RU2407964C2 - Antifogging door of refrigerating set and method of its manufacturing - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: personal use articles. ^ SUBSTANCE: door of refrigerating set suitable for assembly on refrigerating compartment with external surface has the first sheet of glass, the second sheet of glass, the first sealing gasket, which is arranged along perimetre of the first sheet of glass and the second sheet of glass with the possibility to retain them at the distance from each other, the first coating with low radiating capacity, which adjoins surface of the first sheet of glass or the second sheet of glass, antifogging or anti-freezing coating, which adjoins surface of at least one of specified sheets of glass, and frame, which is fixed along perimetre of glass unit. Surface, which has antifogging or anti-freezing coating, is previously processed with the first silane, and antifogging or anti-freezing coating includes the second silane, differing from the first silane. ^ EFFECT: using this group of inventions makes it possible to develop a door of refrigerating set, which would provide monitoring of condensate formation with simplification of its design. ^ 108 cl, 4 dwg, 3 tbl

Description

This application is a partial continuation of the application US 11/229835, filed September 20, 2005, claiming priority for provisional application US 60/610964, filed September 20, 2004, and provisional application US 60/700308, filed July 19, 2005, each of which is included in this application.

Technical field

The present invention relates, in General, to the doors of refrigeration units, double-glazed windows and refrigeration systems, and in particular to the anti-fog or anti-freeze, energy-saving door of the refrigeration unit, providing control over the formation of condensate, thermal insulation, as well as the desired level of transparency for visual perception. More specifically, the refrigerator door of the present invention achieves the above desirable characteristics without electrically heating the door by coating it with low emissivity and using a coating or film to prevent it from fogging / icing. Throughout the text of the present invention, the term "refrigerator door" refers to a door used for freezers, refrigerators, and similar installations and cabinets. In addition, with respect to the present invention, the term “energy-saving” (such as, for example, “energy-saving door of a refrigeration system”) means that electric glass heating is not used. The terms “anti-fog” and “anti-freeze” refer to a coating or film that shortens or nullifies the occurrence of condensation on a door of a refrigeration unit, a double-glazed window, or any other refrigeration system described in the present invention.

State of the art

All publications of US patents and patent applications referenced in the present invention are collectively incorporated into this description by reference. In case of disagreement, the present description, including all definitions, takes precedence.

The doors of refrigeration equipment, such as commercial freezers, refrigerators and similar refrigeration units, are usually made of glass to allow the buyer to clearly see the products placed behind them for sale without opening the doors. However, when condensation forms on the glass (sometimes referred to as “fogging” of the glass), the buyer can no longer see the products behind him quite well, which is undesirable both from the point of view of the buyer and from the point of view of the store owner or retailers. The formation of frosty patterns on glass is a similar problem.

Moisture condenses on the outside of the door of the refrigeration unit, since the surface temperature of the outside of the glass drops below the temperature of the air in the store room due to the lower temperatures of the inside of the freezer or refrigerator. When the glass surface temperature drops below the dew point of the store’s air, condensation forms on the glass surface. In addition, when the door is opened in humid ambient conditions, the inside of the glass forming the inside of the door is instantly exposed to the air in the storeroom, as a result of which condensation may also form on the inside of the door. Condensation from the inside of the door can also occur due to the fact that the temperature of the inside of the glass door drops below the dew point of the store air to which it is exposed.

As already mentioned, the presence of condensation on the glass door of the refrigeration unit, which can also form frosty patterns, does not allow the buyer to have a good look at the products presented for sale through the glass door. Consequently, if condensation or frosty patterns occur on the glass door of the refrigeration unit, the buyer has to open the doors of the refrigeration unit to examine its contents, which is impractical for stores with a large number of freezers or refrigerators. Opening the door of each refrigerator requires additional efforts and time costs, not only from the point of view of buyers, but also undesirable from the point of view of retailers, as this leads to a significant increase in electricity consumption by freezers and refrigerators of the retailer, and therefore higher costs for electricity for such enterprises.

There are various industry standards that refrigeration doors must meet in order to be acceptable for use. In the United States, most industrial plants require that the freezer doors (and not the refrigerator doors) do not have external condensation when used in ambient temperatures of eighty degrees Fahrenheit (80 ° F), relative humidity of sixty percent (60%), and the temperature inside the chamber is minus forty degrees Fahrenheit (-40 ° F). The requirements of other countries, in this regard, vary.

As is known from the technical field to which the present invention relates, a typical refrigeration unit door consists of a double-glazed window enclosed in a door frame. A double-glazed window used for glazed doors of a refrigeration unit, as a rule, consists of two or three sheets of glass hermetically sealed along their outer edges using a gasket, which is usually called perimeter door edge sealing. In double-glazed windows consisting of three sheets of glass, two insulated chambers are formed between these three sheets of glass. In double-glazed windows, consisting of two sheets of glass, one insulated chamber is formed. As a rule, double-glazed windows used for refrigerators consist of two sheets of glass, while double-glazed windows used for freezers consist of three sheets of glass. With a single seal, such chambers are often filled with an inert gas, for example, argon, krypton, and other acceptable gas, in order to increase the heat-saving properties of the glass packet.

Most of the traditional methods aimed at preventing or reducing the level of condensation on the doors of the refrigeration unit, involve the use of electricity for such doors, by applying conductive coatings to one or more glass surfaces of the glass to heat the glass. The purpose of heating the glass is to maintain its temperature above the dew point of the warmer air that takes place in the store. Heating the glass to a temperature above the dew point prevents the formation of unwanted condensation and frost patterns on the glass of the door of the refrigeration unit, as a result of which a clear visual perception of the contents of the refrigerator compartment becomes possible.

In a double-glazed window of a door, consisting of three sheets of glass, on the surface of one or two sheets of glass not exposed to air outside the outside of the refrigerator compartment of the medium, a coating of conductive material is applied. Such glass coated with a conductive material is connected to a power source through two buses or through other electrical connectors mounted on opposite edges of the glass. Electric current is passed through the coating, the coating is heated, thereby heating the glass itself and preventing the formation of condensate on its surface. Coatings of glass of double-glazed windows of doors of a refrigeration unit, as a rule, are applied to the surface of the outer glass, which is not exposed to the influence of ambient air. However, since condensation is sometimes formed on the inside of the inner sheet of glass, in order to prevent such condensation, a surface for inner heating of the glass sheet may also be applied to the surface of the inner sheet of glass not exposed to air.

Numerous disadvantages and problems are inherent in such conventional heated doors of a refrigeration unit known in the art. First, door heating involves the use of electricity, the cost of which exceeds the cost of electricity for the cooling system. In a standard-size commercial freezer, the additional costs of heating the doors of such a chamber are significant - taking into account current electricity prices, such additional costs may amount to $ 100 per year for each such freezer. Taking into account the fact that many stores use freezers in large quantities, and in some supermarkets and other grocery retail stores there may be hundreds of such freezers, the total cost of electric heating of the glass doors of the freezers can be very high.

Secondly, the excess heat generated during the traditional electric heating of the doors of the refrigeration unit passes into the refrigeration chamber, creating an additional problem for the cooling system, which also contributes to an additional increase in energy costs.

Thirdly, if the source of electricity supplied to the door for its electric heating is too low-power, or when it is turned off, or in the event of a malfunction in the power supply system, condensation and / or frosty patterns form on the glass. Excessive power dissipation results in unnecessary additional energy costs. To overcome such problems, such refrigeration equipment with electric glass heating often requires precise control of the glass heating system. To achieve such precise control of the glass heating system, an electrical control system is required, which leads to higher design and manufacturing costs, as well as significant operating and maintenance costs.

Fourth, such electrically heated glass doors pose a security risk to customers and a potential risk of liability for retailers and refrigeration system manufacturers. The voltage applied to the glass door coating is typically 115 VAC. The grocery carts used by shoppers are heavy and metal. If such a trolley hits the glass door and breaks the glass, then electric current can pass through the trolley to the customer, resulting in serious injury and even death.

US patents 5852284 and 6148563 disclose a method for supplying electrical voltage to a glass coated with a conductive coating (which may be a low emissivity coating) to control the formation of condensation on the outer surface of the glass door. A conductive coating, such as a low emissivity coating, provides electrical resistance, resulting in heat generation, while obtaining the desired heat-saving properties. However, the refrigeration system doors disclosed in the aforementioned patents have inherent disadvantages and problems due to electric heating of the doors. About double-glazed windows, doors, refrigeration units and similar installations are also discussed in patents US 6367223, 6606832 and 6606833, as well as in the publication of applications US 2003/0062813 and US 2003/197449. As mentioned above, these and other US patents and patent applications are collectively incorporated herein by reference.

In addition to providing conductivity, such coatings with low emissivity were used as other means to reduce condensation on the doors of the refrigeration unit. Specifically, the basis of one method of increasing the insulating properties of glass (indicator "R") and reducing heat loss from the refrigerator, was put on the glass coating with low emissivity (low emissivity "E" (emissivity or emission)). A low E coating is a microscopically thin, visually invisible layer (s) of metal or metal oxide deposited on a glass surface to reduce emissivity by suppressing the radiative heat flux through the glass. Emissivity is the ratio of radiation emanating from a black body or surface to theoretical radiation calculated according to the law of radiation of a black body - Planck's law. The term "emissivity" is used when referring to values of emissivity measured in the infrared range, according to standards of the American Society for Testing of Materials (ASTM). The emissivity is measured using radiometric measurements and recorded as the emissivity for rays emitting in the form of a hemisphere, and for rays emanating normally. The emissivity shows the percentage of radiation in the long-wavelength region of infrared rays emitted by the coating. Lower emissivity means less heat passes through the glass. Therefore, the emissivity of a sheet of glass installed in a glass packet has an effect on the insulating ability of a glass or glass packet, as well as on the thermal conductivity (coefficient "U") of a glass or glass packet. The coefficient of thermal conductivity (heat transfer) U of the sheet of glass or glass is inversely proportional to the index R of the sheet of glass or glass.

In multi-glazed windows, the emissivity of the glass, which is the total emissivity of each of the glasses that make up the glass, can be approximately calculated by multiplying the emissivity of each of the glasses. For example, if a double-glazed window consists of two glasses, and the emissivity of each glass is 0.5, then the total emissivity will be 0.5 times 0.5 or 0.25.

