JP2015017500A - Integration of optical element in insulated glass unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of integrating at least one optical element in an insulated glass unit comprising at least two glass panes.SOLUTION: An optical element has a plurality of bores and a non-bore region. The non-bore region prevents light from intruding into a building in which an insulated glass unit is attached. The bore has a ratio of depth/width which provides screening effect by letting light having a predetermined incident angle pass and not letting light having other incident angle pass the bore through. The optical element is arranged in between two window panes by adhesive agent. The adhesive agent is not present in the bore of the optical element, substantially.

Description

  The present invention generally relates to a method of integrating optical elements in a thermally insulating glass unit. In particular, the present invention relates to an optical element having a plurality of perforated and non-perforated areas.

  Large glass facades improve the architectural appearance of the building, but a common disadvantage is building overheating due to excessive sunlight transmission through the facade. To solve this problem, air conditioning or sunlight shielding, or a combination of the two must be used. One of the main motivations for increasing sunscreening is government regulation (with rising energy prices) that requires new buildings to be more energy efficient.

  The sunscreen device can be placed either inside or outside the window, or can be integrated into the glass unit.

  Examples of indoor shading include Venetian blinds, roman blinds, blinds, curtains, and indoor shutters. Indoor solar shading is sufficient in terms of undesired light shielding, but is insufficient thermally when solar radiation is converted to heat on the surface of the shielding device. Thus, although indoor shading results in a different distribution of heat inside the building, the total solar energy transmitted through the facade is unchanged compared to a facade without indoor shielding.

  Examples of outdoor shading include Venetian brands, solar screens, shutters, and shielding lamellas. Outdoor shading is sufficient in terms of reducing both light transmitted through the facade and solar energy. The most obvious drawbacks of outdoor shading are the need for maintenance and cleaning, and frequent mechanical failure of mobile devices.

  Examples of integrated solar shading are solar shielding foils, integrated venetian blinds, colored glass, coated glass, integrated solar screens. The efficiency of integrated solar shading depends on the actual type being considered, but typically the best type of efficiency is in terms of reducing both light and solar energy transmitted through the building. Close to that of outdoor shading.

  Solar cells or photovoltaic cells can be mounted in combination with solar shading to obtain the benefits of both shielding and power generation from solar energy converted by the photovoltaic effect.

  In the solar shading device described in US Pat. No. 6,099,099 (“Combination of window and sun-prof screen”), the Venetian blind is between two transparent material sheets (for example, between the windows of a double window). Is accumulated. In general, a Venetian blind is suspended below a mounting bar, which may include a device that tilts the slab and moves the louvers up and down inside the glass. Proper functioning of the blinds requires free suspension of each louver, that is, the brand must be attached to the center of the glass, requiring the smallest internal glass as the width of each slab. This limits the use of Venetian blinds. This is because Venetian glass is inoperable in glass that is not mounted vertically (ie, roof glass). Also, indoor-mounted Venetian blinds are not adaptable to glass with a rectangular or non-two-dimensional shape (such as triangular glass or glass with a curved (arched) top). Indoor mounted venetian blinds require a mechanical or electrical feedthrough, which is a common weakness in sealing glass.

  Colored or coated glazings reduce incident radiation regardless of the angle of the sun, and as a result, the windows are too much obscured during the winter and little light during the summer. Further, colored or coated glazings can affect the color perception of objects viewed through the window and illuminated by light passing through the window.

  Another type of sunscreen device is a translucent screen, which consists of an opaque screen with small perforations that allow light to pass through. Patent Document 2 (“Double window apparatus”) describes an insect / solar screen disposed between an indoor window and an outdoor window. The frame has air holes that allow air to flow into the space between the windows. A similar invention is shown in U.S. Patent No. 6,057,049 ("Sunshade / Sunscreen combo"), where a semi-grid flat solar screen with multiple openings allows light and wind to pass through. In both cases, the solar screen is not integrated in the sealed cavity of the insulating glass itself. Instead, the solar screen is considered an integral part of the window and can be used when the window is opened.

  Optical elements (translucent screen-like) integrated in the insulating glass unit are generally suspended inside the cavity or completely laminated to the window glass inside the insulating glass unit. In Patent Document 4 ("Light dispersive insulated glazing unit"), a light dispersion film is integrated in a heat insulating glass unit. The film is suspended in the middle between the two panes and attached with an adhesive at the edge of the window. This method requires that the glass be completely covered. Partial coverage is not possible because the film must be stretched between the spacer bars to maintain flatness. Furthermore, in order to prevent wrinkles, the film is subjected to heat treatment during manufacture, and the film shrinks to eliminate wrinkles.

  Patent Document 5 describes a UV screen that is completely laminated on one of the indoor sides of a double window. The space between the two panes is filled with an inert gas. U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,033 describes the most commonly used method in the glass industry for integrating parts that are essentially flat plates or foils. A plate or foil is laminated between two PVB or EVA resin sheets, and also laminated between two glass sheets. The resin is cured under high pressure or vacuum with heating.

US Pat. No. 2,849,762 US Pat. No. 5,379,824 US Pat. No. 6,315,356 US Pat. No. 6,259,541 US Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0209020 US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0213233 Danish Patent No. 176229 Specification

  There remains a problem with providing an alternative method of integrating optical elements / solar screens within an insulating glass unit.

Disclosed is a method for integrating at least one optical element within an insulating glass unit comprising at least two panes. The optical element comprises a plurality of perforated and non-perforated areas. The non-perforated area prevents light from entering in the building where the insulated glass unit is attached. The perforations have a depth / width ratio that allows light having a predetermined angle of incidence to pass while light having other angles of incidence cannot pass through the perforations and provides a shielding effect.
The optical element is disposed between the two panes using an adhesive. Adhesive is substantially absent within the perforations of the optical element.

  It is therefore advantageous for the optical element to have perforations arranged on a non-perforated substrate. This is because the heating inside the building caused by reducing the transmittance of solar energy through the window glass is reduced. The optical element is mounted inside the heat insulating cavity of the heat insulating glass unit, and significantly reduces the transmittance of solar energy as compared to heat insulating glass without a shielding device. The optical element is attached to one of the window glasses of the heat insulating glass unit with an adhesive covering at least a part of the region of the optical element. This method offers a number of advantages compared to using a stack or suspension of optical elements inside a glass unit as known in the prior art.

