Patents Assigned to C.R.V.C.
  • Publication number: 20060172139
    Abstract: A coated article is provided which may be heat treated (e.g., thermally tempered) in certain instances. In certain example embodiments, an interlayer of or including a metal oxide such as tin oxide is provided under an infrared (IR) reflecting layer so as to be located between respective layers comprising silicon nitride and zinc oxide. It has been found that the use of such a tin oxide inclusive interlayer results in significantly improved mechanical durability, thermal stability and/or haze characteristics. In certain example embodiments, a zinc oxide inclusive layer is provide over an IR reflecting layer in order to improve thermal stability. A zirconium oxide overcoat may also be provided in certain example instances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Applicant: C.R.V.C.
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Lemmer, Jens-Peter Muller, Jose Ferreira, Pierre Pallotta
  • Patent number: 7081302
    Abstract: A coated article is provided which may be heat treated (e.g., thermally tempered) in certain instances. In certain example embodiments, an interlayer of or including a metal oxide such as tin oxide is provided under an infrared (IR) reflecting layer so as to be located between respective layers comprising silicon nitride and zinc oxide. It has been found that the use of such a tin oxide inclusive interlayer results in significantly improved mechanical durability, thermal stability and/or haze characteristics. In certain example embodiments, a zinc oxide inclusive layer is provide over an IR reflecting layer in order to improve thermal stability. A zirconium oxide overcoat may also be provided in certain example instances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.)
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Lemmer, Jens-Peter Müller, Jose Ferreira, Pierre Pallotta
  • Patent number: 7082260
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for bending and/or tempering glass substrate(s) are provided. The amount of near-IR radiation which reaches the glass to be bent and/or tempered is limited (e.g., via filtering or any other suitable technique). Thus, the IR radiation (used for heating the glass) which reaches the glass to be bent and/or tempered includes mostly mid-IR and/or far-IR radiation, and not much near-IR. In such a manner, coating(s) provided on the glass can be protected and kept at lower temperatures so as to be less likely to be damaged during the bending and/or tempering process. Heating efficiency can be improved. A ceramic (e.g., aluminosilicate) filter or baffle may be used in certain embodiments in order to reduce the amount of mid-IR and/or far-IR radiation reaching the glass to be tempered and/or bent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignees: Guardian Industries Corp., Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.)
    Inventors: Anthony V. Longobardo, George Neuman, Daniel F. Prone, Andre Heyen
  • Publication number: 20060159933
    Abstract: A coated article is provided so as to include a solar control coating having an infrared (IR) reflecting layer sandwiched between at least a pair of dielectric layers. The IR reflecting layer may be of or include NbZrOx, NbZr, NiCr, NiCrNx, or the like in certain embodiments of this invention. In particular, a zirconium silicon oxynitride (e.g., ZrSiOxNy) inclusive layer is provided which unexpectedly improves blocking (reflecting and/or absorption) of UV radiation in a manner which does not significantly degrade other optical properties of a coated article. Moreover, the ZrSiOxNy also has been found to improve (lower) the ?E* value upon heat treatment, thereby permitting a coated article when heat treated (HT) to more closely match its non-HT counterpart with respect to glass side reflective color after such HT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Publication date: July 20, 2006
    Applicants: C.R.V.C., Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Bernd Disteldorf, Anton Dietrich, Ratchaneekorn Chonlamaitri
  • Publication number: 20060144697
    Abstract: A coated article includes a coating which has a zinc oxide inclusive layer provided as a contact layer under and directly contacting an infrared (IR) reflecting layer of a material such as silver. It has been found that the emissivity (or emittance) of the coated article can be reduced by sputtering a cast target(s) to form the zinc oxide inclusive contact layer—as opposed to sputtering a target formed by plasma spraying or the like. Thus, it has unexpectedly been found that the emissivity and/or resistivity of an IR reflecting layer can be improved (i.e., lowered) by using a cast target to sputter-form the contact layer located immediately under the IR reflecting layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Applicant: Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.) Dudelange
    Inventor: Sebastian Bobrowski
  • Publication number: 20060083934
    Abstract: A method of making a coated article is provided, where the coated article may be used in a window or the like and may have at least one infrared (IR) reflecting layer in a low-E coating. The IR reflecting layer may be of silver or the like. In certain example embodiments, at least krypton (Kr) gas is used in sputter-depositing a silver inclusive IR reflecting layer. It has been found that the use of Kr gas in sputtering Ag targets results in an IR reflecting layer having improved resistance and emittance properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Applicant: Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.)
