Glazing substrate

Abstract

TITLE: Glazing Substrate The present invention relates to a glazing substrate (1), a first face (11) having an average surface (110) normal to a principal normal direction, and is textured so as to present at least: - first surface parcels (111) having an orientation normal to a first normal direction, which forms an angle of more than 10° with the principal normal direction, - second surface parcels (112) having an orientation normal to a second normal direction, which forms an angle of more than 10° with the principal 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 parcels (112) is more than twice the thickness of the functional layer (31) on the first surface parcels (111). Abbreviated figure: Figure 3.

Description

Title of the invention: Glazing substrate Scope of the 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 a portion of the solar radiation. Prior art

[0002] Glazed surfaces often form the walls of buildings or vehicles. They are most often formed by glazing comprising one or more stacked glazing substrates. It is generally desirable for this glazing to transmit solar radiation. However, it is also desirable, in certain cases, for this glazing to 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 solar radiation transmission can in particular be achieved by coatings deposited on a surface of glazing, in order to filter the radiation transmitted through this glazing.

[0004] Glazing can thus be optimized, particularly to contribute more effectively to the thermal control of the buildings or vehicles whose walls it forms. For example, glazing with a coating that filters infrared radiation, by absorbing or reflecting it, protects the building or vehicle whose walls it forms from excessive temperature increases due to sun exposure. Conversely, glazing that transmits infrared radiation well allows the building or vehicle whose walls it forms to be heated by sun exposure.

[0005] The radiation transmission characteristics of existing glazing are, however, fixed during the manufacturing process and cannot easily be adapted to changing circumstances. Such adaptation would nevertheless be useful. For example, a building or vehicle may advantageously be heated by solar radiation at certain times, for example in winter or at certain times of day when the temperature is relatively low. Conversely, this same building or vehicle must be protected from solar radiation at other times, for example in summer or at certain times of day when the temperature is high, to prevent excessive temperature rise. In practice, such control of radiation transmission through glazing is often achieved by means of blinds, which are often cumbersome to operate and obstruct visibility. through the glass. Description of the invention

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

[0007] In particular, the invention aims in particular to provide glazing comprising a glazing substrate bearing at least one coating, this coating allowing a greater or lesser transmission of radiation through the glazing, depending on the circumstances.

[0008] These objectives, as well as others which will become clearer later, are achieved using a coated glazing substrate, suitable for use in glazing, this substrate having at least one first face, this first face having an average surface normal to a principal normal direction, and being textured so as to have at least first surface parcels having an orientation normal to a first normal direction, which forms an angle of more than 10° with the principal normal direction, and second surface parcels having an orientation normal to a second normal direction, which forms an angle of more than 10° with the principal 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 one first functional layer.According to the invention, the thickness of this functional layer on the second surface parcels is more than twice the thickness of this functional layer on the first surface parcels.

[0009] The thickness of the functional coating layer thus varies depending on the orientation of the textured surface parcels. This varying thickness ensures that the effect of this functional coating layer, particularly on light transmission, differs depending on the orientation of the light.

[0010] For the following description of the invention, a surface parcel will be considered to belong 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 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 light radiation absorption and / or light radiation reflection.

[0015] Preferably, the effectiveness 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 orientation directions 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 a second functional layer, the thickness of which varies according to the orientation of each of the surface parcels.

[0018] The thickness of this second functional layer can vary, 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 parcels and at least one of the second surface parcels.

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

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

[0023] Such texturing can classically be obtained by chemical attack of a face 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 preferably ten times thicker on the second surface parcels 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 parcels, normal to a direction called "dominant", and the thickness of the functional layer on each of the other surface parcels decreases when the angle between the dominant direction and the direction normal to this surface parcel increases.

[0027] Advantageously, said functional layer is selected 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 glazing comprising a glazing substrate as described above.

[0029] In particular, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment, it relates 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 glazing, the transparent layer with an optical index substantially identical to that of the glazing substrate can eliminate the blurring or distortion of light beams that is normally induced by the textured surface. The glazing can thus be used as a transparent, untextured glazing. However, it retains the characteristic of the glazing substrate according to the invention, in which the functional coating layer has an effect, particularly on the transmission of light radiation, that varies depending on the orientation of this light radiation.

[0031] The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a glazing substrate, which includes a step of applying at least one functional coating layer to a first face of a glazing substrate, this first face having an average surface normal to a principal 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 projecting this coating onto the first face by a directional deposition process, 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 principal normal direction of the first face, an angle greater than 40° with some of the surface patches,and an angle of less than 20° with certain other surface parcels.

[0032] Preferably, this determined direction forms an angle of more than 30°, or even more of 40°, and 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 more than 90° with some of the surface parcels, and an angle of less than 10° with some other of the surface parcels.

