EC dimming device with thin cell spacing

Abstract

An electro-optical element includes a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface. A second substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface, the second substrate disposed in a spaced apart relationship from the first substrate such that the second surface and the third surface face each other. A first electrode is associated with the second surface and a second electrode is associated with the third surface. An electrochromic medium is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. An outer seal is peripherally disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate to receive the electrochromic medium. The outer seal is substantially uniform and defines a fully closed loop.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to an electro-optic element comprising a continuous closed-loop external seal without a filling port. Summary of the Invention

[0002] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an electro-optic element includes a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface. A second substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface, and the second substrate is disposed in a spaced-apart relationship from the first substrate such that the second surface and the third surface face each other. A first electrode is associated with the second surface, and a second electrode is associated with the third surface. An electrochromic medium is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. An external seal is disposed peripherally between the first substrate and the second substrate to accommodate the electrochromic medium. The external seal is substantially uniform and defines a fully closed ring.

[0003] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the window includes a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface. A second substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface, and the second substrate is disposed spaced apart from the first substrate such that the second and third surfaces face each other. A first electrode is associated with the second surface, and a second electrode is associated with the third surface. An electrochromic medium is disposed between the first and second electrodes. The electrochromic medium includes traces of an internal sealing material dissolved within it. An external seal formed of an external sealing material is disposed peripherally between the first and second substrates to contain the electrochromic medium. The external seal is substantially uniform and defines a fully closed ring.

[0004] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the electro-optic element includes a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface. A second substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface, and the second substrate is disposed spaced apart from the first substrate such that the second and third surfaces face each other. A first electrode comprising an anode film is associated with the second surface, and a second electrode comprising a cathode film is associated with the third surface. An electrochromic medium is disposed between the first and second electrodes. The electrochromic medium includes an electrolyte having traces of an internal sealing material dissolved in the electrochromic medium. An external seal formed of an external sealing material is disposed peripherally between the first and second substrates to contain the electrochromic medium. The external seal is substantially uniform and defines a fully closed ring.

[0005] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a process for manufacturing an electro-optic element includes: providing a substrate; disposing an internal seal on the substrate in a peripheral manner; and disposing an external seal on the substrate in a peripheral manner. The internal seal is located within the external seal. The process further includes disposing an electrochromic medium within the internal seal and disposing another substrate on top of the substrate, the internal seal, the external seal, and the electrochromic medium. The process further includes curing the external seal.

[0006] By referring to the following description, claims and drawings, those skilled in the art will further understand and appreciate these and other features, advantages and objectives of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0007] In the attached diagram: Figure 1 A side cross-sectional view of an electro-optic element having an internal seal according to aspects of this disclosure; Figure 2 A plan view of an electro-optic element according to aspects of this disclosure; Figure 3 A side cross-sectional view of an electro-optic element having a dissolved internal seal according to aspects of this disclosure; Figure 4 An enlarged partial cross-sectional view of an electrochromic medium having spacer elements that dissolve over a period of time, according to aspects of this disclosure; and Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing an electro-optical element according to aspects of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0008] The embodiments shown in this disclosure primarily exist in combinations of method steps and device assemblies associated with electro-optic elements comprising a continuous closed-loop external seal without a filling port. Therefore, device assemblies and method steps are indicated where appropriate by conventional symbols in the figures, showing only those specific details relevant to understanding the embodiments of this disclosure, so as not to obscure the disclosure with details obvious to those skilled in the art to which this specification pertains. Further, the same numbers in the description and figures denote the same elements.

[0009] For the purposes described herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “back,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and their derivatives should be used interchangeably with those used in this document. Figure 1The orientation of this disclosure is relevant to the intended viewpoint. Unless otherwise stated, the term "front" refers to the device surface closer to the intended observer of the device, and the term "back" refers to the device surface farther from the intended observer of the device. However, it should be understood that various alternative orientations may be adopted in this disclosure, except as expressly specified otherwise. It should also be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the drawings and described in the following description are merely exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Therefore, unless otherwise expressly stated in the claims, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein should not be considered limiting.

[0010] The terms “comprising,” “including,” or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements may include not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed or not inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further constraints, an element preceded by “comprising…” does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the including element.

