Pane arrangement with pane with low-E coating and capacitive switching region

Abstract

A pane arrangement having a pane with an inner surface and an outer surface, a low-E coating arranged on the inner surface of the pane. The pane arrangement having a coating-free first partition line formed in the low-E coating. A capacitive switching region is electrically isolated from a surrounding region of the low-E coating. The surrounding region surrounds the capacitive switching region in sections. The capacitive switching region has a contact region, a supply line region and a first connection region. The supply line region electrically connects the contact region to the first connection region. A coating-free second partition line is formed in the low-E coating. The surrounding region is electrically isolated from an outer region of the low-E coating. The outer region surrounds the surrounding region. A capacitive sensor electronics system is electrically connected to the first connection region of the capacitive switching region and to the surrounding region by a second connection region.

Claims

1. A pane arrangement, comprising: a pane with an inner surface and an outer surface; a low-E coating, which is arranged at least partially on the inner surface of the pane; at least one coating-free first partition line, formed in the low-E coating so as to form at least one capacitive switching region which is electrically isolated from a surrounding region of the low-E coating, wherein the surrounding region at least partially surrounds the at least one capacitive switching region, wherein the at least one capacitive switching region has a contact region, a supply line region, and a first connection region, and wherein the supply line region electrically connects the contact region to the first connection region; at least one coating-free second partition line, formed in the low-E coating, by which the surrounding region is electrically isolated from an outer region of the low-E coating, wherein the outer region at least partially surrounds the surrounding region; and a capacitive sensor electronics system, which is electrically connected to the first connection region of the at least one capacitive switching region and to the surrounding region by means of a second connection region.

2. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the surrounding region completely surrounds the at least one capacitive switching region.

3. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the outer region completely surrounds the surrounding region.

4. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a shortest distance between the first partition line and the second partition line is in the range from 0.1 mm to 200 cm.

5. The pane arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the shortest distance between the first partition line and the second partition line is in the range from 0.5 mm to 100 mm.

6. The pane arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the shortest distance between the first partition line and the second partition line is in the range from 1 mm to 11 mm.

7. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a shortest distance between the first partition line and the second partition line is unchanged in a section of the second partition line surrounding the contact region and/or the supply line region and/or the connection region.

8. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second partition line surrounds the at least one capacitive switching region like a frame.

9. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a length of the supply line region is in the range from 1 cm to 70 cm, and wherein a width of the supply line region to be measured perpendicular to the length is in the range from 0.5 mm to 10 mm.

10. The pane arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the length of the supply line region is in the range from 1 cm to 12 cm, and wherein the width of the supply line region to be measured perpendicular to the length is in the range from 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

11. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the contact region has a length in the range from 1 cm to 14 cm, and wherein a maximum width of the contact region measured perpendicular to the length is in the range from 1 cm to 14 cm.

12. The pane arrangement according to claim 11, wherein a ratio of the width of the supply line region to the maximum width of the contact region is at least 1:2.

13. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the supply line region is rectangular, strip-shaped, or line-shaped.

14. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the contact region is circular, elliptical, or drop-shaped.

15. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the contact region has an angled shape, with rounded corners, wherein the corners have a radius of curvature of at least 3 mm.

16. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the contact region has an area in the range from 1 cm.sup.2 to 200 cm.sup.2.

17. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a width of the first partition line and/or a width of the second partition line is in the range from 30 m to 200 m.

18. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the pane is an inner pane of a composite pane, and wherein the composite pane furthermore comprises an outer pane with an outer surface and an inner surface and at least one intermediate layer, which bonds the inner surface of the outer pane laminarily to the outer surface of the inner pane.

19. The pane arrangement according to claim 18, wherein a sensitivity of the capacitive sensor electronics system is selected such that upon a contact of the contact region on the inner surface of the inner pane and/or the outer surface of the outer pane with a human finger, the capacitive sensor electronics system emits a first switching signal, and upon contact of the supply line region on the inner surface of the inner pane and/or the outer surface of the outer pane, the capacitive sensor electronics system emits no switching signal or a second switching signal different from the first switching signal.

