Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
  • H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
  • H01Q1/1271—Supports; Mounting means for mounting on windscreens
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q7/00—Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q9/00—Electrically-short antennas having dimensions not more than twice the operating wavelength and consisting of conductive active radiating elements
  • H01Q9/04—Resonant antennas
  • H01Q9/30—Resonant antennas with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole
  • H01Q9/42—Resonant antennas with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
  • H01Q1/48—Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises

Definitions

• This invention relates to a glazing having an antenna wire, a method for manufacturing the glazing, and use of the glazing as, for example, a vehicle window.
• US2009128431A1 discloses a vehicle windshield comprising two glass substrates laminated via an interlayer, and an enamel layer around a periphery.
• a busbar is formed on one substrate.
• An antenna wire embedded in the interlayer comprises two opposing ends, a fixed end soldered to the busbar and a free end held in place by an adhesive attached to the interlayer. Distortions or waves in the antenna wire are avoided.
• US2019319334A1 discloses a vehicle glazing having a monopole antenna wire embedded in an interlayer.
• a conductive frame of a vehicle provides electrical ground.
• a concealment band on the glazing covers has a closed inner edge that defines the boundary of the daylight opening of the glazing and is sufficiently wide to cover one end of the antenna wire connected to a solder patch.
• the antenna wire has a first longitudinal segment that defines a first end and a second longitudinal segment that defines a terminal end. A segment of the second longitudinal segment is oriented in a non-parallel relationship to the first longitudinal segment. The length of the antenna wire corresponds to a preselected wavelength.
• DE20219770U1 Patent Automotive Kunststoffes a vehicle antenna window having an antenna as a wire along, and essentially parallel to, an edge of the window inserted in an intermediate layer.
• DE3616758A1 Armbruster discloses a motor vehicle window made of laminated glass comprising an antenna element guided around an inner pane in an edge recess and soldered to a dumb-bell shaped antenna terminal.
• FR2361005A1 SIV discloses a motor vehicle windshield having antennas made by metal wires between two panes of glass of the windshield.
• W02009059980A1 discloses a laminated glazing with an antenna wire between two panes of glazing material.
• Each wire has a conductive central core of copper, and an outer dark-coloured sheath resistant to colour- and substance-degradation by ultraviolet light. Wires remain dark-coloured so a problem of visual distraction due to reflections by the conductive central core of the wire is eliminated.
• Windows in vehicles and buildings comprising two glass sheets and an intermediate film inserted between them.
• the film is composed of a plurality of layers designed to improve sound insulation for acoustic comfort.
• JPH05138840A discloses laminated glass having a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) resin modified with plasticiser as a sound insulating film. Minimum film thickness is 50 pm.
• WO2013181484A1 discloses glass laminates for automotive glazing comprising two glass sheets and a composite interlayer comprising a relatively stiff polymer having Young's modulus of 50 MPa or greater, and a relatively soft polymer having a Young's modulus less than 20 MPa. Acoustic function is provided by standard tri-layer PVB having a relatively stiff middle layer, or a tri-layer PVB with stiffened outer layers.
• a glazing comprising first and second glass sheets, bonded via a ply of interlayer material, first and second masking layers arranged respectively on the first and second glass sheets around a vision area and an antenna wire extended between first and second ends and embedded in the ply of interlayer material, the antenna wire comprising at least three linear segments between the first and second ends, at least two bends between the at least three linear segments, and at least one linear segment arranged at least partly in the vision area, and the first and second masking layers mask the first and second ends.
• both ends of the antenna wire not in the vision area is compatible with good reception performance of the antenna due to the number of linear segments and bends according to the invention including at least one linear segment of the antenna wire arranged at least partly in the vision area.
• the invention is surprising in view of a technical prejudice in the prior art against arranging a free end of an antenna wire outside a vision area when part of the antenna wire is in the vision area.
• the invention provides antenna wire reception performance as good as reception performance of prior art antenna wires and more design choice regarding antenna wire length and antenna wire visibility in the vision area.
• the invention is greatly advantageous because a glazing having an antenna wire according to the invention provides alternative antenna wire shapes compatible with masked ends thereby increasing aesthetic design options with good antenna wire reception performance.
• the invention eliminates the risks of visual distraction in service associated with cutting the antenna wire during manufacture.
• a glazing according to the invention meets industrial test requirements for transmitting and receiving signals via an antenna.
• one linear segment forms the first end or the second end of the antenna wire.
• the one linear segment is oriented substantially parallel to, or perpendicular to, an adjacent edge of the first or second glass sheet.
• the one linear segment substantially perpendicular to an adjacent edge decreases an effect on the antenna wire due to a conductive frame at the glazing edge.
