阅读说明：本技术 加热格栅设计设备及其方法 (Heating grid design apparatus and method thereof ) 是由 M·达纳巴尔 A·唐加尼 K·S·迪萨拉茹 于 2020-04-17 设计创作，主要内容包括：公开了一种加热格栅设计设备。该设备包括输入装置、感测单元、处理单元和输出装置。输入装置被配置成从用户接收输入参数。感测单元耦接至输入装置并且被配置成分析存在于窗玻璃上的加热电路的性能。处理单元耦接至感测单元并且基于输入参数和分析的性能估计加热模式。输出装置耦接至处理单元以基于所估计的加热模式控制导电材料在窗玻璃上的印刷或涂覆。(A heating grill design apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an input device, a sensing unit, a processing unit, and an output device. The input device is configured to receive input parameters from a user. The sensing unit is coupled to the input device and configured to analyze a performance of a heating circuit present on the window pane. The processing unit is coupled to the sensing unit and estimates a heating pattern based on the input parameters and the analyzed performance. An output device is coupled to the processing unit to control printing or coating of the electrically conductive material on the glazing based on the estimated heating pattern.)

1. A heater grid design apparatus 100 for a vehicle glazing, the apparatus comprising:

an input device 102 configured to receive input parameters from a user;

a sensing unit 104 coupled to the input device and configured to analyze a performance of a heating circuit present on the window pane;

a processing unit 108 coupled to the sensing unit;

an output device 110 coupled to the processing unit; and is

Characterised in that the processing unit 108 estimates the performance of the heating circuit based on the input parameters and the output device operates to control the printing or coating of conductive material on the glazing based on the desired performance of the heating mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a display unit 114 and a printing/deposition mechanism 210.

3. The apparatus of claims 1 and 2, wherein the display unit 114 includes a graphical user interface 412 configured to visualize performance of the heating mode, the heating mode indicating defrost zones and peak temperatures achievable over a particular period of time.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing unit 108 is configured to control an amount of conductive material printed/coated on the windowpane to achieve a desired performance of the heating mode.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit 108 is configured to control the amount of conductive material printed/coated on the glazing, thereby varying the width, thickness and concentration of the conductive material on the heating circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive material is selected from the group consisting of silver, a Carbon Nanotube (CNT) layer, graphene, copper, a conductive oxide, a nanomaterial, or any conductive material.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the conductive material is selected from one of a transparent material and a non-transparent material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit 104 comprises one or more sensors, high definition and infrared cameras, electrical power sensors, voltage sensors.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit 104 is configured to determine and verify design parameters of the heating circuit, wherein the design parameters are thickness, width, distribution, defrost time, and peak temperature of the heating circuit.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input parameters include a width and thickness of a heater grid, a voltage, a power ratio, a mesh type, and an amount of conductive material.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit 108 is configured to estimate at least one of a steady state temperature, a start of melting, a melting speed, a voltage on each node for a particular input voltage, an electrical power through an element, and a width of each element.

12. A method of visualizing a heater grid pattern using the heater grid design apparatus of claim 1, the method comprising:

receiving input from a user through an input device, wherein the input parameters include at least one of voltage, power ratio, width and thickness of a heater grid, and amount of conductive material;

analyzing the performance of a heating circuit present on the glazing using a sensing unit to determine a melting start time, a heat transfer rate and a threshold temperature;

estimating, by a processing unit, a heating pattern based on the performance of the heating circuit and the input parameters, wherein the heating pattern indicates a defrost zone and a peak temperature achieved during a particular time period; and

visualizing the defrost zone and the peak temperature achieved over a particular time period on a graphical user interface by mapping the estimated heating pattern onto an existing heating grid design.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of displaying a defrost region of a particular duration includes displaying an existing heating circuit design on the graphical user interface, the existing heating circuit design combined with a defrost region in a particular color or pattern.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of estimating, by the processing unit, the heating pattern is further based on characteristics of conductive material comprising the existing heating circuit.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of displaying the defrost region comprises displaying a heating pattern in a physically authentic 3D or 2D visualization to indicate a defrost or defog of an automobile window pane and the automobile window pane.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the heating circuit is used for defrosting and/or defogging and the heating pattern indicates a defogging speed.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein visualizing the defrost region comprises displaying locations of hot and cold spots on an automotive glazing having the heating circuit.

18. A method according to claim 10, comprising controlling printing and/or coating of electrically conductive material on the glazing based on the estimated heating pattern.

