Glazing substrate

Abstract

TITLE: Glazing substrate The present invention relates to a glazing substrate (1), a first face (11) of which has a mean surface (110) normal to a main normal direction, and is textured so as to have at least: - first surface patches (111) having an orientation normal to a first normal direction, which forms an angle of more than 10° with the main normal direction, - second surface patches (112) having an orientation normal to a second normal direction, which forms an angle of more than 10° with the main normal direction, and an angle of more than 20° with the first normal direction, the first face (11) being at least partially covered by a coating comprising at least a first functional layer (3).According to the invention, the thickness of the functional layer (32) on the second surface patches (112) is greater than twice the thickness of the functional layer (31) on the first surface patches (111). Abstract figure: Figure 3.

Description

Title of the invention: Glazing substrate Field of invention

[0001] The present invention relates to glazing. In particular, the invention relates to glazing comprising at least one glazing substrate coated with a coating, intended to control the passage through the glazing of at least part of the solar radiation. Prior art

[0002] Glazed surfaces often form walls of buildings or vehicles. They are most often formed by glazing comprising one or more stacked glazing substrates. It is generally desired that these glazings transmit solar radiation. However, it is also desirable, in certain cases, that these glazings block the transmission of certain solar radiation, in particular non-visible radiation such as infrared or ultraviolet, or certain visible light radiation.

[0003] This control of transmission of solar radiation can in particular be carried out by coatings deposited on a surface of a glazing, in order to filter the radiation transmitted through this glazing.

[0004] Glazing can thus be optimized, in particular to participate more effectively in the thermal control of buildings or vehicles whose walls they form. Thus, for example, glazing having a coating that filters infrared radiation, by absorbing or reflecting it, has the effect of protecting the building or vehicle whose wall it forms from excessive temperature increases linked to exposure to the sun. Conversely, glazing that transmits infrared radiation well advantageously allows the building or vehicle whose wall it forms to be heated by exposure to the sun.

[0005] The radiation transmission characteristics of existing glazings are, however, fixed at the time of manufacture of the glazing, and cannot easily be adapted according to circumstances. Such an adaptation would, however, be useful. For example, a building or a vehicle may advantageously be heated by solar radiation at certain times, for example in winter or at certain times of the day when the temperature is relatively low. This same building or vehicle must, on the contrary, be protected from solar radiation at other times, for example in summer or at certain times of the day when the temperature is high, to avoid any excessive rise in temperature. In practice, such control of the transmission of radiation through glazings is often carried out by blinds, the handling of which is often tedious and which impede visibility at through the glass. Statement of the invention

[0006] The present invention aims in particular to overcome these drawbacks of the prior art.

[0007] In particular, the invention aims to provide glazing comprising a glazing substrate carrying at least one coating, this coating allowing more or less significant transmission of radiation through the glazing, depending on the circumstances.

[0008] These objectives, as well as others which will appear more clearly hereinafter, are achieved using a coated glazing substrate, suitable for being implemented in a glazing, this substrate having at least a first face, this first face having a mean surface normal to a main normal direction, and being textured so as to have at least first surface patches having an orientation normal to a first normal direction, which forms an angle of more than 10° with the main normal direction, and second surface patches having an orientation normal to a second normal direction, which forms an angle of more than 10° with the main normal direction, and an angle of more than 20° with the first normal direction, this first face being at least partially covered by a coating comprising at least a first functional layer.According to the invention, the thickness of this functional layer on the second surface patches is greater than twice the thickness of this functional layer on the first surface patches.

[0009] The thickness of the functional coating layer is thus different depending on the orientation of the plots of the textured surface. This different thickness allows the effect of this functional coating layer, in particular on the transmission of light radiation, to be different depending on the orientation of this light radiation.

[0010] For the following description of the invention, it will be considered that a surface parcel belongs to the group of “first surface parcels”, or respectively to the group of “second surface parcels”, when its normal orientation forms an angle of less than 5° with the first normal direction, or respectively with the second normal direction.

[0011] Preferably, the first normal direction forms an angle of more than 20°, or even more than 30°, and even more preferably of more than 40° with the main normal direction.

[0012] Preferably, the second normal direction forms an angle of more than 20°, or even more than 30°, and even more preferably of more than 40° with the normal direction. main.

[0013] Preferably, the second normal direction forms an angle of more than 40°, or even more than 60°, and even more preferably of more than 80° with the first main normal direction.

[0014] Preferably, the functional layer, or at least one of the functional layers, has characteristics of absorption of light radiation and / or reflection of light radiation.

[0015] Preferably, the efficiency of these absorption and / or reflection characteristics increases with the thickness of the functional layer.

[0016] According to an advantageous embodiment, the first face has at least third surface parcels, oriented in directions distinct from the directions of orientation of the first surface parcels and the second surface parcels, these first, second and third surface parcels being covered by the functional coating layer whose thickness is variable depending on the orientation of each of the surface parcels.

[0017] Advantageously, the coating comprises at least one second functional layer, the thickness of which varies depending on the orientation of each of the surface parcels.

[0018] The thickness of this second functional layer can be variable, depending on the orientation of each of the surface parcels, according to the same rule as the thickness of the first functional layer, or according to a different rule.

[0019] Preferably, the first face is textured so as to present reliefs whose “peak to valley” height is between 0.5 and 150 μm, more preferably from 1 to 120 μm.

[0020] According to an advantageous embodiment, the first face is textured so as to present reliefs forming repeated, or even periodic, patterns, each pattern comprising at least one of the first surface patches and at least one of the second surface patches.

[0021] Such texturing can conventionally be obtained by laminating a glazing substrate.

[0022] According to another advantageous embodiment, the first face is textured so as to have a random shape, comprising the first and second surface patches.

[0023] Such texturing can conventionally be obtained by chemical attack on one side of a glazing substrate, for example by an acid, or by a mechanical action such as sandblasting.

[0024] Advantageously, the first functional layer is three times, or even six times, or even preferably ten times thicker on the second surface plots than on the first surface plots.

[0025] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the first functional layer may even be completely absent from the first surface parcels, while it is present on the second surface parcels.

[0026] According to an advantageous embodiment, the thickness of the functional layer is maximum on one of the surface patches, normal to a so-called “dominant” direction, and the thickness of the functional layer on each of the other surface patches decreases when the angle between the dominant direction and the direction normal to this surface patch increases.

[0027] Advantageously, said functional layer is chosen from metallic layers based on a metal or a metallic alloy, metallic nitride layers and metallic oxynitride layers.

[0028] The present invention also relates to a glazing comprising a glazing substrate as described above.

[0029] It relates in particular, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment, to a glazing comprising a glazing substrate as described above and a transparent layer with an optical index substantially identical to the optical index of this glazing substrate, pressed against the first face of this glazing substrate.

[0030] In such a glazing, the transparent layer with an optical index substantially identical to the optical index of this glazing substrate can eliminate the blurring or distortion of the light beams which is normally induced by the textured surface. The glazing can thus be used as a non-textured transparent glazing. However, it retains the particularity of the glazing substrate according to the invention, in which the functional coating layer has an effect, in particular on the transmission of light radiation, which is different depending on the orientation of this light radiation.

[0031] The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a glazing substrate, which comprises a step of applying at least one functional coating layer to a first face of a glazing substrate, this first face having a mean surface normal to a main normal direction, this first face having a textured surface having surface patches whose orientation is varied, this step of applying at least one functional coating layer comprising the projection of this coating onto the first face by a directional deposition method, in which the material constituting the functional coating layer is projected onto this face in a determined direction, the determined direction forming an angle greater than 20° with the main normal direction of the first face, an angle greater than 40° with some of the surface patches,and an angle less than 20° with some other surface parcels.

[0032] Preferably, this determined direction forms an angle of more than 30°, or even more of 40°, and even more preferably of more than 45° with the main normal direction of the first face.

[0033] Preferably, this determined direction forms an angle of more than 60°, or even more than 80°, and even more preferably of more than 90° with certain of the surface parcels, and an angle of less than 10° with certain other surface parcels.

[0034] Advantageously, this directional deposition process is a magnetron cathode sputtering process.

[0035] According to another possible definition, the present invention relates to a coated glazing substrate, suitable for use in glazing, the substrate having at least one first face textured so as to have a plurality of surface patches having varied orientations, this first face being at least partially covered by a coating comprising at least one first functional layer, in which the thickness of the functional layer is maximum on one of the surface patches, normal to a so-called "dominant" direction, and in that the thickness of the functional layer on each of the other surface patches decreases when the angle between the dominant direction and the direction normal to the surface portion increases. Description of the figures

[0036] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of preferred embodiments, given as a simple figurative and non-limiting example, and accompanied by the figures among which: - [Fig.l] is a schematic representation of a portion of a textured glazing substrate, intended to be implemented in glazing according to an embodiment of the invention. - [Fig.2] is a schematic representation of a device capable of depositing a coating on the glazing substrate of [Fig.l]. - [Fig.3] is a schematic representation of the portion of glazing substrate of [Fig.l], on which a coating has been deposited according to the process implemented by the device of [Fig.2]. - [Fig.4] is a schematic representation of a portion of glazing comprising the portion of glazing substrate bearing a coating of [Fig.3]. - [Fig.5] is a schematic representation of the transmission of solar radiation through glazing according to one embodiment of the invention. - [Fig.6] is a schematic sectional view of a portion of a textured glazing substrate according to another embodiment. - [Fig.7] is the schematic sectional view of the textured glazing substrate of the [Fig.6], in which a first plurality of surface patches on the textured surface is highlighted. - [Fig.8] is a schematic sectional view of the textured glazing substrate of [Fig.6], highlighting a second plurality of surface patches on the textured surface. Description of the embodiments

[0037] [Fig. 1] schematically represents a portion of a glazing substrate 1, intended to form part of a glazing according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0038] A glazing substrate within the meaning of the present description may consist of a glass plate or any other material used in glazing as a substitute for glass, in particular an organic polymer, in particular a polycarbonate. It generally offers good light transmission, greater than 50% and, most often, greater than 70% (measured according to the ISO 9050:2023 standard with illuminant D65).

