Electrochromic device assemblies

Abstract

An electrochromic device is provided. The device includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The device includes electrochromic material, with the first substrate, the electrochromic material and the second substrate forming a laminate, the first substrate offset in a lateral direction from the second substrate along at least a portion of an edge of the electrochromic device. The device includes a plurality of terminals coupled to the electrochromic material, with at least two of the plurality of terminals exposed on the first substrate by the first substrate being offset in the lateral direction from the second substrate. A method of manufacturing an electrochromic device is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrochromic device, comprising:
 a first substrate;   a second substrate;   electrochromic material, with the first substrate, the electrochromic material and the second substrate forming a laminate, the first substrate offset in a lateral direction from the second substrate along at least a portion of an edge of the electrochromic device; and   a plurality of terminals coupled to the electrochromic material, with at least two of the plurality of terminals exposed on the first substrate by the first substrate being offset in the lateral direction from the second substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The electrochromic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first pane of glass or plastic; and   the electrochromic device attached to the first pane of glass as a further laminate.   
     
     
         3 . The electrochromic device of  claim 2 , wherein the first pane of glass comprises strengthened soda lime glass having a thickness in the approximate range of about 3.0 mm to about 6.0 mm and wherein the first and second substrates comprise low CTE borosilicate glass having a thickness of about 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The electrochromic device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of terminals includes two bus bars and at least one sense terminal, for sensing a voltage of the electrochromic device, the at least one sense terminal distinct from the two bus bars, and wherein the at least two of the plurality of terminals includes one of the two bus bars and the at least one sense terminal. 
     
     
         5 . The electrochromic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a flex circuit coupled to the plurality of terminals and disposed on the first substrate, inward of or flush with the edge of the electrochromic device.   
     
     
         6 . The electrochromic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first pane with the laminate including the first pane; and   a second pane spaced from the laminate, the first pane, the laminate and the second pane forming an integrated glazing unit (IGU).   
     
     
         7 . The electrochromic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sequestration terminal coupled to the electrochromic device, wherein the at least two of the plurality of terminals includes the sequestration terminal.   
     
     
         8 . The electrochromic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller;   wiring, coupling the controller to the plurality of terminals; and   a housing, having the controller therein, the housing and the wiring disposed along the edge of the electrochromic device, inward of or flush with the edge of the electrochromic device.   
     
     
         9 . An integrated glazing unit (IGU), comprising:
 a first substrate;   a first transparent conductive layer on the first substrate;   a first bus bar applied to the first substrate and the first transparent conductive layer;   a second substrate;   a second transparent conductive layer on the second substrate;   a second bus bar applied to the second substrate and the second transparent conductive layer;   at least one layer of electrochromic material; and   the first substrate, the at least one layer of electrochromic material, and the second substrate form a laminated assembly, with at least a portion of a first edge of the second substrate recessed relative to at least a portion of a first edge of the first substrate, exposing at least a portion of the first bus bar for electrical connection.   
     
     
         10 . The integrated glazing unit of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a first pane attached to the laminated assembly;   a second pane attached by a spacer to the laminated assembly; and   a controller assembly located within a volume defined by the laminated assembly, the second pane, and the spacer, and flush with or recessed from an edge of the first pane or the second pane.   
     
     
         11 . The integrated glazing unit of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a flex circuit, coupled to the at least a portion of the bus bar as the electrical connection, and located along the at least a portion of the first edge of the first substrate, inward of an edge of the integrated glazing unit.   
     
     
         12 . The integrated glazing unit of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 one or more sense terminals coupled to the first transparent conductive layer or the second transparent conductive layer and exposed for electrical connection where the at least a portion of the first edge of the second substrate is recessed relative to the at least a portion of the first edge of the first substrate.   
     
     
         13 . The integrated glazing unit of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 one or more charge sequestration terminals coupled to the first transparent conductive layer or the second transparent conductive layer and exposed for electrical connection where the at least a portion of the first edge of the second substrate is recessed relative to the at least a portion of the first edge of the first substrate.   
     
     
         14 . The integrated glazing unit of  claim 9 , wherein both of the first bus bar and the second bus bar include a solder line, and wherein the exposed at least a portion of the first bus bar includes a portion of the solder line of the first bus bar. 
     
     
         15 . The integrated glazing unit of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 one or both of the first substrate and the second substrate having a plurality of tabs with terminals of an electrochromic device thereupon, wherein the at least a portion of the first bus bar is a terminal of the electrochromic device on one of the plurality of tabs, and wherein at least two of the plurality of tabs are at least partially exposed by the first edge of the second substrate recessed relative to the at least a portion of the first edge of the first substrate.   
     
