Patent Application
20250230707
The invention relates to an architectural window, and more particularly, to an architectural window having a coating pattern on a surface of the window, such as the exterior or No. 1 surface, which aids in reducing bird collisions.
To reduce energy losses and improve the comfort in buildings, windows with high thermal performance are needed. These windows often have a high reflectance that reflects the sky and landscape, which can be detrimental to the bird population. It is estimated that approximately one billion birds die in the United States each year after collisions with windows. The collisions are caused due to the fact that the substrate of the window reflects the sky and landscape behind the bird, such that the bird perceives that its flight path is open.
Windows having high thermal performance that are designed to reduce bird collisions and a cost-effective technique for producing these types of windows would be desirable.
In accordance with one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a coated substrate such as an architectural window, comprising a first substrate, the first substrate having a No. 1 surface and a No. 2 surface oppositely disposed from the No. 1 surface. The No. 2 surface comprises at least one functional layer located thereon, and the No. 1 surface includes a first coating having a bird-visible predetermined pattern on a portion of the No. 1 surface with respect to other portions of the No. 1 surface. The first coating can comprise nanoparticles. The first coating can comprise silicon nitride or various oxides, such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, and/or zinc stannate. According to one embodiment, the first coating can be applied to the No. 1 surface. The first coating is applied in a manner to produce a predetermined pattern. The predetermined pattern can comprise a series of spaced markings. The predetermined pattern can be created using a mask. According to another embodiment, the predetermined pattern can comprise a series of stripes. The predetermined pattern forms a contrasting surface on the first substrate in comparison to other portions of the No. 1 surface of the substrate. This contrasting surface reduces bird collisions with the window.
According to one embodiment, the at least one functional layer located on the No. 2 surface can comprise at least a base layer, at least one metallic layer, and a top layer. At least one primer layer can be positioned over the at least one metallic layer. Also, at least one protective layer can be positioned over the top layer.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of forming an architectural window for reducing bird collisions with the window. The method comprises providing a first substrate having a No. 1 surface and an oppositely disposed No. 2 surface, moving the substrate through a coating device, wherein a mask can be located within the coating device, applying a first coating to the No. 1 surface, wherein the first coating has a predetermined pattern, created by the pattern of the mask, that forms a contrasting surface on the substrate, and applying a second coating to the No. 2 surface, wherein the second coating comprises a plurality of layers that form a functional layer on the No. 2 surface, wherein the predetermined pattern results in a contrast in the UV (ultraviolet) and/or visible light range when compared to other portions of the No. 1 surface of the substrate. According to one embodiment, the coating device can be a magnetron sputter vapor deposition (MSVD) coating device and the second coating can be applied to the No. 2 surface using a sputter-down process and the first coating can be applied to the No. 1 surface in the MSVD coating device using a sputter-up process. The method further comprises continuously moving the substrate through the coating device and applying the second coating to the No. 2 surface and the first coating to the No. 1 surface in a single pass of the substrate through the MSVD coating device. The predetermined pattern can be a striped pattern on the No. 1 surface. Alternatively, the first coating can be selectively applied to the No. 1 surface by turning on/off the coating device that controls the application of the first coating. The pattern of the coating can be in the form of a series of spaced-apart stripes or spaced-apart markings. It can be appreciated that during the coating process, the order of application of the first and second coating can be switched, i.e. the “second” coating to the No. 2 surface can be applied before the application of the “first” coating to the No. 1 surface.
In accordance with yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to an architectural insulating glass unit comprising a first substrate having a No. 1 surface and a No. 2 surface, a second substrate having a No. 3 surface and a No. 4 surface, wherein the second substrate is spaced from the first substrate, and wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are associated with each other to define a gap therebetween, wherein the No. 2 and the No. 3 surfaces are facing each other and define the gap between the first substrate and the second substrate, a first coating on the No. 1 surface comprising a coating having a predetermined pattern; and a second coating located on at least the No. 2 surface, the No. 3 surface, or the No. 4 surface, wherein the predetermined pattern results in a contrast in the UV and/or bird-visible range when compared to other portions of the No. 1 surface of the substrate. According to one embodiment, the first coating can be applied to the No. 1 surface using an MSVD coating process and the predetermined pattern can comprise a series of spaced markings or spaced stripes. The predetermined pattern can be created by using a mask located within the coating device or by selectively turning on/off the coating device. The first coating can comprise nanoparticles. The second coating can comprise at least a base layer, at least one metallic layer, and a top layer. It can be appreciated that the order of application of the coatings to the No. 1 surface and the No. 2 surface can be switched.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures wherein like reference characters identify like parts throughout. Unless indicated to the contrary, the drawing figures are not to scale.