[0039] This glazing substrate 1 has the shape of a plate which, in the embodiment shown, is flat. It is however possible, in other embodiments, for the glazing substrate to have a different shape. It can for example be curved, in particular to form vehicle glazing. Those skilled in the art will be able to easily adapt the characteristics of the flat glazing substrate described below to implement the invention on such curved glazing substrates. The curving can typically be carried out by techniques well known to those skilled in the art from a coated substrate.

[0040] This glazing substrate 1 shown in [Fig.l] has a first face 11 which, in the embodiment shown, is intended to be oriented towards the exterior of a building or a vehicle, and a second face 12, opposite the first face 11, which is intended to be oriented towards the interior.

[0041] The second face 12 has a smooth surface, extending in a plane normal to an axis 10.

[0042] The first face 11 of this glazing substrate 1 has a textured surface. A textured surface, within the meaning of the present description, is a surface composed of a plurality of surface patches of varying orientations, which form a plurality of recessed or protruding patterns, which may be periodic, aperiodic, or random, relative to the average surface of the textured surface.

[0043] The textured surface is therefore characterized by an average surface, which corresponds to the apparent surface at a macroscopic level, and by surface patches, which are visible at a microscopic level and which may have an inclination relative to the average surface. The average surface of the first face 11 is generally parallel to the surface of the second face 12.

[0044] Two main categories of glazing substrates are known which have textured surfaces: substrates which have a surface which is frosted by the action of a chemical product, for example an acid, or by a mechanical action, in particular sandblasting, and substrates which have a textured surface printed by lamination or by laser (Direct Laser Interface Patterning).

[0045] The characteristics of a textured surface can be defined, in particular for frosted surfaces, by a roughness parameter Ra, corresponding to the arithmetic mean of the absolute distance of each point of the surface, measured from the average surface. Preferably, this roughness parameter Ra is at least 0.5 qm. To define the characteristics of a textured surface, the roughness parameter RSm can also be used, which is the average value of the widths of the patterns of the surface. The parameter RSm can thus range, for example, from 10 qm to 100 qm. It is also possible to measure the thickness between the lowest hollow of the patterns and the highest projection or peak, which corresponds to the value or height called "peak to valley" (generally designated by the English expression "Peak to valley"). The roughnesses Ra and RSm are defined in a conventional manner according to the ISO 4287:1997 standard.Such frosted glazing substrates are commercially available, for example under the names SATINOVO® or SatenGlas®.

[0046] In some cases, glazing substrates with a textured surface are obtained by rolling a molten glass plate between rollers, at least one of these rollers having relief patterns which are reproduced in negative on the corresponding surface of the glass plate. We thus know the ranges of textured glazing substrates marketed under the names DECORGLASS® or MA-TERGLASS®.

[0047] Glazings or glazing substrates with a textured surface are well known to those skilled in the art of glazing. This texturing of a surface is in fact commonly used so that radiation incident on this surface, with a given angle of incidence, is reflected and transmitted by this surface in a plurality of directions. This incident radiation is thus transmitted and reflected diffusely by the surface.

[0048] In the embodiment represented by [Fig. 1], the first face 11 of the glazing substrate 1 has a mean surface 110 (represented schematically in the figures by dotted lines) which is flat, normal to the axis 10, and therefore parallel to the smooth surface of the second face 12. In the remainder of the description and in the figures, all the axes normal to the mean surface 110 of the first face 11 will be considered as constituting the axis 10.

[0049] Due to the texture, the surface of this first face 11 is composed of a plurality of surface parcels, at least some of which have orientations different from that of the average surface 110.

[0050] In the embodiment shown, the first face 11 has a periodic regular textured surface, composed of bands forming first surface patches 111, having a first orientation different from that of the average surface 110, alternating with bands forming second surface patches 112, having a second orientation different from that of the average surface 110 and different from the first orientation of the first surface patches 111.

[0051] In the embodiment shown in [Fig. 1], the first surface parcels 111 thus have a first orientation normal to an axis 101, which forms with the axis 10 an angle a1 of between 40° and 50°. The second surface parcels 112 have a second orientation normal to an axis 102, which forms with the axis 10 an angle a2 of between 40° and 50° and which forms with the axis 101 an angle of between 80° and 100°.

[0052] The reliefs of the textured surface, composed of the alternations of surface patches 111 and 112, are shown schematically in the figures with very large dimensions, relative to the thickness of the glazing substrate 1. In practice, however, the reliefs of the textured surfaces of glazing substrates generally have a “peak to valley” height of between 1 and 50 qm, much lower than the thickness of the glazing substrates which can be several millimeters.

