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EP-3921152-B1 - LOW POWER DRIVER FOR PRIVACY GLAZING

EP3921152B1EP 3921152 B1EP3921152 B1EP 3921152B1EP-3921152-B1

Inventors

  • PETERS, Chad
  • SCHLEDER, Nicholas
  • BJERGAARD, Eric

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200208

Claims (15)

  1. An electrically dynamic system comprising: a first pane of transparent material (14); a second pane of transparent material (16); an electrically controllable optically active material (18) positioned between the first pane of transparent material and the second pane of transparent material, the electrically controllable optically active material being positioned between, and electrically coupled to, a first electrode layer (20) and a second electrode layer (22); and a driver (60) electrically connected to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, wherein the driver is configured to: electrically connect to a power source (62) that provides power at a supply voltage and a supply apparent power level; convert power received from the power source down to a converted voltage and a converted apparent power level, the converted voltage being less than the supply voltage and the converted apparent power level being less than the supply apparent power level; deliver power at the converted voltage and the converted apparent power level to a voltage convertor (66); at the voltage convertor, increase the converted voltage to an operating voltage, thereby providing power from the voltage convertor at the operating voltage and having an operating apparent power level; condition power received from the voltage convertor having the operating voltage and operating apparent power level to provide a drive signal; provide the drive signal to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer for controlling the electrically controllable optically active material.
  2. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply voltage ranges from 100 V to 250 V, and is preferably 120 V, and the supply apparent power level ranges from 1500 VA to 2500 VA, and is preferably at least 1650 V.
  3. The system of any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the converted voltage is less than or equal to 60V, and the converted apparent power level is less than or equal to 100 VA.
  4. The system of any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the operating voltage greater than or equal to 85 V, and the operating apparent power level is less than or equal to 100 VA.
  5. The system of any one of the foregoing claims, further comprising a first wiring (84) extending from the power source to the driver and a third wiring (88) extending between the driver and the first and second electrode layers, wherein the first wiring has a thicker conductive member than a conductive member the second wiring.
  6. The system of claim 5, wherein the conductive member of the first wiring (84) has a thickness of 1.6 mm or greater, and the conductive member of the second wiring (88) has a thickness of 1 mm or less.
  7. The system of any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the driver comprises: a first housing (80) containing a power convertor (64) configured to convert power received from the power source down to the converted voltage and the converted apparent power level; a second housing (82) physically separate from the first housing, the second housing containing the voltage convertor (66) and circuitry configured to condition power received from the voltage convertor; a first wiring (84) extending from the power source to the first housing; a second wiring (86) extending from the first housing to the second housing; a third wiring (88) extending between the second housing and the first and second electrode layers, the drive signal transmitting along the third wiring to the first (20) and second (22) electrode layers; wherein the first wiring comprises a thicker conductive member than conductive members in the second wiring and the third wiring.
  8. The system of claim 7, wherein a combined length of the second wiring (88) and the third wiring (86) is at least 0.61 m.
  9. The system of either of claims 7 and 8, wherein: a connection between the first wiring (84) and the first housing (80) is accessible, and at least one of the following connections is inaccessible: a connection between the third wiring (88) and the second housing (82); a connection between the third wiring (88) and the first (20) and second (22) electrode layers.
  10. The system of claim 9, wherein the connection between the third wiring (88) and the first (20) and second (22) electrode layers is inaccessible, said connection being covered by a trim surrounding a perimeter of a panel defined by the first pane of transparent material (14) and the second pane of transparent material (16).
  11. The system of any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the power source (62) is wall power that delivers alternating current and the driver (60) is configured to condition power received from the voltage convertor (66) by altering at least one of a frequency, an amplitude, and a waveform of power received from the voltage convertor.
  12. The system of any one of the foregoing claims, further comprising: a third pane of transparent material (52); and a spacer (56) positioned between the second pane of transparent material (16) and the third pane of transparent material (52) to define a between-pane space (54), the spacer sealing the between-pane space from gas exchange with a surrounding environment and holding the second pane of transparent material a separation distance from the third pane of transparent material.
  13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first pane of transparent material (16) and the second pane of transparent material (14) are each laminate panes comprising a pair of glass substrates laminated together; the first pane of transparent material and the second pane of transparent material are each fabricated from float glass, the first electrode layer (20) comprises a transparent conductive oxide coating deposited over the second pane of transparent material, the second electrode layer (22) comprises a transparent conductive oxide coating deposited over the third pane of transparent material (52), and the electrically controllable optically active material (18) is a liquid crystal material.
