Heating Arrangement Meander Sections High Voltage Glass Pane

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical heating arrangements in glass panes, used in vehicles, face limitations when operating voltages exceed 14 volts, as they require increased resistance or reduced structural sizes, leading to manufacturing challenges and potential thermal damage, and integrating higher voltage systems poses risks of malfunction and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A glass pane with an electrical heating arrangement featuring meander-shaped conductive sections that can operate at higher voltages, integrated into a laminated glass pane, with an antenna system capable of connecting to high-frequency devices and incorporating filters to separate high-frequency signals from direct voltage, allowing for efficient heat distribution and electromagnetic radiation functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the operating voltage is increased to more than 14 volts, then the power transmission efficiency is improved, but the heat conversion increases and the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to required higher resistance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower transmission efficiencyVSAvoidprinting precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The heating arrangement is divided into multiple meander-shaped sections arranged in parallel orientations. Each section contributes to the overall resistance in a distributed manner, allowing the system to achieve the required high resistance for >14V operation without requiring any single printed trace to be excessively narrow or precise, thereby maintaining manufacturability while enabling efficient power transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from conventional linear or simple meander patterns to multi-orientation meander sections arranged in parallel. This dimensional expansion in the layout pattern increases the effective path length and resistance without reducing the width of individual printed traces, thus maintaining printing precision while achieving the resistance needed for high-voltage operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Loss of energy

If the structure sizes are reduced to compensate for higher voltage, then the power transmission is improved, but the view through the pane is impaired and manufacturing becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower transmission efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The heating arrangement consists of multiple meander-shaped sections that can be manufactured using standard printing processes. Each section is designed with appropriate dimensions for conventional manufacturing, avoiding the need for extremely fine structures that would be difficult to produce and inspect, while the collective arrangement achieves the required electrical performance for high-voltage operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the geometric parameters of the meander sections (such as trace width, spacing, and meander dimensions) to achieve the desired resistance and power distribution. These parameters are selected to be within the capabilities of standard printing technologies, ensuring ease of manufacture while maintaining effective power transmission at voltages above 14 volts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of energy

If the content of conductive particles is reduced to increase resistance, then the power transmission for high voltage is improved, but the porosity increases leading to more errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower transmission efficiencyVSAvoidprinting reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The heating arrangement uses multiple meander-shaped sections with distributed resistance. Each section maintains adequate conductive particle content for reliable printing and consistent electrical properties. The parallel arrangement of multiple sections achieves the overall high resistance needed for >14V operation without requiring any individual section to have reduced material content, thereby maintaining printing reliability and minimizing defects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If additional control elements are added for current regulation, then the operating safety is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperating safetyVSAvoidcontrol element complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heating arrangement is designed to be inherently suitable for high-voltage operation through its meander section configuration and resistance distribution. This universal design allows the same structure to function safely at voltages above 14 volts without requiring additional active control elements, thereby maintaining operational safety while avoiding increased complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Enables operation at higher voltages such as 48 volts without conversion loss, maintaining uniform heating and reliable antenna functionality, while preventing thermal damage and ensuring operational reliability for high-frequency devices.

Implementation Method 1

heating arrangement having at least a first number of electrically conductive meander-shaped sections and a second number of electrically conductive meander-shaped sections

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

at least one of the electrical conductors extending essentially perpendicular to the first alignment as A ntenne works

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation:

Data Source

PatentEP3508030B1Glass pane provided with an electrical heating assembly
Publication Date: 2020.08.19 SAINT GOBAIN VITRAGE SA
  • EP3508030B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3508030B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3508030B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a glass pane (1) having an electrical heating assembly (H) that is suitable for use with an operating voltage of greater than 14 Volt, wherein at least one part of the heating assembly (H) is also suitable for acting as an antenna (ANT), wherein the heating assembly has at least one first number of electrically conductive meandering sections (A1) and a second number of electrically conductive meandering sections (A2), wherein the meandering sections within the first number or within the second number are arranged parallel to one another substantially in a first orientation, wherein the respective beginnings and ends of the meandering sections within the first number or within the second number each end at a common electrical conductor (L1, L2, L3), which extends substantially perpendicular to the first orientation, wherein at least one of the electrical conductors (L2; L2, L3) extended substantially perpendicular to the first orientation acts as an antenna (ANT), wherein the at least one of the electrical conductors (L2; L2, L3) extending substantially perpendicular to the first orientation, which acts as an antenna (ANT), has a potential that is different to the operating voltage during use with the operating voltage.