RF interference reduction for functional glazings

• US 8,189,254 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2008
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pilkington Group Limited, Pilkington Automotive Deutschland GmbH (Pilkington PLC)
• Original Assignee: Pilkington Group Limited, Pilkington Automotive Deutschland GmbH (Pilkington PLC)
• Inventors: Paulus, Peter, Voss, Jonathan Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRA, TUYEN Q
• Application Number:
  US12/667,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20100165436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 359265-275
• US Class Current: 359/238
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10005 laminated safety glass or glazing
• 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 17/10211 Doped dielectric layer, electrically conductive, e.g. SnO2:F
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10532 Suspended particle layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10788 containing ethylene vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/00 Windows; Windscreens; Accessories therefor B60J10/00 takes precedence; air curtains instead of windows B60J9/04 ; sealing strips for windshields B60J10/70; sealing sash guides for sliding window panes B60J10/74; glass partitions inside vehicles to protect occupants against personal attack B60R21/12
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/126 using passive filters

Abstract

An automotive vehicle having an aperture in the vehicle body in which a glazing, comprising a switchable film laminated between at least two plies of an interlayer material is fitted is disclosed. The plies of interlayer material are laminated between a first ply of glazing material, preferably glass, facing out of the vehicle and a second ply of glazing material, preferably glass, facing into the vehicle. The switchable film comprises first and second electrodes, both in electrical connection with a power supply. The first electrode is capacitively connected to electrical ground on the vehicle body.

Claims

1. Automotive vehicle having an aperture in the vehicle body in which a glazing, comprising a switchable film laminated between at least two plies of an interlayer material, the plies of interlayer material being laminated between a first ply of glazing material facing out of the vehicle and a second ply of glazing material facing into the vehicle, is fitted, the switchable film comprising first and second electrodes, both in electrical connection with a power supply, wherein the first electrode is capacitively connected to electrical ground on the vehicle body, wherein the capacitive connection comprises a capacitor formed from the first electrode and an electrically conductive element, and wherein the electrically conductive element comprises at least one of a functional coating on a portion of one surface of at least one ply of glazing material, a ply of polymer material having a functional infrared coating that is laminated between the switchable film and the first ply of glazing material, a busbar connected to a non-electrically conducting surface of the first electrode, and a part of the vehicle body that extends into the aperture to overlap the first electrode.

2. The automotive vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second electrode of the switchable film is also connected to electrical ground on the vehicle body.

3. The automotive vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive element comprises a functional coating on a portion of one surface of at least one ply of glazing material, and the functional coating comprises an infrared reflective coating.

4. The automotive vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive element comprises a functional coating on a portion of one surface of at least one ply of glazing material, and the functional coating comprises a low-emissivity coating.

5. The automotive vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive element comprises a ply of polymer material having a functional infrared coating that is laminated between the switchable film and the first ply of glazing material, and wherein the laminated glazing comprises at least one layer of interlayer material interposed between the first electrode and the functional infrared reflective coating.

6. The automotive vehicle of claim 5 wherein the functional infrared reflective coating is provided with a busbar.

7. The automotive vehicle of claim 6, wherein the busbar is connected to electrical ground on the vehicle body.

8. The automotive vehicle of claim 7, wherein the glazing is at least three sides, and the busbar is connected to electrical ground along at least one side of the glazing.

9. The automotive vehicle of claim 1, wherein the switchable film is one of an SPD or an LCD film.

10. The automotive vehicle of claim 1, wherein the interlayer material is one of PVB or EVA.

11. The automotive vehicle of claim 10, wherein the interlayer material and/or the plies of glazing material are coloured.

12. The automotive vehicle of claim 1, wherein the glazing material is glass.

13. The automotive vehicle of claim 12, wherein the glass is one of toughened, semi-toughened or annealed silicate float glass.

14. The automotive vehicle of claim 1, wherein the glazing material is a plastics material.

15. The automotive vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electrical supply to the first electrode is also connected to the ground of the power supply by a capacitor.

