Patents by Inventor Brent Boyce

Brent Boyce has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9499899
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for forming low emissivity panels that may include a substrate and a reflective layer formed over the substrate. The low emissivity panels may further include a top dielectric layer formed over the reflective layer such that the reflective layer is formed between the top dielectric layer and the substrate. The top dielectric layer may include a ternary metal oxide, such as zinc tin aluminum oxide. The top dielectric layer may also include aluminum. The concentration of aluminum may be between about 1 atomic % and 15 atomic % or between about 2 atomic % and 10 atomic %. An atomic ratio of zinc to tin in the top dielectric layer may be between about 0.67 and about 1.5 or between about 0.9 and about 1.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Guizhen Zhang, Brent Boyce, Jeremy Cheng, Guowen Ding, Muhammad Imran, Minh Huu Le, Daniel Schweigert, Yongli Xu
  • Patent number: 9499437
    Abstract: A coated article is provided so as to include a low-E (low emissivity) coating having an infrared (IR) reflecting layer(s) of or including a material such as silver (Ag), which is provided between a pair of contact layers. The low-E coating includes an overcoat having at least one layer of or including zirconium oxide and/or a substantially metallic layer. The overcoat has been found to improve the durability of the coating without significantly sacrificing desired optical characteristics. Such coated articles may be used in the context of windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Muhammad Imran, Francis Wuillaume, Brent Boyce
  • Publication number: 20160326795
    Abstract: Example embodiments of this invention relate to a coated article including an infrared (IR) reflecting layer of a material such as silver or the like, for use in an insulating glass (IG) window unit for example. In certain example embodiments, the coating is a single-silver type coating, and includes an overcoat including an uppermost layer of or including silicon nitride and a layer of or including tin oxide immediately under and contacting the silicon nitride based overcoat. In certain example embodiments, the thicknesses of the silicon nitride based overcoat and the tin oxide based layer are balanced (e.g., substantially equal, or equal plus/minus about 10%). It has surprisingly been found that such balancing results in an improvement in thermal cycling performance and improved mechanical durability. In certain example embodiments, the coating may realize surprisingly good substantially neutral film side reflective coloration, and may achieve an improved visible transmission, SHGC ratio and low U-values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Jingyu LAO, Philip J. LINGLE, Brent BOYCE, Bernd DISTELDORF, Richard BLACKER
  • Patent number: 9475727
    Abstract: A coated article includes a coating, such as a low emissivity (low-E) coating, supported by a substrate (e.g., glass substrate). The coating includes at least one dielectric layer including zinc oxide that is doped with another metal(s). The coating may also include one or more infrared (IR) reflecting layer(s) of or including material such as silver or the like, for reflecting at least some IR radiation. In certain example embodiments, the coated article may be heat treated (e.g., thermally tempered, heat bent and/or heat strengthened). Coated articles according to certain example embodiments of this invention may be used in the context of windows, including monolithic windows for buildings, IG windows for buildings, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Muhammad Imran, Brent Boyce, Jean-Marc Lemmer, Marcus Frank, Yongli Xu
  • Patent number: 9448345
    Abstract: A method for making low emissivity panels, including control the composition of a barrier layer formed on a thin conductive silver layer. The barrier structure can include an alloy of a first element having high oxygen affinity with a second element having low oxygen affinity. The first element can include Ta, Nb, Zr, Hf, Mn, Y, Si, and Ti, and the second element can include Ru, Ni, Co, Mo, and W, which can have low oxygen affinity property. The alloy barrier layer can reduce optical absorption in the visible range, can provide color-neutral product, and can improve adhesion to the silver layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Mohd Fadzli Anwar Hassan, Brent Boyce, Guowen Ding, Minh Huu Le, Zhi-Wen Wen Sun, Yu Wang, Yongli Xu
  • Patent number: 9422626
    Abstract: This invention relates to a coated article including a low-emissivity (low-E) coating. In certain example embodiments, the low-E coating is provided on a substrate (e.g., glass substrate) and includes at least first and second infrared (IR) reflecting layers (e.g., silver based layers) that are spaced apart by contact layers (e.g., NiCr based layers) and a dielectric layer of or including a material such as silicon nitride. In certain example embodiments, the coated article has a low visible transmission (e.g., no greater than 50%, more preferably no greater than about 40%, and most preferably no greater than about 39%).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Francis Wuillaume, Muhammad Imran, Afonso Kreling, Brent Boyce
  • Patent number: 9410359
    Abstract: Embodiments provided herein describe low-e panels and methods for forming low-e panels. A transparent substrate is provided. A low-e stack is formed above the transparent substrate. Each of the layers of the low-e stack are formed to have a specific thickness to tune the performance characteristics of the low-e panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Guowen Ding, Brent Boyce, Tong Ju, Minh Huu Le, Phil Lingle, Daniel Schweigert, Yongli Xu, Guizhen Zhang
  • Patent number: 9403345
    Abstract: An IG window unit includes a coating supported by a glass substrate. The coating includes at least the following: a dielectric layer comprising silicon nitride; a dielectric layer comprising an oxide of titanium; another dielectric layer; a layer comprising zinc oxide; an infrared (IR) reflecting layer comprising silver on the glass substrate, located over and directly contacting the layer comprising zinc oxide, wherein the coating includes only one IR reflecting layer; and an overcoat comprising (i) a layer comprising tin oxide and (ii) a layer comprising silicon nitride located over and contacting the layer comprising tin oxide. The IG unit may have an SHGC value of at least 0.65, a visible transmission of at least 70%, and/or an Energy Rating of at least 25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignees: Guardian Industries Corp., Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.)
