Windshield Or Window Patents (Class 219/203)
  • Patent number: 7671298
    Abstract: A heating line pattern structure is provided, in which the effect of the heating lines of a defogger on an antenna for a TV broadcast especially for a digital TV broadcast may be decreased. The defogger is structured by arranging heating lines between bus bars on both sides. The portion of an uppermost heating line in proximity to the monopole antenna are folded rectangularly at a regular interval to form a meander shape. One lateral heating line is extended under the meander-shaped heating line portion, and is connected to a vertical heating line to which four lateral heating lines are connected together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventors: Ryokichi Doi, Hiroshi Iijima, Kazuo Takayama, Kouichi Chikaishi
  • Publication number: 20100032421
    Abstract: Flat electric heater element having a self-adhesive surface for the purpose of adhesive-bonding to a glass pane of a motor vehicle, and having a passage opening to allow the passage of signals from/to a signaling device which is installed in the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Jose A. Martinez, Erik Arnold
  • Patent number: 7652226
    Abstract: An electrically heated window glass is provided, in which an electric power load may be suppressed by causing a consumed electric power for energizing a heater to be variable depending on the purpose of heating. The electrically heated window glass in accordance with the present invention comprises two glass panels laminated to each other; a plurality of heaters sandwiched between the two glass panels for heating the glass panels, the heaters being positioned in such a manner that the heaters divide the surface of the laminated glass panels into plural parts; a plurality bus bars each provided at the end portions of each of the plurality of heaters for feeding thereto; and a changeover means for switching the connection between selected one of the plurality of bus bars and a DC power supply to heat the plurality of heaters in a series connected manner or parallel connected manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Muromachi, Harunori Murakami
  • Publication number: 20100006555
    Abstract: In an electrically-heated glazing unit including a plurality of collector conductors configured to supply a plurality of heating conductors with an electric current used to heat up the heating conductors and the glazing unit, at least one partial region of the surface of the glazing unit includes an arrangement of parallel heating conductors in which the current flows in opposing directions. The arrangement of the heating conductors in the partial region of the surface is tuned to minimize by mutual compensation or eliminate the magnetic field acting locally within this partial region and perpendicularly to the plane of the glazing unit when the current flows. The operation of an apparatus sensitive to magnetic fields, for example a compass, in the immediate vicinity of the glazing unit thus becomes more reliable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Marc Maurer, Stefan Ziegler, Martin Melcher
  • Publication number: 20090321407
    Abstract: A vehicle glazing comprising a pane of glazing material, e.g. glass, and a heatable coating layer provided on a surface of the glazing, in electrical contact with first and second electrically conductive busbars, each busbar having a length, a width and first and second ends, the width of at least one of the busbars being gradually reduced towards at least one of its ends. The glazing may be a laminate, having a further pane of glazing material joined to the pane of glazing material by a ply of interlayer material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: PILKINGTON ITALIA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Jonathan Barclay Dixon, Giovanni Gagliardi
  • Patent number: 7617964
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Winter, Charles S. Voeltzel, Cheryl E. Belli, James P. Thiel
  • Patent number: 7601929
    Abstract: A system for detecting an alignment of a sensor mounted on a vehicle and a method of making the same is disclosed. The system includes a vehicle windshield having the sensor mounted thereto at a predetermined location. At least one conductive strip is included having a first and a second end, wherein the conductive strip is attached to the windshield. The system further includes at least one conductive point disposed between the windshield and the sensor and mounted at the first and the second end. The conductive point establishes a closed circuit between the conductive strip and the sensor so long as the sensor is mounted to the windshield at the predetermined location. Upon displacement of the sensor from the predetermined location, an open circuit occurs between the conductive strip and the conductive point. Accordingly, the sensor generates signals indicating the misalignment of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Saed Ehsani, Gyu Myeong Joh, Hubert Szawarski
  • Publication number: 20090206068
    Abstract: A window-glass heating device for providing each adequate heat amount in accordance with each parts of the glass and for securing the good visibility to a driver, comprises: a first heater having a transparent heating film attached on the whole surface of the vehicle window glass; a second heater having a transparent heating film attached on a part of the surface of the vehicle window glass and being arranged at least overlapped with the first heater; a heating-requirement detector for detecting at least one of heating requirements such as the outside temperature, the inside temperature and any input through the operational equipments of vehicle inside; and a heating controller for controlling heat amount of the first and second heaters depending on the heating requirement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seiichi Ishizeki, Tomotaka Sawada
  • Patent number: 7576301
