Abstract: The use of camera-based safety systems is growing at a rapid rate in modern automobiles. At the same time, windshields, where many of the cameras are mounted, are becoming larger and more complex in shape. As the industry moves towards vehicles with full autonomous capability, the number of cameras required and the resolution of the cameras are both increasing. However, the optical quality of the windshield is less than optimal. One of the problems is caused by the typical black enamel frit that is printed on the glass, prior to heating and bending, to hide or obscure the camera hardware. The abrupt thermal gradients during bending, caused by the heat absorbing black frit, result in a high level of distortion in the camera field of view.

Abstract: Smart windows, on which the level of visible light transmission can be electrically switched, are produced by laminating a special switchable film between the two layers of a glass laminate The film is made by sandwiching an emulsion containing the switchable variable light transmission active material between a set of electrodes. One of the challenges of producing said laminates is preventing the migration of plasticizers and moisture from the plastic bonding layer of the laminate into the emulsion where it can degrade performance. By applying a sealing member to each electrode layer along the periphery the emulsion is protected and in a manner that facilitates automation of the process.

Abstract: The use of camera-based safety systems is growing at a rapid rate in automobiles where they provide lane departure warning, collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control and other functions. For proper operation, the cameras require a clear undistorted field of view. Keeping the camera area free of snow and ice has been a problem. The lines widths of printed silver frit defroster circuits can interfere with the camera function. Transparent conductive solar control coatings and films can be used but they often result is a poor red ratio. Thin embedded wire defrosters are invisible for all practical purposes but are expensive and difficult to connect electrically. The invention provides an invisible defroster circuit that can be inexpensively produced by applying the circuit to the inside surface of glass rather than imbedding within the laminate.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a laminated automotive glazing having an obscuration area produced by printing the obscuration on a film laminated between at least two layers of plastic interlayers rather than printing and firing an enamel frit onto the glass. This results in a laminate having superior optical quality, higher strength and a lower probability of breakage as compared to a laminate with a black enamel frit obscuration.

Abstract: Black enamel frit obscurations are commonly printed on laminated and tempered automotive safety glazing where they serve to hide the adhesive used to bind the glazing to the automotive body and to protect the adhesive from ultraviolet radiation. However, frit has a number of drawbacks. Frit weakens the surface of the glass. It can create distortion in the glass due to thermal gradients. Printed frit obscurations are incompatible and cannot be used with many types of coatings. Standard frit blocks ion exchange and cannot be used with the chemical tempering process. In addition, while many types of frits are available for printing on soda-lime glass, there are very few, if any, for non-soda lime glass. As the market moves towards thinner and lighter glazing, non-soda lime glass types are finding increasing application in automotive glazing. These limitations are overcome by replacing the printed black obscuration with an obscuration formed from a thin sheet of plastic, which is integrated into the laminate.

Abstract: The use of camera-based safety systems is growing at a rapid rate in modern automobiles. At the same time, windshields, where many of the cameras are mounted, are becoming larger and more complex in shape. As the industry moves towards vehicles with full autonomous capability, the number of cameras required and the resolution of the cameras are both increasing. However, the optical quality of the windshield is less than optimal. One of the problems is caused by the typical black enamel frit that is printed on the glass, prior to heating and bending, to hide or obscure the camera hardware. The abrupt thermal gradients during bending, caused by the heat absorbing black frit, result a high level of distortion in the camera field of view.

Abstract: The use of camera-based safety systems is growing at a rapid rate in modern automobiles. At the same time, windshields, where many of the cameras are mounted, are becoming larger and more complex in shape. As the industry moves towards vehicles with full autonomous capability, the number of cameras required and the resolution of the cameras are both increasing. However, the optical quality of the windshield is less than optimal. One of the problems is caused by the typical black enamel frit that is printed on the glass, prior to heating and bending, to hide or obscure the camera hardware. The abrupt thermal gradients during bending, caused by the heat absorbing black frit, result in a high level of distortion in the camera field of view.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a laminated automotive glazing having an obscuration area produced by printing the obscuration on a film laminated between at least two layers of plastic interlayers rather than printing and firing an enamel frit onto the glass. This results in a laminate having superior optical quality, higher strength and a lower probability of breakage as compared to a laminate with a black enamel frit obscuration.

Abstract: Laminated automotive glazing including plastic layers and glass having an obscuration area produced by printing on the plastic layers of the laminate rather than printing and firing a black enamel frit onto the glass. This results in an obscuration having superior optical quality, higher strength and a lower probability of breakage as compared to a black enamel frit obscuration.

Abstract: An appliance transparency, such as an oven transparency, includes at least one substrate and a coating deposited over at least a portion of the substrate. The coating includes at least one metal layer, such as a metallic silver layer. The metal layer can have a thickness in the range of 80 ? to 100 ? and optionally or the coating can have a protective coating deposited thereon.