    Inventors: Jochen Butz, Uwe Kriltz, Sebastian Bobrowski
  • Publication number: 20060077580
    Abstract: A mirror (e.g., first surface mirror) is provided with a layer of or including chromium nitride (CrNx). In certain example embodiments, the CrNx layer may be the primary reflective layer of the mirror. Surprisingly and unexpectedly, it has been found the addition of nitrogen to the chromium to form CrNx reduces pinhole formations in the resulting layer. In certain example embodiments, the more nitrogen which is introduced into the layer, the smaller the number and/or size of pinholes in the Cr inclusive layer. In certain example embodiments, it has also been found that the addition of nitrogen to Cr may improve durability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Applicants: Guardian Industries Corp., C.R.V.C.
    Inventors: Francis Wuillaume, Anton Dietrich, Brent Boyce, Gregory Scott
  • Publication number: 20060046074
    Abstract: A coated article is provided with a low-emissivity (low-E) layer stack for use in a window unit or the like. The layer stack, or coating, may permit the coated article to achieve one or more of a fairly low solar factor (SF) value, a high selectivity (Tvis/SF) value, substantially neutral color at normal and/or off-axis viewing angles, and/or low emissivity. When high selectivity values are achieved, there is provided a high ratio of visible transmission to SF, which is a desirable feature in certain example instances. In certain example embodiments, a sub-oxide layer (e.g., NiCrOx) may be used as a contact layer under an infrared (IR) reflecting layer in order to permit low SF values, high selectivity, and good coloration to be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Applicant: (C.R.V.C.) Grand Duche de Luxembourg and Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Jose Ferreira, Jean-Marc Lemmer, Jens-Peter Muller, Scott Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20060046072
    Abstract: A coated article is provided with a low-emissivity (low-E) layer stack for use in a window unit or the like. The layer stack, or coating, may permit the coated article to achieve one or more of a low solar factor (SF) value, a high selectivity (Tvis/SF) value, substantially neutral color at normal and/or off-axis viewing angles, and/or low emissivity. When high selectivity values are achieved, there is provided a high ratio of visible transmission to SF, which is a desirable feature in certain example instances. In certain example embodiments, a sub-oxide layer (e.g., NiCrOx) may be used as a contact layer under an infrared (IR) reflecting layer in order to permit low SF values, high selectivity, and good coloration to be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Applicants: Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.) Dudelange, Grand Duche de Luxembourg and Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Jose Ferreira, Jean-Marc Lemmer, Jens-Peter Muller, Scott Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20060046073
    Abstract: A coated article is provided with a low-emissivity (low-E) layer stack for use in a window unit or the like. The layer stack, or coating, may permit the coated article to achieve one or more of a low solar factor (SF) value, a high selectivity (Tvis/SF) value, substantially neutral color at normal and/or off-axis viewing angles, and/or low emissivity. When high selectivity values are achieved, there is provided a high ratio of visible transmission to SF, which is a desirable feature in certain example instances. In certain example embodiments, asymmetric IR reflecting layer thicknesses may be used (e.g., bottom IR reflecting layer thicker than the top IR reflecting layer), and/or different contact layers for the top/bottom IR reflecting layers may be used to help achieve a combination of low SF values, high selectivity, and good coloration at normal and/or off-axis viewing angles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Applicants: Guardian Industries Corp., Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.)
