PANE ARRANGEMENT HAVING AN ELECTRICALLY HEATABLE BAFFLE PLATE

Abstract

A pane arrangement having an electrically heatable baffle plate is described. The pane arrangement has a pane having an enclosure on the inner side of the pane, a radiation receiver and/or a radiation source facing the pane within the enclosure such that a beam path of electromagnetic radiation passes through a predefined region of the pane, a baffle plate arranged within the enclosure and below the beam path, and an electrically heatable area in the baffle plate heating the region.

Claims

1. A pane arrangement having an electrically heatable baffle plate, comprising: a pane with an enclosure on the inner side of the pane; a radiation receiver and/or a radiation source, which is/are turned toward the pane within the enclosure such that a beam path of electromagnetic radiation passes through a predefined region of the pane; a baffle plate, which is arranged within the enclosure and below the beam path; and an electrically heatable area in the baffle plate, which directly heats the predefined region by thermal radiation.

2. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the radiation receiver contains a camera or a photosensor light-sensitive sensor for infrared, visible, and/or ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation.

3. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the radiation source contains an incandescent bulb or a light-emitting diode for infrared, visible, and/or ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation.

4. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the baffle plate contains, or is made of, a metal.

5. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the baffle plate has thermal conductivity of more than 80 W/(m K).

6. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the baffle plate has, outside the electrically heatable are, an electrical heating element, and wherein the electrically heatable area is heatable by thermal conduction.

7. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the predefined region and the electrically heatable area have each a substantially planar shape, and wherein an angle between a plane defining the predefined region and a plane defining the electrically heatable area is from 5 to 65.

8. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the region has transparency for electromagnetic radiation of >60%.

9. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the electrically heatable area has a heating output of 0.5 W/dm.sup.2 to 10 W/dm.sup.2.

10. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the baffle plate has a patterning on the side turned toward the beam path.

11. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the pane contains glass, polymers and/or mixtures thereof.

12. The pane arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the pane is of a substantially rectangular shape, and wherein the enclosure is arranged in an edge region of the pane between a center of the pane and an edge of the pane.

13. A method for receiving and/or transmitting of electromagnetic signals through a pane, the method comprising: providing a pane having a predefined region that is transparent in a wavelength range of electromagnetic radiation; arranging a baffle plate in an inner side of the pane, the baffle plate having an electrically heatable area that emits thermal radiation; and heating the predefined region of the pane by the thermal radiation, wherein the predefined region is configured for passage of electromagnetic signals that operate within the wavelength range.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the arranging of the baffle plate is so that the thermal radiation strikes the predefined region in a substantially perpendicular direction.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the predefined region comprises an opaque and/or colored edge that is not transparent in the wavelength range of electromagnetic radiation.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein reception of the electromagnetic signals is by way of a radiation receiver arranged in the inner side of the pane that contains a camera or a light-sensitive sensor for infrared, visible, and/or ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein transmission of the electromagnetic signals is by way of a radiation source arranged in the inner side of the pane that contains an incandescent bulb or a light-emitting diode for infrared, visible, and/or ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the baffle plate has, at an edge of the electrically heatable area, an electrical heating element, and wherein the electrically heatable area is heatable by thermal conduction.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the predefined region and the electrically heatable area have each a substantially planar shape, and wherein an angle between a plane defining the predefined region and a plane defining the electrically heatable area is from 5 to 65.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein the baffle plate has a patterning on a side of the baffle plate that faces the predefined region.

Description

[0054] The invention is explained in detail in the following with reference to drawings. The drawings are schematic depictions and not true to scale. The drawings in no way restrict the invention.

[0055] They depict:

[0056] FIG. 1 a top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a pane arrangement according to the invention,

[0057] FIG. 2 a simplified, schematic representation of a cross-section of a pane arrangement according to the invention,

[0058] FIG. 3 a cross-section of a detail of a pane arrangement according to the invention,

[0059] FIG. 4 a cross-section of a detail of an alternative embodiment of a pane arrangement according to the invention,

[0060] FIG. 5 a cross-section of a pane arrangement according to the invention,

[0061] FIG. 6a a flowchart of a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, and

[0062] FIG. 6b a flowchart of an alternative embodiment of the method according to the invention.

[0063] FIG. 1 depicts a top plan view of a pane arrangement 100 according to the invention. An enclosure 6, a radiation receiver 3a, and a region 2 that is predefined by the beam path 5 through the pane 1 are arranged in the upper region of the pane 1. The beam path 5 has an upper edge 5.1 and a lower edge 5.2.

[0064] FIG. 2 depicts a simplified, schematic representation of a cross-section along section line A-A of FIG. 1. The enclosure 6 is arranged on the inner side II of the pane 1. In the case of a motor vehicle pane, the inner side II is the side of the pane 1 turned toward the vehicle interior.