    Abstract: The performance of a thermal insulation for a building surface 6, subject to a thermal gradient emitting from the building interior, is enhanced by a neutral thermal gradient. For this purpose an electrical heating element 1 is adapted to release very low Wattages of thermal energy and is contained within an inner layer 4 and an outer layer 5 of thermal insulation. Adjusting the thermal efficiency of the insulation layers controls the magnitude of the thermal energy required to maintain the temperature of the element 1 at the equivalent temperature level to the building interior. The element 1 may be provided with a moisture controller and discharge sizeable quantities of thermal energy to dry moisture from the thermal insulation materials of the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: FreeGEN Research Limited
    Inventor: Christopher Norman Gaskell
  • Patent number: 7557329
    Abstract: A plate element including at least one rigid pane, in particular a pane of glass, which bears an electrically conductive coating that heats by applying an electrical voltage via connectors, and an electrically conductive partial surface, which is electrically isolated from the coating and provided with at least one electrical connector of its own. The partial surface is provided for connection to a ground potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventor: Hubert Hauser
  • Patent number: 7520416
    Abstract: A transparent pane, in particular a glass pane, having at least one electroconducting, non-transparent contact surface placed on one of its surfaces, to connect it by soldering to a connection piece. In the region of the soldering location, the contact surface has at least one cutout via which the soldering filler metal is visible through the pane after the connection piece has been soldered to the contact surface. Such a configuration allows reliable visual verification of the soldering locations, even in cases in which the soldering location is incorporated within a composite glazing panel and has been soldered, if necessary by induction heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Richard Crumbach, Bernhard Reul, Andreas Sznerski
  • Patent number: 7518093
    Abstract: A window such as a vehicle window (e.g., windshield) has a de-icing feature. In certain example embodiments, a conductive structure is provided on an interior surface of a substrate of the window, AC tuned to an ice removal frequency is caused to run through the conductive structure, and fields generated by the AC passing through the conductive structure propagate through the substrate to an exterior surface of the window and can be absorbed by ice thereby causing the ice to melt and/or be removed from the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Vijayen S. Veerasamy, Daniel F Prone, Scott V. Thomsen
  • Patent number: 7514654
    Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a glass article with a metal member joined thereto in which an electroconductive coating film is formed on at least a part of the surface of the glass article by baking a silver paste that includes Ag particles and a glass frit, a joining plane of the metal member is fixed onto the electroconductive coating film with a lead-free solder alloy containing Sn as a main component, and the lead-free solder alloy contains at least 1.5 mass % of Ag, which prevents the appearance of the electroconductive coating film and the bonding strength from degrading. Furthermore, in the present invention, when using a metal member having at least two joining planes, the total area of the joining planes is set within a range of 37 mm2 to 50 mm2, which allows high bonding strength between the glass article and metal member to be maintained while using the lead-free solder alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Ichiro Okajima, Hideki Watanabe, Kazuo Yamada
  • Publication number: 20090050614
    Abstract: In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a heating system for a side window of a vehicle is provided. The heating system comprises a belt seal and a resistive element. The belt seal is configured to be installed on the vehicle at a location at least partially surrounding the side window. The resistive element is embedded within the belt seal. The resistive element is configured to receive power from a power source and to heat the side window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: DAVID T. RENKE, JERRY MALLARD
  • Publication number: 20090044464
    Abstract: A transparent glazing unit including a resistive heating coating that extends over a substantial part of the glazing unit, in particular over a main viewing field, and is electrically connected to at least two busbars such that, when an electrical supply voltage is applied between the busbars, a current flows, which heats a heating field in the coating. The heating field includes at least one semiresistive region in direct contact with at least one busbar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventors: Lothar Schmidt, Carole Baubet, Marc Maurer
  • Patent number: 7482558
    Abstract: A thermotherapy device is operated as an incubator or as an open care unit. The care unit has a bed for receiving newborns, which can be closed with a hood (3). At least one heat radiation source (4) is provided. The hood (3) is located between the bed and the heat radiation source (4) when the thermotherapy device is closed and the hood is at least partially transparent to the radiation originating from the heat radiation source (4). The device allows only a small temperature drop during the transfer from the open mode of operation into the closed mode of operation and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Dräger Medical AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Jochim Koch
  • Patent number: 7479620
    Abstract: Disclosed a heater and a method for manufacturing the heater using a PCB process for providing a heater generating heat at a temperature that is proper to use by designing the heater having an accurate resistance using the PCB process on an insulated board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Inventor: Jae-Sang Park