[0034] Advantageously, this directional deposition process is a magnetron 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 textured face so as to present a plurality of surface patches having various orientations, this first face being at least partially covered by a coating comprising at least one first functional layer, wherein the thickness of the functional layer is maximal 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 as 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 upon reading the following description of preferred embodiments, given by way of simple figurative and non-limiting example, and accompanied by the figures, among which: - Fig. 1 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. 1. - Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the portion of the glazing substrate of Fig. 1, 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 including 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 an embodiment of the invention. - Fig. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a textured glazing substrate according to another embodiment. - Figure 7 is the schematic cross-sectional view of the textured glazing substrate of the [Fig.6], on which a first plurality of surface parcels is highlighted on the textured surface. - Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the textured glazing substrate of Fig. 6, on which a second plurality of surface patches is highlighted on the textured surface. Description des modes de réalisation

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

[0038] A glazing substrate within the meaning of this 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 polycarbonate. It generally offers good light transmission, greater than 50% and, most often, greater than 70% (measured according to ISO 9050:2023 with illuminant D65).

[0039] This glazing substrate 1 has the form of a plate which, in the embodiment shown, is flat. However, in other embodiments, the glazing substrate may have a different shape. For example, it may be curved, particularly for 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 curvature can typically be achieved using techniques well known to those skilled in the art, starting from a coated substrate.

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

[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, in the sense of this description, is a surface composed of a plurality of surface parcels of various orientations, which form a plurality of recessed or raised patterns, which may be periodic, aperiodic, or random, with respect 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 be inclined 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 with textured surfaces are known: substrates with a surface frosted by the action of a chemical product, for example an acid, or by a mechanical action, in particular sandblasting, and substrates whose surface is textured printed by lamination or by laser (Direct Laser Interface Patterning).

[0045] The characteristics of a textured surface can be defined, particularly for frosted surfaces, by a roughness parameter Ra, corresponding to the arithmetic mean of the absolute distance of each point on the surface, measured from the average surface. Preferably, this roughness parameter Ra is at least 0.5 µm. To further define the characteristics of a textured surface, the roughness parameter RSm, which is the average width of the surface patterns, can be used. The RSm parameter can thus range, for example, from 10 µm to 100 µm. Alternatively, the thickness between the lowest trough of the patterns and the highest protrusion or ridge can be measured; this corresponds to the value or height called the "peak to valley" (generally referred to by the English expression "Peak to Valley"). The roughness values ​​Ra and RSm are conventionally defined according to ISO 4287:1997.Such frosted glazing substrates are commercially available, for example under the names SATINOVO® or SatenGlas®.

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

[0047] Textured glazing or glazing substrates are well known to those skilled in the art of glazing. This surface texturing is commonly used so that radiation incident on that surface, at a given angle of incidence, is reflected and transmitted by that 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 an average surface 110 (represented schematically in the figures by dashed lines) which is flat, normal to the axis 10, and therefore parallel to the smooth surface of the second face 12. In the following description and in the figures, all axes normal to the average 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 regular periodic textured surface, composed of bands forming first parcels of surface 111, having a first orientation different from that of the average surface 110, alternating with bands forming second parcels of surface 112, having a second orientation different from that of the average surface 110 and different from the first orientation of the first parcels of surface 111.

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

[0052] The reliefs of the textured surface, composed by the alternations of surface parcels 111 and 112, are schematically represented in the figures with very large dimensions, compared 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 less 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 two groups of surface parcels 111 and 112, the surface parcels 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 parcels having various, regular, or random orientations.

[0054] Figures 6 to 8 schematically represent, in cross-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 an average surface 610 (represented schematically in the figures by dashed lines) which is flat and 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 parcels with different orientations. Even though the orientation of each surface parcel is random, it is possible to identify groups of surface parcels having the same or similar orientation.

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

[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 an angle of 60° with the axis 601. Thus, the normal directions to the second surface parcels 612 shown in [Fig. 8] form angles between 25° and 35° with the axis 60, and form angles 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 have at least: - a first group of surface plots, exhibiting an orientation identical or similar (for example, forming an identical angle with the average surface, within plus or minus 5°) to that of a first axis which is inclined at least 20° with respect to the average surface, and - a second group of surface plots, having an orientation identical or similar (for example forming with the average surface an angle identical to plus or minus 5°) to that of a second axis which is inclined at least 20° with respect to the average surface, and at least 40° with respect 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 can 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 can represent a smaller proportion of the total textured surface of the glazing substrate, for example 5% to 40%.

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

[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 parcels of the textured surface.

[0062] Conventionally, such a coating can be formed by a series of thin layers deposited successively on the surface of the glazing substrate. Preferably, at least one of these thin layers, hereafter referred to as the "functional layer," has an effect on the transmission of radiation through the glazing substrate. Thus, this functional layer may, for example, have absorbing properties for at least a portion of the solar radiation, or reflective properties for at least a portion of the solar radiation.

