GB1580666A

GB1580666A - Method of applying a demisting device to the rear window of a passenger car and a demisting assembly therefor

Info

Publication number: GB1580666A
Application number: GB32901/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: ALTMANN Manufacturing TRADING
Current assignee: ALTMANN Manufacturing TRADING
Priority date: 1976-10-29
Filing date: 1977-08-05
Publication date: 1980-12-03
Also published as: FR2369128B1; FR2369128A1; ZA776134B; JPS5355829A; ES230515U; DE7724472U1; ES230515Y; BE858154A; BR7706798A; NL7708849A; CA1078905A; YU209477A

Description

(54) A METHOD OF APPLYING A DEMISTING DEVICE TO THE REAR WINDOW OF A PASSENGER CAR AND A DEMISTING ASSEMBLY THEREFOR (71) We, A.M. & T. ALTMANN MANUFACTURING AND TRADING S.R.L., of Via Gianella, 26 - Milano, Italy, a Body Corporate organised under the laws of Italy, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a method of applying a demisting device to the rear window of a passenger car.

As it is known, modern passenger cars, and particularly the bigger model ones, are equipped with heated rear windows, i.e. a rear window consisting of a glass pane wherein electric resistors have been embedded.

Such resistors are effective to produce an adequate heating of the window such as to prevent the misting up or fogging thereof.

Since the latter phenomenon occurs during the winter season, or in other particular conditions, on all passenger cars, the need is felt for heating devices capable of preventing such misting up on cars which do not incorporate a heated rear window.

However, such devices have failed to achieve their objects, both from a functional standpoint and an aesthetical one.

In fact, the devices currently available on the market do not cover the whole area of the rear window, and leave dead corners where condensation impairs visibility.

These same devices, moreover, are formed in the majority of cases by a single meandering resistor wire, whereby an incidental break at any point of the wire puts the whole resistor out of use.

Said practical drawbacks are eliminated by this invention.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of applying a demisting device to the rear window of a passenger car, the method comprising: securing each of a plurality of aluminium strips to a plurality of coextensive plastics material films thereby to strengthen the aluminium strips and form a plurality of conducting tapes, securing the tapes via the films in mutually parallel arrangement to an adhesive surface of a common carrier material, providing that surface of the aluminium strips which is remote from the carrier with an adhesive which is such as to enable the tapes to adhere via that surface to the window with a strength greater than that with which the tapes adhere to the carrier, applying to the window a plurality of self-adhesive members of electrically conductive material, applying the composite arrangement of the tapes and carrier to the window with the adhesive surface of the strips foremost so that selected strip portions adhere to the electrically conductive members and the remaining portions adhere to the window, peeling the carrier material away to leave the arrangement of the tapes secured to the window, and connecting the self-adhesive electrically conductive members to the car battery through a switch, wherein either said carrier and tapes are cut to the desired size before application to the window or said tapes are cut to the desired size after they have been secured to the electrically conductive members and the carrier removed.

This method permits a demisting device to be obtained which comprises a plurality of resistors electrically connected in parallel and being adaptable to fit the dimensios of any rear window such as to heat the whole area thereof, it being easily adjustable to fit the dimensions of the rear window of a large variety of cars.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a demisting assembly for the rear window of a passenger car, the assembly comprising a carrier material in the form of a sheet, a series of spaced aluminium strips each being connectable to a source of electric current to heat the strips and each being secured to one surface of a plurality of co-extensive backing films of plastics material to strengthen the strips and form a series of conducting tapes, the other surface of the films being adhered to the carrier, so that the tapes extend parallel to one another, the surface of the strips remote from the carrier having thereon an adhesive which is such as to enable the tapes to adhere to the window when the strips are pressed against the window with a strength which is greater than that with which the tapes adhere to the carrier whereby after pressing the carrier can be peeled from the tapes.

It should be noted that by virtue of securing the aluminium strips to a polyester or other plastic material to improve the strength thereof, a very thin layer of aluminium becomes usable, since the required mechanical strength is provided by the polyester or plastics material.

