PANE ARRANGEMENT WITH A HEATABLE SENSOR WINDOW

Abstract

A pane arrangement with a heatable sensor window includes a composite pane including an outer pane having an exterior-side surface and an interior-side surface and an inner pane having an exterior-side surface and an interior-side surface, which are joined to one another via at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer; an enclosure arranged on the interior-side surface of the inner pane and having an inner surface and an outer surface; a radiation receiver and/or a radiation source, which face(s) the composite pane within the enclosure such that a beam path of electromagnetic radiation passes through a sensor window of the composite pane; a first heating element; and a second heating element. The first heating element is arranged below the beam path on the outer surface or on the inner surface of the enclosure and the second heating element is arranged in a region of the composite pane surrounding the sensor window.

Claims

1. A pane arrangement with a heatable sensor window, comprising: a composite pane comprising an outer pane having an exterior-side surface and an interior-side surface and an inner pane having an exterior-side surface and an interior-side surface, which are joined to one another via at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer; an enclosure arranged on the interior-side surface of the inner pane and having an inner surface and an outer surface; a radiation receiver and/or a radiation source, which face(s) the composite pane within the enclosure such that a beam path of electromagnetic radiation passes through a sensor window of the composite pane; a first heating element, and a second heating element, wherein the first heating element is arranged below the beam path on the outer surface or on the inner surface of the enclosure, and the second heating element is arranged in a region of the composite pane surrounding the sensor window.

2. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first heating element and the second heating element are controllable and/or adjustable independently of one another.

3. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed through the pane arrangement from the outside, the second heating element is arranged outside the region in which the enclosure is arranged.

4. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the radiation receiver contains a camera or a sensor for infrared, visible, and/or ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation or the radiation source contains at least one light-emitting diode or one laser for infrared, visible, and/or ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation.

5. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first heating element is a heating film.

6. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second heating element is arranged between the outer pane and the inner pane.

7. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second heating element is at least one silver wire printed on the interior-side surface of the outer pane, on the exterior-side surface of the inner pane, or on a surface of the at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer.

8. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second heating element is at least one copper or tungsten wire arranged between the at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer and the outer pane or between the at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer and the inner pane or a heating film arranged between the at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer and the outer pane or between the at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer and the inner pane.

9. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the outer pane and the inner pane are joined to one another via at least two thermoplastic intermediate layers and the second heating element is at least one copper or tungsten wire arranged between two of the at least two thermoplastic intermediate layers or is a heating film arranged between two of the at least two thermoplastic intermediate layers.

10. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first heating element is arranged on the inner surface of the enclosure and is implemented as a heatable baffle plate or the first heating element is arranged on the outer surface of the enclosure.

11. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor for determining the temperature of the composite pane and a control unit for controlling and/or adjusting the first heating element and/or the second heating element.

12. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first heating element has a heating output of 0.1 W/cm.sup.2 to 1 W/cm.sup.2 and/or the second heating element has line output of 5 W/m to 20 W/m.

13. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the composite pane has a masking print in an edge region and in a region around the sensor window.

14. A method for producing a pane arrangement with a heatable sensor window according to claim 1, the method comprising: a) providing a composite pane, comprising an outer pane having an exterior-side surface and an interior-side surface and an inner pane having an exterior-side surface and an interior-side surface, which are joined to one another via at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer, and a second heating element, wherein the second heating element is arranged in a region of the composite pane surrounding a sensor window of the composite pane; b) mounting an enclosure having an inner surface and an outer surface and a radiation receiver and/or a radiation source mounted within the enclosure on the interior-side surface of the inner pane, wherein a beam path of electromagnetic radiation of the radiation receiver and/or the radiation source runs through the sensor window of the composite pane and a first heating element is arranged below the beam path on the outer surface or on the inner surface of the enclosure.

15. Use of A method comprising providing a pane arrangement with a heatable sensor window according to claim 1 in a vehicle, watercraft, airplane, or a helicopter.

16. The method according to claim 16, wherein the heatable sensor window is a windshield or rear window of a motor vehicle.

