Glass panel integrated heaters and applications thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11427052-B2
Application number	US-201916360598-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2019
Priority date	Mar 21, 2019
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

A glass panel apparatus is provided. The glass panel apparatus includes an outer glass pane comprising a low-e coating on a side facing the inner glass pane, an inner glass pane comprising a low-e coating on a side facing the outer glass pane, a gap between the inner glass pane and the outer glass pane, the gap comprising a vacuum, and a heating element configured to heat the inner glass pane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A glass panel apparatus configured to be installed in a vehicle, the glass panel apparatus comprising:
an outer glass pane comprising a low-e coating on a side facing the inner glass pane;
an inner glass pane comprising a low-e coating on a side facing the outer glass pane;
a gap between the inner glass pane and the outer glass pane, the gap comprising a vacuum;
a heating element configured to heat the inner glass pane;
a power controller configured to generate and apply a pulse width modified signal to the heating element;
a controller configured to control to adjust a current or frequency of the pulse width modified signal of the power controller according to one or more from among a setting parameter and a profile information; and
an output;
wherein the setting parameter include one or more of a setting input by an occupant, a pre-calibrated setting corresponding to a location of the glass panel, a temperature of a space, and a surface temperature of a surface into which the heating element is integrated; and
wherein the output includes information notifying of activation or deactivation of the heating element in haptic form.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises one from among a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heating element and two bus bars in parallel connected to a tin oxide coating on the inner glass pane.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the setting parameter comprises one or more from among a setting input by an occupant, a pre-calibrated setting corresponding to a location of the glass panel, a temperature of a space, and a surface temperature of a surface into which the heating element is integrated.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the setting parameter comprises a thermal comfort value and an optimal power consumption value.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the setting parameter comprises an equivalent homogenous temperature.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the profile information comprises a profile of an occupant that is occupying a space corresponding to the heating element.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the profile information of the occupant comprises information on temperature preferences of the occupant or heating element intensity preferences of the occupant.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a communication device configured to receive the setting parameter from one or more from among a plurality of sensors.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the communication device is further configured to receive the profile information from one or more of a server and a mobile device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a user input configured to provide the setting parameter to the controller.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a storage configured to store the setting parameter and the profile information.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heating element, and wherein the PTC heating element comprises a flexible substrate and carbon-based ink.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the PTC heating element comprises a ceramic material or silicon rubber.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the PTC heating element is integrated into the inner glass pane.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the glass panel is integrated into a vehicle window.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the glass panel is integrated into a vehicle sunroof or vehicle moonroof.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the low-e coating comprises one or more from among fluorinated tin dioxide and silver.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Kaushik Shailendra
• Han Taeyoung
• Khalighi Bahram

Classifications

• B60H1/2218 Primary

  controlling the operation of electric heaters · CPC title

• H05B1/0236

  for vehicles · CPC title

• B60H1/00742

  by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors · CPC title

• B60H2001/2293

  Integration into other parts of a vehicle · CPC title

• H05B2203/02

  Heaters using heating elements having a positive temperature coefficient · CPC title