Owing to the small thickness of the composite arrangement it is also possible, through a simple cutting operation, to perfectly adapt the demisting demisting device to the dimensions and shape of any rear window of a large variety of passenger cars.

The parallel strengthened aluminium strips, arranged horizontally, are electrically connected by means of vertical self adhesive members of a rigid metal material preferably located at the ends of those horizontal strips.

Finally, it should be noted that any break in any one horizontal tape does not effect the proper operation of the resulting demisting device.

Replacement of a broken tape with an intact one also offers no particular difficulties.

These and other features, of a functional and constructional nature, of the method of applying the demisting device to the rear window of a passenger car will be better understood by making reference to the various figures of the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the conductive tapes; Figure 2 shows a set of parallel tapes, as applied on one or more strips of a carrier or supporting material; Figure 3 illustrates one way of installing the connective vertical conductors on the rear window; and Figure 4 shows the demisting assembly as applied to the rear window of a passenger car.

With particular reference to the numerals in the various figures of the accompanying drawings, the demisting device comprising a plurality of conductive tapes 1 formed by securing a strip of aluminium 3 to a film 4 of polyester or other suitable plastics material by means of an adhesive 2. The film 4 of polyester material serves to strengthen the strip 3.

Furthermore, such tapes are provided with a thin adhesive layer on one of their surfaces namely the aluminium surface.

The self adhesive tapes thus obtained are placed in a parallel type of arrangement, longitudinally onto an elongate sheet of a supporting material 5 having a suitable width and low adhesive power i.e. low tack, with the polyester film 4 in contact with the supporting sheet 5.

Such a supporting or carrier material 5 makes the application of the set of parallel conductive tapes to the rear window 6 of a car easier, being thereafter removed.

Before applying the carrier material 5 with the self adhesive tapes, there are applied to the side portions of the rear window 6 self adhesive members 7, 7' and 7" of a relatively rigid electrically conductive metal material which are appropriately connected to the battery terminals through a switch. The tapes and carrier are applied to the window so that selected strip portions adhere to the electrically conductive members and the remaining portions adhere to the window. The carrier is then being peeled away from the tapes and the tapes are then cut to size. Alternatively, the carrier and the tapes carried thereby may be cut to size before application to the window.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of applying a demisting device to the rear window of a passenger car, comprising: securing each of a plurality of aluminium strips to a plurality of coextensive plastics material films thereby to strengthen the aluminium strips and form a plurality of conducting tapes, securing the tapes via the films in mutually parallel arrangement to an adhesive surface of a common carrier material, providing that surface of the aluminium strips which is remote from the carrier with an adhesive which is such as to enable the tapes to adhere via that surface to a window with a strength greater than that with which the tapes adhere to the carrier, applying to the window a plurality of self-adhesive members of electrically conductive material, applying the composite arrangement of the tapes and carrier to the window with the adhesive surface of the strips foremost so that selected strip portions adhere to the electrically conductive members and the remaining portions adhere to the window, peeling the carrier material away to leave the arrangement of the tapes secured to the window, and connecting the self-adhesive electrically conductive members to the car battery through a switch, wherein either said carrier

