Transparent layered product and glass article using the same

• US 6,444,898 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2000
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kaneka Corporation, Nippon Sheet Glass Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company Limited
• Inventors: Otani, Tsuyoshi, Hattori, Akihiko, Fujisawa, Akira, Hirata, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAMOND, ALAN D
• Application Number:
  US09/594,263
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 136/256, 136/244, 136/251, 257/432, 257/434, 428/432, 428/336, 428/142, 428/141, 428/702, 428/701, 527/861, 527/861.3, 524/79, 427/585, 427/258, 427/266, 427/419.2
• US Class Current: 136/256
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/23 Oxides C03C17/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3411 with at least two coatings of inorganic materials C03C17/36, C03C17/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/229 Non-specific enumeration
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/77 Coatings having a rough surface
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2023/88 Multi reflective traps
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 80/52 characterised by the material for preventing heat loss F24S80/56
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 80/56 characterised by means for preventing heat loss
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 80/58 characterised by their mountings or fixing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24364 with transparent or protective coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

A transparent layered product in which the ratio of a refractive-index transition layer at the surface of a coating film is set to be a suitable ratio for increasing light transmittance is provided. In a coating film with a rough surface formed on a glass sheet, the thickness of a transition layer in which the refractive index varies continuously in its thickness direction is set to be in a range between 13% and 65% of the thickness of a layer having a substantially constant refractive index in the coating film.

Claims

1. A transparent layered product, comprising:

a glass sheet;

an undercoating film comprising at least two layers formed on the glass sheet, wherein the undercoating film has a surface roughness; and

a coating film formed on the undercoating film,

wherein the coating film has a surface roughness and a transition layer at its surface in which a refractive index varies continuously in its thickness direction,

wherein a thickness of the transition layer ranges from 13% to 65% of a thickness of a layer having a substantially constant refractive index in the coating film.

2. The transparent layered product according to claim 1, wherein the coating film is a crystalline coating film, and the roughness is caused by crystal grains in the crystalline coating film.

3. The transparent layered product according to claim 2, wherein the crystalline coating film contains, as a main component, at least one selected from the group consisting of tin oxide, zinc oxide, indium oxide, and titanium oxide.

4. The transparent layered product according to claim 1, wherein the undercoating film is a coating film formed by thermal decomposition of a material containing halogen, and the undercoating film has a surface with roughness caused by production of or loss after the production of compound grains of an alkaline component in the glass sheet and the halogen.

5. The transparent layered product according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the coating film ranges from 400 nm to 1200 nm.

6. The transparent layered product according to claim 1, wherein the coating film is a conductive coating film.

7. A multiple-glazing unit, comprising:

at least two transparent substrates; and

at least one inner layer selected from the group consisting of an air layer, an inert gas layer, and a low pressure layer,

the at least two transparent substrates being positioned so as to oppose each other via the at least one inner layer,

wherein at least one of the at least two transparent substrates is the transparent layered product according to claim 1.

8. A photoelectric conversion device, comprising:

a transparent layered product, including

a glass sheet,

an undercoating film comprising at least two layers formed on the glass sheet,

wherein the undercoating film has a surface roughness,

a conductive crystalline coating film, which is formed on the undercoating film, the coating film having a surface roughness;

at least one photoelectric conversion unit; and

a back electrode,

wherein the crystalline coating film includes, at its surface, a transition layer in which a refractive index varies continuously in its thickness direction, and

the at least one photoelectric conversion unit and the back electrode are stacked on the crystalline coating film in this order,

wherein the transition layer has a thickness in a range between 13% and 65% of a thickness of a layer having a substantially constant refractive index in the crystalline coating film.

9. A method of manufacturing a transparent layered product comprising:

forming an undercoating film comprising of at least two layers by a CVD method on a glass ribbon in a glass sheet production line, and

forming a coating film by a CVD method on the undercoating film in the production line,

wherein the temperature of the glass ribbon during the forming of the undercoating film and the coating film ranges from approximately 615°

C. to 715°

C.,

the undercoating is formed so as to have a rough surface, and

the coating film is formed so as to have a transition layer at its surface in which a refractive index of the transition layer varies continuously in its thickness direction, wherein a thickness of the transition layer ranges from 13% to 65% of a thickness of a layer having a substantially constant refractive index in the coating film.