Vehicle window having bus bar(s) of conductive black frit

• US 20060081581A1
• Filed: 10/04/2004
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ACR II Glass America Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Odeh, Sam
• Granted Patent: US 8,664,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/203
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10229 Metallic layers sandwiched by dielectric layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/016 Heaters using particular connecting means
• 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 heatable vehicle window includes a substrate that supports a heatable conductor. The heatable conductor may be in the form of a grid of conductors, or alternatively a substantially continuous sheet. First and second conductive bus bars are electrically connected to the heatable conductor. The first and/or second bus bars are each conductive, and include black color pigment, so that the first and/or second bus bars are substantially black in color.

Claims

1. A heatable vehicle window, comprising:

a glass substrate supporting at least one heatable conductor;

first and second conductive bus bars electrically connected to the heatable conductor; and

wherein the first bus bar and/or the second bus bar comprises conductive material and frit, and is black in color.

2. The heatable vehicle window of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second bus bar comprises Ag particles and black coloring pigment, and are opaque.

3. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein the heatable conductor and the bus bars are provided on a first major surface of the glass substrate at least partially over a non-conductive black colored layer that is also provided on the glass substrate, and wherein the non-conductive black colored layer is provided along at least one side of the glass substrate and is not located in a central area of the window.

4. The heatable window of claim 3, wherein the non-conductive black colored layer is provided along all four sides of the window.

5. The heatable window of claim 3, wherein the non-conductive black colored layer comprises a non-conductive enamel.

6. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein the black colored bus bar(s) is made of a material comprising SiO₂ and Ag.

7. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein the black colored bus bar(s) comprises Ag particles dispersed therein for conductivity purposes.

8. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein the window is a backlite of a vehicle.

9. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein the black colored bus bar(s) are opaque and block transmission of visible light.

10. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second bus bars is black in color and comprises both conductive material and frit.

11. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein the first and second bus bars and the heatable conductor are all formed of the same material, and are black in color.

12. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein the first and second bus bars, and the heatable conductor, are formed at the same time of the same material.

13. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein the first bus bar is substantially C-shaped, and the second bus bar is substantially shaped as an inverted C.

14. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second bus bars is substantially linear in shape.

15. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein a grid of heatable conductors is provided, with a plurality of the heatable conductors being located at least partially between the first and second bus bars.

16. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein a plurality of spaced apart and substantially parallel heatable conductors are provided, and wherein each of the conductors is located at least partially between the first and second bus bars.

17. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein the heatable conductor comprises a conductive sheet of substantially transparent material.

18. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein the window is a monolithic window.

19. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein the window is a laminated window including a pair of substrates laminated to one another via a polymer inclusive interlayer.

20. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein no opaque layer is provided on a major interior surface of the window over the bus bars for hiding the bus bars from view.

21. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein the first and second bus bars each comprise a conductive material and black color pigment, so that each of the first and second bus bars is substantially black in color.

22. The heatable window of claim 1, wherein the window has a visible transmission of at least 60%.

29. The heatable vehicle window of claim 1, where no non-conductive black layer is provided under the bus bars between the bus bars and the glass substrate, and no non-conductive black layer is provided over the bus bars.

23. A heatable vehicle window, comprising:

a heatable conductor;

first and second conductive bus bars electrically connected to the heatable conductor; and

wherein the first and second bus bars each comprise a conductive material and black color pigment, so that each of the first and second bus bars is substantially black in color.

24. The heatable vehicle window of claim 23, wherein the first and/or second bus bar comprises conductive metal particles.

25. The heatable window of claim 23, wherein the heatable conductor and the bus bars are provided on a first major surface of the substrate over a non-conductive black colored opaque layer that is also provided on the first major surface of the substrate, and wherein the non-conductive black colored layer is provided along at least one side of the substrate and is not located in a central area of the window.

26. The heatable window of claim 23, wherein the first and second bus bars each comprise SiO₂ and Ag.

27. A heatable vehicle window, comprising:

a heatable conductor;

first and second conductive bus bars electrically connected to the heatable conductor; and

wherein the first and second bus bars each comprise a conductive material and each of the first and second bus bars is substantially black in color.

28. The heatable vehicle window of claim 27, where no non-conductive black layer is provided under the bus bars between the bus bars and a glass substrate, and no non-conductive black layer is provided over the bus bars.