While coatings with a low E were used for double-glazed windows installed in the doors of a refrigeration unit both with electric heating and without electric heating, such coatings and double-glazed windows were not able to control the formation of condensate and provide the necessary thermal insulation in a wide temperature range and under various conditions environment in which such doors of the refrigeration unit were used, without electric heating of the doors. More specifically, irrespective of the use of such coatings with a low E-value, the doors of the refrigeration unit without heating could not provide control over the formation of condensate in such applications in which the temperatures inside the refrigeration chambers substantially approach the freezing temperature or below the freezing temperature .

Moreover, for conventional anti-fog / anti-freeze coatings, films, etc., as well as for the methods of their application, limitations are also characteristic. For example, when using films, there may still be the formation of water droplets which contribute to fogging of the glass and make it difficult to see through such glass. In addition, the antifog properties of coatings are often lost as a result of the rapid absorption of water and frequent cleaning. And, further, the known antifog coatings, the effect of which is the absorption of condensate, can reach a saturation state and lose their effectiveness under conditions of a high level of environmental humidity, which, at least in part, is explained by their swollen state. In addition, these coatings can easily stretch or become dirty, and they are not sufficiently tolerant or resistant to commonly used solvents. Moreover, when using typical anti-fogging coatings, common problems typical of any coatings, such as drips, streams, dust trapping and microcracking under the influence of chemical agents, can occur.

Therefore, in spite of the industrially produced doors of a refrigeration unit with electric heating and with low emissivity coatings, as well as special anti-fog or frost products, for example, coatings and films, the need for a refrigeration unit door is still relevant, which 1) would provide the required control over the formation of condensate and thermal insulation in a wide range of temperatures and environmental conditions; 2) would provide the required level of visual perception; 3) would contribute to reducing undesirable energy costs and undesirable loads on the cooling system by eliminating the need to use electricity to heat the door; 4) would not require an expensive and complex electrical control system, thus minimizing the costs of designing, manufacturing, operating and maintaining such a system; and 5) would not constitute a threat to security for buyers and a potential risk of liability for manufacturers and retailers, and which in any other way would prevent or minimize the problems mentioned above.

Summary of the invention

The present invention is based on the task of overcoming the disadvantages described above, which occurred in the prior art, by developing an energy-efficient refrigeration unit door with control over condensate formation, thermal insulation and the required level of visual perception through such a door.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator door that does not require electricity to reduce condensation on the glass.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a door to a refrigeration system that provides control over condensation and does not allow a significant amount of heat to enter the freezer or refrigerator, in order to avoid a further increase in the load on the cooling system and additional energy costs.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator door that provides control over condensate formation and is simpler and more economical from the point of view of manufacture, operation and maintenance compared to similar doors and systems known in the art.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a door for a refrigeration unit that provides control over the formation of condensate, and which is more simplicity of design, ease of operation and maintenance.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator door that controls the formation of condensate and which does not use electricity to heat glass to control the formation of condensate.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator door with an emissivity (emissivity) of less than 0.04.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator door with an emissivity of approximately 0.0025.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator door with a thermal conductivity U of less than 0.2 BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F).

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator door with a U coefficient of approximately 0.16 BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F).

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator door with additional anti-fog and freeze-up properties, reducing the time for condensate to zero or almost zero.

Other objectives of the present invention include the development of a coating or film against fogging and / or freezing for use in the doors of refrigeration units, as well as in refrigeration systems and double-glazed windows; this also includes films deposited on the surface of the substrate.

In the present invention, these and other objectives are achieved by, among other things, energy-saving doors of the refrigeration unit, and methods for their manufacture. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a door frame in which a double-glazed window is installed, consisting of inner, middle and outer sheets of glass. The first sealing gasket, placed around the perimeter of the inner and middle sheets of glass, forms the first chamber between the inner and middle sheets of glass. The second sealing gasket, located around the perimeter of the middle and outer sheets of glass, forms a second chamber between the middle and outer sheets of glass. The first and second chambers are filled with gas such as krypton, air or argon. Both the outer and inner sheets of glass have a surface that is not exposed to air from the external environment, which faces the middle sheet of glass. A coating with low emissivity is applied to the surface of the inner and outer sheets of glass that are not exposed to ambient air, so that the glass door generally has a thermal conductivity U that prevents condensation from forming on the outer surface of the outer sheet of the glass door without requiring electricity for door heating, while providing the required degree of evaporation of condensate from the inside of the inner sheet of the glass door. A coating or anti-fog / frost film is applied to the surface of one of the sheets of glass, preferably to the surface of the inner sheet exposed to ambient air.

The present invention also provides a new anti-fog / frost coating.

Anti-fog / frost coating is effective in various applications, such as double-glazed windows, including double-glazed windows with more than two windows, refrigeration and freezer doors for refrigerated and freezers, car mirrors, in particular, exterior car mirrors, sauna doors, steam rooms, showers, windows of kiosks for selling tickets, windows in bathrooms, mirrors in bathrooms, outdoor refrigerators and freezers, which are exposed to high humidity and rainfall in de rain, as well as in any other applications in which the presence of a coating against frost or fogging would be desirable. Therefore, although the anti-fog / frost coatings of the present invention are preferably used for energy-efficient refrigeration and freezer doors, they are also well suited for numerous other applications, including doors that require electrical power, such as doors with electric heating.

Below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, other features and advantages of the present invention are described in detail.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The drawings, which are part of the present description, show various embodiments of the present invention, and, together with the description, these drawings serve to explain the principles of the present invention to enable those skilled in the art to make and use it. The same numbers found in the drawings mean identical or functionally similar elements.

The present invention and its many advantages will be better understood from the following detailed description with the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a refrigeration system according to one embodiment of the present invention;

figure 2 shows the door of the refrigeration unit of the present invention;

figure 3 shows part of a cross section of the door of the refrigerator of the present invention;

figure 4 shows part of a cross section of the door of the refrigerator of the present invention.

Detailed Description of Embodiments

For a more complete explanation, and not to define limitations, the following description provides such particular detailed information as specific coatings, coating methods, thicknesses of glass sheets and films, used gaskets, number of glass sheets, distances between glass sheets, assembly methods doors, etc., in order to better understand the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in other embodiments that differ from the above private information. For a clearer description of the invention, detailed descriptions of well-known coatings, methods for applying them, gaskets, and also methods for assembling doors of a refrigeration unit are omitted. For the purposes of the present description of the invention, terms such as “external” and “internal” (sheet of glass) or “external” and “internal” (surface) are defined as such when viewed from the inside of the freezer or refrigerator compartment, as is evident from drawings.

The results of the tests, as well as computer simulations, demonstrated that, according to the requirements for performance, it is required that the thermal conductivity coefficient U (heat transfer through glass) is approximately 0.2 BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F ) to prevent condensation from forming on the outside of the glass on the refrigerator door. However, as already noted above, when the door is opened, condensation can also occur on the inside of the inner sheet of glass of the door, since the temperature of the inner surface of the glass sheet is below the dew point of the more humid ambient air that occurs in the store to which it is exposed. However, when the door is closed, condensation will dissipate due to evaporation of moisture inside the freezer or refrigerator compartment.

If there is condensation on the inside of the refrigerator door, the contents of the freezer or refrigerator are not visible through the door. Therefore, the evaporation rate, which determines the period of time during which condensation takes place (called the "condensation time") is an important criterion for the calculation. The more heat is transferred through the glass door to the inner surface of the glass door, the faster the evaporation of condensate taking place on the inside of the door. However, higher heat transfer through the door also leads to higher energy costs that are required for the cooling system. Therefore, the optimal thermal conductivity U of the glass door will be determined by many factors, including the difference between the external and internal temperatures, the glass thickness, the distance between the glass sheets, the gas (s) used to fill the glass chambers (s), the number of glass sheets, the material of the gasket or expansion tape (spacer), ambient humidity, absorption coefficient of the coating in the long-wave infrared spectrum, as well as the time required to evaporate the condensate. In addition, the costs associated with individual elements (i.e. gas, gasket, glass, etc.), the cost of electricity and other factors should also be taken into account in the calculations. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention described below, a thermal conductivity U of 0.16 BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F) is provided to prevent condensation from outside the door; however, it is allowed to pass a sufficient amount of heat from the external environment through the door, which allows the condensate present on the inside of the door to evaporate within a reasonable period of time. Some manufacturers impose requirements on refrigeration systems according to which condensate must evaporate within a few minutes, while similar requirements of other manufacturers are limited to a period of one minute. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the thermal conductivity U may substantially approach 0.16 BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F) or be less than this value. The time required for evaporation of the condensate will vary depending on the time during which the door is open, the indicator of the ambient air humidity in the store, the temperature of the compartment of the refrigeration system, the contents of the refrigeration system, the heat passed through the door (which is located in depending on the coefficient U), and other factors.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, the refrigeration system 5 includes several transparent doors 10, each of which has a handle 11. As will be described in more detail below, each door 10 of this refrigeration system consists of a double-glazed window 50 inserted in the frame 55 . Inside the refrigeration system there are many shelves 6 on which commercially available products are placed for visual viewing through glass. The door 10 of the refrigeration system of the present embodiment (FIG. 2) is attached to the doorway of the refrigeration system using a hinge that allows the door to open outward.

As described above, the door 10 of the refrigeration system consists of a double-glazed window 50 inserted in the frame 55. As shown in Fig. 3, the double-glazed window 50 consists of an outer sheet 60 of glass, a middle sheet of glass 65 and an inner sheet 70 of glass. The double-glazed unit 50 is inserted into the frame 55 and also includes a first sealing gasket 90, which extends along the perimeter of the inner surface 62 of the outer glass sheet 60 and the outer surface of the middle glass sheet 65, to form a sufficiently tightly sealed, insulated outer chamber 92. Similarly, the second sealing gasket 95 passes along the perimeter of the outer surface 72 of the inner glass sheet 70 and the inner surface of the middle glass sheet 65, with the formation of a sufficiently compacted insulated inner chamber 94 .

The outer surface 61 of the outer glass sheet 60 is in contact with the external environment 7. In other words, the outer surface 61 of the outer glass sheet 60 is exposed to the air of the environment in which the refrigerator or freezer is installed. The inner surface 62 of the outer sheet 60 of glass forms part of the outer chamber 92 and faces the chamber 92.