As used herein, spatial or directional terms, such as “left”, “right”, “inner”, “outer”, “above”, “below”, and the like, relate to the invention as it is shown in the drawing figures. However, it is to be understood that the invention can assume various alternative orientations and, accordingly, such terms are not to be considered as limiting. Further, as used herein, all numbers expressing dimensions, physical characteristics, processing parameters, quantities of ingredients, reaction conditions, and the like, used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about”. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical values set forth in the following specification and claims may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical value should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Additionally, all documents, such as but not limited to, issued patents and patent applications, referred to herein are to be considered to be “incorporated by reference” in their entirety.
The discussion of the invention herein may describe certain features as being “particularly” or “preferably” within certain limitations (e.g., “preferably”, “more preferably”, or “even more preferably”, within certain limitations). It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these particular or preferred limitations but encompasses the entire scope of the disclosure.
The invention comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of, the following aspects of the invention, in any combination. Various aspects of the invention are illustrated in separate drawing figures. However, it is to be understood that this is simply for ease of illustration and discussion. In the practice of the invention, one or more aspects of the invention shown in one drawing figure can be combined with one or more aspects of the invention shown in one or more of the other drawing figures.
The following numbered clauses are illustrative of various aspects of the disclosure:
It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the concepts disclosed in the foregoing description. Accordingly, the particular embodiments described in detail herein are illustrative only and are not limited to the scope of the invention, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.
Reference is now made to
The first coating 22 in the predetermined pattern on the No. 1 surface 16 results in bird-visible portions on the No. 1 surface 16 that may scatter, redirect, absorb, reflect or transmit differently than other portions of the substrate. Incoming radiation, such as from sunlight or another radiation source, may be incident to the first coating 22, such that the incoming radiation collides with the first coating 22. The incoming radiation may comprise visible electromagnetic radiation and may comprise ultraviolet and/or infrared radiation. Upon the incoming radiation colliding with the first coating 22, the first coating 22 may reflect radiation in at least one direction away from the No. 1 surface 16. The reflected radiation may be scattered. By “scattered”, it is meant that the incoming radiation is reflected in non-specular directions to form the scattered radiation.
The first coating 22 forming the predetermined pattern can comprise a material including nanoparticles distributed therein resulting in the production of the predetermined patterned portion that reflects and/or absorbs radiation in the ultraviolet range and/or the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. It can be appreciated that the first coating 22 can comprise silicon nitride or various oxides, such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, zinc stannate, etc. in which the nanoparticles are embedded therein. According to one embodiment, the nanoparticles can be deposited in a polymer matrix. Examples of suitable nanoparticles include oxide nanoparticles, such as metal oxide nanoparticles. For example, alumina, titania, cerium oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, silica, and zirconia. Other examples include metallic nanoparticles, such as iron, steel, copper, silver, gold, and titanium. Further examples include alloy nanoparticles containing alloys of two or more materials, sulfide-containing nanoparticles and/or nitride-containing nanoparticles, luminescent materials and/or phosphorescent nanoparticles, and/or nanocrystalline nanoparticles. Examples of nanoparticles are described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,112,208; 10,112,209; and 10,597,324.
The No. 2 surface 18 comprises at least one functional layer or second coating, generally indicated as 26, located thereon. According to one embodiment, the second coating 26 on the No. 2 surface 18 can comprise layers that are applied as successive layers. The second coating 26 can be applied using an MSVD coating process or any other known coating process. The second coating 26 includes at least a base layer, such as a first dielectric layer 28, at least one metallic layer 30, and at least a top layer, such as a second dielectric layer 36. The second coating 26 can also include at least one primer layer 32, which is applied or coated over the at least one metallic layer 30. Also, at least one protective layer 38 can be applied or coated over the top layer or second dielectric layer 36. The primer layer 32 comprises any known primer layer. The primer layer is generally deposited as a metal and the metal subsequently oxidizes. The metal can be any metal known to be used in a primer layer, such as titanium, an aluminum doped zinc, nickel chromium, and the like. The first and second dielectric layers 28, 36 can be any known dielectric layer, such as the oxide of a zinc-based alloy or the like. The at least one protective layer 38 can be any known protective material, such as titania, silica, zirconia, alumina, an alloy of titania and alumina, mixtures thereof, and the like.
Referring to
The method of forming the coated substrate 10 comprises providing a substrate 12 having a No. 1 surface 16 and an oppositely disposed No. 2 surface 18, moving the substrate 12 through a coating device and applying a first coating 22 to the No. 1 surface 16. The first coating 22 has a predetermined pattern that forms a contrasting surface on the substrate. The predetermined pattern results in a contrast in the UV and/or visible range when compared to other portions 24 of the No. 1 surface 16 of the substrate 12. The method further comprises applying a functional layer(s) to the No. 2 surface 18. This functional layer(s) can be in the form of one or more second coatings 26 applied onto the No. 2 surface 18. It can be appreciated that in the manufacturing line, the second coatings 26 or the functional layers can be applied to the No. 2 surface 18 before the application of the first coating 22 or patterned coating to the No. 1 surface 16.
