Glazing Panel

Abstract

This invention relates to glazing panels, and in particular to chromogenic glazing panels and to a process for manufacturing such glazing panels. It is disclosed a glazing panel comprising two sheets of glass spaced apart from each other and sealed together along a of their edges, wherein the distance between the two sheets of glass is between 10 and 500 μm and wherein the glazing panel is provided with a plurality of spaced deposits arranged between and in contact with the two sheets of glass and arranged with a distance between the deposits of between 1 and 10 cm, at least some of the deposits being attached to the surface of each glass sheet and each deposit comprising an adhesive. The glazings according to the invention have the advantage of providing a substantially constant distance between the two sheets of glass over substantially the whole surface of the glazing panel.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

Two sheets of glass of 4 mm thickness with a dimension of 1×1 m are provided with a conductive coating. The coating consists of a layer of SiO_xC_y of 750 Å further coated with a layer of SnO₂:F of 3200 Å. Deposits of an UV-cured adhesive, sold under the name WELLOMER UV 2086, are deposited on the coated side of the first sheet of glass, linearly in an array, with a regular interval between the deposits of 5 cm. The second sheet of glass is then positioned over the first one with the deposits, its coated side facing the deposits and gently pressed until reaching the desired distance between both glass sheets, i.e. in this case 100 μm. This assembly is then let to dry a few minutes under an UV-lamp. The deposits thus present a height of 100 μm, corresponding to the spacing between the glass sheets, and a diameter measured in the plane parallel to the glass sheets of 1 mm.

In a following step, three edges of the assembly are sealed with the same adhesive WELLOMER UV 2086. After drying of the sealing (a few minutes under an UV-lamp), a suspension comprising suspended particles is allowed to flow between the glass sheets and the fourth edge of the glazing panel is sealed and let to dry a few minutes under an UV-lamp, during which the suspension is protected from the UV-rays by placing a mirror over it.

The colour of the suspended particle device so obtained is homogeneous over the whole surface of the glazing panel, showing that the distance between the two sheets of glass is maintained substantially constant over substantially the whole surface of the glazing panel. The average distance between the two sheets of glass is calculated from 25 measurements, made when the glazing panel is in vertical position, at the central point of imaginary squares of 20 cm² dividing the glazing panel surface. The average distance calculated is 100 μm and the maximum deformation measured is 1 μm; this means that the distance between the two sheets of glass varies with a value of 1% of the average distance between the two sheets of glass.

Claims

1. A glazing panel comprising two sheets of glass spaced apart from each other and sealed together along their edges, wherein the distance between the two sheets of glass is between 10 and 500 μm and wherein the glazing panel is provided with a plurality of spaced deposits comprising an adhesive which are arranged between and in contact with the two sheets of glass and arranged with a distance between the deposits of between 1 and 10 cm, at least some of the deposits being attached to the surface of each glass sheet.

2. The glazing panel according to claim 1, wherein the spaced deposits maintain the distance between the two glass sheets substantially constant over substantially the whole surface of the glazing panel.

3. The glazing panel according to claim 1, wherein the size of the glazing panel is greater than 30×30 cm.

4. The glazing panel according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of each of the two sheets of glass is in the range 2 to 6 mm.

5. The glazing panel according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the two sheets of glass is between 50 and 150 μm.

6. The glazing panel according to claim 1, wherein the variation of distance between the two sheets of glass is less than 20% of the average distance between the two sheets of glass.

7. The glazing panel according to claim 6, wherein the variation of distance between the two sheets of glass is in the range 0 to 10% of the average distance between the two sheets of glass.

8. The glazing panel according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the deposits is between 4 and 6 cm.

9. A chromogenic glazing panel according to claim 7, wherein the surface of each of the two sheets of glass facing the space between them is coated with a conductive layer and the space between the two sheets of glass comprises a suspension including suspended particles.

10. A smart window comprising a glazing panel according to claim 1, wherein the space between the two sheets of glass comprises a functional material comprising a liquid, a gel, a resin or a polymer.

11. The glazing panel according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the glazing panel is a vacuum insulating glazing panel.

12. A process for manufacturing the glazing panel according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: depositing part of the deposits on one face of one of the glass sheets and allowing them to dry without constraint,depositing the other deposits on said face,placing the other glass sheet over the first one and the deposits andsealing together both glass sheets along their edges.