Display-on-demand mirror with optional defogging feature, and method of making the same

• US 20100086774A1
• Filed: 10/07/2008
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Varaprasad, Desaraju V., Lu, Yiwei
• Granted Patent: US 8,304,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/336
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• 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 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/36 at least one coating being a metal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3615 Coatings of the type glass/metal/other inorganic layers, at least one layer being non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3649 made of metals other than silver
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3663 specially adapted for use as mirrors
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

Certain example embodiments relate to robust semi-transparent coatings that are suitable for use in a wide variety of display-on-demand mirror applications, and methods of making the same. In certain example embodiments, a coated article includes a coating supported by a glass substrate. A reflective metal-inclusive layer is formed, directly or indirectly, on the glass substrate. A silicon oxide inclusive layer is formed, directly or indirectly, on the reflective metallic layer. A titanium oxide inclusive layer is formed, directly or indirectly, on the silicon oxide inclusive layer. The metal-inclusive layer is formed so as to reflect incoming light away from the glass substrate such that substantially less incoming light would be reflected away from the glass substrate if lighting were provided on a side of the glass substrate opposite the coating than if no lighting were provided. The surface of the coated article need not necessarily be conductive. The metal-inclusive layer may be connected to a power source so as to heat it (e.g., for defogging purposes).

Claims

1. A coated article comprising a coating supported by a glass substrate, the coating comprising:

a reflective metal-inclusive layer formed, directly or indirectly, on the glass substrate;

a silicon oxide inclusive layer formed, directly or indirectly, on the reflective metallic layer; and

a titanium oxide inclusive layer formed, directly or indirectly, on the silicon oxide inclusive layer,

wherein the metal-inclusive layer is formed so as to reflect incoming light away from the glass substrate such that substantially less incoming light would be reflected away from the glass substrate if lighting were provided on a side of the glass substrate opposite the coating than if no lighting were provided, and

wherein the coated article has a sheet resistance of at least about 10 ohms/square.

2. The coated article of claim 1, wherein the metal-inclusive layer comprises aluminum.

3. The coated article of claim 1, wherein the metal-inclusive layer comprises silver.

4. The coated article of claim 2,

wherein the metal-inclusive layer comprising aluminum has a thickness of about 5-12 nm,

wherein the silicon oxide inclusive layer has a thickness of about 70-90 nm, and

wherein the titanium oxide inclusive layer has a thickness of about 40-60 nm.

5. The coated article of claim 1, wherein the coated article has a visible transmission lower than about 40% and a percent reflectance at least about 60%.

6. The coated article of claim 1, wherein the reflective metal-inclusive layer is heatable via an external power source.

7. The coated article of claim 1, further comprising a second substrate laminated to the coating via a polymer-based interlayer.

8. The coated article of claim 1, wherein the polymer-based interlayer is polyvinyl butyral.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a coated article comprising a semi-transparent coating supported by a first glass substrate, the coating comprising;

a reflective metal-inclusive layer comprising Al or Ag formed, directly or indirectly, on the first glass substrate;

a silicon oxide inclusive layer formed, directly or indirectly, on the reflective metallic layer; and

a titanium oxide inclusive layer formed, directly or indirectly, on the silicon oxide inclusive layer;

a second glass substrate; and

a polymer-based interlayer laminating together the first and second glass substrates such that the coating is provided between the first and second glass substrates,

wherein the metal-inclusive layer is formed so as to reflect incoming light away from the first glass substrate such that substantially less incoming light would be reflected away from the first glass substrate if lighting were provided on a side of the first glass substrate opposite the coating than if no lighting were provided, and

wherein the coated article has a sheet resistance of at least about 10 ohms/square.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the metal-inclusive layer has a thickness of about 5-12 nm, the silicon oxide inclusive layer has a thickness of about 70-90 nm, and the titanium oxide inclusive layer has a thickness of about 40-60 nm.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the coated article has a visible transmission lower than about 40% and a percent reflectance at least about 60%.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the reflective metal-inclusive layer is heatable via an external power source.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a light source provided inside a body of the apparatus.

14. A method of making a coated article comprising a coating supported by a glass substrate, the method comprising:

providing a glass substrate;

forming a reflective metal-inclusive layer, directly or indirectly, on the glass substrate;

forming a silicon oxide inclusive layer, directly or indirectly, on the reflective metallic layer; and

forming a titanium oxide inclusive layer, directly or indirectly, on the silicon oxide inclusive layer,

wherein the metal-inclusive layer is formed so as to reflect incoming light away from the glass substrate such that substantially less incoming light would be reflected away from the glass substrate if lighting were provided on a side of the glass substrate opposite the coating than if no lighting were provided, and

wherein the coated article has a sheet resistance of at least about 10 ohms/square.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the metal-inclusive layer comprises aluminum or silver.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the metal-inclusive layer comprises aluminum and is provided at a thickness of about 5-12 nm,

wherein the silicon oxide inclusive layer has a thickness of about 70-90 nm, and

wherein the titanium oxide inclusive layer has a thickness of about 40-60 nm.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the coated article has a visible transmission lower than about 40% and a percent reflectance at least about 60%.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising connecting the reflective metal-inclusive layer to an external power source so as to make the metal-inclusive layer selectively heatable.

19. The method claim 14, further comprising:

providing a second substrate; and

laminating the second substrate to the glass substrate via a polymer-based interlayer so that the coating is located therebetween.

20. A method of making an apparatus, the method comprising:

providing first and second substantially parallel spaced apart glass substrates, the first glass substrate supporting semi-transparent coating thereon;

laminating together the first and second glass substrates via a polymer-based interlayer; and

building the laminated first and second substrates into the apparatus,

wherein the coating comprises;

a reflective metal-inclusive layer comprising Al or Ag formed, directly or indirectly, on the first glass substrate;

a silicon oxide inclusive layer formed, directly or indirectly, on the reflective metallic layer; and

a titanium oxide inclusive layer formed, directly or indirectly, on the silicon oxide inclusive layer;

wherein the metal-inclusive layer is formed so as to reflect incoming light away from the first glass substrate such that substantially less incoming light would be reflected away from the first glass substrate if lighting were provided on a side of the first glass substrate opposite the coating than if no lighting were provided, and

wherein the coated article has a sheet resistance of at least about 10 ohms/square.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein each of the metal-inclusive layer, the silicon oxide inclusive layer, and the titanium oxide inclusive layer is formed via sputtering.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising connecting the reflective metal-inclusive layer to an external power source so as to make the metal-inclusive layer selectively heatable.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the metal-inclusive layer selectively heatable to reduce the presence of fog on at least a portion of the apparatus.