[0065] Within the enclosure 6 and below the pane 1, a radiation receiver 3a is arranged. The beam path 5 of the radiation receiver 3a runs in a funnel shape from the emission lens of the radiation receiver 3a through the pane 1. The beam path 5 of the visual field penetrates the pane 1 in a region 2 that lies between the upper edge 5.1 of the beam path 5 and the lower edge 5.2 of the beam path 5. The region 2 must be sufficiently transparent to the electromagnetic radiation 15 of the radiation receiver 3a.

[0066] Below the radiation receiver 3a, a baffle plate 4 is arranged. The baffle plate 4 reaches from the radiation receiver 3a all the way to the pane 1. The baffle plate 4 is arranged outside and, in particular, below the beam path 5 of the radiation receiver 3a, in order not to restrict the beam path 5. The baffle plate 4 borders the region 2 of the pane 1 at an angle cc of, for example, 30.

[0067] The baffle plate 4 has on the top surface 20 an electrically heatable area 7. The electrically heatable area 7 can be heated directly, for example, by a heating conductor on the surface 20. The electrically heatable area 7 can also be heated indirectly, for example, by an electrical heating element in another region of the baffle plate 4, with the electrically heatable area 7 heated by the thermal conduction of the material of the baffle plate 4.

[0068] The electrically heatable area 7 is arranged opposite the region 2 of the pane 1. When the electrically heatable area 7 is heated, it heats the region 2 of the pane 1 by thermal radiation 9 and thus frees it of condensation. For this, it is particularly advantageous for the region 2 and the electrically heatable area 7 to run as nearly parallel as possible such that the thermal radiation 9 that leaves the electrically heatable area 7 strikes the region 2 of the pane 1 as nearly perpendicular as possible. At the same time, a very large installation space would be required that would protrude undesirably far into the interior in the case of an arrangement on a motor vehicle pane. Consequently, a certain angle of 5 to 45 and, for example, 30, is preferred.

[0069] FIG. 3 depicts a cross-section through a pane arrangement 100 according to the invention in the region of an enclosure 6. The cross-section runs along the section line A-A of FIG. 1. The enclosure 6 is arranged on the inner side II of a pane 1 and fastened on the pane 1 by gluing with an acrylic adhesive. The pane 1 is, for example, a windshield of a motor vehicle and, for example, a laminated safety glass. The inner side II is the side of the pane 1 turned toward the vehicle interior. The enclosure contains, for example, polybutylene terephthalate with a 10% fraction of glass fibers (PBT-GF10) and was produced by an injection molding process.

[0070] Within the enclosure 6 and below the pane 1, a radiation receiver 3a is arranged. The radiation receiver 3a is, for example, an infrared camera for a night driving assistance system. The radiation receiver 3a detects, in particular, infrared electromagnetic radiation 15 in the wavelength range from 800 to 1100 nm. The field of vision of the radiation receiver 3a is oriented for image capture of the space in front of the vehicle. The beam path 5 of the field of vision runs in the shape of a funnel from the emission lens of the radiation receiver 3a through the pane 1. The beam path 5 of the field of vision penetrates the pane 1 in a region 2. The region 2 must be sufficiently transparent to the infrared electromagnetic radiation 15 of the radiation receiver 3a. The pane 1 has, in the region 2, for example, a transparency for infrared radiation in the wavelength range from 800 nm to 1100 nm of more than 70%. The radiation receiver 3a is connected by supply lines 13 to evaluation electronics (not shown).

[0071] A baffle plate 4 is arranged below the radiation receiver 3a. Here, below means, in the case of a motor vehicle pane in the installed state, vertical and closer to the bottom of the vehicle. The baffle plate 4 reaches from the radiation receiver 3a all the way to the pane 1. The baffle plate 4 is arranged below the beam path 5 of the radiation receiver 3a in order not to restrict the field of vision of the space in front of the vehicle. The baffle plate 4 borders on the region 2 of the pane 1 at an angle cc of, for example, 30.

[0072] The baffle plate 4 is made, for example, of aluminum with thermal conductivity of 200 W/(m K). The baffle plate 4 is black anodized on the surface 20 visible through the pane 1 from outside. Furthermore, the surface 20 has a zigzag or wave-shaped patterning 10. Thus, unwanted reflections from laterally entering scattered light into the radiation receiver 3a are reduced or prevented.

[0073] The baffle plate 4 has on the surface 20 an electrically heatable area 7. In the example depicted, the heating of the area 7 is done by means of an electrical heating element 11 on the bottom of the baffle plate 4. The footprint of the electrically heatable area 7 of the baffle plate 4 is, for example, 35 cm.sup.2. The electrical heating element 11 is, for example, a heating wire or an electrically conductive coating and can be heated by an electric current. The heating element 11 is connected via supply lines 12 to a voltage source, for example, to the onboard electrical system of a motor vehicle.

[0074] If the electrical heating element 11 is heated by an electric current, the electrically heatable area 7 of the surface 20 of the baffle plate 4 heats up due to the high thermal conductivity of the material of the baffle plate 4. The heated area 7 is, in particular, suited to heat the region 2 of the pane 1 by means of thermal radiation 9 and to thus free it of condensation. As experiments of the inventor showed, a heating output of 6 W/dm.sup.2 suffices to keep the inner side II of the pane 1 of a motor vehicle free of condensation in the region 2 with an outside temperature of 0 C.