Description

[0083] They depict:

[0084] FIG. 1 a plan view of an embodiment of a pane arrangement according to the invention with a heatable sensor window,

[0085] FIG. 2 an enlarged view of the region B of FIG. 1,

[0086] FIG. 3 a cross-section through the region B depicted in FIG. 2 of an embodiment of a pane arrangement according to the invention with a heatable sensor window along the section line X-X,

[0087] FIG. 4 a cross-section of a detail of another embodiment of a pane arrangement according to the invention with a heatable sensor window,

[0088] FIG. 5 a cross-section of a detail of another embodiment of a pane arrangement according to the invention with a heatable sensor window,

[0089] FIG. 6 a cross-section of a detail of another embodiment of a pane arrangement according to the invention with a heatable sensor window,

[0090] FIG. 7 a cross-section of a detail of another embodiment of a pane arrangement according to the invention with a heatable sensor window,

[0091] FIG. 8 a cross-section of a detail of another embodiment of a pane arrangement according to the invention with a heatable sensor window, and

[0092] FIG. 9 a flow chart of a method according to the invention for producing a pane arrangement according to the invention with a heatable sensor window.

[0093] FIG. 1 depicts a plan view of an embodiment of a pane arrangement 1 according to the invention with a sensor window 10, and FIG. 2 depicts an enlarged view of the region B of FIG. 1. The pane arrangement 1 has, in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a composite pane 2 comprising an outer pane 3 and an inner pane 4 that are joined to one another via at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer 5, an enclosure 6, a radiation receiver 7a, a sensor window 10, a first heating element 11, a second heating element 12, and a masking print 13. The composite pane 2 has an upper edge O, a lower edge U, and two side edges S extending therebetween. The masking print 13 is arranged at the edge and is enlarged around the sensor window 10 in the direction of the center of the composite pane 2. For better illustration, the enclosure 6, on whose inner surface 6.1 or outer surface 6.2 the first heating element 11 is arranged below the beam path of the radiation receiver 7a, is not shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first heating element 11 is arranged below the beam path of the radiation receiver 7a, and the second heating element 12 is arranged in a region of the composite pane 2 surrounding the sensor window 10.

[0094] FIG. 3 depicts a cross-section through the region B depicted in FIG. 2 of an embodiment of a pane arrangement 1 according to the invention with a heatable sensor window 10 along the section line X-X.

[0095] The pane arrangement 1 depicted as a detail in cross-section in FIG. 3 comprises a composite pane 2, an enclosure 6, a radiation receiver 7a, a first heating element 11, a second heating element 12, and a masking print 13. The composite pane 2 comprises an outer pane 3 having an exterior-side surface I and an interior-side surface II and an inner pane 4 having an exterior-side surface III and an interior-side surface IV, wherein the interior-side surface II of the outer pane 3 and the exterior-side surface III of the inner pane 4 are joined to one another via a thermoplastic intermediate layer 5.

[0096] The outer pane 3 is made, for example, of soda lime glass and is 2.1 mm thick. The inner pane 4 is made, for example, of soda lime glass and is 1.6 mm thick.

[0097] The thermoplastic intermediate layer 5 is made, in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, for example, of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and is 0.76 mm thick.

[0098] The enclosure 6 having an inner surface 6.1 and an outer surface 6.2 is arranged on the interior-side surface IV of the inner pane 4 and is attached by gluing with an acrylate adhesive on the inner pane 4 of the composite pane 2. The composite pane 2 is, for example, a windshield of a motor vehicle. The enclosure contains, for example, polybutylene terephthalate with a 10% content of glass fibers (PBT-GF10) and was produced by an injection molding process.

[0099] A radiation receiver 7a is arranged within the enclosure 6 and below the composite pane 2. The radiation receiver 7a is, for example, an infrared camera for a night driving assistance system. The radiation receiver 7a detects, in particular, infrared electromagnetic radiation 9 in the wavelength range from 800 to 1100 nm. The field of vision of the radiation receiver 7a is oriented for image acquisition of the traffic space in front of the vehicle. The beam path 8 of the field of vision extends in the shape of a funnel from the exit lens of the radiation receiver 7a through the composite pane 2. The beam path 8 of the field of vision penetrates the composite pane 2 in the region of the sensor window 10. The sensor window 10 must be sufficiently transparent to the infrared electromagnetic radiation 9 of the radiation receiver 7a. The composite pane 2 has, in the region of the sensor window 10, for example, transparency for infrared radiation in the wavelength range from 800 nm to 1100 nm of more than 70%. The radiation receiver 7a is connected by supply lines (not shown) to evaluation electronics (not shown here).

