Glass pane with opaque coating

• US 7,414,357 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2002
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Offermann, Volkmar, Reul, Bernhard, Mercks, Horst, Linnhoefer, Dieter, Goerenz, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton; Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): FEATHERLY, HANA SANEI
• Application Number:
  US10/479,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20040237430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,281 Days
• Field of Search: 313/463, 313/498, 313/512, 315/169.1
• US Class Current: 313/463
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10005 laminated safety glass or glazing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10174 Coatings of a metallic or dielectric material on a constituent layer of glass or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/12 Light sources with substantially two-dimensional radiating surfaces

Abstract

A window (1) with an opaque coating (2) comprising a surface region (3) which has opaque surface portions (5) and which is perforated by surface portions (4) allowing light to pass through and distributed over the surface. At least one flat electroluminescent light element (EL) with several layers, including a transparent electrode (8), is placed in at least some of the opaque surface portions (5) of the surface region (3), which element, after applying an electrical supply voltage to the side of the transparent electrode (8), radiates light through at least one of the faces of the window (1).

Claims

1. A window for an enclosed region, comprising:

a transparent panel covering a part of the enclosed region and having one side facing an interior of the enclosed region and another side facing an exterior of the enclosed region;

at least one flat electroluminescent light element with plural layers and including a transparent electrode provided at said transparent panel at a side of the electroluminescent light element facing the interior of the enclosed region and another electrode provided at said transparent pane at a side of the electroluminescent light element facing the exterior of the enclosed region;

an opaque element provided at said transparent panel to be separate from, exterior to, and in addition to, said another electrode such that said panel has both an opaque surface portion and a surface portion allowing light to pass therethrough;

wherein said at least one flat electroluminescent light element is positioned relative to said opaque surface portion such that the passage of light from said at least one flat electroluminescent light element to the exterior of the enclosed region is substantially obstructed by said opaque surface portion, and the passage of light from said at least one flat electroluminescent light element to the interior of the enclosed region is substantially unobstructed by said opaque surface portion; and

an electrical supply voltage connectable to the transparent electrode.

2. The window as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transparent panel comprises at least two rigid panes and an intermediate layer assembling the rigid panes to each other, in which the opaque element and the light element are embedded in the intermediate layer or are arranged on one face of one of the rigid panes located inside the window.

3. The window as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface portion allowing light to pass comprises plural surface portions regularly distributed between plural opaque surface portions.

4. The window as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light element is arranged on a support film.

5. The window as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opaque surface portion comprises an opaque coating masking the light element on one face.

6. The window as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electroluminescent layer of the electroluminescent light element is divided discontinuously into plural surface portions arranged according to a design, or in a desired arrangement, with at least one electrode used in common for plural of these surface portions.

7. The window as claimed in claim 6, wherein the electroluminescent layer is arranged in a dot pattern.

8. The window as claimed in claim 1, wherein plural electroluminescent light elements are provided side by side to be triggered independently of each other, and that have a common electrode.

9. The window as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two electroluminescent light elements are provided one above another to be triggered independently of each other and that have a common central electrode.

10. The window as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opaque element comprises an opaque layer, and wherein an electrode of the light element is provided directly at a side of the opaque layer facing an interior of the enclosed region.