In a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outer glass sheet 60 has a thickness of one eighth of an inch, is tempered and tempered, and the inner surface 62 of the outer glass sheet 60 has a low emissivity coating 63. In particular, in the present embodiment, the low E coating is a spray coating comprising ultrahard titanium dioxide as a base layer, providing high heat-saving properties and a high degree of transparency for visual perception. This particular glass coated with a coating method can be tempered, followed by tempering after coating, and provides a high degree of radiation in the visible region of the spectrum without a significant change in color shades. No coating is applied to the outer surface 61 of the outer sheet 60 of glass. In the present embodiment, the outer sheet 60 of glass may be, for example, (without limitation) a sheet of Comfort Ti-PS brand glass one-eighth of an inch thick, manufactured by AFG Industries, Inc., Kingsport, Tennessee, USA, having a low E coating. providing an emissivity of 0.05. As is known from the technical field to which the present invention relates, Comfort Ti-PS glass is cut in accordance with the required dimensions, tempered, followed by tempering, and the edges are machined before installing such glass in the double-glazed window 50. Low E glass, about which is described in the present description, is not limited to the above products with a specific name and can be any acceptable glass with a low indicator of E, including, but not limited to, glass with a low indicator of E, coated with meth spraying chamber, and low E glass with pyrolytic coating.

The middle glass sheet 65 is located between the outer glass sheet 60 and the inner glass sheet 70 and forms part of the outer chamber 92 and the inner chamber 94. The middle glass sheet 65 is located one second inch from the outer glass sheet 60 and the inner glass sheet 70, has a thickness of one the eighth of an inch, has no covering, and is tempered with the subsequent leave.

The inner sheet 70 of glass is in contact with the interior of the freezer or refrigerator compartment 9, with its inner surface 71 facing the interior of compartment 9. The outer surface 72 of the inner sheet 70 of glass forms part of the inner chamber 99 and faces this chamber. The outer surface 72 of the inner sheet 70 of glass also has a coating 73 with low emissivity. In the present embodiment, the coating 73 on the outer surface 72 of the inner glass sheet 70 is similar to the above-described coating 63 on the inner surface 62 of the outer glass sheet 60. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the inner surface 71 has a coating or film 75 that prevents fogging or freezing and significantly reduces the time of condensation during operation of the refrigeration unit, preferably practically to zero (i.e., there is no visible fogging).

Preferred anti-fog coatings or films include coatings and films known in the art to which the present invention relates, such as Vistex® and Visgard® films manufactured by Film Specialties Inc. For ease of application, such films, on the other hand, may include optical glue. Vistex® films, for example, may include a polymer cured on a transparent polyester film with a transparent optical adhesive on the back. Vistex® and Visgard® films are available as polymer film or in liquid form. Such films prevent fogging at any temperature and humidity. In addition, the glass does not fog up and condensation does not form, even when the door of the refrigerator or freezer is wide open for long periods of time, such as, for example, to replenish inventory. Anti-fogging properties of the film do not disappear after short-term soaking with water or frequent cleaning; coatings also do not swell under the influence of water and do not lose their performance in high humidity conditions, such as those coatings whose functions are to absorb condensate.

The preferred antifog films used in the present invention readily absorb water, therefore moisture imperceptibly spreads over the coated surface faster than droplets form which appear as fogging and impede visual perception through the glass. In addition, preferred films are scratch resistant and include acrylic adhesive on the back. Type of glue - one that is usually used on sun-protection films; This type of glue allows you to apply the film to any flat or cylindrical surface. The adhesive system can be pressure sensitive and optically transparent. Different film thicknesses can be used, and any person skilled in the art can easily find a film thickness that is suitable for the desired application. The above coatings or films have a thickness of about 4 mils. Films can be applied to a glass surface using a rubber scraper. The preferred coating / film thickness for other embodiments of the present invention, which are described in the present description, ranges from about 4 to 20 microns. Films / coatings approximately 4 microns thick are suitable for mirrors. To achieve the highest antifreeze properties, films / coatings with a thickness of approximately 10 to 20 microns are preferred, with films / coatings of a thickness of 12 to 15 microns being particularly preferred.

Preferred films / coatings are durable anti-fog or anti-freeze films, which are based on the production of a hydrophilic polymer. Anti-fog or anti-freeze coating acts to reduce the surface tension of water, promoting the distribution of condensate, thereby eliminating fogging under any temperature and humidity conditions. Compared to most untreated plastics, preferred coatings are subject to various violations. Small surface scratches that occur on the anti-fog film are virtually self-destructing under the influence of moisture. In addition, preferred coatings exhibit high chemical resistance and resist solvents such as isopropyl alcohol, toluene or acetone, thereby protecting the substrate from solvent exposure. If necessary, conventional glass cleaners can be used.

Preferred films / coatings are insoluble in water, and they will not stain or dissolve when wet, unlike other anti-fog coatings known in the art. Preferred films / coatings cure under controlled conditions, thereby eliminating typical problems associated with coating, such as smudges, dust pickup and microcracks due to chemicals. In addition, the films add to the glass on which they are applied, resistance to scratching and destruction. Adhesives form an adhesive bond with glass or with any plastic, even plastic having a hard surface, to increase scratch resistance.

As for some known anti-fog and anti-freeze films / coatings suitable for use in embodiments of the present invention, a curable primer is applied to the glass before the anti-fog or anti-freeze films are applied. A typical Visgard® coating, widely known and, as mentioned above, manufactured by Film Specialties Inc., is characterized by a ratio of the components of the Part A to Part B chemical mixture 100: 40. Visgard® Coating Part A component includes diacetone alcohol (46%), N-methyl-pyrrolidone (4%), t-butanol (4%), cyclohexane (8%), 2,4-pentanedione (6%) and aromatic compound of the brand "Aromatic 150" (2%). Visgard® Coating Part B component includes polyisocyanate (66%), free monomeric isocyanates (1%), xylene (11%), n-butyl acetate (11%) and toluene (11%). As already mentioned, the components of Part A and Part B of Visgard® are easily accessible. Moreover, known films contain, for dilution of the mixture, typically additional amounts of solvents such as diacetone alcohol and tertiary butyl alcohol. Moreover, methods for making known films include requiring two separate coating steps and two curing cycles. Duration, temperature, and curing methodology can have a significant effect on antifog and antifreeze properties. For example, re-curing will significantly reduce such properties. Forced convection is the slowest way and, in all likelihood, will lead to re-curing of the thin surface layer of the coating, causing deterioration of antifog and antifreeze properties. Utilizing radiation energy is a quick and effective way to prevent such re-curing.

Some suitable coatings / films and their aspects are described in US Pat. links. These and other patents and publications, as well as the present description will give a wider understanding to a person skilled in the art from putting the present invention into practice.

The present invention also provides new anti-fog and anti-freeze films / coatings that exhibit higher properties than those of the above and other known coatings / films. In addition, the present invention provides new methods for the manufacture and application of such coatings / films with improved properties. For example, it was unexpectedly discovered that a mixture of the chemical reagents of Part A to Part B (as described above in connection with Visgard® brand coatings), in a ratio of about 100 units of Part A to about 25-45 units of Part B, gives, in comparison with the known films, higher results of antifog and antifreeze properties. The lower content of the component of part B (which serves as a hardener) within the aforementioned range increases the antifreeze properties of the film, while maintaining scratch resistance. High antifog properties can be obtained by using a higher percentage of Part B. In preferred embodiments, the ratio is about 100 units of Part A to about 30-33 units of Part B. In particularly preferred embodiments, the ratio is about 100 units of a component of part A to about 30 units of a component of part B.

It was also unexpectedly discovered that the rejection of the use of additional solvents, such as additional diacetone alcohol and tertiary butyl alcohol (in particular, the rejection of the use of additional diacetone alcohol) increases the antifog and / or antifreeze properties. The rejection of the use of such solvents, in particular, increases the antifreeze properties. However, it has been found that the addition of at least one such solvent, tertiary butyl alcohol, does not interfere with the anti-freezing properties. In addition, in embodiments of the present invention, a curable primer, typically included in known films, was removed by pre-treating the glass substrate with silane and adding another silane to the components of the anti-fog / anti-freeze mixture. For example, silane pretreatment can help the polymer coating form chemical bonds with the substrate under extreme chemical conditions or in conditions of prolonged wetting. In preferred embodiments, the silane added to the mixture is 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (“3-G”). It was unexpectedly found that the inclusion of such a silane contributes to increased wear resistance (i.e., scratch resistance), and also improves adhesion and weather resistance. 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane also does not contribute to the yellowing of the film, unlike other silanes. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane is present in an amount of about 1% to 8%, most preferably about 6%.

3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane is an advantage in terms of moisture resistance. The anti-fog or anti-freeze coating is tested in a "P-1 chamber", the conditions of which are rain at 140 ° F, with a high degree of UV radiation. Without the use of silane 3-G, the coating exists for 2 or 3 days, after which, a small peeling occurs in the chamber P-1. In contrast, when using 3-G silane, the coating will typically last more than 8 weeks without peeling. This represents a 30-fold improvement over coatings in which 3-G silane is absent. To calculate the preferred amount of 3-G silane to use, the sum of the volumes of the reagents of part A and part B is multiplied by 6%.

The addition of functional silanes makes it possible to use a material suitable for plastic on a glass substrate of an anti-fog or anti-freeze coating. This is also a significant reason why other specialists in the art often failed to introduce a product characterized by high chemical and moisture resistance. Other silane additives can also be used with a similar result. Moreover, other suitable additives and primers include those additives and primers that can increase the adhesion of urethane to inorganic compounds such as glass. Such materials, without limitation, include polymers having an affinity for glass.

The present invention also provides new methods for the manufacture and deposition of the above films. In the present invention, in one aspect, methods are provided whereby the coating steps can be reduced to a single step with a single cure cycle. Among other advantages, the present invention provides for the reduction of a possible destructive effect due to re-curing. Moreover, in embodiments of the present invention, the coating or film is applied by the bulk coating apparatus. To prevent excessively high Reynolds numbers, the flow is regulated to avoid the formation of semi-turbulent and turbulent flow regimes. For example, in embodiments of the present invention, a bulk-type standard bulk coating device may be modified to provide the desired laminar flow. Such modifications may include limiting the size of the overhang in order to avoid the formation of semi-turbulent flow patterns.

