Electroconductive film system for aircraft windows

• US 4,876,178 A
• Filed: 09/30/1988
• Issued: 10/24/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sierracin Corporation (Nouryon BV)
• Original Assignee: Sierracin Corporation (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Voss, David L., Culp, Gordon W., DeCamp, Howard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dees, Jose G.
• Application Number:
  US07/253,377
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 430/313, 430/314, 430/316, 430/317, 430/318, 430/319, 430/327, 430/329, 430/331, 204/18.1, 204/20, 204/30, 219/203, 244/134 D, 156/659.1, 156/663, 156/668
• US Class Current: 430/314
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/1077 containing polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/18 Aircraft blades, propellers B32B2603/00
• 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: 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: Y10S 205/924 Electrolytic coating substrate predominantly comprised of specified synthetic resin

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 surface 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 method for forming a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs on the surface of a transparent substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a transparent polymer basecoat on a surface of a transparent substrate;

(b) depositing a quantity of electroconductive metal onto the transparent polymer basecoat surface to thereby form a metal strike coat;

(c) masking a portion of the metal strike coat so that unmasked portions of the strike coat comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs being formed;

(d) electroplating an electroconductive metal onto the unmasked portions of the metal strike coat; and

(e) removing the portions of the metal strike coat onto which no metal was electroplated to thereby leave a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs on the surface of the substrate, the metal film runs comprising electroplated metal and the portion of the metal strike coat beneath the electroplated metal.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of glass and plastic.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the plastic is acrylic.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the strike coat is copper and the electroplated electroconductive metal is copper.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the electroconductive metal film runs are from about 0.1 to 0.4 mils thick and from about 0.1 to 2 mils wide.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the strike coat has a thickness of from about 1000 to about 3000 Angstroms.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises:

(a) applying a positive photoresist over the metal strike coat;

(b) removably applying a patterned photomask over the photoresist;

the cut-out portion of the pattern comprising the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs being formed;

(c) exposing the portions of the photoresist left uncovered by the pattern to ultraviolet light to thereby develop the exposed photoresist.

(d) removing the developed photoresist to unmask portions of the metal strike coat wherein the unmasked portions comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs being formed.

8. The method according to claim 4 wherein the portions of the strike coat onto which no copper was electroplated are removed by means of an etching solution comprising an aqueous solution of ammonium persulfate.

9. A method for forming a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs on the surface of a transparent substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a transparent polymer basecoat on a surface of a transparent substrate;

(b) depositing a metal tie-coat onto the transparent polymer basecoat;

(c) depositing a quantity of electroconductive metal onto the metal tie-coat to thereby form a metal strike coat;

(d) masking a portion of the metal strike coat so that unmasked portions of the strike coat comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs being formed;

(e) electroplating an electroconductive metal onto the unmasked portions of the metal strike coat; and

(f) removing the portions of the metal strike coat onto which no metal was electroplated to thereby leave a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs on the surface of the substrate, the metal film runs comprising electroplated metal, the portion of the metal strike coat beneath the electroplated metal and the portion of the metal tie-coat beneath the strike coat.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of glass and plastic.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the plastic is acrylic.

12. The method according to claim 9 wherein the tie-coat comprises nickel and chromium.

13. The method according to claim 9 wherein the tie-coat comprises about 80% nickel and 20% chromium.

14. The method according to claim 9 wherein the strike coat is copper and the electroplated electroconductive metal is copper.

15. The method according to claim 9 wherein the electroconductive metal film runs are from about 0.1 to 0.4 mils thick and from about 0.1 to 2 mils wide.

16. The method according to claim 9 wherein the strike coat has a thickness of from about 1000 to 3000 Angstroms.

17. The method according to claim 9 wherein step (c) comprises:

(a) applying a positive photoresist over the metal strike coat;

(b) removably applying a patterned photomask over the photoresist, the cut-out portion of the pattern comprising the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs being formed;

(c) exposing the portions of the photoresist left uncovered by the pattern to ultraviolet light to thereby develop the exposed photoresist;

(d) removing the developed photoresist to unmask portions of the metal strike coat wherein the unmasked portions comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs being formed.