  In the prior art, optical elements or solar cells integrated between two panes are completely laminated over the entire surface, and objects inside the laminated cavity are completely embedded in the laminate after the process. A transparent laminate (usually EVA or PVB) fills the perforations in the optical element. This is a disadvantage compared to the case where the perforations are not stacked and only filled with air (or the gas used to fill the insulating glass unit). When the perforation in the optical element is filled with air, the angle of light inside the perforation is the same as the angle of light outside the window because the refractive index is the same. Thus, if the sun angle is large, the light entering through the perforations has the same large angle. On the other hand, when the perforations are filled with an adhesive such as a resin or polymer material (having a higher refractive index than air), the angle of light in the perforations is smaller than the angle of the sun. This is apparent from Snell's law in the description of FIG. 1 in the detailed description. As a result, light that travels at a large angle, such as during the day, can pass through holes filled with a higher refractive index material, such as a laminating adhesive, due to the decrease in angle. For similar non-stacked optical elements, the light is reflected or absorbed by the optical elements. Thus, by using a fully stacked optical element, the optical element is significantly more extensive than non-laminated optical elements that only allow light to pass for small or medium sun angles. Allow the passage of light from any angle of the sun. The selectivity of transmittance with respect to this angle is an important point for the present optical element, and the motivation for using non-laminated modules is very strong.

  Thus, while complete lamination guarantees the fixation of the foil or plate between two glass sheets, the disadvantages of this method have a significant impact on the optical path of light through the shielding device (often desirable). Not), compromising the efficiency of the shielding device.

  A perforation in an optical element if the selectivity of the transmission with respect to the angle of the sun for an optical element filled with a perforation with an adhesive such as a resin should be the same as for an optical element without a perforation Must be smaller to reduce incident light. However, reducing the size of the perforations increases the diffraction distortion that inevitably occurs in this type of optical element, which leads to a significant reduction in see-through quality.

  For the sunscreen screen of the type described, it is generally desirable that the screen perforations be designed to be invisible to the human eye at selected viewing distances. At viewing distances close to 1 meter, drilling with a minimum dimension of 0.45 mm has been found to meet this requirement. Repeating structures with critical size holes of 0.50 mm or less form diffraction that is detectable by the human eye. The generated diffraction becomes more severe for smaller holes than for larger holes, and if the holes are filled with laminated resin, much smaller holes are needed to obtain a solar screen with similar optical properties. Become. Therefore, when a solar shielding structure using a general lamination method as described is realized, the shielding screen is much thicker or has a small hole. And its optical quality is degraded by the diffraction that occurs.

  The laminate itself can also reduce see-through quality. This is because very small perforations can be difficult to fill entirely with a laminate. Thus, bubbles can occur in the laminate around the perforations and focus the light as a small lens, making this defect clearly visible. Furthermore, lamination is more expensive than the method presented here because it requires a lot of material.

  In the prior art, the result is laminated glass, for example solar screening devices are completely embedded in PVB or EVA. The disadvantage of this method is that the shielding efficiency is greatly compromised because the holes in the solar screen are filled with resin after curing and the refractive index of the resin is close to that of glass.

The optical element is mounted inside an insulated glass unit (IGU) with an adhesive that can cover only a small part of the area of the screen. Compared with solar shading completely laminated between two glass sheets, the optical element according to the present invention is not filled with resin in the perforations in the optical element as in laminated solar shading, Due to the fact that the optical element contains air or gas (such as krypton or argon), it has significantly higher optical performance. Since the refractive index of air or gas is close to 1, the angle at which light passes through the optical element is the same as the angle of light outside the glass.
Thus, the optical element is different from a fully stacked solar screen because it effectively reduces the solar energy transmission of large-angle solar radiation. Also, the mounting method described herein allows for the use of solar screens with reduced diffraction or better optical quality.

  Furthermore, the transmission of solar energy through the glass into the building is regulated through the design of the optical element with respect to the position of the sun, ie the height of the sun from the horizon. The optical element provides the strongest sun shielding when it is most needed, because the solar energy transmission through the insulating glass unit with the optical element is lowest when the sun is at the highest position in the sky. .

  Optical elements are different from coated glass or colored glass because they provide direct sunlight beam shielding with high efficiency. Furthermore, the optical element provides progressive shielding properties, unlike coated glass or colored glass.

  Another advantage of integrating the optical element in the glass is that it is protected from damage and does not require additional cleaning. Therefore, there is no cost for outdoor or indoor maintenance. Further, since there is nothing that must be removed prior to cleaning, such as when using curtains, venetian blinds, roman blinds, etc., cleaning of the window in which the optical elements are integrated is simple. By placing the optical element inside the window, that is, between the two panes, the optical element reflects and absorbs part of the sunlight before it enters the interior of the building. Reduce heating.

  Another advantage is that, compared to the Venetian blind, the perforations in the optical element can shield direct radiation having a large angle of incidence in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

  Furthermore, since the optical element is attached to glass that does not include a laminate that fills the perforations of the element, discoloration of transmitted light is completely prevented. Thus, the described element fixing method ensures a natural color rendering of objects inside the building.

  The optical element may also be known or designated as, for example, a solar screen, solar shade, solar shading module, shading, solar screening etc. Insulating glass units are also known, for example, as IGUs, windows, etc., or may be designated. The window glass is also known, for example, as a window or may be designated. Adhesives are also known or referred to as tapes, glues, resins, laminates, and the like. Perforations are also known or referred to as apertures, holes, slots, slits, transparent areas, and the like. Non-perforated areas are also known as opaque areas, substrates, etc., or may be designated.

In some embodiments, the plurality of perforations constitutes a transparent area and the non-perforated areas constitute an opaque area.
The transparent area may have a transparency of 50 percent, for example.
The transparent region so that the opaque region is essentially invisible to the naked eye, at least when the optical element is viewed from a predetermined distance corresponding to a viewing distance (eg, 1 to 10 meters) in a typical indoor facility Can be placed sufficiently close to each other.