  14. A method of electrically connecting an electrically dynamic structure comprising: electrically connecting a wiring (86) to a power converter (64) contained within a first housing (80) of a driver (60), the power converter being configured to convert power received from a power source (62) electrically connected to the power converter down to a converted voltage and a converted apparent power level, the power source providing power at a supply voltage and a supply apparent power level and the converted voltage being less than the supply voltage and the converted apparent power level being less than the supply apparent power level; electrically connecting the wiring to a voltage convertor (66) and conditioning circuitry (68) contained in a second housing (82) of the driver, the voltage converter being configured to receive power at the converted voltage and the converted apparent power level via the wiring and increase the converted voltage to an operating voltage, thereby providing power from the voltage convertor at the operating voltage and having an operating apparent power level, the conditioning circuitry being electrically coupled to the voltage convertor and configured to condition power received from the voltage convertor to provide a drive signal for supply to privacy structure (12) that includes a first electrode layer (20) and a second electrode layer (22) between which is positioned an electrically controllable optically active material (18).
  15. The method of claim 14, further comprising electrically connecting another wiring from the second housing (82) of the driver to the privacy structure (12), wherein: electrically connecting the wiring to the power convertor (64) contained within the first housing (80) of the driver further comprises covering a connection between the wiring and the power convertor to make the connection inaccessible; and electrically connecting the wiring to the voltage convertor (66) and conditioning circuitry (68) contained in the second housing (82) of the driver comprises covering a connection between the wiring and the second housing to make the connection inaccessible.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates to structures that include an electrically controllable optically active material and, more particularly, to driver configurations for controlling the electrically controllable optically active material. BACKGROUND Windows, doors, partitions, and other structures having controllable light modulation have been gaining popularity in the marketplace. These structures are commonly referred to as "smart" structures or "privacy" structures for their ability to transform from a transparent state in which a user can see through the structure to a private state in which viewing is inhibited through the structure. For example, smart windows are being used in high-end automobiles and homes and smart partitions are being used as walls in office spaces to provide controlled privacy and visual darkening. A variety of different technologies can be used to provide controlled optical transmission for a smart structure. For example, electrochromic technologies, photochromic technologies, thermochromic technologies, suspended particle technologies, and liquid crystal technologies are all being used in different smart structure applications to provide controllable privacy. The technologies generally use an energy source, such as electricity, to transform from a transparent state to a privacy state or vice versa. In practice, an electrical driver may be used to control or "drive" the optically active material. The driver may apply or cease applying electrical energy to the optically active material to transition between a transparent state and privacy state, or vice versa. In addition, the driver may apply an electrical signal to the optically active material once transitioned in a particular state to help maintain that state. For example, the driver may apply an electrical signal of alternating polarity to the optically active material to transition the optically active material between states and/or maintain the optically active material in a transitioned state. During installation of a new privacy structure, a technician may connect a driver intended to drive the privacy structure to a power source. The technician can further connect the driver to the privacy structure itself. The driver can then be permanently mounted adjacent to the privacy structure to control the privacy structure during future operation. US 2009/015068A1 discloses a power supplying apparatus and a LCD having the same that reduces manufacturing cost of a large-scale LCD module and enhances power efficiency by integrating an external dc power supply used in a large-scale LCD panel into a LCD panel. A first voltage converter converts an external ac voltage into a first dc voltage, and changes a voltage level of the first dc voltage into a second dc voltage having a higher voltage level than that of the first dc voltage. A second voltage converter converts the second dc voltage into an ac voltage, raises a voltage level of the converted ac voltage, and provides the raised ac voltage to a load. A current detector detects a current flowing through the load, and provides a current detection signal as a feedback signal to the first voltage converter so that the first voltage provide a constant direct current output voltage. CN 108011528A discloses a special power supply for a light modulation film, and belongs to the technical field of electronic circuits. The special power supply for a light modulation film includes a first rectifying circuit, an oscillation step-down circuit, a second rectifying circuit, an inverter circuit and a control module. The special power supply for a light modulation film utilizes the first rectifying circuit to rectify the commercial power into first direct current and output the first direct current to the oscillation step-down circuit, and then the first direct current is converted into first alternating current through inversion of the oscillation step-down circuit and then is output, and then the first alternating current is rectified by the second rectifying circuit and then the second direct current is output, and then the inversion circuit is used to perform inversion on the rectified second direct current, and then the alternating current voltage demanded by the liquid crystal light modulation film is obtained. By changing the frequency of the pulse signal output from the control module, the frequency of the output voltage of the inversion circuit can be changed and then the final frequency of the output voltage can be adjustable and the problem that the liquid crystal light modulation film is stroboscopic can be solved. CN 102 855 851 A discloses a DC power supply driving device for a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal film including a DC power supply circuit, a boosting circuit and a driving circuit. US 2018/307111 A1 discloses a smart film controller including an input circuit breaker, a transformer, an output circuit breaker, and a smart film control switch. SUMMARY V