[0100] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the first heating element 11 is arranged below the beam path 8 on the outer surface 6.2 of the enclosure 6. The first heating element 11 is in particular suitable for heating the enclosure in the region in which the first heating element 11 is arranged such that this region of the enclosure heats the sensor window 10 of the composite pane 2 by thermal radiation and frees it from condensation. The first heating element 11 is connected via supply lines (not shown here) to a voltage source, for example, to the onboard power supply of a motor vehicle.

[0101] The dimensions of the first heating element 11 are adapted to the dimensions of the enclosure 6 and the sensor window 10. The first heating element 11 is implemented as a heating film, i.e., for example, a film with an electrically conductive coating or conductor tracks made of a metallic material applied thereon.

[0102] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the second heating element 12 is arranged between the outer pane 3 and the thermoplastic intermediate layer 5 and, for example, is implemented as silver wires printed on the interior-side surface II of the outer pane and completely surrounding the sensor window 10. The printed silver wires are, for example, 200 ?m thick. The second heating element 12 is in particular suitable for heating the sensor window 10 of the composite pane 2 by heat conduction, and, in combination the first heating element 11, for freeing the sensor window of ice. The second heating element 12 is connected via supply lines (not shown here) to a voltage source, for example, to the onboard power supply of a motor vehicle. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the second heating element 12, when viewed from the outside through the pane arrangement 1, is arranged outside the region in which the enclosure 6 is arranged.

[0103] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the composite pane 2 has, on the interior-side surface IV of the inner pane 4, a masking print 13 made of an opaque enamel that is arranged at the edge and is enlarged toward the center of the composite pane 2 in the region around the sensor window 10.

[0104] FIG. 4 depicts a cross-section of a detail of another embodiment of a pane arrangement 1 according to the invention with a heatable sensor window 10. The embodiment depicted as a detail in FIG. 4 differs from that depicted in FIG. 3 only in that, instead of a radiation receiver 7a, a radiation source 7b is arranged within the enclosure 6 and the composite pane 2 has no masking print 13. The radiation source 7b contains, for example, ten red light-emitting diodes and serves as a so-called third brake light on the rear window of a motor vehicle. The electromagnetic radiation 9 of the radiation source 7b penetrates the composite pane 2 in the region of the sensor window 10.

[0105] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, the second heating element 12 is arranged between the inner pane 4 and the thermoplastic intermediate layer 5 in a region surrounding the sensor window 10 and implemented, for example, as a heating film with a thickness of 1 mm and a width of 1 cm. Preferably, the thickness of such a heating film is less than 2 cm, particularly preferably less than 1 cm and the width of the second heating element 12 implemented as a heating film is in the range from 0.5 cm to 2 cm.

[0106] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, when viewed through the pane arrangement 1 from the outside, the second heating element 12 is arranged outside the region in which the enclosure 6 is arranged.

[0107] FIG. 5 depicts a cross-section of a detail of another embodiment of a pane arrangement 1 according to the invention with a heatable sensor window 10. The embodiment depicted as a detail in FIG. 5 differs from that depicted in FIG. 3 only in that the masking print 13 is arranged on the exterior-side surface III of the inner pane 4 and the second heating element 12 is implemented as a silver wire with a thickness of 300 ?m printed on the interior-side surface IV of the inner pane 4.

[0108] FIG. 6 depicts a cross-section of a detail of another embodiment of a pane arrangement 1 according to the invention with a heatable sensor window 10. The embodiment depicted as a detail in der FIG. 6 differs from that depicted in FIG. 3 only in that the second heating element 12, when viewed from the outside through the pane arrangement 1, is arranged between the inner pane 4 and the thermoplastic intermediate layer in the region in which the enclosure 6 is attached to the composite pane 2. Thus, when viewed from the outside through the pane arrangement 1, the second heating element 12 is also arranged within the region in which the enclosure 6 is arranged. The second heating element 12 is implemented, for example, as a copper wire with a thickness of 150 ?m pressed into the surface of the thermoplastic intermediate layer 5 facing the inner pane 4.