19. The method of claims 10 and 16, comprising estimating a width and thickness, distribution of a demister coil required for a desired defrost time based on thermal properties, electrical properties, and heating circuit configuration of the conductive material.

20. A method according to claims 10 and 17, comprising automatically changing the amount of printed/applied conductive material by an output device to achieve a desired defrost zone within a specified duration.

21. A method according to claims 10 and 12, wherein the step of estimating the heating pattern comprises optimizing the distribution according to the peak temperature on the glass.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to an apparatus for designing a heating circuit on an automotive glazing, and in particular, to an apparatus for visualizing the performance of a heating circuit and further designing a desired pattern of the heating circuit.

Background

The background description includes information that may be helpful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed disclosure, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

A defogger or defroster is a system for removing condensation and frost from an automotive window (e.g., windshield, rear glass, or side window) and providing the best possible visibility around the motor vehicle for the convenience of the driver and occupants. A defogger is a series of resistive conductors connected in parallel or series on a glass. When power is applied, the conductor heats up, melting the ice and evaporating the condensate on the glass. These conductors may consist of a silver ceramic material printed and baked onto the inner surface of the glass, or may be a series of very thin wires on the glass. A switch is provided on the instrument panel and is pressed to open the defogger. The electrical power is provided to the defogger via physical wires that draw electrical power from the battery of the automobile. The demister can be operated manually or automatically.

Existing methods for designing mist eliminators include using a screen printing method. The width and thickness of the heating coil pattern to be printed on the windshield is manually provided by the user. Screen printing is a printing technique in which a mesh is used to transfer material to a substrate, except for areas that are impermeable to the material by plugging openings in the mesh with an emulsion. A blade or doctor blade moves over the screen to fill the open mesh with material, and then a reverse stroke causes the screen to momentarily contact the substrate along a line of contact. This causes the material to wet the substrate and be pulled out of the mesh as the screen springs back after the blade passes. The amount of silver to be deposited is controlled by varying the mesh size, the width of the heater wire and the thickness of the emulsion coating. The width and thickness of the heater coil is designed to achieve the desired defrosting/defogging performance. The heating coils or wires are connected to busbars on either side. The busbars are also designed using silver or metal substrates. Thereafter, power is supplied to the heating circuit formed by the plurality of heating coils through a connector soldered to the bus bar.

However, existing systems are not configured to determine the defogging time achieved by the current heating coil pattern. The design of the heater coil pattern on the windshield cannot be modified based on the desired defrosting or defogging time.

The heating coil of the demister may have defects in the production process. In addition, the demister wires are susceptible to physical damage over a period of time. Typically, visual inspection is used to detect significant defects and damage in the demister wires. There are validated test methods for windshields and antennas. There is no test method for measuring demister performance. There is a need for a system that automatically monitors and analyzes heating coils to predict their performance using a sensing unit.

Therefore, a system for designing a heating coil pattern based on a desired defrosting/defogging time is needed. Further, there is a need for a system that enables a user to visualize the heating pattern of the windshield and determine the defogging times and peak temperatures achieved. Further, there is a need for a system that automatically monitors and analyzes the heating coils to predict their performance.

Disclosure of Invention

It is a primary object of the present disclosure to provide an apparatus or system for designing a heating circuit on an automotive glazing based on a particular defrost time. It is another object of the present invention to provide a device that enables a user to visualize the heating pattern of an automotive glazing. The heating pattern indicates a defrost and/or defog mode and a peak temperature achieved in each zone of the glazing. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for analysing a heating circuit present on a glazing to predict its performance. Thus, the present disclosure avoids the need for manual testing of the heating circuit on the glazing, and also eliminates the need for expensive hardware testing devices for verifying the performance of the heating circuit.

According to embodiments herein, a heating grid design apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an input device, a sensing unit, a processing unit, and an output device. The input device is configured to receive input parameters from a user. The sensing unit is coupled to the input device and configured to analyze a performance of a heating coil present on the window glass. The processing unit is coupled to the sensing unit and estimates a heating pattern based on the input parameters and the analyzed performance. An output device is coupled to the processing unit to control printing or coating of the conductive material on the glazing based on the estimated heating pattern.

