Gentex Corporation

Other

Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

John S Anderson

George A Neuman

William L Tonar

David J Cammenga

Henry A Luten

Jeffrey A Forgette

Joel A Stray

Bradley L Busscher

David L Poll

Kenton J Ypma

Mario F Saenger Nayver

Gary Jay Dozeman

Jon Harold Bechtel

John W Carter

Joseph S Stam

Robert R Turnbull

Thomas F Guarr

Lansen M Perron

David A Theiste

G Bruce Poe

Mark D Bugno

Tammy G Morgan

Kevin L Ash

Alan R Watson

Philip B Hall

Nelson F Brummel

Danny L Minikey, Jr

Frederick T Bauer

Harlan J Byker

Kelvin L Baumann

John A VanderPloeg

Kathy E Siegrist

Jeffrey N Williams

Kurtis L Geerlings

Donald L Bareman

Barry K Nelson

Yuping Lin

Michael T Stephenson

Chad M Wine

Mark R Roth

Nigel T Lock

David Samuel Ginley

Darin D Tuttle

Ethan J Lee

Spencer D Reese

Sue F Franz

John B Ostreko

David A Blaker

Marinus Franciscus Antonius Maria Van Hest

Jeremy A Fogg

James Douglas Anderson

Luke A Bomers

Scott W Vander Zwaag

James E Anderson

Christian M Kemperman

Mark W Newton

Autumn N Lagowski

Juan C Lara

Kevin B Kar

Jian Gao

Michael J VanAst

Garret C Denolf

Stephen F Richlich

Matthew A Koppey

Dennis D Festerling, Jr

John W Arnold

Matthew Taylor

John Perkins

Brian R Olson

Virginia B Anderson

Eric A Gobrogge

David M Ellis

Scott D Frasher

Scott S McNees

Sheng Liu

Jeffrey T Bruizeman

Scott W VanderZwaag

Danny L Minikey

Henrt A Luten

A rearview assembly includes an electrochromic element. The electrochromic element includes a first substrate including a first surface and a second surface. The electrochromic element further includes a second substrate comprising a third surface and a fourth surface. The first substrate and the second substrate form a cavity. The electrochromic element includes an electrochromic medium contained in the cavity. The rearview assembly includes an image sensor directed toward the fourth surface and configured to capture near-infrared light reflected from an object and projected through the electrochromic element. The rearview assembly includes a transflective film disposed adjacent to the fourth surface having a near-infrared light transmission level and a visible light reflectance level.

Rearview assembly incorporating high-transmittance NIR film

An electrochromic device, system using, and method for, which may pre-activate a buffer is disclosed. The electrochromic device may comprise a first substrate, a second substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, and an electrochromic medium. The second substrate may be disposed in apart relationship with the first substrate. The first and second electrodes may be associated with the first and second substrates, respectively. The electrochromic medium may be disposed between the first and second electrodes. Further, the electrochromic medium may comprise electrochromic materials and a redox buffer. Each of the electrochromic materials and the buffer may be operable between activated and deactivated states. The electrochromic device may be configured to apply a voltage to substantially pre-activate the buffer and hold the buffer in this state prior to substantially activating the electrochromic materials, thereby decreasing the response time of the electrochromic device upon activation.

Buffer pre-activation for electrochromic device

A reflective member having transflective and substantially opaque regions is disclosed. The transflective region may serve as a sensor opening region. When viewing the member from a first direction, the difference between a total light reflectance of the member at the substantially opaque region and at the sensor opening region is less than five percent. Additionally, when viewing the member from the first direction, the difference between a color reflectance of the member at the substantially opaque region and at the sensor opening region is less than 5 delta C* units. A sensor disposed in a second direction of the sensor opening region of the member is operable to receive light through the member at the sensor opening region. The second direction is opposite the first direction.

Device with a multizone reflector having a discreet opening for a sensor

A variably transmissive electro-optic window that has an easily tunable dynamic range is disclosed. The window comprises a first substrate, a second substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, an electro-optic medium, and at least one tuning layer. The first substrate has a first and a second surface. The first surface is in a first direction relative the second surface. The second substrate has a third and a fourth surface. The third surface is disposed in the first direction relative the fourth surface. The second substrate is disposed in a second direction opposite the first direction relative the first substrate. The second substrate is additionally disposed in a substantially parallel and spaced apart relationship with the first substrate. The first electrode is disposed in the second direction relative the first substrate. The second electrode is disposed in the first direction relative the second substrate. The electro-optic medium is disposed between the first and second electrodes. Additionally, the electro-optic medium is operable to vary a transmittance of light therethrough. Lastly, a tuning layer is substantially transparent and operable to attenuate the transmittance of visible light therethrough.

