Carbon nanotube defrost windows

• US 8,426,776 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2010
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing FUNATE Innovation Technology Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Beijing FUNATE Innovation Technology Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wang, Yu-Quan, Liu, Liang
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Allan R
• Application Number:
  US12/806,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20110155713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 219/202, 219/203, 219/522, 219/544, 219546-547, 977/742, 977/778, 977/783
• US Class Current: 219/203
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2214/04 Heating means manufactured by using nanotechnology
• 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 defrost window includes a transparent substrate, a carbon nanotube film, a first electrode, a second electrode and a protective layer. The transparent substrate has a top surface. The carbon nanotube film is disposed on the top surface of the transparent substrate. The first electrode and the second electrode electrically connect to the carbon nanotube film and space from each other. The protective layer covers the carbon nanotube film.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

at least one defrost window, comprising;

a transparent substrate having a top surface;

at least one carbon nanotube film attached on the top surface of the transparent substrate, the at least one carbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes;

a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes electrically connected to the at least one carbon nanotube film and spaced from each other, wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes of the at least one carbon nanotube film is substantially aligned along a direction from the plurality of first electrodes to the plurality of second electrodes, and the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes are extended from vehicle bottom to vehicle top;

a protective layer covering the at least one carbon nanotube film; and

an electrical source electrically connected between the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes, the electrical source being adapted to apply electrical currents to the at least one carbon nanotube film;

a control system electrically connected to the electrical source, the control system being adapted to control voltages of the electrical source;

a switch electrically connected to the control system;

a sensor electrically connected to the control system the sensor being adapted to detect frost on the defrost window.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes are arranged in a staggered manner, the plurality of first electrodes are electrically connected with each other, and the plurality of second electrodes are electrically connected with each other.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube film is a plurality of carbon nanotube films stacked on each other and disposed on the top surface of the transparent substrate, each of the plurality of carbon nanotube films comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes combined end to end by Van der Waals attractive force therebetween, and oriented along a same direction.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube film comprises a plurality of carbon nanotube segments, the plurality of carbon nanotube segments being successively oriented along a preferred orientation direction of the plurality of carbon nanotube segments and being joined end-to-end along the preferred orientation direction by Van der Waals attractive force therebetween.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the plurality of carbon nanotube segments comprise a plurality of carbon nanotubes substantially parallel to each other, and combined by Van der Waals attractive force therebetween.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive layer disposed on the top surface of the transparent substrate, between the transparent substrate and the at least one carbon nanotube film.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the protective layer is made of made of polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate acrylic, polyethylene terephthalate, polyether polysulfones, polyvinyl polychloride, benzocyclobutenes, polyesters, acrylic resins, or epoxy resin.