Patent US4490227A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4490227A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Process for making a curved, conductively coated glass member and the product thereof
Assignee: Magna Donnelly Corp
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Filing: 1982-11-03
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Granted: 1984-12-25
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Expires: 2002-11-03
Abstract
Abstract The specification discloses a method for making a curved, conductively coated glass member, and the resulting product, by providing for a sufficient degree of substoichiometry at the moment of bend that the glass can be bent using conventional bending techniques without crazing the coating. Two alternative methods for achieving the degree of substoichiometry are disclosed. One involves coating the part to an initial light transmittance (T o ) which is lower than that typically sought by prior artisans. The other involves bending the part in a reducing environment. Also disclosed is a method for increasing conductivity of the coating by exposing the coated part to a reducing environment at temperatures considerably higher than those heretofore thought feasible for use in reduction curing.
Inventors
- 👤 Lowell E. Bitter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 19:20
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/58; C23C14/5806; B; B32; B32B; B32B17/00; B32B17/06; B32B17/10; B32B17/10005; B32B17/10165; B32B17/10174; C03; C03C; C03C17/00; C03C17/22; C03C17/23; C23C14/06; C23C14/08; C23C14/086; C23C14/5846; H; H05; H05B; H05B3/00; H05B3/84; C03C2217/00; C03C2217/20; C03C2217/21; C03C2217/23; C03C2217/231; C03C2218/00; C03C2218/10; C03C2218/15; C03C2218/154; C03C2218/30; C03C2218/32; H05B2203/00; H05B2203/017
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 54
Claim 1
Independent Claim
67 words
A process for making an electrically conductive bent substrate which includes coating a generally flat part with indium-tin oxide and subsequently bending same, said process further comprising: providing for at least sufficient oxygen substoichiometry at the moment of bend that the indium-tin oxide coating doesn't craze during bending, but not so great a substoichiometry that the final product has less than 70% light transmission or is hazy.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
67 words
A process for making an electrically conductive bent substrate which includes coating a generally flat part with indium-tin oxide and subsequently bending same, said process further comprising: providing for at least sufficient oxygen substoichiometry at the moment of bend that the indium-tin oxide coating doesn't craze during bending, but not so great a substoichiometry that the final product has less than 70% light transmission or is hazy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 1 which includes a reduction curing step wherein the coated substrate is exposed to a reducing environment at a temperature in excess of about 400° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 2 in which said reduction step is performed for sufficient time to give the coating a specific resistivity of less than 3×10 -4 ohm cm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 3 wherein said coating has a thickness of between about one-half to about three wavelengths based on the median wavelength of visible light.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1 in which said substrate is glass and said bending step is conducted at typical heating and bending rates for such glass.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 4 in which said substrate is glass.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 6 in which said coating is achieved by sputter coating.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process of claim 1 in which said substoichiometry is achieved by sputter coating a substantially unheated substrate with indium-tin oxide to an initial light transmittance of between about 10 and about 40%, and avoiding complete oxidation thereafter at least until after said substrate is bent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process of claim 1 in which said substoichiometry is achieved by sputter coating a heated substrate with indium-tin oxide to an initial light transmittance of between about 10% and about 75%, and avoiding complete oxidation thereafter at least until after said substrate is bent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 9 in which said coated substrate is heated in an oxidizing environment sufficiently to lower the level of light absorption to from about 1.7 to about 10%.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 10 which includes a post bending reduction curing step in which the bent coated substrate is heated to in excess of about 400° C. in a reducing environment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 11 in which said bent substrate is heated to about 440° C.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 12 in which said reduction step is performed for sufficient time to give the coating a specific resistivity of less than about 3×10 -4 ohm cm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 13 wherein said coating has a thickness of between about one-half to about three wavelengths based on the median wavelength of visible light.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 11 in which said reduction step is performed for sufficient time to give the coating a specific resistivity of less than about 3×10 -4 ohm cm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said coating has a thickness of between about one-half to about three wavelengths based on the median wavelength of visible light.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 16 in which said substrate is glass.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 15 in which said substrate is glass.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 14 in which said substrate is glass.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 13 in which said substrate is glass.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 12 in which said substrate is glass and said coating is indium-tin oxide.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 11 in which said substrate is glass.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 9 in which said substrate is glass.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 1 in which said substoichiometry is achieved by exposing the indium-tin oxide layer to a reducing environment as the substrate is heated to bending.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 24 in which the substrate is coated to an initial light transmittance in excess of about 40%.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 25 in which said initial light transmittance is in excess of about 60%.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process according to claim 24 in which said coating on said substrate is reduced sufficiently during bending to have a specific resistivity of less than about 3×10 -4 ohm cm.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 27 wherein said coating has a thickness of between about one-half to about three wavelengths based on the median wavelength of visible light.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 28 in which said substrate is glass and said bending step is conducted at typical heating and bending rates for such glass.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 24 in which said substrate is glass and said bending step is conducted at typical heating and bending rates for such glass.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 27, in which said substrate is glass.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 31 in which said coating is achieved by sputter coating.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