[0063] The functional layer is typically selected from metallic layers based on a metal or a metallic alloy, metal nitride layers, and metal oxynitride layers. The functional layer may be essentially metallic, 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 subnitride, that is, a substoichiometric nitride in nitrogen, in particular a nitride selected 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.Depending on the preferred embodiment, the functional layer is a titanium nitride (TiN) layer or a metallic layer of silver or nickel-chromium alloy (NiCr). The functional layer typically has a thickness of 1 nm to 50 nm.

[0064] The coating may also include dielectric modules, formed of one or more dielectric layers above and below the functional layer. For the purposes of this invention, "dielectric layer" means a material that is "non-metallic," i.e., not a metal. In the context of this invention, this term refers to 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 selected from metallic oxides, nitrides, or oxynitrides, in particular oxides, nitrides, or oxynitrides of one or more elements selected 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 The coating is deposited in a predetermined direction. This process can, for example, in the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, be a sputtering process, in particular a magnetic field-assisted sputtering process, known as magnetron sputtering, well known to those skilled in the art for the deposition of thin films on glass. In such a process, a magnetron projects a beam of particles, the beam being centered in 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 process oriented along 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 cathodic 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 enabling 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 so 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 displaced 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, along the same direction 22, onto the entire textured surface of the first face 11 of this glazing 1.

[0070] According to one feature 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 parcels of the textured surface, and further from the direction normal to some other surface parcels 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 parcels 112, and conversely forms an angle close to a right angle with the axis 101 normal to the first surface parcels 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 more 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 therefore different depending on the orientation of the surface parcels.

[0073] Thus, the functional coating layer 3 is advantageously thicker on surface patches oriented normal to the direction 22 of the beam 21. Conversely, the thickness of the functional coating layer decreases as the angle between this direction 22 of the beam 21 and the direction normal to the orientation of the surface patches increases. Therefore, 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] Figure 3 schematically represents a portion of the glazing substrate 1 after it has received a functional coating layer by such a process. On the first face 11 of this glazing substrate 1, the surface parcels 112, whose normal direction corresponds to the axis 102, are covered by a functional coating layer 32 of maximum thickness. The axis 102, normal to the surface parcels on which the thickness of the functional coating layer is maximum, corresponds to a direction hereafter referred to as the "dominant direction" of the functional coating layer. Conversely, the surface parcels 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 of much lesser thickness.

[0075] In the embodiment shown, the thickness of the functional coating layer 32 on the surface plots 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 plots 111.

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

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

[0078] Thus, for example, the first face 61 of the glazing substrate 6 in Figures 6 to 8 can be covered by a functional coating layer which is deposited by 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 beam orientation, the thickness of the coating functional layer varies depending on the surface parcels. Some of these surface parcels, having an orientation normal to a direction called the "dominant direction" of the coating functional layer, have a coating layer with maximum thickness. This dominant direction of the coating layer generally corresponds to the direction 26 of the magnetron beam that applied the coating functional layer.

[0080] In the example shown in 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 an orientation normal, 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 less than on the second coating parcels. By way of 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 parcels, 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 some other surface parcels, having a second orientation.

[0083] Figure 2 illustrates one possible embodiment of a device for applying a coating layer of varying thickness to different surface parcels of the textured surface, depending on the orientation of these surface parcels. Those skilled in the art can, of course, imagine other embodiments for achieving the same result.

[0084] For example, the application of the coating to the textured surface may be carried out in several stages. In this case, a first stage may involve the deposition of a functional coating layer so as to cover the entire textured surface with a functional coating layer of substantially uniform thickness. Such a deposition may, for example, be achieved by a non-directional thin-film deposition process, such as a chemical phase deposition process. steam well known to the man skilled in the art, or by 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, aimed at removing at least partially this functional coating layer from 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 along 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 some surface parcels than to the direction normal to others.

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

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

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

[0089] Figure 4 shows another example of glazing that can be implemented with the glazing substrate 1. The glazing 4 shown is a composite glazing comprising the glazing substrate 1, the second, untextured face 12 of which 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 refractive index layer 41. This refractive 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, deposited on the face 11 in liquid form, for example as a solution of sol-gel precursors, monomers, or a resin, before being subsequently cured. It thus perfectly follows the contours of the textured surface of the first face 11 of the glazing substrate 1.

