Glass for use in freezers/refrigerator and glass article using said glass

• US 20040214010A1
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakai, Hidemi, Murata, Kenji
• Application Number:
  US10/168,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20040214010A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/426
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0434 Glass or transparent panels
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10009 characterized by the number, the constitution or treatment of glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10018 comprising only one glass sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10055 with at least one intermediate air space
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10174 Coatings of a metallic or dielectric material on a constituent layer of glass or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/2453 Coating containing SnO2
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/253 Coating containing SnO2
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3417 all coatings being oxide coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3452 comprising a fluoride
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/04 Preventing the formation of frost or condensate
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2201/1282 with reflective foils
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/06 Walls F25D23/08 takes precedence; containers with thermal insulation B65D81/38

Abstract

The present invention relates to a glass for freezers and refrigerators and a glass article formed of the glass, and its technical problem to be solved is to secure a sufficient thermal insulating ability, reduce the cost, prevents dew condensation without consuming extra power energy as well as secure desired transparency. In the glass for freezers and refrigerators, a tin oxide film and a silicon oxide film are laminated on a surface of the glass substrate in this order, and a tin oxide film with fluorine added (low-radiation layer) is formed on the silicon oxide film. The glass is installed in a freezer or refrigerator such that a surface of the glass formed with the low-radiation layer faces onto the inside of the freezer or refrigerator. A glass article in which is used one or more sheets of the above glass, such as a multi-layered glass, with improved thermal insulation can be obtained.

Claims

1. A glass for freezers and refrigerators, which partitions a first space at room temperature from a second space at a temperature below the room temperature, comprising a first low-radiation layer comprising an oxide semiconductor film formed on a surface of a plate of the glass facing the second space, wherein said low-radiation layer has a normal emittance of not more than 0.19.

2. A glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oxide semiconductor film comprises a tin oxide film containing fluorine.

3. A glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an intermediate layer comprising an inorganic material interposed between the plate of the glass and said low-radiation layer.

4. A glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 1, wherein a predetermined heat treatment is carried out at a predetermined temperature on the glass after formation of said low-radiation layer, whereby the glass has improved strength.

5. A glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a surface layer formed on a surface of said low-radiation layer, said surface layer being primarily composed of a composite oxide or a mixed oxide containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of silicon, aluminum and titanium.

6. A glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 5, wherein said surface layer has a thickness in a range of 0.5 to 1000 nm.

7. A glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 5, wherein said surface layer contains a photocatalytically active substance.

8. A glans for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 1, wherein a predetermined antibacterial treatment is carried out on at least one of a surface of the glass facing the first space and another surface of the glass facing the second space.

9. A glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glass has a visible light transmittance of not less than 60%.

10. A glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glass has a visible light transmittance of not less than 70%.

11. A glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glass has a visible light transmittance of not less than 80%.

14. A glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 1, wherein said low-radiation layer has a normal emittance of not more than 0.15.

15. A glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glass is installed in a freezer or refrigerator main body such that an angle of inclination of the glass relative to a state in which surfaces of the glass are horizontal and said low-radiation layer is on an underside of the glass in a vertical direction is in a range of 0 to 135°

.

16. A glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 15, wherein the angle of inclination of the glass is in a range of 0 to 60°

.

17. A glass article comprising a plurality of sheets of glass including at least one sheet of a glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 1, said plurality of sheets of glass being arranged in a facing relation to one another such that a side of the glass for freezers and refrigerators on which said low-radiation layer is formed faces the space at a temperature below room temperature, and at least one hollow layer is formed between said plurality of sheets of glass.

18. A glass article as claimed in claim 17, wherein said hollow layer is selected from the group consisting of an air layer, a thermally insulating gas layer and a reduced pressure layer.

19. A glass article as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a second low-radiation layer or a transparent film containing a low-radiation substance formed on a surface facing said hollow layer of at least one sheet of glass out of said plurality of sheets of glass that face one another.

20. A glass article as claimed in claim 17, wherein said plurality of sheets of glass includes pairs of adjacent sheets of glass, each pair of adjacent sheets of glass having two surfaces facing one another;

and the glass article comprises a second low-radiation layer or a transparent film containing a low-radiation substance disposed in said hollow layer in a position away from each of the two surfaces of each pair of adjacent sheets of glass.

21. A glass article comprising a plurality of sheets of glass including at least one sheet of a glass for freezers and refrigerators as claimed in claim 1, and at least one transparent resin layer, said plurality of sheets of glass including at least one sheet of a glass for freezers and refrigerators being superimposed via said at least one transparent resin layer such that a side of the glass for freezers and refrigerators on which said low-radiation layer is formed faces the space at a temperature below the room temperature.

22. A glass article comprising two glass articles as claimed in claim 17, and a transparent resin layer, said two glass articles being superimposed via said transparent resin layer.

23. A glass article as claimed in claim 17, wherein a predetermined antibacterial treatment is carried out on at least one of a surface of the glass facing the first space and another surface of the glass facing the second space.

24. A glass article as claimed in claim 17, wherein said low-radiation layer has a normal emittance of not more than 0.15.

25. The glass article as claimed in claim 24, further comprising a surface layer formed on a surface of said low-radiation layer, and wherein said surface layer has a thickness of 1 to 300 nm.

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)