In alternative embodiments, the substrate, preferably glass, may be pretreated with a first silane (preferably Silquest A-1106 aminoalkylsiloxane) to increase wettability and adhesion. This silane is used by mixing in a volume of approximately 1% or less, in particular 0.031%, in the washing water of a glass washing machine. With this method, there are no additional steps that were required in previously known methods. The effect of washing with aminoalkylsiloxane on the increase in adhesion and chemical resistance before peeling is significant. Without pre-washing with aminoalkylsiloxane, the coating can potentially be removed by immersion in acetone for approximately two minutes. Preliminary washing of the glass with aminoalkylsiloxane demonstrated the prevention of delamination for more than 3 weeks when tested with immersion in acetone. This represents a positive increase of 15,000 times. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, approximately 3 ounces of aminoalkylsiloxane in 75 gallons (or a similar ratio) of wash water is used to achieve this result. Therefore, as some anti-fog and anti-freeze coatings or films become known and can be used in combination with other aspects of the present invention described herein, the present invention also provides new anti-fog and anti-freeze coatings / films exhibiting higher properties compared to with those properties that were already known from the prior art, and new methods for their manufacture and application.

In embodiments of the present invention, antifog / antifreeze coatings / films with a modified ratio of the chemical reagents of Part A to Part B (mentioned above) in the mixture and coatings / films not including specific, commonly used solvents are provided. Moreover, in embodiments of the present invention, the properties of the films can be improved by changing the curing cycle. The substrate can also be pre-treated to improve its properties such as wettability and adhesion.

Thus, from one point of view, the present invention provides polymer compositions having antifog / antifreeze properties obtained by drying or curing. In preferred embodiments of the invention, such compositions include a mixture of chemicals with a ratio of Part A chemicals to Part B chemicals (described above), approximately 100: 30, and do not include solvents, diluents, or cured primers applied to the glass substrate. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, such a mixture comprises a silane, preferably 3-glucidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane. Preferred formulations enhance scratch resistance, adhesion and weather resistance.

From another point of view, the present invention provides refrigeration system doors comprising a substantially transparent substrate, at least a portion of which is coated with anti-fog / freeze, and this part of the substrate is not substantially fogged or frost-free when this part has an initial temperature surface, and then exposed to humid air from the environment, the dew point of which is greater than or equal to the surface temperature for a period of time. The surface temperature can be lower than about 0 degrees C, and such a period of time can be up to 6 seconds or more.

The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing a refrigerator door having a substantially transparent substrate, comprising applying the anti-fog and anti-freeze coating described in the present invention to at least a portion of the substrate, while the substrate is part of the refrigerator door, or used to make refrigeration unit doors. One embodiment of the present invention involves mixing the chemicals of part A and part B to form a mixture, applying the mixture to at least a portion of the substrate, and curing the substrate. Further, the present invention provides double-glazed windows including a substrate on which at least part of it is coated with an anti-fog / anti-freeze coating, as described in the present invention, refrigeration system doors in which such a glass is installed, and refrigeration systems using such refrigeration doors . Moreover, in further embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator door having a substantially transparent substrate on which at least a part thereof is coated to prevent condensation of water on this part of the door when this part of the door is maintained at a temperature level - 28 degrees C, is exposed to ambient air at a temperature of about 25 degrees C for about 12 seconds or more. Prevention of condensation droplets resulting in the prevention of fogging or freezing, which impede visual perception through the glass.

In the example of the present invention shown in FIG. 3, the inner glass sheet 70 may also be, without limitation, a glass sheet of Comfort Ti-PS brand glass, one-eighth of an inch thick, manufactured by AFG Industries, Inc., with the properties described above and coated.

In this exemplary embodiment, both chambers 92 and 94 are filled with air. In alternative embodiments, each chamber may be filled with the same or different gas, and the chambers may also be filled with krypton, argon, or another suitable gas.

The sheets 60, 65 of glass are spaced at a fixed distance by the first sealing gasket 90, which runs along the perimeter of the sheets 60, 65 of glass to provide a parallel, remote arrangement of sheets in relation to each other, as a result of which a chamber 92 is formed between the glass sheets 60, 65, simultaneous isolation of the chamber 92 from the effects of external environmental conditions. Similarly, the glass sheets 65, 70 are spaced a fixed distance by means of a second gasket 95, which extends around the perimeter of the glass sheets 65, 70 to provide parallel, remote arrangement of the sheets with respect to each other, resulting in between the glass sheets 65, 70 a chamber 94 is formed, while the chamber 94 is isolated from external environmental influences. Seals 90, 95 provide a distance of one second inch between the outer glass sheet 60 and the middle glass sheet 65, and, respectively, between the middle glass sheet 65 and the inner glass sheet 70.

The gaskets 90, 95 of the present embodiment of the invention are preferably spacer tapes according to the so-called “warm edge” technology. The term “warm edge (edge)” is used to describe a double-glazed window gasket that reduces heat loss better than traditional combinations of aluminum spacer frames with sealant. Each of the gaskets 90, 95 of the present embodiment includes its own spacer and desiccant, which eliminates the need for a separate sealant, metal spacer and desiccant, and has a heat transfer rate of 0.84 BTU / (hour ft °) F) (sometimes the temperature is indicated in K). The gaskets 90, 95 of the present embodiment are an extruded composite material comprising a combination of a polyisobutylene sealant, a hot-melt butyl sealant, a desiccant matrix, a rubber gasket, and a vapor barrier. Acceptable seals of this type are manufactured and marketed by TruSeal Technologies, Beachwood, Ohio, under the name "Comfort Seal").

Referring again to FIG. 3, the double-glazed window 50 is shown. The double-glazed window 50 consists of glass sheets 60, 65 and 70, interconnected by sealing gaskets 90 and 95. The double-glazed window 50 is built into the frame 55 by any suitable method known to those skilled in the art . Frame 55 may be made of extruded plastic, or other suitable, well-known materials for the manufacture of frames, for example, extruded aluminum, fiberglass, and other materials. If in any of the alternative embodiments of the present invention, the frame 55 is made of aluminum or other material, then the door may need to be heated along the edges to provide control over the formation of condensation at the edges of the door.

Next, we refer to figure 1, which shows the refrigeration system 5. The door frame 55 is installed in the refrigeration compartment 8 by any suitable method known to specialists in this field of technology, for example on one hinge, the length of the door, several hinges, or in grooves for doors opening / closing by sliding on casters in grooves. In addition, the frame may include door handle 11 or any other suitable means for manipulating the door, suitable for this application. The refrigeration system 5, of which the door 10 is part, can be any system used to cool a compartment, for example, as described in US Pat. No. 6,148,563, which is incorporated herein by reference.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention described above, a refrigerator door is provided with a coefficient U = 0.16 BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F) (and emissivity of 0.0025), which has been found to be suitable for use in as the door of the freezer, the scope of which required the implementation of the standards that were mentioned above when it came to the requirements of the US industry. The thermal conductivity coefficient U = 0.16 BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F) allows the door of the refrigeration unit to easily meet the requirements of the above standards, while simultaneously allowing a sufficient amount of heat of the ambient air to penetrate through the door and evaporate the condensate formed on the inside of the door during reasonable period of time. In addition, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, light transmission in the visible spectrum was sixty-six percent (66%). In the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, which used a coating or film to prevent fogging / freezing, as described above, no fogging or the formation of frost patterns on the glass were detected.

Unlike Comfort Ti-PS brand glass, other coated glasses with a low E index can be used, such as, for example. Comfort Ti-R, Comfort Ti-AC, Comfort Ti-RTC and Comfort Ti-ACTC, each of which can be purchased from AFG Industries, Inc., and which, like Comfort Ti-PS glass, are coated glass based on titanium dioxide / silver, low E, manufactured by AFG Industries, Inc. Another acceptable brand of glass is Comfort E2, pyrolytic coated, low E glass, one-eighth inch fluorine-doped tin oxide coating, also manufactured by AFG Industries Inc. Due to its higher emissivity, Comfort E22 glass is suitable for applications where standards are less stringent. The low E glass referred to herein is not limited to the above special grades of glass, and can be any acceptable low E glass, including, without limitation, the above grades of glass and other low E glass and coatings applied by spraying or pyrolytic method.

The thermal conductivity U of the door 10 of the refrigeration unit is determined by several calculated factors, including the number of glass sheets, sheet thickness, emissivity of the glass packet, the distance between the sheets and the gas that fills the chamber (s). A refrigerator door 10 having three panes described above in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a thermal conductivity U of 0.16 BTU / (hour sq. Ft. F) is achieved by using air as gas to fill the chambers, thickness all sheets of glass equal to one eighth of an inch, an intermediate distance equal to one second inch, and an emissivity of the glass packet equal to 0.0025. However, each of the aforementioned factors can be changed, resulting in numerous changes in values that together can give the same thermal conductivity U. In addition, other applications may require the use of a lower or higher coefficient U, depending from environmental conditions, cost restrictions, and other requirements or ratings.

To determine the U coefficient of the various double-glazed windows used for the doors 10 of the refrigeration unit, numerous computer simulation models were performed, with each calculation parameter having a specific range of values, as a result of various combinations of which U coefficients were obtained. The calculation table and the corresponding parameters are given in the table below. design coefficients U for various configurations of three-glass windows. In addition to the calculation parameters listed in Table 1 below, the U coefficient of a three-pane glass unit was calculated for the case where each glass had a thickness equal to one eighth of an inch, and only two sides of the three-pane glass unit were coated with a low E. glass with subsequent tempering does not significantly affect the design performance of the glass. In addition, the application of an anti-fog / anti-freeze coating or film of the present invention does not significantly affect the above characteristics.

Table 1 The distance between the sheets of glass, inches Gas to fill the chambers Type of coating Glass unit emissivity Thermal Conductivity U (BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F)) 1/2 air Ti-ps 0.0025 0.16 5/16 air Ti-ps 0.0025 0.22 1/2 argon Ti-ps 0.0025 0.12 5/16 argon Ti-ps 0.0025 0.17 1/2 krypton Ti-ps 0.0025 0.11 5/16 krypton Ti-ps 0.0025 0.11 1/2 air CE2 0.04 0.20 5/16 air CE2 0.04 0.26 1/2 argon CE2 0.04 0.17 5/16 argon CE2 0.04 0.21 1/2 krypton CE2 0.04 0.15 5/16 krypton CE2 0.04 0.15

In each of the tables included in this description, the type of Ti-PS coating refers to Comfort Ti-PS glass with a low E-rating, manufactured by AFG Industries Inc., and the type of CE2 coating refers to Comfort E2 glass coated with low E, also available from AFG Industries Inc., each of which has been described above. In addition, the U coefficients given in the tables are calculated as the values of the "center of glass", because in computer simulation, it is not possible to consider the gasket. Therefore, in the tables there are no design criteria or data on the gasket.