[0011] First refer to Figure 1 Reference numeral 10 indicates an electro-optic element. The electro-optic element 10 includes a first substrate 12 having a first surface 14 and a second surface 16. A second substrate 18 has a third surface 20 and a fourth surface 22, and is disposed spaced apart from the first substrate 12 such that the second surface 16 and the third surface 20 face each other. A first electrode 24 is associated with the second surface 16 (e.g., located on or integrated with the second surface), and a second electrode 26 is associated with the third surface 20 (e.g., located on or integrated with the third surface). An electrochromic medium 28 is disposed between the first electrode 24 and the second electrode 26. An external seal 30 is disposed peripherally between the first substrate 12 and the second substrate 18 to contain the electrochromic medium 28. The external seal 30 is substantially uniform and defines a fully closed ring.

[0012] For reference Figure 1 and 2The outer seal 30 defines a completely closed ring, such that an impermeable cavity 32 is formed between the outer seal 30 and the first electrode 24 and the second electrode 26. In other words, the outer seal 30 does not define a filling port or requires a plug component that could cause unwanted oxidation or other effects on the electrochromic medium 28. The inner seal 34 is located inside the ring defined by the outer seal 30. The inner seal 34 may be formed of a material compatible with the electrochromic medium 28. More specifically, the inner seal 34 may be formed of a material that can dissolve within the electrochromic medium 28 without negatively impacting aesthetics, performance, or environmental factors. The electro-optic element 10 may be configured to have low current requirements and maintain a specific transmission state in a variety of different transmission states. Different transmission states are achieved by applying a specific external potential to the electro-optic element 10 (e.g., the first electrode 24 and the second electrode 26).

[0013] In some embodiments, a first conductive layer 36 is located between a first substrate 12 and a first electrode 24, and a second conductive layer 38 is located between a second substrate 18 and a second electrode 26. The first conductive layer 36 and the second conductive layer 38 receive and distribute the applied voltage on the first electrode 24 and the second electrode 26, respectively. More specifically, the conductive layers 36 and 38 can be electrically connected to a power source via one or more conductive media. In some embodiments, the conductive layers 36 and 38 can be formed of transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), such as fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), TEC™ glass, indium tin oxide (ITO), zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide (IZO), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), metal oxide / metal / metal oxide (including, wherein the metal oxide may be replaced by metal carbides, metal nitrides, metal sulfides, etc.), nanowires, meshes, and polymer / carbon-based conductors. The conductive media can be formed of conductive strips, conductive adhesives, conductive inks, clips, buses, traces, or wires. The first substrate 12 and / or the second substrate 18 may be made of glass, plastic or one or more other optically transparent or translucent materials, non-limiting examples of which include borosilicate glass, soda-lime glass or polymeric materials such as natural and synthetic polymeric resins, plastics and / or composites.

[0014] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and 2The applied voltage causes a change in the absorbance of the electro-optic element 10, thus affecting its transmittance and causing the electro-optic element 10 to dim and de-dim. When the electro-optic element remains in an open-circuit state, the different transmittance states remain stable over a prolonged period. The first electrode 24 and the second electrode 26 are alternatively referred to herein as the anode layer 24 or the cathode layer 26. In this way, the first electrode 24 can be configured as one of an anode film or a cathode film, while the second electrode 26 can be configured as the other of an anode film and a cathode film. The anode film and the cathode film can be configured as homogeneous layers having a substantially uniform concentration of anodic or cathodic material. The electrochromic medium 28 can be an electrolyte. The charge changes of each electrode 24, 26 from the injection and removal of electrons (cathode and anode, respectively) are counteracted by the migration of electrolyte counterions in the electrochromic medium 28 located between the two layers or films.

[0015] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and 2 In some embodiments, electrodes 24, 26 may comprise a conductive nanowire coating, a conductive metal mesh, an insulator / metal / insulator stack (IMI stack), a transparent polymer filled with nanoparticles (e.g., indium tin oxide particles), carbon nanotubes, graphene, or a conductive polymer (which may be integrated with the first substrate 12 and the second substrate 18). Therefore, in these embodiments, conductive layers 36, 38 may be optional (i.e., not present in the electro-optic element 10). The electrochromic medium 28 may contain at least a cathode material (i.e., a reducible material), an anode material (i.e., an oxidizable material), or a mixture of cathode and anode materials. The electrochromic medium 28 may be a solid, solution phase, gel, or polymer-based material, such as a thermoplastic material and / or a crosslinked material. One or both of the cathode and anode materials may be confined to the first substrate 12 and the second substrate 18 and / or one or both of the electrodes 24, 26. The electrochromic medium 28 may also contain an electrolyte to facilitate charge movement between the electrodes 24, 26 (e.g., an anode film and a cathode film).

