LUMINOUS LAMINATED AUTOMOTIVE GLAZING COMPRISING INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING DIODES AND MANUFACTURE THEREOF

Abstract

A luminous laminated automotive glazing with diodes peripherally on a diode carrier facing the edge face of the interior glass equipped with a recess, a profiled bead and a protective adhesive strip between the diode carrier and the bead.

Claims

1. A luminous automotive glazing, said glazing comprising: a laminated glazing including a first transparent sheet of glass or plastic forming an interior glazing, a second transparent sheet of glass or plastic forming an exterior glazing and a laminated interlayer made of plastic located between the exterior and interior glazings the interior glazing having a main face that is oriented toward the laminated interlayer, n first edge face and an interior main face, the exterior glazing having an exterior face, a second edge face on the side of the first edge face and a main face that is oriented toward the lamination interlayer, under a peripheral edge of said main face of the interior glazing, a plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes that are spaced apart from one another and that each include a front emitting surface that is located facing said first edge face, the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes being in a common through-hole of the first edge face, the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes being on a front main face of a diode carrier, the front face provided with conductive circuits that supply the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes, the front face including zones bearing the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes, the diode carrier having a fastening portion that is adhesively bonded to a peripheral edge of the interior main face of the interior glazing by an adhesive, a profiled bead, including: an exterior lip on said peripheral edge of said main face of said exterior glazing and/or said second edge face, an interior lip on the peripheral edge of said interior main face of the interior glazing, said interior lip not lying against said first edge face a body that is located between said exterior lip and said interior lip, said body being located a distance away from said front emitting surface of the light-emitting diodes, and furthermore being located a distance away from said first edge face, the front emitting surfaces of the diodes making contact with or being spaced apart by air and by at most 1 mm from said first edge face, a protective adhesive strip, including a base and at least one front main adhesive face and optionally a back main adhesive face, with a first end zone adhesively bonded to the peripheral edge or to a border of the main face of the interior glazing and a second end zone adhesively bonded toward the interior main face of the interior glazing, the protective adhesive strip forming a seal-tight barrier between the profiled bead and the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes, and between the profiled bead and the first edge face, the adhesive front face being on a back main face of the diode carrier, wherein the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes are configured to emit one or more light rays in the visible that are guided in the interior glazing, before light extraction with a light-extraction system, the light rays being visible from a side of the interior main face of the interior glazing, or are configured to emit one or more light rays in the ultraviolet that are guided in the interior glazing, before conversion into visible light and light extraction, the light rays being visible from a side of the interior main face of the interior glazing, the light-extracting system being within the interior glazing or on main face of the interior glazing or on the interior main face of the interior glazing.

2. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first end zone is adhesively bonded to main face of the interior glazing or the main face of the exterior glazing in a peripheral groove between the main faces of the interior and exterior glazings.

3. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protective adhesive strip is opaque or reflective, with a polymeric base.

4. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protective adhesive strip at least partially covers the fastening portion.

5. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diode carrier is devoid of portion making contact with the main face of the exterior glazing and with the main face of the interior glazing.

6. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the back main face Fe, opposite the interior main face of the interior glazing, bears at least one (opto)electronic component and other conductive circuits for the component.

7. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interior and exterior glazings are curved.

8. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diode carrier is of submillimeter-sized thickness and is flexible, the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes are front-emitting diodes, and each of bearing zones, faces the first edge face, then forming an L-shaped cross section with the fastening portion, the bearing zones being entirely or partially in said common through-hole, and adjacent bearing zones are separated by an aperture.

9. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 8, wherein the aperture is bounded by lateral internal walls, between adjacent bearing zones, and bounded by a bottom of width of at least 0.1 mm.

10. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in, wherein, in the bearing zone, the front face and/or the back face includes a reinforcing layer, at least level with the bend.

11. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes are side-emitting diodes, and the bearing zones are in the extension of the fastening portion, the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes optionally being raised or the cross section of the diode carrier is Z-shaped.

12. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adhesive on the interior main face of the interior glazing, which is dielectric, is a double-sided adhesive tape including a polymeric core and two adhesive main faces.

13. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an opaque peripheral masking layer on the main face of the exterior glazing, located on the peripheral edge and lying between the interlayer and the main face of the exterior glazing, the protective adhesive strip optionally being on said opaque peripheral masking layer.

14. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an opaque peripheral masking layer on the interior main face of the interior glazing, located on the peripheral edge, the profiled bead optionally being on said opaque peripheral masking layer and/or further comprising an opaque peripheral masking layer on main face of the interior glazing, located on the peripheral edge and lying between the interlayer and main face of the interior glazing, the protective adhesive strip optionally being on said opaque peripheral masking layer.

15. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an additional protective profile, at least partially covering a free main face of said profiled bead, which is the face furthest from the light-emitting diodes.

16. The luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transparent electrically conductive layer on the the interior main face of the interior glazing.

17. A method comprising utilizing the luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1 as a luminous glazed roof of a road or rail vehicle.

18. A vehicle incorporating the luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1.

19. A process for manufacturing the luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said profiled bead is positioned by extrusion of a material from which said profiled bead is made.

20. The process for manufacturing the luminous automotive glazing as claimed in claim 19, further comprising manufacturing an additional protective profile by encapsulation of said profiled bead, by injection molding of the polymeric encapsulation material.

Description

[0194] Other details and advantageous features of the invention will become apparent on reading about examples of luminous glazings according to the invention, which are illustrated by the following figures:

[0195] FIGS. 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 show schematic partial cross-sectional views of luminous automotive diode-comprising glazings in the embodiments of the invention,

[0196] FIG. 1c shows a schematic perspective view of the diode-fastening carrier according to the invention in the first embodiment,

[0197] FIG. 1d shows a cross-sectional view of a diode-fastening carrier in another embodiment of the invention,

[0198] FIG. 1e shows a schematic top view face-F4 side of a luminous automotive diode-comprising glazing according to the invention in the first embodiment.

[0199] It will be noted that for the sake of clarity the various elements of the objects shown are not necessarily reproduced to scale.

[0200] FIG. 1 shows a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a luminous diode-comprising glazing 100 for a glazed motor-vehicle roof in a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1a is a detail view (zoom) thereof.

[0201] This luminous glazing 100 comprises a curved laminated glazing including: [0202] a curved glass sheet 10 forming a for example rectangular exterior glazing having an exterior main face 11 called F1 and an interior main face 12 called F2 and an edge face 15′, of the second edge face, for example a sheet of soda-lime glass, of thickness equal to 2.1 mm, optionally, for a solar-control function, a tinted sheet (for example Venus VG10 glass sold by the Applicant), [0203] another sheet of curved glass 1 forming an interior glazing of analogous shape to the exterior glazing, for example of rectangular shape, having a main face 13 called F3 and an interior main face 14 called F4, and an edge face 15, of the first edge face, which is preferably rounded (to avoid flakes), for example a sheet of soda-lime glass, of thickness equal to 2.1 mm or less, for example of 0.7 mm, the first edge face having, over a portion of its length, a through-hole (22) called the recess, [0204] between the glazings 1, 10, a lamination interlayer 2, for example a for example tinted PVB sheet, of 0.7 mm thickness (made up of one or more sub-sheets, and optionally of acoustic PVB optionally incorporating a functional PET film).

[0205] The lamination interlayer 2 has what is called an external interface 25 on the same side as the first and second edge faces, setback by a least 1 mm and preferably at most 10 mm from the second edge face or even from the first edge face (with the recess), leaving a peripheral groove between the faces F2 and F3.

[0206] The face F2 comprises a first peripheral opaque masking layer 16 that is located on the peripheral edge B2 and that extends between the interlayer and the face F2, made of black enamel for example. For example, its length is 50 mm.

[0207] The face F4 comprises a second peripheral opaque masking layer on face F4, located on the peripheral edge B4, and made of enamel.

[0208] The face F3 includes a low-index layer 16a, for example a porous silica layer (preferably under a dense silica layer) in order to promote the guidance. The layer may start after the removal of the PVB.

[0209] The face F4 includes a scattering layer 14′ in order to extract the light. The extraction is by any means: sandblasting, acid etch, scattering layer (enamel, paint, etc.), for example by screen printing or even by internal etching (by laser).

[0210] The extraction may form a luminous design, for example a logo or a brand, and the light may be animated.

[0211] An adhesive bead 8 is on face F4, for example polyurethane serving to fasten the roof to the rabbet 80 of the vehicle body, adhesive bead adjacent to the profiled bead or even to an encapsulation for example of width of 7 mm by 17 mm+1-5 mm height. The adhesive bead for example starts at 15 mm from the first edge face.

[0212] Said roof 100 includes, under a peripheral edge B2 of said face F2, a plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes 4 that are spaced apart from one another and that each include a front-emitting surface 41 that is located facing said first edge face 15, the diodes being in the recess.

