MIRROR

• US 20110267713A1
• Filed: 08/10/2009
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGC Glass Europe SA (AGC, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AGC Glass Europe SA (AGC, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ventelon, Lionel, Cosijns, Bruno, Bouesnard, Olivier
• Granted Patent: US 8,545,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/884
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/82 characterised by the material or the construction of the reflector
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0808 having a single reflecting layer G02B5/0883, G02B5/0891 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers

Abstract

Mirrors according to the present invention comprise a glass substrate (1) having a front surface (10) and a rear surface (11), said rear surface (11) carrying, in order, a silver coating layer (2) and at least one base paint layer (3); they are characterised in that the glass substrate (1), the silver coating layer (2) and the at least one base paint layer (3) have each an edge portion having a rear facing surface (51, 52, 53) arranged at an acute angle (α1, α2, α3) to the front surface of the mirror and in that they comprise an additional paint layer (4) covering substantially the whole surface of the at least one base paint layer (3) and the rear facing surfaces (51, 52, 53) of the glass substrate (1), silver coating layer (2) and at least one base paint layer (3).

Claims

1. A mirror, comprising:

a glass substrate having a front surface and a rear surface, said rear surface comprising, in order, a silver coating layer and at least one base paint layer,

wherein the glass substrate, the silver coating layer and the at least one base paint layer have each an edge portion having a rear facing surface arranged at an acute angle to the front surface of the mirror,

wherein an additional paint layer covers substantially a whole surface of the at least one base paint layer and the rear facing surfaces of the glass substrate, silver coating layer, and at least one base paint layer,

wherein the mirror has at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of;

i) an activating material is present between the glass substrate and the silver coating layer;

ii) a passivating material is present between the silver coating layer and the at least one base paint layer; and

iii) the rear facing surfaces extend along substantially at least three sides of the mirror, and

wherein the mirror excludes a copper layer.

2. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein the mirror comprises two base paint layers.

3. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein the rear facing surfaces extend along substantially an entire periphery of the mirror.

4. The mirror according claim 1, having an average edge corrosion of less than 80 μ

m after having been subjected to a 5 days CASS test.

5. The mirror according to claim 1, having an average edge corrosion of less than 300 μ

m after having been subjected to a 45 days CASS test.

6. A solar energy reflector, comprising the mirror according to claim 1.

12. The mirror according to claim 2, wherein the rear facing surfaces extend along substantially an entire periphery of the mirror.

13. The mirror according to claim 2, having an average edge corrosion of less than 80 μ

m after having been subjected to a 5 days CASS test.

14. The mirror according to claim 3, having an average edge corrosion of less than 80 μ

m after having been subjected to a 5 days CASS test.

15. The mirror according to claim 2, having an average edge corrosion of less than 300 μ

m after having been subjected to a 45 days CASS test.

16. The mirror according to claim 3, having an average edge corrosion of less than 300 μ

m after having been subjected to a 45 days CASS test.

17. The mirror according to claim 4, having an average edge corrosion of less than 300 μ

m after having been subjected to a 45 days CASS test.

7. A method for manufacturing a mirror, the method comprising:

a) forming a silver coating layer on a glass substrate;

b) applying at least one base paint layer over the silver coating layer;

c) edge-working simultaneously the glass substrate, the silver coating layer, and the at least one base paint layer;

d) applying an additional paint layer covering substantially a whole surface of the at least one base paint layer and at least a portion of the glass substrate which has been edge-worked,

wherein the method has at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of;

i) the method further comprises contacting the glass substrate with an activating solution before forming the silver coating layer;

ii) the method further comprises contacting the silver coating layer with a passivating solution before applying the at least one base paint layer; and

iii) the edge-working is made along substantially at least three sides of the mirror.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the edge-working is made by grinding, beveling or chamfering.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein edge-working is made along substantially the entire periphery of the mirror.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least the additional paint layer is applied by curtain coating.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the mirror is free of a copper layer.