20. A method for producing a pane arrangement, comprising: applying a low-E coating to an inner surface of a pane; introducing at least one first partition line into the low-E coating, which electrically divides the low-E coating into at least one capacitive switching region and at least one surrounding region; and introducing at least one second partition line into the low-E coating, which electrically divides the at least one surrounding region and an outer region of the low-E coating.

Description

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

(2) They depict:

(3) FIG. 1A a plan view of an embodiment of a pane arrangement according to the invention with a window pane;

(4) FIG. 1B a cross-sectional view along the section line A-A of FIG. 1A;

(5) FIG. 1C an enlarged view of the detail Z of FIG. 1A;

(6) FIG. 1D a cross-sectional view along the section line B-B of FIG. 1C;

(7) FIG. 1E an enlarged view of a detail Z according to FIG. 1A of an alternative embodiment of the window pane;

(8) FIG. 1F an enlarged view of a detail Z according to FIG. 1A of another alternative embodiment of the window pane;

(9) FIG. 2A a plan view of an alternative embodiment of a pane arrangement according to the invention with a composite pane;

(10) FIG. 2B a cross-sectional view along the section line A-A of FIG. 2A;

(11) FIG. 2C an enlarged view of the detail Z of FIG. 2A;

(12) FIG. 2D a cross-sectional view along the section line B-B of FIG. 2C;

(13) FIG. 2E a cross-sectional view along the section line B-B of FIG. 2C of another alternative embodiment of the composite pane;

(14) FIG. 2F a cross-sectional view along the section line B-B of FIG. 2C of another alternative embodiment of the composite pane;

(15) FIG. 3A a plan view of another alternative embodiment of the pane arrangement according to the invention with a composite pane using the example of a windshield;

(16) FIG. 3B a cross-sectional view along the section line A-A of FIG. 3A;

(17) FIG. 4A a detailed flowchart of an embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing a window pane; and

(18) FIG. 4B a detailed flowchart of an embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing a composite pane.

(19) FIG. 1A depicts a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a pane arrangement 200 according to the invention with a window pane 100 using the example of a roof panel of a motor vehicle.

(20) FIG. 1B depicts a cross-sectional view along the section line A-A of FIG. 1A. Here, the window pane 100 comprises, for example, a single pane 1. The window pane 100 is, for example, a vehicle window and in particular the roof panel of a passenger car. The dimensions of the window pane 100 are, for example, 0.9 m1.5 m. The window pane 100 includes a pane 1, which is intended, for example, in the installed position, to separate a vehicle interior from an external environment. In other words, the inner surface IV of the pane 1 is accessible from the interior out, whereas the outer surface III of the pane 1 faces outward relative to the vehicle interior. The pane 1 is made, for example, of soda lime glass and was produced in the float process. The thickness d.sub.1 of the pane 1 is, for example, 2.1 mm. In principle, the pane 1 can also have other thicknesses. Thus, the pane 1 can, for example, as architectural glazing, have a thickness of 4 mm.

(21) The pane 1 was, for example, subjected to a tempering treatment and is thus a single-pane safety glass.

(22) The inner surface IV of the pane 1 is coated with a low-E coating 6. Table 1 presents three examples of low-E coatings 6 according to the invention with functional layers made, for example, of ITO. Each low-E coating 6 of the Examples 1-3 consists of a layer stack of: pane 1/adhesive layer/functional layer/barrier layer/antireflection layer.

(23) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Thickness Material Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Antireflection layer SiO.sub.2:Al 45 nm 40 nm 80 nm Barrier layer Si.sub.3N.sub.4:Al 12 nm 20 nm 12 nm Functional layer ITO 120 nm 120 nm 120 nm Adhesive layer SiO.sub.2:Al 30 nm 30 nm 40 nm Pane or inner pane 1 Soda lime glass

(24) The low-E coating 6 depicted in FIG. 1A consists, for example, of the layer system of Example 1 of Table 1. In another example, the low-E coating 6 depicted in FIG. 1A consists of the layer system of Example 2 of Table 1, and in another example, of the layer system of Example 3 of Table 1.

