Process for the production of a laminated glass glazing having metal wires in an intermediate thermoplastic layer

• US 5,540,961 A
• Filed: 12/02/1994
• Issued: 07/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
• Inventors: Immerschitt, Stefan, Reul, M. Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bahta, Abraham
• Application Number:
  US08/353,398
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 428/426, 428/437, 428/432, 428/697, 428/913, 428/34.1, 428/34, 428/35.7, 428/35.8, 428/425.6, 428/457, 428/192, 428/38, 428/46, 428/48, 296/96.21
• US Class Current: 428/34
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10376 Laminated safety glass or glazing containing metal wires
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/86 the heating conductors being embedded in the transparent or reflecting material H05B3/845 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1355 Elemental metal containing [e.g., substrate, foil, film, coating, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/162 Transparent or translucent layer or section
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/164 Continuous two dimensionally sectional layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31601 Quartz or glass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3163 Next to acetal of polymerized unsaturated alcohol [e.g., formal butyral, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal

Abstract

A process for the production of a laminated glass glazing having one or more wires within an intermediate thermoplastic layer and electrically connected to busbars, wherein the wires are heated by an adequate energy application locally limited to the connection points prior to the electrical connection to the busbars, to the extent that the surface layers adhering to the surface of the wires are eliminated. The application of a locally limited adequate energy supply takes place by use of laser rays, as a result of the fact that the focus of a beam of laser rays oriented perpendicular to the busbars is displaced in the longitudinal direction above and on the busbars. The wires are then welded to the busbars. The layers forming the laminated glass glazings are presently assembled in a conventional manner and joined to one another under heat and pressure.

Claims

1. Process for the production of a laminated glass glazing having a plurality of layers, comprising:

assembling one or more wires located within an intermediate thermoplastic layer and according to which, prior to assembly of the layers, an electrically conductive connection is established between the wires and one or more metal elements;

joining the layers to one another by a supply of heat and pressure,

heating the wires at the connection points, prior to the electrical connection to the metal elements, by an energy application locally limited to each of said points, such that the existence of surface layers adhering to the surfaces of the wires and bringing about an increased contact resistance are eliminated.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein prior to the assembly of the layers forming the laminated glass glazing, First the metal elements and then the wires are deposited above the metal elements on the intermediate thermoplastic layer and fixed and energy application only takes place after the placing of the wires on the thermoplastic layer above the metal elements.

3. Process according to claim 1, which comprises applying the energy to the connection points by a laser ray.

4. Process according to claim 3, which comprises using a laser ray having an emission wavelength below 2.5 μ

m.

5. Process according to claim 1, which comprises applying local energy to the connection points by a gas microflame.

6. Process according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, which comprises exposing the connection points for the wires during energy application to a reducing gas atmosphere.

7. Process according to any claim 2, wherein the metal elements comprise metal elements coated with weld metal and energy application takes place in such a way that, jointly with the elimination of the surface layers, the electrical contact between the wires and the metal elements is established by the melted weld metal.

8. Process according to any one of the claim 1, which comprises establishing the electrically conductive connection between the wires and the metal elements by an electrically conductive adhesive.

9. A method of using the process according to claim 1 for producing an electrically heatable, laminated glass glazing having tungsten heating wires in a parallel arrangement in the intermediate thermoplastic layer and electrically connected to busbars.

10. A heated laminated glazing incorporating an intercalated thermoplastic material layer having at least one heating network of fine, electrical resistance, metal wires extending between two collecting strips, the resistance wires being provided with a light-absorbing surface layer in a field of vision of the glazing, wherein said wires do not have said surface layer in areas of connection with the collecting strips.