Vehicle glass panels and vehicle glass panel mounting systems

Abstract

This invention provides a new type of vehicle glass panel that applies the lotus effect to the windshields of automobiles and trains, completely eliminating water droplets during rain or car washes, and a mounting system for the vehicle glass panel. [Solution] This is a new technology for vehicle glass plates 2 in which, in a windshield 1 of a vehicle, etc., irregularities X ranging from several micrometers to more than 10 micrometers are formed on the glass surface 1A of one side of the windshield by plasma treatment, nanocoating, laser microfabrication, etc., and a water-repellent wax W is permanently attached and applied only to the raised parts Y of the irregular surface. Furthermore, a heating wire is attached to the opposite side of the glass surface to which the water-repellent wax is attached and applied to the raised parts, and a double glass plate is made by layering ordinary glass on this surface, and the double glass plate is selectively mounted on the front or back of the vehicle, and the lotus effect of the glass surface and the heating of the heating wire disperse and evaporate water droplets on the glass surface, resulting in a vehicle glass plate mounting system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a windshield of a vehicle such as an automobile or a train, and relates to a glass plate that exhibits the lotus effect and an improved new technology that is an effective means of using this, and completely eliminates residual water droplets during rainy days or when washing the car.

Background Art

[0002] For the windshield plates of automobiles, trains, and airplanes, a method of the driver wiping off water droplets adhering to the glass with a wiper in addition to the forward field of view in the traveling direction during sunny days, especially during rainy days, has been widespread since ancient times and is still in use today, including the cockpit of an airplane.

[0003] Therefore, recently, instead of simple means of eliminating (water droplets) during rainy days or (water droplets) when washing the car with a wiper or air flow, a simple means of spraying a water-repellent liquid with the lotus effect on the glass surface and efficiently eliminating water droplets on the glass surface with a wiper or air flow has become widespread. Furthermore, there is also a means of attaching a water-repellent dry sheet to the glass surface. [See Patent Document 1 of the published patent].

[0004] Furthermore, a glass member with a water-repellent effect has been developed. Incidentally, when searching with AI (What is the structure of a windshield with the lotus effect?), the answer is "A windshield with the lotus effect has a structure in which fine irregularities are formed on the surface and a highly water-repellent chemical substance (solution) is applied to this surface." In this way, water droplets become spherical and obtain an effect of actively rolling down while entraining dirt, maintaining the glass surface in a clean state.

Prior Art Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006]

Summary of the Invention

[0007] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-56392 describes a dry sheet that imparts water repellency to glass surfaces, and various water-repellent materials were tested to select the optimal material. However, a water-repellent material that can provide a fundamental solution has not yet been established. Therefore, the inventor of this application promoted research and development of glass manufacturing technology that dramatically and comprehensively advances the lotus effect in rainy weather, new wiper technology that completely eliminates rainwater, mud, and other debris, and technology for using these technologies. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In the windshield of a vehicle, a glass plate has been established in which irregularities ranging from several micrometers to more than ten micrometers in size are formed on the surface of one side of the glass by plasma treatment, nanocoating, laser microfabrication, etc., and a water-repellent wax is attached to the protrusions of the irregular surface.

[0010] In the vehicle glass plate manufactured using the above glass manufacturing method, a heating wire is attached to the opposite side of the glass surface, which has been formed with irregularities and to which a water-repellent wax is applied. Furthermore, a double-layered glass plate is made by layering ordinary glass on this surface. This double-layered glass plate is selectively mounted on the front or back of the vehicle, and a mounting system for vehicle glass plates has been established in which water droplets on the glass surface are dispersed and evaporated by the lotus effect of the glass surface and the heating of the heating wire.

[0011] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned double-layer glass plate mounting system, we have established a vehicle glass plate mounting system in which a highly water-repellent solution is sprayed from within the wiper onto the surface of the double-layer glass plate, which is selectively mounted on the front and rear of the vehicle.

