Inner Glass Coating for Glazing Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multiple glazing units with metal-based insulating coatings on outermost glass panes face challenges in combining these coatings with other functionalities, such as electrochromic or thermochromic coatings, and suffer from damage during assembly due to contact with rotating support elements.
Innovation Solution
A multiple glazing unit design featuring two outermost glass panes without insulating coatings and an inner glass pane with a metal-based insulating coating on one face and a transparent conductive oxide-based (TCO) insulating coating on the opposite face, allowing for improved opto-energetical performance and resistance to scratches during assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If metal-based insulating coatings are applied to outermost glass panes to achieve high opto-energetical performance, then the insulating performance is improved, but the coatings are damaged during assembly due to contact with rotating support elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the metal-based insulating coating from the outermost glass panes and relocates it to the inner glass pane. This extraction eliminates the vulnerability of outermost coatings to damage during assembly while preserving the thermal insulating function through the inner pane's coating. The inner pane's coating is protected from contact with rotating support elements during the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying insulating coatings to the outermost panes as conventional practice, the patent inverts the coating placement strategy by applying the metal-based insulating coating to the inner glass pane. This inversion protects the valuable metal-based coating from mechanical damage while maintaining its thermal insulating function, and allows outermost panes to be used for other purposes such as structural support or aesthetic purposes.
2Loss of energy
If metal-based insulating coatings are applied to outermost glass panes to achieve high opto-energetical performance, then the insulating performance is improved, but the combination with other functionalities such as electrochromic or thermochromic coatings becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the metal-based insulating coating from the outermost glass panes, freeing up these panes to accommodate other functional coatings such as electrochromic or thermochromic coatings. This extraction resolves the conflict between metal-based coatings and other functional coatings by allowing the outermost panes to be dedicated to one function while the inner pane provides the insulating function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the functional responsibilities across different glass panes: the outermost panes can be dedicated to aesthetic or additional functional coatings, while the inner pane carries the metal-based insulating coating. This segmentation allows each pane to be optimized for specific functions without the conflicts that arise from combining multiple coatings on the same pane.
3Loss of energy
If insulating coatings are applied to all glass panes to maximize insulating performance, then the thermal insulation is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the metal-based insulating coating from the outermost panes and concentrates it on the inner glass pane. This extraction simplifies the overall coating structure by reducing the number of coated surfaces from three (all panes) to one (inner pane only), thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining effective thermal insulation through the cavity structure.
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 configuration achieves acceptable opto-energetical performance without insulating coatings on the outermost glass panes, while the inner glass pane's coatings provide improved insulating properties and resistance to scratches during the assembly process.
Implementation Method 1
metal-based insulating coating... mainly responsible for acting on solar radiation and/or long-wavelength infrared radiation
Implementation Method 2
transparent conductive oxide-based (TCO) insulating coating
Implementation Method 3
two intermediate gas-filled cavities each lie between two glass panes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a multiple glazing unit comprising two outermost glass panes and at least one inner glass pane, wherein at least two intermediate gas-filled cavities each lie between two glass panes, said at least one inner glass pane bearing one metal-based insulating coating on one face and one transparent conductive oxide-based insulating coating on the opposite face. The invention further relates to a process for assembling such a multiple glazing unit.