    Inventors: George Neuman, Jose Ferreira, Jean-Marc Lemmer
  • Publication number: 20060008655
    Abstract: A coated article is provided that may be used as a vehicle windshield, insulating glass (IG) window unit, or the like. An ion beam is used to treat an infrared (IR) reflecting layer(s) of such a coated article. Advantageously, this has been found to improve sheet resistance (Rs) properties, emittance, solar control properties, and/or durability of the coated article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Applicant: C.R.V.C., Luxembourg and Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Jochen Butz, Vijayen Veerasamy, Scott Thomsen, Anton Dietrich
  • Publication number: 20060008657
    Abstract: A coated article is provided that may be used as a vehicle windshield, insulating glass (IG) window unit, or the like. An ion beam is used to treat an infrared (IR) reflecting layer(s) of such a coated article. Advantageously, this has been found to improve sheet resistance (Rs) properties, emittance, solar control properties, and/or durability of the coated article. In certain example embodiments, an ion source(s) and a sputtering target(s) used in forming the IR reflecting layer, or any other suitable layer, may be located in a common deposition chamber of an apparatus used in forming at least part of the coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Applicants: C.R.V.C., Grand Duche de Luxembourg, Guardian Industries, Corp.
    Inventors: Uwe Kriltz, Jochen Butz, Gerald Janicke, Vijayen Veerasamy
  • Patent number: 6983104
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for bending and/or tempering glass substrate(s) are provided. The amount of near-IR radiation which reaches the glass to be bent and/or tempered is limited (e.g., via filtering or any other suitable technique). Thus, the IR radiation (used for heating the glass) which reaches the glass to be bent and/or tempered includes mostly mid-IR and/or far-IR radiation, and not much near-IR. In such a manner, coating(s) provided on the glass can be protected and kept at lower temperatures so as to be less likely to be damaged during the bending and/or tempering process. Heating efficiency can be improved. A ceramic (e.g., aluminosilicate) filter or baffle may be used in certain embodiments in order to reduce the amount of mid-IR and/or far-IR radiation reaching the glass to be tempered and/or bent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignees: Guardian Industries Corp., Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.)
    Inventors: Anthony V. Longobardo, George Neuman, Daniel F. Prone, Andre Heyen
  • Publication number: 20050275924
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for bending and/or tempering glass substrate(s) are provided. The amount of near-IR radiation which reaches the glass to be bent and/or tempered is limited (e.g., via filtering or any other suitable technique). Thus, the IR radiation (used for heating the glass) which reaches the glass to be bent and/or tempered includes mostly mid-IR and/or far-IR radiation, and not much near-IR. In such a manner, coating(s) provided on the glass can be protected and kept at lower temperatures so as to be less likely to be damaged during the bending and/or tempering process. Heating efficiency can be improved. A ceramic (e.g., aluminosilicate) filter or baffle may be used in certain embodiments in order to reduce the amount of mid-IR and/or far-IR radiation reaching the glass to be tempered and/or bent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Publication date: December 15, 2005
    Applicants: Guardian Industries Corp., C.R.V.C.
    Inventors: Anthony Longobardo, George Neuman, Daniel Prone, Andre Heyen
  • Publication number: 20050258029
    Abstract: A coated article is provided that may be heat treated in certain example embodiments. A graded layer (e.g., contact layer or other suitable layer) is formed by initially sputter-depositing a layer, and thereafter ion beam treating the sputter-deposited layer with at least reactive gas ions in order to form a graded layer. In certain example embodiments, the result is a coated article that has improved visible transmission and/or durability, without sacrificing optional heat treatability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Applicants: Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.), Grand Duchy, Luxembourg and Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Jens-Peter Muller, Vijayen Veerasamy
  • Publication number: 20050202255
    Abstract: A coated article is provided which may be heat treated (e.g., thermally tempered) and/or heat bent in certain example instances. In certain example embodiments, an interlayer of or including a metal oxide such as tin oxide is provided under an infrared (IR) reflecting layer so as to be located between respective layers of or including silicon nitride and zinc oxide. It has been found that the use of such a tin oxide inclusive interlayer results in significantly improved bendability of the coated article in applications such as vehicle windshields with deep bends. In certain example instances, an overcoat of a material such as zirconium oxide may also be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2004
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Applicants: Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.), Guardian Industries Corp.,
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Lemmer, Scott Thomsen, Jens-Peter Muller, Philip Lingle, Jose Ferreira
  • Publication number: 20050191502
    Abstract: A coated article is provided which may be heat treated (e.g., thermally tempered) in certain instances. In certain example embodiments, an interlayer of or including a metal oxide such as tin oxide is provided under an infrared (IR) reflecting layer so as to be located between respective layers comprising silicon nitride and zinc oxide. It has been found that the use of such a tin oxide inclusive interlayer results in significantly improved mechanical durability, thermal stability and/or haze characteristics. In certain example embodiments, a zinc oxide inclusive layer is provide over an IR reflecting layer in order to improve thermal stability. A zirconium oxide overcoat may also be provided in certain example instances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2004
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Applicant: Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.)
