PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10730368-B1
Application Number: US-201816021524-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: System with windows

Abstract:
A system such as a vehicle may have windows. A window may have a structural window layer such as a structural window layer formed from laminated glass layers. A thin chemically strengthened glass layer may be coupled to an inwardly facing surface of the structural window layer. A guest-host liquid crystal light modulator layer or other electrically adjustable optical component layer may be interposed between the chemically strengthened glass layer and the structural window layer. An infrared light-blocking coating may be formed on an inwardly facing surface of one of the pair of laminated glass layers. The inwardly facing surface of the thin chemically strengthened glass layer may be provided with a coating that includes a low emissivity layer to block heat and that serves as an antireflection coating.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A window, comprising:
 a structural window layer; 
 a chemically strengthened glass layer having first and second surfaces; 
 an adjustable optical component layer interposed between the structural window layer and the chemically strengthened glass layer, wherein the first surface of the chemically strengthened glass layer faces the adjustable optical component layer; and 
 a coating on the second surface of the chemically strengthened glass layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The window defined in  claim 1  wherein:
 the structural window layer includes first and second glass layers coupled by an interposed polymer layer; and 
 the coating comprises a low-emissivity layer configured to block heat. 
 
     
     
       3. The window defined in  claim 2  wherein the coating forms an antireflection layer. 
     
     
       4. The window defined in  claim 2  wherein the low-emissivity layer comprises a layer selected from the group consisting of: a tin oxide layer and an indium tin oxide layer. 
     
     
       5. The window defined in  claim 4  wherein the coating includes at least a first inorganic dielectric layer and a second inorganic dielectric layer and wherein the low-emissivity layer is interposed between the first and second inorganic dielectric layers. 
     
     
       6. The window defined in  claim 2  wherein the adjustable optical component layer comprises a guest-host liquid crystal light modulator layer. 
     
     
       7. The window defined in  claim 2  further comprising an infrared-light-blocking layer on a surface of the first glass layer facing the second glass layer. 
     
     
       8. The window defined in  claim 7  wherein the first and second glass layers comprise tempered soda lime glass layers. 
     
     
       9. The window defined in  claim 8  wherein the chemically strengthened glass layer comprises soda lime glass. 
     
     
       10. The window defined in  claim 8  wherein the chemically strengthened glass layer comprises aluminosilicate glass. 
     
     
       11. The window defined in  claim 1  wherein the chemically strengthened glass layer has a thickness of less than 1 mm. 
     
     
       12. The window defined in  claim 1  wherein the adjustable optical component layer comprises a light guide plate having an edge configured to receive light from a light-emitting diode. 
     
     
       13. The window defined in  claim 1  wherein the adjustable optical component layer comprises an array of organic light-emitting diode pixels. 
     
     
       14. A window, comprising:
 a structural window layer; 
 a chemically strengthened glass layer; and 
 an optically adjustable layer configured to emit light that is interposed between the structural window layer and the chemically strengthened glass layer. 
 
     
     
       15. The window defined in  claim 14  wherein the chemically strengthened glass layer has a thickness of less than 1 mm, the window further comprising a low-emissivity layer on the chemically strengthened glass layer. 
     
     
       16. The window defined in  claim 15  wherein the structural window layer has first and second glass layers each with a thickness of at least 1.5 mm and has a polymer layer interposed between the first and second glass layers. 
     
     
       17. The window defined in  claim 16  wherein the optically adjustable layer includes a guest-host liquid crystal layer. 
     
     
       18. A vehicle, comprising:
 a body having an interior; 
 control circuitry; 
 an adjustable window in the body that is between the interior and an exterior region surrounding the body, wherein the adjustable window comprises:
 a structural window layer including first and second glass layers; 
 a chemically strengthened glass layer having a thickness of less than 1 mm; 
 an optical component layer between the chemically strengthened glass layer and the structural window layer; 
 a coating on the chemically strengthened glass layer, wherein the chemically strengthened glass layer is interposed between the coating and the optical component layer. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The vehicle defined in  claim 18  wherein the optical component layer comprises a guest-host liquid crystal light modulator and wherein the coating comprises a low-emissivity layer. 
     
