Ppg Industries, Inc.

Ppg Industries Ohio, Inc.

Pittsburgh Glass Works, LLC

Peter T Dishart

Robert T Shumaker, Jr

Randy R Kadunce

Frank J Pazul

David Dai

James F Wilson

Kaushal Mehta

Robert T Shumaker

Helmut Franz

David A Saar

John A Winter

Glenn E Freeman

Bruce A Bartrug

Donald P Michelotti

Cheryl E Belli

Robert N Pinchok

David T Perry

Steve J Sutara

Steven M Parsons

Bruce A Bartug

An electrically conductive coating of an automotive heatable windshield having a frequency selective surface area that facilitates the transmission of radio frequency signals. The FSS area may be a high-pass filter such that RF signals at any polarization can pass through the glazing over a wide frequency band. The FSS area is defined by a pattern in the conductive coating such that, when the conductive coating is used to heat the windshield, electrical current flows through the FSS area to mitigate hot and cold spots.

Heatable window with a high-pass frequency selective surface

Heatable window with high-pass frequency selective surface

A window glazing () suitable for use in automotive applications wherein a switchable film () is protected from UV exposure and over-temperature exposure by a coating () that reflects IR and UV light in combination with an interlayer () that absorbs UV light.

Switchable automotive glazing

The present invention provides a transparent antenna including a transparent dielectric substrate, an electroconductive antenna element positioned along a major surface of the substrate, an electroconductive patch capacitively or directly connected to the antenna element, and a connector secured to the patch to permit transfer of signals generated by the antenna element to an electromagnetic energy transmitting and/or receiving device. The patch, is configured to have a visibility coefficient (i.e. a ratio of the non-opaque area to the total area) between 0 and 1. In one particular embodiment of the invention, the antenna element includes one or more transparent, electroconductive coatings positioned between first and second glass plies of a windshield for a motor vehicle and the electroconductive patch is applied to an exposed major surface of the windshield such that it overlays at least a portion of the antenna element and is capacitively coupled to the antenna element. The patch is may be formed from an opaque electroconductive ceramic IR, UV, thermoplastic or thermoset paint.

Antenna on-glass

A mask article and method of coating are provided whereby coating is deleted from one or more portions of a substrate like transparencies during a coating operation. The mask is a semi-rigid device having two major generally opposing surfaces and one or more sides between such surfaces with at least one one-piece edge. The side(s) slope inward toward the interior of the solid part of the mask at an angle from the horizontal plane of the larger major surface of the mask up to the slope of the side from greater than 0&deg; to less than 90&deg;. This inward slope is somewhere along the side between the larger major surface and the smaller major surface. The sloping segment of the side should extend a distance sufficient to provide an adequate edge at the mask-coating-substrate interface to reduce the ghosting effect. The surface area of the larger area surface has the configuration of the shape of a deletion for the coating. The mask is adapted for secure placement on the substrate during the coating process and removal therefrom after the coating process. This is accomplished either by the weight of the mask itself or from the use of at least one friction enhancing member present on the mask. With the presence of friction enhancing member(s) on the mask, recesses are also optionally provided on the mask. The number, size, configuration and location of the recesses and friction enhancing members assist in the stackability of a plurality of the masks. After one or more coatings are applied to the masked substrate, the masks can be removed and conveyed to the beginning of coating operation to mask other substrates. After a number of such cycles the masks can be cleaned of coating and reused.

Reusable mask and method for coating substrate

The present invention provides a connector assembly for electrically connecting to an electroconductive element having an electroconductive connector with a generally flat pad portion, a terminal portion capable of connecting the assembly to an external device and connecting portion interconnecting the pad and terminal portions, and a preformed plug member sized to a predetermined configuration and overlaying the pad portion such that a major surface of said pad portion is exposed along a first surface of the plug member. The exposed surface may be covered with an adhesive and in one embodiment of the invention, the connecting portion extends through the plug member. The plug member is preferably an electrically nonconductive and moisture impervious material.

Antenna connector arrangement

The present invention provides a glass antenna system with improved reception, a connector of the glass antenna system and a method of producing the glass antenna system. The glass antenna system includes a glass substrate, at least one electroconductive antenna element positioned along a major surface of the substrate, wherein the antenna element provides an impedance which varies over a given frequency band, an impedance matching network secured to the glass substrate in a position such that the impedance matching network is electrically coupled to a portion of the antenna element, and means to electrically interconnect the network to a feedline of an electromagnetic energy transmitting and/or receiving unit. The impedance matching network is used to transform the impedance of the antenna element to a desired impedance. In one particular embodiment of the invention the impedance matching network is part of a connector and is formed along a first major surface of a printed circuit board. The network is electrically connected to the opposing major surface of the board which includes an electroconductive coating. The connector is secure to the glass substrate in a position such that the impedance matching network is electrically coupled to the antenna element. The impedance matching network may be a passive or active impedance matching network. The glass antenna may be incorporated into a laminated windshield wherein glass substrate is a first glass ply and further including a second glass ply secured to the first glass ply, with the antenna element positioned between the plies.