According to embodiments herein, a set of input parameters is received from a user via an input device. The input parameters include at least one of defrost time, voltage, power ratio, mesh type, and amount of conductive material. Thereafter, the performance of the heating circuit present on the glazing is analyzed using the sensing unit to determine the melting start time, the heat transfer rate and the threshold temperature. The sensing unit includes a camera, an IR sensor, and the like. The sensing unit also compares the input parameter to the analyzed characteristic to verify the performance of the heating circuit. Subsequently, a heating pattern is estimated by the processing unit based on the performance of the heating circuit and the input parameters. The step of estimating, by the processing unit, the heating pattern is based on mapping (map) the characteristics of the conductive material with their respective thermal performance. The heating mode indicates a defrost zone for a specific period of time. Further, by mapping the estimated heating pattern to an existing heating grid, the defrost zone and peak temperature achieved over a particular time period are visualized on a graphical user interface. The defrost time can be changed by changing the design or pattern of the heating circuit in response to the heating pattern. An output device having a printing or coating mechanism is controlled by the processing unit to control the printing and/or coating of the conductive material on the window glass based on the desired defrost time.

Other features and aspects of the present disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

Embodiments are shown by way of example and not limited to the accompanying figures.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a heating grill design apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary processing unit for a heating grid design apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of estimating a heating mode and visualizing the heating mode on a display unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 4A is a flowchart illustrating a method of visualizing a heater grid pattern using a heater grid design apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4B shows an exemplary arrangement for a sensing unit present in a heater grid design apparatus;

FIG. 5A illustrates an exemplary graphical user interface for receiving input on a heating grid design apparatus;

FIG. 5B illustrates an exemplary visualization of a heating pattern on a heating grid design apparatus;

FIG. 5C illustrates an exemplary heating circuit produced on an automotive glazing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates the printing mechanism described in the present invention.

Skilled artisans appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

The present disclosure will now be discussed in more detail with reference to the drawings that accompany the present application. In the drawings, like and/or corresponding elements are referred to by like reference numerals.

Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

Definition of

For convenience, the following provides meanings of certain terms and phrases used in the present disclosure. In the event that there is a significant difference in the usage of a term in other parts of the specification from the definition of that term provided in this section, the definition in this section controls.

Demister-a demister is a system for removing condensate and melting frost on a windshield, rear glass or side window of a motor vehicle. The demister consists of a bus bar, a heating circuit and a power supply. Demisters are used for demisting and for defrosting or deicing. In the present disclosure, a defogger or an automotive window glass defogger may be used interchangeably.

Defogging-defogging "refers to the removal of fog or moisture from an automotive window pane. The demister is used for demisting the automobile window glass.

Defrost-defrost refers to melting ice that accumulates on the window glass of an automobile. The demister is used for defrosting the automobile window glass.

Heating circuit-the heating circuit is a series of parallel linear resistance conductors on an automotive glazing.

Busbar-a busbar is a wide conductor that exists around the periphery of an automotive glazing and is suitable for delivering electrical power to a demister coil.

To overcome the disadvantages associated with the prior art, the present disclosure provides an apparatus or system for automatically designing a heating circuit on an automotive glazing based on a particular defrost time. The device also enables a user to visualize the heating pattern of the vehicle glazing. The heating pattern indicates a defrost or defog mode and a peak temperature achieved in each zone of the glazing. The apparatus also analyzes the heating circuit present on the glazing, checks for defects and estimates the performance. The performance of the heating circuit may be improved by providing the desired parameters through an input interface on the device.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a heating grill design apparatus 100. The apparatus 100 is configured to analyze existing heating coil designs on windshields. Further, the apparatus 100 is configured to estimate/predict a defrosting time required for the heating coil. Further, the apparatus 100 is configured to print or apply additional metallic or conductive layers on the windshield to achieve the desired defrost time. The apparatus 100 comprises an input device configured to receive input parameters from a user. Input parameters include the voltage, power ratio, grid type, etc. provided. The input device 116 communicates with the processing unit 108 via a wired or wireless communication protocol. Examples of input devices 116 include microphones, keyboards, touch screens, bar code readers, and gesture units. The input device is also coupled to the sensing unit.

The sensing unit 104 receives the input parameters and further analyzes the heating circuit. The sensing unit 104 identifies the characteristics and performance of the heating circuit. The sensing unit also identifies defects in the heating circuit. Examples of the sensing unit 104 include a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) and a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor), an IR sensor, an electric power sensor, and a voltage sensor. The sensing unit 104 also verifies the received input parameters. The sensing unit is configured to determine and verify design parameters of the heating coil, wherein the design parameters are thickness, width, profile, defrost time and peak temperature of the heating coil.

The sensing unit 104 communicates the analyzed characteristics and the input parameters to the processing unit 108. The processing unit 108 is configured to estimate or predict a heating mode of the heating circuit based on the analyzed characteristics and the input parameters. The heating pattern includes at least one of a steady state temperature, a melting onset, a melting speed, a voltage on each node for a particular input voltage, electrical power through the elements, and a width of each element. The processing unit 108 also controls the printing or coating of the conductive material on the glazing based on the estimated heating pattern or the desired defrost time. The processing unit 108 transmits a control signal to an output device to release a specified amount of conductive material onto the vehicle glazing.

The output device 110 includes a nozzle control mechanism and/or a printing mechanism. The output device 110 is also coupled to or integrated with a display unit 114. The display unit 114 includes a graphical user interface to visualize the heating mode. The graphical user interface may include a touch interface that enables a user to scroll the heating mode. Examples of the display unit 114 include, but are not limited to, an LCD, a cathode ray tube display (CRT), a light emitting diode display (LED), an electroluminescent display (ELD), a Plasma Display Panel (PDP), a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode display, and the like. The display unit 114 may be a display of a mobile device or computing device or smartphone in wireless communication with the processing unit 108.

The output device 110 may include one or more robotic arms operated by the processing unit. One or more robotic arms are configured to control printing/coating of the conductive material on the windshield. The robotic arm is configured to perform screen printing and 3D printing. Each robotic arm is coupled to one or more sensors and a local positioning system. Real-time data from the sensors is fed into a custom software, allowing control of the robot's motion and deposition of material output. Sensors mounted inside the robot or arm control the direction so as to follow a predefined path. Traveling a circular path allows the vertical actuator to adjust the nozzle height step by step to obtain a smooth, continuous layer of conductive material. Further, the robotic arm may include one or more servo motors to be able to rotate and move over the length of the window glass.

In another embodiment, the input device, processing unit, and display unit 114 are implemented in a computing device. The computing device is a multi-computing device configured to receive input, process and visualize the heating mode and defrost times. Further, the computing device may be coupled to an automated printing or coating mechanism. The computing device may be a computer, smart phone, iPad, laptop, etc.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary processing unit for a heating grid design according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The processing unit communicates with the input device and the output device to design the heating circuit based on a set of input parameters. The input parameters include the width and thickness of the heater grid. The processing unit is also coupled to a sensing unit capable of estimating the performance of the heating grid. Further, the processing unit is communicatively coupled with the output unit to control printing/coating of the conductive material on the window pane.

According to an embodiment herein, the processing unit includes a processor 202, a temperature analyzer (profiler)206, a memory 204, a depositor 210, a communication module 212, and a power converter 208. The processor 202 may be any conventional processor, such as a commercially available CPU or hardware-based processor. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a processor, computer, or memory may actually comprise multiple processors, computers, or memories, which may or may not be stored within the same physical housing. Further, the processor is one of the components of the design apparatus, together with the input device, the sensing unit and the output device. The memory 204 is configured to store instructions accessible by the processor. Further, the memory includes data that is executed by the processor. The memory 204 is any storage device, computer-readable medium, or another medium that stores data that can be read by an electronic device, such as a hard disk drive, memory card, ROM, RAM, and writable or read-only memory. In one example, the data stored in the memory includes a maximum temperature of each zone, a width range of each coil, a defrost time, etc., modified by the processor according to the instructions.

The processor 202 is configured to receive input parameters through the input unit and transmit output signals to the output unit via the communication module 212. The processor is also configured to communicate with external devices, servers, via the communication module 212. The processing unit 104 may be in wired or wireless communication with an output device.

Temperature analyzer 206 determines the time required for defogging/defrosting. In addition, the temperature analyzer may generate a heating pattern showing the defogging times required and peak temperatures achieved for the various zones. The temperature analyzer 206 generates a heating mode signal that is transmitted to the display unit via the communication module. Depositor 210 controls a nozzle control mechanism or printing mechanism to control the amount of conductive layer deposited or printed on the window pane. The depositor 210 transmits a signal to an output device that further changes the grid size or the orientation of the robotic arm.

The power converter 208 receives electrical output from the power unit. The electrical output is either an AC output or a DC output. In one embodiment, the power unit comprises a power converter. The power supply may be an AC power supply or a DC power supply. Further, the power converter 208 may convert an AC source to a DC source. DC power is provided to the sensing unit and the processor.

