Process for making a curved, conductively coated glass member and the product thereof
First Claim
1. A process for making an electrically conductive bent substrate which includes coating a generally flat part with indium-tin oxide and subsequently bending same, said process further comprising:
- providing for at least sufficient oxygen substoichiometry at the moment of bend that the indium-tin oxide coating doesn'"'"'t craze during bending, but not so great a substoichiometry that the final product has less than 70% light transmission or is hazy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The specification discloses a method for making a curved, conductively coated glass member, and the resulting product, by providing for a sufficient degree of substoichiometry at the moment of bend that the glass can be bent using conventional bending techniques without crazing the coating. Two alternative methods for achieving the degree of substoichiometry are disclosed. One involves coating the part to an initial light transmittance (To) which is lower than that typically sought by prior artisans. The other involves bending the part in a reducing environment. Also disclosed is a method for increasing conductivity of the coating by exposing the coated part to a reducing environment at temperatures considerably higher than those heretofore thought feasible for use in reduction curing.
215 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A process for making an electrically conductive bent substrate which includes coating a generally flat part with indium-tin oxide and subsequently bending same, said process further comprising:
- providing for at least sufficient oxygen substoichiometry at the moment of bend that the indium-tin oxide coating doesn'"'"'t craze during bending, but not so great a substoichiometry that the final product has less than 70% light transmission or is hazy.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. The process for making an electrically conductive bent glass which includes sputter coating a generally unheated, generally flat glass with indium-tin oxide and subsequently bending same, said process including:
- conducting said sputter coating in a reduced oxygen environment so that the initial light transmittance of the coating following completion of the coating step is between about 10 and about 40%;
bending said substrate in air; and
thereafter heating the bent substrate to in excess of 400°
C. in a reducing environment. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
- conducting said sputter coating in a reduced oxygen environment so that the initial light transmittance of the coating following completion of the coating step is between about 10 and about 40%;
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43. The process for making an electrically conductive bent glass which includes sputter coating a generally flat glass substrate with indium-tin oxide and subsequently bending same, said process further comprising:
- said coating step including initially coating the substrate to an initial light transmittance of greater than 40%;
said bending step including exposing the metallic oxide layer to a reducing environment as the substrate is heated to bending. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47)
- said coating step including initially coating the substrate to an initial light transmittance of greater than 40%;
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48. A process for fabricating a curved windshield having an electrically conductive coating suitable for generating approximately 0.6 watts per square inch using a 60 volt power source and having at least 70% minimum visible light transmission at an angle of 90 degrees, comprising:
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coating a relatively thin indium-tin oxide film of a thickness of between one-half to about three wavelengths based on the median wavelength of visible light on a generally flat glass windshield blank; heating and bending the thus-coated glass windshield blank while said indium-tin oxide film is in an oxygen substoichiometric state of sufficient degree that said film bends in substantial conformity with said glass windshield blank without crazing to form said curved windshield. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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Specification