(25) The window pane 1 with the layer systems mentioned by way of example of Example 1-3 have an interior-side, normal total emissivity less than or equal to 30% and sheet resistance of 20 ohm/square to 30 ohm/square. The window pane has, in reflection, for example, a color value a* of 3 to +4 and a color value b* of 7 to +4, viewed from the side provided with the low-E coating 6. Such a window pane 1 can be clear and have, for example, a transparency greater than or equal to 80% in the visible range. To avoid glare in the visible range from sunlight, the pane 1 also can be highly tinted and only have a transparency less than or equal to 20% in the visible range. Of course, the low-E coating 6 can also consist of different layer systems with low emissivity.

(26) In the lower section of the window pane 100, the low-E coating 6 has, for example, two capacitive switching regions 10.

(27) FIG. 1C depicts an enlarged view of the detail Z of the window pane 100 of FIG. 1A with the capacitive switching region 10. FIG. 1D depicts an associated cross-sectional view along the section line B-B of FIG. 1C.

(28) The low-E coating 6 is divided by coating-free first partition lines 7 into different regions, electrically isolated from one another. In this example, electrically isolated means that the regions are galvanically separated from one another; in other words, that no direct-current (DC) can flow between the regions. In the example depicted in FIG. 1C, two capacitive switching regions 10 are electrically divided from a common surrounding region 15. The first partition lines 7 are closed in each case. The surrounding region 15 completely surrounds the two capacitive switching regions 10. At one pane edge 18 (lower edge in FIG. 1C) of the window pane 100 or pane 1, the surrounding region 15 extends all the way to the coating edge 32 of the low-E coating 6. In the present exemplary embodiment, the edge of the low-E coating 6 extends all the way to the edge of the pane 1, being equally conceivable that the edge of the low-E coating 6 be set back relative to the edge of the pane 1.

(29) The surrounding region 15 is electrically separated from an (outer) region 31 of the low-E coating 6 surrounding the surrounding region 15, by a second partition line 8 which partially surrounds the two capacitive switching regions 10 and is formed in the low-E coating. The second partition line 8 is formed in the low-E coating 6. The second partition line 8 is not closed and extends freely ending all the way to the coating edge 32 of the low-E coating 6, with the second partition line 8 not present there, where the surrounding region 15 extends all the way to the coating edge 32. The outer region 31 thus surrounds the surrounding region 15 only partially, not completely. The surrounding region 15 and the outer region 31 (i.e., regions of the low-E coating 6 distinct from one another that are separated from one another by the second partition line 8) are thus regions of the low-E coating 6 electrically isolated from one another. This means that the surrounding region 15 and the outer region 31 are galvanically separated from one another such that no direct-current (DC) can flow between the surrounding region 15 and the outer region 31. It is, however, also conceivable for the surrounding region 15 not to extend all the way to the coating edge 32, the second partition line 8 being closed in this case and completely surrounding the surrounding region 15. In this case, the outer region 31 completely surrounds the surrounding region 15.

(30) Each switching region 10 includes a contact region 11, which is formed approx. square and transitions into a strip-shaped supply line region 12. The width b.sub.B and the length l.sub.B of the contact region 11 is, in each case, for example, 40 mm. The width b.sub.Z of the supply line region 12 is, for example, 1 mm. The ratio b.sub.Z:b.sub.B is thus approx. 1:40. The supply line region 12 is connected to a first connection region 13. The first connection region 13 has a square shape and an edge length b.sub.A of, for example, 12 mm. The length l.sub.Z of the supply line region is approx. 48 mm. The surrounding region 15 is again separated from the remaining low-E coating 6 by a first partition line 7. Here, the surrounding region 15 is rectangular in design and includes both capacitive switching regions 10. The surrounding region 15 has another or second connection region 16. The second connection region 16 can be arranged anywhere within the surrounding region 15. In the example depicted, it is arranged on the lower edge of the surrounding region 15 at the lower edge of the pane 1. Thus, it is visually unobtrusive and hardly impairs vision through the pane.

(31) The first partition line 7 has a width t.sub.1 of, for example, merely 100 m and is, for example, introduced into the low-E coating 6 by laser patterning. The same applies to the second partition line 8. Partition lines 7, 8 with such a low width are scarcely perceptible visually and hardly disrupt vision through the pane 100, which is particularly aesthetic and is of particular importance for driving safety, particularly for use in the field of vision of motor vehicles.

