EP2286486A2

EP2286486A2 - Device for electrically connecting laminated glazing to an apparatus outside the glazing, method for assembling glazing provided with one such connection device and resulting glazing

Info

Publication number: EP2286486A2
Application number: EP09761905A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Annabelle Andreau-Wiedenmaier
Original assignee: Saint Gobain Glass France SAS; Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA
Current assignee: Saint Gobain Glass France SAS; Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA
Priority date: 2008-05-16
Filing date: 2009-05-15
Publication date: 2011-02-23
Also published as: CN102099964A; WO2009150354A2; WO2009150354A3; FR2931308B1; FR2931308A1; JP2011521284A; US20110132888A1; EA201071313A1; KR20110015417A

Abstract

The invention relates to a connection device (4) intended for laminated glazing (1) that is to be electrically connected to an apparatus outside the glazing, said laminated glazing (1) including at least one assembly comprising two glass sheets (2) having a separator lamination sheet and at least one current lead (3) disposed therebetween. The connection device (4) includes conducting parts that extend inside and outside the glazing (1), the internal conducting region (12) being intended to be connected to the aforementioned current lead(s) (3) and the external conducting region being intended to be connected to the apparatus outside the glazing and being protected by an insulating sheath. The invention is characterised in that the external conducting region, together with the insulating sheath thereof, is produced in the form of a casing (4A) for establishing a wiring connection to the apparatus, said casing (4A) including a means for receiving the conducting part inside the glass sheet.

Description

DEVICE FOR ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING LAMINATED GLAZING TO OUT-GLAZED EQUIPMENT, METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING A GLAZING WITH SUCH A CONNECTION DEVICE, AND GLAZING THUS OBTAINED

The present invention relates to an electrical connection device for connecting a laminated glazing unit to non-glazed equipment. It also relates to a method of manufacturing a glazing unit with such a connection device as well as the glazing thus equipped.

As examples of glazing concerned by the present invention, mention may be made of heated glazing units, glazings with electro-controlled optical properties, and glazings having a function.

• Heating windows, such as windshields and automobile rear windows, consist of a stack comprising at least two sheets of glass between which is disposed a thermoplastic interlayer sheet, for example polyurethane, on one side of which a network of thin electrical heating resistance wires is applied, each thin wire being electrically connected, at each of its ends, to a current supply. These current leads are, for example, made of copper foil strips coated with low melting point tin alloy.

A connection device according to the invention can be used to connect one of the current leads to a terminal of a power supply, the other current lead being connected to the other terminal.

Electro-controlled optical properties glazings, an example of which will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 1, are glazings able to pass instantly from a transparent state to a translucent state in which they isolate manholes. a living room, an office, a ticket office ... These are generally laminated glazings which consist of two sheets with glass function, in particular glass or plastic, on each of which is applied a thin, transparent layer of a conductive material such as indium oxide and aluminum oxide. tin (ITO) constituting an electrode.

The two sheets with a glass function are arranged with the transparent layers forming electrodes opposite, an interlayer film being placed between the two transparent electrodes. This film is in particular a transparent polymer matrix film trapping droplets of liquid crystals.

The principle of operation of such glazings consists in adapting the refractive index of the polymer matrix and the ordinary index of the liquid crystal droplets when the latter are aligned under the effect of an electric field, which gives the glazing a transparent state. In the absence of an electric field, the liquid crystal molecules in each droplet are oriented in the same direction, but their direction of orientation varies from one droplet to another. There is then scattering of the incident light, giving the glazing a translucent appearance.

On each of the electrodes is disposed a bus bar or a conductive strip forming a current supply, deposited for example by screen printing on the electrode layer, or soldered thereto, along a border of the glass sheet considered.

A connection device according to the invention can be used to connect one of the bus bars to a current input, another connection device of the same type being used to connect the other bus bus to the current output. • Glazing with a function is, for example, automotive windows with built-in radio antenna and glazing incorporating at least one sensor. The glazings with an incorporated radio antenna generally consist of a laminated glazing unit comprising an intermediate sheet in which an antenna wire is arranged. The connection device according to the invention serves for example to connect this antenna wire to a car radio.