81 words
The process for making an electrically conductive bent glass which includes sputter coating a generally unheated, generally flat glass with indium-tin oxide and subsequently bending same, said process including: conducting said sputter coating in a reduced oxygen environment so that the initial light transmittance of the coating following completion of the coating step is between about 10 and about 40%; bending said substrate in air; and thereafter heating the bent substrate to in excess of 400° C. in a reducing environment.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
81 words
The process for making an electrically conductive bent glass which includes sputter coating a generally unheated, generally flat glass with indium-tin oxide and subsequently bending same, said process including: conducting said sputter coating in a reduced oxygen environment so that the initial light transmittance of the coating following completion of the coating step is between about 10 and about 40%; bending said substrate in air; and thereafter heating the bent substrate to in excess of 400° C. in a reducing environment.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 33 in which said bent substrate is heated to about 440° C. in a mildly reducing gas and held there for about 20 minutes.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 34 in which said reduction step is performed for sufficient time to give the coating a specific resistivity of less than 3×10 -4 ohm cm.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 35 wherein said coating has a thickness of between about one-half to about three wavelengths based on the median wavelength of visible light.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 36 in which said substrate is glass and said bending step is conducted at typical heating and bending rates for such glass.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 35 wherein said coating has a thickness of between about one-half to about one and one-half wavelengths based on the median wavelength of visible light.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 37 which includes firing the substrate in atmosphere to a temperature of in excess of about 500° C. but below the softening point of the glass for no more than about three to six minutes.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 36 which includes firing the substrate in atmosphere to a temperature of in excess of about 500° C. but below the softening point of the glass for no more than about three to six minutes.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 35 which includes firing the substrate in atmosphere to a temperature of in excess of about 500° C. but below the softening point of the glass for no more than about three to six minutes.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 34 which includes firing the substrate in atmosphere to a temperature of in excess of about 500° C. but below the softening point of the glass for no more than about three to six minutes.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
66 words
The process for making an electrically conductive bent glass which includes sputter coating a generally flat glass substrate with indium-tin oxide and subsequently bending same, said process further comprising: said coating step including initially coating the substrate to an initial light transmittance of greater than 40%; said bending step including exposing the metallic oxide layer to a reducing environment as the substrate is heated to bending.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
66 words
The process for making an electrically conductive bent glass which includes sputter coating a generally flat glass substrate with indium-tin oxide and subsequently bending same, said process further comprising: said coating step including initially coating the substrate to an initial light transmittance of greater than 40%; said bending step including exposing the metallic oxide layer to a reducing environment as the substrate is heated to bending.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 43 in which said initial light transmittance is in excess of about 60%.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process according to claim 44 in which said coating on said substrate is reduced sufficiently during bending to have a specific resistivity of less than 3×10 -4 ohm cm.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 45 wherein said coating has a thickness of between about one-half to about three wavelengths based on the median wavelength of visible light.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 46 in which said substrate is glass and said bending step is conducted at typical heating and bending rates for such glass.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
116 words
A process for fabricating a curved windshield having an electrically conductive coating suitable for generating approximately 0.6 watts per square inch using a 60 volt power source and having at least 70% minimum visible light transmission at an angle of 90 degrees, comprising: coating a relatively thin indium-tin oxide film of a thickness of between one-half to about three wavelengths based on the median wavelength of visible light on a generally flat glass windshield blank; heating and bending the thus-coated glass windshield blank while said indium-tin oxide film is in an oxygen substoichiometric state of sufficient degree that said film bends in substantial conformity with said glass windshield blank without crazing to form said curved windshield.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
116 words
A process for fabricating a curved windshield having an electrically conductive coating suitable for generating approximately 0.6 watts per square inch using a 60 volt power source and having at least 70% minimum visible light transmission at an angle of 90 degrees, comprising: coating a relatively thin indium-tin oxide film of a thickness of between one-half to about three wavelengths based on the median wavelength of visible light on a generally flat glass windshield blank; heating and bending the thus-coated glass windshield blank while said indium-tin oxide film is in an oxygen substoichiometric state of sufficient degree that said film bends in substantial conformity with said glass windshield blank without crazing to form said curved windshield.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 48 wherein subsequent to said heating and bending the curved windshield is subjected to a reducing environment at a temperature in excess of about 400° C.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 48 wherein said indium-tin oxide film is exposed to a reducing environment during the time the glass windshield blank is subjected to said heating and bending.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-12-25 | 1988-06-25 | 1988-12-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-12-25 | 1992-06-25 | 1992-12-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-12-25 | 1996-06-25 | 1996-12-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |