Patent ID: 6492619
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: B32B,H05B

Abstract:
A heatable vehicle windshield including a top edge, a bottom edge, and first and second side edges, the heatable vehicle windshield comprising:first and second glass substrates laminated to one another with at least a polymer inclusive interlayer therebetween; a coating located between said first and second substrates, said coating including at least one conductive layer; first, second, and third conductive bus bars, wherein at least portions of said first, second, and third bus bars are in electrical communication with said conductive layer of said coating, so that when electric current is passed through said conductive layer via bus bars at least a portion of the windshield is heated; wherein a top portion of said first bus bar and a top portion of said second bus bar are located in spaced apart relation at a top area of said windshield, and said third bus bar is located at a bottom area of said windshield; wherein a first heating zone is defined by a portion of said coating in electrical communication with and between (i) said top portion of said first bus bar, and (ii) said third bus bar, and a second heating zone is defined by a different portion of said coating in electrical communication with and between (i) said top portion of said second bus bar, and (ii) said third bus bar; wherein connection portions of said first and second bus bars are provided proximate or adjacent the bottom edge of the windshield so that corresponding electrical connectors in electrical communication with first, second, and third bus bars, respectively, are each attached to the windshield proximate the bottom edge thereof, at least one of said electrical connectors supplying electric current to said conductive layer of said coating via an external power source; and wherein a first portion of said third bus bar is located between a central area of the first heating zone and a bottom portion of said first bus bar, and a second portion of said third bus bar is located between a central area of the second heating zone and a bottom portion of said second bus bar, so that the central area of the first heating zone is provided between the top and bottom portions of the first bus bar and the central area of the second heating zone is provided between the top and bottom portions of the second bus bar.