According to an embodiment of the invention, communication between the processor, the memory and other components within the processing unit is established via an address bus and a data bus. The communication module 212 may include an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals. In an example, a bluetooth/Wi-Fi module is used for online data collection and management. The communication module 212 also enables communications to be established with a server via a communication network such as the internet.

Fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of estimating a heating mode and visualizing the heating mode on a display unit. The process of estimating the heating mode and visualizing the heating mode is performed by a processing unit. A set of input parameters including a provided voltage, power ratio, grid type are received via an input device (302). Furthermore, a performance value of the heating circuit is determined by the sensing unit. Another set of thresholds is determined by the processing unit based on the input parameters and the performance values. The derived thresholds include the maximum temperature of each zone, the temperature width range of each zone, and the total operating time (304). The derived threshold is stored in a database (306). Thereafter, an output is simulated using a threshold variable and a set of equations as variables of time (308). The output of the first zone is continuously simulated for a specific distance around each element of the heating circuit. Steps 308 to 314 are repeated until the distance around each coil during the operating time is equal to the threshold distance. After the desired simulation is achieved on the first zone, the simulation of the first zone is paused and proceeds to the second zone (316). Steps 308 to 314 are performed continuously until the total operating time is reached or until a threshold width of the heating element is reached for the second zone. When the total operating time is reached, the simulation ends (312). If the "run time" is less than or equal to the total operating time, then steps 308 through 314 continue for each section of laminated glazing. The processing unit displays the final analog output on the display unit indicating the area that was defrosted during the operation time.

According to embodiments herein, the step of displaying the defrost region includes displaying an existing heating circuit design on the graphical user interface, the existing heating circuit design being combined with the defrost region in a particular color or pattern. In another embodiment, the simulated output includes a heating pattern with a physically realistic 3D/2D visualization to indicate defrosting or defogging of the automotive window glass and the window glass. In addition, the heating pattern indicates the defrost or demist area and the speed at which a particular zone is defrosted. In another embodiment, visualizing the defrost region includes displaying locations of hot and cold spots within the heating circuit.

Fig. 4A is a flow chart illustrating a method of visualizing a heater grid pattern using a heater grid design apparatus. A set of input parameters is received from a user via an input device (401). The input parameters include at least one of defrost time, voltage, power ratio, mesh type, and amount of conductive material. Thereafter, the performance of a heating circuit present on the glazing is analyzed using the sensing unit to determine a melting start time, a heat transfer rate, and a threshold temperature (402). The sensing unit includes a camera, an IR sensor, and the like. The sensing unit also compares the input parameter to the analyzed characteristic to verify the performance of the heating circuit. Subsequently, a heating mode is estimated by the processing unit based on the performance of the heating circuit and the input parameters (403). The step of estimating, by the processing unit, the heating pattern is based on mapping the properties of the conductive material with their respective thermal performance. The heating mode indicates a defrost zone for a specific period of time. Further, the defrost zone and peak temperature achieved over a particular time period are visualized on a graphical user interface by mapping the estimated heating pattern to an existing heating grid (404). The defrost time can be changed by changing the design or pattern of the heating circuit in response to the heating pattern. An output device having a printing or coating mechanism may be controlled by the processing unit to control the printing and/or coating of the conductive material on the glazing based on the desired defrost time. The printing or coating is controlled by estimating the width and thickness, distribution of the demister coils required for a desired defrosting time based on the thermal and electrical properties of the conductive material and the heating circuit configuration.

According to embodiments herein, the step of displaying the defrost region includes displaying an existing heating circuit design on the graphical user interface, the existing heating circuit design being combined with the defrost region in a particular color or pattern. Furthermore, the visualization of the defrost area includes displaying the location of hot and cold spots on the vehicle glazing with the heating circuit.

According to embodiments herein, the step of displaying the heating pattern comprises displaying the heating pattern in a physically real 3D or 2D visualization. When the display unit is an augmented reality device (AR) or a Virtual Reality (VR) based device, the heating pattern with defrosting and defogging tendencies may be more realistically visualized on the AR/VR device. Furthermore, the physically realistic visualization may allow the user to better understand hot and cold spots in the vehicle glazing.

