Laminated electrically tintable windows

Abstract

A method of manufacturing electrically tintable window glass with a variety of sizes and functionalities is described. The method comprises: (a) providing a large format glass substrate; (b) fabricating a plurality of electrically tintable thin film devices on the large format glass substrate; (c) cutting the large format glass substrate into a plurality of electrically tintable pieces, each electrically tintable piece including one of the plurality of electrically tintable thin film devices; (d) providing a plurality of window glass pieces; (e) matching each one of the plurality of electrically tintable pieces with a corresponding one of the plurality of window glass pieces; and (f) laminating each of the matched electrically tintable pieces and window glass pieces. The lamination may result in the electrically tintable device either being sandwiched between the glass substrate and the window glass piece or on the surface of the laminated pieces. The electrically tintable device is an electrochromic device.

1 . A method of manufacturing electrically tintable window glass with a variety of sizes and functionalities, said method comprising:
 providing a large format glass substrate;   fabricating a plurality of electrically tintable thin film devices on said large format glass substrate;   cutting said large format glass substrate into a plurality of electrically tintable pieces, each electrically tintable piece including one of said plurality of electrically tintable thin film devices;   providing a plurality of window glass pieces;   matching each one of said plurality of electrically tintable pieces with a corresponding one of said plurality of window glass pieces; and   laminating each of the matched electrically tintable pieces and window glass pieces.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein, during said lamination, said electrically tintable thin film device is facing the surface of said corresponding one of said plurality of window glass pieces. 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein, during said lamination, said electrically tintable thin film device is facing away from the surface of said corresponding one of said plurality of window glass pieces. 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said window glass pieces comprise, heat treated glass pieces, tinted glass pieces, laminated glass pieces or high strength glass pieces. 
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said electrically tintable thin film device is an electrochromic device, a suspended particulate device or a polymer dispersed liquid crystal device. 
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said fabricating includes vacuum deposition of a thin film on said large format glass substrate. 
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 6 , wherein said fabricating includes plasma deposition of a thin film on said large format glass substrate. 
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said fabricating includes heating said large format glass substrate. 
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of electrically tintable pieces include pieces of different sizes. 
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing electrically tintable window glass with a variety of sizes and functionalities, said method comprising:
 providing a multiplicity of identical large format glass substrates;   fabricating a plurality of electrically tintable thin film devices on said multiplicity of large format glass substrates;   cutting said multiplicity of large format glass substrates into a plurality of electrically tintable pieces, each electrically tintable piece including one of said plurality of electrically tintable thin film devices;   providing a plurality of window glass pieces;   matching each one of said plurality of electrically tintable pieces with a corresponding one of said plurality of window glass pieces; and   laminating each of the matched electrically tintable pieces and window glass pieces.   
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 1  or  10 , wherein said window glass pieces include pieces with different glass sizes. 
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 1  or  10 , wherein said window glass pieces include pieces with different glass thicknesses. 
     
     
         13 . An electrically tintable window comprising:
 a piece of window glass;   a glass substrate;   an electrochromic thin film device formed on said glass substrate; and   a lamination layer between said electrochromic thin film device and said window glass, said lamination layer attaching said electrochromic thin film device to said window glass.   
     
     
         14 . An electrically tintable window as in  claim 13 , wherein said lamination layer includes a bonding agent selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl butyral and ethylene vinyl acetate. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for forming electrically tintable window glass with a variety of sizes and functionalities, comprising:
 a first system to fabricate a plurality of electrically tintable thin film devices on a large format glass substrate;   a second system to cut said large format glass substrate into a plurality of electrically tintable pieces, each electrically tintable piece including one of said plurality of electrically tintable thin film devices; and   a third system to laminate matched electrically tintable pieces and window glass pieces, wherein each one of said plurality of electrically tintable pieces is matched with a corresponding one of a plurality of window glass pieces.