  • Publication number: 20090014426
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heated window pane (1), particularly for side windows of vehicles, comprising two differently polarized contact busbars (6, 7) which extend essentially parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction thereof as well as parallel to a bottom edge (2) of the heated window pane (1), and a bunch of heating filaments (9) that electrically contact the contact busbars (6, 7). The inventive window pane (1) is characterized in that the contact busbars (6, 7) are arranged substantially along one line in the longitudinal direction thereof while the heating filaments (9) have essentially the same length such that uniform heating of the entire window pane (1) can be ensured. The heating filaments (9) can be made to have the same length by configuring compensation loops (11) and/or varying the amplitude of a heating filament (9) that is disposed in a wavy shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventor: Peter Baumler
  • Publication number: 20080308542
    Abstract: An open forklift truck is provided having an elongated windshield that protects the operator from wind chills experienced when operating the truck in a cold storage environment. The windshield is a laminate having a plurality of heating elements disposed therein that are electrically connected to a control that monitors speed, battery voltage, temperature, and ambient feedback and adjusts the power supply to the windshield based on this feedback. Accordingly, the windshield is maintained at a predetermined temperature selected to limit condensation and fogging of the windshield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventor: Richard M. Day
  • Publication number: 20080290081
    Abstract: An anti-fogging device has a substantially transparent or optically clear plastic layer with a heater element formed of etched metallic foil bonded to it. The device has an adhesive element disposed at the periphery of the device for sticking to a viewing member such as a motorcycle helmet visor, surgical mask or rear windscreen for a convertible car, to leave a gap between the heater element and the viewing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: NEL TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventor: Michael Philip Biddell
  • Publication number: 20080223842
    Abstract: Cost efficient, lightweight and rapid windshield deicing systems and methods are disclosed. The systems utilize step-up converters or inverters, or dual-voltage batteries, to provide a voltage high enough to deice a windshield in less than thirty seconds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: THE TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
    Inventors: Victor Petrenko, Charles R. Sullivan, Oleg Nickolayev, Valeri Kozlyuk
  • Patent number: 7423239
    Abstract: A laminated panel element that includes at least two rigid panes, for example glass panes, bonded to each other on their surfaces, which are each provided, over their whole surface, with an electrically conductive coating that can be heated by application of a voltage via electrodes. One of the two rigid panes is provided with a cut-out allowing the passage of external electrical connections that are in electrical contact with the two coatings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventor: Detlef Mann
  • Patent number: 7423240
    Abstract: A window defroster system that includes a heater grid and a controller. The controller includes a pulse width modulator configured to provide a driving signal to the heater grid. The driving signal has an initial heating portion and a pulsed portion. The initial heating portion provides an initial voltage that is greater than an optimal operating voltage of the heater grid, the pulsed portion provides a pulsed signal with a pulsed high voltage that is greater than the optimal operating voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Exatec LLC
    Inventors: Robert Schwenke, Keith D. Weiss
  • Publication number: 20080203079
    Abstract: A window such as a vehicle window (e.g., windshield) has a de-icing feature. In certain example embodiments, a conductive structure is provided on an interior surface of a substrate of the window, AC tuned to an ice removal frequency is caused to run through the conductive structure, and fields generated by the AC passing through the conductive structure propagate through the substrate to an exterior surface of the window and can be absorbed by ice thereby causing the ice to melt and/or be removed from the window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: Guardian Industries Corp.,
    Inventors: Vijayen Veerasamy, Daniel Prone, Scott V. Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20080203078
    Abstract: The present invention is a vehicle windshield assembly for assisting a vehicle defroster in melting ice or snow on a vehicle windshield by engaging and heating an outer circumference area of an inner side of the windshield using a flexible electrical heating element, an adhesive for adhering the heating element to the windshield, an electrical conductor for electrically connecting the heating element to an electrical outlet in the vehicle, and an electrical control device for controlling operation of the heating element at a plurality of heating levels. The heating element may be capable of plugging directly into a universal vehicle power outlet, lighter socket, fuse box, or the vehicle's electrical system. A heating element is held to an outer perimeter of the windshield using a flexible adhesive tape, a permanent adhesive, or may be sandwiched between two panels of glass forming the windshield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventor: MICHAEL CARL HUERTER
  • Publication number: 20080197122
