Soil-resistant coating for glass surfaces

• US 6,964,731 B1
• Filed: 02/02/1999
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cardinal CG Company (Cardinal Glass Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cardinal CG Company (Cardinal Glass Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hartig, Klaus, Krisko, Annette J., Pfaff, Gary, Stanek, Roger, Bond, Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): VERSTEEG, STEVEN H
• Application Number:
  US09/868,542
• Time in Patent Office: 2,478 Days
• Field of Search: 204/192.12, 204/192.23, 204/298.06, 204/298.24, 204/298.25, 204/298.26
• US Class Current: 204/192.12
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/245 by deposition from the vapour phase
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3417 all coatings being oxide coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/36 at least one coating being a metal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3618 Coatings of type glass/inorganic compound/other inorganic layers, at least one layer being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3626 one layer at least containing a nitride, oxynitride, boronitride or carbonitride
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3639 Multilayers containing at least two functional metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3642 the multilayer coating containing a metal layer
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3681 the multilayer coating being used in glazing, e.g. windows or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/213 SiO2
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/75 Hydrophilic and oleophilic coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/77 Coatings having a rough surface
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/154 by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/365 Coating different sides of a glass substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/10 Glass or silica
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3464 using more than one target C23C14/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/568 Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations C23C14/562 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/26 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

A glass article which has a water-sheeting coating and a method of applying coatings to opposed sides of a substrate are described. In one embodiment, a glass sheet is provided bearing a sputtered water-sheeting coating comprising silica on an exterior surface and bearing a reflective coating on an interior surface. The interior surface of a sheet of glass can be coated with a reflective coating by sputtering, in sequence, at least one dielectric layer, at least one metal layer, and at least one dielectric layer. The exterior surface of the glass can be coated with a water-sheeting coating by sputtering silica directly onto the exterior surface of the sheet of glass. Both the reflective coating and the water-sheeting coating can be applied during the same pass through the same sputter coating apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of rendering a surface of a pane of glass resistant to soiling and staining, comprising:

providing a sheet of glass having a clean interior surface and a clean exterior surface;

surface and a sputtering line comprising a series of sputtering chambers each having a plurality of transport rollers for conveying the sheet of glass along the sputtering line, at least one of the sputtering chambers comprising a downward sputtering chamber having an upper target positioned above the transport rollers, a second of the sputtering chambers comprising an upward sputtering chamber having a lower target positioned below the transport rollers;

positioning the sheet of glass on the transport rollers in the downward sputtering chamber such that the interior surface is oriented toward the upper target and sputtering the upper target to deposit a dielectric layer on one of the interior surface of the glass or a film stack layer previously deposited on the interior surface of the glass;

positioning the sheet of the glass on the transport rollers in the upward sputtering chamber such that the exterior surface is oriented toward the lower target and sputtering the lower target to deposit a water-sheeting coating on the exterior surface of the glass.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the upward sputtering chamber further comprises an upper target positioned above the support, further comprising sputtering the upper target to deposit a dielectric layer on one of the interior surface of the glass or a film stack layer previously deposited on the interior surface of the glass while the sheet of glass remains in the upward sputtering chamber.

3. A method of rendering a surface of a pane of glass resistant to soiling and staining, comprising:

providing a sheet of glass having a clean interior surface and a clean exterior surface and a sputtering line comprising a series of sputtering chambers each having a plurality of transport rollers for conveying the sheet of glass alone the sputtering line, at least one of the sputtering chambers comprising a dual direction sputtering chamber having an upper target positioned above the transport rollers and a lower target positioned below the transport rollers;

positioning the sheet of glass on the transport rollers in the dual direction sputtering chamber such that the interior surface is oriented toward the upper target and the exterior surface is oriented toward the target; and

while the sheet of glass remains in the dual direction sputtering chamber

i) sputtering the upper target to deposit a dielectric layer on one of the interior surface of the glass or a film stack layer previously deposited on the interior surface of the glass; and

ii) sputtering the lower target to deposit a water-sheeting coating on the exterior surface of the glass.

4. A method of coating two sides of a single pane of glass in a single pass through a coating apparatus, comprising:

providing a sheet of glass having a clean interior surface and a clean exterior surface and a sputtering line comprising a series of sputtering chambers each having a plurality of transport rollers for conveying the sheet of glass along the sputtering line, at least one of the sputtering chambers comprising a downward sputtering chamber having an upper target positioned above the transport rollers, a second of the sputtering chambers comprising an upward sputtering chamber having a lower target positioned below the transport rollers;

positioning the sheet of glass on the transport rollers in the downward sputtering chamber such that the interior surface is oriented toward the upper target and sputtering the upper target to deposit a coating directly on one of the interior surface of the glass or a film stack layer previously deposited on the interior surface of the glass;

