The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 17, 2026
Filed:
May. 26, 2023
Gentex Corporation, Zeeland, MI (US);
Ryan Barrido Balili, Holland, MI (US);
Kurtis L. Geerlings, Zeeland, MI (US);
Xiaoxu Niu, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Erik Christian Vyhmeister-Cancel, Berrien Springs, MI (US);
David Martin Bostrom, Zeeland, MI (US);
GENTEX CORPORATION, Zeeland, MI (US);
Abstract
An optical element is provided that has an outer surface, the optical element including: a coating on the outer surface for causing any fluid thereon to form into fluid droplets; a plurality of independently activated electrodes each having a plurality of interdigitated fingers positioned proximate the outer surface and extending across an area of the outer surface; and a drive circuit for selectively applying signals to the plurality of electrodes. The AC signals applied to electrodes having adjacent fingers each have a phase shift such that fluid droplets are continuously swept in a predetermined direction across the outer surface. The electrode fingers may be arranged with a uniform pitch, where the pitch is the distance between the centers of the electrodes, the pitch being less than or equal to 750 μm??. The electrode fingers may be arranged in a single plane with gaps therebetween.