Water droplet separation glass

Abstract

In aerogel glass plates, we provide a water droplet dispersion glass plate that completely eliminates residual water droplets adhering to the glass surface facing the outside air through the lotus effect. [Solution] In the aerogel plate glass 1, a water droplet dispersion plate glass G was formed in which irregularities ranging from several micrometers to more than 10 micrometers were formed on the glass surface 1A of at least one side of the glass by any means such as plasma treatment, nanocoating, or laser microfabrication.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to various aerogel glass plates for the front glass of vehicles such as automobiles and trains and the window glass of buildings. One side of the plate is formed into a water droplet dispersion surface that exhibits the lotus effect, and the residual water droplets adhering to the water droplet dispersion surface on the outside air side are improved to be completely eliminated by the lotus effect, and relates to a water droplet dispersion plate glass.

Background Art

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

[0003] Therefore, recently, in the conventional means of eliminating (water droplets) in rainy weather or during car washing 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 the 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 Published Patent].

[0004] Furthermore, a glass member with a water-repellent effect alone has been developed. Incidentally, when searching with AI about (what is the structure of the front glass with the lotus effect?), the answer is that "the front glass with the lotus effect has a structure in which the surface has fine irregularities and a highly water-repellent chemical substance (solution) is applied to this surface." As a result, in rainy weather, the water droplets of rainwater become spherical and actively roll down while entrapping dirt, and the glass surface is maintained in a clean state with extremely small water droplets.

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 invention promoted research and development to develop a novel manufacturing technology for water droplet dispersion glass that advances the lotus effect during rainy weather in an unprecedented and multifaceted way, and to enable a wide range of applications for water droplet dispersion glass in various industrial fields. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] However, in a glass plate sandwiching aerogel produced by various manufacturing methods, a water droplet dispersion plate glass was developed in which irregularities ranging from several micrometers to more than 10 micrometers were formed on at least one side of the glass surface of the aerogel glass plate by any means such as plasma treatment, nanocoating, or laser microfabrication.

[0010] Furthermore, we have developed a water droplet dispersion glass plate in which, in a single-layer transparent aerogel glass plate, irregularities ranging from several micrometers to more than 10 micrometers in size are formed on at least one side of the aerogel glass plate surface by any means such as plasma treatment, nanocoating, or laser microfabrication.

[0011] In each of the above-mentioned water droplet dispersion glass plates, the surface with the uneven texture formed on the water droplet dispersion glass plate is oriented towards the outside air, expanding its potential use as a water droplet dispersion glass plate installed as a transparent window material in automobiles, trains, aircraft, buildings, and other applications.

[0012] Furthermore, in each of the above-mentioned water droplet dispersion glass plates, the transparent plate surface opposite to the aerogel plate with the above-mentioned uneven surface is made of water droplet dispersion glass with a translucent surface treatment. This provides both a privacy effect and the ability to disperse water droplets from the bathroom-facing surface. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] A diagram illustrating the manufacturing process of a water droplet dispersion glass in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of the working glass plate in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] A cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention, manufactured using an aerogel glass plate. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the operation of the windshield surface of an automobile in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] A diagram illustrating the thermal insulation effect of window glass in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention in which one side of the transparent plate surface is semi-transparent. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] The following will provide a detailed explanation using Figures 1 through 6. [Examples]

[0015] The manufacturing method for water droplet dispersion glass shown in Figure 1 is a manufacturing technology for water droplet dispersion glass using an aerogel glass plate 1 as the material. First, an aerogel glass plate 1 produced by various manufacturing methods of known technologies is prepared. This aerogel glass plate 1 consists of glass plates 1A and 1B on both sides, and granular aerogel EG is filled therein. (B) In the aerogel glass plate 1, the glass surface that becomes the outer surface of one side's glass plate 1A is faced to the processing machine K. (C) With respect to the glass surface of the glass single side 1A of the aerogel glass plate 1, in order to form irregularities of several micrometers to a dozen or so micrometers, either plasma treatment P or nano - coating N or any means K of the laser micro - machining method L is used to form irregularities 1B ···. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, through the respective steps A to C of FIG. 1 above, a water - droplet - dispersing plate glass G is manufactured.

[0016] On the surface 1A of the water - droplet - dispersing plate glass G produced by the above - mentioned glass manufacturing, as shown in FIG. 2(a), concave surfaces X and convex portions Y are arranged finely and innumerably. When a water droplet (including a water droplet in which mist - like water changes into a spherical shape due to surface tension) W lands on this surface, it is formed into a spherical shape by surface tension. This phenomenon is called the lotus effect.

