Cardinal Ig Company

Chad Peters

Eric Bjergaard

Andrew DeMiglio

Eric Berner

Timothy Braun

Nicholas Schleder

Hari Atkuri

Michael Eul

A privacy glazing structure may include an electrically controllable optically active material that provides controlled transition between a privacy or scattering state and a visible or transmittance state. To make electrical connections with electrode layers that control the optically active material, the privacy glazing structure may include electrode engagement regions. In some examples, the electrode engagement regions are formed as notches in peripheral edges of opposed panes bounding the optically active material. The notches may or may not overlap to provide a through conduit in the region of overlap for wiring. In either case, the notches may allow the remainder of the structure to have a flush edge surface for ease of downstream processing.

Electrical connection configurations for privacy glazing structures

A controllable privacy structure, such as a window or door, may include an electrically controllable optically active material connected to a driver. The driver can control the application and/or removal of electrical energy to the optically active material to transition from a scattering state in which visibility through the structure is inhibited to a transparent state in which visibility through the structure is comparatively clear. The driver may need to be located in relatively close physical proximity to the privacy structure the driver is intended to control. Devices, systems, and techniques are described for discretely positioning a driver relative to a privacy structure to be controlled.

Privacy glazing system with discrete electrical driver

A driver for an electrically dynamic structure may store and release energy during polarity cycling to improve the energy efficiency of operation. In some examples, the driver includes an energy storage element. In operation, the driver can charge an electrically controllable optically active material to a first operating voltage at a first polarity and subsequently discharge the optically active material during polarity reversal. The driver may store energy released from the optically active material during discharging and subsequently release the energy to charge the optically active material to a second operating voltage at a second polarity different than the first polarity.

Electrically controllable privacy glazing with energy recapturing driver

A driver may be used to drive an electrically controllable optically active material in a privacy structure. In some examples, the driver receives power from a power source at a supply voltage and a supply apparent power level and converts the power received from the power source down to a converted voltage and a converted apparent power level. The converted voltage is less than the supply voltage and the converted apparent power level is less than the supply apparent power level. The driver may deliver power at the converted voltage and the converted apparent power level to a voltage convertor, which increase the converted voltage to an operating voltage. The driver can further condition power received from the voltage convertor having the operating voltage and operating apparent power level to provide a drive signal and provide the drive signal the electrically controllable optically active material of the privacy structure.

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Prior Lake, MN, United States of America

Chad Peters