Glazing, method for manufacturing the glazing, and use of the glazing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a glazing 10 comprising first and second busbars 1, 2 for connection to a power supply, a third busbar 3 located between the first and second busbars 1, 2, and a plurality of conductors 5 electrically connected to the first busbar 1, wherein a first group of conductors 5 extends from the first busbar 1 to the third busbar 3 to form a first resistance R1, and a second group of conductors 5 extends from the side of the third busbar 3 facing the second busbar 2 and is electrically connected to the second busbar 2. the conductors 5 extending from the side of the third busbar 3 facing the second busbar 2 are fewer than the conductors extending from the side of the third busbar 3 facing the first busbar 1, and further comprising at least one gap 6 on one side of the third busbar 3 opposite the conductors 5 on the other side, and an information acquisition region 7 arranged between the third busbar 3 and the second busbar 2, and wherein the at least one gap 6 is arranged outside the information acquisition region 7,

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to glazing including a conductor, a method for manufacturing the glazing, and use of the glazing.

Background Art

[0002] Glazing including a heating conductor is known for anti-fogging and defrosting. For example, heating wire glazing is used for the front glass, rear window, side window, and roof window of an automobile.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-212148 (Ogawa) discloses two heaters in vehicle glazing each connected to its own bus bar. The first heater is in an information acquisition area. The second heater is in an area other than the information acquisition area. The information acquisition area is used for an information acquisition device capable of acquiring information from the outside of the vehicle by receiving light. As an example, a camera using visible light or infrared rays can be mentioned. The first and second heaters are prepared on a release film. An adhesive layer is deposited thereon to form a transfer sheet. After transferring to either the outer glass plate or the inner glass plate surface of the glazing, the release layer is peeled off and the adhesive layer is dissolved.

[0004] European Patent Application Publication No. 3486225 (Ogawa) discloses two regions for heat generation, each including a plurality of heating wires extending in the vertical direction and connected to a common bus bar. The first heating wire passes through a window portion (information acquisition area) in a central area. The second heating wire is disposed in side regions on both sides parallel to the first heating wire. The width of the heating wire becomes thinner near the window portion to more effectively prevent fogging. In other regions, the width of the heating wire increases to reduce the heat generation amount. International Publication No. 2019 / 107460 (Ogawa) discloses a front glass.

[0005] International Publication No. 2018 / 055390 (Day) and International Publication No. 2019 / 131928 (Yasuda) disclose a wire-heating window having a wire-free region disposed inside a conductive member or a "bus bar ring".

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an alternative glazing that achieves faster anti-fogging or defrosting in a predetermined region.

[0007] A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing such glazing.

Summary of the Invention

[0008] In a first aspect, the present invention provides the glazing according to claim 1.

[0009] The glazing includes at least one gap on one side of a third bus bar and on the side opposite to the conductor on the other side.

[0010] Preferably, the glazing includes a fourth bus bar located between the third bus bar and the second bus bar, wherein the conductors of the second group extend to the fourth bus bar to form a second resistance, and the conductors of the third group extend from the fourth bus bar to the second bus bar to form a third resistance.

[0011] Preferably, in the glazing, the conductors extending from the side of the fourth bus bar facing the second bus bar are more than the conductors extending from the side of the fourth bus bar facing the third bus bar.

[0012] In the glazing, the information acquisition region is disposed between the third bus bar and the second bus bar.

[0013] Preferably, the information acquisition region is disposed between the third bus bar and the fourth bus bar.

[0014] In the glazing, the conductor extending from the side facing the second bus bar of the third bus bar outside the information acquisition area is less than the conductor extending from the side facing the first bus bar of the third bus bar.

[0015] Preferably, at least one gap is located outside the information acquisition area.

[0016] Preferably, the conductor is a heating wire.

[0017] Preferably, the group of conductors extends from the first bus bar to the second bus bar to form a parallel resistance, or extends to the split bus bar to form a split bus bar parallel resistance, and the distance between the first bus bar and the split bus bar is selected to be different from the distance between the first bus bar and the second bus bar.

[0018] Preferably, the power density in the region of the second resistance is greater than the power density of the first resistance or the parallel resistance or the split bus bar parallel resistance or any combination thereof.

[0019] Preferably, the glazing comprises an outer and an inner ply of glazing material and a ply of intermediate layer material therebetween, forming a laminated glass, wherein the first and second resistances are between the ply of intermediate layer material and the inner ply of glazing material. The conductor may contact the outer or inner ply of glazing material or an additional ply of intermediate layer material.

[0020] The glazing may have any suitable shape, such as a trapezoidal, rectangular or triangular shape. The thickness of the glazing including all glazing material, intermediate layer material and conductor may be any thickness, for example, 2.5 mm to 10.6 mm, preferably 2.6 mm to 3.8 mm, more preferably 2.7 mm to 3.2 mm. The glazing material may be any suitable material, such as soda lime silica glass or borosilicate glass.

[0021] The outer ply of the glazing material can be of any thickness, for example, to meet the requirements for durability and impact resistance against flying stones. On the other hand, as the thickness increases, the weight increases, which is not desirable. The thickness of the outer ply of the glazing material can be from 1.6 mm to 2.5 mm, more preferably from 1.9 mm to 2.1 mm.

[0022] The inner ply of the glazing material can be of any thickness, for example, to meet the requirement of reducing the weight of the glazing. The thickness of the inner ply of the glazing material may be less than that of the outer ply of the glazing material, for example, it can be from 0.6 mm to 2.1 mm, more preferably from 0.8 mm to 1.6 mm, and most preferably from 0.8 to 1.3 mm.

[0023] The glazing can comprise two or more plies of an intermediate layer material. The intermediate layer material can be polyvinyl butyral (PVB), which is advantageous because it shows good adhesion after lamination to glass and a conductor in the form of a wire can be embedded during manufacturing. The thickness of the PVB can be of any thickness, for example, 0.76 mm.

[0024] The conductor can be of any material, for example, wires of copper, tungsten, silver, gold, aluminum and their alloys. The conductor can have any resistivity, for example, 116 Ω / m. The conductor can have any cross-sectional shape, such as circular or rectangular, and any thickness (e.g., 30 μm or less), or any width (e.g., 30 μm or less).

[0025] The conductor can be of any shape on the glazing, for example, a wavy shape such as a straight line or a sine wave. The wavy conductor can have an extension of any amount of path length, for example, 107%. The conductor can be a crimped wire. The conductor can have any pitch, that is, the spacing between adjacent wires, for example, 1.25 mm or more, preferably from 1.8 mm to 4.5 mm, more preferably from 2 mm to 2.6 mm. The conductors can be arranged in parallel or fan-shaped with different spacings at the top and bottom of the window.

[0026] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing the glazing according to claim 10.

[0027] Preferably, the method for manufacturing the glazing further includes the step of removing at least a part of at least one conductor on one side of the third bus bar to form a gap in the second resistance.

[0028] The conductor can be removed by any method, such as laser ablation, ultrasonic cutting, ablation by energization, or cutting by a knife.

[0029] A plurality of conductors in the form of wires can be embedded in the ply of the intermediate layer material using a wire laying device. The wire laying device can bend the wire to provide a crimped wire and can embed the wire in the ply of the intermediate layer material using a pressure roller.

[0030] In a third aspect, the present invention provides the use of the glazing in an automobile as a front glass, a rear window, a side window, or a roof window, or in an aircraft, a train, or a building as a window.

Advantages of the Invention

[0031] The present invention provides a glazing that provides faster anti-fogging or defrosting in a predetermined area. This area can be the viewing area of the front glass of a vehicle for a driver, or a device capable of obtaining information from outside the vehicle, such as a camera. According to the present invention, the camera is in a ready state earlier than the driver. Depending on the information of the camera, an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) can be activated, and it becomes possible to be in a ready state earlier than the driver.

[0032] The present invention provides a method for manufacturing the glazing that is simpler than conventional methods. The present invention does not require a transfer sheet for transferring to the glazing and corresponding method steps.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0033]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0034] Hereinafter, it will be described with reference to the drawings, and in the drawings, the reference numerals have the same meaning.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a glazing 10 according to the present invention having a conductor 5 for electrically heating the glazing. The glazing 10 generally has a trapezoidal shape suitable for the front glass of a vehicle.

