Electro conductive film system for aircraft windows

• US 4,707,586 A
• Filed: 09/07/1983
• Issued: 11/17/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sierracin Corporation (Nouryon BV)
• Original Assignee: Sierracin Corporation (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Culp, Gordon W., DeCamp, Howard S., Voss, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldberg, E. A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lateef, M. M.
• Application Number:
  US06/529,975
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 219/203, 219/345, 219/461, 219/464, 219/522, 219/541, 219/543, 219/544, 219/547, 244/134 R, 244/134 D, 338/211, 338/217, 338/309, 338/322, 174/68.5, 427/96, 427/108, 428/38, 428/49, 428/210, 428/922
• US Class Current: 219/203
• 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 2605/18 Aircraft blades, propellers B32B2603/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/30 comprising vinyl (co)polymers; comprising acrylic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/38 at least one coating being a coating of an organic material
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/042 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/042 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/00 Coating for obtaining at least two superposed coatings either by methods not provided for in a single one of groups C23C2/00 - C23C26/00 or by combinations of methods provided for in subclasses C23C and C25C or C25D
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/02 Electroplating of selected surface areas
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/00 Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor using photoresist structures for special production processes, see the relevant places, e.g. B44C, H01L, e.g. H01L21/00, H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/86 the heating conductors being embedded in the transparent or reflecting material H05B3/845 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/108 by semi-additive methods; masks therefor characterised by metallic etch mask H05K3/062; electroplating methods or apparatus H05K3/241

Abstract

A method is provided for producing a heated laminated windshield construction. Initially, a transparent material to be provided as the outer layer of such a laminated windshield is selected. A transparent basecoat is applied on the inner major surfce of the outer layer. A quantity of electroconductive metal is deposited onto the basecoated surface to form a metal strike coat. A portion of the metal strike coat is masked so that unmasked portions of the strike coat comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs to be formed on the inner major surface. An electroconductive metal is electroplated onto the unmasked portions of the strike coat. Portions of the strike coat onto which no metal was electroplated are removed to thereby leave on the inner major surface of the layer a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs comprising electroplated metal and the portion of the metal strike coat beneath the electroplated metal. A major surface of a transparent material is then bonded to the inner surface of the outer layer to thereby sandwich the spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs between the layers.

Claims

1. A composite transparency comprising:

(a) an outer layer of rigid, transparent, electrically insulating material having an inner major surface;

(b) a transparent electrically insulating basecoat on the inner major surface of the outer layer and secured thereto;

(c) a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs comprising a strike coat portion vacuum deposited in adhering relationship onto the basecoat and an electroplated portion electrodeposited onto the strikecoat portion;

(d) a transparent interlayer of relatively flexible electrically insulating plastic bonded to the transparent basecoat on the inner major surface of the outer layer to thereby sandwich the spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs between the basecoat and the interlayer; and

(e) electrical connection means connecting the electroconductive metal film runs to a voltage source.

2. The composite transparency as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electroconductive metal film runs comprise copper.

3. The composite transparency as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electrical connection means includes:

(a) an attachment element integral with and forming the termination of each of the electroconductive metal film runs;

(b) bus strip means mechanically and electrically connected to the attachment elements; and

(c) terminal leads connected to the bus strip means for operable connection to a voltage source to thereby enable the electroconductive metal film runs to operate as a heating circuit when power is applied thereto.

4. The composite transparency as claimed in claim 1 wherein an inner layer of rigid transparent material is bonded to the interlayer on the side of the interlayer opposite from the outer layer, the inner and outer layers are acrylic and the interlayer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinylbutyral, silicone and urethane.

5. A composite transparency comprising:

(a) an outer layer of rigid, transparent, electrically insulating material having an inner major surface;

(b) a transparent electrically insulating basecoat on the inner major surface of the outer layer and secured thereto;

(c) a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs adhered to the basecoat;

(d) a transparent interlayer of relatively flexible electrically insulating plastic bonded to the transparent basecoat on the inner major surface of the outer layer to thereby sandwich the spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs between the basecoat and the interlayer, wherein the outer layer is acrylic and the basecoat comprises a co-polymer reaction product of a methacrylic acid ester and an organofunctional silane, wherein the organofunctional silane has the general formula R--Si(OR'"'"')₃ where R comprises an acrylic containing organofunctional group and R'"'"' is an alkyl group; and

(e) electrical connection means connecting the metal film runs to a voltage source.

6. The composite transparency as claimed in claim 5 wherein the basecoat comprises a co-polymer reaction product of methylmethacrylate and methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane.

7. A composite transparency comprising:

(a) an outer layer of rigid, transparent, electrically insulating material having an inner major surface;

(b) a transparent electrically insulating basecoat on the inner major surface of the outer layer and secured thereto;

(c) a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs adhered to the basecoat wherein said film runs comprise a layered structure that includes a thin layer of nickel and chromium provided as a portion of a tie-coat vacuum deposited on the basecoat, a thin layer of copper on the nickel/chromium layer provided as a portion of a strike coat vacuum deposited on the tie-coat, and a layer of copper electrodeposited onto the strike coat in the pattern of the electroconductive film runs;

(d) a transparent interlayer of relatively flexible electrically insulating plastic bonded to the transparent basecoat on the inner major surface of the outer layer to thereby sandwich the spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs between the basecoat and the interlayer; and

(e) electrical connection means connecting the metal film runs to a voltage source.

8. The composite transparency as claimed in claim 7 wherein the nickel/chromium layer comprises about 80% nickel and 20% chromium.