In an alternative embodiment of the double-glazed double-glazed window of the present invention shown in Fig. 4, the double-glazed window 50 consists of an outer glass sheet 60 and an inner glass sheet 70, a frame 55, a gasket 90. In this embodiment with two glasses, both the outer glass sheet 60 and the inner sheet 70 of glass has a thickness equal to one eighth of an inch, and the same coating with a low index E, as in the first embodiment of the invention, which provides a silver coating based on titanium dioxide with a low index E. And, again, an outer glass sheet 60 and inner sheet 70 of glass, may, for example, be a sheet of glass brand Comfort Ti-PS with a thickness equal to one-eighth inch, manufactured by AFG Industries Inc. The sides of the coated glass sheets 60 and 70 are on the surfaces of the sheets not exposed to the environment, respectively, on the sides 62 and 72, which form part of the chamber 92. In addition, the same sealing gasket 90 described above (Comfort Seal brand) , can be used to explode the outer sheet 60 of glass and the inner sheet 70 of glass at a distance of one second inch from each other. And, again, an anti-fog / anti-freeze coating or film 75 is applied to the inner sheet 70 of glass, on its surface 71, exposed to the external environment.

Table 2 below includes the calculated parameters and the corresponding calculated U coefficients for a number of double-glazed windows. In addition to the calculation parameters listed in the table below, all calculations of the U coefficient of a double-glazed window were performed for the option in which each glass had a thickness equal to one eighth of an inch, and only two sides of the double-glazed window were coated with a low E. Tempering the glass with subsequent tempering does not significantly affect the design performance of the double-glazed unit, nor does the application of an anti-fog / anti-freeze coating or film, as isano above.

table 2 The distance between the sheets of glass, inches Gas to fill the chambers Type of coating Glass unit emissivity Thermal Conductivity U (BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F)) 1/2 air Ti-ps 0.0025 0.29 5/16 air Ti-ps 0.0025 0.36 1/2 argon Ti-ps 0.0025 0.23 5/16 argon Ti-ps 0.0025 0.28 1/2 krypton Ti-ps 0.0025 0.22 5/16 krypton Ti-ps 0.0025 0.20 1/2 air CE2 0.04 0.32 5/16 air CE2 0.04 0.39 1/2 argon CE2 0.04 0.27 5/16 argon CE2 0.04 0.31 1/2 krypton CE2 0.04 0.26 5/16 krypton CE2 0.04 0.24

In alternative embodiments of the present invention, any method of applying suitable coatings with a low E value can be used, including pyrolytic (e.g., coating of Comfort E2 glass), which is often referred to as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), a sputtering method, and spraying method (for example, as a coating method on Comfort Ti-PS glass). Moreover, these coating methods can be applied within the framework of well-known methods for manufacturing double-glazed windows both autonomously and as part of a production line, depending on the quantity and type of products and coating methods. Similarly, any suitable low-E coating may be applied, including a silver-based coating or a fluorine-doped tin oxide coating. Although the above-described embodiments of the present invention considered low E coatings applied to surfaces of two glass sheets that are not exposed to the environment, other embodiments of the present invention included low E coatings applied to only one a sheet of glass, either on either side of it, or on both sides of it. Similarly, in other embodiments of the present invention, the middle sheet of glass (a variant of the three-pane glass unit of the present invention) may include a low E coating on either side (or both sides) thereof, instead of coatings or in addition to coatings applied to the inner glass sheet 70 and the outer glass sheet 60.

And in yet another embodiment of the three-pane glass unit of the present invention, no low E is coated on the inner sheet 70 of glass on either side of this glass sheet 70. And, similarly, in contrast to the double-glazed window described above, a coating with a low E is applied to only one glass sheet, or to both sides of both glass sheets. Typically, the number of sheets to be coated with a low E, as well as the number of sides to be coated, are determined based on calculations. The total emissivity of the glass unit, which, along with other factors, determines the thermal conductivity U of the door, is more important for calculating heat-saving properties than for determining which side (s) of the sheet (s) is coated. In addition, despite the fact that, in the embodiments disclosed here, the emissivity values are less than or equal to 0.04 for the refrigeration unit door applications, the use of a high-performance gas such as krypton under certain conditions may contribute to the necessary control over the formation of condensate in the glass units, whose emissivity is slightly higher than 0.04.

In other embodiments, other gaskets may be used, including, for example, a non-metallic tape made entirely of a porous material such as a spacer of the brand Super Spacer, manufactured by Edge Tech, Inc., which has a heat transfer rate of about 1 51 BTU / (hour ft ° F). Another acceptable gasket is a Thermoplastic Spacersystem (TPS) gasket from Lenhardt Maschinenbau GmbH, which has a heat transfer rate of approximately 1.73 BTU / (hour ft ° F).

The distance between the sheets of glass in the above embodiments of the present invention is one second inch. However, while the preferred range of distances between the sheets of glass is from five sixteenths to one second inch, distances up to three fourths may be used in other embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, while in the above embodiments of the present invention, one-eighth of an inch thick glass is used which is tempered and tempered (except for the middle sheet of glass), other embodiments of the present invention may use non-tempered glass or glass thicknesses that are larger or smaller one eighth of an inch.

The calculated parameters of any embodiment of the present invention will be, in part, determined by the scope or intended use of this embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, the air temperature of the external environment of the room in which the refrigeration equipment is installed, the temperature inside the refrigeration unit, the air humidity of the external environment of the room in which the refrigeration equipment is installed (and the corresponding dew point), are important factors for determining the coefficient U necessary for calculating, which, in turn, determines the design parameters (type of glass, emissivity, number of sheets of glass, gas used, etc.).

The left five columns of Table 3 below provide a list of calculated U coefficients for various applications for the intended purpose, as well as the ambient air temperature of the room in which the refrigeration equipment is installed, the temperature inside the refrigeration unit, the humidity of the air of the external environment of the room in which the refrigeration equipment is installed , and the calculated dew point for each U coefficient. In addition, an embodiment of the present invention is shown in the three right columns of Table 3, otorrhea provides the necessary heat transfer coefficient U.

Table 3 The calculated value of U for various environmental parameters Variables for calculating a double-glazed window to match the set U coefficient The air temperature of the external environment of the room in which the refrigeration equipment is installed, ° F Temperature inside the refrigerator, ° F U value, BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F) Dew point (T of glass leaving the room where the refrigeration equipment is installed), ° F Maximum relative humidity,% Glass (two sheets) The distance between the sheets, inches Gas to fill the chamber 80 -40 0.19 64.9 60.1 Ti-ps 3/8 air 72 0 0.27 57.4 60 CE2 5/16 air 80 -40 0.15 67.6 66.0 CE2 3/8 krypton 80 -40 0.18 65.7 61.8 CE2 3/8 argon 80 -40 0.25 60.3 51.1 CE2 3/8 air 80 -40 0.16 67.3 65.3 CE2 1/2 krypton 80 -40 0.17 66.5 63.5 CE2 1/2 argon 80 -40 0.20 64.1 58.5 CE2 1/2 air 80 -40 0.11 70.6 73.1 Ti-ps 3/8 krypton 80 -40 0.14 68.6 68.3 Ti-ps 3/8 argon 80 -40 0.19 65.0 60.3 Ti-ps 3/8 air 80 -40 0.12 70,2 72.1 Ti-ps 1/2 krypton 80 -40 0.13 69,4 70,2 Ti-ps 1/2 argon 80 -40 0.17 66.7 64.0 Ti-ps 1/2 air 72 -10 0.18 61.2 68.9 CE2 3/8 argon

The calculated value of U for various environmental parameters Variables for calculating a double-glazed window to match the set U coefficient The air temperature of the external environment of the room in which the refrigeration equipment is installed, ° F Temperature inside the refrigerator, ° F U value, BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F) Dew point (T of glass leaving the room where the refrigeration equipment is installed), ° F Maximum relative humidity,% Glass (two sheets) The distance between the sheets, inches Gas to fill the chamber 72 0 0.18 62.1 71.1 CE2 3/8 argon 72 -10 0.18 63.0 73,4 CE2 3/8 argon 70 0 0.18 60.3 71,4 CE2 3/8 argon 80 0 0.18 69.2 69.7 CE2 3/8 argon 90 0 0.18 78.1 68.3 CE2 3/8 argon 70 -twenty 0.21 55.5 60.1 CE2 3/8 air 86 -22 0.11 77.5 75.9 Ti-ps 3/8 krypton 80 -40 0.19 65.0 60.3 CE1 1/2 air 70 32 0.18 63,4 79.6 CE2 3/8 argon 80 31 0.18 72,2 77,2 CE2 3/8 argon 90 32 0.18 81.0 75.0 CE2 3/8 argon

The design parameters shown in Table 3 determine the type of glass (whose thickness is one eighth of an inch), the distance between the sheets and the gas used to fill the chambers. In addition, all double-glazed units of Table 3 include a third, uncoated glass sheet, one-eighth of an inch thick, and which is located between the two glass sheets shown in the Table. The CE1 glass type in Table 3 refers to Comfort El glass, which has an emissivity of 0.35 and is manufactured by AFG Industries, Inc.

