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

• US 8,304,072 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2008
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Varaprasad, Desaraju V., Lu, Yiwei
• Primary Examiner(s): SAMPLE, DAVID R
• Application Number:
  US12/285,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20100086774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 428/428, 428/432, 428/446, 428/448, 428/689, 428/699, 428/701, 428/702, 428/434
• 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 semi-transparent mirror comprising a coating supported by a glass substrate, the coating comprising:

a reflective metal-inclusive layer formed, directly or indirectly, on the glass substrate, wherein the metal-inclusive layer has a thickness of from about 5 to 12 nm;

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 incoming light is to be incident upon a coated side of the glass substrate;

wherein the metal-inclusive layer is formed so as to reflect incoming light away from the glass substrate such that a percentage of reflectance of incoming light by the mirror is from about 60 to 80%, a percentage of visible transmission through the mirror is from about 20 to 40%, and a total percentage of the reflectance and transmission of incoming light is about 100%, if no lighting is provided on a side of the glass substrate opposite the coating and/or the lighting is turned off; and

wherein the percentage of visible transmission of the incoming light through the mirror is greater than the percentage of reflectance of the incoming light if the lighting is provided and/or is turned on, such that the lighting turned on and/or provided on the side of the glass substrate opposite the coating would enable a viewer to see an object located on the side of the glass substrate opposite the coating, and

wherein the semi-transparent mirror has a sheet resistance of at least about 10 ohms/square and the semi-transparent mirror is a monolithic coated article.

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 reflective metal-inclusive layer is heatable via an external power source.