Patent Description:
Automotive glass windows having a luminous capability are known in the art such as described in <CIT> and <CIT> and <CIT>and<CIT>. At least some conventional glass windows have a light source(s) positioned at one or more edge portions of the glass, and visible light from the light sources is introduced into the glass window to generate luminance at a main surface of the glass window. The luminance is achieved by visible light scattering at particles such as indium tin oxide and/or titanium oxide in a glass lamination. Some art describes the particles as dissolved either in a polymeric matrix or in a screen print paint. For example, <CIT> and <CIT>.

<CIT> describes a luminous glazing unit which includes a glass substrate, an additional tinted element, a light source optically coupled to the glass substrate, and a light-extracting device associated with the glass substrate. <CIT> describes a pane with at least one integrated light field, a method for its production, and its use. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.

The disclosed invention is generally directed to glass windows having a luminous capability for architectural and automotive applications, such as automotive sunroofs.

The invention provides a glass window having a luminous capability and a method for the manufacture of a glass window having a luminous capability, as described in the claims.

Described herein are glass windows having a luminous capability, in a luminous state, which have luminousness at peripheral portions of the thin film and a light intensity that fades out in a direction from edge portions of the glass window towards the center of the glass window.

The features and advantages of the invention may be better and more completely understood with reference to the attached drawings in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, and in which:.

The invention is described with respect to the attached drawings, although the disclosure is not limited thereto. Further, the drawings may not be drawn to scale, to better illustrate the disclosed embodiments.

<FIG> shows a schematic diagram of a glass window <NUM> having a luminous capability. Glass window <NUM> may be a laminated glass window or a single-sheet glass window. As shown in <FIG>, glass window <NUM> comprises a glass sheet layer <NUM>, a thin film layer <NUM>, and at least one light source <NUM> positioned at an edge portion <NUM> of the thin film layer <NUM> and/or at an edge portion <NUM> of the glass sheet layer <NUM>.

Glass sheet layer <NUM> may be a flat glass or a curved glass. A curved glass is generally preferable for automotive use. The curved glass can be manufactured from a flat glass sheet using known methods for forming curved automotive glass. Glass sheet layer <NUM> may be formed from, for example, a safety glass such as a tempered glass. Glass sheet layer <NUM> is of soda-lime glass. Glass sheet layer <NUM> is an inorganic glass sheet with high or low transparency, such as soda-lime glass produced by the float process or the roll-out process commonly employed in producing glass substrates for automobiles or architectural applications. Glass sheet layer <NUM> may be either colorless (for example clear glass) or colored (for example green tint glass or privacy glass) and may be combined with other functional films (for example acoustic interlayers). Further, glass sheet layer <NUM> may be in any of various forms, such as a panorama sunroof for automobiles.

With further reference now to <FIG>, thin film layer <NUM> comprises a matrix <NUM> of a thin film material and fine particles <NUM> dispersed in the matrix <NUM>, and is formed on a main surface <NUM> of glass sheet layer <NUM>. In <FIG>, the thin film layer <NUM> covers all or substantially all of main surface <NUM> of glass sheet layer <NUM>. The thin film layer <NUM> may comprise (a) partial blank portion(s) that form(s) (a) figure(s) of logo. The thin film layer <NUM> covers all or substantially all of a main surface <NUM> of glass sheet layer <NUM>. The thin film layer <NUM> may form a figure(s) of logo.

The thickness of thin film layer <NUM> is about <NUM> to <NUM> micrometers, or preferably about <NUM> to <NUM> micrometers. If the thickness of thin film layer <NUM> is less than about <NUM> micrometer, the amount of light <NUM> that is introduced into thin film layer <NUM> may be undesirably decreased. On the other hand, a thin film layer <NUM> that is greater than <NUM> micrometers in thickness may undesirably increase the cost of the glass window <NUM>.

The thin film material is a silicon oxide-based material and the matrix <NUM> may be formed, for example, by wet coating, through applying and heating a coating solution obtained by subjecting an alkoxysilane to hydrolysis and polycondensation in a solvent. Conventional solvents such as discussed in <CIT>, <CIT>, and <CIT>, and <CIT> may be used as exemplary coating solutions for obtaining the matrix <NUM>. Other thin film materials consistent with this disclosure may also be used.