In some embodiments, the non-perforated region reflects and absorbs light.
The advantage of the non-perforated region to reflect and absorb light is that the optical element thereby provides shielding and reduction of the inflow of light from the outside.

  Advantageously, the optical element has a plurality of perforations or openings or holes, which can constitute transparent areas and the screen material can be opaque areas that reflect and / or absorb sunlight. The transparent region has a depth / width ratio that allows light of a predetermined incident angle to pass while light having other incident angles cannot pass through the optical element.

In some embodiments, the optical element is made of a rigid material.
The use of a hard material for the optical element is advantageous because it is easy to work when attached to glass. By using a hard material, there is no need to suspend the optical element to prevent wrinkles as in the prior art. Furthermore, since the optical element is flat, it can be fixed inside the glass by mounting at a plurality of discrete positions. The optical elements need not be completely stacked or stretched as in the prior art. It is sufficient to attach with only a single edge or point.

  The optical element may be a rigid screen described in Patent Document 6 and Patent Document 7.

  In some embodiments, the rigid material is rigid when hung against the material or strip geometry or against the mounting position in a horizontal or vertical position on the rim or edge of the material. The material is applied so that it remains unclasped.

  In some embodiments, the hard material is sufficiently rigid to keep itself substantially hard when hung in a vertical position on the rim of material.

In some embodiments, the hard material has a Young's modulus of 2 GPa or greater.
It is advantageous that the Young's modulus with respect to the non-perforated optical element is 2 GPa or more because this value is a hard material (hard polymer, plastic, metal, etc.), a flexible material (foil (for example, plastic foil), laminated film, etc.) This is because it is distinguished from The Young's modulus or E modulus describes the elastic modulus of the material. A high Young's modulus can be an advantage for the method, and the Young's modulus of the non-perforated optical element can be, for example, 30 GPa in the method. Thus, in some embodiments, the hard material does not wrinkle, wrinkle, roll or kink under normal processing conditions.

In some embodiments, the optical element is a metal screen.
The use of metal for optical elements is advantageous because, for example, the requirement for rigidity can be met.

In some embodiments, the metal screen is
-Made of material selected from the group consisting of-stainless steel-ferrous alloy-non-ferrous alloy-aluminum base alloy.
For example, it is advantageous to use alloys such as bronze, nickel steel alloy invar, and steel such as stainless steel because these materials are inexpensive and easy to process.

In some embodiments, the metal screen is etched to form perforations.
The advantage of etching the perforations in the metal screen is that the etching process gives a wide range of design freedom to the shape of the shielding element, the etched perforations have good edges, high geometric accuracy It is because it will be a good looking one with etc.

In some embodiments, the optical element is a polymer material.
The use of polymer materials for optical elements is advantageous because, for example, the requirements for rigidity can be met.

In some embodiments, the polymeric material is
-Acrylic (PMMA)
-Stabilized polycarbonate (PC)
-Polyimide (PI)
-Polyetherimide (PEI)
-These glass-filled compositions-selected from the group consisting of these other fillers.
The advantage of using these polymer materials is that they are inexpensive and easy to process.

In some embodiments, the optical element does not change significantly over a period of several years when exposed to UV light or temperature changes.
Since the shielding element is integrated into the insulating glass, it can remain stable with substantially no change over the entire expected life of the glass. The stability of this shielding element is related to the shape, color and relative position of the element inside the glass cavity.

In some embodiments, the adhesive is stable to UV exposure.
The advantage of the adhesive being stable to ultraviolet (UV) exposure is that, like the optical element, the adhesive is solar when integrated into an insulated glass unit attached to the building facade. Because it is exposed to light, the adhesive should hold the optical element in place for the entire lifetime of the glass.

In some embodiments, the adhesive is stable to temperature changes.
The advantage of the adhesive being stable against temperature changes is that the temperature of the insulating glass attached to the facade of the building can change significantly during the year of the year and day and night.

In some embodiments, the adhesive maintains its adhesion over a period of years.
It is advantageous for the adhesive to maintain its adhesion over a period of several years because the insulating glass with optical elements may have to be functional without replacement or repair for many years. .

In some embodiments, the adhesive is transparent.
The advantage of the adhesive being transparent is that the appearance of the optical element is improved if the adhesive used to mount the optical element is not visible in the insulating glass unit.

In some embodiments, the adhesive and the optical element have substantially the same color.
The advantage is that the adhesive and the optical element have the same color because the appearance of the optical element is improved if the adhesive used to attach the optical element becomes invisible.

  In some embodiments, the adhesive releases a substantially small amount of gas.

  In some embodiments, the adhesive does not substantially cause clouding in the insulating glass unit.

In some embodiments, the adhesive is
-Tape,
-Glue,
-Resin,
-Polymer materials,
-Epoxy,
-Acrylic,
-UV curable resin,
-Cyanoacrylate,
Selected from the group consisting of

In some embodiments, the adhesive is a double sided tape.
The advantage of using double-sided tape is that the optical element is easily attached to the window glass.

In some embodiments, the adhesive tape has a compressible foam core.
The advantage of using compressible adhesive tape is that glass and metal are heated at different rates and optical elements (eg metal) can expand more than glass, but the difference in thermal expansion is This is because it can be adjusted by the foam core. The compressible foam material can be polyethylene.

  In some embodiments, the adhesive tape comprises a 3 mm wide polyethylene foam core with acrylic adhesive on both sides thereof.

  In some embodiments, the adhesive is a screen printed UV curable adhesive.

In some embodiments, the optical element is configured to be cut to a size corresponding to at least one dimension of at least one pane of the insulating glass unit.
Advantageously, the optical element is severable to fit the glazing to which it is attached. For example, the optical element can be cut to have the same length as the horizontal length of the glazing.

In some embodiments, the optical element is configured to cover at least a portion of the area of the glazing.
Thus, the optical element can cover a part of the window glass area, which part is smaller than the whole window glass area. However, by attaching a large number of optical elements to the window glass, the entire area of the window glass can be covered with the optical elements. Instead, a single optical element can cover the entire area of the glazing.