[0053] In the example shown in [Fig. 1], the textured surface of the first face 11 is composed of the two groups of surface patches 111 and 112, the surface patches of each of these groups having identical or similar orientations. It is also possible, in other embodiments of the invention, for the textured surface of the glazing substrate to be textured in any other way. For example, it may have a geometric appearance or a blurred, sandblasted, etc. appearance. In such cases, the textured surface may have surface patches having varied, regular or random orientations.

[0054] Figures 6 to 8 schematically represent, in section, an example of a portion of such a glazing substrate 6 which constitutes a flat plate. This glazing substrate 6 has a first face 61 of the glazing substrate 1 whose surface is randomly textured. The first face 61 has a mean surface 610 (represented schematically in the figures by dotted lines) which is flat, normal to an axis 60. This glazing substrate 6 has a second face 62 opposite the first face 61, which is smooth, flat and normal to the axis 60.

[0055] Due to its texture, the surface of the first face 61 is composed of a plurality of surface patches of different orientations. Even if the orientation of each surface patch has a random character, it is possible to identify groups of surface patches having an identical or similar orientation.

[0056] Thus, by way of example, [Fig.7] shows the portion of the glazing substrate 6 on which first surface parcels 611 have been highlighted whose normal direction is identical or similar to an axis 601 which forms with the axis 10 an angle a3 of 30°. In the present description, it is considered that the direction normal to a surface parcel has a direction identical or similar to an axis if it forms with this axis an angle of less than 5°. Thus, the directions normal to the first surface parcels 611 shown in [Fig.7] form with the axis 60 angles of between 25° and 35°.

[0057] Similarly, [Fig. 8] shows the portion of the glazing substrate 6 on which second surface parcels 612 have been highlighted, the normal direction of which is identical or similar to an axis 602 which forms an angle a4 of 30° with the axis 10 and which forms an angle of 60° with the axis 601. Thus, the normal directions to the second surface parcels 612 shown in [Fig. 8] form angles of between 25° and 35° with the axis 60, and form angles of between 50° and 70° with the normal directions to the first surface parcels 611.

[0058] For the implementation of the invention, it is necessary that the textured surface has at least: - a first group of surface plots, having an identical or similar orientation (for example forming with the average surface an identical angle, to within plus or minus 5°) to that of a first axis which is inclined by at least 20° relative to the average surface, and - a second group of surface plots, having an identical or similar orientation (for example forming with the average surface an angle identical to within plus or minus 5°) to that of a second axis which is inclined by at least 20° relative to the average surface, and by at least 40° relative to the orientation of the first axis.

[0059] In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4, the first surface parcels 111 belonging to the first group of surface parcels may represent 40% to 60% of the textured surface of the glazing substrate 1. In other embodiments, the surface parcels belonging to the first group of surface parcels may represent a smaller proportion of the total surface of the textured surface of the glazing substrate, for example 5% to 40%.

[0060] This proportion of the total surface area of the face of the glazing substrate which is occupied by the surface parcels belonging to the first group of surface parcels may in particular be relatively low when the textured surface has a random relief as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, for example produced by an attack of the surface by acid. In such a case, each surface parcel may have a random orientation, and the surface parcels fulfilling the criteria for belonging to the first group of surface parcels may represent only 3% to 20% of the textured surface.

[0061] According to the invention, the textured surface of the first face 11 or 61 carries a coating, which is deposited on this textured surface so as not to be distributed homogeneously over the different surface patches of the textured surface.

[0062] Conventionally, such a coating may be formed by a set of thin layers deposited successively on the surface of the glazing substrate. Preferably, at least one of these thin layers, hereinafter called a “functional layer”, has effects on the transmission of radiation through the glazing substrate. Thus, this functional layer may, for example, have absorbent properties for at least part of the solar radiation, or reflective properties for at least part of the solar radiation.

[0063] The functional layer is typically chosen from metallic layers based on a metal or a metal alloy, metal nitride layers and metal oxynitride layers. The functional layer may be essentially in metallic form, in particular based on silver, palladium, niobium, tungsten, stainless steel, titanium, chromium, molybdenum, zirconium, nickel, tantalum, zinc, or alloys such as NiCr, NiCrW, WTa, WCr, NbZr, TaNiV, CrZr and NbCr. The functional layer may be a nitride or a sub-nitride, i.e. a sub-stoichiometric nitride in nitrogen, in particular a nitride chosen from TiN, NiCrWN, NiVN, TaN, CrN, ZrN, CrZrN, TiAIN, TiZrN, WN, SiZrN and SiNiCrN. Advantageously, the functional layer can be chosen from layers based on Ag, Ti, TiN, Nb, NbN, Ni, NiN, Cr, CrN, NiCr, NiCrN.According to preferred embodiments, the functional layer is a titanium nitride TiN layer or a metallic layer of silver or nickel and chromium alloy NiCr. The functional layer generally has a thickness of 1 nm to 50 nm.