[0075] FIG. 4 depicts a cross-section of an alternative embodiment of a pane arrangement 100 according to the invention. The pane arrangement 100 corresponds to the pane arrangement 100 of FIG. 1. Instead of the radiation receiver 3a, a radiation source 3b is arranged within the enclosure 6. The radiation source 3b 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 enclosure 6 is, for example, arranged in an upper region of the pane 1, which has no printed-on or other heating structures. The electromagnetic radiation 15 of the radiation source 3b penetrates the pane 1 in a region 2. By means of the thermal radiation 9 that leaves the electrically heatable area 7 of the baffle plate 4, the region 2 can be kept free of condensation. Furthermore, the thermal radiation accelerates deicing of the outer side I of the pane 1 over the region 2.

[0076] FIG. 5 depicts a top plan view of another exemplary embodiment of a pane arrangement 100 according to the invention. An infrared-reflecting, low-emissivity coating 16 based on indium tin oxide is arranged on the inner side II of the pane 1. Such infrared-reflecting coatings 16 are, for example, known from WO 2011/088330 A2. The coating 16 has transparency for electromagnetic radiation in the visible range of roughly 80%, but absorbs a large share of infrared electromagnetic radiation. The coating 16 is removed within the enclosure 6 and, in particular, in the region 2 of the beam path 5 of the radiation receiver 3a. As a result of the decoating, a large part of the infrared radiation 15 can arrive at the radiation receiver 3a. The decoated region is hardly discernible anymore from the outside, due to the enclosure 6 on the inner side II of the pane 1 and the aesthetic appearance of the pane 1 is retained.

[0077] In the example depicted, the heating element 11 is arranged in a region 17 of the baffle pane 4 distant from the pane 1. The heating element 11 is, for example, an economical and easy to install heating cartridge, which was pressed into an opening of the aluminum body of the baffle plate 4. The heat generated in the heating element 11 is passed on to the region 18 and the area 7 due to the good thermal conductivity of the aluminum. The thus indirectly heated area 7 heats, by thermal radiation 9, the region 2 of the pane 1. To protect the radiation receiver 3a against excessively high temperatures, thermal insulation 8 is arranged between the radiation receiver 3a and the baffle plate 4. The thermal insulation 8 contains, for example, a polymer and, in particular, the material of the enclosure 6.

[0078] FIGS. 6a and 6b depict, in each case, a flowchart of a method according to the invention for producing a pane arrangement 100 according to the invention.

[0079] The present invention has a group of advantages compared to pane arrangements according to the prior art. With pane arrangements with radiation receivers or radiation sources according to the prior art, the pane is customarily heated in the surroundings of the region through which the electromagnetic radiation is transmitted. Since, if at all possible, no heating conductors should cross this region, the heating conductors are arranged on the outer edge of the region. The heating of the interior of the region occurs only by thermal conduction. Since glass is a poor thermal conductor, the region is very inhomogeneously and insufficiently heated. No satisfactory result can be obtained with this type of heating of the region.

[0080] With the present invention, the region 2 is heated directly by thermal radiation 9. The transfer of sufficient heating output occurs only due to thermal radiation. This permits uniform energy input to the region to be heated. At the same time, it is possible to keep the necessary energy consumption low.

[0081] The electrically heatable baffle plate 4 according to the invention is simple to integrate into an already existing enclosure 6 of a camera or of a third brake light and replaces there, for example, an already present non-heatable baffle plate. The power supply of the baffle plate 4 according to the invention can take place simply via the power supply of the camera or of the brake light.

[0082] For the person skilled in the art, it was unexpected and surprising that the transfer of thermal radiation with the pane arrangement according to the invention is sufficient to keep the region to be heated free of condensation.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0083] 1 pane [0084] 2 region [0085] 3a radiation receiver [0086] 3b radiation source [0087] 4 baffle plate [0088] 5 beam path [0089] 5.1 upper edge of the beam path 5 [0090] 5.2 lower edge of the beam path 5 [0091] 6 enclosure [0092] 7 heatable area [0093] 8 thermal insulation [0094] 9 thermal radiation [0095] 10 patterning, fluting [0096] 11 heating element [0097] 12 supply line to the heating element 7 or to the heating area 11 [0098] 13 supply line to the radiation receiver 3a or to the radiation source 3b [0099] 15 electromagnetic radiation [0100] 16 coating [0101] 17 first region of the baffle plate 4 [0102] 18 second region of the baffle plate 4 [0103] 20 surface of the baffle plate 4 [0104] 100 pane arrangement [0105] angle between pane 1 and baffle plate 4 [0106] I outer side of the pane 1 [0107] II inner side of the pane 1 [0108] III side of the baffle plate 4 [0109] A-A section line