Arrangement for heating an automobile glazing unit

• US 5,824,993 A
• Filed: 05/04/1995
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Automotive Components Holdings LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Chrysochoos, Michael J., Vanoostveen, Adrian G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EASTHOM, KARL D
• Application Number:
  US08/435,026
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 219/202, 219/203, 219/522, 219/539, 219/541, 219/547, 219/548
• US Class Current: 219/203
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/026 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/048 with a heating device for the wiper parking position
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/002 Heaters using a particular layout for the resistive material or resistive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/031 Heaters specially adapted for heating the windscreen wiper area
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/84 Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields

Abstract

A novel arrangement for electrically heating the lower section of an automobile glazing unit is disclosed. An embodiment of the arrangement includes a heating grid pattern employing vertical shorting bars to prevent complete inoperability of individual heating conductors. An alternate embodiment of the arrangement includes heating conductors of varying electrical resistance to achieve greater heat generation at desired locations.

Claims

1. An arrangement comprising

a glazing unit having a lower section

an electrically resistant grid pattern in thermal contact with an area of the lower section of the glazing unit, the grid pattern having a plurality of horizontally spaced resistance heating conductors;

bus bars disposed along and electrically connecting opposite edges of each of the heating conductors with the bus bars being connected to a power source to provide current flow through the bus bars and the heating conductors; and

a set of vertically spaced shorting bars electrically intersecting at least two of the heating conductors at respective points having equal voltage potentials and having an absence of current flow through the vertically spaced shorting bars upon the power source providing current flow through the bus bars and the heating conductors, each vertically spaced shorting bar having an insignificant resistivity as compared to the heating conductors such that insignificant heat is generated upon current flow through each shorting bar as compared to heat generated by each heating conductor.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the heating conductors comprise metal wires.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the heating conductors comprise electrically conductive enamel or ceramic materials.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the electrical resistance of the heating conductors is variable.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the heating conductors have a varying width.

6. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the grid pattern is adjacent to an interior surface of the automobile glazing unit.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the grid pattern is disposed within the automobile glazing unit.

8. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the heating conductors have a width of between about 0.010 inches to about 0.060 inches.

9. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the shorting bars have a width of about 0.030 inches to about 0.060 inches.

10. An arrangement for electrically heating a lower section of an automobile glazing unit comprising

an electrically resistant grid pattern in thermal contact with an area of the lower section of the automobile glazing unit, the grid pattern having a plurality of horizontally spaced resistance heating conductors being about 0.01 inches to about 0.060 inches in width;

bus bars disposed along and electrically connecting opposite edges of each of the heating conducts with the bus bars being connected to a power source to provide current flow through the bus bars and the heating conductors; and

a set of vertically spaced shorting bars being about 0.030 inches to about 0.060 inches in width electrically intersecting at least two of the heating conductors at respective points having equal voltage potentials and having an absence of current flow through the vertically spaced shorting bars upon the power source providing current flow through the bus bars and the heating conductors, each vertically spaced shorting bar having an insignificant resistivity as compared to the heating conductors such that insignificant heat is generated upon current flow through each shorting bar as compared to heat generated by each heating conductor,

grid pattern comprising electrically conductive enamel or ceramic materials having resistive portions of varying degree with the grid pattern being adjacent to an interior surface of the automobile glazing unit.