Composite pane having a functional element and illumination

Abstract

A composite pane having electrically controllable optical properties, includes an outer pane, a first intermediate layer, a second intermediate layer, and an inner pane, a functional element having electrically controllable optical properties, which is arranged between the first intermediate layer and the second intermediate layer, and a thermoplastic frame layer, which surrounds the functional element in the manner of a frame, wherein the outer pane and the inner pane are joined to one another via the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, and the thermoplastic frame layer, and an optical waveguide is arranged at least partially between the outer pane and the inner pane.

Claims

1. A composite pane having electrically controllable optical properties, comprising: an outer pane, a first intermediate layer, a second intermediate layer, and an inner pane, a functional element having electrically controllable optical properties, which is arranged between the first intermediate layer and the second intermediate layer, and a thermoplastic frame layer, which surrounds the functional element in the manner of a frame, wherein the thermoplastic frame layer has a through-hole that receives the functional element and is dimensioned such that the thermoplastic frame layer accommodates the functional element flush like a universal frame so that an upper and a lower surface of the thermoplastic frame layer are flush with, respectively, an upper and a lower surface of the functional element, an opaque masking print on a circumferential edge region of an inner-side surface of the outer pane, the inner-side surface of the outer pane being oriented towards the inner pane, wherein the outer pane and the inner pane are bonded to one another via the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, and the thermoplastic frame layer; and an optical waveguide is arranged at least partially between the outer pane and the inner pane, wherein the optical waveguide comprises at least one optical fiber made of glass and/or plastic, wherein the optical waveguide is at least partially light scattering, wherein the optical waveguide is arranged between the second intermediate layer and the inner pane, and wherein the optical waveguide is in direct contact with both the second intermediate layer and the inner pane.

2. The composite pane according to claim 1, wherein a third intermediate layer is provided for reflecting infrared radiation.

3. The composite pane according to claim 2, wherein the third intermediate layer is arranged between the first intermediate layer and the second intermediate layer.

4. The composite pane according to claim 2, wherein the third intermediate layer comprises polyvinyl butyral, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyurethane, and/or mixtures and/or copolymers thereof and a polymer film.

5. The composite pane according to claim 4, wherein the polymer film has an infrared-reflecting coating.

6. The composite pane according to claim 1, wherein the functional element is a PDLC functional element.

7. The composite pane according to claim 1, wherein the functional element is arranged centrally in the composite pane.

8. The composite pane according to claim 1, wherein the functional element includes contact elements for electrical control.

9. A composite pane assembly, comprising: a composite pane according to claim 1, and a lighting system configured to couple light into an optical waveguide.

10. The composite pane assembly according to claim 9, wherein the lighting system includes a light source.

11. The composite pane assembly according to claim 10, wherein the light source is a laser diode.

12. A method for producing a composite pane having electrically controllable optical properties according to claim 1, comprising: a) arranging an outer pane, a first intermediate layer, a functional element having electrically controllable optical properties, a thermoplastic frame layer, which surrounds the functional element in the manner of a frame, a second intermediate layer, and an inner pane above one another in this order; and arranging an optical waveguide at least partially between the outer pane and the inner pane, b) joining the outer pane and the inner pane by lamination, wherein a composite with an embedded functional element and optical waveguide is formed from the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, and the thermoplastic frame layer.

13. A method comprising utilizing an optical waveguide in a composite pane with a functional element having electrically controllable optical properties according to claim 1, wherein illumination is realized by the optical waveguide.

14. A method comprising utilizing an optical waveguide in a composite pane assembly according to claim 9, wherein illumination is realized by the optical waveguide.

Description

(1) The invention is explained in detail with reference to drawings and exemplary embodiments. The drawings are a schematic representation and not to scale. The drawings in no way restrict the invention.

(2) They depict:

(3) FIG. 1 a plan view of an embodiment of the composite pane assembly according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 2 a cross-sectional representation along the section line A-A through the composite pane of FIG. 1,

(5) FIG. 3 a schematic view of a pane composition per the method according to the invention,

(6) FIG. 4 a schematic view of an alternative pane composition per the method according to the invention, and

(7) FIG. 5 a flowchart of an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

(8) FIG. 1 depicts a plan view of a composite pane assembly 100 according to the invention, which includes a composite pane 10 according to the invention and a lighting means 20. FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional representation along the section line A-A′ through the composite pane 10 of FIG. 1. The composite pane 10 is is implemented in this example as a roof panel of a passenger car.