[0213] The diodes are on bearing zones of a front main face Fi of a carrier called the diode carrier 3, front face Fi provided with conductive circuits that are preferably made of copper and that supply the diodes, front face Fi thus including bearing zones for the diodes. The diode carrier is devoid of portion making contact with the face F2. The back main face Fe, opposite face F4, bears at least one (opto)electronic component 4a in particular for controlling the diodes and other conductive circuits, which are preferably made of copper, for the component.

[0214] The diode carrier is of submillimeter thickness, is flexible and made of polyimide. The diode carrier has what is called a fastening portion 30a that is adhesively bonded to a peripheral edge B4 of the face F4 by an adhesive 6 that is a double-sided adhesive tape (calibrated thickness) including a polymeric core and two adhesive main faces that are conformable, made of a vinyl material, for example of polyvinyl chloride PVC, or even of a polyimide material (Kapton® for example). The adhesive may be silicone (for example on polyimide) or acrylic adhesive (for example on a vinyl material).

[0215] The thickness of the adhesive tape is for example 0.13 mm. Mention may be made of the adhesive 3M tape referenced VHB F9469PC. The width of the adhesive tape 6 is for example the width of the fastening portion 30a, typically 5 to 6 mm. It may be set back from the edge face of the fastening portion by 0.1 mm to less than 1 mm for example. It is set back from the first edge face.

[0216] Each of the what are called lateral bearing zones faces the first edge face, then forming an L-shaped cross section with the fastening portion, via a bend. The lateral bearing zones are entirely or partially in said recess and adjacent bearing zones are separated by an aperture in particular of crenel shape.

[0217] As shown in FIG. 1b, which is a partial cross-sectional detail view in a zone between two diodes, between adjacent bearing zones, the diode carrier lies in the extension of the fastening portion, extending beyond the first edge face, without extension facing the first edge face.

[0218] The light-emitting diodes each include at least one emitting chip able to emit one or more rays in the visible, which one or more rays are guided in the first sheet 1. The diodes are small in size, typically a few millimeters or less and in particular about 2×2×1 mm in size, without optics (lens) and preferably not pre-encapsulated in order to decrease bulk as much as possible. Each light-emitting diode is a surface mounted device (SMD) comprising a ceramic or polymeric peripheral packaging. The spacing between diodes is 10 mm±5 mm. The diodes are for example soldered or adhesively bonded to the front face.

[0219] The distance between each front emitting surface 41 and the first edge face 15 is minimized. The front emitting surfaces of the diodes making contact with or are spaced apart by air from said first edge face by at most 1 mm and better still at most 0.5 mm from said first edge face.

[0220] The main emission direction is perpendicular to the face of the semiconductor chip that for example has a multi-quantum well active layer in an AlInGaP or other semiconductor technology.

[0221] The light cone is a Lambertian cone of +1-60°.

[0222] It is possible to choose diodes (aligned on the carrier) that emit white light or colored light for ambient lighting, lighting for reading, etc.

[0223] Provision may be made for a plurality of diode carriers in the recess, with identical or even distinct functions (choice dependent on the power, emitted light, position and extent of the one or more extraction zones).

[0224] The glazing furthermore includes a polymeric profiled bead 7 that is made of polyurethane and obtained by extrusion using nozzles that are for example at room temperature, said bead including: [0225] an exterior lip 73 on said peripheral edge B2 of said face F2 12 (partially under the enamel 16) and here partially on said second edge face 15′, [0226] an interior lip 75 on a peripheral edge B4 of said face F4 14, said interior lip 75 not lying against said first edge face 15 [0227] a body 74 that is located between said exterior lip 73 and said interior lip 75 with said body (74) being located at distance from said front emitting surface 41 of the light-emitting diodes, and furthermore being located at distance from said first edge face 15.

[0228] The glazing 100 furthermore includes what is called a protective adhesive strip 5, including a base and at least one what is called front adhesive main face 50—and optionally a back main face 50′ without adhesive or as a variant adhesive-, with [0229] a first adhesively bonded end zone 53 (same side as the adhesive front face 50) on the peripheral edge B2 or as a variant bordering the face F3, [0230] and a second adhesively bonded and zone (52) face-F4 side (same side as the front adhesive face 50).

[0231] The adhesive front face 50 is on a back main face Fe 30′ of the diode carrier 3 opposite the bearing zones (portion 51 of the strip facing the first edge face 15), and lies opposite the fastening tape 6 (portion 52 of the strip, in particular facing the face F4). On face F4, the strip 5 here stops before the end of face of the fastening portion (by extension on the face F4, on the enamel 16′).

The protective adhesive strip 5 forms a seal-tight barrier between the profiled bead 7 and the diodes 4 and between the profiled bead and the first edge face via a portion 53, beyond the portion 51, that extends as far as to be adhesively bonded to the edge B2 and preferably as far as to the external end face 25.