• Two linear segments connected by a bend in the preferred ranges provide opposing technical effects on the antenna wire caused by the same conductive frame at the glazing edge.
• a first linear segment substantially parallel to the conductive frame at the glazing edge has a grounding effect on the first linear segment.
• a second linear segment connected to the first linear segment via a bend substantially perpendicular to the conductive frame at the same glazing edge has minimal capacitive coupling to ground.
• Using the preferred ranges improves antenna performance by optimisation of the opposing technical effects.
• at least one of the two bends has a bend radius.
• the bend radius is not less than 1 mm.
• the bend radius is not more than 100 mm.
• a bend with a bend radius provides safer, faster antenna wire laying.
• Minimum band radius not less than 1 mm avoids sharp angles that could lead to a broken antenna wire.
• Maximum bend radius not more than 100 mm avoids slow wire laying.
• Antenna wire is made of any conductor such as copper, or carbon nanotubes, that is cut at first end and second end. Antenna wire is not printed. Antenna wire has diameter from 10 pm to 200 pm, preferably 70 pm to 150 pm. Self-bonding antenna wire has a sheath of polymer material, such as PVB, to help adhesion to the ply of interlayer material. Self-bonding antenna wire is available on a spool. Spool shapes include but are not limited to cylindrical, conical, and bi-conical. Typically, 1 kg of such an antenna wire has a length greater than 3 km on such a spool, available for example from Elektrisola Dr.
• Antenna wire is embedded in the ply of interlayer material by heating, preferably with a solder tip, or hammered in at an ultrasonic frequency, or gluing with a solution of PVB.
• the glazing further comprises a ply of functional interlayer material arranged between the first and second glass sheets.
• the ply of functional interlayer material is a ply of acoustic interlayer material.
• the ply of functional interlayer material is arranged between the ply of interlayer material and a further ply of interlayer material.
• the elastic modulus of the ply of functional interlayer material is different from the elastic modulus of the ply of interlayer material and the further ply of interlayer material.
• the ply of interlayer material, or the further ply of interlayer material, or the ply of functional interlayer material has an ultraviolet reduction function.
• the invention is surprisingly advantageous when the ply of functional interlayer material is "hard” or “stiff", defined as having greater elasticity modulus than the "soft" ply of interlayer material or the further ply of interlayer material.
• the ply of functional interlayer material is a relatively stiff polymer having Young's modulus of 50 MPa or greater.
• the ply of interlayer material or the further ply of interlayer material is a relatively soft polymer having a Young's modulus less than 50 MPa, preferably less than 20 MPa. Young's modulus is measured at 100 Hz and 20 °C. Other conditions for measurement of Young's modulus may be used, as required.
• the ply of functional interlayer material having a Young's modulus not less than 100 MPa, more preferably 560 MPa, at a frequency of 100 Hz and a temperature of 20 °C is arranged between two plies of interlayer material made of PVB having a Young's modulus less than 50 MPa, more preferably less than 20 MPa.
• each of the first and second masking layers comprises an obscuration portion, or a dotted portion, or a fade-out portion.
• the obscuration portion obscures the full area from view.
• the dotted portion consists of opaque dots in equally spaced rows.
• the fade-out portion consists of opaque dots in rows parallel to an edge of the glazing and dot diameter decreases with increasing distance from the edge of the glazing.
• the first and second masking layers may comprise any material including, but not limited to, glass frit containing a black pigment.
• the first and second masking layers reduce or eliminate ultraviolet light from the sun irradiating components inside or behind the glazing, and thereby reduce degradation of polymer materials and preserve the viscoelastic behaviour of the components.
• the first and second masking layers reduce or eliminate visible light from behind the glazing or in front of the glazing, and thereby reduce visual distractions for observers behind or in front of the glazing.
• the four surfaces of the first and second glass sheets in sequence from an outer surface to an inner surface are surface 1 (SI) to surface 4 (S4), and the first masking layer is on surface 2 (S2) and the second masking layer is on surface 3 (S3) or surface 4 (S4).
• the antenna wire comprises at least four linear segments and at least three bends between the at least four linear segments.
• the first end of the antenna wire is connected to a connection device.
• the first glass sheet is bonded to the second glass sheet by at least the ply of interlayer material to form a laminated glass.
• the glass sheet or the second glass sheet is soda lime silica glass having a thickness in a range 1 mm to 12 mm, more preferably 1.5 mm to 6 mm.
• the ply of functional interlayer material is modified polyvinyl butyral (PVB) having any thickness including, but not limited to, 20 pm, 30 pm, 50 pm, 150 pm, 200 pm, 300 pm, or 400 pm.
• PVB polyvinyl butyral
• composition of the ply of functional interlayer material includes, but is not limited to, the composition disclosed in JPH05138840A (Ueda).
• the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a glazing, the method comprising steps of (i) providing first and second glass sheets, (ii) arranging first and second masking layers respectively on first and second glass sheets around a vision area, (iii) providing a ply of interlayer material on first or second glass sheets, (iv) providing an antenna wire extended between first and second ends and embedded in the ply of interlayer material, said antenna wire comprising at least three linear segments between the first and second ends and at least two bends between the at least three linear segments (v) arranging at least one linear segment at least partly in the vision area, and (vi) arranging the first and second masking layers to mask the first and second ends, and (vii) bonding the first and second glass sheets via the ply of interlayer material.