Variably transmissive window with tunable dynamic range

An electro-optic element having multiple regions is disclosed. The electro-optic element comprises an electro-optic medium disposed between two electrodes. Further, the electro-optic medium is operable between activated and un-activated states based, at least in part, on exposure to an electrical potential. In some embodiments, in response to an electrical potential of a first polarity, the electro-optic medium may be substantially activated in one region and substantially un-activated in another region. In response to an electrical potential of a second polarity opposite the first polarity, the electro-optic medium may be substantially activated in both regions. In other embodiments, the electro-optic medium is operably activated such that electro-optic medium is activated in one region and un-activated in another region, regardless of polarity.

Multi-region electro-optic element

A system for heating electro-optic media comprises an electro-optic device comprising: a first substrate having first and second surfaces; a second substrate having third and fourth surfaces; a chamber defined between the opposed third surface of the second substrate and the second surface of the first substrate; electro-optic medium in chamber; a first electrode associated with second surface of first substrate; and a second electrode associated with third surface of second substrate; and a circuit in communication with first and second electrodes, comprising: a first EMF source capable of producing a first voltage; a second EMF source capable of producing a second voltage different from the first voltage; a plurality of switches configured to control the application of first and second voltages to the first and second electrodes; and a controller configured to control the switches, the first EMF source, and the second EMF source.

Balanced heating of electro-optic device using active electrodes

A window control system includes a plurality of electro-optic devices configured to control a transmittance of light through each of the plurality of zones, and at least one sensor configured to identify an intensity of light transmitted through the at least one window. A controller k in communication with the electro-optic devices and the at least one sensor. The controller is configured to independently control the transmittance of the light through each of the zones based on at least one of a direction of the light and an intensity of the light detected in a passenger compartment of a vehicle.

System and method for multi-zone dimming window system

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for ion milling, and more particularly relates to methods and apparatus for smoothing a surface using ion milling.

Drive circuit for controlling electro-optic mirror

An electro-optic apparatus configured to adjust in transmittance in response to a control input comprises a first web substrate and a second web substrate. Each of the web substrates form a plurality of perimeter edges. A first edge is in connection with a first electrical terminal connecting in connection with a first electrode. A second edge opposing the first edge is in connection with a second electrical terminal in connection with a second electrode. A third edge and an opposing fourth edge comprise a barrier seal in a first configuration in connection with an exterior surface of each of the first web substrate and the second web substrate. The barrier seal encapsulates the electro-optic medium between an interior surface of each of the first web substrate and the second web substrate.

Electro-optic apparatus and seal system

A laser ablated product exhibits a diffraction severity of less than about 5. The product may include a substrate that is at least partially transparent to visible light, and a periodic structure formed on at least one surface of the substrate by laser ablation. The periodic structure has a period in at least one direction of at least about 4,500 nm to at most about 850,000 nm, and the periodic structure has a peak-to-valley dimension of less than about 25 nm. The product may be employed in an electrochromic device, such as a vehicle rearview mirror assembly.

Second surface laser ablation

A transparency includes a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface and a second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface. An optical coating is positioned on the fourth surface and has a refractive index real component n of greater than about 1.6 and an nk ratio greater than about 0.4, both as measured at 550 nm. The optical coating is configured to attenuate the transmission of the second substrate and not substantially affect the reflectivity of the fourth surface, as viewed from the first surface, such that the attenuation factor is less than about 50%.

Antireflection coatings

A transparency includes a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface. A second substrate includes a third surface and a fourth surface. An optical coating is positioned on the fourth surface. The optical coating has a refractive index real component n of greater than about 1.8 and an nk ratio of greater than about 0.6, as measured at 550 nm. The fourth surface has a reflectance of less than about 1.2%, as measured from the first surface.

A vehicle interior light intensity mapping system comprises at least one light detector configured to identify an intensity of light distributed in a plurality of regions in the vehicle. The light detector comprises an optic device comprising at least one aperture configured to receive light from a plurality of directions distributed in a passenger compartment of a vehicle. The light detector further comprises at least one sensor configured to receive the light from the plurality of directions. A controller is configured to identify an intensity of the light in each of a plurality of regions of the vehicle, wherein each of the regions corresponds to a different direction of the light received through each of the plurality of apertures of the optic device.

Light mapping system for vehicle passenger compartment

The disclosure provides an electro-optic device. The device comprises a first substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface. The device further comprises a second substrate comprising a third surface and a fourth surface. The first substrate and the second substrate form a cavity between the second surface and the third surface. An electrochromic medium is disposed in the cavity. A transflective coating is disposed at the third surface, wherein the transflective coating comprises a multi-layer stack comprising alternating high-index (H) material and low-index (L) material.

IR transmitting coating for electro-optic element

A transparency includes a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface. A second substrate includes a third surface and a fourth surface. An optical coating is positioned on the fourth surface. The optical coating having a refractive index of greater than about 1.8 and an nk ratio of greater than about 0.6. The reflectance of the fourth surface has a reflectance of less than about 1.2% as measured from the first surface.

Growing community of inventors

Holland, MI, United States of America

John S Anderson