Vehicle glazing

• US 8,263,228 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2007
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pilkington Automotive Limited (Pilkington PLC)
• Original Assignee: Pilkington Automotive Limited (Pilkington PLC)
• Inventors: Torr, Ashley Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): McNeil, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLGAN, LAUREN ROBINSON
• Application Number:
  US12/279,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20100221461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,044 Days
• Field of Search: 428/34, 428/428, 428/432, 428/689, 428/697, 428/699, 428/701, 428/702
• US Class Current: 428/432
• 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 17/10055 with at least one intermediate air space
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/1011 having predetermined tint or excitation purity
• 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 17/10339 Specific parts of the laminated safety glass or glazing being colored or tinted tinted glass sheet B32B17/1011; tinted interlayer B32B17/10651
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10495 optoelectronic, i.e. optical valve
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10541 comprising a light source or a light guide
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/1077 containing polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3417 all coatings being oxide coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/71 Photocatalytic coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/75 Hydrophilic and oleophilic coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 4/02 for coloured glass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24967 Absolute thicknesses specified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

A vehicle glazing comprising two panes of glazing material spaced apart from one another, a self-cleaning coating extending over the outermost surface of the glazing, and having a solar control function. The solar control function may result from the presence of a solar control coating or at least one pane of glazing material being body-tinted. The glazing may be a laminate or a double glazing unit and it may also include a functional layer, such as a liquid crystal film or a layer of light emitting diodes.

Claims

1. A vehicle glazing comprising:

two panes of glazing material spaced apart from one another;

a hydrophilic, photoactive, self-cleaning coating, comprising crystalline titania, extending over the outermost surface of the glazing;

a functional layer extending between the two panes of glazing material;

wherein the self-cleaning coating is deposited in a thickness of between 10 nm and 40 nm, and exhibits between 5% and 20% reflection (when measured normal to the coating), and the functional layer comprises a ply of polymeric material that is provided on one of its surfaces with a silver-based solar control coating; and

wherein the functional layer further comprises one or more light emitting diodes.

2. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the panes of glazing material is body-tinted glass, the composition of which includes one or more of the following colourants:

iron oxide, cobalt oxide, selenium, chromium oxide, titanium oxide, manganese oxide, copper oxide, vanadium oxide, nickel oxide.

3. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 2, wherein iron oxide (as total iron expressed as Fe203) is included in an amount from 0.01 to 3.0% by weight of the glass.

4. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the panes of glazing material is provided on an inner surface with a solar control coating.

5. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein each pane of glazing material has a thickness in the range from 0.5 to 25 mm.

6. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 5, wherein the overall thickness of the glazing is in the range from 1.5 to 100 mm.

7. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein a self-cleaning-type coating is provided on the innermost surface of the glazing.

8. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein a low emissivity coating is provided on the innermost surface of the glazing.

9. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more light emitting diodes are provided on an electrically conductive substrate.

10. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the functional layer further comprises a visible light attenuation material.

11. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 10, wherein the visible light attenuation material is selected from the group of materials consisting of a liquid crystal film, an electrochromic layer and a suspended particle device.

12. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 10, wherein the visible light attenuation material is a liquid crystal film.

13. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 10, wherein the visible light attenuation material is an electrochromic layer.

14. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 10, wherein the visible light attenuation material is a suspended particle device.

15. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 1, in the form of a laminate having a ply of laminating interlayer material joining the panes of the glazing together.

16. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 15, wherein the ply of laminating interlayer material either absorbs or reflects infrared radiation.

17. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 1, in the form of a double glazing unit having a sealed airspace between the two panes of glazing material.

18. A vehicle glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle glazing is a roof window.