Electrostatic IG Shade Coil Strength via Composite Layers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current window technologies fail to effectively balance energy efficiency and human comfort, leading to excessive heating and cooling costs, and do not adequately utilize solar gain or provide privacy on demand, while also lacking in aesthetic appeal.
Innovation Solution
The development of electric, potentially-driven shades for insulating glass units that can be controlled to manage radiation transmission through electrostatic forces, using conductive coatings and polymer films with perforations to optimize energy efficiency and privacy, while maintaining a pleasing appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If static low-emissivity coatings are used to reduce U-value, then energy insulation is improved, but the ability to dynamically control solar radiation and privacy is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transforming static low-emissivity coatings into dynamic electrostatic shades that can change their optical properties. The shade material with conductive coating can be electrically charged to control solar radiation transmission and privacy, allowing the system to adapt between different states (transparent, translucent, opaque) based on environmental conditions and user needs, while maintaining good thermal insulation performance.
2Loss of energy
If spectrally selective low-E coatings are used to reduce solar heat gain, then cooling energy is reduced, but winter solar gain is also blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The electrostatic shade system allows dynamic adjustment of solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) throughout the year. During summer, the shade can be activated to block solar radiation and reduce cooling loads. During winter, the shade can be deactivated or adjusted to allow solar gain for passive heating, providing seasonal adaptability that fixed spectrally selective coatings cannot achieve.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the optical parameters of the window assembly dynamically by applying electrostatic charge to the shade material. This allows the same window to have different solar radiation transmission properties at different times, enabling optimization of both summer cooling and winter heating performance through parameter adjustment rather than fixed coating properties.
3Strength
If thin film conductive coatings are used for electrostatic shades, then coil strength is insufficient, but increasing coating thickness improves strength
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material structure by combining multiple thin conductive coating layers (such as ITO, zinc oxide, or aluminum) with specific polymer substrates. This multi-layer composite approach achieves the required coil strength and mechanical properties while maintaining the thin-film characteristics necessary for electrostatic operation and optical transparency, avoiding the need for single thick coatings that would compromise device simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
These shades significantly reduce energy consumption by dynamically controlling solar radiation, offering improved insulation and privacy, and can be powered by low-average power consumption, allowing for extended operation using standard batteries.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible roll-up blind attached to said dielectric layer, said flexible roll-up blind layer comprising a flexible electrically conductive layer and a flexible optically functional layer, said flexible layer having naturally a rolled configuration and being capable of unrolling in response to electrostatic force
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6a~6b
AI summary
Certain example embodiments relate to electric, potentially-driven shades usable with insulating glass (IG) units, IG units including such shades, and/or associated methods. In such a unit, a dynamic shade is located between the substrates defining the IG unit, and is movable between retracted and extended positions. The dynamic shade includes on-glass layers including a transparent conductor and an insulator or dielectric film, as well as a shutter. The shutter includes a resilient polymer, a conductor, and optional ink. The polymer may be capable of surviving high-temperature environments and may be colored in some instances. Material selection and/or processing helps improve coil strength.