In some embodiments, the optical element is configured to be attached anywhere on the glazing.
The advantage of this embodiment compared to the indoor mounting Venetian brand is that the optical element can be adapted to any position in the glass, since no mounting bar is required on the top. Furthermore, the optical element according to the present invention can be easily attached to a deformed glass. Further, the glass itself can be attached in a desired direction. Furthermore, since the present invention does not require feedthrough at the edge seal to control the optical elements as required in indoor mounted Venetian brands, the present invention can be used for gas leakage from the glass or within the glass. Eliminates water vapor intrusion.
Furthermore, an advantage of this embodiment is that, unlike a film-like optical element stretched inside a heat insulating glass cavity, partial coating of glass is possible.

  In some embodiments, two or more optical elements are configured to be attached to the glazing in preparation for a gap therebetween.

  In some embodiments, two or more optical elements are configured such that they are adjacent to the glazing.

In some embodiments, two or more optical elements are configured such that they overlap and are attached to the glazing.
The reason why the optical element is attached to the window glass by any one of the methods described above is that the appearance can be good.

In some embodiments, each of the two or more optical elements has an adhesive region along the first rim (edge) of the optical element. A first one of the two or more optical elements is attached to the window glass at the first rim, and a second one of the two or more optical elements is the first of the optical elements at the first rim. The second rim of the first optical element is partially attached to the second rim of the one and to the glazing by the first rim of the second of the optical elements. To be fixed to.
The advantage is that only the adhesive on one of the rims of the optical element is required to fully fix the optical element to the window glass, applying the adhesive to only one rim is This is simple and quick and can reduce the amount of adhesive used.

In some embodiments, the optical element is
-Apply adhesive on the window glass to cover at least part of the window glass,
-Attach the optical element to the adhesive on the window glass,
-By removing the adhesive inside the perforations after the adhesive is cured,
Attached to the window glass.
It is advantageous to remove the adhesive remaining inside the perforations of the optical element after the adhesive has been cured, so that when the insulating glass with the optical element is used as a shielding device for building facades This is because the state in which no adhesive is present in the perforations is maintained.

  In some embodiments, the adhesive present in the perforations is removed by UV radiation exposure and subsequent degradation of the UV-radiated adhesive using a degrading agent.

In some embodiments, the optical element is configured to be attached to the glazing at a single point.
The advantage that the optical element can be attached to the glass at a single point is advantageous because this can be a simple and quick method and can reduce the amount of adhesive used.

In some embodiments, the optical element is configured to be attached to the glazing at one rim.
The advantage that the optical element can be attached to the glass at only one rim is advantageous because this can be a simple and quick method and can reduce the amount of adhesive used.

  In some embodiments, the adhesive is applied in one or more continuous lines.

In some embodiments, the adhesive is applied in one or more dots.
The advantage of using as little adhesive as possible is that a good looking window is obtained and outgassing and clouding from the adhesive is minimized.

  In some embodiments, the optical element is adhered to the glazing by applying an adhesive to at least a portion of the non-perforated region of the optical element.

  In some embodiments, the adhesive is a tape having perforations that correspond to the perforations of the optical element.

  In some embodiments, the adhesive is a thin layer of glue applied over the non-perforated area of the optical element.

  In some embodiments, the first of the at least two panes of the insulated glass unit is the outermost glass that faces outdoors, and the second of the at least two panes faces indoors. The innermost glass.

In some embodiments, the optical element is attached to the inner surface of the first of the at least two panes.
The advantage of attaching the optical element to the inner surface of the first glazing (which can be the outermost glazing) is that the optic is protected by two panes, both for outdoor and indoor environments It is because it is protected. Moreover, when the shielding element is in thermal contact with the glass facing the outdoor side, the solar energy absorbed in the sunlight shielding element can be dissipated as heat and transmitted to the outside of the building.

  In some embodiments, a third glazing is disposed between the first glazing and the second glazing.

In some embodiments, the optical element is attached to the surface of the third glazing facing the first glazing.
It is advantageous to attach the optical element to a third window glass (which may be an intermediate window glass positioned between the outermost window glass and the innermost window glass). This is because it is protected by the intermediate window glass and is protected against both the outdoor environment and the indoor environment.

In some embodiments, the adhesive is obscured by one or more screen printing patterns.
The advantage of hiding the adhesive using a screen print pattern is that the screen print pattern provides a pleasing uniform and uniform appearance. The screen printing pattern also protects the adhesive against UV degradation.

In some embodiments, one of the one or more screen print patterns is disposed on a first one of the plurality of panes.
It is advantageous to provide a screen printed pattern on a first glazing (eg, if the optic is attached to this glazing, it can be the outermost glazing) used to attach the optic. This is because the adhesive is hidden by the screen printing pattern and protected from UV exposure.

In some embodiments, one of the one or more screen print patterns is disposed on the inner surface of the third pane.
Providing a screen printed pattern on the inner surface of a third glazing (e.g., if the optic is attached to this glazing may be an intermediate glazing) is advantageous for attaching the optic This is because the adhesive used is hidden by the screen printing pattern.

  In some embodiments, one or more of the plurality of screen print patterns is a grid.

  In some embodiments, one or more of the plurality of screen printed patterns comprises a glass enamel that is fired or fused onto a window glass.

In some embodiments, the adhesive is made invisible by being applied to non-perforated areas on the optical element.
By applying the adhesive to the non-perforated areas on the optical element, it is advantageous to hide the adhesive because it is unnecessary and wasteful to provide additional means for hiding the adhesive.

In some embodiments, the optical element is configured to be integrated with the solar cell material in the insulating glass unit.
The advantage of combining an optical element with a solar cell or photovoltaic device is that both shielding by the optical element and energy by the solar cell can be provided in one and the same insulating glass unit. This generally optimizes the function of the insulated glass unit and can save energy and space in the building.

The solar cell material can be integrated in a heat insulating glass unit. Thus, problems with exposed or fragile solar cell elements that can fall from roofs and walls during storms can be eliminated.
Furthermore, for example, when the sun is strongest in summer and daytime, solar cells can generate as much electricity as can be used, for example, in air conditioning systems for cooling the interior of buildings.

