GLAZING

• US 20100220019A1
• Filed: 10/17/2008
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pilkington Group Limited
• Original Assignee: Pilkington Group Limited
• Inventors: Boote, Joseph Jeremy
• Application Number:
  US12/682,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20100220019A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• 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 17/10192 patterned in the form of columns or grids
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10211 Doped dielectric layer, electrically conductive, e.g. SnO2:F
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10348 comprising an obscuration band
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10541 comprising a light source or a light guide
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• 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

Abstract

A glazing comprising a pane of glazing material, and a substantially continuous area of transparent, electrically conductive material printed using an electrically conductive ink onto a surface of the pane, wherein the ink is of a composition comprising a fluid vehicle (e.g. a solvent) and two different metal species (e.g. tin and indium), said fluid vehicle being driven off in a high-temperature post-printing step, and the conductive material is capable of functioning as one or more of the following: (a) a heating element for heating an area of the glazing; (b) an alarm sensor for detecting when the structural integrity of the glazing has been compromised; (c) a capacitive proximity sensor for detecting an approach to, or contact with, a surface of the glazing; (d) an electrical connection to an electrical device associated with the glazing; (e) an antenna for receiving and/or transmitting electromagnetic radiation. The glazing may also be a laminate.

Claims

1. A glazing comprising

a pane of glazing material, and

a substantially continuous area of transparent, electrically conductive material printed using an electrically conductive ink onto a surface of the pane,

wherein the ink is of a composition comprising a fluid vehicle and two different metal species, said fluid being driven off in a high-temperature post-printing step, and the conductive material is capable of functioning as one or more of the following:

a) a heating element for heating an area of the glazing;

b) an alarm sensor for detecting when the structural integrity of the glazing has been compromised;

c) a proximity sensor for detecting an approach to, or contact with, a surface of the glazing;

d) an electrical connection to an electrical device associated with the glazing;

e) an antenna for receiving and/or transmitting electromagnetic radiation.

2. A glazing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive ink is cured and/or dried subsequent to being printed onto the surface of the pane.

3. A glazing as claimed in claim 2 wherein the electrically conductive ink is an ink containing indium and tin species for forming an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) coating, or antimony and tin species for forming an antimony-tin-oxide (ATO) coating.

4. A glazing as claimed in claim 2 wherein the thickness of the layer of electrically conductive material is, subsequent to being cured and/or dried, around 300 nm.

5. A glazing as claimed in claim 2 wherein the electrically conductive material has a sheet resistance of less than 500 Ω

/square.

6. A glazing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the area of electrically conductive material is printed using any one or more of the following techniques:

screen printing, extrusion, pad printing, roller printing, gravure printing, ink-jet printing.

7. A glazing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive material is “

wet-printed”

in a thickness up to around 50 μ

m.

8. A glazing as claimed in claim 1 having, when the pane of glazing material is a pane of 2.1 mm thick clear float glass, in the region of the electrically conductive material, a visible light transmittance of greater than 80% (measured with CIE Illuminant A).

9. A glazing as claimed in claim 1 wherein, when designed to function as a heating element, the conductive material is printed as an array of fine lines or a patch over a portion of the glazing.

10. A glazing as claimed in claim 1 wherein, when designed to function as an alarm sensor, the conductive material is printed as a continuous line adjacent the periphery of the glazing.

11. A glazing as claimed in claim 1 wherein, when designed to function as a proximity sensor, the conductive material is a capacitive sensing plate and is capable of signalling the presence of a moisture droplet (as a rain sensor) or a human digit (as a touch sensor).

12. A glazing as claimed in claim 1 wherein, when designed to function as an electrical connection, the conductive material is printed as one or more fine lines and/or a patch on the glazing between a locating point for the electrical device and a connection point for an electrical connector.

13. A glazing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electrical device is a lighting device or a camera.

14. A glazing as claimed in claim 1 wherein, when designed to function as an antenna, the conductive material is printed in a linear configuration so as to receive and/or transmit radio and/or TV frequency radiation.

15. A glazing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the glazing is a laminate, having a further pane of glazing material joined to the first pane of glazing material by a ply of interlayer material.

16. A glazing as claimed in claim 15 wherein the electrically conductive material is printed onto an inner surface of the laminate.

17. A glazing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the glazing is a vehicle glazing.