Patent US4883721A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4883721A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Multi-layer low emissivity thin film coating

Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC
•
Filing: 1987-07-24
•
Granted: 1989-11-28
•
Expires: 2007-07-24
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A multi-layer of thin film for application to a transparent substrate such as glass provides excellent visible light transmission while controlling both near infra-red solar energy and far infra-red reflected energy. The film comprises a layer of sputtered zinc, tin, or bismuth oxide, a layer of sputtered silver or silver alloy, a layer of sputtered titanium or stainless steel and a final layer of zinc, tin, or bismuth oxide. The product exhibits a nominal visible light transmittance of 55% and a reflectance less than about 15% for incident light on the substrate (glass) side at visible light wavelengths and reflectance less than about 6% for incident light on the film side in the visible wavelengths. Emissivity is less than 0.15. A method of fabricating the product is also disclosed.

Inventors

  • 👤 Raymond Nalepka
  • 👤 Russell Huffer

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 15:56
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03C; C03C17/00; C03C17/34; C03C17/36; C03C17/3602; C03C17/3618; C03C17/3644; C03C17/3652; C03C17/3657; C03C17/366; C03C17/3681; E; E06; E06B; E06B3/00; E06B3/66; E06B3/67; E06B3/6715; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12493; Y10T428/12535; Y10T428/12542; Y10T428/12549; Y10T428/12597; Y10T428/12611; Y10T428/12618; Y10T428/12771; Y10T428/12861; Y10T428/12896

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim 101 words
In a multi-layer thin film for glass and other transparent substrates, the improvement comprising a first metallic oxide layer selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, titanium, indium/tin and bismuth, a second layer selected from the group consisting of silver and silver alloy, a third layer selected from the group consisting of titanium and stainless steel and a fourth metallic oxide layer having a thickness of at least 100 Angstroms selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, titanium, indium/tin and bismuth, wherein said thin film exhibits visible light transmittance of at least 50% and emissivity of less than 0.15.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 101 words
In a multi-layer thin film for glass and other transparent substrates, the improvement comprising a first metallic oxide layer selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, titanium, indium/tin and bismuth, a second layer selected from the group consisting of silver and silver alloy, a third layer selected from the group consisting of titanium and stainless steel and a fourth metallic oxide layer having a thickness of at least 100 Angstroms selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, titanium, indium/tin and bismuth, wherein said thin film exhibits visible light transmittance of at least 50% and emissivity of less than 0.15.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 18 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said first layer is between about 400 and 500 Angstroms in thickness.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 18 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said second layer is between about 100 and 200 Angstroms in thickness.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 15 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said third layer is about 100 Angstroms in thickness.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said fourth layer is between about 400 and 500 Angstroms in thickness.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 15 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said first layer is about 450 Angstroms in thickness.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 15 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said fourth layer is about 450 Angstroms in thickness.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 30 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said multi-layer thin film reflects about 15% of the incident visible radiation to the outside and absorbs about 35% of such incident visible radiation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 21 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said multi-layer thin film reflects about 6% of the incident visible radiation to the inside.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 18 words
The improved multi-layer thin film of claim 1 wherein the substrate side reflectance is less than about 15%.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 108 words
A radiation controlling thin film disposed on one surface of a transparent substrate, said thin film comprising, in combination, a first metallic oxide layer selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, titanium, indium/tin and bismuth, a second metallic layer selected from the group consisting of silver and silver alloy, a third metallic layer selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and titanium, and a fourth metallic oxide layer having a thickness of at least 100 Angstroms selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, titanium, indium/tin and bismuth, wherein said thin film exhibits visible light transmittance of at least 50% and emissivity of less than 0.15.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 108 words
A radiation controlling thin film disposed on one surface of a transparent substrate, said thin film comprising, in combination, a first metallic oxide layer selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, titanium, indium/tin and bismuth, a second metallic layer selected from the group consisting of silver and silver alloy, a third metallic layer selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and titanium, and a fourth metallic oxide layer having a thickness of at least 100 Angstroms selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, titanium, indium/tin and bismuth, wherein said thin film exhibits visible light transmittance of at least 50% and emissivity of less than 0.15.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 25 words
The radiation controlling thin film of claim 11 wherein said first and said fourth metallic layer are between about 400 and 500 Angstroms in thickness.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 31 words
The radiation controlling thin film of claim 11 wherein said second layer is between about 100 and 200 Angstroms in thickness and said third layer is about 100 Angstroms in thickness.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 37 words
The radiation controlling thin film of claim 10 wherein said film reflects about 6% of the incident visible radiation to the inside and at least 70% of the incident radiation in the far infra-red toward said inside.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 31 words
The radiation controlling thin film of claim 10 wherein said film reflects about 15% of the incident visible radiation to the outside and absorbs about 35% of such incident visible radiation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 42 words
The radiation controlling thin film of claim 11 wherein said one surface on said transparent substrate is disposed more proximate the occupied space of a building and further including a transparent sheet article disposed between said thin film and said occupied space.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 18 words
The radiation controlling thin film of claim 10 wherein said substrate side reflectance is less than about 15%.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 99 words
An improved radiation controlling product comprising, in combination, a transparent substrate, a plurality of thin layers disposed on one face of said substrate, said plurality of layers including a first metallic oxide layer selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, titanium, indium/tin and bismuth, a second metallic layer selected from the group consisting of silver and silver alloys, a third metallic layer selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and titanium and a fourth metallic oxide layer having a thickness of at least 100 Angstroms selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, titanium, indium/tin and bismuth.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 99 words
An improved radiation controlling product comprising, in combination, a transparent substrate, a plurality of thin layers disposed on one face of said substrate, said plurality of layers including a first metallic oxide layer selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, titanium, indium/tin and bismuth, a second metallic layer selected from the group consisting of silver and silver alloys, a third metallic layer selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and titanium and a fourth metallic oxide layer having a thickness of at least 100 Angstroms selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, titanium, indium/tin and bismuth.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 20 words
The radiation controlling product of claim 18 wherein said first layer is between about 400 and 500 Angstroms in thickness.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 20 words
The radiation controlling product of claim 18 wherein said second layer is between about 100 and 200 Angstroms in thickness.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 17 words
The radiation controlling product of claim 18 wherein said third layer is about 100 Angstroms in thickness.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 20 words
The radiation controlling product of claim 18 wherein said fourth layer is between about 400 and 500 Angstroms in thickness.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 14 words
The radiation controlling product of claim 18 wherein said stainless steel is type 316.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 21 words
The radiation controlling product of claim 18 wherein said silver alloy comprises 5 to 10% copper with the remainder being silver.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 26 words
The radiation controlling product of claim 18 wherein said product provides a visible light transmittance of at least 50% and an emissivity of less than 0.15.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 19 words
the improved radiation controlling thin film of claim 18 wherein the substrate side reflectance is less than about 15%.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4716086A Cited
US4786563A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-11-27 1993-05-29 1993-11-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-11-27 1997-05-29 1997-11-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-11-27 2001-05-29 2001-11-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag