CA2745504A1 - Localized tinting of switchable glass for glare reduction in vehicles - Google Patents
Localized tinting of switchable glass for glare reduction in vehicles Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2745504A1 CA2745504A1 CA 2745504 CA2745504A CA2745504A1 CA 2745504 A1 CA2745504 A1 CA 2745504A1 CA 2745504 CA2745504 CA 2745504 CA 2745504 A CA2745504 A CA 2745504A CA 2745504 A1 CA2745504 A1 CA 2745504A1
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- glass
- tinting
- localized
- vehicle
- devices
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
- B60J3/00—Antiglare equipment associated with windows or windscreens; Sun visors for vehicles
- B60J3/04—Antiglare equipment associated with windows or windscreens; Sun visors for vehicles adjustable in transparency
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Liquid Crystal (AREA)
- Joining Of Glass To Other Materials (AREA)
Description
Localized Tinting of Switchable Glass for Glare Reduction in Vehicles FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to methods for reducing the glare encountered by the occupants of a vehicle as a result of glaring light entering from outside the vehicle-such as from oncoming headlights or the sun at dusk or dawn. As well, the solution described herein relates to and builds on the field of switchable glass technologies such as electrochromatic devices, suspended particle devices, polymer-dispersed liquid crystal devices, and microblinds.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
The glaring light that enters vehicles through their glass windows poses not only an inconvenience to the occupants of the vehicle but, where it affects the sight of the driver, a safety hazard. Several methods have been developed and used in an attempt to reduce the experience of this glaring light, and yet none of them seem altogether satisfactory. In general these methods are of three sorts:
The first sort is use of devices worn on the person of the occupant that attempt to block or deflect glaring light once it has already entered the vehicle but before it reaches the eyes of the occupant. Examples of this sort are the wearing of sun visor headwear and sunglasses. However the devices of this sort do not offer a proper solution to the problem of glaring light. Either they reduce glare insufficiently, such as with visor headwear, or they pose the risk of reducing visibility to an unacceptable degree throughout the field of vision of the wearer, such as with sunglasses. They also have the drawback of not being appropriate or practical to wear by all persons at all times.
The second sort is use of devices physically placed inside the vehicle and that attempt to prevent glaring light from reaching the occupants once it has already entered the vehicle. Aside from the drop-down visors typically attached to the roofs of automobiles, numerous innovative devices such as those detailed by Canadian patents CA 1078429, CA 1219618 and can be said to be of this sort. As with devices of the first sort mentioned above, these devices either block glare insufficiently or reduce visibility to an unacceptable degree. As they are physical objects located inside the vehicle they may also pose a safety hazard either during normal operation of the vehicle or during an accident.
The third sort is the use of devices positioned on or within the vehicle's windows and that attempt to prevent glaring light from entering the vehicle. Examples include tinting of windows and use of special films. However it is obvious that in conditions of low light the reduction in visibility can be unacceptable. Recent developments in glass technology have led to the creation of what is known as switchable glass. This term refers to glass that can adjust its properties of 35 light penetration in response to a stimuli. Photochromatic glass, which changes chemical and physical properties automatically in response to light encountered by the glass pane-detected by absorption-is not typically used in vehicles due to the inability to control or override the change in properties when deemed necessary. More potential for vehicular application is electrochromatic glass such as the technology assigned to SAGE
Electrochroamtics Inc. in 40 United States patents No. 7,373,610, No. 7,593,154 and others [1]. Glass that functions as a suspended particle device or as a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal device may also have vehicular applications. Indeed there is evidence in the literature of experimental use of such switchable glass technologies in certain glass surfaces of automobiles [2].
While often sufficiently blocking glaring light and having the benefit of posing no physical hazard to the 45 occupants of the vehicle it is clear that, without further innovation, these switchable glass technologies are not sufficient solutions to the problems of glare: they tint the entirety of the window or none of it, as opposed to a selectable, localized section [3].
The innovative step undertaken by the inventors of the method described herein is the use of localized tinting in order to sufficiently block the glaring light coming from any direction and 50 entering from any window while posing little danger of unacceptably reducing the field of vision of the driver.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The inventive method is the use of windows made of glass that can tint one or more localized regions to the exclusion of others in order to block glaring light but not overly reduce 1. Niklasson, G.A. and C.G. Granqvist. Electrochromatics for smart windows:
Thin films of tungsten oxide and nickel oxide, and devices based on these. Journal of Materials Chemistry 2007, 17, 127-156.