[0017] Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2(b), if the glass plate 1A is in a horizontal posture, the water droplet W on the glass plate 1A stops at that position. However, as shown in FIG. 2(C), when the glass plate 1A is tilted, the gravitational force acts, and it falls due to the lotus effect of the lotus leaf. Since the glass plate 1A having the above - mentioned function is a transparent body that passes light rays L as shown in FIG. 2(C), this water - droplet - dispersing plate glass G is used as a glass plate for various applications.

[0018] Subsequently, the manufacturing means of the water - droplet - dispersing plate glasses G1 and G2 shown in FIG. 3(a) is such that in a transparent aerogel plate G0 composed of a single sheet, on at least one - side surface 2 of the aerogel plate, in order to form irregularities of several micrometers to a dozen or so micrometers, an irregular surface 2A is formed by any means such as plasma treatment, nano - coating, or laser micro - machining method, resulting in the water - droplet - dispersing plate glass G1 shown in FIG. 3(b).

[0019] The following introduces various application examples using the above water droplet dispersion plate glass G or G1. For example, it is applied to the windows of the cockpits of automobiles, trains, and airplanes, which are means of transportation. One of the embodiments will be described by exemplifying the front glass FG of a passenger car C in FIG. 4. This front glass FG employs the above water droplet dispersion plate glass G or G1.

[0020] In the above passenger car C during rainy days, since the front glass FG is the water droplet dispersion plate glass G or G1, when raindrops adhere to the front glass FG, due to the lotus effect caused by the concave surface X and the convex part Y of the glass plate on its surface 1A, the water droplets W adhering to the surface 1A or 2A of the plate glass G or G1 will have the effect of natural falling. Incidentally, some of the water droplets W that adhere to the surface 1A or 2A of the plate glass G or G1 and do not fall are wiped off by a wiper (not shown).

[0021] Regarding the above actions and effects, in the above passenger car C, on sunny days, due to the high heat insulation of the aerogel of the water droplet dispersion plate glass or G1, G, the heat conduction from the high outside air temperature in summer or the low outside air temperature in midwinter to the interior of the car through the glass is completely blocked. Thus, the interior of the car is efficiently maintained at an appropriate temperature for air conditioning and heating.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 5, another embodiment of the present invention is used in the window glass of high-rise buildings and the window glass of ordinary houses. Also in this embodiment, the water droplet dispersion plate glass G or G1, as a window glass, completely divides and completely thermally shields the outside air and the interior. That is, due to the high heat insulation of the aerogel EG and the aerogel EG inside the glass plate 1A, the high outside air temperature in summer and the low outside air temperature in midwinter are completely blocked, but only the sunlight L is guided into the interior. Thus, the temperature of air conditioning and heating inside the building is efficiently and constantly maintained. Also, during rainy days, due to the lotus effect caused by the concave surface X and the convex part Y of the surface plate glass 1A or 2A of the water droplet dispersion plate glass G or G1, the water droplets W adhering to the surface 1A or 2A of the plate glass will have the effect of natural falling.

[0023] In the second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figures 3(C) and 6, in the water droplet dispersion plate glass G2 or G3, the surface of the plate glass 1B opposite the aerogel glass plate 1A with uneven surface formation is changed to conventional frosted glass 1C or 2C, which is opaque and only transmits light, by increasing the size of the uneven surface X. This water droplet dispersion plate glass, with its glass surface treated to be semi-transparent, is G2 or G3.

[0024] Similarly, with the water droplet dispersion glass plate G3, the aerogel surface with its uneven texture is placed in the environment with high humidity and temperature, while the opposite opaque (frosted) glass plate 2C is placed in the environment with low humidity and temperature. This produces the same effects as described above. [Industrial applicability]

[0025] This invention is not limited to all glass in vehicles such as automobiles and trains, but also to window glass facing the outside air in houses. Furthermore, by adding this function to frosted glass or mirrored surfaces placed indoors, water droplets will be actively drained away, resulting in frosted glass or mirrored surfaces that are free from fogging. This function can be widely expanded to other fields of application. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0026] 1. Aerogel glass plate 1A, 1B Aerogel glass plate 1C, 2C frosted glass EG Aerogel K processing machine G, G1, G3 water droplet dispersion glass

Claims

1. A water droplet dispersion glass plate in which aerogel produced by various manufacturing methods is filled into the gap between two glass plates, characterized in that the surface of one side of the glass plate is made to form irregularities ranging from several micrometers to more than ten micrometers by any means such as plasma treatment, nanocoating, or laser microfabrication.

2. A water droplet dispersion glass plate comprising a single transparent aerogel glass plate, characterized in that the surface of at least one side of the aerogel glass plate is formed to create irregularities ranging from several micrometers to more than ten micrometers by any means such as plasma treatment, nanocoating, or laser microfabrication.

3. The water droplet dispersion glass according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the glass plate surface opposite to the surface with unevenness, or the aerogel plate surface opposite to the surface with unevenness, is each surface-treated to be semi-transparent.

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