    Inventors: Jingyu Lao, Philip J. Lingle, Brent Boyce, Bernd Disteldorf, Richard Blacker
  • Publication number: 20160207827
    Abstract: An insulating glass (IG) window unit includes first and second substrates, and a low-emissivity (low-E) coating supported by one of the substrates. The low-E coating has two silver based infrared (IR) reflecting layers and allows the IG window unit to realize an increased SHGC to U-value ratio, and an increased thickness ratio of an upper silver based layer of the coating to a bottom silver based layer of the coating. The low-E coating is designed to have a low film-side reflectance, so that for example when the low-E coating is used on surface number three of an IG window unit the IG window unit can realize reduced visible reflectance as viewed from the outside of the building on which the IG window unit is mounted or is to be mounted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Francis WUILLAUME, Brent BOYCE
  • Patent number: 9365450
    Abstract: Low emissivity coated panels can be fabricated using a base layer having a low refractive index layer on a high refractive index layer. The low refractive index layer can have refractive index less than 1.5, and can include MgF2, CaF2, SiO2, or BO. The high refractive index layer can have refractive index greater than 2.3, and can include TiOx, NbOx, or BiOx. The multilayer base structure can allow color tuning with enhanced transmission, for example, as compared to similar structures having single layer base layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Guardian Industries, Corp.
    Inventors: Guowen Ding, Brent Boyce, Muhammad Imran, Minh Huu Le, Zhi-Wen Sun, Yu Wang, Yongli Xu
  • Patent number: 9321676
    Abstract: A bi-layer seed layer can exhibit good seed property for an infrared reflective layer, together with improved thermal stability. The bi-layer seed layer can include a thin zinc oxide layer having a desired crystallographic orientation for a silver infrared reflective layer disposed on a bottom layer having a desired thermal stability. The thermal stable layer can include aluminum, magnesium, or bismuth doped tin oxide (AlSnO, MgSnO, or BiSnO), which can have better thermal stability than zinc oxide but poorer lattice matching for serving as a seed layer template for silver (111).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohd Fadzli Anwar Hassan, Brent Boyce, Guowen Ding, Muhammad Imran, Minh Huu Le, Zhi-Wen Wen Sun, Yu Wang, Yongli Xu
  • Patent number: 9309149
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for forming a low emissivity panel. In various embodiments, a partially fabricated panel may be provided. The partially fabricated panel may include a substrate, a reflective layer formed over the substrate, and a top dielectric layer formed over the reflective layer such that the reflective layer is formed between the substrate and the top dielectric layer. The top dielectric layer may include tin having an oxidation state of +4. An interface layer may be formed over the top dielectric layer. A top diffusion layer may be formed over the interface layer. The top diffusion layer may be formed in a nitrogen plasma environment. The interface layer may substantially prevent nitrogen from the nitrogen plasma environment from reaching the top dielectric layer and changing the oxidation state of tin included in the top dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Guowen Ding, Brent Boyce, Jeremy Cheng, Jose Ferreira, Muhammad Imran, Minh Huu Le, Daniel Schweigert, Yu Wang, Yongli Xu, Guizhen Zhang
  • Patent number: 9302936
    Abstract: An insulating glass (IG) window unit includes first and second substrates, and a low-emissivity (low-E) coating supported by one of the substrates. The low-E coating has two silver based infrared (IR) reflecting layers and allows the IG window unit to realize an increased SHGC to U-value ratio, and an increased thickness ratio of an upper silver based layer of the coating to a bottom silver based layer of the coating. The low-E coating is designed to have a low film-side reflectance, so that for example when the low-E coating is used on surface number three of an IG window unit the IG window unit can realize reduced visible reflectance as viewed from the outside of the building on which the IG window unit is mounted or is to be mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Francis Wuillaume, Brent Boyce
  • Patent number: 9297938
    Abstract: A method for making low emissivity panels, comprising forming a patterned layer on a transparent substrate. The patterned layers can offer different color schemes or different decorative appearance styles for the coated panels, or can offer gradable thermal efficiency through the patterned layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Minh Huu Le, Brent Boyce, Guowen Ding, Mohd Fadzli Anwar Hassan, Zhi-Wen Wen Sun
  • Patent number: 9297197
    Abstract: An IG window unit includes a coating supported by a glass substrate. The coating from the glass substrate outwardly comprising at least the following: a dielectric layer comprising silicon nitride; a dielectric layer comprising an oxide of titanium; another dielectric layer; a layer comprising zinc oxide; an infrared (IR) reflecting layer comprising silver on the glass substrate, located over and directly contacting the layer comprising zinc oxide, wherein the coating includes only one IR reflecting layer; a layer comprising an oxide of Ni and/or Cr located over and directly contacting the IR reflecting layer comprising silver; and an overcoat comprising (i) a layer comprising tin oxide located over the layer comprising the oxide of Ni and/or Cr and (ii) a layer comprising silicon nitride located over and contacting the layer comprising tin oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignees: Guardian Industries Corp., Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.)
