Windshield for head-up display system

• US 6,534,152 B2
• Filed: 06/23/1993
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PPG Industries Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Original Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Freeman, Glenn E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Loney, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US08/082,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20010044010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,555 Days
• Field of Search: 428/156, 428/157, 428/192, 428/194, 428/195, 428/207, 428/213, 428/215, 428/210, 428/220, 428/437, 428/172, 359/630, 527/861.2, 345/7
• US Class Current: 428/172
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10568 varying in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10981 Pre-treatment of the layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/02 characterised by features of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions non-uniform thickness B32B3/263
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0121 Parasitic image effect attenuation by suitable positioning of the parasitic images
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24488 Differential nonuniformity at margin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24793 Comprising discontinuous or differential impregnation or bond
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24901 including coloring matter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24967 Absolute thicknesses specified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3163 Next to acetal of polymerized unsaturated alcohol [e.g., formal butyral, etc.]

Abstract

A wedge shaped interlayer blank is used in the fabrication of a laminate e.g. a vehicle windshield to provide the subsequently formed windshield with opposing major surfaces that are non-parallel and offset at a predetermined angle such that images from a display source that are reflected off the opposing major surfaces of the windshield are substantially superimposed over each other.

Claims

1. A laminate comprising:

a first sheet capable of passing visible light having a first surface and an opposite surface defined as a second surface;

a second sheet capable of passing visible light having a first surface and an opposite surface defined as a second surface;

an interlayer capable of passing visible light between the second surface of the first sheet and the first surface of the second sheet and securing the sheets together to form the laminate, and

one of the sheets has a wedged shaped thickness to provide the laminate with a wedge-shaped thickness profile.

2. The laminate of claim 1 further including the interlayer having a wedge-shaped thickness profile.

3. The laminate of claim 1 wherein both sheets have a wedge-shaped thickness profile.

4. The laminate of claim 1 wherein the sheets are transparent sheets.

5. The laminate of claim 4 wherein the laminate is an automotive transparency.

6. The laminate of claim 5 wherein the sheets are glass sheets.

7. The laminate of claim 6 wherein the laminate is an automotive windshield.

8. The laminate of claim 7 wherein the interlayer is polyvinylbutyral.

9. The laminate of claim 8 wherein the interlayer is a plasticized polyvinylbutyral.

10. The laminate of claim 9 wherein the interlayer has a gradient color band adjacent an edge of the interlayer.

11. The laminate of claim 10 wherein the windshield has arcuate opposed edges with the color band at the greater thickness region of the laminate and the color band is substantially parallel to an arcuate edge of the laminate.

12. The laminate of claim 7 wherein the interlayer includes two layers.

13. The laminate of claim 1 wherein the laminate is an automotive windshield, the interlayer is plasticized polyvinylbutyral, the interlayer is adhered to the second surface of the first sheet and the first surface of the second sheet and the first and second sheets are glass sheets each having a wedge-shaped thickness profile further including the windshield having two edges that are arcuate shaped with one of the arcuate shaped edges being of greater thickness and having an arcuate gradient color band.