[0016] The conductive medium may include an electrical bus 40. The electrical bus 40 may include segments that travel at least partially along the peripheral edge of the cavity 32 on the first conductive layer 36 and the second conductive layer 38 and / or the electrodes 24, 26. In some embodiments, the electrical bus 40 may extend along the entire peripheral edge of the conductive layers 36, 38 and / or the electrodes 24, 26 and be operatively connected to a power source. For example, the electrical bus 40 may include a conductive adhesive, tape, and / or the like, and may have a higher conductivity than one or both of the first conductive layer 36 and the second conductive layer 38 and / or the electrodes 24, 26. The electrical bus 40 may include segments placed on the inner surface (e.g., the surface facing the cavity 32) of one of the first conductive layer 36 and / or the second conductive layer 38, and / or the electrical bus 40 may include segments placed on the outer surface (e.g., the surface facing away from the cavity 32) of the first conductive layer 36 and / or the second conductive layer 38. In other embodiments without conductive layers 36, 38, the electrical bus 40 may include segments placed on the inner surfaces (e.g., the surfaces facing cavity 32) of the first electrode 24 and / or the second electrode 26, and / or the electrical bus 40 may include segments placed on the outer surfaces (e.g., the surfaces facing away from cavity 32) of the first electrode 24 and / or the second electrode 26. In some embodiments, the electrical bus 40 may include a first single segment (e.g., a first continuous segment) spanning the entire outer periphery of the cavity 32 on the first conductive layer 36 and / or the first electrode 24, and a second single segment (e.g., a second continuous segment) spanning the entire outer periphery of the cavity 32 on the second conductive layer 38 and / or the second electrode 26. In some embodiments, segments of the electrical bus 40 may be located at one or more alternative locations and / or any combination thereof with those described above.

[0017] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and 2 In some embodiments, the first peripheral edge of the first substrate 12 and the second peripheral edge of the second substrate 18 may be misaligned, such that the first substrate 12 defines a first protrusion 42 extending through the second peripheral edge, and the second substrate 18 defines a second protrusion 44 extending through the first peripheral edge. In some embodiments, the first conductive layer 36 may extend along a portion of the first protrusion 42, and a segment of the electrical bus 40 may be at least partially located on the first conductive layer 36 above the first protrusion 42. In some embodiments, the second conductive layer 38 may extend along a portion of the second protrusion 44, and a segment of the electrical bus 40 may be at least partially located on the second conductive layer 38 above the second protrusion 44. However, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the substrates 12, 18 may be aligned (i.e., without protrusions 42, 44). In some embodiments, the electrical bus 40 may be located between the outer seal 30 or the inner seal 34 and one of the substrates 12, 18.

[0018] For reference Figure 2 and 3 The outer seal 30 may comprise a substantially uniform and continuous ring outlining the periphery of the cavity 32 to hold the electrochromic medium 28, the first electrode 24, and the second electrode 26 between the first substrate 12 and the second substrate 18 in an inward direction. More specifically, the outer seal 30 may be substantially uniform in a manner that does not contain any breaks or holes (e.g., filler ports or plugs), having a substantially uniform cross-section and / or the like within manufacturing capabilities. In other words, the electrochromic medium 28 is not inserted into the cavity 32 through the outer seal 30, and therefore the outer seal 30 may be substantially uniform (e.g., in cross-section) and homogeneous (e.g., overall). The substantially uniformity of the outer seal 30 facilitates the deposition of the outer seal 30 within a fully enclosed ring without any breaks or holes as described above. Similarly, it should be understood that the first substrate 12 and the second substrate 18, or any other structure of the electro-optic element 10, may not contain any filler ports or plugs (e.g., may be substantially uniform without filler ports). In this way, the electrochromic medium 28 can be placed in the cavity 32 without utilizing any filling port. In other words, the cavity 32 defined between the outer seal 30 and the first substrate 12 and the second substrate 18 can be impermeable to, for example, the electrochromic medium 28, fluids, moisture, and air. The outer seal 30 may have an outer sealing material, such as epoxy, acrylic, and / or the like, to provide low oxygen and moisture permeability. The outer seal 30 may be inside the electrical bus 40. In other words, the first conductive layer 36 and / or the second conductive layer 38 may include a peripheral edge extending through the outer seal 30. For example, the outer seal 30 may be located inside both the first protrusion 42 and the second protrusion 44 and spaced apart from the inside of the electrical bus 40. However, it should be understood that in other arrangements, the outer seal 30 may substantially cover the electrical bus 40 and / or be aligned with the electrical bus (e.g., completely or partially) or located elsewhere.