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. aluminium strips each being connectable to a source of electric current to heat the strips and each being secured to one surface of a plurality of co-extensive backing films of plastics material to strengthen the strips and form a series of conducting tapes, the other surface of the films being adhered to the carrier, so that the tapes extend parallel to one another, the surface of the strips remote from the carrier having thereon an adhesive which is such as to enable the tapes to adhere to the window when the strips are pressed against the window with a strength which is greater than that with which the tapes adhere to the carrier whereby after pressing the carrier can be peeled from the tapes. It should be noted that by virtue of securing the aluminium strips to a polyester or other plastic material to improve the strength thereof, a very thin layer of aluminium becomes usable, since the required mechanical strength is provided by the polyester or plastics material. Owing to the small thickness of the composite arrangement it is also possible, through a simple cutting operation, to perfectly adapt the demisting demisting device to the dimensions and shape of any rear window of a large variety of passenger cars. The parallel strengthened aluminium strips, arranged horizontally, are electrically connected by means of vertical self adhesive members of a rigid metal material preferably located at the ends of those horizontal strips. Finally, it should be noted that any break in any one horizontal tape does not effect the proper operation of the resulting demisting device. Replacement of a broken tape with an intact one also offers no particular difficulties. These and other features, of a functional and constructional nature, of the method of applying the demisting device to the rear window of a passenger car will be better understood by making reference to the various figures of the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the conductive tapes; Figure 2 shows a set of parallel tapes, as applied on one or more strips of a carrier or supporting material; Figure 3 illustrates one way of installing the connective vertical conductors on the rear window; and Figure 4 shows the demisting assembly as applied to the rear window of a passenger car. With particular reference to the numerals in the various figures of the accompanying drawings, the demisting device comprising a plurality of conductive tapes 1 formed by securing a strip of aluminium 3 to a film 4 of polyester or other suitable plastics material by means of an adhesive 2. The film 4 of polyester material serves to strengthen the strip 3. Furthermore, such tapes are provided with a thin adhesive layer on one of their surfaces namely the aluminium surface. The self adhesive tapes thus obtained are placed in a parallel type of arrangement, longitudinally onto an elongate sheet of a supporting material 5 having a suitable width and low adhesive power i.e. low tack, with the polyester film 4 in contact with the supporting sheet 5. Such a supporting or carrier material 5 makes the application of the set of parallel conductive tapes to the rear window 6 of a car easier, being thereafter removed. Before applying the carrier material 5 with the self adhesive tapes, there are applied to the side portions of the rear window 6 self adhesive members 7, 7' and 7" of a relatively rigid electrically conductive metal material which are appropriately connected to the battery terminals through a switch. The tapes and carrier are applied to the window so that selected strip portions adhere to the electrically conductive members and the remaining portions adhere to the window. The carrier is then being peeled away from the tapes and the tapes are then cut to size. Alternatively, the carrier and the tapes carried thereby may be cut to size before application to the window. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A method of applying a demisting device to the rear window of a passenger car, comprising: securing each of a plurality of aluminium strips to a plurality of coextensive plastics material films thereby to strengthen the aluminium strips and form a plurality of conducting tapes, securing the tapes via the films in mutually parallel arrangement to an adhesive surface of a common carrier material, providing that surface of the aluminium strips which is remote from the carrier with an adhesive which is such as to enable the tapes to adhere via that surface to a window with a strength greater than that with which the tapes adhere to the carrier, applying to the window a plurality of self-adhesive members of electrically conductive material, applying the composite arrangement of the tapes and carrier to the window with the adhesive surface of the strips foremost so that selected strip portions adhere to the electrically conductive members and the remaining portions adhere to the window, peeling the carrier material away to leave the arrangement of the tapes secured to the window, and connecting the self-adhesive electrically conductive members to the car battery through a switch, wherein either said carrier

and tapes are cut to the desired size before application to the window or said tapes are cut to the desired size after they have been secured to the electrically conductive members and the carrier removed.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the composite arrangement of strengthened aluminium strips and carrier material is applied to said window so as to extend from one side edge to the opposite side edge thereof.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the composite arrangement is cut along the side edges of said window.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said plurality of selfadhesive electrically conductive members are applied to said window adjacent to side edges thereof.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the plastics material is a polyester.

6. A demisting assembly for the rear window of a passenger car, the assembly comprising a carrier material in the form of a sheet, a series of spaced aluminium strips each being connectable to a source of electric current to heat the strips and each being secured to one surface of a plurality of co-extensive backing films of plastics material to strengthen the strips and form a series of conducting tapes, the other surface of the films being adhered to the carrier so that the tapes extend parallel to one another, the surface of the strips remote from the carrier having thereon an adhesive which is such as to enable the tapes to adhere to a window when the strips are pressed against the window with a strength which is greater than that with which the tapes adhere to the carrier whereby after pressing the carrier can be peeled from the tapes.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 6, in which the plastics material is a polyester.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described.

9. Assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.