(32) The first connection region 13 is electrically conductingly connected to a foil conductor 17 via an electrical line connection 20. Here, a reliable electrically conducting connection is preferably achieved by means of an electrically conductive adhesive. The foil conductor 17 consists, for example, of a 50-m-thick copper foil and is, for example, isolated outside the first connection region 13 with a polyimide layer. As a result, the foil conductor 17 can be routed out without an electrical short circuit beyond the surrounding region 15 via the lower edge of the window pane 100. Of course, the electrical line connection of the second connection region 16 can be routed outward either via insulated wires or via a region, in which the low-E coating of the surrounding region is interrupted.

(33) Here, the foil conductor 17 is, for example, connected, outside the window pane 100, to a capacitive sensor electronics system 14. Moreover, the surrounding region 15 is likewise connected to the sensor electronics system 14 via the second connection region 16. The sensor electronics system 14 is suited for precisely measuring capacitance changes of the switching region 10 relative to the surrounding region 15 and to relay a switching signal, for example, to the CAN-bus of a vehicle as a function of a threshold value. Any functions can be switched in the vehicle via the switching signal. For example, lighting in or on the window pane 100 can be switched on or off.

(34) If the window pane 100 is, for example, used as a roof panel in a motor vehicle, the length of the supply line region 12 can be selected such that the driver of the vehicle, the front-seat passenger, or back-seat occupants of the vehicle conveniently reach the contact region 11 of the switching region 10.

(35) In the exemplary embodiment depicted, the structure and the fine-tuning of the sensor electronics system 14 are coordinated such that upon contact of the inner surface IV of the pane 1 via the contact region 11 of the capacitive switching region 10, a switching signal is triggered, whereas upon contact of the outer surface III of the pane 1 via the capacitive switching region 10, no switching signal is triggered.

(36) Moreover, in this example, the area of the contact region 11 and in particular its width b.sub.B is coordinated with the width b.sub.Z of the supply line region 12 such that only upon contacting the inner surface IV of the pane 1 via the contact region 11 (i.e., in that region of the surface IV resulting from orthogonal projection of the contact region 11 onto the surface IV), a switching signal is emitted and not upon contact of the surface IV via the supply line region 12.

(37) FIG. 1E depicts an enlarged view of a detail Z of FIG. 1A of an alternative embodiment of the window pane 100. The exemplary embodiment depicted corresponds substantially in structure to the window pane 100 of FIG. 1A, such that in the following only the respective differences are dealt with. The low-E coating 6 has, in this example, a coating-free region 30, which serves, for example, as a communication window and is transparent to electromagnetic radiation, for example, to GSP reception or mobile telephony. In the exemplary embodiment depicted here, the supply line regions 12 are consequently not configured rectilinearly, but are routed around the coating-free region 30. In the supply line region 12, which belongs to the capacitive switching region 10 arranged on the left in FIG. 1E, the supply line region 12 is, for example, implemented as a strip-shaped region with two right angles (double-L structure).

(38) In the supply line region 12, which belongs to the capacitive switching region 10 arranged on the right in FIG. 1E, the supply line region 12 is, for example, implemented as an arc-shaped region. Of course, any other suitable path of the supply line region 12 is also possible.

(39) The surrounding region 15 is, in this example, separated from the surrounding low-E coating by a second second partition line 8 such that the entire surrounding low-E coating 6 cannot act as surrounding region 15. Here, the surrounding region 15 of the low-E coating 6 is connected to the capacitive sensor electronics system 14 by means of a second connection region 16.

(40) Moreover, in this exemplary embodiment, the first connection regions 13, or the second connection region 16, are electrically conductingly connected to metallic wires in the form of round conductors 19 insulated with plastic. The electrical line connection 20 between connection region 13,19 and round conductor 19 is done via a crimp element that is crimped onto one end of the round conductor 19, with the crimp element electrically conductingly connected to the connection region 13, 19 by ultrasonic soldering.

(41) FIG. 1F depicts an enlarged view of a detail Z of FIG. 1A of another alternative embodiment of the window pane 100. The exemplary embodiment depicted corresponds substantially in structure to the window pane 100 of FIG. 1A, such that, in the following, only the respective differences are dealt with.