18. The method according to claim 9 wherein the portions of the strike coat onto which no copper was electroplated are removed by means of an etching solution comprising an aqueous solution of ammonium persulfate.

19. A method for forming a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs on the surface of a transparent substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) coating a surface of a transparent substrate with a transparent basecoat comprising 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 wherein R comprises an acrylic containing organofunctional group and R'"'"' is an alkyl group;

(b) depositing a quantity of electroconductive metal onto the basecoated surface to thereby form a metal strike coat;

(c) masking a portion of the metal strike coat so that unmasked portions of the strike coat comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs being formed;

(d) electroplating an electroconductive metal onto the unmasked portions of the metal strike coat; and

(e) removing the portions of the metal strike coat onto which no metal was electroplated to thereby leave a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs on the surface of the substrate, the metal film runs comprising electroplated metal and the portion of the metal strike coat beneath the electroplated metal.

20. A method for forming a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs on the surface of a transparent substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) coating a surface of a transparent substrate with a transparent basecoat comprising a co-polymer reaction product of methyl methacrylate and methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane;

(b) depositing a quantity of electroconductive metal onto the basecoated surface to thereby form a metal strike coat;

(c) masking a portion of the metal strike coat so that unmasked portions of the strike coat comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs being formed;

(d) electroplating an electroconductive metal onto the unmasked portions of the metal strike coat; and

(e) removing the portions of the metal strike coat onto which no metal was electroplated to thereby leave a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs on the surface of the substrate, the metal film runs comprising electroplated metal and the portion of the metal strike coat beneath the electroplated metal.

21. A method for forming a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs on the surface of a transparent substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) coating a surface of a transparent substrate with a transparent basecoat comprising 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 wherein R comprises the acrylic containing organofunctional group and R'"'"' is an alkyl group;

(b) depositing a metal tie-coat onto the transparent basecoat;

(c) depositing a quantity of electroconductive metal onto the metal tie-coat to thereby form a metal strike coat;

(d) masking a portion of the metal strike coat so that unmasked portion is of the strike coat comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs being formed;

(e) electroplating an electroconductive metal onto the unmasked portions of the metal strike coat; and

(f) removing the portions of the metal strike coat onto which no metal was electroplated to thereby leave a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs on the surface of the substrate, the metal film runs comprising electroplated metal, the portion of the metal strike coat beneath the electroplated metal and the portion of the metal tie-coat beneath the strike coat.

22. A method for forming a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs on the surface of a transparent substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) coating a surface of a transparent substrate with a transparent basecoat comprising a co-polymer reaction product of methyl methacrylate and methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane;

(b) depositing a metal tie-coat onto the transparent basecoat;

(c) depositing a quantity of electroconductive metal onto the metal tie-coat to thereby form a metal strike coat;

(d) masking a portion of the metal strike coat so that unmasked portions of the strike coat comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs being formed;

(e) electroplating an electroconductive metal onto the unmasked portions of the metal strike coat; and

(f) removing the portions of the metal strike coat onto which no metal was electroplated to thereby leave a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs on the surface of the substrate, the metal film runs comprising electroplated metal, the portion of the metal strike coat beneath the electroplated metal and the portion of the metal tie-coat beneath the strike coat.

23. A method for producing a laminated windshield that includes a first layer of transparent material having an outer major surface for exposure to the atmosphere and having an inner major surface bonded facewise to a major surface of a second layer of transparent material, and wherein a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs are on the inner major surface of the first layer sandwiched between the layers, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a transparent material to be provided as the first layer of the laminated windshield;

(b) selecting a major surface of the first layer to be provided as the inner major surface and forming a transparent polymer basecoat on said inner major surface;

(c) depositing a quantity of electroconductive metal onto the transparent polymer basecoat surface to thereby form a metal strike coat;

(d) masking a portion of the metal strike coat so that unmasked portions of the strike coat comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs to be formed;

(e) electroplating an electroconductive metal onto the unmasked portions of the strike coat;

(f) removing portions of the strike coat onto which no metal was electroplated to thereby leave on the inner major surface of the first 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; and

(g) bonding a major surface of a transparent material selected as the second layer to the inner surface of the first layer to thereby sandwich the spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs between the layers.

