Heat treatable low-E coated articles and methods of making same

US6576349B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Guardian Industries Corp. · US
• Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.) · LU

Inventors

• Philip J. Lingle · Temperance, US
• Anton Dietrich · Fontnas, CH
• Ronald E. Laird · Dexter, US
• Jean-Marc Lemmer · Ann Arbor, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 28, 2001
• Grant date: Jun 10, 2003
• Expiry date: Jul 20, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/12944
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A heat treatable coated article (e.g., vehicle windshield, IG unit, etc.) is provided with a dual-silver low-E coating. Before and/or after heat treatment (HT), the coating and/or coated article has a visible transmittance of at least 70%, more preferably at least 75%. Moreover, the coating and/or coated article is designed so as to have approximately the same color when viewed over a wide range of viewing angles. In certain embodiments, at least one contact layer (e.g., of or including NiCrOx) that contacts an infrared (IR) reflecting layer (e.g., Ag) is oxidation graded so that it progressively becomes less oxidized through its thickness as it nears the IR reflecting layer. In still other embodiments, a Si-rich silicon nitride layer(s) may be utilized to reduce haze.