An introduction of the light <NUM> into the glass window <NUM> from the edge of the glass sheet layer <NUM> or an interlayer film layer <NUM> may be easier than introduction of the light <NUM> from the edge of the thin film layer <NUM>. Therefore, it is preferable that the light source(s) <NUM> is/are positioned at the edge portion of the glass sheet layer <NUM> or the interlayer film layer <NUM>. The thin film material of the thin film layer is made of the silicon oxide-based material and the glass sheet layer <NUM> is made of the soda-lime glass; the layer <NUM> (or both the layer <NUM> and the layer <NUM>) may form an optical waveguide, because a refractive index of the layer <NUM> is higher than that of the layer <NUM>. The light <NUM> basically travels within the waveguide reflecting at interfaces of the optical waveguide, but the light <NUM> may be partially introduced to the layer <NUM> because light <NUM> with a high incident angle at the interfaces may be enter into the layer <NUM>. Thus, such a glass window <NUM> may have a good balance between luminous area and brightness.

The coating solution further comprises fine particles <NUM>. The coating may comprise indium tin oxide (ITO) fine particles <NUM> dispersed in a matrix <NUM> of silicon oxide-based material. The fine particles <NUM> may be formed from, for example and without limitation, antimony tin oxide (ATO), titanium oxide, tungsten oxide, zirconium oxide, and/or diamond. These materials have a higher refractive index (in the visible spectrum) than that of the matrix <NUM>. Therefore, light scatterings <NUM> are generated and result in luminance of the thin film layer <NUM>. The thin film layer <NUM> may comprise not only the fine particles <NUM> such as ITO, ATO, titanium oxide, tungsten oxide, zirconium oxide, diamond and so on but, also a combination of such fine particles and dye.

The fine particles <NUM> may comprise or essentially consist of a colorant, by which the thin film layer <NUM> results in colored film. In the case that the fine particles <NUM> comprise or essentially consist of the colorant, the luminous of glass window <NUM> may become more vivid than without the colorant. The colorant not just scatters the light <NUM>, but partially absorbs the light <NUM>. For that reason, it is thought that a vivid luminosity can be achieved. As an example of the colorant, there can be mentioned an organic pigment such as Pigment Blu15 (Copper Phthalocyanine), Pigment Yellow <NUM> (Nickel,<NUM>,<NUM>'-azobis-<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>(<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>)-pyrimidinetrione complexes), Pigment Green <NUM>, Pigment Green <NUM>, Pigment Red <NUM>, Pigment Red <NUM>, Pigment Orange, quinacridone-based pink color pigment, or an inorganic pigment such as ((Fe,Mn),(Fe,Mn)<NUM>O<NUM> (for gray color), CoAl<NUM>O<NUM>, (Co,Zn,Ni)<NUM>TiO<NUM> (for blue color), Fe<NUM>O<NUM> (for brown color), FeOOH (for yellow color). The fine particles <NUM> may comprise at least one selected from a group consisting of ITO, ATO, titanium oxide, tungsten oxide, zirconium oxide, diamond, and the above pigments.

The fine particles <NUM> have a median particle size distribution (D<NUM>) of preferably less than approximately <NUM>. For example, fine particles <NUM> having a D<NUM> less than approximately <NUM> scatter desirable wavelengths of visible light and prevent color shifts of the light <NUM> emitted by the light source <NUM>. By thin film layer <NUM> having such a structure, fine particles <NUM> may scatter light <NUM> from light source <NUM> and generate light scatterings <NUM>, resulting in luminance of the thin film layer <NUM>. Further, the mean diameter of fine particles <NUM> may provide a haze below approximately <NUM>% for the glass window <NUM> in the luminous state, as measured by International Organization for Standardization ("ISO") Standard <NUM>:<NUM> titled Plastics-Determination of haze for transparent materials.