[0064] The coating may also comprise dielectric modules, formed of one or more dielectric layers above and below the functional layer. By "dielectric layer" within the meaning of the present invention, it is to be understood that from the point of view of its nature, the material is "non-metallic", that is to say is not a metal. In the context of the invention, this term designates a material having an n / k ratio over the entire visible wavelength range (from 380 nm to 780 nm) equal to or greater than 5. The dielectric layers are typically chosen from metal oxides, nitrides or oxynitrides, in particular oxides, nitrides or oxynitrides of one or more elements chosen from titanium, silicon, aluminum, zirconium, tin and zinc. They typically have a thickness greater than 2 to 100 nm.

[0065] In a preferred embodiment, the deposition of the functional coating layer can be carried out by a directional deposition process, in which the material constituting the coating is deposited in a determined direction. This method may, for example, in the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, be a cathode sputtering method, in particular magnetic field-assisted cathode sputtering, called magnetron, well known to those skilled in the art for the deposition of thin layers on glazing. In such a method, a magnetron projects a beam of particles, the beam being centered on a predetermined direction.

[0066] According to a preferred embodiment, the deposition of the functional coating layer on the first textured face 11 of the glazing substrate 1 is carried out by such a directional deposition method oriented in an inclined direction, distinct from the direction of the axis 10 normal to the average surface 110 of the first face 11.

[0067] Thus, preferably, this deposition of the functional coating layer can be carried out by cathode sputtering, in particular by magnetron, in an inclined direction to sputter the beam of particles forming the coating in an inclined direction, distinct from the direction of the axis 10 normal to the average surface 110 of the first face 11.

[0068] [Fig. 2] schematically represents a device allowing the implementation of such a deposition of the functional coating layer 3. In this device, a magnetron 2 projects a beam of particles 21 onto the first textured face 11 of the glazing substrate 1.

[0069] The magnetron 2 is configured such that it projects its particle beam 21 in a direction 22 forming a non-zero angle [3 with the axis 10, normal to the average surface 110 of the first face 11. The glazing substrate 1 can advantageously be moved relative to the magnetron 2, in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the average surface 110, as schematically represented by the arrow 23, so that the particle beam 21 can be projected, in the same direction 22, onto the entire textured surface of the first face 11 of this glazing 1.

[0070] According to a characteristic of the invention, the tilt angle [3 of the magnetron 2 is chosen so that the direction 22 of the beam 21 is closer to the direction normal to some of the surface patches of the textured surface, and further from the direction normal to some other surface patches of the textured surface. In the embodiment shown, for example, the magnetron 2 is configured such that the beam 21 has a direction very close to the axis 102 normal to the second surface patches 112, and on the contrary forms an angle close to a right angle with the axis 101 normal to the first surface patches 111.

[0071] For example, the direction 22 of the beam 21 may form an angle of less than 10° with the direction normal to some of the surface patches of the textured surface, and an angle of greater than 80° with the direction normal to some other surface patches. of the textured surface.

[0072] As a result of this inclination, the particles contained in the beam 21 can be deposited without difficulty on the second surface parcels 112. On the contrary, these particles can only be deposited with difficulty on the surface parcels 111. The thickness of the functional coating layer 3 obtained is consequently different depending on the orientation of the surface parcels.

[0073] Thus, the functional coating layer 3 is advantageously thicker on the surface patches having an orientation normal to the direction 22 of the beam 21. On the contrary, the thickness of the functional coating layer is reduced when the angle between this direction 22 of the beam 21 and the direction normal to the orientation of the surface patches increases. Thus, the thickness of the functional coating layer is very small, or even almost zero, when the direction normal to the orientation of the surface patches is parallel to this direction 22 of the beam 21.

[0074] [Fig. 3] schematically represents a portion of the glazing substrate 1 after it has received a functional coating layer by such a method. On the first face 11 of this glazing substrate 1, the surface patches 112, whose normal direction corresponds to the axis 102, are covered by a functional coating layer 32 whose thickness is maximum. The axis 102, normal to the surface patches on which the thickness of the functional coating layer is maximum, corresponds to a direction hereinafter called the “dominant direction” of the functional coating layer. On the contrary, the surface patches 111, whose normal direction corresponding to the axis 101 forms a significant angle with the dominant direction of the functional coating layer, are covered by a functional coating layer 31 whose thickness is much smaller.

[0075] In the embodiment shown, the thickness of the functional coating layer 32 on the surface patches 112 is thus at least twice, preferably at least four times, or even at least six times or more than ten times greater than the thickness of the functional coating layer 31 on the surface patches 111.

[0076] Typically, the dominant direction of the functional coating layer, which is normal to the surface patches on which the thickness of the functional coating layer is maximum, is close to the direction of the beam 21 of the magnetron 2, during the application of the functional coating layer on the first face 11 of this glazing substrate 1.

[0077] Of course, the different patches of the textured surface may have different orientations, and the magnetron 2 may also be oriented differently, to obtain another distribution of the thickness of the coating layer between the surface patches having different orientations.

[0078] Thus, for example, the first face 61 of the glazing substrate 6 of figures 6 to 8 can be covered by a functional coating layer which is deposited by cathode sputtering, by a magnetron projecting a beam oriented in a direction 26, forming a non-zero angle [3 with the axis 60.