  Furthermore, when the optical element also functions as a solar cell, an electrical feedthrough for the solar cell can be provided in the sealed portion at the edge of the heat insulating glass unit.

In some embodiments, the non-perforated region of the optical element is configured to be covered with solar cell material.
It is advantageous to cover the optical element with a photovoltaic generator or a solar cell (eg thin film photovoltaic). As a result, the optical element efficiently shields the direct sunlight and converts the shielded sunlight beam into usable electrical energy. All areas, surfaces or faces of the non-perforated area can be covered with solar cell material, i.e. the front face, the rear face and the inside of the perforated area or hole can be covered.

In some embodiments, the solar cell material is configured to cover the inner surface of the perforations in the optical element.
The advantage that solar cells are also applied to the inner surface of the perforations is that the radiation from the sun also hits the inner surfaces of the perforations, so by applying solar cell material also to the inner surface of the perforations, This is because the amount of solar radiation used by the system increases.

  In some embodiments, the solar cell material is an amorphous silicon thin film, a microcrystalline silicon thin film, or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the electrical connection to the solar cell material is provided by a conductive adhesive.
The advantage of using a conductive adhesive is that it can have two functions. That is, the function of bonding the solar cell to the glass and the function of carrying the current from the solar cell.
The conductive adhesive can connect the solar cell to the external grid. The external grid is a power transmission system or an energy storage system for electric power generated by solar cells.

In some embodiments, the conductive adhesive is configured to be applied between one or more electrodes on the surface of the optical element and a screen printed pattern on the glazing.
It is advantageous to also include a screen printing pattern because the screen printing pattern can hide the conductive adhesive.

  In some embodiments, the adhesive is made conductive by adding a conductor to the adhesive.

In some embodiments, the conductor is
-Silver particles,
-Selected from the group consisting of plastic particles covered with a metal layer.
For example, the advantage of using silver particles or plastic particles covered with metal is that these materials are relatively chemically inert.

  The present invention relates to various aspects, including the methods described above and below, corresponding methods, devices, uses, and / or production means, each of which is described in relation to the first aspect being described. One or more embodiments corresponding to the embodiments disclosed in the first aspect described and / or the appended claims, each of which produces one or more of the following advantages: Have.

In particular, what is disclosed in the present application is a heat insulating glass unit including at least one optical element integrated therein, and includes at least two window glasses. The optical element has a plurality of perforations and a non-perforated region. The non-perforated area prevents light from entering the building to which the insulated glass unit is attached. The perforations have a depth / width ratio that allows light of a predetermined incident angle to pass while light having other angles of incidence cannot pass through the perforations and provides a shielding effect.
The optical element is placed between the two panes by an adhesive. Adhesive is substantially absent within the perforations of the optical element.

  The above and / or additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

An example of how the optical element functions is shown. The graph of the effective G value with respect to an optical element is shown. An example of how an optical element can be attached to a window glass is shown. The example in which the optical element is attached to the window glass is shown. The example of the optical element contained in a heat insulation glass unit is shown. The example of the optical element combined with the solar cell is shown. The example of the solar cell film which covers both the front side of a non-perforated area | region and the inner side (namely, inner side of a hole) is shown. The example of the solar cell film which covers both the front side of a non-perforated area | region and the inner side (namely, inner side of a hole) is shown. The example of the solar cell film which covers both the front side of a non-perforated area | region and the inner side (namely, inner side of a hole) is shown. An example of how an optical element can be provided on and attached to a window glass is shown in a flow diagram.

  In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that illustrate, by way of example, how the invention can be practiced.

FIG. 1 shows an example of how an optical element functions.
In the prior art, optical elements or solar cells integrated between two panes are completely stacked over the entire surface. The laminate fills the perforations in the optical element. If the optical element is not stacked, the perforations in the optical element are not filled with an adhesive such as resin, but are filled with air or a gas used to fill the insulating glass unit, The angle of light is the same as the angle of light outside the window because the refractive index is the same. Thus, if the sun angle is large, the light coming through the perforations has a large angle (see FIG. 1a). On the other hand, when the perforations are filled with an adhesive such as a resin or polymer material having a higher refractive index than air, the angle of light in the perforations is smaller than the angle of the sun (b in FIG. 1). reference). This is evident from Snell's law below. As a result, light passing at a large angle during the daytime or the like can pass through holes filled with an adhesive such as resin due to the decrease in angle. For similar non-stacked optical elements, the light is reflected or absorbed by the optical elements. Thus, by using fully stacked optical elements, almost all possible optical elements are considered compared to non-laminated optical elements that can only transmit light for small or medium sun angles. Allow the passage of light from the sun's angle.

  When the perforation is to be the same as that for an optical element where the perforation should be the same as for an optical element where the perforation is filled with an adhesive such as a resin, The perforations must be smaller to reduce the incident light (see c in FIG. 1). However, by reducing the size of the perforations, the diffraction becomes more visible and the screen see-through quality is reduced.

FIG. 1 shows three cases in which the optical element 101 is attached to the window glass 102. In a) of FIG. 1, the perforations 104 in the optical element 101 are filled with vacuum, air and / or a gas having a refractive index of 1.0. In FIG. 1 b) and c), the perforations are filled with a laminate 103 using a lamination method. In order for the laminated element to have the same cut-off angle Θ ₃ as the non-laminated element, an optical element with a smaller hole must be used, as shown in FIG.

In the following example, it is assumed that the optical element 101 optimally has a cutoff angle of Θ ₁ = 60 °. In other words, when the height of the sun increases beyond 60 ° from the horizon, direct light does not pass through the screen. Air has a refractive index of n ₁ = 1 and the glass of the window glass 102 has a refractive index of n ₂ = 1.5. When the sun's height is 60 °, according to Snell's law, the angle of the sun in the window glass 102 is:

On the other hand, when the optical element 101 is laminated with the adhesive 103 such as EVA or PVB having a refractive index of about 1.48, the angle in the perforation filled with the laminated material 103 is as follows.