[0232] The protective adhesive strip is an adhesive tape (calibrated thickness) that is conformable, made of vinyl material, for example of polyvinyl chloride PVC, with an acrylic adhesive, or even made of polyimide material, for example Kapton®, with a silicone adhesive. Mention may be made of the 0.18 mm thick electrically insulating 3M adhesive referenced Scotch® Super 33+™.

[0233] When the adhesive strip is opaque, the portion 53 makes it possible to prevent, or participates in preventing, parasitic light from propagating from the border of the second sheet and therefore this light from being seen from the exterior face-F1 side.

[0234] FIG. 1c shows a partial schematic perspective view of the diode-fastening carrier according to the invention in the first embodiment.

[0235] Each of the lateral bearing zones 32 forms an L-shaped cross section with the fastening portion 30a, via a bend 30b.

[0236] Adjacent bearing zones 32 are separated by a crenel-shaped aperture 33 (three apertures are shown and three bearing zones). By virtue of each aperture, the diode carrier then follows the longitudinal curvature of the interior glazing.

[0237] Each aperture 33 is bounded by lateral internal walls 35, 35′, between the bearing zones, and bounded by a bottom 34. The aperture may be centered between neighboring diodes 41. It is possible to leave at least 0.1 mm between each diode and each internal lateral wall bounding the closest aperture. The aperture may be of width of at least 0.1 mm, such as a notch in the diode carrier and for a sample at most the distance between the diodes minus 0.1 mm on either side of the two diodes.

[0238] The fastening portion 30a makes an angle with the bearing zone 33 larger than 80° and even than 90°, of 90°±5°, and preferably of 90° to 95°.

[0239] The crenel 33 may be rounded level with the bottom 34 in order to prevent crack initiation.

[0240] In each bearing zone, the front face Fi and the back face Fe include a reinforcing layer 310, 311 at least level with the bend 30b—in order to maintain the L-shaped cross section—which is preferably made of a metal, here copper (or even silver or gold).

[0241] Here, the reinforcing layer on the front face Fi 50 forms part of the conductive circuit 31 of the diodes and forms part of a heat-dissipating zone.

[0242] Here, the reinforcing layer on the back face 50′ forms part of the conductive circuit 31′ of the diodes 4 or, on the back face Fi 50′, of another (opto)electronic component 4a in particular for controlling the diodes, or forms part of a heat-dissipating zone.

[0243] Each reinforcing zone serves to preserve the L-shaped cross section (the shape after bending) in order to correctly orientate the (visible or UV) light rays.

[0244] As a first variant, the exterior glazing is made of a plastic such as polycarbonate (optionally with a black peripheral portion).

[0245] As a second variant, the interior glazing is made of a plastic such as polycarbonate (optionally with a black peripheral portion) or even of PET or PMMA.

[0246] As a variant, UV diodes, in particular UVA diodes, are chosen for example in order to excite luminophores on face 14.

[0247] FIG. 1d shows a cross-sectional view of a diode-fastening carrier in another embodiment of the invention, cut in a zone bearing a diode, carrier of L-shaped cross section with a bend 30b.

Each diode is an electronic surface mount device including at least one semiconductor chip 40, and is equipped with a polymeric or ceramic peripheral packaging 42a forming a peripheral encapsulation of the end face 42a of the electronic component.

[0248] The package may correspond to the maximum thickness (height) of the diode. The packaging is, for example, made of epoxy. The (polymeric) packaging can be opaque.

[0249] The packaging (which is monolithic or made of two segments) can comprise a part forming a seating 42 carrying the chip 40 and a part forming a reflector at a distance from the seating and higher than the chip, containing a protective resin 43 and/or a material having a color conversion function. The emitting front surface 41 can be defined as the surface of this material covering the chip set back from or level with the “front” surface of the reflector.

[0250] The anode and cathode contacts 44 are produced, for example, by conductive adhesive bonding to an electrically conductive layer 31 on the front face 30 with an insulated zone 313. The contacts are prolonged by via holes into the seating as far as zones of layers 45, the one 45 connected by a wire to the cathode. The back face 30′ may also include a reinforcing and/or heat-dissipating and/or conductive-circuit-forming layer 31′, on the fastening portion 30a for example.

[0251] FIG. 1e shows a schematic top view, from the side of face F4 14, of a luminous automotive diode-comprising glazing 1 in the first embodiment.