The glazings mentioned above are all laminated glazings which comprise at least two sheets with a glass function, in particular glass or a plastic material such as poly (methyl methacrylate), polycarbonate or poly (ethylene terephthalate), between which is an intermediate sheet

(lamination interlayer), generally made of a plastic material such as a polymeric material such as polyurethane. These windows can be classified into two families:

• A first family simply includes the two sheets with glass function, between which is located the lamination interlayer; A second family of glazings comprises, as previously, the two glass-covered sheets and the laminating interlayer, but with the interposition of a thin electrode layer between each glass sheet and the lamination interlayer, these electrodes serving as power source for an active system associated with the lamination interlayer.

Whatever the type of glazing, the power supply is generally provided by at least one power supply within the glazing electrically connected both to the internal elements of the glazing requiring this power supply and to an external power source. A current supply is therefore in contact with the associated electrode layer in the case of the second family of aforementioned glazings. The connection of the current supply to the power supply source is provided by a so-called connection element comprising, in general, conductive parts coming from within the glazing and outside thereof, and a coating of the conductive parts outside the glazing.

The outer conductive parts provide the actual connection. It may be two welded metal tabs or two lugs or ferrules or other means of connection. In order to protect these external conductive parts from the external environment, in particular shocks and moisture, a coating usually envelops these conductive parts. The coating may consist, for example, of an insulating strip wound or extruded around the conductive parts outside the glazing. It can also be a heat-shrunk tape. However, the strength and tightness of the connection element do not always meet the desired requirements. Moreover, the extruded coating often has overflows that can be visible.

The coating may also consist of a part having recesses for inserting the outer conductive parts. This piece is glued to the glazing. The adhesive makes it possible both to seal the connection element and contributes to the strength of the assembly.

This solution, although satisfactory, however, has a relatively large footprint glazing edge, especially because of the creep of the glue. Moreover, it is not always possible to predict the extent of this creep and thus to control the bulk of the connection element on the glazing. To reduce this clutter and simultaneously improve the reliability, the strength and the tightness of Overall, it has been proposed, in accordance with European Patent Application EP 0 619 691, that the coating of the outer conductive parts is molded directly onto the glazing. The solution thus proposed remains unsatisfactory. Indeed, coating operations by direct molding on the glazing are numerous and are not easy. A mold must be manufactured by type of connection device. Furthermore, if one wants to get a good seal of the connection, a cable must be connected to the connection device, and must be integrated into the coating during molding thereof on the glazing. Another disadvantage is that the cable hangs from the glazing, and it threatens to tear the connection device if one pulls involuntarily on the cable, for example during the transport of the glazing. The anchoring of this type of connection device in the glazing must be solid, the glazing can no longer be used if the device is torn off, which represents a significant loss, the price of these laminated glass, including those with glazing systems assets, being generally high.

Also, the coating is often bulky and generally covers a portion of the two corresponding outer edges of the sheets with glass function, which can be a disadvantage when laying the glazing.

The present invention aims to overcome these disadvantages by providing a simple connection device to ask, which can be compact, and can advantageously include both means for a good anchoring glazing that means to seal the connection of the glazing to the systems out glazing.

The present invention therefore firstly relates to a connection device intended to come to equip a laminated glazing requiring an electrical connection to a non-glazed equipment, said laminated glazing unit comprising at least one set of two glass-glass sheets between which are disposed an intermediate lamination sheet and at least one current supply, said connection device comprising conductive parts extending both at the inside and outside of the glazing, the inner conductive region being intended to be connected to the aforementioned current supply (s) and the outer conductive region being adapted for connection to the non-glazed equipment and being protected by an envelope insulation, characterized in that the outer conductive region with its insulating envelope is formed in the form of a connection box by wiring to the non-glazed equipment, said housing having a means for receiving the conductive portion inside the glazing.

The housing is advantageously arranged to come against the glazing, in particular against the edge of the glazing.

