Transparent Heating Element with Asymmetric Grid Pattern
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transparent heating glasses face challenges in achieving low-voltage operation while minimizing light diffraction and interference, which affects visibility and safety, especially in vehicles where frost forms due to temperature differences.
Innovation Solution
A heating element with a conductive heating line pattern on a transparent substance, where 30% or more of the area has a specific distribution ratio of standard deviation in distances or areas, reducing light interference by using methods like printing, photolithography, or sputtering, and incorporating bus bars for electrical connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a heating layer is formed through sputtering using transparent conductive material such as ITO or Ag thin film, then the glass can generate heat, but the surface resistance becomes high making it difficult to drive at low voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The heating layer is segmented into multiple discrete transparent conductive material lines arranged in a grid pattern, rather than using a continuous layer. This segmentation allows each line to be independently conductive while maintaining overall transparency, reducing surface resistance and enabling low-voltage operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies transparent conductive material locally in the form of patterned lines rather than uniformly across the entire glass surface. This local application optimizes the balance between electrical conductivity (where lines are present) and optical transparency (where lines are absent), achieving both heating capability and low-voltage operation.
2Power
If a heating line is formed on the glass surface, then heating function is achieved, but the heating pattern becomes visible causing aesthetic and visibility issues
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is segmented into multiple thin, discrete lines that are spaced apart. The fine line width and adequate spacing make the heating pattern imperceptible to the human eye, especially when viewed from a distance or in normal lighting conditions, while still providing effective heating coverage across the glass surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating lines are implemented as extremely thin films or lines of transparent conductive material that are so thin they become visually imperceptible. These thin film structures maintain electrical conductivity while being optically transparent, solving the visibility issue while preserving heating function.
3Ease of manufacture
If a regular heating pattern is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but light diffraction and interference occur affecting visibility and safety
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric or irregular arrangements of heating lines, varying the spacing, length, and orientation of individual lines. This asymmetry disrupts the regular geometric patterns that cause constructive and destructive light interference, eliminating diffraction effects while still allowing for standardized manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating line pattern is pre-designed and pre-formed on the glass surface before the glass is installed or used. This preliminary formation of the pattern ensures that the asymmetric configuration is already in place to prevent light interference, and the pattern can be integrated into the glass manufacturing process itself.
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
The solution enables heating at low voltages with minimized light interference and diffraction, maintaining visibility and safety by reducing the visibility of the heating pattern, thus effectively addressing the challenges of frost formation on vehicle glasses.
Implementation Method 1
a current is applied to both terminals of the hot line to generate heat from the hot line
Implementation Method 2
forming a heating layer through a sputtering process using a transparent conductive material such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) or Ag thin film
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a heating element, which includes: a transparent substance; a conductive heating line that is provided on at least one side of the transparent substance; bus bars that is electrically connected to the conductive heating line; and a power portion that is connected to the bus bars, wherein 30% or more of the entire area of the transparent substance has a conductive heating line pattern in which, when the straight line that intersects the conductive heating line is drawn, a ratio (distance distribution ratio) of standard deviation in respects to an average value of distances between adjacent intersection points of the straight line and the conductive heating line is 5% or more, and a method for manufacturing the same.