Integration of functional layers in or on transparent plastic parts for vehicle manufacture
The invention relates to a transparent plastic part (1, 11) of an electrically nonconductive material on or in which electrically conductive structures (2) are integrated for use in a motor vehicle, where according to the invention the electrically conductive structures (2) are printed on an outside surface.
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The invention relates to the integration of functional layers, in particular electrically conductive structures such as antennas, heating elements, and photovoltaic elements, in or on transparent plastic parts used in automobile manufacture.
The use of transparent plastic parts is becoming more widespread in automobile manufacture. Compared to glass, transparent plastic parts have a number of advantages. The savings in weight is directly reflected in reduced fuel consumption. In addition, more favorable aerodynamic characteristics may be obtained due to the greater freedom in design resulting from diverse and virtually unlimited shapes in the injection-molding and injection-stamping processes, which also reduces energy consumption. Use of these plastics as side and rear windows or as roofs in automobiles, for example, lowers the vehicle's center of gravity, thereby positively influencing the stability of the vehicle.
An object of the invention is to provide a transparent plastic part made of an electrically nonconductive material, on or in which electrically conductive structures are integrated, and that is designed for use in a vehicle, by means of which the above-described disadvantages are avoided and/or by which the above-described advantages may be retained, and by means of which conductor structures for current conduction or signal transmission, as antennas, or for photovoltaic elements may be mounted.
This object is achieved by the features of claim 1.
Polycarbonate (PC) and polymethlymethacrylate (PMMA) are preferably used in window panes. Their characteristics are essentially comparable to glass. Polycarbonate does not shatter, and is impact-resistant, tintable, and dimensionally stable. When these materials are not scratch-resistant, this characteristic can be imparted by additionally applying-an anti-scratch coating (for example, using ceramic nanoparticles in a silicon layer). The possibility for working the plastic by drilling, sawing, milling, welding, and gluing, for example, represents further advantages compared to the conventional use of glass. The integration of additional functions such as antennas, antenna systems, heating elements, and photovoltaic elements, for example, desired by automobile manufacturers or customers promotes the use of transparent plastic as an alternative to glass, and is the object of the present invention.
According to the invention, the electrically conductive structures applied by means of a printing process are located on the exterior of the transparent plastic part. This has the advantage that the transparent plastic part can be manufactured and, if needed, finish-machined according to its intended use, so that by means of a printing process, in particular a screen-printing process, the electrically conductive structures can be subsequently mounted on the exterior of the transparent plastic part. In this manner the greatest possible freedom of design is maintained for manufacturing and shaping of both the transparent plastic part and the electrically conductive structures in order to achieve the desired function in the plastic part by means of the electrically conductive structures.
Illustrated embodiments of the invention, which do not limit the invention, are described in the dependent claims and are also illustrated in the figures and described below.
In the figures:
The lower illustration of
The plastic parts 1 and 11 shown in
The geometric dimensions of the electrically conductive structures 2, in particular their length, width, height, cross section, and longitudinal extension, are designed according to their function. Thus, the electrically conductive structures 2 may be antenna structures, for example, for receiving or transmitting high-frequency signals. For this purpose, in a diversity system, for example, multiple linear electrically conductive structures 2 are configured in parallel or at right angles on a vehicle window pane, but are separated by a minimum distance to prevent mutual interference of the reception and transmission characteristics. If the electrically conductive structures 2 are used for rear window heating, for example, it is possible for two electrically conductive structures 2 to be aligned perpendicular to the sides of the rear window, and for numerous additional, closely spaced electrically conductive structures 2 of extremely thin cross section to be provided therebetween, to prevent the optical characteristics of the transparent plastic part 1 in the form of a rear window from being adversely affected. The electrically conductive structures 2 may also be designed for signal transmission, current conduction, or the like, or also preferably as solar cells. The latter embodiment offers the advantage that solar cells in the form of electrically conductive structures 2 may be printed on transparent plastic parts such as vehicular panes, for example, and the energy from the solar cells is supplied via additional electrically conductive structures 2 to a plug-in connection or an electronic device, so that, for example, a fan is driven by the solar energy for ventilating or cooling the interior of the vehicle at high temperatures. In addition to this ventilating function, solar cells in the form of electrically conductive structures 2 may also be printed on the transparent plastic part 1 to provide energy for other equipment.
The embodiments are only examples. A combination of these approaches, or also thermal pre- and post-treatment of the components, impossible as well. Therefore, the design is versatile.
List of Reference Numerals
1. Transparent plastic part
2. Conductive structures
3. Protective layer (film, silicon layer, or other)
4. Transparent plastic film
5. Joining material (adhesive, for example)
6. Injection-molded or insert-molded transparent plastic
7. Transparent plastic film
8. Protective layer
9. Transfer medium during the injection molding process
10. Transfer film
11. Transparent plastic part with conductive structures
Claims
1. A transparent plastic part (1, 11) of an electrically nonconductive material on or in which electrically conductive structures (2) are integrated for use in a motor vehicle, characterized in that the electrically conductive structures (2) are printed on an outside surface.
2. The transparent plastic part (1, 11) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrical conductive structures (2) are imbedded.
3. The transparent plastic part (1, 11) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrically conductive structures (2) are imbedded by an additional layer (3, 8).
4. The transparent plastic part (1, 11) according to claim 3, characterized in that the additional layer is a transparent foil (7).
5. The transparent plastic part (1, 11) according to claim 3, characterized in that the additional layer is an antiscratch coating (3).
6. The transparent plastic part (1, 11) according to claim 1, characterized in that the transparent plastic part is a finished part made by injection molding and sheet assembly.
7. The transparent plastic part (1, 11) according to claim 1, characterized in that the transparent plastic part is an oversprayed transparent plastic sheet (6, 7).
8. The transparent plastic part (1, 11) according to claim 1, characterized in that the transparent plastic part is a injection-molded sheet-assembled part assembled by gluing.
9. The transparent plastic part (1, 11) according to claim 1, characterized in that the transparent plastic part is an externally finished injection-molded or sheet-assembled part.
10. The transparent plastic part (1, 11) according to claim 1, characterized in that the conductive structures are integrated into the transparent plastic part by a transfer process (9).
11. The transparent plastic part (1, 11) according to claim 1, characterized in that the transparent plastic part serves for glazing the vehicle, as for example the window or roof.
12. The transparent plastic part (1, 11) according to claim 1, characterized in that the transparent plastic part is PC or PMMA.
13. The transparent plastic part (1, 11) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrically conducting structures are an antenna system, heater, or solar cell.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 28, 2006
Publication Date: Jun 21, 2007
Applicant:
Inventors: Ingmar Petersen (Esslingen), Bernd Schwarz (Waldorfhaslach), Markus Pfletschinger (Eningen)
Application Number: 11/605,208
International Classification: E04B 1/00 (20060101);