The conductive portion intended to extend inside the glazing may be constituted by a tongue or braid of conductive material, which, in the assembled position of the connection device, penetrates into a slot of the housing to be connected to the outer conductive portion in the latter. According to a particular embodiment, the outer connecting box comprises, in its zone of junction with the tongue of conductive material, a part forming a case integral with it (come from molding with the housing), in which s extends said tongue.

The housing may comprise externally one or two connectors each carrying a male terminal or a female terminal for connection to a respectively female or male plug of a connection cable to the source Power. The or each connector may have means cooperating, in particular by snapping, with means complementary to the plug of the connection cable, to seal the connector-plug connection. According to an advantageous characteristic of the connection device according to the present invention, the housing and / or the inner conductive part and / or, when present, the junction box part between the housing and the inner conductor-shaped portion. tongue, comprise anchoring means for cooperating with the glazing to reinforce the fixing of said connection device.

These anchoring means may consist of holes, pins, projections or hooking ribs of the flexible material of the intermediate sheet, the anchoring means of the housing being intended to cooperate with an overflow of the intermediate sheet in the region of application of the housing against the glazing, in particular against the edge thereof. In the case where a holster part has been provided, the holster may have lateral extensions that promote attachment in the material of the interlayer sheet.

The present invention also relates to a method for assembling a laminated glazing unit equipped with at least one connecting device as defined above, characterized in that the connection device is placed on a sheet of the glazing comprising at least one current supply, which is welded to the inner conductive portion of the connection device at one end of the current supply or leads, the housing abutting against the glazing, which is completed the stack sheets constituting the laminated glazing, the intermediate intermediate sheet being optionally chosen to a size allowing it to protrude from the glazing in the region of the housing so that the creep of the material of the interlayer sheet in this region during assembly the stack of sheets reinforces the anchoring of the housing, such anchoring may be favored by holes, pins, projections or ribs carried by the latter.

The subject of the present invention is also a laminated glazing unit requiring an electrical connection to non-glazed equipment, said laminated glazing unit comprising at least one set of two glass-effect sheets between which are disposed an interlayer lamination sheet and at least one current supply. , said glazing being equipped with at least one connecting device as defined above or having been assembled by a method as defined above.

Depending on the intended applications, the glazing may comprise an interlayer lamination sheet directly in contact with the adjacent glass-function sheets, where the current leads are arranged on the intermediate sheet, or the glazing may comprise an interlayer lamination sheet in contact with the sheets having an adjacent glass function with the interposition of a thin electrode layer deposited on the sheet with a glass function, the current supply (s) being arranged on the thin electrode layer.

An example of the first type of glazing is a heated glazing unit, the spacer sheet comprising heating resistance wires connected to one or more current leads.

An example of the second type of glazing is a glazing with electro-controlled optical properties, the thin layers forming electrodes serving as a power source for an active system constituted by liquid crystals which are within the matrix of the intermediate sheet laminating and that allow to change the opacity of the glazing as a function of the voltage applied to the electrodes. To better illustrate the connection device according to the present invention will be described below, by way of indication and not limited to several embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

On these drawings:

Figure 1 is a partial plan view from above of a glass sheet of a transparent laminated glazing, showing a connection device according to the invention having a connector, according to a first variant;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, with a connection device according to the invention, having two connectors, according to a second variant;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the connecting device of Figure 1, the tab thereof being partially shown; and

Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a side elevational view and a side end view of the connecting device of Figure 1.

With reference to FIG. 1, it can be seen that laminated glazing 1 with electrically controlled optical properties, such as that marketed by Saint-Gobain Glass under the brand name SGG PRIVA- LITE, has been shown.

The glazing consists of two sheets 2 made of glass or a plastic material, such as PMMA, PC or PET, on each of which is applied a thin, transparent layer of a conductive material such as ITO constituting a electrode. The electric current is fed to an electrode layer by a busbar or a conductive strip (copper strip 3 partially shown in Figure 1), more generally forming a current supply, connected to said electrode layer along a border of the sheet 2 considered. In this example, the two bus bars 3 are arranged along two opposite edges in the final glazing.

The two sheets 2 are arranged with the transparent layers forming electrodes opposite, an interlayer film being placed between the two transparent electrodes. This film is a film of droplets of size approximately 1 to 5 μm of liquid crystal trapped by a transparent polymer matrix (in particular PDLC) according to an encapsulation technique. These liquid crystals make it possible to modify the opacity of the glazing as a function of the voltage applied to the glazing.

In Figure 1, there is shown a partial top view of the lower glass sheet, on which was placed a device 4 according to the invention for connecting the bus bar 3 to an external power source.

The device 4 consists of two parts inside and outside the glazing 1, respectively 4A and 4B, which will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. Part 4A consists of a connection box to the power source. external. This housing 4A has the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, being delimited by two longitudinal faces (4a; 4b), by two transverse faces (4c_; 4d) and by two end faces (4e; 4f).

One of the end faces (4_f) has a central hole to which is connected, along the mean line of the housing 4A, a cylindrical element 5, the outer wall of which forms, in the vicinity of its free end, an annular recess 6. It is thus constituted a terminal connector male having a tip 7 of tight hooking of a socket with female lug.

The face 4a. 4A housing is intended to be applied against the edge of the laminated glazing as can be seen in Figure 1. It carries externally pins 8 whose role is indicated below.

The faces 4b, 4c and 4d have externally hollow portions 9 formed in transverse planes parallel to the walls 4e, 4f_ so as to form an alternation of recesses and ribs favoring the gripping of the workpiece.

The face 4a. has an elongated rectangle-shaped central opening to which is connected a case-type element 10 whose two main faces 10a, 10b opposite are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the housing 4A. The face 10a. comprises a central opening 11. In the case 10, is introduced a conductive tab 12 intended to provide a connection with the bus bar 3. This tab 12 is here, with the case 10, the part 4B of the connection device, inside glazing 1.

The establishment of the connection device 4 is performed as follows:

On the first sheet of glass 2 with its electrode layer with its bus bar 3, we just put the connection device 4 with the face 4a. the housing 4A against the edge of said glass sheet 2 and the tongue 12 on the electrode layer, the end of said tongue 12 coming to overlap the bus bar 3, and the case 10 bearing against said electrode layer in the region border. In this position, the opening 11 of the case is opposite to the electrode layer.

13 is welded to the free end of the tongue 12 with the bus bar 3. Then comes to arrange the interlayer film by overflowing into the bearing zone of the housing 4A against the edge of the glazing.

Then comes to place on the intermediate sheet the second sheet glass function (upper sheet) that has the same connection device 4 according to the invention, the housing 4A is located on the same side of the laminated glass but in the opposite corner. The intermediate sheet then undergoes creep, penetrating, on the one hand, in the openings 11 of the cases 10 and, on the other hand, in the gaps between the pins 8 of the two housings 4A.

The presence of the openings 11 and the pins 8 thus ensures that the mechanical forces to which the housings 4A will be subjected will in fact be reported only on the cases 10 and not further to the tongues 12, because of the anchoring which is thus achieved parts cases 10 and casings 4A to the intermediate sheet.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, a casing 4A similar to that of the embodiment of FIG. 1 is used, but having a second connector, identical to the first, carried by the face 4e of the casing 4A. In this example, a single device 4 is put in place on one of the sheets 2, device whose tab 12 is connected to two bus bars 3, 3 'arranged along the same edge of the laminated glazing, perpendicular to the tongue 12 and on both sides thereof. One of the bus bars (3) is associated with the lower sheet 2, extending over the entire length thereof (shown partially in FIG. 2) and the other (3 ') is extended by being folded over to come to apply against the other sheet 2 (top sheet).

Still in the context of the present invention, the connection device can be used with any active system requiring an input and / or a current or signal output.

Claims

1 - Connection device (4) intended to equip a laminated glazing unit (1) requiring an electrical connection to non-glazed equipment, said laminated glazing unit (1) comprising at least one set of two sheets (2) with a glass function between which at least one current feed (3; 3 ') is provided, said connecting device (4) having conductive portions extending both inside and outside the glazing ( 1), the inner conductive region (12) being intended to be connected to the aforesaid current supply (s) (3; 3 ') and the outer conductive region being adapted for connection to the non-glazed equipment and being protected by a insulating casing, characterized in that the outer conductive region with its insulating casing is constructed as a connection casing (4A) to the off-line equipment. trage, said housing (4A) having means for receiving the conductive portion inside the glazing.