16. The automotive vehicle of claim 1, wherein the glazing is a vehicle glazing.

17. An automotive vehicle having an aperture in the vehicle body in which a glazing, comprising a switchable film laminated between at least two plies of an interlayer material, the plies of interlayer material being laminated between a first ply of glazing material facing out of the vehicle and a second ply of glazing material facing into the vehicle, is fitted, the switchable film comprising first and second electrodes, both in electrical connection with a power supply, wherein the first electrode is capacitively connected to electrical ground on the vehicle body, wherein at least one ply of glazing material has a functional coating on a portion of one surface, wherein the laminated glazing comprises at least one layer of interlayer material interposed between the first electrode and the functional coating, wherein the functional coating is provided with a busbar, wherein the busbar is connected to electrical ground on the vehicle body, and wherein the first electrode and the functional coating form a capacitor.

18. The automotive vehicle of claim 17, wherein the functional coating has a sheet resistance of less then or equal to 30 Ohms/□

.

19. The automotive vehicle of claim 17, wherein the switchable film is one of an SPD or an LCD film.

20. The automotive vehicle of claim 17, wherein the interlayer material is one of PVB or EVA.

21. An automotive vehicle having an aperture in the vehicle body in which a glazing, comprising a switchable film laminated between at least two plies of an interlayer material, the plies of interlayer material being laminated between a first ply of glazing material facing out of the vehicle and a second ply of glazing material facing into the vehicle, is fitted, the switchable film comprising first and second electrodes, both in electrical connection with a power supply, wherein the first electrode is capacitively connected to electrical ground on the vehicle body, and wherein the first electrode overlaps the edges of the aperture in the vehicle body.

22. The automotive vehicle of claim 21, wherein the region of the car body overlapped by the electrode forms a capacitor.

23. The automotive vehicle of claim 21, wherein the switchable film is one of an SPD or an LCD film.

24. The automotive vehicle of claim 21, wherein the interlayer material is one of PVB or EVA.

25. An automotive vehicle having an aperture in the vehicle body in which a glazing, comprising a switchable film laminated between at least two plies of an interlayer material, the plies of interlayer material being laminated between a first ply of glazing material facing out of the vehicle and a second ply of glazing material facing into the vehicle, is fitted, the switchable film comprising first and second electrodes, both in electrical connection with a power supply, wherein the first electrode is capacitively connected to electrical ground on the vehicle body, and wherein the switchable film is provided with first and second busbars connected to the first and second electrodes, and a third busbar, connected to a non-electrically conductive surface of the first or second electrode, forming a capacitor.

26. The automotive vehicle of claim 25, wherein the switchable film is one of an SPD or an LCD film.

27. The automotive vehicle of claim 25, wherein the interlayer material is one of PVB or EVA.

28. A method of reducing interference in radio frequency signals caused by glazings comprising switchable films, the switchable film comprising first and second electrodes in electrical connection with a power supply, comprising connecting at least the first electrode capacitively to electrical ground, wherein the capacitive connection comprises a capacitor formed from the first electrode and an electrically conductive element, and wherein the electrically conductive element comprises at least one of a functional coating on a portion of one surface of at least one ply of glazing material, a ply of polymer material having a functional infrared coating that is laminated between the switchable film and a ply of glazing material, a busbar connected to a non-electrically conducting surface of the first electrode, and a part of a vehicle body that extends into an aperture to overlap the first electrode.

29. A method of reducing interference in radio frequency signals caused by vehicle glazings comprising liquid crystal device type or suspended particle device type switchable films, the switchable films comprising first and second electrodes in electrical connection with a power supply, the method comprising connecting at least the first electrode capacitively to electrical ground, wherein the capacitive connection comprises a capacitor formed from the first electrode and an electrically conductive element, and wherein the electrically conductive element comprises at least one of a functional coating on a portion of one surface of at least one ply of glazing material, a ply of polymer material having a functional infrared coating that is laminated between the switchable film and a ply of glazing material, a busbar connected to a non-electrically conducting surface of the first electrode, and a part of a vehicle body that extends into an aperture to overlap the first electrode.