This invention relates to methods for reducing the glare encountered by the occupants of a vehicle as a result of glaring light entering from outside the vehicle-such as from oncoming headlights or the sun at dusk or dawn. As well, the solution described herein relates to and builds on the field of switchable glass technologies such as electrochromatic devices, suspended particle devices, polymer-dispersed liquid crystal devices, and microblinds.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
The glaring light that enters vehicles through their glass windows poses not only an inconvenience to the occupants of the vehicle but, where it affects the sight of the driver, a safety hazard. Several methods have been developed and used in an attempt to reduce the experience of this glaring light, and yet none of them seem altogether satisfactory. In general these methods are of three sorts:
The first sort is use of devices worn on the person of the occupant that attempt to block or deflect glaring light once it has already entered the vehicle but before it reaches the eyes of the occupant. Examples of this sort are the wearing of sun visor headwear and sunglasses. However the devices of this sort do not offer a proper solution to the problem of glaring light. Either they reduce glare insufficiently, such as with visor headwear, or they pose the risk of reducing visibility to an unacceptable degree throughout the field of vision of the wearer, such as with sunglasses. They also have the drawback of not being appropriate or practical to wear by all persons at all times.
The second sort is use of devices physically placed inside the vehicle and that attempt to prevent glaring light from reaching the occupants once it has already entered the vehicle. Aside from the drop-down visors typically attached to the roofs of automobiles, numerous innovative devices such as those detailed by Canadian patents CA 1078429, CA 1219618 and can be said to be of this sort. As with devices of the first sort mentioned above, these devices either block glare insufficiently or reduce visibility to an unacceptable degree. As they are physical objects located inside the vehicle they may also pose a safety hazard either during normal operation of the vehicle or during an accident.
The third sort is the use of devices positioned on or within the vehicle's windows and that attempt to prevent glaring light from entering the vehicle. Examples include tinting of windows and use of special films. However it is obvious that in conditions of low light the reduction in visibility can be unacceptable. Recent developments in glass technology have led to the creation of what is known as switchable glass. This term refers to glass that can adjust its properties of 35 light penetration in response to a stimuli. Photochromatic glass, which changes chemical and physical properties automatically in response to light encountered by the glass pane-detected by absorption-is not typically used in vehicles due to the inability to control or override the change in properties when deemed necessary. More potential for vehicular application is electrochromatic glass such as the technology assigned to SAGE
Electrochroamtics Inc. in 40 United States patents No. 7,373,610, No. 7,593,154 and others [1]. Glass that functions as a suspended particle device or as a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal device may also have vehicular applications. Indeed there is evidence in the literature of experimental use of such switchable glass technologies in certain glass surfaces of automobiles [2].
While often sufficiently blocking glaring light and having the benefit of posing no physical hazard to the 45 occupants of the vehicle it is clear that, without further innovation, these switchable glass technologies are not sufficient solutions to the problems of glare: they tint the entirety of the window or none of it, as opposed to a selectable, localized section [3].
The innovative step undertaken by the inventors of the method described herein is the use of localized tinting in order to sufficiently block the glaring light coming from any direction and 50 entering from any window while posing little danger of unacceptably reducing the field of vision of the driver.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The inventive method is the use of windows made of glass that can tint one or more localized regions to the exclusion of others in order to block glaring light but not overly reduce 1. Niklasson, G.A. and C.G. Granqvist. Electrochromatics for smart windows:
Thin films of tungsten oxide and nickel oxide, and devices based on these. Journal of Materials Chemistry 2007, 17, 127-156.
2. Lynam, R.L. Smart windows for automobiles. 1990. Presentation at the SAE
International Congress and Exposition, Detroit, MI, February, 1990.
International Congress and Exposition, Detroit, MI, February, 1990.
3. Kubo, T., J. Tanimoto, M. Minami, T. Toya, Y. Nishikitani, and H. Watanabe.
Performance and durability of electrochromatic windows with carbon-based counter electrode and their application in the architectural and automotive fields.
Solid State Ionics 2003, 165, 97-104.
55 visibility. There are many technologies and devices that can be utilized in the use of this method-several will be discussed in this section and it is possible that some of them are novel conceptions of the inventors. Deciding on which embodiment to select for manufacture may depend on both practical considerations and the legal requirements of different jurisdictions.
Nevertheless it is clear that the inventive step of the inventors is not limited to any one possible 60 embodiment.
Fundamentally, embodiments of this method will require three parts: (i) at least one switchable glass window divided into sections that can be individually tinted, (ii) a device which applies the appropriate stimuli or current to the sections of the glass that darken, (iii) a device that determines what current or other stimuli is to be applied and therefore what areas of the 65 glass are tinted.