• Fig. 2 is a plan view of an embodiment with an antenna wire in four segments.
• Fig. 3 is a cross-section as Fig. 2 and masking layers on S2, S4.
• Fig. 4 is a cross-section as Fig. 2 and masking layers on S2, S3.
• Fig. 5 is a cross-section as Fig. 2 and a ply of functional interlayer material.
• Fig. 8 is a plan view of an embodiment with an antenna wire in six segments.
• Fig. 9 is a plan view of an embodiment with an antenna wire in seven segments.
• Fig. 10 is a plan view of an embodiment with an antenna wire in eight segments.
• Fig. 11 is a plan view of an embodiment with an antenna wire in nine segments.
• Fig. 13 is a plan view of an embodiment with an antenna wire in eight segments.
• Fig. 16 is a graph of signal (dB) versus frequency (MHz) for an example according to the invention and for a comparative example.
• Orientations of segments for the first end 6 and the second end 7 to their nearest edges of the glazing 1 provide coupling to ground when the glazing 1 is fitted in a conductive frame (not shown).
• Length of the antenna wire 5 corresponds to a preselected wavelength for transmitting and receiving signals via an antenna.
• One of the four segments 8 of the antenna wire 5 forms the first end 6 and is oriented substantially perpendicular to a nearest edge of the glazing 1.
• Another of the four segments 8 of the antenna wire 5 forms the second end 7 and is oriented substantially perpendicular to a nearest edge of the glazing 1. Remaining two of the four segments 8 of the antenna wire 5 are completely in the vision area 10.
• First and second ends 6, 7 are both masked by the first and second masking layers 4.
• Fig. 3 is a cross-section related to Fig. 1 for a glazing 1 having first and second masking layers 4 respectively on surface 2 (S2) and surface 4 (S4) of the glazing 1.
• Antenna wire 5 is embedded in the ply of interlayer material 3 adjacent surface 3 (S3).
• Fig. 4 is a cross-section related to Fig. 1 for a glazing 1 having first and second masking layers 4 respectively on surface 2 (S2) and surface 3 (S3) of the glazing 1.
• the antenna wire 5 is embedded in the ply of interlayer material 3 between surface 2 (S2) and surface 3 (S3) at a preselected depth.
• Fig. 5 is a cross-section related to Fig. 1 for a glazing 1 having first and second masking layers 4 respectively on surface 2 (S2) and surface 4 (S4) of the glazing 1.
• the antenna wire 5 is embedded in the ply of interlayer material 3 and adjacent to surface 3 (S3).
• a ply of functional interlayer material 3' and a further ply of interlayer material 3 are between the ply of interlayer material 3 and the first glass sheet 2.
• Fig. 7 is a plan view of another glazing 1 according to the invention.
• antenna wire 5 comprises five linear segments 8 between the first and second ends 6, 7 and four bends 9 between the five linear segments 8. Bends 9 are selected so that the segment forming the second end 7 is oriented perpendicular to a nearest edge of the glazing 1.
• Fig. 13 is a plan view of another glazing 1 according to the invention.
• antenna wire 5 comprises eight linear segments 8 between the first and second ends 6, 7 and seven bends 9 between the eight linear segments 8. Bends 9 are selected so that the segment forming the first end 6 is oriented parallel to a nearest edge of the glazing 1.
• Segment forming the second end 7 is oriented perpendicular to a nearest edge of the glazing 1.
• Three segments partly in the vision area 10 are parallel with three other segments forming a loop. Segment forming first end 6 is connected to a connection device 11.
• Fig. 14 is a plan view of another glazing 1 according to the invention. Features are as Fig.
• antenna wire 5 comprises nine linear segments 8 between the first and second ends 6, 7 and eight bends 9 between the nine linear segments 8. Bends 9 are selected so that the segment forming the first end 6 is oriented parallel to a nearest edge of the glazing 1 and the segment forming the second end 7 is oriented perpendicular to a nearest edge of the glazing 1 and three segments partly in the vision area 10 are parallel with three other segments forming a loop. Segment forming the first end 6 and the segment forming the second end 7 are each oriented parallel to a nearest edge of the glazing 1. Segments forming first end 6 and second end 7 are connected to a connection device 11.
• Fig. 15 is a plan view comparative example, not according to the invention, wherein the second end 7 is in the vision area 10.
• Prior art US2019319334A1 discloses performance of an antenna like Fig. 15 as Sil, return loss or reflected power (dB) versus frequency. But Sil is not the performance measure preferred by the inventors.
• Average over the frequency range is the same for the example and the comparative example according to all three results.
• Average for horizontal performance is - 7.1 dB.
• Average for vertical performance is 0.0 dB.
• Average for mean of horizontal and vertical performances is - 3.6 dB.
• Test in the anechoic chamber determined no performance loss of the example compared with the comparative example.
• the example solved the technical problem of visual distraction due to optical defects at the cut ends of the antenna wires.
• the solution to the technical problem was unexpected because of a technical prejudice against positioning the cut second end near the edge of the glazing.

Landscapes

• Details Of Aerials (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=90923761

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Citations (15)

• 2024
  • 2024-03-27 GB GBGB2404424.0A patent/GB202404424D0/en active Pending
• 2025
  • 2025-03-26 WO PCT/GB2025/050642 patent/WO2025202637A1/en active Pending

Patent Citations (15)

Also Published As

Similar Documents