[0012] Furthermore, the wipers were changed from rubber to silicone sponge, and a highly water-repellent solution was made possible by spraying it from inside the wiper. Furthermore, the wiper consists of a cylindrical body and a silicone sponge. The silicone sponge is retracted and folded into the cylindrical body when not in use, and extends outwards in a straight line when wiping windows. A pump mechanism is used to spread a water-repellent wax liquid in a straight line from the silicone sponge in the cylindrical body, establishing a penetrating spray onto the surface of the double-pane glass. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] A flowchart illustrating the glass manufacturing process in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of the glass surface in action, in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] An embodiment of the present invention, showing a mounting system and operation diagram for a double-layered glass plate. [Figure 4] A diagram illustrating the evaporation of water droplets on a glass surface in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] A partial view of a wiper equipped with a nozzle for spraying water-repellent wax liquid. [Figure 6] A diagram illustrating the combined action of heat generation and evaporation caused by the wiper and the water-repellent wax liquid. [Figure 7] A second embodiment of the wiper and its operation diagram. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] The following will provide a detailed explanation using Figures 1 through 7. [Examples]

[0015] In Figure 1, the glass manufacturing process for vehicle windshields 1 and other flat glass 2 consists of a shaping process B, which is performed after the final process A of flat glass manufacturing, in which irregularities of several micrometers to more than 10 micrometers in size are formed on the glass surface of one side 1A of the glass by plasma treatment, nanocoating, or laser microfabrication, and a coating process C, in which a water-repellent wax W is applied to the protrusions Y of the irregular surface X. In this process, the flat glass becomes a finished product.

[0016] The glass plate 1 produced by the above glass manufacturing has, on its glass surface 1A on one side, as shown in Fig. 2(a), convex portions Y on the uneven surface X are arranged finely and innumerably. When water droplets (including water droplets that are in a misty state and change into spherical shapes due to surface tension) Z are placed on this surface, they are formed into spherical shapes due to surface tension. This phenomenon is called the lotus effect.

[0017] Therefore, as shown in Fig. 2(a), if the glass plate 1 is in a horizontal posture, the water droplets on the glass plate 1 will stop at their positions. However, as shown in Fig. 2(b), when the glass plate 1 is tilted, the gravitational force acts, and the water droplets Z will fall due to the lotus effect of the lotus leaf. Since the glass plate 1 having the above functions is a transparent body that passes light as shown in Fig. 2(c), it has uses as various plate glasses. Thus, when the uneven surface X is enlarged, it changes to the use as an opaque sanded glass that only passes light, which has existed conventionally.

[0018] The present invention realized an embodiment in order to apply the glass plate 1, which is a transparent body, particularly to the windows of the cockpits of automobiles, trains, which are means of transportation, and further to airplanes. Although there are many documents of such embodiments, there is no perfect glass plate.

[0019] The embodiment of the present invention will sequentially explain the water droplet divergence effect on the glass surface with the double glass plate mounting system shown in Fig. 3 and Figs. 4 and 5 below. The double glass plate mounting system S0 shown in Fig. 3 above is composed of a double glass plate in which a heating wire H is interposed between the glass plates I and G1 manufactured by the above glass manufacturing method and an ordinary glass G is overlapped on the opposite surface of the glass surface where the unevenness is formed and the water-repellent wax W is attached to the convex portions. This double glass plate G0 is selectively mounted on the front FG and the back BG of the vehicle C as shown in Fig. 4. It is a double glass plate mounting system S0 in which the heating wire H is arbitrarily heated to volatilize water droplets.

[0020] The above double-glass plate mounting system S0 is further equipped with wipers 11 on the outer sides of the windshield FG and the rear glass BG, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, and has multiple spray nozzles N·· for spraying water-repellent wax W onto the glass surface within the side surface of the wiper rubber 11A. The wiper frame 12 is moved in an arc motion by a swinging arm 13.

[0021] However, as shown in Figure 6(a), in the automobile C equipped with the double-glazed plate mounting system S0, raindrops or water droplets during car washing adhere to the outer surfaces of the windshield FG and rear glass BG during rainy weather. At this time, most of the water droplets are washed away by the water-repellent wax W on the raised parts formed by the uneven surface applied to the outer surface of each glass.

[0022] Furthermore, if rainwater or water droplets from car washing that adhere to the outer surfaces of the windshield FG and rear glass BG do not completely flow off due to evaporation by the heating element or the lotus effect on the glass surface, as shown in Figure 6(b), the water-repellent wax W can be sprayed from the nozzles N·· on the side of the wiper 11A to completely remove dirt and water droplets from the windshield FG and rear glass BG.

[0023] Thus, the perfect lotus effect of the double-glazed glass plate G0 mounting system S0 is restored. Specifically, the water droplets Z adhering to the outer surfaces of the windshield FG and rear glass BG are permanently dewatered by the lotus effect, the evaporation of water droplets by the heating wire H, the wiping action of the wiper 11A, and the spraying of the new water-repellent wax W.

[0024] Figure 7(a) shows a second embodiment of the wiper 20. The wiper rubber 11A attached to the existing blade 12 in Figure 6 has been replaced with a silicone sponge 13 that has high water absorption, hydrophilicity, and durability.