[0109] FIG. 7 depicts a cross-section of a detail of another embodiment of a pane arrangement 1 according to the invention with a heatable sensor window 10. The embodiment depicted as a detail in FIG. 7 differs from that depicted in FIG. 3 only in that the first heating element 11 is arranged on the inner surface 6.1 of the enclosure 6 and is implemented as a heatable baffle plate. The first heating element 11 is thus suitable for heating the sensor window 10 by thermal radiation and freeing it of condensation.

[0110] FIG. 8 depicts a cross-section of a detail of another embodiment of a pane arrangement 1 according to the invention with a heatable sensor window 10. The embodiment depicted as a detail in FIG. 8 differs from that depicted in FIG. 3 only in that the composite pane 2 has two thermoplastic intermediate layers 5, via which the outer pane 3 and the inner pane 4 are joined to one another and the second heating element 12 is arranged between the two thermoplastic intermediate layers and is implemented, for example, as a tungsten wire with a thickness of 150 ?m. The two thermoplastic intermediate layers 5 have, for example, in each case, a thickness of 0.38 mm and contain PVB. In addition, the composite pane 2 in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 8 has no masking print 13.

[0111] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 8, when viewed through the pane arrangement 1 from the outside, the second heating element 12 is arranged outside the region in which the enclosure 6 is arranged.

[0112] FIG. 9 depicts a flow chart of a method according to the invention for producing a pane arrangement 1 according to the invention with a heatable sensor window 10.

[0113] In a first step S1, a composite pane 2, comprising an outer pane 3 having an exterior-side surface I and an interior-side surface II and an inner pane 4 having an exterior-side surface III and an interior-side surface IV, joined to one another via at least one thermoplastic intermediate layer 5, and a second heating element 12 are provided, with the second heating 25 element 12 arranged in a region of the composite pane 2 surrounding a sensor window 10 of the composite pane 2.

[0114] In a second step S2, an enclosure 6 having an inner surface 6.1 and an outer surface 6.2 and a radiation receiver 7a and/or radiation source 7b mounted within the enclosure 6 is mounted on the interior-side surface IV of the inner pane 4, wherein a beam path 8 of electromagnetic radiation 9 of the radiation receiver 7a and/or the radiation source 7b runs through the sensor window 10 of the composite pane 2 and a first heating element 11 is arranged below the beam path 8 on the outer surface 6.2 or on the inner surface 6.1 of the enclosure 6.

[0115] Using the pane arrangement according to the invention with a heatable sensor window, a sensor window with a size of 0.1 m.sup.2 and an initial temperature of ?18? C. can be de-iced in 7 minutes and 45 seconds using 175 mL/m.sup.2 of water.

[0116] The de-icing performance of the pane arrangement according to the invention is thus comparable to that of pane arrangements with heating wires arranged within the sensor window, but offers optical advantages since no heating wires are arranged in the region of the sensor window and thus optical distortions or light diffraction phenomena caused by the heating wires are avoided.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0117] 1 pane arrangement [0118] 2 composite pane [0119] 3 outer pane [0120] 4 inner pane [0121] 5 thermoplastic intermediate layer [0122] 6 enclosure [0123] 6.1 inner surface of the enclosure [0124] 6.2 outer surface of the enclosure [0125] 7a radiation receiver [0126] 7b radiation source [0127] 8 beam path [0128] 9 electromagnetic radiation [0129] 10 sensor window [0130] 11 first heating element [0131] 12 second heating element [0132] 13 masking print [0133] I exterior-side surface of the outer pane [0134] II interior-side surface of the outer pane [0135] III exterior-side surface of the inner pane [0136] IV interior-side surface of the inner pane [0137] O upper edge [0138] U lower edge [0139] S side edge [0140] B region [0141] X-X section line