationship with each other and define a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate. A dynamically controllable shade is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the shade comprising: a first conductive film, the first conductive film is directly or indirectly disposed on the inner major surface of the first substrate; a dielectric film or an insulator film, the dielectric film or the insulator film is directly or indirectly disposed on the first conductive film; and a shutter, the shutter comprising a polymer material supporting the second conductive film, the polymer material being extendable to serve as a shutter closed position and being retractable to serve as a shutter open position, the shutter also comprising a plurality of holes extending through at least a portion of the polymer material, the holes being invisible to the human eye, and the size, shape and arrangement of which are set to form a passive shielding element when the polymer material is extended to the shutter closed position, the passive shielding element providing gradual shielding of the sun. The first conductive film and the second conductive film can be electrically connected to a power source that is controllable to selectively set a potential difference to drive the polymer material between the shutter open position and the shutter closed position, respectively.

[0120] In addition to the features described in the preceding paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, 40%-60% of the polymer material may be removed during the process of forming the holes.

[0121] In addition to the features described in either of the preceding two paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, less than 50% of the polymer material may be removed during the formation of the pores.

[0122] In addition to the features described in any of the three preceding paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the pores have a diameter or major distance equal to the thickness of the polymeric material.

[0123] In addition to the features described in any of the four preceding paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the pores may have a diameter or major distance of 10 microns to 30 microns.

[0124] In addition to the features described in any of the five preceding paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the aperture may be a through hole in the light shield and extend entirely through at least the polymer material and the second conductive film.

[0125] In addition to the features described in any of the six preceding paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the aperture may extend through at least a portion of the polymer material in a direction substantially perpendicular to a major surface of the polymer material, the major surface being defined when the polymer material is extended to a shutter closed position.

[0126] In addition to the features described in any of the preceding seven paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the gradual shading of the sun may include reflecting a first amount of solar energy when the sun is in a first position, and reflecting a second amount of solar energy when the sun is in a second position.

[0127] In addition to the features described in any of the preceding eight paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the gradual shading of the sun can result in a difference in transmittance of energy from sunlight passing through the IG unit between summer and winter of at least about 40%.

[0128] In addition to the features described in any of the preceding nine paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the gradual shading of the sun includes reducing the amount of energy from sunlight passing through the IG unit by up to about 70% in the summer and allowing a solar transmittance of at least 20% in the winter.

[0129] In addition to the features described in any of the preceding 10 paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the first conductive film may be a sputter-deposited transparent conductive coating.

[0130] In addition to the features described in any of the foregoing 11 paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the first conductive film may be a low-E coating.

[0131] In addition to the features described in any of the preceding 12 paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the second conductive film may be a conductive thin film coating.

[0132] In addition to the features described in any of the foregoing 13 paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the second conductive film may be a conductive thin film coating including Al.

[0133] In addition to the features recited in any of the preceding 14 paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the polymeric material may be polyethylene naphthalate (PEN).

[0134] In certain exemplary embodiments, a method for preparing an insulating glass (IG) unit is provided. The method includes: providing a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate each have an inner main surface and an outer main surface; directly or indirectly forming a first conductive film on the inner main surface of the first substrate; directly or indirectly providing a dielectric film or an insulator film on the first conductive film; positioning a shutter adjacent to the dielectric film or the insulator film, the shutter including a polymer material supporting the second conductive film, the polymer material being able to extend in use to serve as a shutter closed position and being able to retract to serve as a shutter open position, the shutter also including a plurality of holes extending through at least a portion of the polymer material, the holes being invisible to the human eye in the IG unit, and the size, shape, and arrangement of the holes being set to form a passive shielding element, the polymer material extending to the shutter closed position when the polymer material is extended to the shutter closed position. A dynamic shading element provides gradual shading of the sun for the IG unit; electrically connecting the first conductive film and the second conductive film to a power source, wherein the first conductive film, the dielectric film or the insulator film and the shutter at least partially form a dynamic shading object, and the dynamic shading object can be controlled in conjunction with the power source to selectively set a potential difference and correspondingly drive the polymer material between the shutter open position and the shutter closed position; and connecting the first substrate and the second substrate together in a substantially parallel and spaced relationship with each other in conjunction with a spacer system, so that the inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate face each other when preparing the IG unit, defining a gap between the inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate, and the dynamic shading object is inserted between the first substrate and the second substrate in the gap.