[0090] Advantageously, this refractive 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 refractive index layer 41, or vice versa, does not cause a jump in refractive index. The refractive index layer 41 therefore compensates 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 therefore 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, incident light passing through the glazing 4 in a direction close to the dominant direction of this functional coating layer, represented by arrow 40, passes on average through a greater thickness of this functional coating layer than incident light passing through the glazing 4 in a direction further from the dominant direction represented by arrow 40. This characteristic of the glazing 4 can advantageously appear on all glazing systems using a glazing substrate according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0092] In the embodiment shown, the layer with index 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 commonly used for 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] Figure 5, for example, shows the glazing 4 used as a partition 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 horizontal. Advantageously, this glazing 4 is arranged such that the dominant direction, represented by arrow 40, of its functional coating layer forms an elevation angle of approximately 45° with the horizontal. In this embodiment, this functional coating layer is chosen to absorb infrared radiation.

[0095] When the sun is high in the sky, for example in the position shown by pictogram 51, the solar radiation shown by arrow 511 arrives at the glazing 4 with an orientation, measured by the angle of elevation ôl, which is close to The orientation of the dominant direction, represented by arrow 40, of the functional coating layer. In order to pass through the glazing 4, 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 a significant proportion of high-energy radiation, such as infrared radiation. The passage of solar radiation, represented by arrow 511, through the thick functional coating layer 32 results in the absorption of a large portion of the infrared radiation by these functional coating layers 32. The radiation represented by arrow 512, originating from the sun at a high position and having passed through the glazing 4, is therefore heavily filtered, having lost a large part of its infrared components and thus exhibiting 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 by pictogram 52, the solar radiation shown by arrow 521 arrives at the glazing 4 with an orientation, measured by the elevation angle θ2, that is much closer to the horizontal direction normal to the glazing 4, and further from 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 thickness of the functional coating layer, which is, on average, smaller. This functional coating layer absorbs only a relatively small portion of the infrared radiation contained in the radiation shown by arrow 521.The radiation represented by arrow 522, resulting from the passage of the radiation represented by arrow 521 through the glazing 4, is therefore only weakly filtered, compared to the radiation represented by arrow 521.

[0098] Consequently, the glazing allows a large part of the energy of solar radiation to be absorbed when the sun is high in the sky and it is necessary to protect the interior space 501 from the heat rises associated with this radiation, and on the contrary allows a relatively large part of the energy of this solar radiation to pass through when the sun is low in the sky and it is useful to heat the interior space 501 with solar radiation.

[0099] Thus, the inventors tested a glazing, similar to glazing 4 shown in Figures 4 and 5, in which a functional coating layer is deposited on the textured surface of a glazing substrate, with 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 parcels. normal to its dominant direction.

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

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

[0102] The dominant direction of the coating's functional layer can advantageously be oriented such that the effect of this coating's functional layer varies not only with the elevation angle of the incident radiation, but also, or even exclusively, with 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 coating's energy-absorbing functional layer can be chosen so that the glazing absorbs a greater proportion of this solar radiation when it comes from a direction closer to the south, and a smaller proportion when it comes from a direction further from the south.

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

[0104] A person skilled in the art can imagine many variations of such a solution. It is thus possible, for example, to produce a glazing comprising a substrate having a textured face 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 parcels of this substrate, having a first orientation, may thus be predominantly covered by a coating layer having a first property, while other surface parcels of this substrate, having a second orientation, may be predominantly covered 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 with certain inclinations, and other properties for incident radiation with a different inclination.

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

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

Claims

Demands

1. Coated glazing substrate (1, 6), suitable for use in glazing (4), said substrate having at least one first face (11, 61), said first face having an average surface (110, 610) normal to a principal normal direction (10, 60), said first face (11, 61) being textured so as to have at least: - first surface parcels (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 principal normal direction (10, 60), - second surface parcels (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 principal 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 parcels (112, 612) is greater than twice the thickness of said functional layer (31) on said first surface parcels (111, 611).

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

3. A 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 orientation directions 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 the 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 sqm.

6. Glazing substrate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first face (11) is textured so as to present reliefs forming repeated, or even periodic, patterns, each pattern comprising at least one of said first surface parcels (111) and at least one of said second surface parcels (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 present a random shape, comprising said surface parcels (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 parcels (112, 612) than on said first surface parcels (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 parcels (112, 612), normal to a direction said "dominant", and in that said thickness of said functional layer (3) on each of said other surface parcels (111, 611) decreases when the angle between said dominant direction and the direction normal to said surface parcel increases.

10. Glazing substrate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said functional layer (3) is selected from metallic layers based on a metal or a metallic 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) of 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 for manufacturing a coated glazing substrate, characterized in that it comprises a step of applying at least one functional coating layer (3) onto a first face (11, 61) of a glazing substrate (1, 6), said first face (11, 61) having an average surface (110, 610) normal to a principal 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 projecting said coating (3) onto said first face (11, 61) by a directional deposition process, 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) shape: - an angle greater than 20° with said principal 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. A manufacturing process according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said directional deposition process is a magnetron sputtering process (2).

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