Patents by Inventor Kathy E. Roberts

Kathy E. Roberts has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7508568
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrochemical medium for use in a reversible electrodeposition device including at least one solvent, at least one anodic electroactive material, at least one active metal; and optionally at least one redox buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Rongguang Lin, David A. Theiste, Thomas F. Guarr, Kathy E. Roberts
  • Patent number: 7193764
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a reversible electrodeposition device comprising: a first substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; a nucleation layer at least partially covering at least one of the electrically conductive materials of the first and second substrates; an electrochemical medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Rongguang Lin, David Theiste, Thomas F. Guarr, Kathy E. Roberts
  • Patent number: 7031044
    Abstract: An electrochromic medium for use in an electrochromic device comprising: at least one solvent; an anodic electroactive material; a cathodic electroactive material, wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and a current-reducing additive, wherein the current-reducing additive comprises a polymer present in an effective concentration to materially reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential, relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive, while maintaining an electrochromic medium viscosity which facilitates acceptable production rates without a problematic degree of seal or other device component failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Kathy E. Roberts, Thomas F. Guarr
  • Patent number: 7031043
    Abstract: An electrochromic device comprising: a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates which comprises: at least one solvent; an anodic material; a cathodic material, wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic, and wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is slow-diffusing; and an electron shuttle, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease switching time of the electrochromic device relative to the same without the electron shuttle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Kathy E. Roberts, Rongguang Lin, Kelvin L. Baumann, Thomas F. Guarr, David A. Theiste
  • Patent number: 7001540
    Abstract: An electrochromic medium for use in an electrochromic device comprising: at least one solvent; a cathodic electroactive material; an anodic electroactive material; wherein at least one of the cathodic and anodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and a self-healing cross-linked polymer gel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Leroy J. Kloeppner, Thomas F. Guarr, Kevin L. Ash, Kathy E. Roberts
  • Patent number: 6934067
    Abstract: An improved electrochromic rearview mirror for motor vehicles, the mirror incorporating thin front and rear spaced glass elements having a thickness ranging from about 0.5 to about 1.5. A layer of transparent conductive material is placed onto the mirror's second surface, and either another layer of transparent conductive material or a combined reflector/electrode is placed onto the mirror's third surface. A chamber, defined by the layers on the interior surfaces of the front and rear glass elements and a peripheral sealing member, contains a free-standing gel comprising a solvent and a crosslinked polymer matrix. The chamber further contains at least one electrochromic material in solution with the solvent and interspersed in the crosslinked polymer matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin L. Ash, William L. Tonar, Frederick T. Bauer, Kathy E. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20040239243
    Abstract: A light emitting assembly having a first light source and a second light source. The first and second light sources are oriented such that when the first and second light sources emit light, light emitted from the first and second light sources overlaps and is capable of forming effective white light. The light emitted from the first light source exhibits color coordinates different from the light emitted from the second light source. One of the light sources may be a photoluminescent source, such as a fluorescent dye or phosphor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: John K. Roberts, Robert R. Turnbull, Robert C. Knapp, Kathy E. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20040233500
    Abstract: An electrochromic device comprising: a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates which comprises: at least one solvent; an anodic material; a cathodic material, wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic, and wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is slow-diffusing; and an electron shuttle, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease switching time of the electrochromic device relative to the same without the electron shuttle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Kathy E. Roberts, Rongguang Lin, Kelvin L. Baumann, Thomas F. Guarr, David A. Theiste
  • Patent number: 6778311
    Abstract: An electrochromic medium for use in an electrochromic device comprising: at least one solvent; an anodic electroactive material; a cathodic electroactive material, wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and a current-reducing additive, wherein the current-reducing additive comprises a polymer present in an effective concentration to materially reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential, relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive, while maintaining an electrochromic medium viscosity which facilitates acceptable production rates without a problematic degree of seal or other device component failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Kathy E. Roberts, Thomas F. Guarr
  • Publication number: 20040061097
    Abstract: An electrochromic medium for use in an electrochromic device comprising:
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Leroy J. Kloeppner, Thomas F. Guarr, Kevin L. Ash, Kathy E. Roberts
  • Patent number: 6710906
    Abstract: An electrochromic medium for use in an electrochromic device comprising: at least one solvent; an anodic electroactive material; a cathodic electroactive material; wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is associated with a diffusion coefficient controlling moiety which serves to lower the diffusion coefficient of the associated material relative to the same without the diffusion coefficient controlling moiety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas F. Guarr, Kathy E. Roberts, Rongguang Lin, Kelvin L. Baumann, David A. Theiste, Punam Giri, Elizabeth M. Sanford
  • Patent number: 6700693
