Disk having an illuminated switch surface

• US 9,170,008 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2012
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Reul, Bernhard, Schmalbuch, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ashok
• Application Number:
  US14/348,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20140233240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• 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 17/10788 containing ethylene vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

A disk having an illuminated switch surface is described. The disk has a transparent substrate, an electrically conductive structure, which forms a switch surface, a flat conductor, which is electrically connected to the electrically conductive structure by means of an electrical connecting element, a light-irradiation means, which has at least one light source and is arranged on the flat conductor and on a lateral edge of the substrate. Light is coupled into the disk from the lateral edge of the substrate and from a light-refracting means, which is arranged in the region of the disk irradiated by the light of the light-irradiation means.

Claims

1. A pane having an illuminated switch surface, comprising:

a transparent substrate,

an electrically conductive structure, which forms the illuminated switch surface,

a flat conductor on a lateral edge of the transparent substrate, which is electrically connected to the electrically conductive structure via an electrical connecting element,

a light irradiation means, which comprises at least one light source and is arranged on the flat conductor and on the lateral edge of the transparent substrate, wherein light is coupled into the pane from the lateral edge of the transparent substrate, and

a light deflection means, which is arranged in the region of the pane irradiated by the light of the light irradiation means,

wherein;

an area that results from a projection of the light deflection means onto the plane of the switch surface is arranged within the switch surface, or borders the switch surface continuously or interruptedly, or is both arranged within the switch surface and borders the switch surface continuously or interruptedly, and

the light deflection means comprises structures for light scattering.

2. The pane according to claim 1, wherein the light deflection means comprises one or more of particles, point grids, stickers, deposits, indentations, scratches, line grids, imprints, or silkscreen prints.

3. The pane according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is connected to a cover pane by at least one intermediate layer and the intermediate layer contains at least one or more of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA).

4. The pane according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive structure and the light deflection means are arranged on the same surface or on surfaces of the substrate opposite one another.

5. The pane according to claim 3, wherein the electrically conductive structure and the light deflection means are arranged on the same surface or on surfaces of the cover pane opposite one another.

6. The pane according to claim 3, wherein the electrically conductive structure is arranged on a surface of the substrate and the light deflection means is arranged on a surface of the cover pane.

7. The pane according to claim 3, wherein the electrically conductive structure is arranged on a surface of the cover pane and the light deflection means is arranged on a surface of the substrate.

8. The pane according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the electrically conductive structure or the light deflection means is arranged on a carrier film between a first intermediate layer and a second intermediate layer.

9. The pane according to claim 8, wherein the carrier film contains at least one polyester, at least one polyimide, or at least one polyester and at least one polyimide, and has a thickness from 10 μ

m to 1 mm.

10. The pane according to claim 9, wherein the carrier film contains a thermoplastic polyester.

11. The pane according to claim 10, wherein the thermoplastic polyester is polyethylene naphthalate, or polyethylene terephthalate.

12. The pane according to claim 9, wherein the thickness is from 30 μ

m to 200 μ

m.

13. The pane according to claim 1, wherein the area of the surface that results from a projection of the light deflection means onto the plane of the switch surface is from 5% to 300% of an area of the switch surface.

14. The pane according to claim 13, wherein the area of the surface that results from a projection of the light deflection means onto the plane of the switch surface is from 10% to 200% of an area of the switch surface.

15. The pane according to claim 1, wherein the light irradiation means comprises a reflector or an optical waveguide or both.

16. A motor vehicle comprising the pane having an illuminated switch surface according to claim 1.

17. The pane according to claim 1, wherein the flat conductor attaches to a lower corner of the lateral edge of the substrate.

18. The pane according to claim 1, wherein the flat conductor comprises a first part substantially parallel to a main surface of the substrate and not touching the substrate, a second part attached to an upper or lower corner of the lateral edge of the substrate, and a third curved part connecting the first part to the second part.

19. A method for producing a pane having an illuminated switch surface, comprising:

applying an electrically conductive structure, which forms a switch surface, an electrical connecting element connected to the electrically conductive structure, and a light deflection means on a transparent substrate, and

arranging a light irradiation means on a flat conductor and electrically connecting the flat conductor to the electrical connecting element, wherein the light irradiation means and the flat conductor are arranged on a lateral edge of the transparent substrate.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the flat conductor is electrically connected to the electrical connecting element by soldering, clamping, or by means of an electrically conductive adhesive.

21. A method for producing a pane having an illuminated switch surface, comprising:

applying an electrically conductive structure, which forms a switch surface, and an electrical connecting element connected to the electrically conductive structure on a transparent substrate or on a cover pane and applying a light deflection means on the transparent substrate or on the cover pane,

arranging a light irradiation means on a flat conductor and electrically connecting the flat conductor to the electrical connecting element, and

bonding the substrate to the cover pane by at least one intermediate layer under the action of heat, vacuum, pressure, or a combination thereof, wherein the light irradiation means and the flat conductor are arranged on a lateral edge of the transparent substrate.

22. A method for producing a pane having an illuminated switch surface, comprising:

applying an electrically conductive structure, which forms a switch surface, an electrical connecting element connected to the electrically conductive structure, and a light deflection means on a carrier film,

arranging a light irradiation means on a flat conductor and electrically connecting the flat conductor to the electrical connecting element, and

bonding the carrier film to a substrate by a first intermediate layer and to a cover pane by a second intermediate layer under the action of heat, vacuum, pressure, or combination thereof, wherein the light irradiation means and the flat conductor are arranged on a lateral edge of the substrate.