     
         16 . The integrated glazing unit of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a first pane of glass or plastic attached to the second substrate of the laminated assembly; and   a second pane of glass or plastic attached by a spacer to the first pane of glass or plastic; wherein
 the first pane of glass or plastic is offset in a lateral direction from the first edge of the second substrate, such that the first pane of glass or plastic and the second pane of glass or plastic are not offset in any lateral direction on any edge. 
   
     
     
         17 . The integrated glazing unit of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a third substrate;   a third transparent conductive layer on the first substrate;   a third bus bar applied to the first substrate and the first transparent conductive layer;   a fourth substrate;   a fourth transparent conductive layer on the second substrate;   a fourth bus bar applied to the second substrate and the second transparent conductive layer;   at least a second layer of electrochromic material;   the third substrate, the at least the second layer of electrochromic material, and the fourth substrate form a second laminated assembly, with at least a portion of a first edge of the third substrate recessed relative to at least a portion of a first edge of the fourth substrate, exposing at least a portion of the third bus bar for electrical connection;   the laminated assembly and the second laminated assembly are attached such that the second and fourth substrates are attached and the first and fourth substrates are facing outwards;   a first pane of glass or plastic attached to the first substrate;   a second pane of glass or plastic attached to the fourth substrate; and   a third pane of glass or plastic attached by a spacer to the second pane.   
     
     
         18 . The integrated glazing unit of  claim 9 , wherein
 the second pane of glass or plastic and the third pane of glass or plastic are not offset in any lateral direction on any edge.   
     
     
         19 . A laminated glass unit (LGU), comprising:
 a first substrate;   a first transparent conductive layer on the first substrate;   a first bus bar applied to the first substrate and the first transparent conductive layer;   a second substrate;   a second transparent conductive layer on the second substrate;   a second bus bar applied to the second substrate and the second transparent conductive layer;   at least one layer of electrochromic material;   the first substrate, the at least one layer of electrochromic material, and the second substrate form a laminated assembly, with at least a portion of a first edge of the second substrate recessed relative to at least a portion of a first edge of the first substrate, exposing at least a portion of the first bus bar for electrical connection   a third substrate;   a third transparent conductive layer on the first substrate;   a third bus bar applied to the first substrate and the first transparent conductive layer;   a fourth substrate;   a fourth transparent conductive layer on the second substrate;   a fourth bus bar applied to the second substrate and the second transparent conductive layer;   at least a second layer of electrochromic material;   the third substrate, the at least the second layer of electrochromic material, and the fourth substrate form a second laminated assembly, with at least a portion of a first edge of the third substrate recessed relative to at least a portion of a first edge of the fourth substrate, exposing at least a portion of the third bus bar for electrical connection; and   the laminated assembly and the second laminated assembly are attached such that the second and fourth substrates are attached and the first and fourth substrates are facing outwards, wherein   the second and fourth substrates are not offset in any lateral direction on any edge.   
     
     
         20 . A method of making an electrochromic integrated glazing unit (IGU), comprising:
 offsetting a second substrate of an electrochromic device from a first substrate of the electrochromic device in a lateral direction;   attaching the electrochromic device to one or more panes of transparent or translucent material to form an integrated glazing unit; and   coupling one or more wires to the one or more terminals of the electrochromic device.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein attaching the electrochromic device to one or more panes of transparent or translucent material comprises:
 attaching the electrochromic device to a first pane of glass and a second pane of glass, with a spacer, wherein the offsetting the second substrate from the first substrate creates a recess inward from an edge of the integrated glazing unit.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 attaching a controller assembly to the integrated glazing unit, flush with or recessed from an edge of the integrated glazing unit, in a recessed region created at least in part by the offsetting the second substrate from the first substrate; and   coupling the one or more wires to the controller assembly.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the offsetting comprises:
 cutting the second substrate to a shorter dimension in the lateral direction than the first substrate; and   exposing one or more terminals of the electrochromic device.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the offsetting comprises:
 assembling the second substrate and the first substrate together with electrochromic material therebetween and with at least a portion of an edge of the second substrate displaced in the lateral direction from at least a portion of an edge of the first substrate.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 forming a plurality of tabs and notches on an edge of the one or both of the first substrate and the second substrate, so that each of the one or more terminals of the electrochromic device project outward on one or more of the plurality of tabs.