The (i) glass window may utilize any number of technologies to render it tintable in localized areas. For the purposes of the inventive method glass functioning as electrochromatic devices, suspended particle devices or polymer-dispersed liquid crystal devices would be appropriate. This likely requires the partitioning of the glass window into several smaller 70 sections--of a size that balances both the ability for one or two such sections being tinted to sufficiently block out glaring light without creating an unacceptable loss of visibility. It must be possible for these sections to be tinted individually through electrochromaticism, suspended particle technology, or other means. This can be accomplished in numerous ways: A very simple method would be to be for a window functioning as a suspended particle device to have different 75 chemical laminates in different areas of the glass, each requiring a different current to retain transparency. A more practical embodiment, in that it does not require several different chemical laminates, would be to route different current to different parts of the glass of a window functioning as an electrchromatic device. Again, various means exist for accomplishing this.
The (ii) device that directs current or other stimuli relevant to switching between tinted 80 and transparent glass in switchable glass windows must presumably be located in close proximity to the window and connected to it. Depending on the positioning of the glass it may be possible for one such part to control stimuli routed to more than one window in the vehicle.
The (iii) control device offers the most interesting possibilities for diverse embodiments of the method. Essentially there are three possible forms of control: First, it is possible for the 85 tinting to be controlled manually by the driver or potentially passenger of the vehicle: from the default transparent state, the person selects which section or sections of the window they desire to be tinted, and can manually select tinted panels to be returned to a transparent state. A
practical form of such manual control would be a touchscreen interface which shows a diagram or other schematic of the tintable windows in the vehicle gridded into sections that can be tinted.
90 In many cases such an interface would not require a separate device: it can be a function of touchscreen devices already a part of a vehicle such as Global Positioning System interfaces that are equipment on many automobiles. A program could also be written to enable a portable Global Positioning System or even various forms of portable electronic devices persons may already posses to act as such an interface. With the proper technology emerging for tracking of 95 the position of a person's limbs-in common use in the entertainment console industry as of this application-it may be possible for an interface which is based on, or allows the option to, select which panels are to be tinted by the driver pointing at those panels. However especially in this case it may be important to incorporate a series of safeguards to ensure that there is not an accidental selection of a glass panel that may unacceptably reduce visibility.
100 Second, it is possible, with the development of specialized technology to enable it, for the controller to function automatically. Locating the direction of glaring light and the position of the eyes of drivers and possibly other occupants of a vehicle-through the use of cameras akin to those used to track positioning of limbs-and tint those sections of glass which would reduce or eliminate glare to the eyes of the person or persons.
105 Third, a practical method of control would be one that incorporates both automatic and manual selection.
DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 illustrates an example embodiment of the invention: polymer-dispersed liquid crystal device front window of an automobile, capable of manual control. Parts labeled are 110 explained in the example usage given in the next paragraph. Although as previously described the invention can be used with any glass window of a vehicle, the front window of an automobile has been selected as this is an application that may be of most interest to consumers and manufacturers. It should also be noted that polymer-dispersed liquid crystal technology and the described manual controls are chosen as a readily comprehensible example; as mentioned 115 previously various switchable glass technologies and controllers can be used.
An example use of this embodiment is as such: the driver of the automobile 1 is experiencing glaring light 2 impeding their vision. They then use the touchscreen user-interface 3 located on the dash of the automobile to select which areas of the window they desire tinting.
The current-controller then sends the appropriate current to the switchable glass window 4. The 120 regions selected 5 darken to impede the transmission of glare. The rest of the window remains transparent 6.
Performance and durability of electrochromatic windows with carbon-based counter electrode and their application in the architectural and automotive fields.
Solid State Ionics 2003, 165, 97-104.
55 visibility. There are many technologies and devices that can be utilized in the use of this method-several will be discussed in this section and it is possible that some of them are novel conceptions of the inventors. Deciding on which embodiment to select for manufacture may depend on both practical considerations and the legal requirements of different jurisdictions.
Nevertheless it is clear that the inventive step of the inventors is not limited to any one possible 60 embodiment.
Fundamentally, embodiments of this method will require three parts: (i) at least one switchable glass window divided into sections that can be individually tinted, (ii) a device which applies the appropriate stimuli or current to the sections of the glass that darken, (iii) a device that determines what current or other stimuli is to be applied and therefore what areas of the 65 glass are tinted.
The (i) glass window may utilize any number of technologies to render it tintable in localized areas. For the purposes of the inventive method glass functioning as electrochromatic devices, suspended particle devices or polymer-dispersed liquid crystal devices would be appropriate. This likely requires the partitioning of the glass window into several smaller 70 sections--of a size that balances both the ability for one or two such sections being tinted to sufficiently block out glaring light without creating an unacceptable loss of visibility. It must be possible for these sections to be tinted individually through electrochromaticism, suspended particle technology, or other means. This can be accomplished in numerous ways: A very simple method would be to be for a window functioning as a suspended particle device to have different 75 chemical laminates in different areas of the glass, each requiring a different current to retain transparency. A more practical embodiment, in that it does not require several different chemical laminates, would be to route different current to different parts of the glass of a window functioning as an electrchromatic device. Again, various means exist for accomplishing this.
The (ii) device that directs current or other stimuli relevant to switching between tinted 80 and transparent glass in switchable glass windows must presumably be located in close proximity to the window and connected to it. Depending on the positioning of the glass it may be possible for one such part to control stimuli routed to more than one window in the vehicle.
The (iii) control device offers the most interesting possibilities for diverse embodiments of the method. Essentially there are three possible forms of control: First, it is possible for the 85 tinting to be controlled manually by the driver or potentially passenger of the vehicle: from the default transparent state, the person selects which section or sections of the window they desire to be tinted, and can manually select tinted panels to be returned to a transparent state. A
practical form of such manual control would be a touchscreen interface which shows a diagram or other schematic of the tintable windows in the vehicle gridded into sections that can be tinted.
90 In many cases such an interface would not require a separate device: it can be a function of touchscreen devices already a part of a vehicle such as Global Positioning System interfaces that are equipment on many automobiles. A program could also be written to enable a portable Global Positioning System or even various forms of portable electronic devices persons may already posses to act as such an interface. With the proper technology emerging for tracking of 95 the position of a person's limbs-in common use in the entertainment console industry as of this application-it may be possible for an interface which is based on, or allows the option to, select which panels are to be tinted by the driver pointing at those panels. However especially in this case it may be important to incorporate a series of safeguards to ensure that there is not an accidental selection of a glass panel that may unacceptably reduce visibility.
100 Second, it is possible, with the development of specialized technology to enable it, for the controller to function automatically. Locating the direction of glaring light and the position of the eyes of drivers and possibly other occupants of a vehicle-through the use of cameras akin to those used to track positioning of limbs-and tint those sections of glass which would reduce or eliminate glare to the eyes of the person or persons.
105 Third, a practical method of control would be one that incorporates both automatic and manual selection.
DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 illustrates an example embodiment of the invention: polymer-dispersed liquid crystal device front window of an automobile, capable of manual control. Parts labeled are 110 explained in the example usage given in the next paragraph. Although as previously described the invention can be used with any glass window of a vehicle, the front window of an automobile has been selected as this is an application that may be of most interest to consumers and manufacturers. It should also be noted that polymer-dispersed liquid crystal technology and the described manual controls are chosen as a readily comprehensible example; as mentioned 115 previously various switchable glass technologies and controllers can be used.
An example use of this embodiment is as such: the driver of the automobile 1 is experiencing glaring light 2 impeding their vision. They then use the touchscreen user-interface 3 located on the dash of the automobile to select which areas of the window they desire tinting.
The current-controller then sends the appropriate current to the switchable glass window 4. The 120 regions selected 5 darken to impede the transmission of glare. The rest of the window remains transparent 6.
-4-
Claims
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2745504 CA2745504A1 (en) | 2011-07-07 | 2011-07-07 | Localized tinting of switchable glass for glare reduction in vehicles |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2745504 CA2745504A1 (en) | 2011-07-07 | 2011-07-07 | Localized tinting of switchable glass for glare reduction in vehicles |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2745504A1 true CA2745504A1 (en) | 2013-01-07 |
Family
ID=47501783
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2745504 Abandoned CA2745504A1 (en) | 2011-07-07 | 2011-07-07 | Localized tinting of switchable glass for glare reduction in vehicles |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2745504A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US10562379B2 (en) | 2017-11-22 | 2020-02-18 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Controlling window tint levels to protect the interior cabin of an autonomous vehicle |
-
2011
- 2011-07-07 CA CA 2745504 patent/CA2745504A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US10562379B2 (en) | 2017-11-22 | 2020-02-18 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Controlling window tint levels to protect the interior cabin of an autonomous vehicle |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |
Effective date: 20140131 |