[0135]

[00136] In addition to the features described in the preceding paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, less than 50% of the polymer material may be removed during the formation of the pores.

[0136] In addition to the features described in either of the preceding two paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the pores have a diameter or major distance equal to the thickness of the polymeric material.

[0137] In addition to the features described in any of the preceding three paragraphs, in certain exemplary embodiments, the gradual shading of the sun can result in a difference in transmittance of energy from sunlight passing through the IG unit between summer and winter of at least about 40%.

[0138] In certain exemplary embodiments, a method for preparing an insulating glass (IG) unit is provided. The method includes: having a first substrate and a second substrate, each of the first substrate and the second substrate having an inner main surface and an outer main surface, the inner main surface of the first substrate facing the inner main surface of the second substrate. A first conductive film is directly or indirectly formed on the inner main surface of the first substrate, and a dielectric film or an insulator film is directly or indirectly disposed on the first conductive film. A shutter is positioned adjacent to the dielectric film or the insulator film, the shutter comprising a polymer material supporting the second conductive film, the polymer material being capable of extending in use to serve as a shutter closed position and being capable of retracting to serve as a shutter open position, the shutter also comprising a plurality of holes extending through at least a portion of the polymer material, the holes being invisible to the human eye in the IG unit, and the size, shape and arrangement of the holes being set to form a passive shielding element, which provides gradual shielding of the sun for the IG unit when the polymer material extends to the shutter closed position. The first conductive film and the second conductive film are electrically connectable to a power source, wherein the first conductive film, the dielectric film or the insulator film and the shutter at least partially form a dynamic shade, and the dynamic shade can be controlled in conjunction with the power source to selectively set a potential difference and correspondingly drive the polymer material between the shutter open position and the shutter closed position. The method also includes connecting the first substrate and the second substrate together in a substantially parallel and spaced relationship with each other in conjunction with a spacer system, so that the inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate face each other when preparing the IG unit, and a gap is defined between the inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate, and the dynamic shade is inserted between the first substrate and the second substrate in the gap.

[0139] In certain exemplary embodiments, a method of operating a dynamic shutter in an insulating glass (IG) unit is provided. The method includes: having an IG unit prepared according to the technology disclosed herein (e.g., according to any of the 20 preceding paragraphs), and selectively activating the power source to move the polymer material between the shutter open position and the shutter closed position.

[0140] While the invention has been described in conjunction with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments and / or deposition techniques, but on the contrary is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An insulating glass (IG) unit, include: a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate each having an inner major surface and an outer major surface, the inner major surface of the first substrate facing the inner major surface of the second substrate; a spacer system that facilitates maintaining the first and second substrates in a substantially parallel, spaced relationship with each other and defining a gap between the first and second substrates; and A dynamically controllable shading object, the dynamically controllable shading object is inserted between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the shading object comprises: a first conductive film, the first conductive film being directly or indirectly disposed on the inner main surface of the first substrate; a dielectric film or an insulator film, the dielectric film or the insulator film being directly or indirectly provided on the first conductive film; and a shutter comprising a polymer material supporting a second conductive film, the polymer material being extendable to function as a shutter closed position and retractable to function as a shutter open position, the shutter further comprising a plurality of apertures extending through at least a portion of the polymer material, the apertures being invisible to the human eye and being sized, shaped and arranged to form a passive shielding element when the polymer material is extended to the shutter closed position, the passive shielding element providing gradual shielding from the sun; The first conductive film and the second conductive film are electrically connectable to a power source, and the power source is controllable to selectively set a potential difference to correspondingly drive the polymer material between the shutter open position and the shutter closed position.

2. The IG unit of claim 1, wherein 40%-60% of the polymer material is removed during formation of the pores.

3. The IG unit of claim 1 wherein less than 50% of the polymer material is removed during formation of the pores.

4. The IG unit of claim 1, wherein the pores have a diameter or major distance equal to the thickness of the polymer material.

5. The IG unit of claim 1 wherein the pores have a diameter or major distance of 10 microns to 30 microns.

6. The IG unit of claim 1, wherein the hole is a through hole in the light shield and extends entirely through at least the polymer material and the second conductive film.

7. The IG unit of claim 1, wherein the aperture extends through at least a portion of the polymer material in a direction substantially perpendicular to a major surface of the polymer material, the major surface being defined when the polymer material is extended to the shutter closed position.