Fig. 4B shows an exemplary arrangement for a sensing unit present in a heating grid design apparatus. The sensing unit includes a computing device 412 coupled with the IR sensor 410. The computing device 412 reads the heater grid circuit in the automotive glazing 408. The computing device 412 captures images of the heater grid circuit to determine the characteristics and performance of the heater grid. Furthermore, the sensing unit is also used to improve the reliability of the visual output generated by the processing unit. The sensing unit may capture images during de-icing or de-fogging. The images captured by the sensing unit are compared with the images generated by the processing unit 108 to estimate the differences between the images. The differences between the images are identified and feedback is transmitted to the processing unit. The processing unit adjusts the heating mode based on the identified difference. Thus, the processing unit ensures the accuracy of the heating mode output. The images captured by the sensing units are stored in a server or database 414 for future reference.

FIG. 5A illustrates an exemplary graphical user interface for receiving input on a heating grid design apparatus. The defrost time is entered by the user as an input. Further, the melting speed and the melting start temperature are determined by the sensing unit and the processing unit based on the material and type of the heating circuit. Referring to the defrost period, a heating mode is simulated for the defrost time and displayed on the graphical user interface, as shown in fig. 5B.

Fig. 5B illustrates an exemplary visualization of a heating pattern on a heating grid design apparatus. The image shows the defrost zone highlighted at the end of the input time (e.g., 15 minutes). Any intermediate time defrost time can be visualized by changing the input time in the graphical user interface.

Figure 5C shows an exemplary heating circuit printed/coated on an automotive glazing 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The heating circuit includes a primary demister coil 502 and a secondary demister coil 504 having two different resistances, respectively. The width and thickness of the primary demister coil 502 can vary based on the desired heating pattern and the desired defrost time. The output device controls the printing/coating of the conductive material on the automotive glazing. The output device varies the amount of conductive material deposited/printed on the glazing to achieve the desired defrost time in zones Z1 and Z2. The primary demister coil 502 is provided in a predetermined pattern, otherwise indicated, design. The primary demister coil 502 can be designed in any pattern or any other preferably designed shape. The primary demister coil 502, provided in a predetermined pattern, other illustrated design, further defines heating zone Z1. Zone Z1 is typically located at one end of an automotive glazing 500. Secondary demister coil 504 defines a heating zone Z2 that covers the remainder of automotive glazing 500. The heater grid is designed so that zone Z1 heats up faster than zone Z2, thereby demisting zone Z1 much faster than zone Z2. These zones are designed to achieve a maximum temperature with a threshold width between each coil of the heating circuit. Zone Z1 defrosts quickly to provide a clear view for the vehicle operator.

In an embodiment, the heating circuit may be formed from a printed or coated conductive layer. In an embodiment, the coils 502, 504 are typically fabricated using screen printing techniques using silver. Other materials for the printed mist eliminator may include metals, conductive polymers, metal grids, Carbon Nanotube (CNT) layers, graphene, transparent conductive oxides, or any conductive material. In alternative embodiments, the heating circuit may be made of visible or invisible materials. Screen printing is a printing technique in which a grid is used to transfer a conductive material to a substrate, except for areas that are impermeable to the conductive material by plugging openings in the grid with an emulsion. A blade or doctor blade is moved over the screen to fill the open mesh with conductive material, and then a reverse stroke causes the screen to momentarily contact the substrate along a line of contact. This causes the conductive material to wet the substrate and be pulled out of the mesh as the screen springs back after the blade passes. The amount of silver to be deposited is controlled by varying the mesh size, line width and emulsion coating thickness, which determines the width and thickness of the coil. The width and thickness of the demister is designed to achieve the desired defrosting performance. The demister coils are connected to the busbars on either side. The bus bars are wide conductors present at the periphery of the automotive glazing and are adapted to deliver power to the defogger. These busbars were also made of printed silver. The power supply for the demister is provided by connectors welded to the bus bar.

In another example, the heating circuit may include more than two zones, each designed to provide different defrost performance.

FIG. 6 illustrates the printing mechanism described in the present invention. In one example, a heater grid design apparatus includes a printing mechanism to control the amount of conductive ink deposited on a glazing to achieve a heater grid design having a desired performance value. In one example, a conductive heater wire material such as copper, silver, Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs), etc. may be used, with silver being most preferred. The conductive heater wire material may be used in a granular form. In the present invention, as the conductive heating wire material, silver-coated copper particles may also be used.

