Heatable Laminated Side Window Busbar Placement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional heated laminated side windows with busbars along the lower edge face aesthetic issues due to visibility, require complex insulation to prevent short circuits, and suffer from local overheating due to meandering current paths.

Innovation Solution

The busbars are arranged along the leading or trailing edge of the side window, with insulation lines directing the heating current to ensure homogeneous heating, and are hidden from view by the vehicle body, preventing visibility and reducing the risk of overheating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If busbars are arranged along the lower edge of the side window, then electrical contacting is achieved, but the busbars become visible to viewers when the side window is open, creating aesthetic issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical contactingVSAvoidaesthetic appearance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of placing busbars along the lower edge (conventional approach), the patent inverts the arrangement by positioning them along the upper edge of the side window. This inversion makes the busbars invisible when the window is open, as they are located above the window opening, while still maintaining electrical contacting functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Shape

If busbars are arranged along the leading or trailing edge, then aesthetic appearance is improved by hiding busbars, but complex insulation measures are required to prevent short circuits due to spatial proximity of oppositely polarized busbars

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidinsulation measures

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an insulating intermediate layer between the oppositely polarized busbars arranged along the upper edge. This intermediary element prevents short circuits while allowing the busbars to be positioned close together for aesthetic purposes, thus resolving the contradiction between appearance and electrical safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Temperature

If heating wires or coating segments follow a meandering course from the lower edge over the disc back to the lower edge, then the entire surface can be heated, but strong local curvatures form places with local overheating (hotspots)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating uniformityVSAvoidlocal overheating

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the heating path into multiple straight sections by positioning busbars at opposite edges (upper and lower edges) and using insulation lines to create separate heating zones. This segmentation eliminates the meandering course and strong local curvatures that cause hotspots, while still ensuring uniform heating across the entire window surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Temperature

If heating wires or coating segments follow a meandering course, then the entire surface can be heated, but the meandering course may be undesirable for aesthetic reasons

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating coverageVSAvoidaesthetic appearance

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional meandering heating path design by using straight heating segments between oppositely positioned busbars. The heating current flows in straight lines across the window surface, eliminating the aesthetic drawbacks of meandering courses while maintaining comprehensive heating coverage through the strategic positioning of busbars and insulation lines.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design provides an aesthetically pleasing, efficient, and uniformly heated side window that effectively de-ices the entire surface without visible busbars and minimizes the risk of local overheating.

Implementation Method 1

The coating thus acts as a heating layer and heats the side window as a result of its electrical resistance

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3250379B1Heatable laminated side window

Publication Date: 2022.04.20 SAINT GOBAIN VITRAGE SA

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AI summary

The present invention relates to a heatable laminated side pane for a side window of a vehicle, which window can be opened, comprising an upper edge (O), a lower edge (U), a front edge (V) and a rear edge (H), at least comprising an outer pane (1) and an inner pane (2), which panes are connected to one another by means of a thermoplastic intermediate layer (3), and a transparent, heatable coating (4) which is arranged between the outer pane (1) and the inner pane (2) and with which electrical contact is made by means of a first busbar (5) and a second busbar (6), and which has at least one insulating line (8) which is free of coating and which runs between the busbars (5, 6) for the purpose of steering a heating current which flows between the busbars (5, 6), wherein the first busbar (5) and the second busbar (6) are arranged along the front edge (V) or the rear edge (H).