(42) In this example, the surrounding region 15 or the second partition line 8 is implemented like a frame around the capacitive switching region 10 and, thus, around the contact region 11, the supply line region 12, and the connection region 13. The second partition line 8, which separates the immediate surrounding region 15 from the capacitive switching region 10 or the first partition line 8, has a (shortest) distance u between 5 mm and 10 mm from the contact region 11, from the supply line region 12, and, in sections, from the connection region 13 and, thus, defines the width of the surrounding region 15. Only in the connection region 13, 16 is the distance and, thus, the width u of the surrounding region 15 designed larger, so that sufficient space is available for the additional connection element 16 for the electrical contacting of the surrounding region 15.

(43) Such a frame-shaped design of the surrounding region 15 is particularly advantageous since, by this means, a particularly good signal quality of the capacitive switching region 10 can be achieved. Moreover, the separation of the surrounding region 15 from the outer region 31, in particular with a frame-shaped design of the surrounding region 15, advantageously enables the introduction of additional electrical devices into the low-E coating.

(44) FIG. 2A depicts a plan view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of a pane arrangement 201 according to the invention with a composite pane 101.

(45) FIG. 2B depicts a cross-sectional view along the section line A-A of FIG. 2A. Here, the composite pane 101 comprises, for example, an inner pane 1 and an outer pane 4 that are bonded to one another via an intermediate layer 2. The inner pane 1 corresponds in its function to the pane 1 of FIG. 1A. The composite pane 101 is, for example, part of a faade glazing and, for example, a window that separates the interior of a building from an external environment. It is equally possible to also implement such a composite pane 100 as a vehicle glazing and, in particular, as a roof panel of a passenger car.

(46) The dimensions of the composite pane 101 are, for example, 1.2 m1.2 m. The inner pane 1 is, for example, intended, in the installation position, to be turned toward the interior. In other words, the inner surface IV of the inner pane 1 is accessible from the interior out, whereas the outer surface I of the outer pane 4 faces outward. Inner pane 1 and outer pane 4 are made, for example, of soda lime glass that was produced in a float process. Inner pane 1 and outer pane 4 can be non-tempered or tempered. The thickness d.sub.1 of the inner pane 1 is, for example, 2.1 mm and the thickness d.sub.4 of the outer pane 4 is, for example, likewise 2.1 mm. The intermediate layer 2 is a thermoplastic intermediate layer and is made, for example, of polyvinyl butyral (PVB). It has a thickness d.sub.2 of, for example, 0.76 mm.

(47) The inner surface IV of the inner pane 1 is coated with a low-E coating 6. The low-E coating 6 depicted in FIG. 2A consists, for example, of the layer system of Example 1 of Table 1. In another example, the low-E coating 6 depicted in FIG. 2A consists 6 of the layer system of Example 2 of Table 1 and in another example, consists of the layer system of Example 3 of Table 1.

(48) In the central, lower section of the composite pane 101, the low-E coating 6 has a capacitive switching region 10. Of course, the capacitive switching region 10 can also be arranged in any other section of the composite pane 101.

(49) FIG. 2C depicts an enlarged view of the detail Z of FIG. 2A. FIG. 2D depicts an associated cross-sectional view along the section line B-B of FIG. 2C.

(50) The low-E coating 6 is divided by coating-free first partition lines 7 into different regions, electrically isolated from one another. In the example depicted in FIG. 2C, four capacitive switching regions 10 are electrically divided from a common surrounding region 15. Each switching region 10 comprises a contact region 11, which is implemented approx. drop-shaped, and transitions into a strip-shaped supply line region 12. The width b.sub.B and the length l.sub.B of the contact region 11 is, in each case, for example, 40 mm. The width b.sub.Z of the supply line region 12 is, for example, 1 mm. The ratio b.sub.Z:b.sub.B is thus approx. 1:40. The supply line region 12 is connected to a connection region 13. The connection region 13 has a square shape with rounded corners and a side length b.sub.A of, for example, 12 mm. The length l.sub.Z of the supply line region is approx. 48 mm.

(51) The first partition line 7 has a width of, for example, merely 100 m and is introduced into the low-E coating 6, for example, by laser patterning. Partition lines 7 with such a low width are scarcely perceptible visually and hardly disrupt vision through the composite pane 101, which is particularly aesthetic especially for use as windows of buildings or in vehicles as a roof panel. Also depicted is a second partition line 8, which completely surrounds the capacitive switching region 10 and completely separates the surrounding region 15 electrically from the outer region of the low-E coating 6.