The first and second coatings 22, 26 can be applied using any well-known coating devices, such as, conventional chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD) devices, and the like. Examples of CVD processes include spray pyrolysis. Examples of PVD processes include electron beam evaporation and vacuum sputtering (such as, magnetron sputter vapor deposition (MSVD)). Other coating methods could also be used, such as, but not limited to, sol-gel deposition, slot die coating deposition, or printing depositions, such as screen printing or ink-jet printing. In one non-limiting embodiment, the first and second coatings 22, 26 are deposited by MSVD. Examples of MSVD coating devices are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,379,040; 4,861,669; 4,898,789; 4,898,790; 4,900,633; 4,920,006; 4,938,857; 5,328,768; and 5,492,750.
According to one embodiment, and with reference to
Reference is now made to
When installed in a building, the No. 1 surface 116 faces the outside of the building and the No. 4 surface 120 faces the inside of the building. A first coating 122 is provided on the No. 1 surface 116 comprising a coating having a predetermined pattern. The predetermined pattern results in a contrast in the UV and/or visible light spectrum when compared to other portions 124 of the No. 1 surface 116 of the substrate 112. It can be appreciated that the predetermined pattern of the first coating 122 can be any variety of stripes, shapes, and/or any combination thereof, including, but not limited to, the patterns illustrated in
Alternatively, the invention can be a monolithic laminate architectural window. When installed in a building, the No. 1 surface faces the outside of the building and the No. 2 surface faces that inside of the building. The first coating 122 is provided on the No. 1 surface. Like the IGU example, the first coating has a predetermined pattern that results in a contrast in the UV and/or visible light spectrum when compared to other portions of the No. 1 surface of the substrate.
A second coating 126 is located on at least the No. 2 surface 118, the No. 3 surface 119, and/or the No. 4 surface 120; or the No. 2 surface of a monolithic laminate window. For illustration purposes,
According to one embodiment, and with reference to
It can be appreciated that the substrate 12, the first substrate 112, and/or the second substrate 114 can be glass, ceramic, and/or plastic, as long as the material used is not detrimentally affected by the operating conditions of the coating process. It can also be appreciated that the first substrate 112 and the second substrate 114 can be of the same or different materials and can include any desired material having any desired characteristics. For example, one or more of the substrates 112, 114 can be transparent or translucent to visible light.
The substrate, the first substrate and/or the second substrate 12, 112, 114 can comprise glass. Non-limiting examples of suitable glass materials include soda-lime-silicate glass, borosilicate glass, or leaded glass. The glass can be of any type, such as float glass, and can be of any composition having any optical properties, e.g., any value of visible transmission, ultraviolet transmission, infrared transmission, and/or total solar energy transmission. By “float glass” is meant glass formed by a float process in which molten glass is deposited onto a molten metal bath and controllably cooled to form a float glass ribbon.
Alternatively, the substrate, 12, the first substrate 112 and/or the second substrate 114 can comprise plastic. Non-limiting examples of suitable plastic materials for the substrate 12 and/or the first and second substrates 112, 114 include acrylic polymers, such as polyacrylates; polyalkylmethacrylates, such as polymethylmethacrylates, polyethylmethacrylates, polypropylmethacrylates, and the like; polyurethanes; polycarbonates; polyalkylterephthalates, such as polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polypropyleneterephthalates, polybutyleneterephthalates, and the like; polysiloxane-containing polymers; or copolymers of any monomers for preparing these, or any mixtures thereof.
The substrate 12, the first substrate 112, and the second substrate 114 can be of any desired dimensions, e.g., length, width, shape, or thickness. In one non-limiting embodiment substrates 12, 112, 114 are components in an architectural transparency, each substrate 12, 112, 114 may be 1-30 mm thick, such as 2.5-25 mm thick, or 2.5-10 mm thick.
The first coating 22, 122 and the predetermined pattern may be visible to both birds and humans, such that they are visible by reflecting radiation in the visible region (approximately 380-750 nm) of the electromagnetic spectrum. The patterns may exhibit a low gloss value at 20°, such as the coatings 22, 122 having a 20° gloss value of less than 1 gloss unit, less than 0.5 gloss units, or less than 0.25 gloss units. 20° gloss value may be measured using a gloss meter.
The No. 1 surface 16, 116 may be an uncoated surface. Alternatively, the No. 1 surface 16, 116 may be coated, such as with a solar control coating, a protective coating, or any other type of coating.
As discussed above and in reference to
It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the concepts disclosed in the foregoing description. Accordingly, the particular embodiments described in detail herein are illustrative only and are not limiting to the scope of the invention, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/621,135, filed Jan. 16, 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63621135 | Jan 2024 | US |
