Ppg Industries, Inc.

George W Shoop

James L Valimont

A laminate assembly having rigid sheets about a thermoplastic interlayer has interfacial surfaces evacuated and peripheral edges sealed by applying localized vacuum and heat to only the periphery and marginal edge portions. A flexible heating blanket having marginally embedded heating elements overlies the laminate assembly and is biased theretoward by a flexible channel-shaped ring. The channel-shaped ring establishes a conduit about the periphery of the laminate assembly which is evacuated to remove entrapped air, and the heating element is energized to bond and seal the marginal edge portions of the assembly.

Manufacture of laminated assemblies

A method of making transparent electroconductive window comprising an assembly element supporting a circuit portion electrically coupled to a novel self-soldering bus bar consisting essentially of particles of a finely divided highly electroconductive metal, such as silver, dispersed within a metal alloy having a fusion point between about 70.degree. and about 150.degree. C. A mixture of finely divided metal and of said alloy is applied to an assembly element along one or more lines in electrical contact with an electroconductive heating element carried by said assembly element. The one assembly element is assembled with other assembly elements to form a sandwich that is laminated at a temperature higher than the fusion point of the metal alloy to form a transparent electroconductive window having highly conductive, self-soldering bus bars formed along said lines.

Method of making heated laminated window

A transparent electroconductive window comprising an assembly element supporting a circuit portion electrically coupled to a novel self-soldering bus bar consisting essentially of particles of a finely divided highly electroconductive metal, such as silver, dispersed within a metal alloy having a fusion point between about 70.degree. C. and about 150.degree. C. A mixture of finely divided metal and of said alloy is applied to an assembly element along one or more lines in electrical contact with an electroconductive heating element carried by said assembly element. The one assembly element is assembled with other assembly elements to form a sandwich that is laminated at a temperature higher than the fusion point of the metal alloy to form a transparent electroconductive window having highly conductive, self-soldering bus bars formed along said lines.

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Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

George W Shoop