WO2007057463A1

WO2007057463A1 - Laminated glazing and a method for the production thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2007057463A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/068668
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antoine Luijkx; Hugues Lefevre
Original assignee: Agc Flat Glass Europe Sa
Priority date: 2005-11-21
Filing date: 2006-11-20
Publication date: 2007-05-24

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a laminated glazing comprising an internal conductive circuit, wherein the application of an electric conductor for connecting to an external power supply is carried out after lamination in such a way that one several slots are formed in the thickness of an interleaved thermoplastic sheet. The inventive laminated glazing consists of two sandwich glass-type substrates: one or several interleaved thermoplastic sheets and an electric conductor network to which one or several LEDs are connected.

Description

Laminated glazing and method of manufacturing laminated glazing

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing laminated glass having an internal conductive circuit to be connected to an external electrical circuit (or connected to an external power supply). In particular, the inner conductive circuit is formed of a conductive layer in which insulating strips have been formed. And the laminate includes, in particular, electronic components such as LEDs.

Laminated glazing having conductive heating layers has long been available, particularly for use as an automobile windshield. And there are also laminated glazings comprising an internal conductive circuit formed by thin heating filaments extending between current collecting strips (FR 2709911).

In all cases, to connect the internal circuit to an external power supply or to an external electrical circuit, it is necessary to insert, before the lamination, an electrical conductor, for example called a foil, one end of which extends beyond edges of the laminated glazing.

WO 2004/009349 discloses laminated glazings into which LEDs are inserted. These are previously deposited on a flexible insert having an electric circuit. In order to make the connection with the energy source, the insert is mounted in the laminate with one end protruding from the edge of the laminated glazing. Alternatively, it is disclosed that the flexible insert can be completely incorporated between the two glass sheets and connected to a "bus bar" or a thin metal or metal oxide layer. In this case also it is necessary to insert, before lamination, an electrical conductor in contact with the bus bar or the conductive layer and protruding from the edge of the laminated to be connected to the external power supply to the glazing. The use of these electrical conductors making the connection between the internal electrical circuit glazing and the external power supply does not pose a problem for the manufacture of glazing with fixed dimensions and pre-determined. For the manufacture of windshields, the two sheets of glass are cut to the dimensions of the finished product before the lamination step. The insertion of an electrical conductor that protrudes from the edge of the finished product can therefore be performed before lamination since the glazing will no longer be cut.

On the other hand, in particular in the case of laminated glass panes comprising LEDs, there is a need to manufacture laminated glazings for which the electrical connection should not be provided necessarily before the lamination. In particular, there is a need for a large-sized laminated glazing manufacturing process that can be cut to various and variable measurements after lamination and whose electrical connection can be made after cutting to the dimensions of the finished product.

The subject of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a laminated glazing unit which comprises the following steps:

a) depositing a conductive network on a support which may be a first glass-type substrate (float glass sheet) or a thermoplastic interlayer sheet or any other thin sheet, for example of the PET type;

b) possibly setting up electronic components such as LEDs on the conductive network;

c) laminating the first glass-type substrate with the thermoplastic interlayer and a second substrate, generally glass-type also and the conductive network on its support; d) optionally cutting the laminate to the dimensions of the finished product;

e) removing the thermoplastic interlayer on a portion of the perimeter of the glazing to form a space between the two sheets of glass in which can be inserted an electrical conductor having the function of making the electrical connection between the internal conductive network and the power supply electrical or external conductive network.

The present invention also relates to a laminated glazing unit obtained according to steps a) to c) above and which is capable of being cut according to steps d) and e) and which is able to receive an electrical conductor to make the connection between the internal conductive tracks and the external electrical circuit or the external power supply.

The present invention also relates to a laminated glazing comprising two glass-type substrates sandwiching: one or more thermoplastic interlayer sheet and an electrically conductive network on which are connected or several LEDs. The glazing comprises one or more notches made in the thickness of the thermoplastic interlayer, this or these notches being able to receive an electrical connector to make the connection between the conductive network and an external power supply.

In particular, the present invention is described as in the dependent claims. The present invention is described in more detail, in a nonlimiting manner, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG 1 represents a laminated glazing according to a first embodiment of the invention, before laying the electrical conductors;

FIG 2 shows a laminated glazing according to a second embodiment of the invention, also before laying the electrical conductors.

Examples

a) Float glass sheets are produced in large dimensions, traditionally 6 m by 3.21 m, and are then called trays or pif. A conductive layer 1 is deposited on a first sheet of glass 2 of this size.