    Inventors: Jingyu Lao, Philip J. Lingle, Brent Boyce, Bernd Disteldorf, Richard Blacker
  • Publication number: 20160001525
    Abstract: Example embodiments of this invention relate to a coated article including an infrared (IR) reflecting layer of a material such as silver or the like, for use in an insulating glass (IG) window unit for example. In certain example embodiments, the coating is a single-silver type coating, and includes an overcoat including an uppermost layer of or including silicon nitride and a layer of or including tin oxide immediately under and contacting the silicon nitride based overcoat. In certain example embodiments, the thicknesses of the silicon nitride based overcoat and the tin oxide based layer are balanced (e.g., substantially equal, or equal plus/minus about 10%). It has surprisingly been found that such balancing results in an improvement in thermal cycling performance and improved mechanical durability. In certain example embodiments, the coating may realize surprisingly good substantially neutral film side reflective coloration, and may achieve an improved visible transmission, SHGC ratio and low U-values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Jingyu LAO, Philip J. LINGLE, Brent BOYCE, Bernd DISTELDORF, Richard BLACKER
  • Publication number: 20150232376
    Abstract: A bi-layer seed layer can exhibit good seed property for an infrared reflective layer, together with improved thermal stability. The bi-layer seed layer can include a thin zinc oxide layer having a desired crystallographic orientation for a silver infrared reflective layer disposed on a bottom layer having a desired thermal stability. The thermal stable layer can include aluminum, magnesium, or bismuth doped tin oxide (AlSnO, MgSnO, or BiSnO), which can have better thermal stability than zinc oxide but poorer lattice matching for serving as a seed layer template for silver (111).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Mohd Fadzli Anwar Hassan, Brent Boyce, Guowen Ding, Muhammad Imran, Minh Huu Le, Zhi-Wen Wen Sun, Yu Wang, Yongli Xu
  • Publication number: 20150232379
    Abstract: A coated article includes a coating, such as a low emissivity (low-E) coating, supported by a substrate (e.g., glass substrate). The coating includes at least one dielectric layer including tin oxide that is doped with another metal(s). The coating may also include one or more infrared (IR) reflecting layer(s) of or including material such as silver or the like, for reflecting at least some IR radiation. In certain example embodiments, the coated article may be heat treated (e.g., thermally tempered, heat bent and/or heat strengthened). Coated articles according to certain example embodiments of this invention may be used in the context of windows, including monolithic windows for buildings, IG windows for buildings, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Muhammad IMRAN, Brent BOYCE, Jean-Marc LEMMER, Marcus FRANK, Yongli XU
  • Publication number: 20150225286
    Abstract: A coated article is provided so as to include a low-E (low emissivity) coating having an infrared (IR) reflecting layer(s) of or including a material such as silver (Ag), which is provided between a pair of contact layers. The low-E coating includes an overcoat having at least one layer of or including zirconium oxide and/or a substantially metallic layer. The overcoat has been found to improve the durability of the coating without significantly sacrificing desired optical characteristics. Such coated articles may be used in the context of windows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Muhammad IMRAN, Francis WUILLAUME, Brent BOYCE
  • Publication number: 20150191815
    Abstract: A method for making low emissivity panels, including control the composition of a barrier layer formed on a thin conductive silver layer. The barrier structure can include a ternary alloy of nickel, titanium, and niobium, which showed improvements in overall performance than those from binary barrier results. The percentage of nickel can be between 5 and 15 wt %. The percentage of titanium can be between 30 and 50 wt %. The percentage of niobium can be between 40 and 60 wt %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Guowen Ding, Brent Boyce, Jeremy Cheng, Muhammad Imran, Jingyu Lao, Minh Huu Le, Daniel Schweigert, Zhi-Wen Wen Sun, Yu Wang, Yongli Xu, Guizhen Zhang