Abstract: An appliance transparency, such as an oven transparency, includes at least one substrate and a coating deposited over at least a portion of the substrate. The coating includes at least one metal layer, such as a metallic silver layer. The metal layer can have a thickness in the range of 80 ? to 100 ? and optionally or the coating can have a protective coating deposited thereon.

Abstract: A low temperature solder including indium in the range of 62-65 weight percent and tin in the range of 31-33 weight percent uses the heat generated during thermal treatment of one or more glass sheets to melt the solder. In one non-limiting embodiment, a lead providing external access to an electrical conductive arrangement, e.g. a conductive member between and connected to spaced bus bars between laminated sheets has an end portion of a connector, e.g. a lead soldered to each of the bus bars during thermal processing of the sheets, e.g. during the lamination of the sheets during a windshield manufacturing process. In another nonlimiting embodiment, the connector is soldered to the electrically conductive arrangement during the annealing of glass blanks following the heating and shaping of the glass blanks.

Abstract: An appliance transparency, such as an oven transparency, includes at least one substrate and a coating deposited over at least a portion of the substrate. The coating includes at least one metal layer, such as a metallic silver layer. The metal layer can have a thickness in the range of 80 ? to 100 ? and optionally or the coating can have a protective coating deposited thereon.

Abstract: An appliance transparency, such as an oven transparency, includes at least one substrate and a coating deposited over at least a portion of the substrate. The coating includes at least one metal layer, such as a metallic silver layer. The metal layer can have a thickness in the range of 80 ? to 100 ? and optionally or the coating can have a protective coating deposited thereon.

Abstract: An appliance transparency, such as an oven transparency, includes at least one substrate and a coating deposited over at least a portion of the substrate. The coating includes at least one metal layer, such as a metallic silver layer. The metal layer can have a thickness in the range of 80 ? to 100 ? and optionally or the coating can have a protective coating deposited thereon.

Abstract: A heatable transparency includes a first ply having a No. 1 surface and a No. 2 surface and a second ply having a No. 3 surface and a No. 4 surface. The No. 2 surface faces the No. 3 surface. An electrically conductive coating is formed on at least a portion of the No. 2 or No. 3 surface, with the conductive coating including three or more metallic silver layers. An antireflective coating is formed on the No. 4 surface.

Abstract: A moisture detection system includes an electrical conductor disposed on a surface of a substrate, an oscillator for outputting an oscillator signal at a predetermined amplitude and a predetermined frequency, and a resonator circuit coupled to the electrical conductor and responsive to the oscillator signal for outputting a resonator signal having an amplitude related to a resonant frequency of the electrical conductor. A filter circuit responsive to the resonator signal can output a rectified and filtered signal, and an analog-to-digital converter responsive to the rectified and filtered signal can output a digital signal related to the rectified and filtered signal. A sensor can be provided having a property that varies as a function of a temperature at or adjacent the electrical conductor. A controller can be responsive to the digital signal and the property of the sensor for causing another system to operate as a function thereof.

Abstract: An electrically heatable transparency has at least one substrate, a first bus bar spaced from a second bus bar, and a conductive coating formed over at least a portion of the substrate. The first and second bus bars are in electrical contact with the coating. At least one of the bus bars has an end region in electrical contact with the coating. The end region is tapered such that the coating is of substantially uniform thickness on the end region.

Abstract: An electrically conductive coating of an automotive heatable windshield has a communication window having an enhanced frequency selective surface having arranged passing areas (uncoated areas) and blocking areas (coated areas) to pass and block, respectively, predetermined wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. In one nonlimiting embodiment, the frequency selective surface includes a plurality columns spaced from one another by a continuous elongated blocking area. Each of the columns includes passing areas with each of the passing areas have a perimeter with a blocking area in the perimeter spaced from the perimeter. The perimeters of the passing areas contact one another with the blocking area of adjacent passing areas spaced from one another. The elongated blocking area between the break lines and columns extend to the perimeter of the communication window.

Abstract: The invention relates to using the heat generated during thermal treatment of one or more glass sheets to melt solder. In one nonlimiting embodiment, a lead providing external access to an electrical conductive arrangement, e.g. a conductive member between and connected to spaced bus bars between laminated sheets has an end portion of a connector, e.g. a lead soldered to each of the bus bars during thermal processing of the sheets, e.g. during the lamination of the sheets during a windshield manufacturing process. In another nonlimiting embodiment, the connector is soldered to the electrically conductive arrangement during the annealing of glass blanks following the heating and shaping of the glass blanks. Soldering the leads during the annealing or laminating process eliminated possible thermal damage to the sheet by having the sheet heated during the soldering operation instead of only a small surface portion of the sheet at and eliminates the cost of a separated soldering operation.