Known conducting layers are for example doped oxide-based layers whose thickness is generally between 0.02 and 0.5 μm, preferably between 0.2 and 0.4 μm and whose surface resistance can vary between 10 and 80 Ω / square. preferably between 12 and 20 Ω / square. Such layers comprise, for example, indium doped zinc oxide or aluminum oxide, fluorine or antimony doped tin oxide, or tin doped indium oxide. (usually known as the ITO abbreviation). Other typical conductive layers are silver-based layers. These conductive layers may be composed of one, two or even three layers of silver (or any other conductive material), separated by layers of dielectric. For layers comprising a total thickness of conductive material between 10 and 30 nm, the surface resistance can reach very low values of between 2 and 3 Ω / square. These layers can be deposited by magnetron assisted vacuum spraying or by pyrolytic deposition which has the advantage of being able to be carried out on the float glass production line. However, any other layer even more weakly conductive could be suitable.

b) A conductive network is formed by removing the layer on thin strips, for example using a laser or etching. Other methods are possible for forming the conductive tracks, for example masking deposition (for example by screen printing).

c) Series of LEDs (not shown) are then disposed on the surface of the conductive network and connected to this network through a conductive glue or by any other means available. The number of LEDs and their arrangement are chosen according to the desired light intensity and the desired light pattern.

d) A laminated glazing is then produced according to traditional methods by superimposing a thermoplastic insert 3 of the pvb (polyvinyl butyral) type and a second glass sheet 4 of the same size as the first. The assembly is then subjected to the temperature and pressure conditions usually used for the traditional manufacture of laminated glazing, (figl)

The glazing can then be stored or sold in this form of plateau "pif" of 6 m by 3.21 meters.

e) The glazing can then be cut to the desired measurements for the finished product, taking care to respect the conductive network and taking care not to pass a cutting line to the locations of the LEDs. In the simplest cases, the luminous vitreous element of the finished product will be square or rectangular.

f) The positive and negative terminals of the conductor network are then exposed to deposit a conductive element for making the electrical connection with the external power supply or the external circuit. Depending on the conductive network used in the laminate, the two terminals could be variable dimension and to be located in variable locations. In the cases illustrated diagrammatically in FIGS. 2 and 3, one of the positive or negative terminals of the internal conductive network terminated on one of the longitudinal sides of the cut glazing.

g) At this side 5 of the glazing, the interlayer layer is removed so as to put the positive or negative terminal of the network to bare to a depth of about 1 or 2 cm. A notch 6 is thus formed between the conductive layer 1 and the glass sheet 4. The same notch must be provided for the opposite terminal of the internal conductive network.

h) In the case illustrated in Figure 2, the notch 6 extends substantially along the entire length of the side 5. A metal strip (not shown) can then be deposited on the conductive layer. This conductive element has the function of making the connection between one of the + or - terminals of the circuit and the external power supply but may also have the function of connecting different zones of the conductive layer to close the circuit.

In the case illustrated in FIG. 3, the notch 7 made between the conductive layer 1 and the upper glass sheet 2 is of limited size. An electrical conductor can also be inserted to make the electrical connection between the positive or negative terminal and the power supply or the external electrical circuit.

Alternatively, the step f) of exposing the terminals of the conductive network can be carried out simultaneously with the insertion of the electrical connector. For example, it is possible to use a connector capable of being inserted between the conductive network and the glass substrate by pushing or compressing the thermoplastic interlayer.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a laminated glazing which comprises the following steps:

a) depositing a conductive network (1) on a support;

b) laminating a first glass-like substrate (2) with the conductive network (1) on its support, one or more thermoplastic interlayer sheets (3), and a second glass-like substrate (4);

c) forming one or more notches (6, 7) in the thermoplastic interlayer (3) on a portion of the perimeter of the glazing so as to expose the conductive network (1);

d) laying electrical conductors in the notch or notches (6, 7) so as to make the connection between the conductive network (1) deposited in step a) and the external power supply or the external electrical circuit.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that the conductive network (1) is deposited on the first glass-type substrate (2).

3. Manufacturing process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, between step a) and b), is connected to the conductive network (1), electronic components such as LEDs.

4. Manufacturing process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that between step b) and c) is made to cut the laminated glazing to the dimensions of the finished product.

5. Manufacturing method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in step c, the insert (3) is removed on one or two of the linear edges of the finished product so as to form one or two notches (s) linear (s) (6).

6. Manufacturing process according to any one of the claims

1 and 4, characterized in that the conductive network (1) has a plurality of positive and negative terminals, and in step c, the spacer (3) is removed at each terminal of the conductive network (1).

7. Manufacturing process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the notch (s) (7) of step c) are made by drilling in the wafer of the laminated glazing.

8. Manufacturing process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the notch (s) (6) of step c) are performed by mechanical removal of the insert (3).

9. The manufacturing method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the notch (s) (6, 7) of step c) are produced by thermal elimination of the thermoplastic interlayer (3).

10. The manufacturing method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the or notches (6, 7) of step c) are performed by chemical removal of the thermoplastic interlayer (3).

11. Manufacturing method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the formation of the one or more notches (6, 7) and the laying of the connector are performed at the same time, the insertion of the connector pushing part of the the thermoplastic interlayer (3) in contact with the conductive network (1).

12. Laminated glazing comprising two glass-like substrates (2, 4) sandwiching: one or more sheets of thermoplastic interlayer (3),

an electrically conductive network (1),

one or more LEDs, characterized in that it comprises one or more notches in the thickness of the thermoplastic interlayer, this or these notches being able to receive an electrical connector to make the connection between the conductive network ( 1) and an external power supply.

13. laminated glass according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the or notches are made after lamination.