Method for producing electrically conductive heated glass panels

• US 20040195233A1
• Filed: 04/28/2004
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dillon R. Ashton, Peter F. Gerhardinger, Randall L. Bauman
• Original Assignee: Dillon R. Ashton, Peter F. Gerhardinger, Randall L. Bauman
• Inventors: Gerhardinger, Peter F., Ashton, Dillon R., Bauman, Randall L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,002,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/543
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0434 Glass or transparent panels
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10376 Laminated safety glass or glazing containing metal wires
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/016 Heaters using particular connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/84 Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/435 Solid dielectric type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 Heater type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49099 Coating resistive material on a base

Abstract

An electrically conductive heated glass panel assembly, control system, and method for producing panels are provided to warm objects and to insure unobstructed viewing through glass by removing moisture. An integrated connection circuit interconnects glass sheets, which have a low emissivity conductive coating deposited thereon. The circuit includes copper bus bars that are disposed onto the conductive coating through the use of a circularly rotating or an inline heating head and mask apparatus. A metallic tab, which extends from the glass sheet'"'"'s peripheral edge, is disposed onto each conductive metal bus bar for external electrical connectivity. Two types of glazing channels are offered to interconnect multiple panels to external circuits and controls. A solid-state controller may be provided to obtain sensor control signals so as to drive a triac circuit that provides current flow through the panel for the desired heating.

Claims

1. A method of depositing a conductive metal bus bar on a dielectric substrate, comprising impinging molten particles of the conductive metal at high velocity onto the dielectric substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the conductive metal of the bus bar comprises copper or silver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the dielectric substrate is chosen from the group consisting of glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic having a metal oxide disposed thereon.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the metal oxide comprises a doped metal oxide.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising disposing a soft electrically conductive material over the metal oxide, the soft electrically conductive material being in electrical communication with the bus bar.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the soft electrically conductive material comprises silver based systems.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the soft electrically conductive material comprises indium tin oxide.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the soft electrically conductive material is disposed by way of a vacuum deposition process.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the soft electrically conductive material is configured as electrically conductive traces that are in electrical communication with electrical components that are physically disposed on the dielectric substrate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the electrical components comprise at least one solar panel or a capacitive moisture sensing unit.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a plasma gun or an oxyacetylene device is utilized for the impinging of the molten particles of the conductive metal at high velocity onto the dielectric substrate.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least one circularly rotating mask for shaping and sizing the bus bar.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least one inline mask for shaping and sizing the bus bar.

14. A method of disposing a conductive metal bus bar on a dielectric substrate, comprising:

masking an area on the dielectric substrate;

heating the area on the dielectric substrate with a reducing flame;

feeding a conductive metal into a metal feeding and heating device;

melting the conductive metal; and

impinging molten particles of the conductive metal at high velocity onto the area on the dielectric substrate.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the conductive metal of the bus bar comprises copper or silver.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the dielectric substrate is chosen from the group consisting of a glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic sheet having a metal oxide coating disposed thereon.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein metal oxide comprises a doped metal oxide.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one circularly rotating mask or at least one inline mask is utilized for masking and heating the area on the dielectric substrate with the reducing flame.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the reducing flame comprises hydrogen.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the reducing flame comprises oxyacetylene.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the metal feeding and heating device comprises a plasma gun or an oxyacetylene device.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the heating comprises imparting a temperature of about 500 degrees F. to the area on the dielectric substrate under stoichiometric conditions, whereby a combination of oxygen with the molten metal is controlled.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising shaping and sizing of the conductive metal bus bar.

24. A method of providing an electrically conductive heated glass panel, comprising:

disposing a doped metal oxide coating onto a glass panel;

masking an area on the doped metal oxide coating with a circularly rotating mask or an inline mask;

heating the area on the doped metal oxide coating with an oxyacetylene reducing flame;

feeding and melting metal that comprises copper in a metal feeding and heating oxyacetylene or a plasma device;

impinging molten particles of the copper comprising metal at high velocity from the metal feeding and heating oxyacetylene or plasma device onto the masked and heated area on the doped metal oxide coating, thus depositing, shaping, and sizing a copper comprising bus bar on the doped metal oxide coating; and

disposing a metal tab onto the copper comprising bus bar, thus forming the electrically conductive heated glass panel.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising disposing a soft electrically conductive material over the doped metal oxide, the soft electrically conductive material being in electrical communication with the bus bar.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the soft electrically conductive material comprises silver based systems.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the soft electrically conductive material comprises indium tin oxide.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the soft electrically conductive material is disposed by way of a vacuum deposition process.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the soft electrically conductive material is configured as electrically conductive traces that are in electrical communication with electrical components that are physically disposed on the dielectric substrate.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the electrical components comprise at least one solar panel or a capacitive moisture sensing unit.

31. A method of deleting a conductive coating that is disposed on a major surface of a dielectric substrate, comprising:

masking an area on an edge of the dielectric substrate with a circularly rotating mask or an inline mask;

heating the area on the edge of the dielectric substrate using a coating heater;

evaporating the coating in the area on the edge of the dielectric substrate with the coating heater;

forming a residue of the conductive coating;

and

deleting the residue of the conductive coating with a coating remover.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the conductive coating comprises a doped metal oxide.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising preheating of the area on the edge of the dielectric substrate prior to heating.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the coating heater comprises oxyacetylene.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the coating heater comprises a plasma device.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the heating comprises imparting a temperature of about 1300 degrees F. to the area on the edge of the dielectric substrate.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the coating remover comprises a burnishing tool.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the coating remover comprises a buffer.

39. A method of depositing at least one conductive metal bus bar on a substrate, comprising:

urging the substrate between two conveyor belts, thus masking the substrate while exposing at least one edge of the substrate;

conveying the substrate toward a heating head device;

melting conductive metal in the heating head device; and

impinging molten particles of conductive metal at high velocity from the heating head device onto the exposed edge of the substrate.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the substrate comprises an electrically conductive coating disposed on a glass sheet.