Transparent Disc Thermal Coating Uniform Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heated windshields with large communication windows or complex black edge coatings experience uneven heating power distribution, leading to hot spots and potential thermal stresses, which can cause burns and loosen adhesive bonds.
Innovation Solution
A transparent pane with an electrically heatable coating, where the heating field is divided into sections with a coating-free zone, and an additional electrode is placed in the coating-free zone to distribute the heating current more evenly, preventing hot spots by routing power supply lines through the uncoated edge strip and ensuring uniform temperature across the pane.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a coating-free zone is created for communication purposes, then electromagnetic radiation permeability is improved, but heating power distribution becomes inhomogeneous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a coating-free zone in the central area of the windshield for electromagnetic permeability while maintaining heating coating in peripheral areas. The collector electrodes are strategically positioned to deliver heating current to regions adjacent to the communication zone, ensuring localized heating functionality is preserved where coating is present.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary heating layer positioned between the communication zone and the collector electrodes. This intermediary layer acts as a mediator that distributes heat evenly across the windshield surface, including areas adjacent to the coating-free zone, thereby preventing direct thermal contact issues while maintaining overall heating uniformity.
2Reliability
If collector electrodes are placed at top and bottom edges to shorten current path, then electrical resistance is reduced, but current density becomes inhomogeneous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the collector electrodes into multiple sections: main collector electrodes at the top and bottom edges for reliable electrical connection, and additional intermediary heating layers positioned at intermediate heights. This segmentation allows the system to maintain low electrical resistance through edge-mounted collectors while distributing current density more evenly through the intermediate heating zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional electrode arrangement (only top and bottom edges) to a three-dimensional configuration by adding intermediary heating layers at intermediate vertical positions. This dimensional expansion allows current to be introduced at multiple heights, creating a more uniform current density distribution across the windshield surface while maintaining the electrical reliability of edge-mounted collectors.
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 a more uniform heating power distribution, preventing hot spots and ensuring consistent temperature across the pane, thus reducing the risk of thermal stresses and adhesive failures.
Implementation Method 1
The heat generated by the heating layer can remove condensed moisture, ice and snow in a short time
Implementation Method 2
2 individual panes are connected to one another by a thermoplastic adhesive layer
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a transparent panel (1) according to figure 1, comprising an electrically heatable coating (8) which is connected to two collection electrodes (11, 11"') such that a heat current flows via a heating field (12) formed between the collection electrodes (11, 11"') by applying a supply voltage. The heating field (12) contains a coating-free zone (14) which is bordered by a coating-free zone (14) edge (17) that is at least partly formed by the heatable coating (8), wherein - one of the two collection electrodes (11, 11") is divided into two separate sub-regions (11', 11"), - a power supply line (16, 16') is led from each of the two sub-regions (11', 11") to an additional electrode (15), - at least in some sections, at least one power supply line (16, 16') runs - in the one coating-free zone (14), - in a coating-free edge strip (9), - in a sub-region (8', 8") of the coating (8) outside of the heating field (12), and/or - on and/or in the zone edge (17) of the coating-free zone (14), and - the additional electrode (15) is electrically connected to the two power supply lines (16, 16') and to the heating field section (22) of the heating field (12), and/or - the additional electrode (15) is divided into two separate sub-regions (15', 15"), each of the two sub-regions (15', 15") being electrically connected to a respective power supply line (16, 16') and to the heating field section (22) of the heating field (12) between the collection electrodes (11, 11"'). The invention also relates to a method for producing the transparent panel and to the use thereof.