The concentration of fine particles <NUM> in thin film layer <NUM> is preferably <NUM>% to <NUM>% by weight or more preferably <NUM>% to <NUM>% by weight. If the concentration of fine particles <NUM> is less than about <NUM>% by weight, luminance may be undesirably low. On the other hand, if the concentration of fine particles <NUM> is more than about <NUM>% by weight, the haze of the glass window <NUM> may be undesirably high in the non-luminous state.

Further, the luminous behavior may depend on the concentration of fine particles <NUM> and a distance from the light source <NUM>. Near the light source <NUM>, a bright luminous area <NUM> may be formed. Further, as the concentration of fine particles <NUM> increases above more than about, e.g., <NUM>% by weight, much of the light <NUM> may fade out on shorter distances and the bright luminous area <NUM> of glass window <NUM> may decrease. On the other hand, as the concentration of fine particles <NUM> decreases below about, e.g., <NUM>% by weight, much of light <NUM> may fade out on longer distances and the bright luminous area <NUM> of glass window <NUM> may become wider.

In the case that the luminosity generated from light scattering by the fine particles (such as ITO, ATO, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, diamond and so on; that is, in the case that the colorant is not used), the concentration of fine particles <NUM> in thin film layer <NUM> is preferably <NUM>% to <NUM>% by weight or more preferably <NUM>% to <NUM>% by weight. If the concentration of fine particles <NUM> is less than about <NUM>% by weight, luminance may be undesirably low. On the other hand, if the concentration of fine particles <NUM> is more than about <NUM>% by weight, the haze of the glass window <NUM> may be undesirably high in the non-luminous state.

In the case that the fine particles <NUM> comprise or essentially consist of the organic pigment as the colorant, the concentration of the organic pigment in thin film layer <NUM> is preferably <NUM>% to <NUM>% by weight or more preferably <NUM> % to <NUM>% by weight. If the concentration of the organic pigment is less than about <NUM>% by weight, luminance by the organic pigment may be undesirably low. On the other hand, if the concentration of the organic pigment is more than about <NUM>% by weight, the visible transmittance of the glass window <NUM> may be undesirably low in the non-luminous state.

In the case that the fine particles <NUM> comprise or essentially consist of the inorganic pigment as the colorant, the concentration of the inorganic pigment, in thin film layer <NUM> is preferably <NUM>% to <NUM>% by weight or more preferably <NUM>% to <NUM>% by weight. If the concentration of the inorganic pigment is less than about <NUM>% by weight, luminance by the inorganic pigment may be undesirably low. On the other hand, if the concentration of the colorant is more than about <NUM>% by weight, the visible transmittance of the glass window <NUM> may be undesirably low in the non-luminous state.

With continuing reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, at least one light source <NUM> is positioned at the edge portion <NUM> of thin film layer <NUM> and/or at the edge portion <NUM> of glass sheet layer <NUM> for introducing light <NUM> into thin film layer <NUM>. Light source <NUM> may be any device that can generate visible light. The visible light may be white light or colored light such as red, blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple and so on. For example and without limitation, light source <NUM> may be a light-emitting diode ("LED"), organic light-emitting diode ("OLED"), electroluminescent ("EL") film, LASER, or an optical fiber.

In <FIG> and <FIG>, light source <NUM> is arranged along edge portion <NUM> of thin film layer <NUM>. Any number of light sources may be selected depending upon the design and requirements for a particular glass window. Further, light sources may be located and/or oriented on edge portions <NUM> and/or <NUM>, and/or any other edge portions of the glass window <NUM>, in any manner consistent with this disclosure. For example, multiple light sources may be arrayed along one or more edges, or all edges, of a glass window.

With reference now to <FIG>, a schematic and cross-sectional drawing of glass window <NUM> of <FIG> is shown with additional, optional layers. In <FIG>, glass window <NUM> further comprises a second glass sheet layer <NUM> and an interlayer plastic film layer <NUM>. Second glass sheet layer <NUM> may be a glass sheet layer as previously described with respect to glass sheet layer <NUM>. For example, second glass sheet layer may be a flat glass or a curved glass, provided that second glass sheet layer <NUM> and glass sheet layer <NUM> are compatible in glass window <NUM>. Second glass sheet layer <NUM> may be a safety glass such as a tempered glass, and second glass sheet layer <NUM> may be an inorganic glass sheet with high or low transparency, such as soda-lime glass produced by the float process or the roll-out process commonly employed in producing glass substrates for automobiles or architectural applications. Second glass sheet layer <NUM> may be either colorless (for example clear glass) or colored (for example green tint glass or privacy glass) and may be combined with other functional films (for example acoustic interlayers or colored interlayers). Further, second glass sheet layer <NUM> may be in any of various forms.

