Automotive glazing panel having an electrically heatable solar control coating layer

• US 6,670,581 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Glaverbel SA (AGC, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Glaverbel
• Inventors: Maza, Christophe, Degand, Etienne
• Primary Examiner(s): Paik, Sang Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FASTOVSKY, LEONID M
• Application Number:
  US09/926,520
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 219/203, 219/522, 219/541, 219/543, 296/11, 439/149
• US Class Current: 219/203
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/008 with layout including a portion free of resistive material, e.g. communication window
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/86 the heating conductors being embedded in the transparent or reflecting material H05B3/845 takes precedence

Abstract

An automotive glazing panel having an electrically heatable solar control coating layer, spaced first and second bus bars adapted to relay electrical power to the coating layer and a data transmission window positioned at least partially in contact with the heatable solar control coating layer is arranged such that at least a portion of the periphery of the data transmission window is bounded by an electrically conductive band having an electrical resistance measured in ohms per square significantly less than the electrical resistance measured in ohms per square of the heatable solar control coating layer. This may be used to minimize perturbations to the heating of the glazing caused by the presence of the data transmission window and/or provide more even heating over the entire windscreen.

Claims

1. An automotive glazing panel having an electrically heatable solar control coating layer, spaced first and second bus bars adapted to relay electrical power to the coating layer and a data transmission window positioned at least partially in contact with the heatable solar control coating layer characterised in that at least a portion of the periphery of the data transmission window is bounded by an electrically conductive band having an electrical resistance measured in ohms per square of at least one of the following features:

(a) less than 0.35;

(b) significantly less than the electrical resistance measured in ohms per square of the heatable solar control coating.

2. The automotive glazing panel in accordance with claim 1 and further including both of (a) and (b).

3. The automotive glazing panel in accordance with claim 1 wherein the electrical resistance of the electrically conductive band is less than 0.05 ohms per square.

4. The automotive glazing panel in accordance with claim 1 and further including at least one of the following:

(c) the data transmission window is entirely surrounded by the electrically heatable solar control coating layer;

(d) the data transmission window is substantially elongate in shape and positioned adjacent to one of the bus bars;

(e) the minimum distance between the periphery of the data transmission window and either of the first or second bus bars is less than 200 mm;

(f) at least one of the bus bars extends along a top portion of the glazing panel adjacent to a top edge of the glazing panel.

5. The automotive glazing panel in accordance with claim 1 and further including at least one of the following:

(g) the electrically conductive band is a silver containing enamel material;

(h) the electrically conductive band is a silver containing paint.

6. The automotive glazing panel in accordance with claim 1 wherein the glazing panel is an automotive windscreen.

8. A method of reducing the phenomena of hot spots in a glazing panel comprising:

providing an electrically heatable solar control coating layer;

providing a data transmission window; and

providing an electrically conductive band arranged in accordance with claim 1.

9. The method of claim 8 in which the electrically conductive band has an electrical resistance of less than 0.05 ohms per square.

7. A method of reducing the phenomena of hot spots in a glazing panel comprising:

providing an electrically heatable solar control coating layer;

providing a data transmission window; and

arranging an electrically conductive band adjacent to at least a portion of the periphery of the data transmission window.