Accordingly, in one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator door adapted for use in a refrigerator compartment, the door comprising an inner sheet of glass including a first surface and a second surface where the first surface of the inner sheet extends into the interior of the refrigerator compartment; an outer sheet of glass including a first surface and a second surface, where the first surface of the outer sheet is in contact with the external environment of the room in which the refrigerating compartment is located; a middle sheet of glass located between the inner and outer sheets of glass; a first gasket extending around the perimeter of the inner sheet of glass and the middle sheet of glass for spacing the inner sheet and the middle sheet from each other; a second sealing strip extending along the perimeter of the middle sheet of glass and the outer sheet of glass for spacing the middle sheet and the outer sheet from each other; a first low emissivity coating adjacent to a second surface of the inner glass sheet; a second coating with low emissivity adjacent to the second surface of the outer sheet of glass; moreover, the inner sheet, the outer sheet, the middle sheet, the first sealing gasket, the second sealing gasket and the first and second coatings with low emissivity form a glass packet having a thermal conductivity U, essentially preventing the formation of condensation on the first surface of the outer glass sheet without using electricity to heat the first surface of the outer sheet of glass; anti-fog or anti-freeze coating on the surface of the inner sheet; and a frame fixed around the perimeter of the glass. A glass unit may have a thermal conductivity U of substantially 0.2 BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F) or less than this value.

The present invention also provides a refrigerator door adapted for use in a refrigerator compartment, wherein the door consists of an inner glass sheet having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface of the inner glass sheet extends into the interior of the refrigerator; an outer sheet of glass having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface of the outer sheet of glass is in contact with the external environment of the room in which the refrigerating compartment is located; a middle sheet of glass located between the inner and outer sheets of glass; a first gasket extending around the perimeter of the inner sheet of glass and the middle sheet of glass for spacing the inner sheet and the middle sheet from each other; a second sealing strip extending along the perimeter of the middle sheet of glass and the outer sheet of glass for spacing the middle sheet and the outer sheet from each other; a first low emissivity coating adjacent to a second surface of the inner glass sheet; a second coating with low emissivity adjacent to the second surface of the outer sheet of glass; moreover, the inner glass sheet, the outer glass sheet, the middle glass sheet, the first sealing gasket, the second sealing gasket and the first and second low emissivity coatings form a glass packet having an emissivity of 0.04 BTU / (hour sq. ft. ° F) or less, which essentially prevents the formation of condensation on the first surface of the outer glass sheet without using electricity to heat the first surface of the outer glass sheet; anti-fog or anti-freeze coating on the surface of the inner sheet of glass; and a frame fixed around the perimeter of the glass.

In particular embodiments of the present invention, the temperature of the interior of the refrigerator compartment is generally less than or equal to -20 ° F; the ambient temperature of the room in which the refrigeration compartment is located is generally greater than or equal to 70 ° F; the humidity of the external environment of the room in which the refrigerating compartment is located is generally greater than or equal to 60%; there is generally no condensation on the first surface of the outer sheet of glass, and there is no fogging or the formation of frost patterns on the inner sheet of glass.

In other embodiments of the present invention, the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is generally less than or equal to 0 ° F, the ambient temperature of the room is generally greater than or equal to 72 ° F; the humidity of the external environment of the room is generally greater than or equal to 60%, condensation is mainly absent on the first surface of the outer glass sheet, and fogging or the formation of frost patterns are absent on the inner glass sheet.

The present invention further provides refrigeration unit doors (and double-glazed windows and refrigeration systems including double-glazed windows) having an outer surface and adapted for use in a refrigerator compartment; wherein the door consists of a first sheet of glass; second sheet of glass; a first sealing strip extending around the perimeter of the first sheet of glass and the second sheet of glass for spacing the first and second sheets from each other; a first low emissivity coating adjacent to the surface of the first sheet or second glass sheet; moreover, the first and second sheets of glass, the first sealing gasket and the first coating with low emissivity form a glass unit with a coefficient U, which is basically less than or equal to 0.2 BTU / (hour sq. ft. ° F); anti-fog or anti-freeze coating adjacent to the surface of one of the sheets of glass; and a frame fixed around the perimeter of the glass.

The present invention further provides refrigeration unit doors (both double-glazed windows, and refrigeration systems including double-glazed windows) having an outer surface and adapted for use in a refrigerator compartment; wherein the door consists of a first sheet of glass; second sheet of glass; the first sealing strip extending along the perimeter of the first sheet of glass and the second sheet of glass, with the possibility of their retention at a distance from each other; a first low emissivity coating adjacent to the surface of the first sheet or second glass sheet; moreover, the first and second sheets of glass, the first sealing gasket and the first coating with low emissivity form a glass unit with an emissivity that is less than or equal to 0.04 BTU / (hour sq. ft. ° F); anti-fog or anti-freeze coating adjacent to the surface of one of the sheets of glass; and a frame fixed around the perimeter of the glass.

The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a component (element) of a door of a refrigeration unit having an outer surface, the method including the steps of providing a first glass sheet; providing a second sheet of glass; providing a first coating with low emissivity adjacent to the surface of the first glass sheet or the second glass sheet; mounting the first sealing strip around the perimeter of the first sheet of glass and the second sheet of glass for spacing the first sheet of glass and the second sheet of glass from each other; providing anti-fog or anti-freeze coating on one of the sheets of glass; wherein the first glass sheet, the second glass sheet and the first sealing gasket form a glass unit with a coefficient U that substantially prevents condensation on the outer surface of the door element of the refrigeration unit without electric heating of the door element, and essentially prevents fogging or the formation of frost patterns on the surface of the element. A glass unit may have a thermal conductivity U, generally less than or equal to 0.2 BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F). In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the method includes providing a third glass sheet, which may include a low E coating adjacent to at least one of the surfaces of the glass sheet; the use of a second sealing strip around the perimeter of the second sheet of glass and the third sheet of glass for spacing the second sheet of glass and the third sheet of glass from each other; and the double-glazed window includes a third sheet of glass and a second sealing gasket.

The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a door element of a refrigeration unit having an outer surface, the method comprising the steps of providing a first glass sheet; providing a second sheet of glass; providing a first coating with low emissivity adjacent to the surface of the first glass sheet or the second glass sheet; mounting the first sealing strip around the perimeter of the first sheet of glass and the second sheet of glass for spacing the first sheet of glass and the second sheet of glass from each other; providing anti-fog or anti-freeze coating on one of the sheets of glass; wherein the first glass sheet, the second glass sheet and the first sealing gasket form a glass unit whose emissivity is less than or equal to 0.04, essentially preventing the formation of condensate on the outer surface of the door element of the refrigeration unit without electric heating of the door element, and essentially preventing fogging or the formation of frosty patterns on the surface of the element. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the method includes providing a third glass sheet, which may include a low E coating adjacent to at least one of the surfaces of the glass sheet; a second sealing gasket extending along the perimeter of the second glass sheet and the third glass sheet for spacing the second glass sheet and the third glass sheet from each other; and the double-glazed window includes a third sheet of glass and a second sealing gasket.

The present invention further provides a substantially transparent glass pane door having an outer surface and used for a refrigerating compartment in an external environment of the room and having an internal refrigerated space; wherein the double-glazed door consists of a first sheet of glass; second sheet of glass; a first sealing strip extending around the perimeter of the first glass sheet and the second glass sheet for spacing the first glass sheet and the second glass sheet from each other; a first low emissivity coating adjacent to the surface of the first glass sheet or the second glass sheet; and anti-fog or anti-freeze coating adjacent to the surface of one of the sheets of glass; moreover, the first sheet of glass, the second sheet of glass and the first sealing gasket form a glass unit with a coefficient U, effective to substantially prevent the formation of condensation on the outer surface without electric heating, when the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is basically less than or equal to 0 ° F; the ambient temperature of the room is generally greater than or equal to 70 ° F; and ambient humidity is generally greater than or equal to 60%. Alternatives further include a third glass sheet and a second sealing gasket extending around the perimeter of the second glass sheet and the third glass sheet to be spaced apart from each other; and may include a second coating with low emissivity adjacent to the surface of the first sheet, second sheet, or third glass sheet.

In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the glass unit has a thermal conductivity coefficient U that provides substantially no condensation on the outer surface of the glass when the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is substantially less than or equal to -40 ° F; the ambient temperature of the room is generally greater than or equal to 80 ° F; and ambient humidity is generally greater than or equal to 60%.

The present invention further provides a refrigeration unit including an insulated inner space forming a compartment, a cooling system and a door adapted for mounting on the doorway of the compartment, the door having an outer surface and consists of a first glass sheet; second sheet of glass; a first sealing strip extending along the perimeter of the first glass sheet and the second glass sheet to be spaced apart from each other; a first low emissivity coating adjacent to the surface of the first or second glass sheet; moreover, the first sheet of glass, the second sheet of glass, the first sealing gasket and the first coating with low emissivity form a double-glazed window with a coefficient of U, mainly preventing the formation of condensation on the outer surface of the door without electric heating of the first surface; anti-fog coating on the surface of one of the sheets of glass; and a frame fixed around the perimeter of the glass. A glazing unit may have a thermal conductivity coefficient U substantially less than or equal to 0.2 BTU / (hour sq. Ft. ° F). In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the door further includes a third glass sheet and a second sealing gasket extending along the perimeter of the second glass sheet and the third glass sheet to separate the second glass sheet and the third glass sheet from each other.

The present invention further provides a glass door of a refrigerated display case, wherein the door consists of a first glass panel having inner and outer surfaces, low emissivity coatings on the inner surface of the first glass panel; a second glass panel having inner and outer surfaces; low emissivity coatings on the inner surface of the second glass panel; an intermediate glass panel between the first and second glass panels; the first sealing gasket between the first and intermediate glass panels, and the second sealing gasket between the intermediate and second glass panels, wherein the first and second sealing gaskets are made by the method of hot pressing technology "warm edge"; anti-fog or anti-freeze coating adjacent to the surface of one of the glass panels; and a frame extending around the perimeter and supporting at least one of the glass panels. In one embodiment of the present invention, the first and second glass panels have the same width and height.

The foregoing is a description of the principles, particular options and conditions for implementing the present invention. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited solely to the specific variants of the invention given above, since these variants should be considered from an illustrative rather than a restrictive point of view. It will be appreciated that those skilled in the art can make changes to these variations of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention.

While the scope of the present invention extended to the doors of a refrigeration unit or freezers, other applications may include vending machines for selling drinks and snacks, street lights, or refrigerated cars, car mirrors, in particular mirrors located at the outside of the car, doors of saunas, steam rooms, showers, windows of ticket offices, windows for bathrooms, mirrors for bathrooms, refrigerators and freezers located outdoors and under exposed to high humidity and rainfall, as well as any other application where the use of anti-fog / anti-freeze coatings / films is desired. In some of the above applications, condensation on the second or more cold side of the glass is not a problem, because such glass is not in the door, which periodically opens, exposing the cold glass to more humid ambient air. As a result, the main factors in the design of glass remain economic factors (i.e., the cost of electricity, the cost of glass and its installation), visual perception through glass, durability and other factors.