[0019] The inner seal 34 is located inside the outer seal 30. Although the inner seal 34 may define the initial outer periphery of the cavity 32 to retain the electrochromic medium 28, the inner seal 34 may be configured to dissolve within the electrochromic medium 28 after assembly. In other words, the inner seal 34 may primarily serve to retain the electrochromic medium 28 and prevent the electrochromic medium 28 from contacting or otherwise interacting with the outer seal 30 until the outer seal 30 has cured. The outer seal 30 and the inner seal 34 may be close to (e.g., less than 1 mm, less than 2 mm, less than 3 mm, less than 4 mm, less than 5 mm, less than 10 mm, between about 1 mm and 10 mm, between about 0.5 mm and 5 mm, or between about 1 mm and 3 mm) or in direct contact. In this way, once the electro-optic element 10 has been assembled and the inner seal 34 has dissolved, the cavity 32 will be defined by the outer seal 30. The inner seal 34 may be formed of an inner sealing material different from the outer sealing material. The internal sealing material is compatible with the electrochromic medium 28 (e.g., soluble in an electrolyte). In this way, traces 48 of the internal sealing material may remain in the electrochromic medium 28 after the internal seal 34 has dissolved. The internal sealing material may comprise acrylic materials, such as photocrosslinked polymethyl methacrylate (“PMMA”), epoxy materials (e.g., SU-8 epoxy resin), and / or the like.

[0020] like Figure 1 and 2 As best depicted, the inner seal 34 may be a substantially uniform and fully closed ring, like the outer seal 30, in such a way that the inner seal 34 does not contain any breaks or holes (e.g., filler ports or plugs), and has a substantially uniform cross-section within manufacturing capabilities. However, in other embodiments and depending on the manufacturing process, the inner seal 34 may define filler ports 35 and plugs 37 into which the electrochromic medium 28 is injected (e.g., prior to the deposition of the outer seal 30).

[0021] For reference Figure 4The internal sealing material may be flexible (e.g., deformable and / or having an elastic memory) such that the internal seal 34 does not affect the unit spacing (e.g., the distance between the second surface 16 and the third surface 20). The unit spacing may be set and maintained by the external seal 30, components within the external seal (e.g., bead or other spacer shapes), and / or additional elements. For example, a plurality of spacer elements 46 may be located within the cavity 32. The spacer elements 46 may be formed of a spacer material that dissolves in the electrochromic medium 28 over time, or alternatively, retains its shape throughout the operational life of the electro-optic element 10. For example, the spacer elements 46 may be formed of a polymeric material, a polymeric optical spacer material, an acrylic material (e.g., PMMA), a UV-curable material, an epoxy material (e.g., SU-8 epoxy resin (e.g., soluble in, for example, an electrolyte)), or an internal sealing material with a different degree of crosslinking, which retains its shape or dissolves only after the unit spacing has been achieved and the external seal 30 has cured. In some embodiments, the spacer element 46 is formed of a material that can dissolve or otherwise decompose under different principles (e.g., heat, UV, and / or the like) than the inner seal 34. It should be understood that the first substrate 12 and the second substrate 18 may be formed of glass (e.g., soda-lime glass or borosilicate glass), plastic, ceramic, metal, combinations thereof, and / or the like. It should also be understood that the first substrate 12 and the second substrate 18 may be flat, requiring a plurality of spacer elements 46 of uniform size or non-flat (e.g., bent, flexed, or combinations of these shapes), requiring a plurality of spacer elements 46 of non-uniform size. In various embodiments, the electro-optic element 10 may be implemented in windows, display devices, skylights, filters, eyeglasses, mirrors, and various other applications involving vehicles, aircraft, transportation, VR, and mixed reality, as well as other applications that may benefit from varying light transmittance through the electro-optic element 10.

