This application claims the benefit of priority to German Patent Application No. 20 2016 103 464.7 filed Jun. 29, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
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The following description relates to a method and device for applying a heating system. For example, for applying a heating system to an external rear-view device for vehicles. The following description also relates to an external rear-view device with such a heating system.
As described in German Patent Application No. DE 10 2011 056 174 A1, an external rear-view mirror for vehicles, particularly motor vehicles, is known, with the mirror having at least one mirror surface which at least in part rests on a mirror glass support. An edge region is thermally decoupled from the mirror glass support and can be heated by means of a heating device, preferably arranged at least in part between the mirror surface and the mirror glass support. Here, the heating device can include a flat heating element. Further, at least in part between the mirror surface and the mirror glass support, at least one connecting device for connecting the mirror surface with the mirror glass support is arranged, where the heating device is preferably integrated into the connecting device and/or forms at least part of the connecting device. The connecting device can include at least an adhesion element, such as an adhesive foil and/or an adhesive film.
German Patent Application No. DE 10 2011 107 134 A1 describes a mirror glass for a motor vehicle external rear-view mirror arrangement with integrated mirror glass heating. The mirror glass includes, seen from its front side onwards, a glass substrate, a mirror layer applied to the rear of the glass substrate, a scratch-resistant layer applied to the rear of the mirror layer and an imprinted heat conductor constituting the mirror glass heating system. Here, on the rear of the scratch-resistant layer, a first insulation layer is arranged. The heating conductor includes a conductive lacquer track and at least two contact surfaces configured at remote ends of at least one conductive lacquer track and having an electrically conducting connection with this for electrical contacting of at least one conductive lacquer track, imprinted on the rear of the first insulation layer in an electrically conducting conductive lacquer. On the rear of the first insulation layer imprinted with the heating conductor, a second insulation layer is arranged, which is provided with congruent sections with recesses forming part of the contact surfaces. In the congruent sections of the heating conductor, electrically contacting contact elements are arranged with a mechanically fastening and electrically conducting connection with the contact surfaces.
French Patent Application No. FR 2 618 396 A1 relates to a device for heating a rear-view mirror for a motor vehicle. The device is made up of a flexible support, which is made of polyester or mylar cut to the shape of the glass of the rear-view mirror and on which there is deposited, by silk screen printing, an electric circuit using a resistive ink. The two ends of the circuit are each provided with a terminal for connection to an electric supply circuit, and the face of the support is provided with the circuit being covered by a double-sided adhesive for welding it onto the back face of the glass of the rear-view mirror.
A method for producing a carbon nanotube heating apparatus is described in German Patent Application No. DE 10 2014 224 842 A1. The method includes preparing a solution of a polymer material, a solvent and a carbon additive, applying at least one layer of the solution to a substrate, attaching conductive elements to the layer, and coating of the conductive elements with protective elements, wherein the substrate material has properties similar to the polymer material of the solution. The inner heating layer consisting of metallic circuits is removed by printing a layer of nanotubes on the actual support of the mirror, thereby allowing the mirror to be heated with the same performance but without this component.
German Patent Application No. DE 20 2011 102 425 U1 describes an electric line with at least one conductive substrate and at least one substrate carrier, on and/or in which the conductive substrate is arranged, wherein the conductive substrate has conductive particles. Here the conductive particles can comprise carbon nanotubes (CNT), and the conductive substrate can be imprinted using tampon printing.
In one aspect of the invention, an object is to provide an easy method for applying a heating system in particular to an external rear-view device for vehicles. In particular, it is intended to dispense with complicated attachment processes for heating elements when free-form surfaces are used. Moreover, it is intended that the applied heating system has a long service life and is visually appealing.
This objective may be achieved by means of a method of claim 1. Preferred methods of the invention are described in claims 2 to 7.
The invention also provides a device for applying a heating system to a surface, particularly a free-form surface, using tampon printing, with a method of the invention.
Here at least one imprint form, preferably on a robot arm, can be provided for.
Further, the invention also provides an external rear-view device for a vehicle with a heating system applied with the method according the invention.
According to another aspect of the invention, the use of imprint forms each having a link arm allows for applying heating elements such that they are controlled overlapping with adjacent heating elements. Imprinting in tampon printing, preferably by a free-acting robot arm, allows to provide free-form surfaces with a heating system in a simple manner. The design of the imprint forms, particularly their basic forms, and thus the design of the heating elements, can be selected not only to be adapted to specific free-form surfaces, but also to increase the visual appeal of the surface to which the heating elements have been applied according to the invention.
Further features and advantages of the invention are indicated by the following description, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are explained using the attached, schematic drawings.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustration, there is shown in the drawings certain embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an implementation of systems and apparatuses consistent with the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain advantages and principles consistent with the invention.
As an alternative to the imprint form 10 of
By means of the imprint form 10, the conductive substrate can be applied to the surface acting as a substrate carrier, to print the surface directly, i.e. without the interposing of an adhesive layer or similar, with a heating system. Through suitable dimensioning of the imprint form 10, it is possible to print almost any free-form surface desired with conductive particles so as to design the surface of this to be heatable.
Through the imprinting, a heating conductor or heating segment 100 according to
Alternatively, in
The route of the heating segments, i.e. the relative arrangement of the heating elements is freely selectable by controlling the robot arm with the imprint form. A heating segment can also be produced by means of at least two different imprint forms. This allows heating systems with different designs or patterns to be produced.
The features disclosed in the above description, in the claims and in the drawings, can be essential both individually and in any desired combinations to the invention in its various embodiments.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20 2016 103 464.7 | Jun 2016 | DE | national |