     
       20. The vehicle defined in  claim 19  wherein the coating includes inorganic dielectric layers and wherein the low-emissivity layer has an emissivity of less than 30% and is interposed between the inorganic dielectric layers.

Description:
This patent application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/546,371 filed on Aug. 16, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to structures that pass light, and, more particularly, to windows. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Windows such as vehicle windows sometimes include laminated glass layers. Laminated glass may be used, for example, to provide strength to front windshields. It can be challenging, however, to incorporate desired features into vehicle windows without creating structures that are vulnerable to damage or that do not offer desired levels of performance. 
     SUMMARY 
     A system such as a vehicle may have windows. A window may have a pair of glass layers that are laminated to form a structural window layer. A thin chemically strengthened glass layer may be coupled to an inwardly facing surface of the structural window layer. 
     A guest-host liquid crystal light modulator layer or other electrically adjustable optical component layer may be interposed between the chemically strengthened glass layer and the structural window layer. The adjustable optical component layer may include a light-emitting component or other structures that are electrically controlled by control circuitry in the system. The thin chemically strengthened glass layer may cover and help protect the adjustable optical component layer. 
     An infrared light-blocking coating may be formed on an inwardly facing surface of one of the pair of laminated glass layers. The inwardly facing surface of the chemically strengthened glass layer may be provided with an antireflection coating that includes a low emissivity layer to block heat. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative window for the system of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative adjustable optical component layer and associated window structures for the illustrative window of  FIG. 2  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 4, 5, and 6  are cross-sectional side view of illustrative adjustable optical component layers in accordance with embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A system may have windows formed from electrically adjustable components. The system may be a building, a vehicle, or other suitable system. Illustrative configurations in which the system with the windows is a vehicle may sometimes be described herein as an example. This is merely illustrative. Window structures may be formed in any suitable system. 
     The electrically adjustable components of the windows may be used to adjust the optical properties of the windows. For example, electrically adjustable windows may be adjusted to change the absorption of light and therefore the light transmission of the windows. An adjustable light modulator layer may, for example, serve as an electrically adjustable sunroof for a rooftop window or may be used to implement an electrically adjustable shade for a side, front, or rear window. In an illustrative configuration, the transparency of the window may be modulated using a liquid crystal light modulator such as a guest-host liquid crystal light modulator. 
     Adjustable optical component layers may also be used to display images, to provide illumination, and/or to otherwise adjust the appearance and behavior of a window. In arrangements such as these, an adjustable component such as an organic light-emitting diode display, an edge-lit light-guide plate that provides illumination, and/or an adjustable component that produces adjustable tint, adjustable reflectivity, adjustable light emission, adjustable haze, and/or other adjustable properties may incorporated into a window. Adjustable optical components for windows may sometimes be referred to as adjustable optical layers, adjustable window layers, technology layers, adjustable components, adjustable optical component layers, etc. 
     Adjustable optical layers and non-adjustable optical layers for windows may sometimes be formed from polymers and other materials that are prone to damage. For example, these materials may be scratched if exposed to the environment or may experience chemical damage if exposed to chemicals. This can make it difficult or impossible to incorporate adjustable optical layers effectively into a window for a system such as a vehicle. 
     To protect an adjustable optical layers in a window, a thin glass layer may be used to cover a potentially fragile window layer such as an adjustable optical layer or other layer that includes polymer or other materials that can be physically and/or chemically damaged. The thin glass layer may be chemically strengthened and may be covered with one or more layers such as low emissivity (“low-e”) coating layers and antireflection coating layers to enhance vehicle occupant comfort. 