[0022] For reference Figure 4A process 200 for manufacturing an electro-optic element 10 is provided. At step 202, process 200 includes providing a substrate (e.g., a first substrate 12 or a second substrate 18). At step 204, process 200 includes depositing an inner seal 34 peripherally on the substrates 12, 18 and an outer seal 30 peripherally on the substrates 12, 18, such that the inner seal 34 is located within the outer seal 30. More specifically, the outer seal 30 may be deposited substantially uniformly and completely closed (e.g., without filler openings, breaks, holes, or plugs), and the inner seal 34 may be located inside the closed ring (e.g., inside). At step 206, process 200 may include providing a spacer element 46 on the substrates 12, 18 (e.g., a second surface 16 or a third surface 20) to define a cell spacing. Step 206 may include forming the spacer element 46 at step 208 via a spraying process, a photolithography process, and / or the like. Steps 206 and 208 may be completed before any of steps 202 to 204. In some implementations, step 204 may be completed initially before step 208, followed by step 206, and step 202 may be completed before or after any of steps 204 to 208.

[0023] Continue to refer to Figure 5Process 200 further includes depositing the electrochromic medium 28 within the inner seal 34 at step 210. In this way, the electrochromic medium 28 is prevented from contacting the outer seal 30. In some implementations, step 202 may occur after step 210. At step 212, process 200 includes depositing another substrate 18 (e.g., another of the first substrate 12 or the second substrate 18) on top of the substrates 12, 18, the inner seal 34, the outer seal 30, and the electrochromic medium 28. It should be understood that in some embodiments, the step of depositing the outer seal 30 and / or the spacer element 46 may alternatively include depositing on the second substrate 18 before step 212 instead of the first substrate 12. In some implementations, a portion of step 204, in which the outer seal 30 is deposited, may occur, for example, after step 212, and step 210 may include depositing the electrochromic medium 28 into the filling port 35 of the inner seal 34 and plugging the filling port 35 with a plug 37 prior to depositing the outer seal 30. At step 214, process 200 includes curing the outer seal 30. At step 216, process 200 includes dissolving the inner seal 34. For example, the inner seal 34 may dissolve over time or otherwise decompose by exposure to the electrochromic medium 28, via thermal activation (e.g., during step 214), or other processes. At step 218, process 200 may further include dissolving the spacer element 46. For example, the spacer element 46 may dissolve under the same principle as the inner seal 34 and simultaneously (e.g., in step 216) or by other processes, such as the inner seal 34 dissolving over time and the spacer element 46 dissolving via thermal activation or otherwise decomposing. However, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the spacer element 46 is more rigid than the inner seal 34, which typically makes the dissolution process (if applicable) take longer. Furthermore, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the spacer element 46 may be formed of an insoluble material.

[0024] The disclosures herein are further summarized in the following paragraphs and are further characterized by combinations of any and all of the aspects described herein.

[0025] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an electro-optic element includes a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface. A second substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface, and the second substrate is disposed in a spaced-apart relationship from the first substrate such that the second surface and the third surface face each other. A first electrode is associated with the second surface, and a second electrode is associated with the third surface. An electrochromic medium is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. An external seal is disposed peripherally between the first substrate and the second substrate to accommodate the electrochromic medium. The external seal is substantially uniform and defines a fully closed ring.

[0026] According to another aspect, the external seal has a substantially uniform cross-section along the entirety of the external seal.

[0027] According to another aspect, the external seal has a substantially uniform cross-section along the entirety of the external seal.

[0028] According to another aspect, the internal seal is located inside the ring defined by the external seal.

[0029] According to another aspect, the outer seal is formed of a first sealing material, and the inner seal is formed of a second sealing material different from the first sealing material.

[0030] On the other hand, the second sealing material can be dissolved in the electrochromic medium.

[0031] According to another aspect, the first sealing material is formed of a material that is insoluble in electrochromic materials.

[0032] According to another aspect, multiple spacer elements are located within the cavity and in the direction inside the internal seal.

[0033] According to yet another aspect, the spacer element is formed of a spacer element material that is different from the first sealing material and the second sealing material.

[0034] On the other hand, the spacer material can be decomposed through thermal activation.

[0035] According to another aspect, the electrochromic medium contains traces of internal sealing material dissolved within the electrochromic medium from the internal seal.

[0036] On the other hand, electrochromic materials contain electrolytes.

