Heating Layer Segmentation for Uniform Vehicle Windshield Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle windshields with electrical heating layers experience inhomogeneous heating power distribution due to uncoated zones, leading to reduced heating efficiency and potential thermal stresses, which can impair visibility and safety.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating dividing lines that electrically divide the heating layer into segments, with at least one segment arranged in a strip shape around uncoated zones to guide the current path and ensure more uniform heating, along with additional busbars and low-resistance bridges to optimize current flow and reduce thermal inhomogeneities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If uncoated zones are introduced to improve electromagnetic radiation transparency for data communication, then radio data transmission is enabled, but heating power distribution becomes highly inhomogeneous with reduced heating power below and in the vicinity of the uncoated areas
Solution Approach 1:
The heating layer is divided into multiple segments by dividing lines, creating a first segment above the uncoated zone, a second segment below the uncoated zone, and optionally a third segment adjacent to the uncoated zone. This segmentation allows independent control of current paths in different regions, enabling the third segment to be specifically optimized to guide current around the uncoated zone and compensate for the heating deficiency below it.
Solution Approach 2:
Different segments of the heating layer are assigned different electrical resistance values to achieve localized optimization. The third segment adjacent to the uncoated zone is given a higher electrical resistance than the first and second segments, which causes more current to flow through this segment and thereby compensates for the reduced heating power in the area below the uncoated zone, achieving uniform overall heating distribution.
2Loss of information
If uncoated zones are introduced to allow electromagnetic radiation transmission, then data communication is enabled, but areas with particularly high current density occur causing greatly increased heating power and very high local pane temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The heating layer is divided into multiple segments by dividing lines, creating a first segment above the uncoated zone, a second segment below the uncoated zone, and optionally a third segment adjacent to the uncoated zone. This segmentation allows independent control of current paths in different regions, enabling the third segment to be specifically optimized to guide current around the uncoated zone and compensate for the heating deficiency below it.
Solution Approach 2:
Different segments of the heating layer are assigned different electrical resistance values to achieve localized optimization. The third segment adjacent to the uncoated zone is given a higher electrical resistance than the first and second segments, which causes more current to flow through this segment and thereby compensates for the reduced heating power in the area below the uncoated zone, achieving uniform overall heating distribution.
3Power
If the heating layer is structured with dividing lines or zones to form coiled current paths, then electrical resistance is increased and current path contact is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating layer is divided into a small number of segments (first, second, and optionally third segments) by dividing lines, which is a simpler approach than traditional coiled current paths. This segmentation provides sufficient electrical resistance and current distribution control while maintaining manufacturing simplicity and avoiding excessive structural complexity.
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 approach achieves a more homogeneous heating power distribution and temperature uniformity, enhancing defrosting and anti-fogging capabilities while minimizing visual impairment and thermal stresses, thus improving the safety and effectiveness of vehicle windshields in adverse weather conditions.
Implementation Method 1
at least one electrical heating layer made of an electrically conductive coating for heating the first disk
Implementation Method 2
at least one dividing line that electrically divides the electric heating layer into at least two segments
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C
Figure 2A
AI summary
The present invention relates to a pane (100) having an electric heating layer (3) and comprising at least: a first pane (1) having a first surface (III); at least one electric heating layer (3) that is applied to at least part of the surface (III) and comprises an uncoated zone (8); at least two busbars (5.1, 5.2), provided for connection to a voltage source (14), which are connected to the electric heating layer (3) such that a current path (11) for a heating current is formed between the busbars (5.1, 5.2); and at least one separating line (9.n) which electrically subdivides the electric layer (3) into at least two segments (10.n, 10.n+1), n being an integer ≥ 1. At least one segment (10.n) is arranged in the form of a strip around the uncoated zone (8) such that the current path (11) for the heating current is at least partially guided around the uncoated zone (8).