Insulating Glass Unit With An Electronic Device and Process For Its Production

• US 20090243802A1
• Filed: 05/19/2007
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dow Silicones Corporation (Dow, Inc.), Bystronic Lenhardt Gmbh (Glaston Oyj)
• Original Assignee: Bystronic Lenhardt Gmbh (Glaston Oyj)
• Inventors: Wolf, Andreas, Thomas, Richard Henry, Puschmann, Klaus, Schuler, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,866,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66309 Section members positioned at the edges of the glazing unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24999 Inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/315 Surface modified glass [e.g., tempered, strengthened, etc.]

Abstract

A sealed insulating glass unit comprises two glass sheets held apart by a spacer, optionally with a sealant between the edges of the glass sheets outside the spacer. The insulating glass unit contains an electronic device, having information relating to the origin, manufacture and/or properties of the insulating glass unit capable of being read from the device by means actuated from outside the insulating glass unit. The device is embedded within the spacer or sealant so that it is concealed within the insulating glass unit.

Claims

1. A sealed insulating glass unit comprising two glass sheets held apart by a spacer, optionally with a sealant between the edges of the glass sheets outside the spacer, characterised in that the insulating glass unit contains an electronic device, having information relating to the origin, manufacture and/or properties of the insulating glass unit capable of being read from the device by means actuated from outside the insulating glass unit, embedded within the spacer or sealant so that the device is concealed within the insulating glass unit.

2. A sealed insulating glass unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the device is embedded in the spacer.

3. A sealed insulating glass unit according to claim 2, characterised in that the spacer comprises a thermoplastic spacer.

4. A sealed insulating glass unit according to claim 2, characterised in that the spacer comprises a foamed plastics material

5. A sealed insulating glass unit according to claim 1, which comprises a sealant between the edges of the glass sheets outside the spacer, characterised in that the device is embedded in the sealant.

6. A sealed insulating glass unit according to claim 5, characterised in that the spacer is a solid preformed spacer and the electronic device is attached to the spacer by adhesive.

7. A sealed insulating glass unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the spacer is a hollow plastic section and the electronic device is positioned within the hollow spacer.

8. A sealed insulating glass unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the device comprises a memory portion, a signal control circuit portion and a communication circuit portion

9. A sealed insulating glass unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the device is a radio frequency identification device and the means for reading the device forms a radio frequency transponder system.

10. A sealed insulating glass unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the device is capable of being activated by the voltage AC signal when its antenna is exposed to an electromagnetic field.

11. A sealed insulating glass unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the device is an electronic chip allowing only write-once operation.

12. A sealed insulating glass unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the device is a rewritable electronic chip protected by a security code.

13. A sealed insulating glass unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the information is encrypted.

14. A process for the production of an insulating glass unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the spacer is applied to the glass sheets as a hot melt, and the device is embedded in the spacer while the spacer is molten.

15. A process for the production of an insulating glass unit according to claim 5, characterised in that the sealant is applied to the glass sheets in a fluid state, and the device is embedded in the sealant while the sealant is fluid.

16. A process according to claim 14, characterised in that information concerning product parameters relevant to the quality of the insulating glass unit is automatically transferred to the device during manufacture of the insulating glass unit.

17. A process according to claim 14, characterised in that the device is a rewritable electronic chip and information concerning environmental exposure history of the insulating glass unit is automatically transferred to the device after manufacture of the insulating glass unit.

18. A process according to claim 15, characterised in that information concerning product parameters relevant to the quality of the insulating glass unit is automatically transferred to the device during manufacture of the insulating glass unit.

19. A process according to claim 15, characterised in that the device is a rewritable electronic chip and information concerning environmental exposure history of the insulating glass unit is automatically transferred to the device after manufacture of the insulating glass unit.