Vehicle Window Heating Zones to Prevent Windshield Hot Spots
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle window heating systems often result in local hot spots and insufficient overall temperature rise due to the interaction between transparent conductive layers and ink masking layers, posing safety hazards and inefficiencies in heating the windshield.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle window assembly with distinct first and second heating zones, where the first conductive layer covers the primary visual zone and the second conductive layer partially covers the wiper rest zone, utilizing bus bars to ensure balanced resistance and power density, thereby reducing local hot spots and ensuring a temperature rise of at least 6°C in the primary visual zone within 4 minutes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a transparent conductive layer and an ink masking layer are located on the same surface of a glass substrate, then the wiper rest zone can be heated, but the ink masking layer causes abnormal resistance increase in the transparent conductive layer, resulting in local hot spots and insufficient overall temperature rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the heating system into two independent heating zones: a primary visual zone with a first transparent conductive layer and a wiper rest zone with a second transparent conductive layer. Each zone has its own heating circuit and resistance characteristics, eliminating the interference between the ink masking layer and the transparent conductive layer. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized independently for uniform heating without local hot spots.
2Temperature
If resistance heating elements are disposed in both the primary visual zone and the wiper rest zone, then heating can be achieved in both zones, but an additional bus bar is required in the wiper rest zone, increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heating functions of the primary visual zone and wiper rest zone into a unified heating system where both zones share common bus bars. The first and second transparent conductive layers are electrically connected through the glass substrate, allowing both zones to be heated simultaneously using the same power supply and bus bar configuration, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining comprehensive heating coverage.
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 effectively eliminates local hot spots and ensures consistent heating across the windshield, enhancing safety and efficiency by maintaining a sufficient temperature rise in the primary visual zone while optimizing heating in the wiper rest zone.
Implementation Method 1
The first bus bar is in direct electrical contact with the first conductive layer, and the second bus bar is in direct electrical contact with the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer. The vehicle window assembly has a first heating zone and a second heating zone arranged between the first bus bar and the second bus bar
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle window assembly is provided in the disclosure. The vehicle window assembly includes a first bearing plate, a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a first bus bar, and a second bus bar. The first bus bar is in direct electrical contact with the first conductive layer, and the second bus bar is in direct electrical contact with the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer. The vehicle window assembly has a first heating zone and a second heating zone arranged between the first bus bar and the second bus bar, where the first heating zone is in direct connection with the second heating zone. The first conductive layer covers at least the first heating zone, and the second conductive layer at least partially covers the second heating zone.