    Abstract: The combination defroster panel and sunshade for vehicle glass includes an electrically heated element disposed upon one side of a rigid panel and a reflective surface disposed upon the opposite side of the panel. The device is placed adjacent to the interior surface of the window glass of a vehicle for operation. The panel may be placed with the heating element facing the interior surface of the glass, and electrical power (battery, power grid, etc.) provided to melt ice and/or snow from the exterior of the glass and/or to evaporate condensation from the interior surface of the glass. Alternatively, the device may be placed with the reflective surface facing the interior of the glass, to reduce the interior temperature of the vehicle. The combination panel may be formed as a single rigid panel, or, alternatively, as a plurality of smaller panels hinged together to facilitate storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventor: Kenneth Parks Gober
  • Patent number: 7411158
    Abstract: A heatable composite pane having a trapezoidal outline, including a heating area having heating wires embedded in the composite and at least two main busbars. The two main busbars connect ends of a first group of parallel heating wires electrically in parallel. The outer triangular surface of the trapezoidal outline includes at least a second group and a third group of parallel heating wires that can be fed electrically via busbars. The second group and the third group of heating wires have different lengths and are combined to be connected in parallel with the first group. The second group and the third group are electrically connected to one another in series such that an effective wire length between the two main busbars is increased to homogenize heating power in the triangular surface with heating power in the heating area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventor: Jan Andrt
  • Patent number: 7410267
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a vehicular lamp including a wire installation process that installs a wire (hearing wire) 6 in a flat resin plate 7 by heat; a shape-forming process that forms the resin plate 7 into a predetermined curved shape; a trimming process that trims the resin plate formed in the predetermined curved shape into a desired shape of the exterior contour of a front lens 3; and a fixing process that fixes the front lens to a lamp body 2 by optical welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuyuki Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 7393557
    Abstract: An electrically conductive film contains electrically connected first and second visible light-transmissive metal or metal alloy layers separated by a visible light-transmissive crosslinked polymeric layer. The film can be joined or laminated into glazing (especially non-planar vehicular safety glazing) with reduced likelihood that the metal or metal alloy layers will be damaged or distorted. The film also can transparently shield a device that can cause or is sensitive to electromagnetic interference with reduced likelihood that the metal or metal alloy layers will fracture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties
    Inventors: Robert James Fleming, Christopher Stewart Lyons, Clark Ivan Bright, Edward John Anderson, Brian Leroy Koster, Maria Lenni Zelinsky
  • Patent number: 7379028
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparing an antenna-embedded laminated glass with an antenna element sealed between glass sheets, which is characterized to comprise forming two or more glass sheets forming the laminated glass; bonding a transfer film on a surface of one of the glass sheets by a boding strip, the transfer film including the bonding strip and a conductive strip forming the antenna element; and press-bonding glass sheet, through a intermediate film, to the surface of the one glass sheet with the transfer film bonded thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventor: Katsumi Hisaeda
  • Patent number: 7362491
    Abstract: A heated glass panel assembly according to one embodiment of the invention may include a substrate having an electro-conductive film provided thereon. A conductor is positioned in contact with the electro-conductive film. A resilient material is positioned in contact with the conductor so that at least a portion of the conductor is located between the resilient material and the electro-conductive film. A retainer is positioned in contact with the resilient material so that at least a portion of the resilient material and at least a portion of the conductor are located between the retainer and the electro-conductive film. The retainer applies a compressive pressure to the resilient material which transfers at least a portion of the compressive pressure to the conductor to hold the conductor in contact with the electro-conductive film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Radiant Glass Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Steve Busick, Gino Figurelli
  • Patent number: 7358466
    Abstract: The present invention is a BLISK airfoil heat treating apparatus and method for heat treating the leading and/or trailing edge section(s) of a BLISK airfoil using the BLISK airfoil heat treating apparatus. The apparatus comprises a pair of hingedly connected heat treating shells, each shell having a cavity for receiving an airfoil edge section requiring heat treatment. A resistive heating element is positioned with the shells to heat the cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Myers, Thomas F. Broderick
  • Publication number: 20080083719
    Abstract: Fender Well Deicer (Defroster) consists of a curved housing covering a heated layer that can be attached to a wheel well using an attaching mechanism such as a series of eyelets on the housing and a plurality of screws. A wire running from the heated layer to the interior of the car connects to a control for providing power to the device. When in use, the device prevents and/or removes ice and/or snow build-up within the wheel well by through the application of heat. The device operates from a vehicle's electrical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Inventor: John J. Bartucco