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Lemmer, Jens-Peter Muller, Jose Ferreira, Pierre Pallotta
  • Patent number: 6936347
    Abstract: A coated article that can be used in applications such as insulating glass (IG) units, so that resulting IG units can achieve high visible transmission of at least 70% (e.g., when using clear glass substrates from 1.0 to 3.5 mm thick), combined with at least one of: (a) SHGC no greater than about 0.45, more preferably no greater than about 0.40; (b) SC no greater than about 0.49, more preferably no greater than about 0.46; (c) chemical and/or mechanical durability; (d) neutral transmissive color such that transmissive a* is from ?5.0 to 0 (more preferably from ?3.5 to ?1.5), and transmissive b* is from ?2.0 to 4.0 (more preferably from 1.0 to 3.0); and (e) neutral reflective color from the exterior of the IG unit (i.e., Rg/Rout) such that reflective a* is from ?3.0 to 2.0 (more preferably from ?2.0 to 0.5), and reflective b* is from ?5.0 to 1.0 (more preferably from ?4.0 to ?1.0).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignees: Guardian Industries Corp., Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.)
    Inventors: Carole Laird, Uwe Kriltz, Ronald E. Laird
  • Publication number: 20050164015
    Abstract: A coated article that can be used in applications such as insulating glass (IG) units, so that resulting IG units can achieve high visible transmission of at least 70% (e.g., when using clear glass substrates from 1.0 to 3.5 mm thick), combined with at least one of: (a) SHGC no greater than about 0.45, more preferably no greater than about 0.40; (b) SC no greater than about 0.49, more preferably no greater than about 0.46; (c) chemical and/or mechanical durability; (d) neutral transmissive color such that transmissive a* is from ?5.0 to 0 (more preferably from ?3.5 to ?1.5), and transmissive b* is from ?2.0 to 4.0 (more preferably from 1.0 to 3.0); and (e) neutral reflective color from the exterior of the IG unit (i.e., Rg/Rout) such that reflective a* is from ?3.0 to 2.0 (more preferably from ?2.0 to 0.5), and reflective b* is from ?5.0 to 1.0 (more preferably from ?4.0 to ?1.0).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Applicants: Guardian Industries Corp., C.R.V.C.
    Inventors: Ronald Laird, Carole Laird, Uwe Kriltz
  • Patent number: 6916408
    Abstract: A coated article that can be used in applications such as insulating glass (IG) units, so that resulting IG units can achieve high visible transmission of at least 70% (e.g., when using clear glass substrates from 1.0 to 3.5 mm thick), combined with at least one of: (a) SHGC no greater than about 0.45, more preferably no greater than about 0.40; (b) SC no greater than about 0.49, more preferably no greater than about 0.46; (c) chemical and/or mechanical durability; (d) neutral transmissive color such that transmissive a* is from ?5.0 to 0 (more preferably from ?3.5 to ?1.5), and transmissive b* is from ?2.0 to 4.0 (more preferably from 1.0 to 3.0); and (e) neutral reflective color from the exterior of the IG unit (i.e., Rg/Rout) such that reflective a* is from ?3.0 to 2.0 (more preferably from ?2.0 to 0.5), and reflective b* is from ?5.0 to 1.0 (more preferably from ?4.0 to ?1.0).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignees: Guardian Industries Corp., Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.)
    Inventors: Ronald E. Laird, Carole Laird, Uwe Kriltz