(52) The first connection region 13 is electrically conductingly connected to a foil conductor 17 via an electrical line connection 20. Here, a reliable electrically conducting connection is preferably achieved by means of an electrically conductive adhesive. The foil conductor 17 consists, for example, of a 50-m-thick copper foil and is, for example, isolated outside the first connection region 13 with a polyimide layer. As a result, the foil conductor 17 can be routed out without an electrical short circuit beyond the surrounding region 15 via the lower edge of the window pane 101. Of course, the electrical connection of the first connection region 13 outward can be routed outward either via insulated wires or via a region of the low-E coating 6, in which the surrounding region 15 is interrupted.

(53) Here, the foil conductor 17 is, for example, connected, outside the composite pane 101, to a capacitive sensor electronics system 14. Moreover, the surrounding region 15 is likewise connected to the sensor electronics system 14 via a second connection region 16. The sensor electronics system 14 is suited for precisely measuring capacitance changes of the switching region 10 relative to the surrounding region 15 and to relay a switching signal, for example, to the CAN-bus of a vehicle as a function of a threshold value. Any functions can be switched in the vehicle via the switching signal. For example, the composite pane 101 can have a suspended particle device (SPD) layer, an electrochromic layer, or a different type of layer or film for controlling optical transparency, which can be changed in its optical transparency by the switching signal, here, for example, with four levels of transparency, each of which can be selected via the four capacitive switching regions. Of course, alternatively or additionally, other electrical functions such as electrical heating or electrical lighting can be controlled. Such functional layers or components for controlling optical transparency, electrical heating, or electrical lighting can be arranged at any positions on or in the composite pane 101, and, for example, be laminated in via one or a plurality of intermediate layers in the interior of the composite pane 101.

(54) FIG. 2E depicts an alternative embodiment, in which four light emitting diodes (LED) 21 were laminated into the composite pane 101 between inner pane 1 and outer pane 4. Likewise, one or a plurality of LEDs or light irradiation means on the edge of the composite pane 101 can couple light, for example, into the inner pane 1. The light then can be coupled out via light deflection means, such as roughening of the outer surface III of the inner pane 1 in the region of the capacitive switching region 10 and can optically mark it.

(55) FIG. 2F depicts another alternative embodiment, in which a functional intermediate layer 22 was laminated into the composite pane 101 between inner pane 1 and outer pane 4. Here, the functional intermediate layer 22 is connected to the inner pane 1 and the outer pane 4, for example, via two thermoplastic intermediate layers 2 made of a PVB film. The functional intermediate layer 22 has, for example, an electrically controllable, optical transparency and preferably includes a suspended particle device (SPD) layer or an electrochromic intermediate layer.

(56) If the composite pane 101 is used, for example, as a roof panel in a motor vehicle, the length of the supply line region 12 can be selected such that the driver of the vehicle, the front-seat passenger, or back-seat passengers can conveniently reach the contact region 11 of the switching region 10. Of course, for this, a plurality of capacitive switching regions 10 can also be arranged in the composite pane 100, for example, one for each vehicle occupant.

(57) In the example depicted, the structure and the fine-tuning of the sensor electronics system 14 are coordinated such that upon contact inner pane surface IV of the pane 1 via the contact region 11 of the capacitive switching region 10, a switching signal is triggered, whereas upon contact the outer surface I of the outer pane 4, no switching signal is triggered. This has the particular advantage that no switching signal can be triggered by intentional or accidental contacting of the composite pane 101 from outside the vehicle. Also, accidental triggering of a switching signal, for example, by rain or a carwash is avoided.

(58) Moreover, in this example, the area of the contact region 11 and in particular its width b.sub.B is coordinated with the width b.sub.Z of the supply line region 12 such that only upon contacting the inner surface IV of the inner pane 1 via the contact regions 11 (i.e., in that region of the inner surface IV resulting from orthogonal projection of the contact region 11 onto the inner surface IV), a switching signal is emitted and not upon contact of the inner surface IV of the inner pane 1 via the supply line region 12.