[0037] According to another aspect, the first electrode comprises either an anodic membrane or a cathode membrane, and the second electrode comprises a different one of an anodic membrane and a cathode membrane.

[0038] On the other hand, the external seal does not limit the filling port or any breakage.

[0039] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the window includes a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface. A second substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface, and the second substrate is disposed spaced apart from the first substrate such that the second and third surfaces face each other. A first electrode is associated with the second surface, and a second electrode is associated with the third surface. An electrochromic medium is disposed between the first and second electrodes. The electrochromic medium includes traces of an internal sealing material dissolved within it. An external seal formed of an external sealing material is disposed peripherally between the first and second substrates to contain the electrochromic medium. The external seal is substantially uniform and defines a fully closed ring.

[0040] According to another aspect, the internal sealing material is selected from the group consisting of: acrylic materials that are soluble in electrochromic media or epoxy resin materials that are soluble in electrochromic media.

[0041] According to another aspect, the internal sealing material contains photocrosslinked polymethyl methacrylate.

[0042] On the other hand, the internal sealing material contains SU-8 epoxy resin.

[0043] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the electro-optic element includes a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface. A second substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface, and the second substrate is disposed spaced apart from the first substrate such that the second and third surfaces face each other. A first electrode comprising an anode film is associated with the second surface, and a second electrode comprising a cathode film is associated with the third surface. An electrochromic medium is disposed between the first and second electrodes. The electrochromic medium includes an electrolyte having traces of an internal sealing material dissolved in the electrochromic medium. An external seal formed of an external sealing material is disposed peripherally between the first and second substrates to contain the electrochromic medium. The external seal is substantially uniform and defines a fully closed ring.

[0044] According to another aspect, the first conductive layer is coupled to the first electrode, and the second conductive layer is coupled to the second electrode.

[0045] According to another aspect, the internal sealing material includes at least one of photocrosslinked polymethyl methacrylate or SU-8 epoxy resin.

[0046] According to yet another aspect of this disclosure, a process for manufacturing an electro-optic element includes: providing a substrate; disposing an internal seal on the substrate in a peripheral manner; and disposing an external seal on the substrate in a peripheral manner. The internal seal is located within the external seal. The process further includes disposing an electrochromic medium within the internal seal and disposing another substrate on top of the substrate, the internal seal, the external seal, and the electrochromic medium. The process further includes curing the external seal.

[0047] According to another aspect, the process for manufacturing electro-optical components involves dissolving internal seals.

[0048] Those skilled in the art will understand that the construction of the described disclosure and other components is not limited to any particular material. Unless otherwise described herein, other exemplary embodiments of the disclosure herein may be formed from a wide variety of materials.

[0049] For the purposes of this disclosure, the term "coupled" (in all its forms, couple, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means two components that are directly or indirectly (electrically or mechanically) joined to each other. Such a joint may be static in nature or movable in nature. Such a joint may be achieved using two (electrically or mechanical) components and any additional intermediate member that forms a single whole with or integrally with the two components. Unless otherwise stated, such a joint may be permanent in nature, or removable or detachable in nature.

[0050] As used herein, the term "about" means that a quantity, size, formulation, parameter, and other quantity and characteristic is not exact and need not be exact, but may be approximate and / or larger or smaller as required, reflecting tolerances, conversion factors, rounding, measurement errors, and other factors known to those skilled in the art. When the term "about" is used to describe a range value or endpoint, this disclosure should be understood to include the specific value or endpoint mentioned. Regardless of whether the numerical value or endpoint of a range in the specification refers to "about," the numerical value or endpoint of a range is intended to include two embodiments: one modified by "about" and one not modified by "about." It should be further understood that each endpoint of a range is meaningful relative to and independent of the other endpoint.

[0051] As used herein, the terms “substantially,” “basically,” and variations thereof are intended to indicate that the described feature is equal to or approximately equal to a value or description. For example, a “substantially flat” surface is intended to mean a flat or substantially flat surface. Furthermore, “substantially” is intended to mean that two values ​​are equal or approximately equal. In some embodiments, “substantially” may mean values ​​within about 10% of each other, such as within about 5% of each other, or within about 2% of each other.