[0025] Furthermore, Figure 7(b) shows a third embodiment of the wiper 30. The general configuration is that the wiper rubber 13 is removed, and a flexible silicone sponge 13 is built into the cylindrical body 31. This silicone sponge 13 is bag-shaped and expands and contracts inside and outside the cylinder due to the forward and backward movement caused by the air pressure of the compressor P2. That is, because the silicone sponge 13 has high elasticity and moderate soft rigidity, it is compactly housed inside the cylinder, and when pushed out of the cylinder, the silicone sponge 13 extends in a straight line. Thus, if the surface of the silicone sponge 13 is impregnated with water-repellent wax liquid, the water-repellent wax liquid can be wiped evenly from the glass surface FG and BG without waste. Also, the water-repellent wax W is sent to the silicone sponge 13 inside the cylindrical body 31 by the pump P1.

[0026] Furthermore, the silicone sponge 13 may be reinforced on its central axis or the side opposite the glass surface by a wire with high elasticity and flexibility that assists in its ability to stretch in a straight line. An example of this is described below.

[0027] Specifically, Figure 7(C) shows that a bellows 32A made of expandable silicone rubber 13 is provided inside the cylindrical body 31, and when compressed air E is injected into the inside from a compressor P2, it expands and the silicone sponge 13 is attached to the outer surface of the bellows 32A (in particular, only on the side facing the glass surface), and water-repellent wax W is sprayed onto the silicone sponge 13 with nozzle holes N to efficiently wipe away water droplets from the glass surfaces FG and BG.

[0028] Thus, by changing the wiper rubber 12 to the silicone sponge 13, the water-repellent wax W is preserved with high durability within the silicone sponge. That is, the water-repellent wax liquid within the silicone sponge is applied thinly and evenly to the glass surface, ensuring a thin and even application over a long period of time. As a result, the lotus effect on the glass surface is maintained for a long time, visibility obstruction caused by contaminated water can be efficiently wiped away with the silicone sponge wiper, and the glass surface remains highly transparent. [Industrial applicability]

[0029] The present invention is not limited to the windshields of vehicles such as automobiles and trains, but can also be applied to window glass facing the outside air in houses. By adding this function to the surface of a mirror placed in a bathroom, water droplets are actively allowed to run off, resulting in a fog-free mirror surface. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1. Windshield "glass panel" 1A Glass surface 2. Glass A. The final stage of glass manufacturing. B Molding process C Coating process FG Windshield BG Back glass G0 Double-pane glass N injection nozzle S0 Implementation System H heating wire H injection port 12 Wiper blades 13 Silicone sponge 20 cylinder R,SR Silicone Wiper 30 Wipers 31 Cylinder 32 Silicone rubber 32A Bellows X Uneven surface Y-shaped protrusion Z water drop Double Water-Repellent Wax

Claims

1. A glass plate for vehicles, wherein the surface of one side of the glass is formed with irregularities ranging from several micrometers to more than ten micrometers by plasma treatment, nanocoating, or laser microfabrication, and a water-repellent wax is attached to the protrusions of the irregular surface.

2. A vehicle glass plate according to claim 1, wherein a heating wire is attached to the opposite side of the glass surface on which a water-repellent wax is attached to the protruding parts of the uneven surface, and a double glass plate is formed by layering ordinary glass on this surface, and the double glass plate is selectively mounted on the front or back of the vehicle, and the water droplets on the glass surface are dispersed and evaporated by the lotus effect of the glass surface and the heating of the heating wire, thereby forming a mounting system for a vehicle glass plate.

3. The vehicle glass plate mounting system according to claim 2, wherein a highly water-repellent solution is sprayed from within the wiper onto the surface of a double glass plate selectively mounted on the front and rear of the vehicle.

4. The wiper according to claim 3 above is a vehicle glass plate mounting system comprising a wiper rubber made of a silicone sponge, and a highly water-repellent solution impregnated and supplied into the silicone sponge, which is continuously emitted onto the glass surface when wiping the glass.

5. The wiper according to claim 3 above consists of a cylindrical body and a silicone sponge, the silicone sponge is folded into the cylindrical body when the bellows member is compressed and contracted when the wiper is at rest, compressed air is supplied to the bellows member to make it protrude from the cylindrical body and expand it into a straight line, and in this straightened state a water-repellent wax liquid is injected into the bellows member by a pump, impregnating the silicone sponge wrapped around the outer circumference of the bellows member through small holes on the outer circumference of the cylindrical body, and the surface of the double glass plate is coated with water, thus forming a mounting system for a vehicle glass plate.

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