  • Patent number: 7301126
    Abstract: A panel element with a toughened pane, provided with a total surface coating, which is electrically conducting and heated by applying an electrical voltage by electrodes. A partial zone of the coating is electrically separated by a separating line. Specifically, an inner surface zone of the coating is separated electrically, by at least one peripheral separating line, from an external edge region of the coating, and the electrodes are placed inside the surface zone surrounded by the peripheral separating line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventor: Detlef Mann
  • Patent number: 7297902
    Abstract: The present invention provides a window assembly having a transparent panel and a conductive heater grid formed integrally with the transparent panel. The conductive heater grid has a first group of grid lines and a second group of grid lines, with opposing ends of each group being connected to first and second busbars. Grid lines of the second group are spaced between adjacent grid lines of the first group, with the height of the grid lines themselves in the second group being less than the height of the grid lines in the first group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Exatec, LLC
    Inventor: Keith D. Weiss
  • Patent number: 7291816
    Abstract: A method for making a transparent electrothermal body includes: a) plating ITO (indium tin oxide) onto a surface of a transparent substrate to form an ITO film, and b) printing a conducting material onto a surface of the ITO film to form two connecting portions each electrically connected to the ITO film, thereby forming a transparent electrothermal body. Thus, the transparent electrothermal body includes a circuit made of ITO material having greater transparency to form a conducting film that allows passage of the electric current, thereby enhancing the transparency of the electrothermal body, and thereby increasing the versatility of the electrothermal body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Inventor: Shu-Lien Chen
  • Patent number: 7265322
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a plastic pane provided with embedded electrical conductors, in particular a window pane, in which the conductors are joined to a surface of a plastic sheet that subsequently receives another layer of plastic by injection molding from the rear for the purpose of forming a pane body. In the process the material of the plastic sheet and the injection-molded plastic are joined together directly by mutual adhesion, and the surface of the plastic sheet that is located on the opposite side from the conductors forms one of the outer faces of the finished pane. The electrical conductors are formed by furnishing the surface of the plastic sheet with at least one metal wire which is to be exposed to the rear injection molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Freeglass GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerald Aengenheyster, Luc-Henry Blanche
  • Patent number: 7241974
    Abstract: A deicing system configured to heat fluid within a fluid receptacle to prevent ice from forming includes a sensing unit and a heating element. The sensing unit is configured to detect a change in at least one of capacitance and resistivity. The heating element is configured to heat the fluid. The sensing unit operates to deactivate the heating element when the sensing unit detects the change in at least one of capacitance and resistivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Allied Precision Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas K. Reusche, Philip E. Chumbley
  • Publication number: 20070151966
    Abstract: A window defroster assembly for use in a motor vehicle includes a transparent panel and a defroster grid integrally formed with the transparent panel by means of a robotic dispensing mechanism. The defroster includes conductive first and second busbars and a plurality of conductive grid lines extending between and connected to the first and second busbars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Inventors: Robert A. Schwenke, Steven M. Gasworth
  • Patent number: 7231727
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a moisture removal apparatus and method for accurately detecting moisture generation in an early stage and quickly removing it so as to prevent steam or frost from being formed on glass surfaces of vehicles and industrial devices, and other surfaces. The apparatus comprises a surface resistance detector (50) including two detection terminals attached on an insulation surface with a predetermined gap therebetween, and showing different resistances according to an amount of moisture on the insulation surface; a static electricity preventer (60) preventing static electricity generation to the signal sensed by the surface resistance detector (50); a moisture sensor (70) determining moisture states through variations of the current that flows according to resistances of the surface resistance detector (50), and outputting a corresponding signal; and a driver (80) being operable to the signal output by the moisture sensor (70) and removing moisture generated on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: ISGK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Chual Kang, Dong-Hyun Kang, Sang-Bock Cho
  • Patent number: 7223939
    Abstract: A window pane has a substrate formed from glass and includes an electrical device. The electrical device includes an electrical conductor. An electrical connector is operatively connected to and in electrical communication with the conductor for transferring electrical energy to the conductor. The substrate has a first coefficient of expansion and the connector has a second coefficient of thermal expansion. A difference between the first and second coefficients of thermal expansion is equal to or less than 5×10?6/° C. for minimizing mechanical stress between the connector and the substrate due to thermal expansion of the connector and the substrate resulting from changes in temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: AGC Automotive Americas, R & D, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy P. Hoepfner, Mark S. Ackerman, Makoto Sato