[0036] A first busbar 1 and a second busbar 2 are provided and are shown adjacent to the upper edge and the lower edge of the glazing 1 for connection to an external power source (not shown). A third busbar 3 is located between the first busbar and the second busbar, is parallel to the first busbar 1, and is shown close to the first busbar 1. The conductor 5 is electrically connected to the first busbar 1.

[0037] The conductors of the first group extend from the first bus bar 1 to the third bus bar 3 and form the first resistor R1. The conductors of the second group extend from the side of the third bus bar 3 facing the second bus bar 2, are electrically connected to the second bus bar 2, and form the second resistor R2. Since the first resistor 1 and the second resistor 2 are electrically connected in series to form a series connection, the same current flows through the resistor 1 and the resistor 2.

[0038] The conductors extending from the side of the third bus bar 3 facing the second bus bar 2 are fewer than the conductors extending from the side of the third bus bar 3 facing the first bus bar 1. One of the conductors of the second resistor R2 is removed to form a gap 6.

[0039] The parallel resistor R is arranged on one side of the first and second resistors R1, R2, is electrically parallel to them, and as a result, the same voltage is applied to the parallel resistor R and the series connection of the first and second resistors R1, R2. The parallel resistor R is connected to the first and second bus bars 1, 2 in the same way as the series connection of the first and second resistors R1, R2.

[0040] FIG. 2 is a plan view of another glazing 10 according to the present invention. It differs from FIG. 1 in that a split bus bar 8 is provided, and as a result, the split bus bar parallel resistor R8 can have a different distance between bus bars than the series connection of the first and second resistors R1, R2. The split bus bar parallel resistor R8 can be electrically connected to the second bus bar 2 as required, and as a result, it becomes electrically parallel to the series connection of the first and second resistors R1, R2.

[0041] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the glazing 10 according to the present invention. It differs from FIG. 1 in that it has a fourth bus bar 4 located between the third bus bar 3 and the second bus bar 2. The conductors of the second group extend to the fourth bus bar 4 to form the second resistor R2. The conductors of the third group extend from the fourth bus bar to the second bus bar to form the third resistor R3. The information acquisition region 7 is located within the second resistor R2. The gap 6 is located outside the information acquisition region 7 within the second resistor R2.

[0042] Figure 4 is a plan view of the glazing 10 according to the present invention. This is different from FIG. 3 in that, outside the information acquisition region 7 in the second resistor R2, it has two gaps 6 on one outside. The two gaps 6 are separated by one conductor 5.

[0043] Figure 5 is a plan view of the glazing 10 according to the present invention. This is different from FIG. 4 in that, outside the information acquisition region 7 in the second resistor R2, it has three gaps 6, and on one side thereof, one gap and on the other side two gaps are separated by two conductors 5.

[0044] Figure 6 is a plan view of the glazing 10 according to the present invention. This is different from FIG. 5 in that, outside the information acquisition region 7 in the second resistor R2, it has four gaps 6, and on one side thereof, two gaps are separated by one conductor 5 and on the other side two gaps are separated by two conductors 5. For clarity, only a few conductors 5 are shown. Not all conductors 5 are shown. The combination of the number of gaps 6 and the number of conductors 5 between the gaps 6 is not limited. Nevertheless, for example, removing too many conductors 5 so as to form a wide gap 6 that results in a cold spot that is not heated outside the information acquisition region 7 when the wiper cannot clean the front glass is not desirable.

[0045] Figure 7 is a plan view of the glazing 10 according to the present invention. This is different from FIG. 6 in that it has a split bus bar 8 and a split bus bar parallel resistor R8 as in FIG. 2.

[0046] Figure 8 is a circuit diagram of the glazing 10 according to the present invention corresponding to FIG. 7. The switches as required are for electrical connection as required (not shown in FIG. 7), and as a result, the split bus bar parallel resistor R8 can be electrically parallel to the series connection of the first and second resistors R1, R2.

[0047] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the glazing 10 according to the present invention corresponding to FIGS. 3 to 7. The ply 11 on the outside of the glazing material and the ply 12 on the inside of the glazing material have an intermediate layer material ply 13 therebetween.

Example

[0048] The following is an explanation of non-limiting examples of the present invention.

