Heatable mirror including a non-metallic reflecting coating on a glass substate

• US 5,576,885 A
• Filed: 01/09/1995
• Issued: 11/19/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pilkington NA
• Original Assignee: Pilkington NA
• Inventors: Jenkinson, Timothy, Lowe, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Henry, Jon W.
• Application Number:
  US08/370,410
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 219/219, 359/580, 359/585, 359/586, 359/589, 359/512
• US Class Current: 359/585
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3411 with at least two coatings of inorganic materials C03C17/36, C03C17/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3482 comprising silicon, hydrogenated silicon or a silicide
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/42 at least one coating of an organic material and at least one non-metal coating
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0833 comprising inorganic materials only

Abstract

A method of producing heatable mirrors comprising depositing onto a ribbon of hot glass during the production process a reflecting coating whereby the mirrors so formed have a visible light reflection of at least 70% and depositing an electroconductive heating layer onto the mirrors. There is also provided a heatable mirror comprising a glass substrate carrying a non-metallic reflecting coating whereby the mirror has a visible light reflection of at least 70% and an electroconductive heating layer deposited on the coated substrate.

Claims

1. A heatable mirror comprising a glass substrate carrying a non-metallic reflecting coating comprising a reflecting layer and at least two reflection enhancing layers, the reflection enhancing layers comprising an intermediate layer of the coating of relatively low refractive index and a layer adjacent to the intermediate layer of relatively high refractive index, the two layers other than the intermediate layer being outer and inner layers of the coating each having a refractive index of at least 1.6, the intermediate layer having a refractive index less than the refractive index of either said inner layer or said outer layer and less than 3, at least one of said inner and outer layers being of silicon, the aggregate refractive index of the inner and outer layers being at least 5.5, and the thicknesses of the layers being such that the mirror has a visible light reflection in the range 70% to 90%, and an electroconductive heating layer deposited on the coated substrate.

2. A mirror according to claim 1 wherein the heating layer is deposited over the reflecting coating.

3. A mirror according to claim 2 wherein the heating layer comprises the rear surface of a back surface mirror.

4. A mirror according to claim 1 wherein the heating layer is deposited on a glass surface which is on the opposing side of the mirror to the reflecting coating.

5. A mirror according to claim 4 wherein the heating layer comprises the rear surface of a front surface mirror.

6. A mirror according to claim 1 wherein both of the inner and outer layers are of silicon.

7. A mirror according to claim 1 wherein the other of the said layers of relatively high refractive index is of tin oxide, titanium oxide or a silicon oxide.

8. A mirror according to claim 1 wherein the layer of relatively low refractive index comprises a layer of silicon oxide.