となり、これは太陽の高さと同じである。 On the other hand, if the optical elements are not stacked and the perforations 104 are filled with air, the angle is

This is the same as the height of the sun.

Further, if the sun cutoff angle is 60 ° and the optical element thickness t is 200 μm, the EVA filled perforations must have the following spread B:
_{B = tanΘ 3 · t = tan} (35.9 °) · 200μm = 145μm

On the other hand, if the perforation 104 is filled with air, the perforation spread B ′ must be as follows:
B ′ = tan Θ ₃ ′ · t = tan (60 °) · 200 μm = 346 μm

  This is a strong motivation for having large unfilled or non-laminated holes, as diffraction becomes significantly more visible for 145 μm size holes compared to 346 μm holes.

  FIG. 2 shows a graph of the effective G value (or solar thermal gain coefficient). The effective G value is a measure of solar energy transmittance for an optical element. G values are plotted for optical elements whose perforations are filled with air and adhesive resin, respectively.

  In a) of FIG. 2, the effective G value is plotted as a function of the sky's sun height measured in angle.

  The G value is significantly greater for perforations filled with resin, ie, significantly greater for laminated elements compared to non-laminated elements (where the perforations are filled with air). Yes.

  The G value is defined as the sum of direct solar transmittance and secondary internal heat transfer. As the G value becomes smaller, the shielding becomes better. The graph compares sunlight shielding with optical elements with perforations filled with air or gas (argon, krypton, etc.), optical elements with perforations filled with adhesive (in this case, laminate) . In particular, for large sun heights, it is clear that the shielding effect on air-filled perforations is greater than on laminated optical elements. In addition, since the optical element gradually shields in the horizontal direction, the same result is obtained when the G value is calculated as a function of the increase in the azimuth angle of the sun.

In FIG. 2b), the average effective G values for laminated and non-laminated elements are plotted for each month of the year.
Optical elements with air-filled perforations have the greatest shielding effect. The effective G value is calculated for a three pane glazing argon filled insulated glass unit (IGU) located on the south facing facade of Copenhagen. The results can vary slightly depending on the type of glazing used in the window, the direction in which the window is located, and the location.

FIG. 3 shows an example of how an optical element can be attached to a window glass.
The optical element 301 is attached to the window glass 302 using an adhesive 303. The optical element 301 can have a large non-perforated area 305, but the main area of the optical element 301 has a perforated 304. The adhesive 303 can be applied as a continuous line as seen in a), c), d) and f) in FIG. 3 and / or as a small dot as seen in b) and e) in FIG. .

  FIGS. 3a-c) show examples where the perforations are relatively small compared to the size of the optical element, and FIGS. 3d-f) are relatively large perforations compared to the optical element. An example is shown.

  Instead of using a fully laminated solar screen as in the prior art, the optical element according to the method is attached to the window glass using an adhesive such as glue or tape. There are many possible ways to apply an adhesive between the optical element and the glass, some examples are shown in FIG. 3, where the adhesive is visible through the glass. The perforated optical element can have an area of non-perforated material to which an adhesive can be applied. This non-perforated region can be applied to any part of the optical element. The non-perforated area has the advantage of hiding the adhesive in one viewing direction. The adhesive can be applied in one or more continuous lines and / or dots. The line can be vertical, horizontal, diagonal, and / or slanted or the like. Also, the lines can be placed in the middle, one or more edges, and / or any suitable location within the optical element.

  Alternatively and / or additionally, an adhesive may be applied to the perforated area of the optical element. If the adhesive is applied to the perforated area, some of the perforations can be filled with the adhesive from the beginning. However, as described below, the adhesive in the perforations can be removed later. Furthermore, as long as most of the perforations are not filled, the optical element can retain its shielding function. By using a screen printed pattern on the window glass, the adhesive can be made invisible.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which the optical element is attached to a window glass. The optical element 401 is attached to the window glass 402 using an adhesive 403. The adhesive 403 can be a laminated film with perforations corresponding to the perforations 404 of the optical element 401.
Alternatively, the adhesive 403 can initially be a laminated film without perforations. Thereafter, materials such as laminates may affect the effectiveness of the optical element, so that there is no material present in the perforation 404 to be present in the perforation 404 of the optical element 401. A part of the laminated film can be removed.

  Adhesives such as laminated films present in the perforations can be removed by exposure to UV radiation followed by decomposition of the UV irradiated adhesive using a decomposing agent.

  Alternatively, the method can include gluing the optical element over a portion or the entire perforation region without filling the space within the perforation. This can be done by using a tape with small perforations corresponding to the perforations in the optical element, or by using a thin layer of glue applied only or mainly in the non-perforated areas. Alternatively, if the adhesive does not fill the holes, the optical element can be attached to the window glass by using a continuous film or layer of glue such as a laminate.

  The adhesive can be, for example, an acrylic glue or tape. Pure acrylic adhesives are UV compatible and exhibit low emission values of organic vapors. In addition, acrylic adhesives exhibit excellent resistance to mechanical deformation at high temperatures. Alternatively, the adhesive can be a screen printed UV curable adhesive. The tape may also comprise a foam core coated on both sides with an acrylic adhesive. The foam core can be made of polyethylene, polypropylene, or other polymer foam. The advantage of the foam core is improved stress relaxation between the glazing and the shading or optical element.

FIG. 5 shows an example of an optical element included in the heat insulating glass unit.
FIG. 5 a) shows a cross section of the heat insulating glass unit 510, the outer glass 511, the intermediate glass 512 with the vent hole 518, the inner glass 513, the spacer bar 514 filled with the desiccant 515, the primary sealing material 516. The optical element 501 attached to the secondary sealing material 517 and the outer glass 511 is shown.
FIG. 5 b) shows a cross section of the heat insulating glass unit 510, the outer glass 511, the inner glass 513, the spacer bar 514 filled with the desiccant 515, the primary sealing material 516, the secondary sealing material 517, and the outer glass. An optical element 501 attached to 511 is shown.

