BUSBAR DESIGNS OPTIMIZED FOR ROBOTIC DISPENSE APPLICATION

Abstract

A window defroster assembly for use in a motor vehicle includes a transparent panel and a defroster grid integrally formed with the transparent panel by means of a robotic dispensing mechanism. The defroster includes conductive first and second busbars and a plurality of conductive grid lines extending between and connected to the first and second busbars.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a window glazing including a prior art window defroster having screen printed busbar with defroster grid lines;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a window glazing including a window defroster according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 a is a schematic of a portion of a busbar formed by printing a series of closely spaced parallel lines;

FIG. 3 b is a schematic of a portion of a busbar formed by printing a rectangular frame that is subsequently filled;

FIG. 3 c is a schematic of a portion of a busbar formed by printing a series of closely spaced interconnected line segments running back and forth in zig-zag fashion across the busbar; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a robotic dispensing device printing a window defroster according to the present invention.

Claims

1. A window defroster assembly for use in a motor vehicle, the assembly comprising: a transparent panel and a window defroster grid integrally formed with the transparent panel by means of a robotic dispensing mechanism, the defroster grid includes electrically conductive first and second busbars and a plurality of electrically conductive grid lines extending between and connected to the first and second busbars.

2. The window defroster assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second busbars comprise a series of closely spaced substantially parallel busbar lines.

3. The window defroster assembly of claim 2 wherein the grid lines are arranged substantially perpendicular to the busbar lines.

4. The window defroster assembly of claim 2 wherein all of the grid lines intersect with all of busbar lines.

5. The window defroster assembly of claim 2 wherein at least some of the grid lines intersect with less than all of the busbar lines.

6. The window defroster assembly of claim 2 wherein an electrical connection is made at each intersection of a grid line to a busbar line.

7. The window defroster assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second busbars comprise a conductive frame filled with a conductive filler material.

8. The window defroster assembly of claim 7 wherein the conductive filler material is of the same material as the conductive frame.

9. The window defroster assembly of claim 7 wherein the conductive filler material is of a lower viscosity than the material of the conductive frame.

10. The window defroster assembly of claim 7 wherein an electrical connection is made at an intersection of each grid line with the closed frame.

11. The window assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second busbars comprise a series of closely spaced interconnected and alternating line segments forming a zigzag pattern.

12. The window defroster assembly of claim 11 wherein all of the grid lines intersect with all of line segments.

13. The window defroster assembly of claim 11 wherein at least some of the grid lines intersect with less than all of the line segments.

14. The window defroster assembly of claim 11 wherein an electrical connection is made at an intersection of each grid line to each line segment.

15. The window defroster assembly of claim 1 wherein the transparent panel is made of one of glass and plastic resin.

16. The window defroster assembly of claim 15 wherein the plastic resin includes one selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate resins, acrylic resins, polyarylate resins, polyester resins, and polysulfone resins, as well as copolymers and mixtures thereof.

17. A method of forming a window defroster on a transparent panel, the method comprising: providing a robotic dispensing mechanism;dispensing a conductive ink from the robotic dispensing mechanism to form a first and a second busbar on the transparent panel;interconnecting the first and second busbars with a plurality of grid lines formed of the conductive ink;creating an electrical connection at an intersection of a grid line to the busbar.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first and second busbars are formed by dispensing the conductive ink in a series of closely spaced substantially parallel busbar lines.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the first and second busbars are formed by dispensing a conductive ink as a closed frame and subsequently filling the closed frame with a conductive filler material.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the first and second busbars are formed by dispensing the conductive ink in a series of closely spaced interconnected and alternating line segments forming a zigzag pattern.