Obviously, based on the principles of the invention presented in the present description, numerous modifications and variations are possible. Therefore, it should be understood that the present invention can be used in practice also for other purposes other than those described in the present description.

Claims (108)

1. The door of the refrigeration unit, adapted for mounting on the refrigerator compartment, having an outer surface and including
first sheet of glass
second sheet of glass,
the first sealing gasket located around the perimeter of the first sheet of glass and the second sheet of glass with the possibility of their retention at a distance from each other,
a first low emissivity coating adjacent to the surface of the first glass sheet or the second glass sheet,
anti-fog or anti-freeze coating adjacent to the surface of at least one of said glass sheets, and
a frame fixed around the perimeter of the glass;
moreover, a surface having an anti-fog or anti-freeze coating is pre-treated with a first silane, and an anti-fog or anti-freeze coating includes a second silane different from the first silane. 2. The door according to claim 1, in which the first and second sheets of glass, the first sealing gasket and the first coating with low emissivity form a double-glazed window, the thermal conductivity U of which is generally less than or equal to 0.2 BTU / (h sq.ft ° F ) or whose emissivity is generally less than or equal to 0.04. 3. The door according to claim 1, in which the first silane is an aminoalkylsiloxane. 4. The door according to claim 1, in which the second silane is 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane. 5. The door according to claim 1, in which the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating is applied in the form of a film. 6. The door according to claim 1, in which the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating is applied in the form of a liquid. 7. The door according to claim 1, in which the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating has a thickness of from about 4 to 20 microns. 8. The door according to claim 7, in which the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating has a thickness of from about 10 to 20 microns. 9. The door of claim 8, in which the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating has a thickness of from about 12 to 15 microns. 10. The door according to claim 1, in which the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating is not soluble in water. 11. The door according to claim 1, in which the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating contains a mixture of:
a first component comprising about 46% diacetone alcohol, about 4% N-methylpyrrolidone, about 4% t-butanol, about 8% cyclohexane, about 6% 2,4-pentanedione, and about 2% Aromatic 150 aromatic substance, and
a second component comprising approximately 66% polyisocyanate, approximately 1% free monomeric isocyanates, approximately 11% xylene, approximately 11% n-butyl acetate and approximately 11% toluene,
moreover, the ratio between the first and second components in the mixture is approximately 100: 40. 12. The door according to claim 11, in which the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating includes a solvent to dilute the mixture. 13. The door of claim 12, wherein the solvent is alcohol. 14. The door of claim 13, wherein the alcohol is diacetone alcohol or tertiary butyl alcohol. 15. The door according to claim 1, in which the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating contains a mixture of:
a first component comprising approximately 46% diacetone
alcohol, about 4% N-methylpyrrolidone, about 4% t-butanol, about 8% cyclohexane, about 6% 2,4-pentanedione, and about 2% Aromatic 150, and
a second component comprising approximately 66% polyisocyanate, approximately 1% free monomeric isocyanates, approximately 11% xylene, approximately 11% n-butyl acetate and approximately 11% toluene
moreover, the ratio between the first and second components in the mixture is approximately 100: 25 ÷ 45. 16. The door according to clause 15, in which the ratio between the first and second components in the mixture is approximately 100: 30 ÷ 33. 17. The door according to clause 16, in which the ratio between the first and second components in the mixture is approximately 100: 30. 18. The door of claim 15, wherein the second silane is present in an amount of about 1 to 8%. 19. The door of claim 15, wherein the second silane is present in an amount of about 6%. 20. The door according to claim 1, further comprising a third sheet of glass, a second sealing gasket located around the perimeter of the second sheet of glass and the third sheet of glass with the possibility of their retention at a distance from each other,
moreover, these third sheet of glass and the second sealing gasket are part of the glass. 21. The door of claim 20, further comprising a second low emissivity coating adjacent to the surface of the first glass sheet, the second glass sheet, or the third glass sheet. 22. The door according to claim 2, in which the coefficient of thermal conductivity U of the double-glazed window has a value effective to substantially prevent the formation of condensate on the outer surface of the door without electric heating, when the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is basically less than or equal to 0 ° F, the ambient temperature is outside the refrigerator compartment is generally greater than or equal to 72 ° F, and humidity outside the refrigerator compartment is generally greater than or equal to 60%. 23. The door of claim 22, further comprising a first chamber formed by a first glass sheet, a second glass sheet and a first gasket, and gas filling this first chamber. 24. The door of claim 23, wherein the first gasket has a heat transfer rate of substantially less than or equal to 1.73 BTU / (h ft ° F). 25. The door of claim 23, wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of argon, krypton, and air. 26. The door according to claim 1, where the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is generally less than or equal to -20 ° F, the temperature of the environment is generally greater than or equal to 70 ° F, and the humidity of the environment is mainly greater than or equal to 60%, and the outer surface of the door mostly free of condensate. 27. The door according to claim 1, where the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is generally less than or equal to -40 ° F, the temperature of the environment is generally greater than or equal to 80 ° F, and the humidity of the environment is mainly greater than or equal to 60%, the outer surface of the door mostly free of condensate. 28. The door according to item 21, in which
the first sheet of glass is an inner sheet of glass having a first and second surface, the first surface of the inner sheet bordering the inner space of the refrigerator compartment,
the third sheet of glass is an outer sheet of glass having a first and second surface, the first surface of the outer sheet bordering the external environment outside the refrigerator compartment,
the second sheet of glass is the middle sheet of glass located between the inner and outer sheets of glass,
the first sealing gasket is placed around the perimeter of the inner sheet of glass and the middle sheet of glass with the possibility of their retention at a distance from each other,
the second sealing gasket is placed around the perimeter of the middle sheet of glass and the outer sheet of glass with the possibility of their retention at a distance from each other,
the first coating with low emissivity adjacent to the second surface of the inner sheet of glass,
the second coating with low emissivity adjacent to the second surface of the outer sheet of glass,
wherein the inner glass sheet, the outer glass sheet, the middle glass sheet, the first sealing gasket, the second sealing gasket and the first and second low emissivity coatings form a glass packet in which condensation on the first surface of the outer glass sheet is substantially prevented without electrical heating the first surface of the outer sheet of glass. 29. The door of claim 28, wherein the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating is adjacent to the first surface of the inner glass sheet. 30. The door of claim 28, further comprising
a first chamber formed by an inner sheet of glass, a middle sheet of glass and a first sealing gasket,
a second chamber formed by a middle sheet of glass, an outer sheet of glass and a second sealing gasket, and
gas filling these first and second chambers. 31. The door of claim 30, wherein
the inner, middle and outer sheets of glass have a thickness of one eighth of an inch, and
the inner and middle sheets of glass are spaced from each other by a distance substantially equal to one second inch, and
the middle and outer sheets of glass are spaced apart from each other by a distance substantially equal to one second inch. 32. The door of claim 30, wherein the first sealing gasket and the second sealing gasket each have a heat transfer rate substantially less than or equal to 1.73 BTU / (h ft ° F). 33. The door of claim 32, wherein
the inner, middle and outer sheets of glass have a thickness substantially equal to one eighth of an inch,
the inner and middle sheets of glass are spaced from each other by a distance substantially equal to one second inch, and
the middle and outer sheets of glass are spaced apart from each other by a distance substantially equal to one second inch. 34. The door of claim 30, wherein the first and second chambers are filled with the same gas. 35. The door of claim 30, wherein the first and second chambers are filled with different gas. 36. The door of claim 30, wherein the first and second low emissivity coatings are selected from the group consisting of a titanium dioxide silver coating and a fluorine doped tin oxide coating. 37. The door of claim 30, wherein the first and second coatings with low emissivity are applied by a method from the group consisting of sputtering, pyrolytic deposition, and spraying. 38. The door of claim 30, wherein the frame is made of a material selected from the group consisting of extruded plastic, aluminum, and fiberglass. 39. The door of claim 28, wherein the first seal and the second seal, each have a heat transfer rate of substantially less than or equal to 1.73 BTU / (h ft ° F). 40. A method of manufacturing a component of a door of a refrigeration unit having an outer surface, comprising the following steps:
providing the first sheet of glass,
providing a second sheet of glass,
providing a first coating with low emissivity adjacent to the surface of the first glass sheet or the second glass sheet,
the placement of the first sealing strip around the perimeter of the first sheet of glass and the second sheet of glass for their separation at a distance from each other and
providing an anti-fog or anti-freeze coating adjacent to the surface of at least one of said glass sheets, wherein the surface on which the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating is applied is pre-treated with the first silane, and the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating includes a second silane different from the first silane ,
moreover, the first sheet of glass, the second sheet of glass and the first sealing gasket form a double-glazed window in which the formation of condensate on the outer surface of the component of the door of the refrigeration unit is essentially prevented without electric heating. 41. The method according to p, in which the first sheet of glass, the second sheet of glass and the first sealing gasket form the first chamber and at the same time carry out an additional step of filling this first chamber with gas. 42. The method according to clause 40, further comprising the following steps:
providing a third sheet of glass,
placing a second sealing strip around the perimeter of the second glass sheet and the third glass sheet with the second glass sheet and the third glass sheet spaced apart from each other, and
