Vehicles including rear defroster assemblies with protective barriers

• US 8,324,532 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sterling, Andrea L., Sargent, Corey B., Bacchus, Mark T., Ankeny, Scott M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Allan R
• Application Number:
  US12/691,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20110174796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 219/202, 219/203, 219/522, 219/544, 219546-547
• US Class Current: 219/203
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle includes a rear window and a defroster assembly including heating lines extending across the rear window. A protective barrier at least partially covers the heating lines. The protective barrier includes a film that provides a barrier between the heating lines and sulfur gases generated by components of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a rear window;

a defroster assembly including heating lines extending across the rear window, the defroster assembly comprising a bus bar electrically connected to the heating lines;

a protective barrier at least partially covering the heating lines, the protective barrier comprising a film that provides a barrier between the heating lines and sulfur gases generated by components of the vehicle, the bus bar being at least partially covered by the protective barrier;

a connecting tab electrically connected to the bus bar, the film having an opening that is sized and arranged to receive the connecting tab such that the connecting tab is exposed outside the film; and

a barrier material different from the film covering a gap formed between the connecting tab and the film.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the film is a clear plastic film.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the film comprises a layer of clear polyester film.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the barrier material comprises an epoxy resin that is located about a periphery of the connecting tab.

5. A combination rear window with defroster assembly for a vehicle, the combination comprising:

a plurality of heating lines extending across the rear window for providing surface heating of the rear window during operation;

a film at least partially covering the heating lines, the film configured to provide a barrier between the heating lines and sulfur gases generated by components of the vehicle;

a bus bar electrically connected to the heating lines, the bus bar being at least partially covered by the film;

a connecting tab electrically connected to the bus bar, the film having an opening that is sized and arranged to receive the connecting tab such that the connecting tab is exposed outside the film; and

a hardened barrier material different from the film covering a gap formed between the connecting tab and the film.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the film is a clear plastic film.

7. The combination of claim 5, wherein the film comprises a layer of clear polyester film.

8. The combination of claim 5, wherein the hardened barrier material comprises an epoxy resin that is located about a periphery of the connecting tab.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein the epoxy resin is a bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether resin.

10. A method of protecting a vehicle defroster assembly from corrosion, the method comprising:

covering heating lines extending across a window of a vehicle with a film suitable for providing a barrier to sulfur gases;

providing an opening in the film sized and arranged to receive a connecting tab therethrough that is electrically connected to a bus bar of the defroster assembly; and

applying a barrier material that is different from the film covering a gap formed between the connecting tab and the film.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the opening is a first opening in the film and the connecting tab is a first connecting tab, wherein the method comprises providing a second opening in the film sized and arranged to receive a second connecting tab therethrough.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the barrier material comprises an epoxy resin.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the film provides the barrier for the heating lines covered thereby to prevent an increase in resistance of the heating lines of about 5 percent or less.