An example of screen printing is disclosed in fig. 6. The screen printing method is performed by: the paste/ink 602 is positioned directly on the substrate by the hollow screen 610 while the pressing member 604 is pressed after positioning the paste/ink on the screen having the pattern 606. The pattern/image is generated and produced in a template 606 for printing. In the proposed method with feedback from the heating grid design apparatus, modifications are made to the heating grid design. Feedback is provided to a depositor coupled to the printing mechanism and a grid pattern 612 is to be made on the windowpane.

Example 1

In order that the disclosure may be readily understood, specific embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example. An experiment was conducted to investigate the change in defrost time with changes in demister coil width and thickness, as shown in table 1. The data is for 80% silver from Ferro with a specific resistance of 2.8 μ Ω cm and a wire 1000mm in length with 12V power.

Table 1: various defrost times are shown.

Width of	Thickness of	Defrosting time	Specific power
				mm	Micron meter		1.2W/dm
0.300	11.7	22.1	1.2
				0.316	11.7	18.2	1.3
0.333	11.7	15.7	1.4
				0.349	11.7	13.9	1.5
0.324	10.4	22.1	1.2
				0.343	10.4	18.2	1.3
0.361	10.4	15.7	1.4
				0.380	10.4	13.9	1.5

In an example, a heater grid design having a maximum temperature of 70 degrees celsius and a defrost time of 15 minutes may be designed using a heater grid design apparatus. The heating grid pattern for the 15 minute period as the defrost time is visualized. Furthermore, if the glazing cannot withstand the maximum temperature, the maximum temperature may be reduced. Thus, the present invention avoids the need to use actual glass samples to determine the defrosting/defogging time. In addition, the present invention reduces the cost and time involved in glass experimentation and redesign.

Table 2: various melt times, melt rates, and defrost times are shown.

Distance between wires (mm)	Melting Start (min)	Melting speed (mm/min)	Defrosting time (min)
				30	3.74	1.137	16.93
30	5.99	0.554	33.07
				30	3.79	1.119	17.19
27	4.311	0.932	18.80
				28	3.79	1.119	16.30
30	5.99	0.554	33.07
				30	3.74	1.137	16.93

As shown in table 2, for different values of wire width of the heater grid, the melting start time (melting start) and the defrosting time were varied accordingly. The values mentioned in table 2 are shown in the graphical user interface of the display unit. It was observed that as the distance between the wires decreased, the defrost time improved.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

In accordance with the basic configuration described above, the apparatus of the present disclosure is implemented to design windshields, backlights, sidelights, and may vary in materials, dimensions, construction details, and/or functional and/or decorative configurations without departing from the scope of protection claimed. The apparatus of the present disclosure is used to determine the performance of a heating circuit in a manufactured glazing. Furthermore, the apparatus may be used to determine defects in a glazing. Furthermore, the proposed device can be used to design a heating circuit with desired performance parameters such as melting speed and defrost time.

Note that not all of the activities described above in the general description or the examples are required, that a portion of a particular activity may not be required, and that one or more additional activities may be performed in addition to those described. Still further, the order in which activities are listed is not necessarily their order of execution.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any feature(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced, however, are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or element of any or all the claims. .

The illustrations and illustrations of the embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of the various embodiments. The description and drawings are not intended to serve as an exhaustive or comprehensive description of all the elements and features of apparatus and systems that utilize the structures or methods described herein. For clarity, certain features that are described herein in the context of separate embodiments can also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in sub-combination. Furthermore, reference to values stated in ranges includes each and every value within that range. Many other embodiments may be apparent to a skilled artisan only after reading this specification. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived from the disclosure, such that structural substitutions, logical substitutions, or other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The present disclosure is, therefore, to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive.

The description taken in conjunction with the drawings is provided to assist in understanding the teachings disclosed herein, is provided to assist in describing the teachings, and should not be construed as limiting the scope or applicability of the teachings. However, other teachings can of course be used in this application.

As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," "having" or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of features is not necessarily limited to only those features but may include other features not expressly listed or inherent to such method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, "or" means including or, and not exclusive or. For example, condition a or B satisfies any one of the following conditions: a is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), a is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both a and B are true (or present).

In addition, "a" or "an" is used to describe elements and components described herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the scope of the disclosure. The description is to be understood as including one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural and vice versa unless clearly indicated otherwise. For example, when a single item is described herein, more than one item may be used in place of a single item. Similarly, where more than one item is described herein, a single item may be substituted for the more than one item.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. To the extent that certain details regarding specific materials and processing acts are not described, such details can include conventional methods, which can be found in the referenced books and other sources within the field of manufacture.