[0252] It shows the edge face 15′ of the exterior glazing, the recess 22 of the first edge face 15, which is cut with a small cutting radius, over a portion of the length of the interior glazing 1, and the removal of the PVB 2 over all or some of the recess 21 (for example still present near the lateral edges of the recess). Two diode carriers 3, 3′ are used, each with components 4a, 4b on the back face, said components being connected (electrical link) by a flat cable 91 (in the recess). One of the carriers 3′ bears a cable outlet 92 exiting from the recess optionally with an extension on face F4 and extended by a connector 93.

[0253] For the sake of clarity, the extent of the protective strip 5 (portion 52 facing the face F4 and extending beyond the face F4) is shown by the dashed lines and the profiled bead has not been shown.

[0254] FIG. 2 shows a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a luminous diode-comprising glazing 200 in a second embodiment of the invention.

[0255] This luminous glazing 200 differs from the luminous glazing 100 in that: [0256] the protective strip is adhesive on the face F2 (on the enamel 16) [0257] to prevent parasitic light, a reflective (aluminum, etc.) or opaque shield 17 is placed on face F2 again extending into the groove 21 and for example starting in the plane of the diode carrier 3 [0258] optionally the masking layer on face F4 is removed and an electrically conductive layer 18 that has a solar-control or another function is deposited (in particular a coating including ITO or even a layer of SnO2:F).

[0259] The layer 16a is optional.

[0260] FIG. 3 shows a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a luminous diode-comprising glazing 300 in a third embodiment of the invention.

[0261] This luminous glazing 300 differs from the luminous glazing 100 in that: [0262] the protective strip 5 is adhesive on face F2 (on the enamel 16) here is made of two pieces 5a, 5b with a zone of overlap of the two pieces, the second piece 5b is adhesively bonded to face F2 (portion 54 on the enamel 16) the second piece 5b is a double-sided adhesive tape and is preferably opaque in order to prevent parasitic light, the first piece 5a encircling the carrier with the portion 52 may be transparent, [0263] the masking layer is optionally removed from face F4 [0264] the low-index layer is optionally removed from face F3.

[0265] A polymeric encapsulation 9 is added to the border of the glazing in contact with a free face of the profiled bead 7 (face opposite and furthest from the diode carrier 3). This encapsulation provides a long-term seal (water, cleaning products, etc.). The encapsulation also provides a good esthetic finish and allows other elements or functions (reinforcing inserts, etc.) to be incorporated.

[0266] The encapsulation 7 is two-face, on face F4 and on the second edge face 15′, and therefore is preferably flush. The encapsulation 7 is for example made of polyurethane black and in particular made of PU-RIM (reaction in mold). This material is typically injected up to 130° C. and at a few tens of bars.

[0267] As a variant, the encapsulation is modified in the following way: [0268] a protruding lip is added, [0269] fastening inserts are added, [0270] tubing made of EPDM is added against the encapsulation (in other words, a closed-cell sealing profile or a sealing profile with multiple lips is added against the encapsulation, the profile being squashed after fitting in the vehicle).

[0271] FIG. 4 shows a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a luminous diode-comprising glazing 400 in a fourth embodiment of the invention.

[0272] This luminous glazing 400 differs from the luminous glazing 100 in that: [0273] the protective strip 5 is adhesive on face F2 (on the enamel 16) via a portion 54 with a preferably locally adhesively bonded face 510: [0274] the masking layer is optionally removed from face F4 [0275] the low-index layer is optionally removed from face F3.

[0276] Each of the lateral bearing zones 32 still forms an L-shaped cross section with the fastening portion 30a, via a bend 30b, and is extended by an extension 36 toward the interlayer 2 for a U-shaped total cross section. In the case of this extension 36 toward the interlayer, the diode carrier 3 preferably has a thickness smaller than 0.1 mm in the peripheral groove and is set back from the end face of the interlayer.

[0277] FIG. 5 shows a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a luminous diode-comprising glazing 500 in a fifth embodiment of the invention.

[0278] This luminous glazing 500 differs from the luminous glazing 100 in that: [0279] the diodes 4 chosen are here side-emitting diodes, optionally with a raising means 94 for better centering [0280] the protective strip 55 covers the end face of the fastening portion and extends as far as to the face F4 [0281] the masking layer is optionally removed from face F4 [0282] the low-index layer is optionally removed from face F3.

[0283] FIG. 6 shows a partial schematic cross-sectional detail view of a luminous diode-comprising glazing 600 in a sixth embodiment of the invention.

[0284] This luminous glazing 600 differs from the luminous glazing 500 in that the cross section of the carrier 3 is a Z-shaped cross section (an L 3m and an extension 3i in the direction opposite the first edge face), a back shim 39 optionally being used.