using a third sheet of glass and a second sealing gasket to form a glass packet. 43. The method according to § 42, in which the third sheet of glass includes a coating with low emissivity adjacent to the surface of the third sheet of glass. 44. The method of claim 40, wherein the first gasket has a heat transfer rate substantially less than or equal to 1.73 BTU / (h ft ° F). 45. The method according to item 44, in which the first and second sheets of glass have a thickness essentially equal to one eighth of an inch and they are placed at a distance from each other, basically equal to one second inch. 46. The method according to clause 40, further comprising the step of installing a double-glazed window in the door frame. 47. The method according to item 46, in which the gas is selected from the group comprising argon, krypton and air. 48. The method according to clause 40, in which the glass has a thermal conductivity coefficient U, basically less than or equal to 0.2 BTU / (h sq. Ft. ° F), or emissivity is basically less than or equal to 0.04. 49. The method according to p, in which the coating with low emissivity is selected from the group comprising a coating of silver based on titanium oxide and a coating of tin oxide doped with fluorine. 50. The method of claim 40, wherein the low emissivity coating is applied by a method selected from the group consisting of sputtering, pyrolytic deposition, and spraying. 51. The method of claim 42, wherein the first and second gaskets have a heat transfer rate substantially less than or equal to 1.73 BTU / (h ft ° F). 52. The method according to item 44, further comprising the step of installing a double-glazed window in the door frame. 53. The method of claim 40, wherein the first sealing gasket is an extruded composite material comprising a combination of polyisobutylene sealant, hot-melt butyl sealant, a desiccant matrix, a rubber pad, and a vapor barrier. 54. The method of claim 40, wherein the first seal is a Comfort Seal. 55. The method according to § 42, in which the second sealing gasket is an extruded composite material comprising a combination of polyisobutylene sealant, hot-melt butyl sealant, a desiccant matrix, a rubber gasket, and a vapor barrier. 56. The method according to § 42, in which the second sealing gasket is a seal "Comfort Seal". 57. The method according to p, in which at least one of the first and second sealing gaskets are made using the technology of "warm edge". 58. A door with a substantially transparent glass unit having an outer surface and intended for use with a refrigerator compartment placed in an external environment and having an internal cooling space, wherein the door includes a first glass sheet, a second glass sheet,
the first sealing gasket located around the perimeter of the first sheet of glass and the second sheet of glass with the possibility of their retention at a distance from each other,
a first low emissivity coating adjacent to the surface of the first glass sheet or second glass sheet, an anti-fog or anti-freeze coating adjacent to the surface of at least one of said glass sheets, the surface having an anti-fog or anti-freeze coating, is pretreated with a first silane and the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating includes a second silane different from the first silane, and wherein the first glass sheet, the second glass sheet and the first seal A single-layer gasket is formed by a double-glazed unit with a thermal conductivity coefficient U having a value effective to substantially prevent the formation of condensate on the external surface without electrically heating it, when the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is generally less than or equal to 0 ° F, and the ambient temperature is mainly greater than or equal to 70 ° F, and environmental humidity is generally greater than or equal to 60%. 59. The door of claim 58, further comprising
third sheet of glass and
a second sealing gasket located around the perimeter of the second sheet of glass and the third sheet of glass with the possibility of their retention at a distance from each other. 60. The door according to § 59, further comprising a second coating with low emissivity adjacent to the surface of the first, second or third sheets of glass. 61. The door of claim 60, wherein the glass packet has a heat conductivity coefficient U that substantially prevents condensation on the outer surface when the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is substantially less than or equal to -40 ° F, the ambient temperature is generally greater than or equal to 80 ° F and ambient humidity is generally greater than or equal to 60%. 62. The door of claim 60, wherein the low emissivity coating provides the glass unit with a thermal conductivity U substantially less than or equal to 0.2 BTU / (hr.sq.ft. F). 63. The door of claim 59, wherein the first seal and the second seal, each have a heat transfer rate of substantially less than or equal to 1.73 BTU / (h ft ° F). 64. The door of claim 58, wherein the glass packet has an emissivity of substantially less than or equal to 0.04. 65. The door of claim 58, wherein the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is generally less than or equal to -20 ° F, the temperature of the environment is generally greater than or equal to 70 ° F, and the humidity of the environment is generally greater than or equal to 60%. 66. The door of claim 58, wherein the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is generally less than or equal to -40 ° F, the temperature of the environment is generally greater than or equal to 80 ° F, and the humidity of the environment is generally greater than or equal to 60%. 67. A refrigeration unit, including an insulated inner space forming a compartment, as well as a cooling system and a door adapted for mounting on the doorway of the specified compartment, while the door has an outer surface and includes
first sheet of glass
second sheet of glass,
the first sealing gasket located around the perimeter of the first sheet of glass and the second sheet of glass with the possibility of their retention at a distance from each other,
a first low emissivity coating adjacent to the surface of the first or second glass sheet, wherein the first glass sheet, the second glass sheet, the first sealing gasket and the first low emissivity coating form a glass packet in which condensation is substantially prevented on the outer surface doors without electric heating of the first surface,
an anti-fog or anti-freeze coating adjacent to the surface of at least one of said glass sheets, the surface on which the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating is applied is pre-treated with the first silane, and the anti-fog or anti-freeze coating includes a second silane different from the first silane, and
a frame fixed around the perimeter of the specified double-glazed window. 68. The refrigerator according to claim 67, further comprising
third sheet of glass and
a second sealing gasket located around the perimeter of the second sheet of glass and the third sheet of glass with the possibility of their retention at a distance from each other. 69. The refrigeration unit according to item 67, further comprising
the first chamber, the boundaries of which are determined by the first sheet of glass, the second sheet of glass and the first sealing gasket,
a second chamber, the boundaries of which are defined by the middle sheet of glass, the outer sheet of glass and the second sealing gasket, and
gas filling the first and second chambers. 70. The refrigeration unit of claim 68, wherein the first gasket and the second gasket each have a heat transfer rate of substantially less than or equal to 1.73 BTU / (h ft ° F). 71. The refrigerator according to claim 67, wherein the door has an emissivity substantially less than or equal to 0.04. 72. The refrigerator according to claim 67, wherein the glass packet has a thermal conductivity U, generally less than or equal to 0.2 BTU / (hr.sq.ft. ° F). 73. The refrigeration unit of claim 67, wherein the first gasket has a heat transfer rate substantially less than or equal to 1.73 BTU / (h ft ° F). 74. The door of claim 1, wherein the first sealing gasket is an extruded composite material comprising a combination of a polyisobutylene sealant, a hot-melt butyl sealant, a desiccant matrix, a rubber gasket, and a vapor barrier. 75. The door according to claim 1, in which the first sealing gasket is a seal "Comfort Seal". 76. The door of claim 20, wherein the second sealing gasket is an extruded composite material comprising a combination of polyisobutylene sealant, hot-melt butyl sealant, a desiccant matrix, a rubber gasket, and a vapor barrier. 77. The door according to claim 20, in which the second sealing gasket is a seal "Comfort Seal". 78. The door of claim 58, wherein the first sealing gasket is an extruded composite material comprising a combination of a polyisobutylene sealant, a hot-melt butyl sealant, a desiccant matrix, a rubber gasket, and a vapor barrier. 79. The door of claim 58, wherein the first sealing gasket is a Comfort Seal. 80. The door of claim 59, wherein the second sealing gasket is an extruded composite material comprising a combination of a polyisobutylene sealant, a hot-melt butyl sealant, a desiccant matrix, a rubber gasket, and a vapor barrier. 81. The door of claim 59, wherein the second seal is a Comfort Seal. 82. The door according to § 59, in which at least one of the first and second gaskets are made using the technology of "warm edge". 83. The refrigerator according to claim 67, wherein the first sealing pad is an extruded composite material comprising a combination of a polyisobutylene sealant, a hot-melt butyl sealant, a desiccant matrix, a rubber pad, and a vapor barrier. 84. The refrigeration system of claim 67, wherein the first seal is a Comfort Seal. 85. The refrigeration system of claim 68, wherein the second sealing gasket is an extruded composite material comprising a combination of a polyisobutylene sealant, a hot-melt butyl sealant, a desiccant matrix, a rubber pad, and a vapor barrier. 86. The refrigeration unit of claim 68, wherein the second seal is a Comfort Seal. 87. The refrigeration unit according to claim 68, wherein at least one of the first and second gaskets is made using the “warm edge” technology. 88. Anti-fog or anti-freeze coating containing a mixture of
a first component comprising about 46% diacetone alcohol, about 4% N-methylpyrrolidone, about 4% t-butanol, about 8% cyclohexane, about 6% 2,4-pentanedione, and about 2% Aromatic 150 aromatic substance, and
a second component comprising approximately 66% polyisocyanate, approximately 1% free monomeric isocyanates, approximately 11% xylene, approximately 11% n-butyl acetate and approximately 11% toluene,
moreover, the ratio between the first and second components in the mixture is approximately 100: 30 ÷ 33. 89. The coating of claim 88, wherein the ratio between the first and second components in the mixture is approximately 100: 30. 90. The coating of claim 88, wherein the mixture further includes silane. 91. The coating of claim 90, wherein the silane is 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane. 92. The coating of claim 91, wherein the silane is present in an amount of about 1 to 8%. 93. The coating of claim 92, wherein the silane is present in an amount of about 6%. 94. The coating of claim 88, having a thickness of from about 4 to 20 microns. 95. The coating of claim 94, having a thickness of from about 10 to 20 microns. 96. The coating of claim 95, having a thickness of from about 12 to 15 microns. 97. A method of forming an anti-fog or anti-freeze coating on at least a portion of a substrate, in which the following is carried out: pre-treating at least a portion of the substrate with a first silane, preparing a mixture consisting of a first component comprising approximately 46% diacetone alcohol, approximately 4 % N-methylpyrrolidone, approximately 4% t-butanol, approximately 8% cyclohexane, approximately 6% 2,4-pentanedione, and approximately 2% Aromatic 150, and a second component comprising approximately 66% of the polyisocyanate, approximately 1% of free monomeric isocyanates, approximately 11% xylene, approximately 11% n-butyl acetate and approximately 11% toluene, the ratio between the first and second components in the mixture being approximately 100: 30 ÷ 33, applying the mixture to a substrate and curing the substrate. 98. The method according to p, in which the mixture does not contain additional solvents. 99. The method according to p, in which the ratio between the first and second components in the mixture is approximately 100: 30. 100. The method according to p, in which the mixture is applied in one step to obtain a coating. 101. The method according to p, in which the curing is carried out in one cycle. 102. The method according to p. 97, further comprising adding to the mixture a second silane, different from the first silane. 103. The method of claim 102, wherein the second silane comprises 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane. 104. The method according to p, in which the second silane is present in an amount of from about 1 to 8%. 105. The method of claim 104, wherein the second silane is present in an amount of about 6%. 106. The method of claim 97, wherein the first silane comprises aminoalkylsiloxane. 107. The method according to p, in which the pre-treatment includes preparing a wash water mixture comprising approximately 1% or less of the first silane, and applying this mixture to a portion of the substrate. 108. The method of claim 107, wherein the wash water mixture comprises about 0.031% of the first silane.

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