  • Patent number: 7223940
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles S. Voeltzel, Bruce A. Bartrug, James J. Finley, Allen R. Hawk, Lewis R. Palka, Frank J. Pazul, John A. Winter
  • Patent number: 7214911
    Abstract: A car defogging system reduces energy required to defog a windshield glass of the car. A temperature sensor mounted at the windshield glass detects the glass surface temperature, Ts. A humidity sensor spaced from the windshield glass by a predetermined distance detects the humidity, H, around the windshield glass. A temperature sensor mounted inside the windshield glass detects peripheral temperature Te around the glass. A system controller determines if fog is or is not present by comparing the dew point temperature Td with the surface temperature Ts. Dew point temperature Td is derived by the combining values of H and a temperature Tc based on a combination of Ts and Te.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corporation
    Inventors: Young-Kil Kim, Sae-Won Oh, Jeong-Hoon Lee, Tae-Hwan Yu
  • Patent number: 7211768
    Abstract: A heating line pattern structure of a defogger comprising a meander shape heating line portion is provided, in which the local temperature rise of a glass panel may be suppressed and which has a good outward appearance. Two lateral heating lines each having a thick width are provided under the meander shape heating line portion. Tow lateral heating lines are connected to each lateral heating line under the meander shape heating line portion through a vertical heating line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiromichi Yamashita, Kazuhisa Ono
  • Patent number: 7205504
    Abstract: An interlayer composite includes a plastic sheet having a predetermined outer shape and a major surface; a pair of bus bars, and an adhesive layer securing the bus bars directly on the major surface of the plastic sheet in a fixed relationship to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: PPG Industries, Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce A. Bartrug, Allen R. Hawk, Robert N. Pinchok, James H. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 7202445
    Abstract: To provide a door mirror heater for a vehicle such as a motor vehicle or the like on which a high voltage battery is mounted, a door mirror heater compliant to a high voltage battery having a heat generating circuit provided with a PTC layer corresponding to a heating element and electrodes for applying a current to the PTC layer is structured such that an initial resistance value of the heat generating circuit is set between 20 and 200 ?, more preferably between 50 and 100 ?, a lower limit value of a PTC characteristic R100° C./R25° C. is set to 10, more preferably, to 50, and a rubber is added to a main material polymer of the PTC layer, and a metal oxide is added as a filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Yamada
  • Patent number: 7200921
    Abstract: A method of making a windshield having first and second outer layers and a conductive bar, an electrical connector, and an intermediate layer positioned between the outer layers. The method includes the step of sinking the conductive bar and the electrical connector into a surface of the intermediate layer so as to be at least substantially flush with the surface. After sinking the conductive bar and the electrical connector into the surface, the first outer layer is engaged with the surface of the intermediate layer. Additionally, the second outer layer is engaged with a second surface of the intermediate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Automotive Components Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph M. Loibl
  • Patent number: 7186952
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrically heatable glazing panel comprising a substantially transparent, electrically conductive coating layer which is adapted to be electrically heatable and is divided into a plurality of zones, some heatable and some non-heatable. The glazing panel according to the invention is preferably a side window which may be used for de-misting or de-icing purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Glaverbel
    Inventors: Etienne Degand, Christope Meerman, Eddy Catot
  • Patent number: 7180031
    Abstract: A power connection apparatus of a vehicle is provided that includes a pair of substantially flat electrical conductor strips each having a first end and a second end. The first ends are adapted to be electrically coupled to integrated heater conductors in an automobile glazing. A film forms a protective coating over an intermediate section of the pair of electrical conductor strips. The film insulates and maintains a spaced relationship between the pair of substantially flat electrical conductors. A pair of wires is electrically coupled to the second ends. A first protective overmold seal is formed over the second ends of the pair of substantially flat electrical conductor strips for sealing the electric coupling of the second ends of electrical conductor strips and the wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Automotive Components Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph M. Loibl, Marcus Tanksley, Larry Agius, Robert W. Hatcher, Thomas M. Cleary
  • Patent number: 7161117
    Abstract: A window glass for vehicles equipped with a conductor, which comprises a glass plate, a patterned conductor layer formed on the glass plate, and a covering layer formed to cover the conductor layer, wherein the covering layer comprises a fired product obtained by firing a composition containing a crystalline glass powder and a reducing agent capable of reducing silver ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Toshio Minowa, Hiroyuki Hayakawa, Shuji Taguchi