[0079] Due to this orientation of the beam, the thickness of the functional coating layer is variable, depending on the surface patches. Some of these surface patches, having an orientation normal to a direction called the “dominant direction” of the functional coating layer, have a coating layer whose thickness is maximum. This dominant direction of the coating layer generally corresponds to the direction 26 of the beam of the magnetron having applied the functional coating layer.

[0080] In the example represented by figures 6 to 8, this dominant direction is parallel to the axis 602, substantially normal to the second surface parcels 612. These second surface parcels 612 therefore have a normal orientation, to within 5°, to the dominant direction, and are covered by a functional coating layer 3 of relatively high thickness.

[0081] On the contrary, the first surface parcels 611 have a normal orientation forming an angle greater than 55° with the dominant direction. These first surface parcels 611 are covered by a functional coating layer 3 whose thickness is much smaller than on the second coating parcels. For example, this thickness may be at least twice, preferably at least four times, or even at least six times or more than ten times greater on the second surface parcels 612 than on the first surface parcels 611.

[0082] It is considered that the invention can be usefully implemented as long as some of the surface patches, having a first orientation, are coated with a functional coating layer whose thickness is at least twice the thickness of this same functional coating layer on certain other surface patches, having a second orientation.

[0083] [Fig. 2] represents a possible embodiment of a device for applying a coating layer of different thickness to the different surface patches of the textured surface, depending on the orientation of these surface patches. Those skilled in the art will of course be able to imagine other embodiments for obtaining the same result.

[0084] It is for example possible that the application of the coating on the textured surface is carried out in several stages. A first stage can in this case allow the deposition of a functional coating layer so as to cover the entire textured surface with a functional coating layer whose thickness is substantially uniform. Such a deposition can for example be carried out by a non-directional thin film deposition process, such as for example a chemical deposition process in phase vapor well known to those skilled in the art, or according to a directional deposition process applied in a direction substantially normal to the average surface of the textured surface.

[0085] A second step can then be implemented, aiming to at least partially remove this functional coating layer on some of the surface parcels of the textured surface, depending on their orientation. This second step can for example be implemented by stripping, carried out by a directional ion source oriented in a direction forming a non-zero angle with the direction normal to the average surface of the textured surface, closer to the direction normal to the first surface parcels than to the direction normal to the second surface parcels.

[0086] Such stripping has the effect of at least partially removing the functional coating layer from the textured surface, this removal being much greater on the first surface patches whose normal direction is close to the direction of the beam of the ion source than on the second surface patches whose normal direction is further from the direction of the beam of the ion source.

[0087] It is thus possible to obtain a functional coating layer whose thickness is greater on the second surface patches than on the first surface patches. This thickness of the functional coating layer on the second surface patches may, for example, be more than twice as great as the thickness of the coating layer on the first surface patches.

[0088] After applying the coating, the glazing substrate 1 can be used to form a glazing unit. It can be used alone, its first face 11, the surface of which is textured, remaining in contact with the air. However, in this case, the texture of the surface can cause blurring or distortion of the light beams, the index jump between the glazing substrate 1 and the air occurring at an irregular surface.

[0089] [Fig. 4] shows another example of glazing that can be implemented with the glazing substrate 1. The glazing 4 shown is a composite glazing that comprises the glazing substrate 1, the second face 12 of which, non-textured, forms one face of the glazing 4. The first face 11 of the glazing substrate 1, the textured surface of which is coated with the coating, is covered by a transparent index layer 41. This index layer 41 is for example made of a polymer material, such as a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) film, or a sol-gel material. It can be applied in the form of a film, for example by a lamination process or, advantageously, be deposited on the face 11 in liquid form, for example in the form of a solution of sol-gel precursors, monomers, or a resin, before being subsequently hardened. It thus perfectly matches the reliefs of the textured surface of the first face 11 of the glazing substrate 1.

[0090] Advantageously, this index layer 41 has an optical index very close to that of the glazing substrate 1. Thus, the passage of a light beam from the glazing substrate 1 to the index layer 41, or vice versa, does not cause an index jump. The index layer 41 thus has the effect of compensating for the texture of the first face 11 of the glazing substrate 1, so as to obtain a smooth surface. Under these conditions, the textured surface of the first face 11 of the glazing substrate 1 does not generate any blurring or distortion of the light rays passing through the glazing 4. This glazing 4 can thus be used as a transparent flat glass.

[0091] This glazing 4 however has a particular characteristic, due to the distribution of the functional coating layer on the glazing substrate 1. Thus, the incident light passing through the glazing 4 in a direction close to the dominant direction of this functional coating layer, represented by the arrow 40, passes on average through a greater thickness of this functional coating layer than the incident light passing through the glazing 4 in a direction further from the dominant direction represented by the arrow 40. This characteristic of the glazing 4 can advantageously appear on all the glazings using a glazing substrate according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0092] In the embodiment shown, the index layer 41 is sandwiched between the glazing substrate 1 and a second glazing substrate 42, which may for example be a glass plate or any other material usually used to produce glazing substrates. This second glazing substrate 42 may form the second face of the glazing 4.