8. The IG unit of claim 1 wherein said gradual shading of the sun comprises reflecting a first amount of solar energy when said sun is in a first position and reflecting a second amount of solar energy when said sun is in a second position.

9. The IG unit of claim 1 wherein said gradual shading of the sun results in a difference in transmittance of energy from sunlight passing through said IG unit between summer and winter of at least about 40%.

10. The IG unit of claim 1 wherein said gradual shading of the sun comprises reducing the amount of energy from sunlight passing through said IG unit by up to about 70% in the summer and allowing at least 20% solar transmittance in the winter.

11. The IG unit of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive film is a sputter-deposited transparent conductive coating.

12. The IG unit of claim 11, wherein the first conductive film is a low-E coating.

13. The IG unit of claim 1, wherein the second conductive film is a conductive thin film coating.

14. The IG unit of claim 1, wherein the second conductive film is a conductive thin film coating comprising Al.

15. The IG unit of claim 1, wherein the polymer material is polyethylene naphthalate (PEN).

16. A method of preparing an insulating glass (IG) unit, the method include: providing a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate each having an inner major surface and an outer major surface; directly or indirectly forming a first conductive film on the inner main surface of the first substrate; directly or indirectly providing a dielectric film or an insulator film on the first conductive film; a shutter disposed adjacent to the dielectric or insulator film, the shutter comprising a polymer material supporting a second conductive film, the polymer material being extendable in use to function as a shutter closed position and retractable to function as a shutter open position, the shutter further comprising a plurality of apertures extending through at least a portion of the polymer material, the apertures being invisible to the human eye in the IG unit and being sized, shaped and arranged to form a passive shielding element that provides progressive shielding of the IG unit from the sun when the polymer material is extended to the shutter closed position; electrically connecting the first conductive film and the second conductive film to a power source, wherein the first conductive film, the dielectric film or the insulator film, and the shutter at least partially form a dynamic shutter that can be controlled in conjunction with the power source to selectively set a potential difference and correspondingly drive the polymer material between the shutter open position and the shutter closed position; as well as The first substrate and the second substrate are connected together in a relationship substantially parallel and spaced apart from each other in combination with a spacer system, so that the inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate face each other when preparing the IG unit, a gap is defined between the inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate, and the dynamic shading object is inserted between the first substrate and the second substrate in the gap.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein less than 50% of the polymer material is removed during the formation of the holes.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the holes have a diameter or major distance equal to the thickness of the polymer material.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the gradual shading of the sun results in a difference in transmittance of energy from sunlight passing through the IG unit between summer and winter of at least about 40%.

20. A method of preparing an insulating glass (IG) unit, the method include: having a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate each having an inner major surface and an outer major surface, the inner major surface of the first substrate facing the inner major surface of the second substrate, wherein a first conductive film is directly or indirectly formed on the inner main surface of the first substrate, and a dielectric film or an insulator film is directly or indirectly provided on the first conductive film; wherein a shutter is disposed adjacent to the dielectric film or insulator film, the shutter comprising a polymer material supporting a second conductive film, the polymer material being extendable in use to function as a shutter closed position and retractable to function as a shutter open position, the shutter further comprising a plurality of apertures extending through at least a portion of the polymer material, the apertures being invisible to the human eye in the IG unit and being sized, shaped and arranged to form a passive shielding element that provides gradual shielding of the IG unit from the sun when the polymer material is extended to the shutter closed position; wherein the first conductive film and the second conductive film are electrically connectable to a power source, wherein the first conductive film, the dielectric film or the insulator film and the shutter at least partially form a dynamic shade, the dynamic shade being controllable in conjunction with the power source to selectively set a potential difference and correspondingly drive the polymer material between the shutter open position and the shutter closed position; as well as The first substrate and the second substrate are connected together in a relationship substantially parallel and spaced apart from each other in combination with a spacer system, so that the inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate face each other when preparing the IG unit, and a gap is defined between the inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate, and the dynamic shading object is inserted between the first substrate and the second substrate in the gap.

21. A method of operating a dynamic shade in an insulating glass (IG) unit, the method include: Having an IG unit prepared by the method according to claim 20; as well as The power source is selectively activated to move the polymer material between the shutter open position and the shutter closed position.

Images