Patent ID: 8035075

Claim:
An insulated glazing unit having controllable radiation transmittance, said insulated glazing unit comprising: a spacer defining a framed area capable of allowing radiation transmission therethrough; a first glazing pane attached to said spacer; a second glazing pane attached to said spacer, said glazing panes arranged such that an inner surface of said first glazing pane and an inner surface of said second glazing pane face each other and are spaced apart from each other; a conductive layer disposed on said inner surface of said first glazing pane; a dielectric layer disposed on said conductive layer; a first shutter having a resilient layer and a further conductive layer, said further conductive layer in contact with said dielectric layer, said first shutter having a width extending substantially across the entire width of the framed area, said first shutter adapted to extend along the length of the framed area from a contracted configuration covering a portion of the framed area to an expanded configuration covering a greater portion of the framed area; whereby, when a voltage is applied between said conductive layer and said further conductive layer a potential difference between said conductive layer and said further conductive layer causes said first shutter to expand from said contracted configuration to said expanded configuration to control radiation transmittance through said insulated glazing unit a second shutter, said second shutter having a resilient layer and a further conductive layer in contact with said dielectric layer, said second shutter adapted to extend along at least a portion of the length of the framed area from a contracted configuration covering a second portion of the framed area to an expanded configuration covering a greater second portion of the framed area, the greater portion of the framed area covered by the second shutter being different than the greater second portion of the framed area covered by the first shutter; whereby, when a voltage is applied between said conductive layer and said further conductive layer of said second shutter, a potential difference between said conductive layer and said further conductive layer of said second shutter causes said second shutter to expand from said contracted configuration to said expanded configuration to control radiation transmittance through said insulated glazing unit.