Obscuring bus bars in electrochromic glass structures
Embodiments described include bus bars for electrochromic or other optical state changing devices. The bus bars are configured to color match and/or provide minimal optical contrast with their surrounding environment in the optical device. Such bus bars may be transparent bus bars.
1. An insulated glass unit, comprising:
a first substantially transparent substrate and a second substantially transparent substrate;
a spacer between the first and second substantially transparent substrates;
a primary seal between the spacer and the first substantially transparent substrate and between the spacer and the second substantially transparent substrate;
an electrochromic device disposed on at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates; and
a bus bar in electrical communication with the electrochromic device, the bus bar comprising an electrically conductive material with one or more tinting agents configured to approximate color and/or luminescence of a background to the bus bar, wherein the bus bar is located in the primary seal.
2. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more tinting agents are configured for a contrast in luminescence and/or color between the bus bar and the background that is within a predefined range.
3. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the background is from a vantage point of an observer outside the insulated glass unit.
4. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more tinting agents comprise carbon black, graphite, and/or graphene.
5. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the bus bar comprises one or more of carbon black, graphite, a graphite-based material, graphene, and a graphene-based material.
6. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive material of the bus bar comprises a metallic ink with the one or more tinting agents.
7. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive material of the bus bar comprises a silver ink with the one or more tinting agents comprising carbon black, graphite, and/or graphene.
8. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the primary seal comprises an elastomeric material.
9. The insulated glass unit of claim 8 , wherein the elastomeric material is polyisobutylene (PIB) or polyvinyl butyral (PVB).
10. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the primary seal comprises a tinting agent.
11. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the bus bar is located between the spacer and the first and second substantially transparent substrates.
12. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the background of the bus bar comprises the spacer and/or the primary seal.
13. The insulated glass unit of claim 12 , wherein the spacer comprises a metal material with an electrically insulating coating.
14. The insulated glass unit of claim 12 , wherein the spacer comprises a metal material or a polymeric material.
15. The insulated glass unit of claim 12 , wherein the spacer comprises a steel material.
16. The insulated glass unit of claim 1 , wherein the background of the bus bar comprises a metal material or a polymeric material.
17. An insulated glass unit, comprising:
a first substantially transparent substrate and a second substantially transparent substrate;
a spacer between the first and second substantially transparent substrates;
a primary seal between the spacer and the first substantially transparent substrate and between the spacer and the second substantially transparent substrate;
an electrochromic device disposed on at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates; and
a bus bar in electrical communication with the electrochromic device, the bus bar comprising an electrically conductive material with one or more materials having a color similar to a background of the bus bar, wherein the bus bar is located in the primary seal.
18. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the background is from a vantage point of an observer outside the insulated glass unit.
19. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the one or more materials comprises one or more of carbon black, graphite, a graphite-based material, graphene, and a graphene-based material.
20. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the electrically conductive material of the bus bar comprises a metallic ink with one or more tinting agents.
21. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the electrically conductive material of the bus bar comprises a silver ink with one or more tinting agents comprising carbon black, graphite, and/or graphene.
22. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the primary seal comprises an elastomeric material.
23. The insulated glass unit of claim 22 , wherein the elastomeric material is polyisobutylene (PIB) or polyvinyl butyral (PVB).
24. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the primary seal comprises a tinting agent.
25. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the bus bar is located between the spacer and the first and second substantially transparent substrates.
26. The insulated glass unit of claim 17 , wherein the background of the bus bar comprises the spacer and/or the primary seal.
27. The insulated glass unit of claim 26 , wherein the spacer comprises a metal material with an electrically insulating coating.
28. The insulated glass unit of claim 26 , wherein the spacer comprises a metal material or a polymeric material.
29. The insulated glass unit of claim 26 , wherein the spacer comprises a steel material.
30. The insulated glass unit of claim 26 , wherein the background of the bus bar comprises a metal material or a polymeric material.