Patent ID: 12233626

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The side pane is a laminated glass composed of an outer pane1, an inner pane2, and an intermediate layer3that bonds the two planes to one another. The outer pane1and the inner pane2are made of soda lime glass and have, for example, a thickness, in each case, of 2.1 mm. The intermediate layer3is formed by a film made of PVB with a thickness of 0.76 mm.

The outer pane1has an outer surface I and an inner surface II. The inner pane2likewise has an outer surface III and an inner surface IV. The term “outer surface” refers to the surface that is intended to be turned toward the external environment in the installed position. The term “inner surface” refers to the surface that is intended to be turned toward the vehicle interior in the installed position. The inner surface II of the outer pane1and the outer surface III of the inner pane2are turned toward one another and the intermediate layer3.

A transparent, heatable coating4is applied on the outer surface III of the inner pane2as shown in theFIG.2. It is understood that the heatable coating4may be applied on the inner surface II of the outer pane1. The heatable coating has, for example, two silver layers and further dielectric layers above, below, and between the silver layers to increase transparency and reduce sheet resistance. For generating the heating action, the coating4is electrically contacted by means of a first collecting busbar bb1and a second collecting busbar bb2. The collecting busbars bb1, bb2are, for example, formed by a printed and fired screen printing paste containing silver particles and glass frits and have a width of L mm and a thickness of 100 μm. When a voltage is applied to the collecting busbars bb1, bb2, a current flows through the coating4, creating the heating action. The voltage can be the usual motor vehicle on-board voltage of 14 V, or even a voltage of, for example, 42 V or 4 L V. The heatable coating4is delimited by frame-edge line L1(0) in the vicinity of the curved upper glass edge (U) and parallel to the upper edge (U), and the line L2(n), which is the last line of the last active strip and parallel to the line (LD) according to the present invention.

FIG.3-1andFIG.3-2depict in each case a detail of an embodiment of the heatable laminated side glazing according to the invention. The side pane for the front side window of an automobile which can be opened by lowering the side pane. The side pane has a front edge S1, a rear edge S2, an upper edge UE, and a lower edge LE. The edges are referred to according to the installed position in the direction of travel.

The laminated side glazing and more particularly the heatable coating are divided in 2 parts, the upper part UP and the lower part LP, the upper part (UP) being delimited by a frame-edge line L1(0) in the vicinity of the curved upper glass edge (U) and parallel to the upper edge (U) and a line (L) drawn from the lower corner (C) of the front edge S1of the side glazing to extend to the second lateral side edge (S2), the line (LD) being parallel to the frame-edge line L1(0). The lower part (LP) is delimited by the line (LD) and the line L2(n), which is the last line of the last active strip and parallel to line (LD) according to the present invention.

The pattern of isolating lines L within heatable coating4in the upper part UP and the lower part LP are designed to have a homogeneous heating of the laminated side glazing with a concentration of the heating in required zones as side-view mirror.

The heatable coating4is divided by isolating lines L into different segments (heating strips (i)). This serves to guide the heating current, enabling the most homogeneous heating of the pane possible. Otherwise, due to the complex shape of typical side panes substantial parts of the pane remain unheated since the current would take the shortest path between the collecting busbars bb1, bb2.

The first collecting busbar bb1runs along the front edge S1of the side pane; the second collecting busbar bb2runs along the rear edge S2, the height H1of the first collecting busbar bb1is smaller than the the height H2of the first collecting busbar bb2. In the present embodiment, the collecting busbars bb1and bb2are provided vertically along respectively the front edge S1and rear edge S2and extend to the lower part of the laminated glazing as shown inFIG.3-1. It is understood that the collecting busbars may be disposed in a different way to allow a homogenous heating accordingly to the complex shape of the laminated glazing. The maximum distance of the collecting busbars from the edge along which they run is, for example, 2 cm. The collecting busbars bb1, bb2are not visible to an observer even in the opened state of the side window. The collecting busbars bb1, bb2are covered by auto body parts and sealing lips of typical side windows. The minimum distance is, for example, 6 mm. This distance is sufficient to prevent disruption of the stability of the laminate and penetration of air.

In the upper part of the laminated glazing, as shown inFIG.3-2, the isolating lines L run from the first collecting busbar bb1to the second collecting busbar bb2. The isolating lines L are parallel to the frame-edge line L1(0). In theFIG.3-2, the features are as follows;line L1(i) represents the length of upper curve of the (i) stripL2(i) represents the length of the lower curve of the (i) stripW(i) represents the width of the (i) stripD(i) represents the distance between the (i−1) active strip, means the previous active strip and the (i) active strip(i) represents the strip with a number comprised between 2 and 99.

InFIG.4-1andFIG.4-2, the feature “*” represents the decoating lines with the first with of decoating line DO comprised between 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm according to one embodiment of the present invention and
D(i)=W0−W(i)+D0
Passive strip(i)=D(i)−2×D0

Thus, local hotspots can be prevented. In addition, the design is visually appealing. The isolating lines L have only a slight curvature that increases as the distance from the upper edge UE decreases. Thus, despite the complex pane shape with the curved upper edge UE, uniform distribution of the heating power is obtained.

TheFIG.5shows an embodiment of the pattern of isolating lines in the upper and the lower part of the side pane according to the invention. The different pattern in the upper and lower parts of the glazing according to the present invention, allows to improve the heating of the glazing and also the uniformity of the heating.

According to the present invention, the heating may be more located to “side mirror zone” in order to deice, to-frog this zone more quickly than the other part of the glazing to have quicker access to the view from the side mirrors.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the distance between adjacent isolating lines (L) in the upper part (UP) is constant or variable from the second lateral side (S2) to the first lateral side (S1) from a distance comprised between 1 mm to 110 mm and preferably between 1 mm and 100 mm and more preferably between 1 mm and 50 mm and more preferably between 1 mm and 30 mm. Thus, the heating may concentrated to a particular zone such as side mirror zone.

The distance between adjacent isolating lines L (in other words, the width of the heating strips) remains in the course from the rear edge S2to the front edge S1. Thus, higher heating power is achieved in the region of the front edge S1. Consequently, this region is deiced or freed of moisture first, as a result of which the driver quickly obtains a clear view of the side mirror.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

1outer pane2inner pane3thermoplastic intermediate layer4heatable coatingbb1first collecting busbarbb1second collecting busbar7supply lineL isolating line, decoated lineL1(0) First line of the edge-frame coatingS2rear edge of the side paneUE upper edge of the side paneS1front edge of the side paneLE lower edge of the side paneUP upper partLP lower partBL intersection of LE and L2(n).LD line delimiting the upper and lower partsL2(n) Last line of the last active stripC lower corner of the front edge S1of the side glazingI outer surface of the outer pane1II inner surface of the outer pane1III outer surface of the inner pane2IV inner surface of the inner pane2(i) active strip