(9) The composite pane 10 according to the invention contains an outer pane 1 with an inner-side surface II, an inner pane 2 with an outer-side surface III, and a first intermediate layer 11, a second intermediate layer 12, a third intermediate layer 13, and a thermoplastic frame layer 5. The first intermediate layer 11 joins the inner-side surface II of the outer pane 1 to the third intermediate layer 13. The third intermediate layer 13, in turn, joins the first intermediate layer 11 to the thermoplastic frame layer 5. The thermoplastic frame layer 5 is joined to the outer-side surface III of the inner pane 2 via the second intermediate layer 12.

(10) The outer pane 1 and the inner pane 2 are made, for example, of soda lime glass and have, for example, a thickness of 2.1 mm in each case. The first intermediate layer 11, the second intermediate layer 12, the third intermediate layer 13, and the thermoplastic frame layer 5 are, in each case, for example, films made of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) with a thickness of 0.38 mm. it is understood that other glass panes or polymer panes can also be used as the outer pane 1 and the inner pane 2. Furthermore, the thickness of the outer pane 1 and the inner pane 2 can be adapted to the respective use.

(11) In this exemplary embodiment, a light-scattering optical waveguide 4 is arranged between the thermoplastic frame layer 5 and the second intermediate layer 12. It is understood that the optical waveguide 4 can also be arranged between the second intermediate layer 12 and the outer-side surface III of the inner pane 2.

(12) The composite pane 10 is equipped with a functional element 3 in the central region of the composite pane 10. The functional element 3 is a PDLC functional element that is embedded in the thermoplastic frame layer, flush on all sides. The thermoplastic frame layer thus forms a universal frame for the functional element 3, which is encapsulated all around in thermoplastic material. The functional element 3 is a multilayer film, consisting of an active layer 3.2 between a first carrier film 3.1 with an electrically conductive coating functioning as surface electrodes and a second carrier film 3.3 with an electrically conductive coating functioning as a surface electrode. The active layer 3.2 contains a polymer matrix with liquid crystals dispersed therein that orient themselves as a function of the electrical voltage applied at the surface electrodes. In this manner, the optical properties of the functional module 3 can be controlled. The first and second carrier film 3.1 and 3.3 are made of PET and have a thickness of, for example, 50 μm. The electrically conductive coating of the first carrier film 3.1 or of the second carrier film 3.3 faces the active layer 3.2. The electrically conductive coatings are made, for example, of ITO with a thickness in the nanometer range. The electrically conductive coatings can, in each case, be electrically connected via bus bars and connecting cables (e.g., “flat connectors”) to a supply voltage. The side edges of the functional element are provided at least partially with an edge seal implemented by means of a transparent acrylic adhesive tape. Diffusion into or out of the active layer 3.2 is thus prevented. Since the edge seal is transparent, the side edges of the functional module are not distractingly conspicuous. Since diffusion of plasticizers into the active layer 3.2 is prevented by the edge seal, aging of the functional element 5 can be significantly reduced.

(13) Alternatively, further intermediate layers (not shown here) can also be arranged between the outer pane 1 and the inner pane 2, wherein the optical waveguide 4 is arranged between the two panes 1 and 2.

(14) During production of the composite pane 10, the outer pane 1 is bonded to the inner pane 2 via the intermediate layers 2 by lamination. The outer pane 1 and the inner pane 2 are very rigid and inflexible at the temperatures and pressures customary for this. The first, second, and third intermediate layer 11, 12, 13 as well as the thermoplastic frame layer are then plastic such that the optical waveguide 4 can penetrate into the surface of the second intermediate layer 12 and is embedded there.

(15) The light-scattering optical waveguide 4 has a diameter d of 90 μm in each case and is suitable for emitting light via its sidewall along its extension length. The light is coupled via one end of the optical waveguide 4 into the optical waveguide 4. For this, a lighting means 20 is arranged at one end each of the optical waveguide 4. The lighting means 20 consists, for example, of a laser diode, which can, for example, couple light into the optical waveguide 4 via a reflector. Upon application of a voltage to the laser diode, light is then coupled into the optical waveguide 4. The optical waveguide 4 then scatters the light on its surface along its entire extension length such that the optical waveguide 4 lights up over its entire extension length.