[0093] A glazing according to the invention can be used, for example, to form a wall of a building or a vehicle. This glazing advantageously has different light transmission properties depending on the orientation of the incident light rays.

[0094] [Fig. 5] represents for example the glazing 4 used as a wall to separate an interior space 501 from an exterior space 502. This glazing 4 is arranged vertically, such that the direction normal to this glazing is a horizontal direction. This glazing 4 is advantageously arranged in such a way that the dominant direction, represented by the arrow 40, of its functional coating layer forms an elevation angle of approximately 45° with the horizontal. This functional coating layer is chosen, in this embodiment, to absorb infrared radiation.

[0095] When the sun is high in the sky, for example in the position shown diagrammatically by the pictogram 51, the solar radiation shown diagrammatically by the arrow 511 arrives on the glazing 4 with an orientation, measured by the elevation angle ôl, which is close to the orientation of the dominant direction, represented by arrow 40, of the functional coating layer. To pass through the glazing 4, the solar radiation must pass through a significant average thickness of the functional coating layer.

[0096] When the sun is high in the sky, the radiation it emits is generally strong, and includes in particular a significant portion of high-energy radiation, such as infrared radiation. The passage of the solar radiation shown diagrammatically by the arrow 511 through the functional coating layer 32 of significant thickness causes these functional coating layers 32 to absorb a large portion of the infrared radiation. The radiation shown diagrammatically by the arrow 512, coming from the sun in a high position and having passed through the glazing 4, is therefore highly filtered radiation, having lost a large portion of its infrared components and therefore having a much lower energy. Under such conditions, the glazing 4 therefore protects the interior space 501 from excessive heating due to solar radiation.

[0097] When the sun is lower in the sky, for example in the position shown diagrammatically by pictogram 52, the solar radiation shown diagrammatically by arrow 521 arrives on the glazing 4 with an orientation, measured by the elevation angle δ2, which is much closer to the horizontal direction normal to the glazing 4, and further from the orientation of the dominant direction, shown by arrow 40, of the functional coating layer. To pass through the glazing 4, the solar radiation must pass through a thickness of the functional coating layer, which is, on average, smaller. This functional coating layer absorbs only a relatively small part of the infrared radiation contained in the radiation shown diagrammatically by arrow 521.The radiation shown diagrammatically by arrow 522, resulting from the passage of the radiation shown diagrammatically by arrow 521 through the glazing 4, is therefore only weakly filtered, compared to the radiation shown diagrammatically by arrow 521.

[0098] Consequently, the glazing makes it possible to absorb a large part of the energy of the solar radiation, when the sun is high in the sky and it is necessary to protect the interior space 501 from the heat increases linked to this radiation, and on the contrary lets through a relatively large part of the energy of this solar radiation when the sun is low in the sky and it is useful to heat the interior space 501 thanks to the solar radiation.

[0099] Thus, the inventors tested a glazing, similar to the glazing 4 shown in Figures 4 and 5, in which a functional coating layer is deposited on the textured surface of a glazing substrate, in a dominant orientation forming an elevation angle of 45° with the horizontal. This functional layer is composed of a Nickel-Chromium alloy, known for its solar radiation energy absorbing properties, and has a thickness of 50 nm on the surface patches normal to its dominant direction.

[0100] This glazing has an energy transmission coefficient TE0 = 0.35 for solar radiation incident in a direction normal to the plane of the glazing. This energy transmission coefficient is, however, reduced: - at TEÎO ~ 0.25 for solar radiation incident in a direction forming an elevation angle of 30° relative to the horizontal, approaching the dominant direction of the coating layer, - at TE4v « 0.1 for solar radiation incident in a direction forming an elevation angle of 45° relative to the horizontal, parallel to the dominant direction of the coating layer, and - to TEW) “0 for solar radiation incident in a direction forming an elevation angle of 60° relative to the horizontal.

[0101] In comparison, a similar glazing substrate homogeneously coated with a 50nm thick Ni-Cr absorbent layer has a TE of 0 regardless of the angle of incidence.

[0102] The dominant direction of the functional coating layer may advantageously be oriented such that the effect of this functional coating layer is variable, not only as a function of the elevation angle of the incident radiation, but also, or even exclusively, as a function of the azimuth angle of this incident radiation, relative to the direction normal to the plane of the glazing. Thus, for example, the dominant direction of a functional coating layer absorbing the energy of solar radiation may be chosen so that the glazing absorbs a greater portion of this solar radiation when this radiation comes from a direction closer to the South, and a smaller portion when this radiation comes from a direction further from the South.

[0103] More generally, glazing according to the invention may have characteristics, in particular of transmission, absorption and / or reflection of radiation, which vary depending on the orientation of the incident radiation.

[0104] Those skilled in the art will be able to imagine numerous variants of such a solution. It is thus possible, for example, to produce a glazing comprising a substrate of which a textured face is covered with several functional layers of coatings, each of the layers being deposited in such a way that it has a different dominant direction and exhibits different characteristics.