24. The method according to claim 23 wherein the strike coat is copper and the electroplated electroconductive metal is copper.

25. The method according to claim 23 wherein the first layer is acrylic.

26. The method according to claim 23 wherein the second layer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl butyral, silicone and urethane.

27. The method according to claim 23 wherein the laminated windshield also comprises a third layer of transparent material bonded facewise to the major surface of the second layer that faces away from the first layer.

28. The method according to claim 27 wherein the third layer is acrylic.

29. A method for producing a laminated windshield that includes a first layer of transparent material having an outer major surface for exposure to the atmosphere and having an inner major surface bonded facewise to a major surface of a second layer of transparent material, and wherein a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs are on the inner major surface of the first layer sandwiched between the layers, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a transparent material to be provided as the first layer of the laminated windshield;

(b) selecting a major surface of the first layer to be provided as the inner major surface and forming a transparent polymer basecoat on said inner major surface;

(c) depositing a metal tie-coat comprising nickel and chromium onto the transparent polymer basecoat;

(d) depositing a quantity of electroconductive metal onto the metal tie-coat to thereby form a metal strike coat;

(e) masking a portion of the metal strike coat so that unmasked portions of the strike coat comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs to be formed;

(f) electroplating an electroconductive metal onto the unmasked portions of the strike coat;

(g) removing portions of the strike coat onto which no metal was electroplated to thereby leave on the inner major surface of the first layer a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs comprising electroplated metal, the portion of the metal strike coat beneath the electroplate metal and the portion of the metal tie-coat beneath the strike coat; and

(h) bonding a major surface of a transparent material selected as the second layer to the inner surface of the first layer to thereby sandwich the spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs between the layers.

30. The method according to claim 29 wherein the strike coat is copper and the electroplated electroconductive metal is copper.

31. The method according to claim 29 wherein the tie-coat comprises about 80% nickel and 20% chromium.

32. The method according to claim 29 wherein the first layer is acrylic.

33. The method according to claim 29 wherein the second layer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl butyral, silicone and urethane.

34. The method according to claim 29 wherein the laminated windshield also comprises a third layer of transparent material bonded facewise to the major surface of the second layer that faces away from the first layer.

35. The method according to claim 31 wherein the third layer is acrylic.

36. A method for producing a laminated windshield that includes a first layer of transparent material having an outer major surface for exposure to the atmosphere and having an inner major surface bonded facewise to a major surface of a second layer of transparent material, and wherein a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs are on the inner major surface of the first layer sandwiched between the layers, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a transparent material to be provided as the first layer of the laminated windshield;

(b) selecting a major surface of the first layer to be provided as the inner major surface and applying a transparent basecoat comprising a co-polymer reaction product of a methacrylic acid ester and an organofunctional silane on said inner major surface;

(c) depositing a quantity of electroconductive metal onto the basecoated surface to thereby form a metal strike coat;

(d) masking a portion of the metal strike coat so that unmasked portions of the strike coat comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs to be formed;

(e) electroplating an electroconductive metal onto the unmasked portions of the strike coat;

(f) removing portions of the strike coat onto which no metal was electroplated to thereby leave on the inner major surface of the first 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; and

(g) bonding a major surface of a transparent material selected as the second layer to the inner surface of the first layer to thereby sandwich the spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs between the layers.

37. A method for producing a laminated windshield that includes a first layer of transparent material having an outer major surface for exposure to the atmosphere and having an inner major surface bonded facewise to a major surface of a second layer of transparent material, and wherein a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs are on the inner major surface of the first layer sandwiched between the layers, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a transparent material to be provided as the first layer of the laminated windshield;

(b) selecting a major surface of the first layer to be provided as the inner major surface and applying a transparent basecoat comprising a co-polymer reaction product of methyl methacrylate and methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane on said inner major surface;

(c) depositing a quantity of electroconductive metal onto the basecoated surface to thereby form a metal strike coat;

(d) masking a portion of the metal strike coat so that unmasked portions of the strike coat comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs to be formed;

(e) electroplating an electroconductive metal onto the unmasked portions of the strike coat;

(f) removing portions of the strike coat onto which no metal was electroplated to thereby leave on the inner major surface of the first layer a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs comprising electroplated metal and the portion of the metal strike cost beneath the electroplated metal; and

(g) bonding a major surface of a transparent material selected as the second layer to the inner surface of the first layer to thereby sandwich the spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs between the layers.

