GLAZING WITH FREQUENCY SELECTIVE COATING

• US 20130295300A1
• Filed: 11/16/2011
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pilkington Group Limited
• Original Assignee: Pilkington Group Limited
• Inventors: Paulus, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,457,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/596
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/18 Sheet panels
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/34 Coated articles , e.g. plated or painted; Surface treated articles
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/172 wherein at least one of the layers is non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/42 Plastics B23K2103/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/54 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/082 Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0876 in at least two axial directions
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/352 for surface treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/355 Texturing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/364 for making a groove or trench, e.g. for scribing a break initiation groove
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/40 taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/366 Low-emissivity or solar control coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/328 Partly or completely removing a coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1271 for mounting on windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0013 said selective devices working as frequency-selective reflecting surfaces, e.g. FSS, dichroic plates, surfaces being partly transmissive and reflective

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a glazing having a frequency selective surface comprising the steps of:

a) depositing a coating on a substrate, said coating being non-transmitting to radio frequency (RF) radiation;
b) providing a laser beam and
c) removing a portion of the coating by laser ablation to form one or more curves and/or lines having a spacing selected to provide transparency of the coating to RF radiation of a desired wavelength;
characterized by
d) directing the laser beam and/or moving the substrate such that the relative motion of the intersection of the laser beam and the coating, with respect to the substrate, comprises motion in a first dimension, wherein said motion is simultaneously superimposed with a reciprocating motion in a second dimension;
e) translating said intersection in the second dimension; and
f) repeating at least step d) out of steps d) to f).

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a glazing having a frequency selective surface comprising the steps of:

a) depositing a coating on a substrate, said coating being non-transmitting to radio frequency (RF) radiation;

b) providing a laser beam and

c) removing a portion of the coating by laser ablation to form one or more curves and/or lines having a spacing selected to provide transparency of the coating to RF radiation of a desired wavelength;

wherein

d) directing the laser beam and/or moving the substrate such that the relative motion of the intersection of the laser beam and the coating, with respect to the substrate, comprises motion in a first dimension, wherein said motion is simultaneously superimposed with a reciprocating motion in a second dimension;

e) translating said intersection in the second dimension; and

f) repeating at least step d) out of steps d) to f).

2. A method according to claim 1, where the reciprocating motion comprises a simple harmonic motion.

3. A method according to claim 1, where the reciprocating motion occurs at a constant speed.

4. A method according to claim 1, where the first dimension and the second dimension are substantially perpendicular to each other.

5. Apparatus for providing a frequency selective surface on a substrate having a coating that is non-transmitting to RF radiation, said apparatus comprising:

a laser source, able to provide a laser beam suitable for ablation of the coating;

means for directing the laser beam and/or means for moving the substrate such that the relative motion of the intersection of the laser beam and the coating, with respect to the substrate, comprises;

motion in a first dimension, wherein said motion is simultaneously superimposed with a reciprocating motion in a second dimension; and

a translation of said intersection in the second dimension.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, comprising an X-Y plotter arranged to direct the laser beam responsive to signals received from a computer, said computer being programmed to generate signals causing the X-Y plotter to direct the laser beam.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, comprising:

first means for directing the laser beam such that the intersection exhibits the reciprocating motion in the second dimension and

second means for transporting the first means in a series of sweeps in the first dimension and in a series of translations in the second dimension.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, where the second means comprises a gantry operable to move in the first dimension and a carriage, mounted on the gantry and operable to move on the gantry in the second dimension.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, where the second means comprises a mirror and an actuator mounted on the carriage, the actuator being operable to cause reciprocating motion of the mirror in the second dimension.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8, where the second means comprises a mirror and an actuator mounted on the carriage, the actuator being operable to cause reciprocating rotation of the mirror between two orientations.