[0105] Some of the surface areas of this substrate, having a first orientation, may thus be covered mainly by a coating layer having a first property, while other surface areas of this substrate, having a second orientation, may thus be covered mainly by a coating layer having a second property. The glazing may thus exhibit certain properties, for example transmission, reflection and / or absorption, for incident radiation exhibiting certain inclinations, and other properties for incident radiation exhibiting another inclination.

[0106] In the embodiments described above, it is provided that the entire surface of the first face of the glazing substrates is textured homogeneously. It is also possible that this texturing of the surface is carried out only on a part of the face of the glazing substrate, or that this texturing has different characteristics depending on the areas of the face of the glazing substrate. In such a case, the properties of the glazing, for example transmission, reflection and / or absorption, may be different depending on the areas of the glazing substrate.

[0107] Similarly, in the embodiments described above, it is provided that the functional coating layer(s) are applied to the textured surfaces in a homogeneous manner. It is also possible for these coating layers to be applied only to a portion of the face of the glazing substrate, or for the characteristics of these coating layers, for example their thickness or their dominant orientation, to be variable depending on the areas of the face of the glazing substrate. In such a case, the properties of the glazing, for example transmission, reflection and / or absorption, may be different depending on the areas of the glazing substrate.

Claims

Claims

1. Coated glazing substrate (1, 6), suitable for use in a glazing unit (4), said substrate having at least a first face (11, 61), said first face having a mean surface (110, 610) normal to a main normal direction (10, 60), said first face (11, 61) being textured so as to have at least: - first surface patches (111, 611) having an orientation normal to a first normal direction (101, 601), which forms an angle (a1, a3) of more than 10° with said main normal direction (10, 60), - second surface patches (112, 612) having an orientation normal to a second normal direction (102, 602), which forms - an angle (a2, a4) of more than 10° with said main normal direction (10, 60), and - an angle of more than 20° with said first normal direction (101, 601), said first face (11,61) being at least partially covered by a coating comprising at least a first functional layer (3), characterized in that the thickness of said functional layer (32) on said second surface patches (112, 612) is greater than twice the thickness of said functional layer (31) on said first surface patches (111, 611).,

2. Glazing substrate according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said functional layer (3) has characteristics of absorption of light radiation and / or reflection of solar radiation.

3. Glazing substrate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first face (61) has at least third surface parcels, oriented in directions distinct from the directions of orientation of said first surface parcels (611) and said second surface parcels (612), said first, second and third surface parcels being covered by said functional layer (3) whose thickness is variable in depending on the orientation of each of said surface plots.

4. Glazing substrate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said coating comprises at least one second functional layer, the thickness of which is variable depending on the orientation of each of said surface parcels (111, 112, 611, 612).

5. Glazing substrate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first face (11, 61) is textured so as to present reliefs whose “peak to valley” height is between 0.5 and 150 qm.

6. Glazing substrate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first face (11) is textured so as to have reliefs forming repeated, or even periodic, patterns, each pattern comprising at least one of said first surface patches (111) and at least one of said second surface patches (112).

7. Glazing substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said first face (61) is textured so as to have a random shape, comprising said surface patches (611,612).

8. Glazing substrate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first functional layer (3) is at least 10 times thicker on said second surface patches (112, 612) than on said first surface patches (111, 611).

9. Glazing substrate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness of said functional layer (3) is maximum on at least one of said surface patches (112, 612), normal to a so-called "dominant" direction, and in that said thickness of said functional layer (3) on each of said other surface patches (111, 611) decreases when the angle between said dominant direction and the direction normal to said surface patch increases.

10. Glazing substrate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said functional layer (3) is chosen from metallic layers based on a metal or a metal alloy, metallic nitride layers and metallic oxynitride layers.

11. Glazing characterized in that it comprises a glazing substrate (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, and a transparent layer (41) with an optical index substantially identical to the optical index of said glazing substrate (1), applied against said first face (11) of said glazing substrate (1).

12. A method of manufacturing a coated glazing substrate, characterized in that it comprises a step of applying at least one functional coating layer (3) to a first face (11, 61) of a glazing substrate (1, 6), said first face (11, 61) having a mean surface (110, 610) normal to a main normal direction (10, 60), said first face (11, 61) having a textured surface having surface patches (111, 112, 611, 612) of different orientations, said step of applying at least one functional coating layer comprising the projection of said coating (3) onto said first face (11, 61) by a directional deposition method, in which the material constituting said functional coating layer (3) is projected onto said face (11, 61) in a determined direction (22, 26), characterized in that said determined direction (22,26) forms: - an angle greater than 20° with said main normal direction (10, 60) of said first face (11, 61), - an angle greater than 40° with the normal direction (101, 601) to some of said surface parcels, and - an angle less than 20° with the normal direction (102, 602) to some other of said surface parcels (112, 612).,

13. Manufacturing method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said directional deposition method is a magnetron sputtering method (2).

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