Method of increasing the visible transmittance of an electrically heated

Abstract

Methods of making electrically heated windows (10, 100) and products produced thereby. In an embodiment of the method of our invention for producing a product of laminated construction (10), a pair of glass sheets (12, 20) are laminated together by an interposed laminated interlayer (18). This lamination is carried out in a manner that a first (12) of the pair of glass sheets defines both a first glass surface forming the outer surface of the window and a second glass surfaces in juxtaposition with the laminating interlayer, and a second (20) of the pair of glass sheets defines both a third glass surface in juxtaposition with the laminating interlayer and a fourth glass surface forming the inside surface of the window. An electrically conductive coating (16) is formed in association with one of the glass surfaces in juxtaposition with the laminating interlayer. The product is improved by carrying out in the method of manufacturing the same the step of forming at least one sol-gel antireflective coating (14) on at least one of the glass surfaces other than the first glass surface. The sol-gel antireflective coating improves the overall transmittance of light in the visible wavelength through the electrically heated window. The specification describes several different embodiments for both the method of the invention and the product produced thereby.