     An illustrative system of the type that may include windows with protective thin glass layers is shown in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , system  10  may be a vehicle having a body such as body  12  with a chassis to which wheels are mounted, propulsion and steering systems, and other vehicle systems. Body  12  may include doors, trunk structures, a hood, side body panels, a roof, and/or other body structures. Seats may be formed in the interior of body  12 . Vehicle  10  may include windows such as window(s)  16 . Window  16  and portions of body  12  may separate the interior of vehicle  10  from the exterior environment that is surrounding vehicle  10 . 
     Windows  16  may include a front window  16  on front F of vehicle  10 , a moon roof (sun roof) window  16  or other window extending over some or all of top T of vehicle  10 , a rear window  16  on rear R of vehicle  10 , and side windows on the sides of vehicle  10  between front F and rear R. 
     An illustrative configuration for a window such as one of windows  16  of  FIG. 1  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , window  16  may include a main structural portion such as structural window layer  16 M. Layer  16 M may be formed from one or more layers of transparent glass, clear polymer (e.g., polycarbonate), polymer adhesive layers, and/or other layers. These layers may be strengthened (e.g., by annealing, tempering, and/or chemical strengthening). In some arrangements, layer  16 M may include only a single structural layer (e.g., a layer of glass having a thickness of 3-6 mm or other suitable thickness for providing window  16  with sufficient structural support to allow window  16  to be used in a vehicle). In other arrangements, two or more layers of structural glass may be used in forming layer  16 M. 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 2 , layer  16 M is formed from outer structural window layer  16 M 1  and inner structural window layer  16 M 2 . Outer layer  16 M 1  may, as an example, be a layer of soda lime glass having a thickness of 1.6 to 3.2 mm thick, at least 1.5 mm thick, less than 4 mm thick, or other suitable thickness and inner layer  16 M 2  may, as an example, be a layer of soda lime glass having a thickness of 1.6 to 3.2 mm thick, at least 1.5 mm thick, less than 4 mm thick, or other suitable thickness. Layers  16 M 1  and  16 M 2  may be laminated to each other using polymer layer  30  (e.g., to form a laminated structural window layer  16 M). Polymer layer  30  may be, for example, a polymer such as polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). Polymer layer  30  may have a thickness of 0.76 mm or other suitable thickness (e.g., greater than or less than 0.76 mm). If desired, a thinner polymer layer (e.g., a layer of 0.38 mm) may be used in a configuration of the type including an outer glass layer, polymer layer  30 , and a stiff interlayer (e.g., a polyethylene terephthalate layer). In a configuration with outer glass  16 M 1 , coating  32 , polymer layer  30 , and inner glass  16 M 1 , polymer layer  30  may have a thickness of about 0.76 mm. In general, any suitable thickness may be used for layer  30  (e.g., at least 0.3 mm, less than 0.8 mm, etc.) 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , optional coating layer  32  may be formed on the inner (inwardly facing) surface of outer layer  16 M 1 . Coating layer  32  may include one or more sublayers and may be used to provide infrared-light blocking and other desired properties to window  16 . As an example, layer  32  may be an infrared-light blocking layer having one or more silver layers  34  and one or more metal oxide layers or other dielectric layers  36  in a configuration that reduces infrared light transmission (e.g., transmission of solar infrared light at wavelengths of about 0.7 microns to 2.5 microns) to less than 50%, less than 10%, etc. while transmitting visible light (e.g., transmitting at least 70% of visible light or at least transmitting more visible light than infrared light, etc.). Infrared-light blocking layers (e.g., coating layer  32 ) may include one silver layer, two silver layers, three silver layers (triple silver), four layers of silver (quad silver), or other suitable infrared-light-blocking coating materials. By blocking infrared light, vehicle occupant comfort may be enhanced. If desired, other types of optical filter layer may be formed from coating layer  32  (e.g., tinting, neutral density filtering, etc.). Coatings such as coating layer  32  may also be formed on other surfaces of the glass layers in layer  16 M. The example of  FIG. 2  is merely illustrative. 
     Adjustable optical layer  40  (and/or one or more fixed optical layers) may be formed on the inner surface of layer  16 M (e.g., by laminating one or more structures to the inner surface of inner layer  16 M 2 ). To protect layer  40 , a protective layer such as thin glass layer  42  may be cover the inner surface of layer  40 . Layer  42  may be formed from soda lime glass, aluminosilicate glass, or other suitable glass. Layer  42  may, for example, be laminated to the inner surface of layer  42  using adhesive. 