While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various additional embodiments may be devised with modification of the disclosed machines, systems, and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. It is to be understood that such embodiments are understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based on the claims and any equivalents thereof.

Component list

Title:

100 heating grid design apparatus

102 input device

104 sensing unit

108 processing unit

110 output device

114 display unit

112 power unit

202 processor

204 memory

206 temperature analyzer

208 power converter

210 depositor

212 communication module

410 IR sensor

412 smart phone

414 Server

502 primary demister coil

504 secondary demister coil

602 ink

610 mesh

606 pattern

604 extrusion

612 a grid pattern.

The claims (modification according to treaty clause 19)

1. A heater grid design apparatus 100 for a vehicle glazing, the apparatus comprising:

an input device 102 configured to receive input parameters from a user;

a sensing unit 104 coupled to the input device and configured to analyze a performance of a heating circuit present on the window pane;

a processing unit 108 coupled to the sensing unit;

an output device 110 coupled to the processing unit; and is

Characterised in that the processing unit 108 estimates the performance of the heating circuit based on the input parameters and the output device operates to control the printing or coating of conductive material on the glazing based on the desired performance of the heating mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a display unit 114 and a printing/deposition mechanism 210.

3. The apparatus of claims 1 and 2, wherein the display unit 114 includes a graphical user interface 412 configured to visualize performance of the heating mode, the heating mode indicating defrost zones and peak temperatures achievable over a particular period of time.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing unit 108 is configured to control an amount of conductive material printed/coated on the windowpane to achieve a desired performance of the heating mode.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit 108 is configured to control the amount of conductive material printed/coated on the glazing, thereby varying the width, thickness and concentration of the conductive material on the heating circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive material is selected from the group consisting of silver, a Carbon Nanotube (CNT) layer, graphene, copper, a conductive oxide, a nanomaterial, or any conductive material.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the conductive material is selected from one of a transparent material and a non-transparent material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit 104 comprises one or more sensors, high definition and infrared cameras, electrical power sensors, voltage sensors.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit 104 is configured to determine and verify design parameters of the heating circuit, wherein the design parameters are thickness, width, distribution, defrost time, and peak temperature of the heating circuit.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input parameters include a width and thickness of a heater grid, a voltage, a power ratio, a mesh type, and an amount of conductive material.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit 108 is configured to estimate at least one of a steady state temperature, a start of melting, a melting speed, a voltage on each node for a particular input voltage, an electrical power through an element, and a width of each element.

12. A method of visualizing a heater grid pattern using the heater grid design apparatus of claim 1, the method comprising:

receiving input from a user through an input device, wherein the input parameters include at least one of voltage, power ratio, width and thickness of a heater grid, and amount of conductive material;

analyzing the performance of a heating circuit present on the glazing using a sensing unit to determine a melting start time, a heat transfer rate and a threshold temperature;

estimating, by a processing unit, a heating pattern based on the performance of the heating circuit and the input parameters, wherein the heating pattern indicates a defrost zone and a peak temperature achieved during a particular time period; and

visualizing the defrost zone and the peak temperature achieved over a particular time period on a graphical user interface by mapping the estimated heating pattern onto an existing heating grid design.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of displaying a defrost region of a particular duration includes displaying an existing heating circuit design on the graphical user interface, the existing heating circuit design combined with a defrost region in a particular color or pattern.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of estimating, by the processing unit, the heating pattern is further based on characteristics of conductive material comprising the existing heating circuit.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of displaying the defrost region comprises displaying a heating pattern in a physically authentic 3D or 2D visualization to indicate a defrost or defog of an automobile window pane and the automobile window pane.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the heating circuit is used for defrosting and/or defogging and the heating pattern indicates a defogging speed.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein visualizing the defrost region comprises displaying locations of hot and cold spots on an automotive glazing having the heating circuit.

18. A method according to claim 12, comprising controlling printing and/or coating of electrically conductive material on the glazing based on the estimated heating pattern.

19. The method of claim 12, comprising estimating a width and thickness, distribution of a demister coil required for a desired defrost time based on thermal characteristics, electrical characteristics, and heating circuit configuration of the conductive material.

20. The method of claim 12, comprising automatically changing the amount of printed/applied conductive material via an output device to achieve a desired defrost zone for a particular duration.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of estimating the heating pattern comprises optimizing a profile based on a peak temperature on the glass.