38. A method for producing a laminated windshield that includes a first layer of transparent material having an outer major surface for exposure to the atmosphere and having an inner major surface bonded facewise to a major surface of a second layer of transparent material, and wherein a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs are on the inner major surface of the first layer sandwiched between the layers, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a transparent material to be provided as the first layer of the laminated windshield;

(b) selecting a major surface of the first layer to be provided as the inner major surface and applying a transparent basecoat comprising a co-polymer reaction product of methyl methacrylate and methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane on said inner major surface;

(c) depositing a metal tie-coat comprising nickel and chromium onto the transparent basecoat;

(d) depositing a quantity of electroconductive metal onto the metal tie-coat to thereby form a metal strike coat;

(e) masking a portion of the metal strike coat so that unmasked portions of the strike coat comprise the pattern of the electroconductive metal film runs to be formed;

(f) electroplating an electroconductive metal onto the unmasked portions of the strike coat;

(g) removing portions of the strike coat onto which no metal was electroplated to thereby leave on the inner major surface of the first layer a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs comprising electroplated metal, the portion of the metal strike coat beneath the electroplated metal and the portion of the metal tie-coat beneath the strike coat; and

(h) bonding a major surface of a transparent material selected as the second layer to the inner surface of the first layer to thereby sandwich the spaced apart electroconductive metal film runs between the layers.

39. A method for forming an electroconductive circuit on a surface of a glass substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a transparent polymer basecoat on a surface of a glass substrate;

(b) depositing a tie-coat comprising about 80% nickel and about 20% chromium onto the transparent polymer basecoat;

(c) depositing a quantity of copper onto the tie-coat to thereby form a copper strike coat of generally uniform thickness from about 1000 to about 3000 Angstroms;

(d) applying a positive photoresist over the surface of the copper strike coat;

(e) removably applying a patterned photomask over the photoresist;

(f) exposing portions of the photoresist left unconcealed by the pattern of the photomask to ultraviolet light to develop said unconcealed portions of the photoresist;

(g) removing the developed photoresist to thereby expose portions of the copper strike coat;

(h) electroplating copper onto exposed portions of the copper strike coat;

(i) removing the remaining photoresist; and

(j) removing the portions of the strike coat onto which no copper was electroplated to thereby leave on the surface of the transparent material an electroconductive circuit comprising a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive film runs that include electroplated copper, the portion of the copper strike coat beneath the electroplated copper and the portion of the nickel-chromium tie-coat beneath the strike coat.

40. A method for forming an electroconductive circuit on a surface of an acrylic substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) coating a surface of an acrylic substrate with a transparent basecoat comprising the reaction product of methyl methacrylate and methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane;

(b) depositing a tie-coat comprising about 80% nickel and about 20% chromium onto the transparent basecoat;

(c) depositing a quantity of copper onto the tie-coat to thereby form a copper strike coat of generally uniform thickness from about 1000 to about 3000 Angstroms;

(d) applying a positive photoresist over the surface of the copper strike coat;

(e) removably applying a patterned photomask over the photoresist;

(f) exposing portions of photoresist left unconcealed by the pattern in the photomask to ultraviolet light to develop said unconcealed portions of the photoresist;

(g) removing the developed photoresist to thereby expose portions of the copper strike coat;

(h) electroplating copper onto exposed portions of the copper strike coat;

(i) removing the remaining photoresist; and

(j) removing the portions of the strike coat onto which no copper was electroplated to thereby leave on the surface of the transparent material an electroconductive circuit comprising a plurality of spaced apart electroconductive film runs that include electroplated copper, the portion of the copper strike coat beneath the electroplated copper and the portion of the nickel-chromium tie-coat beneath the strike coat.