     Layer  42  may have a thickness T that is relatively small (e.g., 0.1-1 mm, less than 1 mm, less than 0.6 mm, less than 0.3 mm, at least 0.1 mm, etc.) and may be chemically strengthened to help resist breakage during manufacturing (e.g., to ensure that layer  42  is not broken during handling, lamination, and other manufacturing operations) and to resist damage during use in system  10  (e.g., to resist damage from impacts, scratching, etc.). Layer  42  may be chemically strengthened before attaching layer  42  to the inner surface of window layer  16 M 2 . For example, layer  42  may be chemically strengthened by placing layer  42  in a heated potassium salt bath to perform an ion-exchange process. Chemical strengthening may enhance the compressive stress of the outermost portions of layer  42  (e.g., portions penetrating to a depth of about 100 microns, at least 50 microns, less than 150 microns, or other suitable depth from the surfaces of layer  42 ) relative to deeper portions in layer  42 . The stress profile produced during chemical strengthening may be selected to ensure safe window fracture behavior in the event of collision-induced damage or other damage to system  10 . To ensure that layer  42  conforms to the inner surface of layer  16 M, which may be curved, layer  42  may, if desired by pre-shaped into a shape that matches the shape of the inner surface of layer  16 M. Configurations in which layer  42  is shaped by cold bending may also be used. 
     Coating layers such as illustrative coating  44  may be formed on layer  42 . With one illustrative configuration, coating  44  may be a low-emissivity coating that helps block heat from the interior of body  12 . Low-emissivity coating  44  may be deposited onto layer  42  after layer  42  is chemically strengthened. During exposure of window  16  to light (e.g., solar radiation), visible light and near infrared light may be absorbed by the layers of window  16  (e.g., layer  40 , etc.) and may re-radiate this absorbed energy as heat (e.g., infrared light at wavelengths of 3-10 microns, at least 4 microns, etc.). Low-emissivity coating  44  may block this heat and thereby enhance thermal comfort in the interior portions of system  10 . To help reduce light reflections that might distract a vehicle occupant or other user of system  10  when looking through window  16 , coating  44  may, if desired, be configured to form an antireflection layer (e.g., the thin-film layers of coating  44  including any low-e layer(s) may be configured to form a thin-film interference filter with visible light antireflection properties). 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative window structures that may be formed on the inner surface of layer  16 M. As shown in  FIG. 3 , adjustable optical layer  40  may include adhesive layers  40 A and a layer such as adjustable optical layer  401 . Layers  40 A may be transparent adhesive layers that are used to respectively attach layer  401  to the inner surface (inwardly facing surface) of layer  16 M 2  ( FIG. 2 ) and the outer surface (outwardly facing surface) of layer  40 . Layer  401  may be a light modulator layer, a light-emitting layer, a transparent display layer, or other adjustable optical component layer. Layer  401  may include one or more polymer layers (e.g., a transparent polymer substrate or substrates for a light modulator, a transparent polymer display substrate, a transparent light guide plate, etc.). These layers are potentially vulnerable to damage from scratches, exposure to humidity and chemicals, and exposure to finger oils and other contaminants, and may therefore be protected due to the presence of thin glass layer  42 . 
     Coating layer  44  on the inwardly facing surface of glass layer  42  may include multiple layers  44  of material such as illustrative layers  44 - 1 ,  44 - 2 , and  44 - 3 . The materials and thickness of layers  44  may be configured to form a low emissivity coating and/or an antireflection coating (e.g., a thin-film interference filter that serves as a visible-light antireflection layer). With one illustrative arrangement, layer  44 - 1  may be an inorganic layer such as a layer of silicon nitride that serves as an adhesion layer that promotes adhesion between layer  44 - 2  and layer  42  and that serves as a barrier layer (e.g., a barrier layer preventing ion migration from layer  42  into layers  44 - 2 ,  44 - 3 , etc.). Layer  44 - 2  may be a tin oxide layer with fluorine dopant to render the tin oxide layer conductive and/or other dopant, a layer of indium tin oxide, or other layer(s) (with or without dopant) that exhibits a low emissivity (e.g., a low-e layer having an emissivity of less than 30%, less than 20%, or other value that is relatively low compared to the emissivity of layer  42 , which may be, for example, about 87%). Layer  44 - 3  may be an inorganic dielectric layer such as a silicon nitride protective layer that helps protect layer  44 - 2  from damage. One or more additional layers may, if desired, be formed on layer  44 - 3  to provide layer  44  with desired low emissivity and/or antireflection properties. 
       FIGS. 4, 5, and 6  are cross-sectional side views of illustrative adjustable optical layers  401  that may be used in window  16 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 4 , layer  401  has a light source such as light source  60  (e.g., one or more light-emitting diodes) configured to emit light  62  into edge  64  of light guide layer  66 . Layer  66  may be formed from a transparent layer of plastic or glass and may contain light-scattering particles and/or light-scattering structures such as protrusions and/or recesses to scatter light  62  outwardly as light  68 . Light  68  may, as an example, serve as interior and/or exterior illumination in system  10 , as display backlighting (e.g., backlight illumination for an array of display pixels), and/or as other light in system  10 . The amount of light produced by light source  60  may be adjusted dynamically by control circuitry  24  ( FIG. 1 ). 
       FIG. 5  shows how layer  401  may have an array of pixels P. Pixels P may be organic light-emitting diode pixels each of which contains a respective organic light-emitting diode, liquid crystal display pixels, and/or other adjustable pixels. The pixels of the array of pixels of layer  401  allow layer  401  of  FIG. 5  to serve as a display. During operation of system  10 , control circuitry  24  ( FIG. 1 ) may adjust pixels P to display images for a user. Layer  401  may, as an example, be a transparent display that allows a user to view images while simultaneously viewing real world objects through the display. 
     Another illustrative configuration for adjustable optical layer  401  is shown in  FIG. 6 . In the example of  FIG. 6 , layer  401  is a guest-host liquid crystal light modulator. As shown in  FIG. 6 , layer  401  may have upper and lower transparent substrates such as upper substrate  70  and lower substrate  78 . Transparent conductive electrodes may be formed on the inwardly facing surfaces of substrates  70  and  78 , as illustrated by upper transparent conductive electrode  72  and lower transparent conductive electrodes  76 , respectively. Transparent conductive electrodes  72  and  76  may be formed from indium tin oxide or other transparent conductive material. A layer of liquid crystal material such as layer  74  may be interposed between electrodes  72  and  76 . Layer  74  may include guest dye molecules and host liquid crystal molecules. The dye molecules may have anisotropic light absorption properties. The orientation of the guest dye molecules may be controlled by electrically controlling the orientation of the host liquid crystal molecules (e.g., by using control circuitry  24  to adjust the voltage across electrodes  72  and  76 ). As a result, the light absorption through layer  401  (e.g., visible light absorption) can be electrically adjusted. 
     When layer  401  of  FIG. 6  is incorporated into window  16 , the amount of light that passes through window  16  may be adjusted (e.g., to reduce bright light and thereby dim the interior of body  12 , to block the interior of body  12  from view from the exterior of body  12  to enhance privacy, etc.). Window  16  may be a roof-top window, a side window, or a rear window. Configurations in which light modulator layers such as adjustable light modulator layer  401  of  FIG. 6  are incorporated into a portion of a front window (e.g., to adjust light transmission through a band along an upper edge of the window that serves as an electronic sun visor) may also be used. Moreover, other types of adjustable optical layer may be incorporated into some or all of windows  16 , such as adjustable haze layers, adjustable color layers, layers with adjustable reflectivity, etc. The examples of  FIGS. 4, 5, and 6  are illustrative. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20180628
Publication Date: 20200804
Grant Date: 20200804
Priority Date: 20170816
Inventors: Masschelein, Peter F.
MELCHER, MARTIN
Scott, Derek C.
Kingman, David E.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G02F1/1351", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133331", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B5/223", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B1/11", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F2203/11", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133509", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133502", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/13725", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E06B2009/2464", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E06B9/24", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/10", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0013", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/135", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133308", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E06B9/24", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G09G3/3208", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60J1/2094", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F2001/1351", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/135", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60J1/2094", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F1/133308", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G09G3/3208", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01L27/3241", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E06B9/24", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02F2001/133331", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0013", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10K59/10", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 71838882