    Abstract: An electrochromic device comprising: a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates which comprises: at least one solvent; an anodic material; a cathodic material, wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic, and wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is slow-diffusing; and an electron shuttle, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease switching time of the electrochromic device relative to the same without the electron shuttle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Kathy E. Roberts, Rongguang Lin, Kelvin L. Baumann, Thomas F. Guarr, David A. Theiste
  • Patent number: 6635194
    Abstract: An electrochromic medium for use in an electrochromic device comprising: at least one solvent; a cathodic electroactive material; an anodic electroactive material; wherein at least one of the cathodic and anodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and a self-healing cross-linked polymer gel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Leroy J. Kloeppner, Thomas F. Guarr, Kevin L. Ash, Kathy E. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20030165000
    Abstract: An electrochromic medium for use in an electrochromic device comprising: at least one solvent; an anodic electroactive material; a cathodic electroactive material, wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and a current-reducing additive, wherein the current-reducing additive comprises a polymer present in an effective concentration to materially reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential, relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive, while maintaining an electrochromic medium viscosity which facilitates acceptable production rates without a problematic degree of seal or other device component failure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Kathy E. Roberts, Thomas F. Guarr
  • Publication number: 20030112489
    Abstract: An improved electrochromic rearview mirror for motor vehicles, the mirror incorporating thin front and rear spaced glass elements having a thickness ranging from about 0.5 to about 1.5. A layer of transparent conductive material is placed onto the mirror's second surface, and either another layer of transparent conductive material or a combined reflector/electrode is placed onto the mirror's third surface. A chamber, defined by the layers on the interior surfaces of the front and rear glass elements and a peripheral sealing member, contains a free-standing gel comprising a solvent and a crosslinked polymer matrix. The chamber further contains at least one electrochromic material in solution with the solvent and interspersed in the crosslinked polymer matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventors: Kevin L. Ash, William L. Tonar, Frederick T. Bauer, Kathy E. Roberts
  • Patent number: 6545794
    Abstract: An electrochromic device comprising: a first glass element having an electrically conductive material associated therewith, wherein said first element comprises a height (h1), a width (w1), a thickness (t1), an inner surface, and an outer surface; a second element having an electrically conductive material associated therewith, wherein said second element comprises a height (h2), a width (w2) , and a thickness (t2), an inner surface, and an outer surface; a cell spacing (c) which comprises a distance between said inner surface of said first element and said inner surface of said second element; a gelled electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between said first and second elements; wherein (h1), (w1), (t1), (h2), (w2), (t2), and (c) are numerical values in millimeters; and wherein (h1), (w1), and (t1) of said first element, and (h2), (w2), and (t2) of said second element and (c) comprise numerical values such that the following inequality is satisfied:
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin L. Ash, William L. Tonar, Frederick T. Bauer, Kathy E. Roberts, David A. Theiste
  • Publication number: 20030053187
    Abstract: An electrochromic device comprising: a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates which comprises: at least one solvent; an anodic material; a cathodic material, wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic, and wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is slow-diffusing; and an electron shuttle, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease switching time of the electrochromic device relative to the same without the electron shuttle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventors: Kathy E. Roberts, Rongguang Lin, Kelvin L. Baumann, Thomas F. Guarr, David A. Theiste
  • Publication number: 20030042473
    Abstract: An electrochromic medium for use in an electrochromic device comprising: at least one solvent; a cathodic electroactive material; an anodic electroactive material; wherein at least one of the cathodic and anodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and a self-healing cross-linked polymer gel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Leroy J. Kloeppner, Thomas F. Guarr, Kevin L. Ash, Kathy E. Roberts
  • Patent number: 6525861
    Abstract: An electrochromic medium for use in an electrochromic device comprising: at least one solvent; an anodic electroactive material; a cathodic electroactive material, wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and a current-reducing additive, wherein the current-reducing additive comprises a polymer present in an effective concentration to materially reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential, relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive, while maintaining an electrochromic medium viscosity which facilitates acceptable production rates without a problematic degree of seal or other device component failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Kathy E. Roberts, Thomas F. Guarr
  • Publication number: 20030020053
    Abstract: The present invention provides improved electrochromic layers, which comprise polymeric matrices with electrochromic solutions interspersed therein. Varying an electrical potential difference across a layer of the invention results in reversible variation in the transmittance of light across the layer because of electrochemical processes in the electrochromic solution of the layer. The invention further provides electrochromic devices, in which the electrochromic layers of the invention provide reversibly variable transmittance to light, and various apparatus in which the devices of the invention provide light-filtering or light-color modulation. Such apparatus include windows, including those for use inside and on the outside walls of buildings and in sunroofs for automobiles, and variable reflectance mirrors, especially rearview mirrors for automobiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Inventors: William L. Tonar, Harlan J. Byker, Kathy E. Roberts, John S. Anderson, Kevin L. Ash