Plastic film layer <NUM> may be formed from, for example and without limitation, polyvinyl butyral resin ("PVB"), ethylene vinyl acetate resin ("EVA"), or polyurethane resin ("PU"). Plastic film <NUM> layer may be either colorless or colored (for example, having a dark gray hue) with high or low transparency. In some embodiments, plastic film layer <NUM> does not comprise fine particles which may scatter light and decrease luminance of thin film layer <NUM>. In various other embodiments, optional interlayers may have different refractive properties depending upon the design and requirements for a particular glass window.

In <FIG>, thin film layer <NUM> is adjacent to a main surface of second glass sheet layer <NUM>, and plastic film layer <NUM> is adjacent to main surface <NUM> of glass sheet layer <NUM>. The number and type of interlayers and the location of various layers within glass window <NUM> may vary depending upon the design and requirements for a particular glass window. In some embodiments, plastic film layer <NUM> is bonded to thin film layer <NUM> and main surface <NUM> of glass sheet layer <NUM>, for example, by known lamination processes.

Further, in <FIG> and some embodiments, light source <NUM> may be positioned at the edge portion (not shown in <FIG>) of thin film layer <NUM> and/or at an edge portion (not shown in <FIG>) of glass sheet layer <NUM> and/or second glass sheet layer <NUM>. In embodiments comprising more than one interlayer, for example two plastic film layers, light source <NUM> may also be positioned between two interlayers.

With reference now to <FIG>, a cross-sectional and schematic diagram of a glass window <NUM> having luminous capability is shown. The glass window of <FIG> comprises a resinous sheet layer 2r and a thin film layer <NUM>, a glass sheet layer <NUM>, at least one interlayer plastic film layer <NUM>, and at least one light source <NUM> (not shown in <FIG>), as previously described, positioned at an edge portion (not shown in <FIG>) of thin film layer <NUM> and/or resinous sheet layer 2r. In embodiments comprising one or more interlayers, at least one light source <NUM> may additionally be positioned between two interlayers. Resinous sheet layer 2r may be formed from, for example and without limitation, polyethylene terephthalate resin, polycarbonate resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polyethylene resin, or other known resinous materials consistent with this disclosure.

In <FIG>, thin film layer <NUM> is stacked on a main surface of resinous sheet layer 2r. Plastic film layer <NUM> is bonded to thin film layer <NUM> and main surface <NUM> of glass sheet layer <NUM> using known lamination processes.

The glass window disclosed is used for not only automobiles but also for architectural applications. Although certain example embodiments have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Also, the features, aspects, advantages, and example embodiments described herein may be combined to realize yet further embodiments. Further, the current disclosure covers various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Example Examples will be discussed hereinafter.

Tetraethoxysilane (Si(OC<NUM>H<NUM>)<NUM>, referred to as TEOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (CH<NUM>Si(OC<NUM>H<NUM>)<NUM>, referred to as MTES) were used as raw material of silicon oxide. A sol solution was prepared by mixing <NUM> of TEOS, <NUM> of MTES, <NUM> of propylene glycol monoethyl ether and <NUM> of <NUM> N acetic acid with stirring at <NUM>° C for <NUM> hours. In the sol solution, a ratio between a solid content made from the tetraalkoxysilane and that made from the trialkoxysilane was <NUM>:<NUM> on a weight percentage basis.

ITO ultrafine particles having an average particle size of <NUM> were used as the fine particles. <NUM> of a dispersion liquid of the ultrafine particles (ITO ultrafine particles concentration: <NUM> wt %, solvent: isopropyl alcohol, available from Mitsubishi Materials Corporation) was mixed into the sol solution obtained in a coating solution. In the treating agent, a ratio between the ITO ultrafine particles and a total of the solid contents made from the tetraalkoxysilane and the trialkoxysilane was <NUM>:<NUM> on a weight percentage basis.