2 - Connection device (4) according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing

(4A) is arranged to come to apply against the glazing (1), in particular against the edge of the glazing.

3 - Connection device (4) according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the conductive portion intended to extend inside the glazing (1) is constituted by a tongue or braid (12) conductive material which, in the assembled position of the connecting device (4), penetrates a slot of the housing (4A) to be connected to the outer conductive portion therein. 4 - Connecting device (4) according to claim 3, characterized in that the outer connecting box (4A) comprises, in its junction zone with the tongue (12) of conductive material, a portion (10) forming a case in one piece with him, in which said tongue (12) extends.

5 - Connection device (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the housing (4A) externally comprises one or two connectors each carrying a male lug or a female lug for connection to a female or male plug respectively of a connection cable to the power source.

6 - Connecting device (4) according to claim 5, characterized in that the or each connector has means (5-6-7) cooperating, in particular by snapping, with complementary means of the plug of the connection cable , to seal the connector-plug connection. 7 - Connecting device (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the housing (4A) and / or the inner conductive portion (12) and / or, when present, the part (10) forming a junction box between the housing (4A) and the inner conductive portion (12) in the form of tongue, comprise anchoring means for cooperating with the glazing (1) to reinforce the fixing of said connection device (4).

8 - Connecting device (4) according to claim 7, characterized in that the anchoring means consist of holes (11), pins (8), projections or attachment ribs of the flexible material of the intermediate sheet, the anchoring means of the housing (4A) being intended to cooperate with an overflow of the intermediate sheet in the region of application of the housing against the glazing, in particular against the edge thereof. 9 - Connecting device according to claims 4 and 7, taken simultaneously, characterized in that the case (10) has lateral extensions promoting attachment in the material of the intermediate sheet.

10 - A method of assembling a laminated glazing unit (1) equipped with at least one connection device (4) as defined in one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the device is placed connection (4) on a sheet (2) of the glazing (1) comprising at least one current supply (3), which is welded (in 13) the inner conductive portion (12) of the connection device (4) at one end of the current supply (s) (3; 3 '), the housing (4A) abutting against the glazing unit (1), which is completed with the stack of sheets forming the laminated glazing unit (1), the intermediate intermediate sheet being optionally selected of a dimension allowing it to protrude from the glazing in the region of the housing (4A) so that the creep of the material of the interlayer sheet in this region during assembly of the stack sheets reinforces the anchoring of the casing (4A), such anchoring can be favored by holes, pins, shear llies or ribs (8) carried by the latter.

11 - Laminated glazing (1) requiring an electrical connection to a non-glazed equipment, said laminated glazing unit (1) comprising at least one set of two sheets (2) with a glass function between which are arranged an interlayer lamination sheet and at least one supplying current (3; 3 '), said glazing unit (1) being equipped with at least one connecting device (4) as defined in one of claims 1 to 9 or having been assembled by the method as defined in claim 10.

12 - Glazing according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises an interlayer lamination sheet directly in contact with the sheets (2) with adjacent glass function, the current supply (s) being arranged on the intermediate sheet.

13 - Glazing according to claim 12, characterized in that the glazing is a heating glazing, the intermediate sheet having heating resistance son connected to one or more current leads (3).

14 - Glazing according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises an interlayer lamination sheet in contact with the leaves (2) glass function adjacent with interposition of a thin electrode layer deposited on the sheet (2) to glass function, the current supply (s) (3; 3 ') being arranged on the thin layer (s) forming an electrode.

15 - Glazing according to claim 14, characterized in that it consists of a glazing with electro-controlled optical properties, the thin layers forming electrodes serving as a power source for an active system consisting of liquid crystals which are within the matrix of the interlayer lamination sheet and which make it possible to modify the opacity of the glazing as a function of the voltage applied to the electrodes.