[0049] Table 1 shows the results of a first simulation for glazing having a nominal power density of 600 W / m generally described in FIGS. 1 to 9. The power density in a given region is, in an adjacent region 30 mm wide that is outside the given region but within the second resistance R2, at most 12 conductors less, so that it can increase to 1,228 W / m 2 . The number of conductors inside the given region is 23, so the total number of conductors in the first resistance R1 is 35. Alternatively, if one conductor each is removed on the left and right of the given region, the power density increases to 665 W / m 2 . 2

[0050] Table 1 discloses the increased power density for a comparative example having no removed conductors (gaps) and four examples having conductors in a second resistance R2 that are 2 to 12 less than the conductors in the first resistance R1.

[0051]

Table 1

[0052] Table 2 shows the results of a second simulation for glazing having a nominal power density of 600 W / m generally described in FIGS. 3 to 6. The power density in a given region is, in an adjacent region 10 mm wide that is outside the given region but within the second resistance R2, having 4 conductors less, so that it is 742 W / m 2 . 2It can be increased. Since the number of conductors inside the predetermined region is 32, the total number of conductors in the first resistor R1 and the third resistor R3 is 36.

[0053] Table 2 discloses an increased power density for an embodiment having four conductors (gaps) removed in the information acquisition region and having a distance from the second resistor to the first bus bar different from the distance from the second resistor to the second bus bar.

[0054] [Table 2]

[0055] Table 2 shows that the power density above / below the second resistor R2 is 591 W / m 2 It shows that. To achieve the nominal power density over the entire glazing, the split bus bar 8 of FIG. 2 or FIG. 7 is required, and therefore the distances between the bus bar for the split bus bar parallel resistance and the series-connected R1, R2, R3 can be different.

[0056] Table 3 discloses the results of a third simulation of a glazing generally having the nominal power density of 600 W / m shown in FIG. 7. The power density in the predetermined region can be increased to 753 W / m by having four fewer conductors in an adjacent region 10 mm wide that is outside the predetermined region but within the second resistor R2. 2 Since the number of conductors inside the predetermined region is 32, the total number of conductors in the first resistor R1 and the third resistor R3 is 36. The differences compared with Table 2 are underlined. 2

[0057] [Table 3]

[0058] The difference in the distance between the busbars is 886 - 879 = 7 mm. When reducing the distance between the busbars of the series connection R1, R2, R3 compared to the distance between the busbars of the parallel resistors, the nominal power density of the first and third resistors is restored, and due to the fewer conductors in between, the increased resistance value of the second resistor is compensated for.

[0059] In all simulations, the applied voltage is 12.33 volts. The conductor spacing is 2.6 mm. The conductors are simulated as wires with a resistivity of 116 Ω / m and have an increased path length due to a crimped shape of 107%.

[0060] The present invention may have any number of predetermined regions having fewer conductors extending from the side of the additional busbar facing the second busbar than from the side of the additional busbar facing the first busbar. Two or more regions may be spaced apart across the width of the glazing. For example, in the case of a stereo camera, they may be spaced apart left and right. Two or more regions may be spaced apart along the height of the glazing, for example, having a series connection of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth resistors with third, fourth, fifth, and sixth busbars between them. The second and fourth resistors have fewer conductors and provide a higher power density in two regions (e.g., the upper and lower parts of the glazing).

[0061] The first and second groups of conductors may be partially formed by a plurality of continuous wires that are at least partially overlapped by the first, second, and third busbars.

[0062] The manufacturing method may include the step of embedding a plurality of conductors in the ply of the intermediate layer material in the form of continuous wires. Preferably, a selected section of the continuous wire between the third busbar and the second busbar or the fourth busbar is cut and removed.

[0063] The first, second, and third embodiments and one comparative example according to the present invention were created. The embodiments were as shown in FIG. 5, but in each of the second groups of conductors, 2, 4, and 5 wires were removed, respectively. The gaps due to wire removal were located outside the information acquisition area. There were gaps on the left and right, two on the left and two on the right, and two on the left and three on the right, respectively. In the comparative example, no wires were removed.