As a glass sheet layer <NUM>, conventional clear soda-lime glass manufactured by a float process in the form of a <NUM> x <NUM> x <NUM> (thickness) flat plate was prepared. A surface of the glass was polished with a polishing liquid, rinsed in water and then dried, in which the used polishing liquid was a <NUM> wt % ceria slurry obtained by mixing a glass polishing agent MIREK E40 (T) (available from MITSUI MINING & SMELTING CO. ) into water.

A cotton cloth (available under the trade name of BEMCOT) was impregnated with the coating solution. Then, the rinsed surface of the glass was wiped with the cotton cloth thereby applying the coating solution to the surface of the glass. Thereafter, a heat treatment was carried out for <NUM> minutes so that the substrate had a temperature of <NUM>, thereby obtaining a glass sample comprising a glass sheet layer <NUM> and a thin film layer <NUM>. A thickness of the thin film layer <NUM> of the glass sample was <NUM>.

The prepared sample was inserted to frame <NUM> embedded multiple LEDs in the longitudinal direction as shown in <FIG>, resulting in the glass window <NUM>. The frame <NUM> covered three edges of the sample. LEDs which can generate white, blue, green and red lights were selected. The light emitted from the LEDs was inserted in the samples from three edges of the glass sheet layer <NUM>. A luminous state of each glass window <NUM> was observed. Photographs of the glass window <NUM> in a luminous state are shown in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, the luminosity of a peripheral portion of the glass window <NUM> was observed.

The procedure of example <NUM> was repeated, with the exception that Pigment Blue <NUM> was used as the fine particle <NUM> instead of ITO and, in the treating agent, a ratio between the Pigment Blue <NUM> and a total of the solid contents made from the tetraalkoxysilane and the trialkoxysilane was <NUM>:<NUM> on a weight percentage basis.

Photographs of the glass window <NUM> in a luminous state are shown in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, the luminous of a peripheral portion of the glass window <NUM> was observed. The luminosity was more vivid than the example <NUM>, especially in the case of blue and green light <NUM>.

The procedure of example <NUM> was repeated, with the exception that quinacridone-based pink color pigment was used as the fine particle <NUM> instead of ITO and, in the treating agent, a ratio between the Pigment Blue <NUM> and a total of the solid contents made from the tetraalkoxysilane and the trialkoxysilane was <NUM>:<NUM> on a weight percentage basis.

Photographs of the glass window <NUM> in a luminous state are shown in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, the luminosity of a peripheral portion of the glass window <NUM> was observed. The luminosity was more vivid than the example <NUM>, especially in the case of white and red light <NUM>.

The procedure of example <NUM> was repeated, with the exception that Pigment Yellow <NUM> was used as the fine particle <NUM> instead of ITO and, in the treating agent, a ratio between the Pigment Blue <NUM> and a total of the solid contents made from the tetraalkoxysilane and the trialkoxysilane was <NUM>:<NUM> on a weight percentage basis.

Claim 1:
A glass window (<NUM>) having a luminous capability and comprising:
at least one glass sheet layer, including a first glass sheet layer (<NUM>) of soda-lime glass;
a thin film layer (<NUM>) having fine particles (<NUM>) dispersed in a matrix (<NUM>) of silicon oxide-based thin-film material, the thin film layer being from <NUM> to <NUM> thick and covering all or substantially all of a main surface (<NUM>) of the first glass sheet layer (<NUM>); and
a light source (<NUM>), positioned at an edge portion (<NUM>,<NUM>) of at least one of the thin film layer (<NUM>) and the glass sheet layer (<NUM>) or, if the window comprises a second glass sheet layer (<NUM>) and interlayer (<NUM>) between said glass layers, at an edge portion of at least one of the thin film layer (<NUM>), the glass sheet layer (<NUM>), the second glass sheet layer (<NUM>) and the interlayer (<NUM>);
wherein in its non-luminous state a haze of the glass window (<NUM>), as measured by International Organization for Standardization Standard <NUM>:<NUM>, is below approximately <NUM>%.