(16) In this example, the composite pane 10 has, on a circumferential edge region of the inner-side surface II of the outer pane 1, an opaque masking print 7, for example, a black print of a ceramic ink, which forms a permanent bond with the glass surface III of the inner pane 2, by firing. The purpose of the masking print 7 is to block through-vision to the gluing points with which the composite pane 10 is glued into a vehicle body. At the same time, the gluing point is protected against light irradiation and, in particular, against radiation by UV light, which would cause accelerated aging of the gluing point.

(17) The optical waveguide 4 is, in this example, arranged in the form of a frame in the edge region of the composite pane 10. Here, for example, the optical waveguide 4 is arranged in a region that is concealed by the inner-side surface II of the outer pane 2 by the masking print 7. This means that the optical waveguide 4 can be seen from the vehicle interior. In particular, light emitted on the side walls of the optical waveguide also reaches the vehicle interior.

(18) Here, the lighting means 20 is, for example, a high-powered laser diode. The composite pane assembly 100 produced with this composite pane 10 is, for example, configured such that the lighting means 20 lights up the optical waveguide 4. This can occur independent of or simultaneously with the rest of the vehicle lighting.

(19) The lighting means 20 can be monochromatic or or set different accents by various colors. Different colors allow making attractive illumination of the vehicle readily visible.

(20) It is understood that the optical waveguide 4 need not be arranged along one side edge of a pane or only along one side of a pane, but can be arranged in any manner desired. In particular, one or a plurality of optical waveguide 4 can be arranged like a wave, e.g., in the shape of a sine wave.

(21) It is further understood that the optical waveguide 4 can have regions in which light exits via the sidewalls of the optical waveguide 4 such that symbols not connected to one another can be illuminated. The aesthetics of the composite pane 10 are thus significantly more attractively designed.

(22) FIG. 3 depicts the composition of the composite glass arrangement 100 according to the invention produced per the method according to the invention. A wavelike optical waveguide 4 is arranged flat on the inner pane 2, depicted here as the lower base pane. The optical waveguide 4 is covered by the second intermediate layer 12, on which the functional element 3 having the thermoplastic frame layer 5 is arranged. The third intermediate layer 13 is placed on the functional element 3 having the thermoplastic frame layer 5. The third intermediate layer 13 contains the bilayer consisting of a PVB film and a PET film. In the preferred embodiment, the PET film has an infrared reflecting coating. The first intermediate layer 11 is arranged flat on the third intermediate layer 11 and covered by the outer pane 1.

(23) FIG. 4 depicts a composition of another embodiment of the composite pane assembly 100 according to the invention. The composite pane assembly 100 corresponds substantially to the embodiment of FIG. 3. The wavelike optical waveguide 4 is, however, arranged between the second intermediate layer 12 and the functional element 3 having the thermoplastic frame layer 5.

(24) FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the production method according to the invention with reference to a flowchart. The method according to the invention comprises, for example, the following steps: a) Providing an outer pane 1 b) Placing a first intermediate layer 11 on the outer pane 1 c) Placing a third intermediate layer 13 on the first intermediate layer 11, wherein the third intermediate layer 13 is provided with an infrared-reflecting coating d) Placing a thermoplastic frame layer 5 on the third intermediate layer 13, wherein the thermoplastic frame layer 5 is provided to accommodate a functional element 3 e) Inserting the functional element precisely 3 into the thermoplastic frame layer 5, which is a PDLC functional element f) Placing a second intermediate layer 12 on the functional element 3 and the thermoplastic frame layer 5 and the PDLC functional element 3 g) Placing an inner pane 2 on the second intermediate layer 12 h) Laminating the stack in a bonding process, e.g., autoclaving.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(25) 1 outer pane

(26) 2 inner pane

(27) 3 PDLC functional element

(28) 3.1 first carrier film with an electrically conductive coating

(29) 3.2 active layer of the PDLC functional element

(30) 3.3 second carrier film with an electrically conductive coating

(31) 4 optical waveguide

(32) 5 thermoplastic frame layer

(33) 7 opaque masking print

(34) 10 composite pane

(35) 11 first intermediate layer

(36) 12 second intermediate layer

(37) 13 third intermediate layer

(38) 20 lighting means

(39) 100 composite pane assembly

(40) A-A′ section line

(41) I outer-side surface of the outer pane 1

(42) II inner-side surface of the outer pane 1

(43) III outer-side surface of the inner pane 2

(44) IV inner-side surface of the inner pane 2