[0064] In a standard defrosting test known in the art, the time required for the information acquisition area to reach a temperature of 0 degrees was measured relative to the time required for the comparative example for each embodiment. The first embodiment was 30 seconds faster, the second embodiment was 60 seconds faster, and the third embodiment was 80 seconds faster.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0065] 1 First bus bar 2 Second bus bar 3 Third bus bar 4 Fourth bus bar 5 Conductor 6 Gap 7 Information acquisition area 8 Split bus bar 10 Glazing 11 Outer ply of glazing material 12 Inner ply of glazing material 13 Ply of intermediate material R Parallel resistor R1 First resistor R2 Second resistor R3 Third resistor R8 Split bus bar parallel resistor

Claims

1. A grading 10 comprising: first and second busbars 1 and 2 for connection to a power source; a third busbar 3 positioned between the first and second busbars 1 and 2; a plurality of conductors 5 electrically connected to the first busbar 1; wherein: a first group of conductors 5 extends from the first busbar 1 to the third busbar 3 to form a first resistance R1; a second group of conductors 5 extends from a side of the third busbar 3 facing the second busbar 2 and is electrically connected to the second busbar 2 to form a second resistance R2; wherein the conductors 5 extending from the side of the third busbar 3 facing the second busbar 2 are fewer than the conductors extending from the side of the third busbar 3 facing the first busbar 1; at least one gap 6 on one side of the third busbar 3, located at a position opposite to the conductors 5 on the other side; an information acquisition region 7 disposed between the third busbar 3 and the second busbar 2; wherein the at least one gap 6 is located outside the information acquisition region 7; the groups of conductors 5 extend from the first busbar 1 to the second busbar 2 to form a parallel resistance R, or extend to a split busbar 8 to form a split busbar parallel resistance R8, and the distance between the first busbar 1 and the split busbar 8 is selected to be longer than the distance between the first busbar 1 and the second busbar 2; grading 10.

2. The grading 10 according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth busbar 4 positioned between the third busbar 3 and the second busbar 2, wherein: the second group of conductors 5 extends to the fourth busbar 4 to form a second resistance R2; a third group of conductors 5 extends from the fourth busbar 4 to the second busbar 2 to form a third resistance R3.

3. The grading 10 according to claim 2, wherein the conductors 5 extending from the side of the fourth busbar 4 facing the second busbar 2 are more than the conductors extending from the side of the fourth busbar 4 facing the third busbar 3.

4. The grading 10 according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the information acquisition region 7 is disposed between the third busbar 3 and the fourth busbar 4.

5. ​ ​ ​ The conductor 5 extending from the side of the third bus bar 3 facing the second bus bar 2 has less length than the conductor extending outside the information acquisition region 7 from the side of the third bus bar 3 facing the first bus bar 1. The glazing 10 according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The conductor 5 is a heating wire. The glazing 10 according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The power density in the region of the second resistor R2 is greater than that of the first resistor R1 or the parallel resistor R or the split bus bar parallel resistor R8 or any combination thereof. The glazing 10 according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. Comprising outer and inner plies 11, 12 of a glazing material for forming laminated glass and a ply 13 of an intermediate layer material therebetween, wherein the first and second resistors R1, R2 are between the ply 13 of the intermediate layer material and the inner ply 12 of the glazing material. The glazing 10 according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Providing first and second bus bars 1, 2 for connection to a power source; Placing a third bus bar 3 between the first and second bus bars 1, 2; Electrically connecting a plurality of conductors 5 to the first bus bar 1; Extending a first group of conductors 5 from the first bus bar 1 to the third bus bar 3 to form a first resistor R1; Extending a second group of conductors 5 from the side of the third bus bar 3 facing the second bus bar 2 and electrically connecting the conductors 5 to the second bus bar 2 to form a second resistor R2; Here, the conductor 5 extending from the side of the third bus bar 3 facing the second bus bar 2 is less than the conductor extending from the side of the third bus bar 3 facing the first bus bar 1, Removing at least a part of at least one conductor on one side of the third bus bar to form at least one gap 6 on one side of the third bus bar 3 at a position opposite to the conductors 5 on the other side; Placing an information acquisition region 7 between the third bus bar 3 and the second bus bar 2; Placing the at least one gap 6 outside the information acquisition region 7; A method for manufacturing the glazing 10 according to claim 1, further comprising.

10. Use of the glazing 10 according to claim 1 as a windshield, rear window, side window or roof window of a motor vehicle or as a window of an aircraft, train or building.

Images