(59) FIG. 3A depicts another embodiment of the composite pane 101 using the example of a windshield in a view toward the inner surface IV of the inner pane 1, i.e., from the position of the vehicle occupants outward.

(60) FIG. 3B depicts a cross-sectional view along the section line A-A of FIG. 3A. The structure of the composite pane 101 of FIG. 3A corresponds, for example, to the structure of the composite pane 101 of FIG. 2A, wherein the dimensions of the composite pane 101 were merely configured for installation as a windshield. The capacitive switching region 10 was arranged, for better reachability by the vehicle driver, at the lower left edge outside the central field-of-view.

(61) FIG. 4A depicts a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing a pane arrangement 200 according to the invention with a window pane 100 with a capacitive switching region 10.

(62) The method according to the invention comprises the following steps:

(63) I. Applying a low-E coating (6) on an inner surface (IV) of a pane (1), II. Introducing at least one first partition line (7), which electrically divides the low-E coating (6) into at least one capacitive switching region (10) and at least one surrounding region (15), preferably by laser patterning or by mechanical or chemical ablation, III. Introducing at least one second partition line (8) into the low-E coating (6), which electrically divides the surrounding region (15) and an outer region of the low-E coating (6), preferably by laser patterning or by mechanical or chemical ablation.

(64) FIG. 4B depicts a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing a composite pane 101 with a capacitive switching region 10.

(65) The method according to the invention comprises the following steps:

(66) I. Applying a low-E coating (6) to an inner surface (IV) of a pane (1);

(67) II. Introducing at least one first partition line (7), which electrically divides the low-E layer (6) into at least one capacitive switching region (10) and at least one surrounding region (15) of the low-E coating (6), preferably by laser patterning or by mechanical or chemical ablation;

(68) III. Introducing at least one second partition line (8) into the low-E coating (6), which electrically divides the surrounding region (15) and an outer region of the low-E coating (6), preferably by laser patterning or by mechanical or chemical ablation,

(69) IV. Producing a stack sequence of the pane (1), an intermediate layer (2), and an outer pane (4), and

(70) V. Laminating the stack sequence to form a composite pane (100).

(71) The pane arrangement according to the invention with a window pane 100 of FIG. 1 and the composite panes 102 of the FIGS. 2 and 3 have a capacitive switching region 10, which is, for example, connectable to a capacitive sensor electronics system 14. Moreover, as a result of the low width of the partition lines 7, the view through the window pane or the composite pane is only minimally impaired and meets, for example, the requirements for a motor vehicle glazing.

(72) Particularly advantageously and surprisingly, a pane arrangement 200 with a window pane 100 or a pane arrangement 201 with a composite pane 101, in which the sensitivity of the sensor electronics system 14 is coordinated such that a selective triggering of the switching procedure is possible only from an inner surface IV of the window pane 100 or of the composite pane 101.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(73) 1 pane, inner pane 2 intermediate layer 4 outer pane 6 low-E coating 7 first partition line 8 second partition line 10 capacitive switching region 11 contact region 12 supply line region 13 first connection region 14 capacitive sensor electronics system 15 surrounding region 16 second connection region 17 foil conductor 18 pane edge 19 round conductor, stranded conductor 20 electrical line connection 21 light-emitting diode (LED) 22 functional intermediate layer 30 coating-free region 31 outer region 32 coating edge 100 window pane 101 composite pane 200, 201 pane arrangement A area of the contact region 11 b.sub.A width of the connection region 13 b.sub.B width of the contact region 11 b.sub.Z width of the supply line region 12 d.sub.1,d.sub.2,d.sub.4,d.sub.6 thickness .sub.0 electric field constant .sub.r,1, .sub.r,2, .sub.r,4, relative permittivity u width of the surrounding region 15, distance of the partition line 7 of the surrounding region 15 from the partition line 7 of the capacitive switching region 10 l.sub.A length of the connection region 13 l.sub.B length of the contact region 11 l.sub.Z length of the supply line region 12 t.sub.1 width of the partition line 7 A-A section line B-B section line Z detail I outer surface of the outer pane 4 II inner surface of the outer pane 4 III outer surface of the pane 1 or of the inner pane 1 IV inner surface of the pane 1 or of the inner pane 1