Heatable device for use with a vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11453366-B2
Application number	US-201816181740-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2018
Priority date	Nov 6, 2018
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A heatable device for use with a vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit is disclosed. The heatable device includes a main body including a first end, a second end, an interior cavity, and a receiving portion. A transparent glass substrate fixed to the main body includes a transparent electrically-conductive coating on an inner surface thereof. At least one electrically-conductive unit contacts the transparent electrically-conductive coating on the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate, and may receive electric current selectively provided by a vehicle-mounted power supply and conduct the electric current to the transparent glass substrate, thereby selectively heating the transparent glass substrate. A sealing member may couple an opening in the receiving portion with at least a portion of a vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit such that the vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit has a field of view extending through the main body to an outside environment surrounding a vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heatable device for use with a vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit, the heatable device comprising:
a main body including a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an interior cavity defined therein extending between the first and second ends, and a receiving portion disposed at the second end, the receiving portion including an opening therein providing access to the interior cavity;
a transparent glass substrate fixed to the main body at the first end and including a transparent electrically-conductive coating on an inner surface thereof, the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate facing the first end of the main body;
at least one electrically-conductive unit disposed at least partially outside of the interior cavity defined in the main body and contacting the transparent electrically-conductive coating on the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate, the at least one electrically-conductive unit configured to receive electric current selectively provided by a vehicle-mounted power supply and conduct the electric current to the transparent electrically-conductive coating on the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate, thereby selectively heating the transparent glass substrate; and
a sealing member configured to couple the opening in the receiving portion of the main body with at least a portion of a vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit such that the interior cavity defined in the main body is hermetically sealed and the vehicle-mounted image acquisition unit has a field of view extending through the interior cavity and through the transparent glass substrate to an outside environment surrounding a vehicle;
wherein the at least one electrically-conductive unit comprises first and second electrically-conductive units;
the heatable device further comprises a one-piece assembly comprising:
a first non-conductive carrier supporting the first electrically-conductive unit on an outer surface of the first non-conductive carrier,
a second non-conductive carrier supporting the second electrically-conductive unit on an outer surface of the second non-conductive carrier,
a first non-conductive double-sided adhesive member fixed to the outer surfaces of the first and second non-conductive carriers, the first non-conductive double-sided adhesive member overlaying the first and second electrically-conductive units and bridging the first and second non-conductive carriers, and
a second non-conductive double-sided adhesive member fixed to inner surfaces of the first and second non-conductive carriers opposite the outer surfaces of the first and second non-conductive carriers, the second non-conductive double-sided adhesive member further bridging the first and second non-conductive carriers;

wherein the first non-conductive double-sided adhesive member is further fixed to the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate and the second non-conductive double-sided adhesive member is further fixed to a peripheral face of the main body surrounding an opening of the interior cavity at the first end of the main body, thereby fixing the transparent glass substrate to the main body at the first end.

2. The heatable device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second non-conductive double-sided adhesive members are a non-conductive ultraviolet (UV) light curable adhesive.

3. The heatable device according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent electrically-conductive coating on the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate is an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) electrically-conductive coating.

4. The heatable device according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent electrically-conductive coating on the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate is an electrically-conductive resistance heating coating.

5. The heatable device according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent glass substrate further includes a transparent anti-reflective (AR) coating on at least a portion of the inner surface thereof.

6. The heatable device according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one electrically-conductive unit contacts the transparent electrically-conductive coating on at least one contact portion of the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate, the at least one contact portion devoid of the transparent anti-reflective (AR) coating.

7. The heatable device according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one electrically-conductive unit comprises at least two electrically-conductive units, the at least two electrically-conductive units contacting the transparent electrically-conductive coating on at least two contact portions of the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate which correspond to the at least two electrically-conductive units, respectively, the at least two contact portions devoid of the transparent anti-reflective (AR) coating.

8. The heatable device according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent glass substrate further includes an anti-reflective (AR) coating on an outer surface thereof, the outer surface of the transparent glass substrate facing away from the first end of the main body.

9. The heatable device according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent glass substrate further includes a transparent anti-reflective (AR) coating on at least a portion of the inner surface thereof and an anti-reflective (AR) coating on an outer surface thereof opposite the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate.

10. The heatable device according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent glass substrate comprises a borosilicate glass or a borosilicate float glass.

11. The heatable device according to claim 1 , wherein in response to the transparent glass substrate being selectively heated, the transparent glass substrate is capable of reducing or eliminating at least one or more of fog, frost, snow, ice, water, and moisture on an outer surface thereof, the outer surface of the transparent glass substrate facing away from the first end of the main body.

12. The heatable device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrically-conductive unit comprises a busbar disposed on the main body and an electrically-conductive contact spring compressed between the busbar and the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate, the electrically-conductive contact spring contacting the transparent electrically-conductive coating on the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate.

13. The heatable device according to claim 12 , wherein the busbar comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silver, copper, copper-beryllium, gold, aluminum, zinc, nickel, brass, bronze, and combinations thereof.

14. The heatable device according to claim 12 , wherein the electrically-conductive contact spring comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silver, copper, copper-beryllium, gold, aluminum, zinc, nickel, brass, bronze, and combinations thereof.

15. The heatable device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrically-conductive unit comprises a busbar disposed on the main body and an electrically-conductive adhesive disposed between the busbar and the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate, the electrically-conductive adhesive contacting the transparent electrically-conductive coating on the inner surface of the transparent glass substrate.

16. The heatable device according to claim 15 , wherein the busbar comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silver, copper, copper-beryllium, gold, aluminum, zinc, nickel, brass, bronze, and combinations thereof.

17. The heatable device ac

Assignees

• Motherson Innovations Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hein Peter
• Dobrete Alexandru
• Batinic Ivan

Classifications

• H05B2214/02

  Heaters specially designed for de-icing or protection against icing · CPC title

• H05B2203/016

  Heaters using particular connecting means · CPC title

• H05B2203/013

  Heaters using resistive films or coatings · CPC title

• H05B3/84 Primary

  Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields · CPC title

• G03B17/55

  with provision for heating or cooling, e.g. in aircraft · CPC title