  According to this method of integrating non-laminated optical elements, when the IGU is composed of two panes called outermost glass and innermost glass, the optical element is placed on the inner surface of the outermost window glass of the IGU. It is attached. Alternatively, there may be one or more panes between the IGU outermost pane and innermost pane. In this case, the optical element can be attached to the outer surface of the intermediate glass.

  If the optical element is placed on the inner surface of the outermost window pane, it is sufficient to have two panes for the insulating glass unit, minimizing the weight of the IGU. The adhesive used to attach the optical element can be visible from the outside of the building where the optical element is attached to the glazing, and the optical element is exposed to solar radiation incident through the outermost glazing. Can be exposed to. In this case, the adhesive should be stable to UV (ultraviolet) radiation and should not be affected by UV radiation. By using a screen printed pattern on the outermost window glass, the adhesive can be shielded from UV radiation and invisible from the outside.

  In order to prevent the adhesive from being visible from the inside of the building, the optical element can have an opaque area to which the adhesive is applied.

  An intermediate window glass can also be included in the IGU. And an optical element can be arrange | positioned on both the inner surface of an outer side window glass, and the outer side surface of an intermediate | middle window glass. When the optical element is disposed on the outer surface of the intermediate window glass integrated between the outermost window glass and the innermost window glass, and the adhesive is disposed in the opaque region of the optical element, the adhesive is removed from the outside. Protected from radiation and observed. Also, the adhesive can be hidden from observation from the outside by using a screen printed pattern on the outer window glass. A screen printing pattern can be applied to the inner side of the intermediate pane to hide the adhesive from the inside view.

  If the adhesive is not hidden from observation, the adhesive should be robust to UV radiation. Furthermore, if the adhesive can be visible from either the outside or the inside of the building where the IGU is located, it can be advantageous that the adhesive is aesthetic. In order to have a pleasing optical element, the adhesive can be applied in small amounts (such as small dots and / or thin lines) in a well-defined area and can be transparent or have the same color as the optical element.

  Optical elements can be mounted in the gaps between them so that more light is transmitted through the window, or optical elements can be mounted next to each other so that they touch or are adjacent to each other . Another possibility is to overlap the elements.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of an optical element combined with a solar cell. The optical element 601 is coated with a conductive coating 606, on the outside of which there is a solar cell active material 607 and a transparent conductive coating 608. A conductor grid 609 is added to carry the current generated from the solar cell.

  For use with solar cells, if the adhesive used to attach the optical element to the window glass should be conductive, it can be filled with a conductor such as silver particles. The adhesive thickness should be sufficient to allow small movements of the optical element due to differences in thermal expansion between the glazing and the optical element. When exposed to UV radiation, the adhesive should be stable to UV radiation on a yearly basis and should not deform or discolor.

FIG. 7 shows an example of an optical element including a solar cell film that covers both the front side of the non-perforated region and the inner side of the perforated region.
Both FIGS. 7 a) and 7 b) show an optical element 701 attached to a window glass 702. The square on the left side of the figure shows the enlarged portion of the optical element that can be seen on the right side of the figure. An inner pane 713 is also shown.
In the enlarged view of the optical element 701, the thin film 707 (for example, a solar cell film) is at least a part of the front side of the non-perforated region 701 of the optical film 701 and the inner side of the perforated region 704 (that is, the inner side of the hole in the optical element 701). You can see that it covers.

  FIG. 7 a) shows that the entire inside of the perforated region 704 is covered or coated with a film 707 (such as a solar cell film) in addition to the front side of the optical element 701.

  FIG. 7 b) shows that in addition to the front side of the optical element 701, a part of the inside of the perforated region 704 is covered or coated with a film 707 (solar cell film or the like).

  In FIGS. 7a) and 7b), the optical element is shown as being inclined relative to the window glass.

  FIG. 7c) shows a plurality of optical elements 701 attached to a window glass 702, each optical element comprising a conductive substrate 706, a thin film photovoltaic coating or solar cell coating 707, and a transparent conductive oxide (TCO). , Transparent conducting oxide) coating 708. The solar cell coating 707 is applied to the front side of the non-perforated region of the optical element 701 and the inner side of the perforated region 704 or hole of the optical element 701. The front side of the optical element is indicated by an inclined arrow indicating solar radiation.

  In FIG. 7c) the optical elements are straight and are shown perpendicular or perpendicular to the window glass.

  By covering or coating part or all of the inside of the perforated area of the optical element with a solar cell film, more sunlight may be applied to a larger area of the solar cell film, so that more solar Can be converted into electricity.

FIG. 8 shows in a flowchart an example of how an optical element can be provided and mounted on a window glass.
The number of panes in the IGU affects the way in which the panel being assembled can be processed and the sealing of the IGU edge. The following reference numerals refer to the reference numerals a) and b) in FIG.

  Example 1: Construction of a rectangular insulated glass unit with internally mounted optical elements as shown in FIG. The optical element does not contact the edge seal.

  Step 1: The optical element 501 of FIG. 5 can be formed from a thin strip of stainless steel that can be etched so that good shielding is obtained when the sun is high and the shielding is most needed. .

  Step 2: To form the rectangular IGU 510, the optical element 501 is slightly shorter (typically 2mm or 3mm) than the inner width of the cavity defined by the length of the horizontal portion of the spacer bar 514. Disconnect. The number of optical elements 501 required to cover the window glass is calculated by dividing the height of the window glass by the height of the optical element. Additional elements may be required to form low height elements. The last gap on the glass can be only a few percent of the total device width.

  Step 3: The optical element can be provided with a double-sided acrylic adhesive 503, eg, 3 mm wide, along one edge of the optical element. The adhesive can initially be covered with protective silicone paper. Alternatively, the adhesive can be pre-formed on the optical element or applied to the optical element earlier in the process. Then, the optical element can be attached to the outer glass 511.

  Step 4: The first optical element 501 is fixed with an adhesive 503 along the top rim (edge) of the glass at a predetermined distance from the edge.

Step 5: The second optical element can be mounted along the bottom rim of the first optical element so as to slightly overlap the first optical element, for example at a distance of 0.5 mm to 1 mm. This superposition eliminates false light between the optical elements and retains the former optical element fixed to the window glass.
Subsequent optical elements are attached to the window glass until they hit the lower edge of the glass.

  Step 6: The last optical element is cut lengthwise to fit the last position (if the last position is less than the height of the optical element). And after this conditional cutting of the last optical element, the last optical element can be attached to the window glass.

  Step 7: The IGU can then be assembled using spacers and inner glass 511 according to methods known in the IGU industry.

Example 2: Construction of rectangular IGU 510 with horizontally mounted optical element 501. An intermediate window glass 512 is included in the IGU 510 (see FIG. 5a). The optical element 501 does not come into contact with the edge sealing portion.
Steps 1 to 6 are the same as in Example 1 described above. However, the process includes the following steps before step 7 of Example 1.

Step between Example 6 Step 6 and Step 7: The intermediate glass 512 is secured to the top of the outer glass 511 to cover the optical element 501 with a primary encapsulant 516 (which can be, for example, polyisobutylene). Thus, the optical element laminate is substantially formed. This laminate can be considered as the outer glass in a standard IGU configuration. Since the optical elements inside the stack are protected by two panes, the stack can be cleaned and processed on a standard production line.
Small holes (eg, 6 mm diameter) may be formed in the intermediate glass 512 to vent the interior of the laminate (ie, the space between the outer glass 511 and the intermediate glass 512). As a result, the intruding moisture can be absorbed by the desiccant 515 in the cavity of the spacer bar. The holes 518 can be sealed during cleaning, for example by using small and removable tape pieces, to prevent moisture in the laminate.

  Although some embodiments have been described in detail, the present invention is not limited thereto and can be practiced in other ways within the scope of the subject matter defined by the appended claims. In particular, it should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

  In the device claim enumerating several functions, several means can be implemented by one and the same hardware resource. The fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different claims or in different embodiments does not mean that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

  As used herein, the term “comprising” is intended to identify the presence of the stated feature, number, step, component, and one or more other features, number, step. Does not exclude the presence or addition of components or groups thereof.

101, 301, 401, 501 Optical element 102, 302, 402 Window glass 103, 303, 403 Laminated material, adhesive 104, 304, 404 Perforated 305 Non-perforated area 510 Insulating glass unit 511 Outer glass 512 Intermediate glass 513 Inner glass 514 Spacer bar 515 Desiccant 516 Primary sealing material 517 Secondary sealing material 518 Vent hole

Claims (23)

A heat insulating glass unit including at least two window glasses, wherein at least one optical element is integrated inside the heat insulating glass unit, and the optical element has a plurality of perforations and non-perforated regions; The non-perforated region prevents light from entering the building to which the insulating glass unit is attached, and the perforation allows light having a predetermined incident angle to pass therethrough while light having another incident angle pierces the perforated. Has a depth / width ratio that cannot pass through and provides a shielding effect,
The optical element is made of a hard material having a Young's modulus of 2 GPa or more, and is disposed between the two panes by an adhesive, and the adhesive is not present in the perforations of the optical element. The heat insulating glass unit is configured so that the optical element covers at least a part of the area of the window glass.   The heat insulating glass unit according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of perforations constitute a transparent region, and the non-perforated regions constitute an opaque region.   The heat insulating glass unit according to claim 1, wherein the non-perforated region reflects and absorbs light.   When the hard material is hung against the hard material or strip geometry in the horizontal or vertical position on the rim or strip of the hard material or against the mounting position, the hard material clamps. The heat insulating glass unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heat insulating glass unit is configured to remain detached.   5. The optical element according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the optical element is a metal screen, and the metal screen is made of a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, ferrous alloy, non-ferrous alloy, and aluminum base alloy. Insulated glass unit as described.   The insulated glass unit according to claim 5, wherein the metal screen is etched to form the perforations.   The optical element is a polymer material, and the polymer material is (a) acrylic (PMMA), (b) stabilized polycarbonate (PC), (c) polyimide (PI), (d) polyetherimide (PEI), (E) selected from the group consisting of the glass-filled composition of any of (a) to (d), and (f) any of the other fillers of (a) to (e). Item 7. The heat insulating glass unit according to any one of Items 1 to 6.   The heat insulating glass unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the adhesive is transparent.   The insulated glass according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the adhesive is selected from the group consisting of tape, glue, resin, polymer material, epoxy, acrylic, UV curable resin, and cyanoacrylate. unit.   The heat insulation glass unit as described in any one of Claim 1 to 9 whose said adhesive agent is a double-sided tape.   The heat insulating glass unit according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the adhesive tape has a compressible foam core.   The heat insulation glass unit as described in any one of Claims 1-11 with which the said adhesive tape is provided with the double-sided acrylic material of width 3mm.   The insulated glass unit according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the adhesive is a screen-printing UV curable adhesive.   The heat insulation according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the optical element is configured to be cut to a size corresponding to at least one dimension of at least one window glass of the heat insulating glass unit. Glass unit.   The heat insulating glass unit according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein two or more optical elements are configured to be attached to a window glass with a gap between the optical elements.   The heat insulating glass unit according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein two or more optical elements are configured so that the optical elements are attached to the window glass adjacent to each other.   The heat insulating glass unit according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein two or more optical elements are configured so that the optical elements are overlapped and attached to the window glass.   18. Adhesive that was present in the perforations has been removed by UV radiation exposure and degradation of the UV-radiated adhesive using a degradation agent. Insulated glass unit as described.   The heat insulating glass unit according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the adhesive is a tape having perforations corresponding to perforations of the optical element.   20. A thermal insulating glass unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the adhesive is a thin layer of glue applied over a non-perforated region of the optical element.   Of the at least two window glasses of the heat insulating glass unit, the first window glass is the outermost glass facing the outside, and the second window glass of the at least two window glasses is the outermost glass facing the indoor. The heat insulating glass unit according to any one of claims 1 to 20, which is an inner glass.   The insulated glass unit according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein one or more of the plurality of screen printing patterns comprises glass enamel fused on the window glass.   The heat insulation glass unit as described in any one of Claim 1 to 22 comprised so that the said optical element may be integrated with the solar cell material in the said heat insulation glass unit.

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