A process comprises cold-forming a flat glass substrate into a non-planar shape using a die. The cold-formed glass substrate is bonded to a non-planar rigid support structure at a plurality of non-planar points using the die. Bonding methods include injection molding the non-planar rigid support structure, and direct bonding. An article is also provided, comprising a cold-formed glass substrate having opposing major surfaces and a curved shape, the opposing major surfaces comprising a surface stress that differ from one another. The cold-formed glass substrate is attached to a rigid support structure having the curved shape. The cold-formed glass substrate includes an open region not in direct contact with the non-planar rigid support structure, and the open region has a curved shape maintained by the non-planar rigid support structure.

A process comprises cold-forming a flat glass substrate into a non-planar shape using a die. The cold-formed glass substrate is bonded to a non-planar rigid support structure at a plurality of non-planar points using the die. Bonding methods include injection molding the non-planar rigid support structure, and direct bonding. An article is also provided, comprising a cold-formed glass substrate having opposing major surfaces and a curved shape, the opposing major surfaces comprising a surface stress that differ from one another. The cold-formed glass substrate is attached to a rigid support structure having the curved shape. The cold-formed glass substrate includes an open region not in direct contact with the non-planar rigid support structure, and the open region has a curved shape maintained by the non-planar rigid support structure.

An article having a nanostructured surface and a method of making the same are described. The article can include a substrate and a nanostructured layer bonded to the substrate. The nanostructured layer can include a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material and the nanostructured features can be sufficiently small that the nanostructured layer is optically transparent. A surface of the nanostructured features can be coated with a continuous hydrophobic coating. The method can include providing a substrate; depositing a film on the substrate; decomposing the film to form a decomposed film; and etching the decomposed film to form the nanostructured layer.

An article having a nanostructured surface and a method of making the same are described. The article can include a substrate and a nanostructured layer bonded to the substrate. The nanostructured layer can include a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material and the nanostructured features can be sufficiently small that the nanostructured layer is optically transparent. A continuous layer can be adhered to a plurality of surfaces of the nanostructured features to render the plurality of surfaces of the nanostructured features both hydrophobic and oleophobic with respect to fingerprint oil comprising eccrine secretions and sebaceous secretions, thereby providing an anti-fingerprinting characteristic to the article.

A glass to be installed in a vehicle includes: a glass member; a colored ceramic layer provided in a predetermined region of the glass member; an opening portion for information acquisition, provided with one or more sides in contact with the colored ceramic layer in plan view; and a plate-shaped member overlapping the opening portion, and extending outside from each of the one or more sides to overlap the colored ceramic layer, wherein the one or more sides include a top side that becomes an upper side upon installing the glass in the vehicle, and wherein the overlapping amount between the colored ceramic layer and the plate-shaped member on the outside of the top side is greater than or equal to 3.5 mm.

A thin-film coating applicator assembly is disclosed for coating substrates in outdoor applications. The innovative thin-film coating applicator assembly is adapted to apply performance enhancement coatings on installed photovoltaic panels and glass windows in outdoor environments. The coating applicator is adapted to move along a solar panel or glass pane while applicator mechanisms deposit a uniform layer of liquid coating solution to the substrate's surface. The applicator assembly comprises a conveyance means disposed on a frame. Further disclosed are innovative applicator heads that comprise a deformable sponge-like core surrounded by a microporous layer. The structure, when in contact with a substrate surface, deposits a uniform layer of coating solution over a large surface.

A system for automatically dispensing a fluid from a deformable container onto a panel includes a primer head having a container receiver and a container deformer, the container receiver receiving and holding a container of primer thereat. An adapter is received into an opening of the container and is secured to a portion of the primer head, and the container is retained at the container receiver of the primer head. A primer tip is disposed at the adapter. With the container held at the container receiver and retained at the primer head, the primer head moves to position the primer tip at the panel. When the primer tip is positioned at the panel, the container deformer automatically operates to deform the container to cause a predetermined amount of primer to be dispensed from the container, through the adapter and to the primer tip and onto the panel.

An example method for producing a thin glass sheet having a desired surface profile is described. It includes: (a) receiving information about an actual surface of a thin glass sheet to be processed; (b) receiving information describing the desired surface profile of the thin glass sheet; (c) determining a corrective curvature based on (1) the information describing the actual surface of the thin glass sheet, and (2) the information describing the desired surface profile of the thin glass sheet; (d) determining at least one parameter of at least one glass shaping process; and (e) applying the at least one glass shaping process to the thin glass sheet using the determined at least one parameter. In some implementations of the example method, the corrective curvature is determined using a Laplacian of surface data of the thin glass sheet and the desired surface profile of the thin glass sheet. Example apparatus for performing the methods are also described. Resulting thin glass sheets are also described.

The present invention relates to a method of depositing a coating comprising zinc oxide on a substrate; to a chemical vapour deposition precursor mixture for use in same and to a coated glass article and a photovoltaic cell prepared with a zinc oxide coating prepared using the method which comprises: providing a substrate, providing a precursor mixture comprising an alkyl zinc compound and a phosphorus source, the phosphorus source comprising a compound of formula O.sub.nP(OR).sub.3, wherein n is 0 or 1 and each R is hydrocarbyl, and delivering the precursor mixture to a surface of the substrate.

Electronic devices including a textured component such as a cover member positioned over one or more components of the electronic device. Different surface regions of the textured component may be textured differently in order to provide optical contrast. For example, differently textured surface regions may differ in gloss, translucency, or both. In some cases the cover member defines a protruding feature and a surface region of the protruding feature is textured differently than an adjacent surface region.