Glass antenna system with an impedance matching network

The present invention discloses a glass antenna and connection arrangement. The antenna includes a first glass sheet having a notch area cut out along a portion of an edge of the first sheet, a second glass sheet secured in overlaying relation to the first sheet, and at least one electroconductive antenna element supported on the second sheet between the first and second sheets. The antenna element includes a portion that extends into the notch area. A connector is positioned within the notch area and filler material fills the notch area to secure the connector within the notch area and seal the notch area. The connector includes a first section which overlays the portion of the electroconductive antenna element extending within the notch area, a second section with selected portions which extend along and are secured to an outer major surface of the first sheet, and a third section which interconnects the first and second sections. A terminal assembly is positioned at an end of the second section to allow connection of the electroconductive element to an external transmitting and/or receiving device, e.g. a radio, cellular phone or global positioning system.

On-glass antenna and connector arrangement

The present invention provides a method of forming a desired pattern with a coating on a substrate. The method includes the steps of applying a water soluble resist material in a predetermined pattern to a surface of a substrate, drying the resist material, depositing a coating on the surface of the substrate to form a coated substrate, wherein a portion of the coating overlays the resist material, and dissolving the resist material on the coated substrate with water to remove the resist material and corresponding overlaying coating and form a desired coating pattern on the substrate surface. The dissolving step preferably includes the step of directing high temperature and high pressure water sprays at the surface of the coated substrate to wash off the resist and corresponding overlaying coating. The removal of the resist material may include a prewash operation wherein the surface of the substrate is wetted with water and coating is allowed to soak. The present invention also discloses a resist material for masking selected portions of a glass sheet to form a desired coating pattern. The resist material includes 1-20 wt. % water soluble polymer film former, 0 to 3 wt. % surfactant, 0 to 5 wt. % rinse aid and a solvent. The film former, surfactant and rinse aid are preferably all soluble in the solvent. In one particular embodiment of the invention, the film former is selected from a group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylalcohol, sodium alginate, hydroxyethyl cellulose and combinations thereof, the rinse agent is selected from a group consisting of sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium sulfate, inorganic salts and combinations thereof, and the solvent is water, an organic solvent or a combination thereof.

Resist material for deletion of coatings

The present invention provides a transparent antenna for an automobile. The antenna includes a glass substrate a first electroconductive antenna element positioned on a central portion of a major surface of said substrate, a second electroconductive antenna element positioned on the major surface of the substrate, spaced from the first element, and at least one electroconductive connector extending between the antenna elements and overlaying and electrically interconnected with a portion of both the first and second antenna elements. A portion of the connector extends beyond the periphery of the glass substrate to be connected to an external connector. The first element and preferably both elements are a transparent, electroconductive coating. In one particular embodiment of the invention, the first element is spaced from the peripheral edge of the substrate and the second element is positioned between the first element and the substrate edge. The antenna may be incorporated into a laminated vehicle windshield so that an additional glass ply is secured to the first glass substrate such that the first and second coating elements are positioned between the glass plies.

Glass antenna for vehicle window

The present invention provides a connector for interconnecting electroconductive elements within a laminate. The connector includes a flat electroconductive member having a first portion with at least one connecting segment which overlays an electroconductive element within the laminate, and a second portion extending from the first portion. One end of the second portion of the connector includes a rigid, integral connection terminal which includes multiple plies of the member. Selected portions of the first portion, and preferably at least the connecting segment, are coated with an adhesive. The adhesive may be electrically conductive or non-electrically conductive. In one particular embodiment of the invention the maximum thickness of the first portion of the connector is about 0.10 mm and the maximum width of the first portion, other than the connection segment, is about 6.4 mm. An electrically insulating cover may be positioned over a section of the second portion and a sealing means positioned along the member between the first and second portions. In another embodiment the connector may be positioned in spaced apart relationship to the electroconductive elements to provide a capacitive relationship between the connector and the element.

Electrical connector

The present invention provides a reusable mask to be used in a coating operation to cover selected portions of a substrate from being coated and minimize ghosting about the periphery of the coating. The mask includes first member having a configuration which generally approximates the area of the substrate to be covered and an edge portion which closely follows the desired peripheral shape of said coating, and a second member underlying at least a portion of the first member and having an edge portion which precisely corresponds to the desired peripheral shape of the coating. In one particular embodiment of the invention, the edge portion of the second member is no greater than 0.030 inches thick, and preferably no greater than 0.010 inches thick to minimize any ghosting of the coating about its periphery caused by the second member. In addition, the distance between the edge portions is sufficient to eliminate any shading of the coating about its periphery caused by the first member.

Growing community of inventors

Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Peter T Dishart