[0052] It is also worth noting that the construction and arrangement of the elements of this disclosure, as illustrated in the exemplary embodiments, are merely illustrative. Although only a few embodiments of the invention have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who consult this disclosure will readily understand that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in the size, dimensions, structure, shape and proportions, parameter values, mounting arrangements, use of materials, color, orientation, etc. of the various elements) without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter. For example, an element shown as integrally formed may be constructed from multiple parts, or elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed; the operation of the interface may be reversed or otherwise altered; the structure and / or the length or width of the system's components or connectors or other elements may be changed; and the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be changed. It should be noted that the elements and / or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, and may be available in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the required and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of this innovation.

[0053] It should be understood that any described process or step within a described process may be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form a structure within the scope of this disclosure. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting.

[0054] It should also be understood that changes and modifications may be made to the above structures and methods without departing from the concepts of this disclosure, and it should also be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the appended claims unless the wording of those claims expressly states otherwise.

Claims

1. An electro-optic element, the electro-optic element comprising: A first substrate having a first surface and a second surface; A second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface is disposed in a spaced-apart relationship from the first substrate such that the second surface and the third surface face each other; A first electrode, which is associated with the second surface; The second electrode is associated with the third surface; An electrochromic medium is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and An external seal is disposed peripherally between the first substrate and the second substrate to contain the electrochromic medium, the external seal being substantially uniform and defining a fully closed loop.

2. The electro-optic element according to claim 1, wherein the external seal has a substantially uniform cross-section along the entirety of the external seal.

3. The electro-optic element according to claim 1, wherein the external seal has a substantially uniform cross-section along the entirety of the external seal.

4. The electro-optic element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an inner seal located inside the ring defined by the outer seal.

5. The electro-optic element according to claim 4, wherein the outer seal is formed of a first sealing material, and the inner seal is formed of a second sealing material different from the first sealing material.

6. The electro-optic element according to claim 5, wherein the second sealing material is soluble in the electrochromic medium.

7. The electro-optic element according to claim 6, wherein the first sealing material is formed of a material that cannot be dissolved in the electrochromic material.

8. The electro-optic element according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of spacer elements located within the cavity and in the direction inward of the internal seal.

9. The electro-optical element according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of spacer elements are formed of a spacer element material different from the first sealing material and the second sealing material.

10. The electro-optic element according to claim 9, wherein the spacer element material is decomposed by thermal activation.

11. The electro-optic element of claim 6, further comprising traces of a second sealing material dissolved within the electrochromic medium from an internal seal.

12. The electro-optic element of claim 6, wherein the electrochromic material comprises an electrolyte.

13. The electro-optic element of claim 12, wherein the first electrode comprises one of an anode film or a cathode film, and the second electrode comprises a different one of the anode film and the cathode film.

14. A window comprising: A first substrate having a first surface and a second surface; A second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface is disposed in a spaced-apart relationship from the first substrate such that the second surface and the third surface face each other; A first electrode, which is associated with the second surface; The second electrode is associated with the third surface; An electrochromic medium disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and containing traces of an internal sealing material dissolved in the electrochromic medium; and An external seal formed of an external sealing material is disposed peripherally between the first substrate and the second substrate to accommodate the traces of the electrochromic medium and the internal sealing material, the external seal being substantially uniform and defining a completely closed loop.

15. The window of claim 14, wherein the internal sealing material is selected from the group consisting of: acrylic materials that are soluble in the electrochromic medium, or epoxy resin materials that are soluble in the electrochromic medium.

16. The window of claim 15, wherein the internal sealing material comprises photocrosslinked polymethyl methacrylate.

17. The window of claim 15, wherein the internal sealing material comprises SU-8 epoxy resin.

18. An electro-optic element, the electro-optic element comprising: A first substrate having a first surface and a second surface; A second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface is disposed in a spaced-apart relationship from the first substrate such that the second surface and the third surface face each other; A first electrode comprising an anolyte film associated with the second surface; The second electrode includes a cathode film associated with the third surface; An electrochromic medium disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and comprising an electrolyte having traces of internal sealing material; and An external seal formed of an external sealing material is disposed peripherally between the first substrate and the second substrate to accommodate the traces of the electrochromic medium and the internal sealing material, the external seal being substantially uniform and defining a completely closed loop.

19. The electro-optic element of claim 18, further comprising a first conductive layer coupled to the first electrode and a second conductive layer coupled to the second electrode.

20. The electro-optic element according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the internal sealing material comprises at least one of photocrosslinked polymethyl methacrylate or SU-8 epoxy resin.

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