positioning the sheet of the glass on the transport rollers in the upward sputtering chamber such that the exterior surface is oriented toward the lower target and sputtering the lower target to deposit a coating on one of the exterior surface of the glass or a film stack layer previously deposited on the exterior surface of the glass, the glass being coated on both the interior surface and the exterior surface while maintaining a constant orientation wherein the interior surface is positioned above the exterior surface.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the lower target comprises silicon, said lower target being sputtered in an oxidizing atmosphere to deposit a water-sheeting coating directly on the exterior surface of the glass.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the transport rollers are spaced apart and the lower target is sputtered upwardly between the transport rollers.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the sheet of glass is conveyed horizontally over the transport rollers during said sputtering of the lower larget target and during said sputtering of the upper target.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the sheet of glass is conveyed over the transport rollers so that the coating deposited on the exterior surface of the glass sheet comes into direct contact with the transport rollers.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein said coating sputtered downwardly from the upper target is part of a film stack comprising a series of distinct layers, wherein said coating sputtered upwardly from the lower target is a water-sheeting coating, and wherein said film stack has a greater thickness than the water-sheeting coating.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein said coating deposited by sputtering the lower target upwardly is a water-sheeting coating, and wherein said coating deposited by sputtering the upper target downwardly is part of a low emissivity film stack.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said coating deposited by sputtering the upper target downwardly is a dielectric layer of the low-emissivity film stack.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said water-sheeting coating is deposited in a last of the sputtering chambers in the sputtering line.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said water-sheeting coating is deposited to a median thickness of between about 15Å

and about 150Å

.

14. A coating apparatus for coating two sides of a single pane of glass in a single pass through the coating apparatus the coating apparatus comprising a support for supporting the pane of glass horizontally in the coating apparatus, the support comprising a series of spaced-apart transport rollers, an upper sputtering target positioned above the support within a chamber of the coating apparatus for sputtering a coating onto the upper surface of the pane of glass, and a lower sputtering target positioned below the support within a chamber of the coating apparatus for sputtering a coating onto the lower surface of the pane of glass.

15. The coating apparatus of claim 14 wherein the upper sputtering target and the lower sputtering target are both in the same chamber of the coating apparatus.

16. The coating apparatus of claim 14 wherein the upper sputtering target is in a first chamber and the lower sputtering target is in a second chamber.

17. The coating apparatus of claim 14 wherein the coating apparatus includes further chambers each including an upper or lower sputtering target provided above or below the support respectively.

18. The coating apparatus of claim 14 comprising a lower anode proximate the lower target, and an upper anode proximate the upper target.

19. The coating apparatus of claim 14 comprising a lower gas distribution pipe located below the support adjacent the lower target, and an upper gas distribution pipe located above the support adjacent the upper target.

20. A method of coating two sides of a single pane of glass in a single pass through a coating apparatus, comprising:

providing a sheet of glass having an interior surface and an exterior surface and a

sputtering line comprising a series of sputtering chambers each having a support for a sheet of glass therein, the support comprising a series of spaced-apart transport rollers, at least one of the sputtering chambers comprising a downward sputtering chamber having an upper target positioned above the support, a second of the sputtering chambers comprising an upward sputtering chamber having a lower target positioned below the support;

conveying the sheet of glass horizontally through the downward sputtering chamber on transport rollers such that the interior surface is oriented toward the upper target and the exterior surface is in direct contact with such transport rollers, sputtering the upper target downwardly to deposit a coating on the interior surface, wherein the coating deposited by downwardly sputtering the upper target is part of a low-emissivity film stack; and

conveying the sheet of glass horizontally through the upward sputtering chamber on transport rollers such that the exterior surface is oriented toward the lower target and is in direct contact with such transport rollers, sputtering the lower target to deposit a coating on the exterior surface, the lower target being sputtered upwardly between transport rollers in the upward sputtering chamber, wherein said coating deposited by sputtering the lower target upwardly is a water-sheeting coating, and wherein said water- sheeting coating on the exterior surface comes into direct contact with transport rollers in the upward sputtering chamber during said conveyance of the sheet of glass through the upward sputtering chamber.

21. A method of coating two sides of a single pane of glass in a single pass through a coating apparatus, comprising:

providing a sheet of glass having a clean interior surface and a clean exterior surface and a sputtering line comprising a series of sputtering chambers each having a support for one or more sheets of glass therein, at least one of the sputtering chambers comprising a downward sputtering chamber having an upper target positioned above the support, a second of the sputtering chambers comprising an upward sputtering chamber having a lower target positioned below the support;

positioning the sheet of glass on the support in the downward sputtering chamber such that the interior surface is oriented toward the upper target and sputtering the upper target to deposit a coating either entirely over the interior surface of the glass or entirely over a film stack layer previously deposited entirely over the interior surface of the glass;

positioning the sheet of glass on the support in the upward sputtering chamber such that the exterior surface is oriented toward the lower target and sputtering the lower target to deposit a coating either entirely over the exterior surface of the glass or entirely over a film stack layer previously deposited entirely over the exterior surface of the glass.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the support comprises spaced-apart transport rollers, the lower target being sputtered upwardly between such rollers.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the sheet of glass is conveyed horizontally over the transport rollers during said sputtering of the lower target and during said sputtering of the upper target.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the sheet of glass is conveyed over the transport rollers so that the coating deposited on the exterior surface of the glass sheet comes into direct contact with the transport rollers.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein said coating sputtered downwardly from the upper target is part of a film stack comprising a series of distinct layers, wherein said coating sputtered upwardly from the lower target is a water-sheeting coating, and wherein said film stack has a greater thickness than the water-sheeting coating.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein said coating deposited by sputtering the lower target upwardly is a water-sheeting coating, and wherein said coating deposited by sputtering the upper target downwardly is part of a low- emissivity film stack.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said coating deposited by sputtering the upper target downwardly is a dielectric layer of the low- emissivity film stack.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein said water-sheeting coating is deposited in a last of the sputtering chambers in the sputtering line.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein said water-sheeting coating is deposited to a median thickness of between about 15Å

and about 150Å

.