Glazing system for vehicle tops and windows

• US 8,216,679 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exatec, LLC (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Exatec, LLC (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Chen, Meng, Gasworth, Steven M., Grandhee, Sunitha, Sargent, Johathan Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Shosho, Callie
• Assistant Examiner(s): FREEMAN, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US11/376,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20070026235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,308 Days
• Field of Search: 428/412, 428/447, 428/448, 428/480
• US Class Current: 428/412
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2369/00 Characterised by the use of polycarbonates; Derivatives of polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/0423 with at least one layer of inorganic material and at least one layer of a composition containing a polymer binder
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/043 Improving the adhesiveness of the coatings per se, e.g. forming primers adhesives in the form of films or foils characterised by the primer layers between the polymer carriers and the adhesives C09J7/50
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/046 Forming abrasion-resistant coatings; Forming surface-hardening coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/401 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 Composite [nonstructural laminate]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31511 Of epoxy ether
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31663 As siloxane, silicone or silane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31935 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer

Abstract

A glazing system and method for vehicle tops and windows is described therein. The system includes a panel having a top side and a bottom side, a first protective coating deposited on the top side and second protective coating deposited on the bottom side. The protective coatings provide protection from weathering and abrasion.

Claims

1. A glazing assembly comprising:

a plastic panel having a first side surface and a second side surface;

a first protective coating system deposited on the first side surface, the first protective coating system further comprises a weathering layer and at least a first abrasion-resistant layer on the weathering layer and a second abrasion-resistant layer on the first abrasion-resistant layer;

a second protective coating system deposited on the second side surface, the second protective coating system further comprises a first abrasion resistant layer comprising a vinyl-D4 layer on the second side surface and a second abrasion-resistant layer on the first abrasion-resistant layer; and

wherein the first and second protective coating systems each provide a different amount of protection from weathering and abrasion to the plastic panel from the first and second side surfaces, respectively;

wherein a weathering layer and a primer layer are not provided between the first abrasion-resistance layer of the second protective coating system and the second side surface;

wherein the abrasion resistant layers are vacuum deposited layers and the first abrasion-resistant layer of the second protective coating system includes a UV absorbing species formed from a reactive species;

wherein at least one of the abrasion resistant layers of the second protective coating system is different in composition from the abrasion resistant layers of the first protective coating system.

2. The glazing assembly of claim 1, wherein the weathering layer further comprises a multilayer coating having interlayers.

3. The glazing assembly of claim 2, wherein at least one of the interlayers contains UV absorbing molecules.

4. The glazing assembly of claim 2, wherein the multilayer coating interlayers comprise an acrylic primer and a silicone hard-coat.

5. The glazing assembly of claim 1, wherein the vacuum deposited layers are PECVD deposited layers.

6. The glazing assembly of claim 5, wherein the PECVD deposited layers are arc-PECVD deposited layers.

7. The glazing assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the abrasion resistant layers of the first and second protective coating systems is made from at least one of a-siloxane, a silicon oxy-carbide, and a hydrogenated silicon oxy-carbide.

8. The glazing assembly of claim 1 wherein one of the abrasion-resistant layers in the first protective system and one of the abrasion-resistant layers in the second protective system are of the same chemical composition.

9. The glazing assembly of claim 1, further comprising a decorative ink layer disposed between the plastic panel and the second protective coating system.

10. The glazing assembly of claim 1, wherein the plastic panel is constructed of a thermoplastic resin.

11. The glazing assembly of claim 10, wherein the thermoplastic resin is one of polycarbonate, acrylic, polyarylate, polyester, and polysulfone.

12. The glazing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plastic panel is a transparent panel.

13. The glazing assembly of claim 1, wherein the first protective coating system comprises the first abrasion-resistant layer is disposed directly on the weathering layer and a second abrasion-resistant layer is disposed directly on the first abrasion-resistant layer;

and wherein the second protective coating system comprises the first abrasion-resistant layer directly on the second side surface and a second abrasion-resistant layer directly on the first abrasion-resistant layer.

14. The glazing assembly of claim 1, wherein the second abrasion-resistant layer of the second protective coating system comprises D4.

15. A glazing assembly comprising:

a plastic panel having a first side surface and a second side surface;

a first protective coating system deposited on the first side surface, the first protective coating system further comprises a weathering layer and at least a first abrasion-resistant layer on the weathering layer and a second abrasion-resistant layer on the first abrasion-resistant layer;

a second protective coating system deposited on the second side surface, the second protective coating system further comprises a first abrasion resistant layer comprising a vinyl D4 layer directly on the second side surface and a second abrasion-resistant layer on the first abrasion-resistant layer; and

wherein the abrasion resistant layers are vacuum deposited layers and the first abrasion-resistant layer of the second protective coating system includes a UV absorbing species formed from a reactive species;

wherein at least one of the abrasion resistant layers of the second protective coating system is different in composition from the abrasion resistant layers of the first protective coating system.