MOTOR VEHICLE GLAZING

• US 20180207909A1
• Filed: 07/01/2016
• Published: 07/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGC Glass Europe SA (AGC, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AGC Glass Europe SA (AGC, Inc.)
• Inventors: VIVIER, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 10,603,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10005 laminated safety glass or glazing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• 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 17/10229 Metallic layers sandwiched by dielectric layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10293 Edge features, e.g. inserts or holes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10504 Liquid crystal layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10532 Suspended particle layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10541 comprising a light source or a light guide
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/208 Sun roofs; Windows
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/745 using lighting panels or mats, e.g. electro-luminescent panels, LED mats
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/76 for spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps spotlighting on or for specific fittings B60Q3/20; spotlighting in mass transit vehicles B60Q3/44
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/82 Switches specially adapted for vehicle interior lighting, e.g. switching by tilting the lens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0444 using a single conductive element covering the whole sensing surface, e.g. by sensing the electrical current flowing at the corners

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle glazing, comprising: (i) two sheets of glass, external and internal, each respectively comprising an external face 1 and 3 and an internal face 2 and 4, joined by means of one or more thermoplastic separator sheets, (ii) at least one electrically powered functional assembly being inserted between the glazing sheets, (iii) a capacitive sensor controlling the power supply of the functional assembly by means of a processing unit for signals transmitted by the sensor, the sensor also being arranged on a transparent support coated with an equally transparent conductive layer, a layer in which the sensor consists of a first area which corresponds to the capacitive electrode and a second area corresponding to the shielding electrode surrounding the first area, the first and second areas being separated by a distance A, and (iv) a capacitive switch placed at a distance B from the capacitive electrode. According to the invention, the distance A between the capacitive electrode and the shielding electrode is equivalent to the distance B between the capacitive switch and the capacitive electrode.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle glazing comprising:

an external glass sheet and an internal glass internal glass sheet, each respectively comprising an external face 1 and 3 and an internal face 2 and 4, joined by means of one or more thermoplastic interlayer sheets,

at least one electrically supplied functional assembly being inserted between the sheets of the glazing,

a capacitive sensor for controlling the supplying of the functional assembly via a unit for processing signals emitted by the sensor, the sensor also being positioned on a transparent support coated with a conductive layer which is also transparent, in which layer the sensor is formed of a first region which corresponds to a capacitive electrode and a second region corresponding to a shielding electrode surrounding the first region, the first and the second regions separated by a distance A,

a capacitive switch placed at a distance B from the capacitive electrode, wherein

the distance A between the capacitive electrode and the shielding electrode is equivalent to the distance B between the capacitive switch and the capacitive electrode.

2. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor comprises a capacitive electrode formed in the conductive layer surrounded by a shielding electrode, the signals emanating from each electrode resulting in an analysis by the processing unit.

3. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrodes defining the sensor are extended over the support by conductors also formed in the conductive layer.

4. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor and the capacitive switch are positioned on the internal face 4 of the internal glass sheet.

5. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein a surface area of the electrodes constituting the sensor is at most 0.1 dm².

6. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, additionally comprising an essentially transparent conductive shield situated on one side of the support, which shield masks the electrodes from external influences located on this side.

7. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein a position of the electrodes in the glazing is shown by a presence of a diode carried by the support of the electrodes and supplied by conductors formed in the same layer in which the electrodes are formed.

8. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein materials and thicknesses of the support, on the one hand, and of the conductive layer, on the other hand, are chosen so that their transmission in the region the visible wavelengths, according to the standard EN 410, is not less than 80%.

9. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the functional element is an element which modifies a light transmission of the glazing and consists of a film of SPD (suspended particles device) type.

10. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the functional element is an element which modifies a light transmission of the glazing and consists of a film of LC (liquid crystal) type.

11. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the functional element consists of an assembly of light-emitting diodes, which diodes are also carried by the support and supplied by the conductive layer.

12. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 11, wherein the conductive layer is a layer of thin conductive oxide (TCO).

13. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 12, wherein the conductive layer is a layer of indium oxide doped with tin (ITO).

14. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support consists of a glass slide, the thickness of which is not greater than 0.8 mm.

15. :

A process for controlling a glazing as claimed in claim 20, wherein each electrode alternatively, according to a given frequency, is the subject of a determination of capacity, a variation in capacity measured constituting a signal determining control of the switch beyond a chosen threshold making it possible to distinguish pressure on a conduction channel.

16. :

The process as claimed in claim 15, wherein a frequency of determination of the capacities is at least from 1 to 100 Hz.

17. :

The process as claimed in claim 15 wherein a threshold for controlling the switch is chosen such that the signal/noise ratio is at least 3.

18. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein a surface area of the electrodes constituting the sensor is at most 0.05 dm².

19. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support consists of a glass slide, the thickness of which is not greater than 0.5 mm.

20. :

The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein a capacitive switch is positioned on the internal face 4 of the internal glass sheet.