IP Library Granted Patent US 11,217,907
Granted Patent B2
US 11,217,907 · App. 16/793,430 · Granted Jan 4, 2022

Disk having an electric connecting element

Inventors: Harald Cholewa (Aachen, DE); Christoph Degen (Toenisvorst, DE); Bernhard Reul (Herzogenrath, DE); Mitja Rateiczak (Wuerselen, DE); Andreas Schlarb (Wuppertal, DE); Lothar Lesmeister (Landgraaf, NL)
Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
H01R4/02H05B3/84H05K3/4015H05K3/3494H05K2201/1028H05K2201/1031
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,217,907
App. No.
16/793,430
Granted
Jan 4, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A disk having at least one electric connecting element is described. The disk has a substrate, and electrically conductive structure on a region of the substrate, a connecting element containing at least chromium-containing steel, and a layer of a soldering compound that electrically connects the connecting element to sub-regions of the electrically conductive structure.

Claims (40)

1. A pane with at least one electrical connection element, comprising:

a substrate for applying an electrically conductive structure on a region of the substrate, the substrate having a first coefficient of thermal expansion from 8×10−6/° C. to 9×10−6/° C., and

a connection element of the at least one electrical connection element,

wherein the connection element contains at least chromium-containing steel, wherein the connection element has a second coefficient of thermal expansion from 10×10−6/° C. to 11.5×10−6/° C.,

wherein the connection element contains at least 50 wt.-% to 89.5 wt.-% iron, 16 wt.-% to 20 wt.-% chromium, and one or more selected from the group of carbon, nickel, manganese, molybdenum, and titanium,

wherein the difference between the first coefficient of thermal expansion of the substrate and the second coefficient of thermal expansion of the connection element is less than <5×10−6/° C.; and

a layer of a lead-free solder material,

wherein the layer of the lead-free solder material electrically connects the connection element to subregions of the electrically conductive structure,

wherein the connection element includes edge regions and is bent upwards on the edge regions to form an intermediate space in which the solder material is present, the intermediate space being formed by the connection element and the electrically conductive structure,

wherein a maximum outflow width of the solder material is negative so that the solder material is pulled back into the intermediate space,

wherein the maximum outflow width is defined as a distance between outer edges of the connection element and a point of the solder material crossover at which the solder material drops below a layer thickness of 50 μm and

wherein a first edge region of the edge regions includes a first end of a first inclined region of the first edge region connected to a flat central region of the first edge region and a free distal end of the first inclined region that is opposite the first end of the first inclined region, the first inclined region extending from the first end to the free distal end, the first inclined region having a lower surface extending upwards and facing the electrically conductive structure, the lower surface of the first inclined region extending upward from the first end to the free distal end, and wherein the solder material covers the lower surface of the first inclined region and is in direct contact with the lower surface of the first inclined region and with the electrically conductive structure.

2. The pane according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate contains glass, polymers, or mixtures of glass and polymers.

3. The pane according to claim 2 , wherein the glass is flat glass, float glass, quartz glass, borosilicate glass, or soda lime glass.

4. The pane according to claim 2 , wherein the polymers are polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, or polymethyl methacrylate.

5. The pane according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive structure contains silver.

6. The pane according to claim 1 , wherein a layer thickness of the solder material is less than 3.0×10−4 m.

7. The pane according to claim 1 , wherein the solder material contains tin and i) bismuth, indium, zinc, iv) copper, v) silver, or compositions of i)-v).

8. The pane according to claim 7 , wherein a proportion of tin in the solder material is 3 wt.-% to 99.5 wt.-% and a proportion of i) bismuth, indium, zinc, iv) copper, v) silver, or compositions of i) - v) is 0.5 wt.-% to 97 wt.-%.

9. The pane according to claim 1 , wherein the connection element is coated with nickel, tin, copper, and/or silver.

10. The pane according to claim 9 , wherein the connection element is coated with 0.1 μm to 0.3 μm nickel and/or 3 μm to 20 μm silver.

11. The pane according to claim 1 , wherein the solder material forms a concave meniscus that extends from the lower surface of the first inclined region to the electrically conductive structure.

12. The pane according to claim 11 , wherein the concave meniscus extends from the distal end to the electrically conductive structure.

13. The pane according to claim 1 , wherein a height of the first edge region from the electrically conductive structure to the distal end is at most 400 μm.

14. The pane according to claim 1 , wherein the flat central region is arranged in direct contact with the electrically conductive structure.

15. A method comprising:

Providing the pane with the at least one electrical connection element according to claim 1 ; and

using the pane with the at least one electrical connection element for vehicles with electrically conductive structures.

16. A method for production of a pane with at least one connection element, comprising:

applying a solder material on at least one contact surface of a connection element of the at least one connection element with a fixed layer thickness, volume, shape, and arrangement;

applying an electrically conductive structure on a substrate, having a first coefficient of thermal expansion from 8×10−6/° C. to 9×10−6/° C.;

arranging the connection element with the solder material on the electrically conductive structure,

wherein the connection element has a second coefficient of thermal expansion from 10×10−6/° C. to 11.5×10−6/° C.,

wherein the connection element contains at least 50 wt.-% to 89.5 wt.-% iron, 16 wt.-% to 20 wt.-% chromium, and one or more selected from the group of carbon, nickel, manganese, molybdenum, and titanium, and

wherein the difference between the first coefficient of thermal expansion of the substrate and the second coefficient of thermal expansion of the connection element is less than <5×10−6/° C.; and

soldering the connection element to subregions of the electrically conductive structure with a layer of a lead-free solder material,

wherein the connection element includes edge regions and is bent upwards on the edge regions to form an intermediate space in which the solder material is present, the intermediate space being formed by the connection element and the electrically conductive structure,

wherein a maximum outflow width of the solder material is negative so that the solder material is pulled back into the intermediate space,

wherein the maximum outflow width is defined as a distance between outer edges of the connection element and a point of the solder material crossover at which the solder material drops below a layer thickness of 50 μm and

wherein a first edge region of the edge regions includes a first end of a first inclined region of the first edge region connected to a flat central region of the first edge region and a free distal end of the first inclined region that is opposite the first end of the first inclined region, the first inclined region extending from the first end to the free distal end, the first inclined region having a lower surface extending upwards and facing the electrically conductive structure, the lower surface of the first inclined region extending upward from the first end to the free distal end, and wherein the solder material covers the lower surface of the first inclined region and is in direct contact with the lower surface of the first inclined region and with the electrically conductive structure.

Assignments (2)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded May 16, 2025
From: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
To: SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE
Reel/Frame 071969/0743 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 18, 2020
From: CHOLEWA, HARALD; DEGEN, CHRISTOPH; REUL, BERNHARD; RATEICZAK, MITJA; SCHLARB, ANDREAS; LESMEISTER, LOTHAR
To: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
Reel/Frame 051846/0877 →
Priority Claims (2)
EP 1165501 · May 10, 2011 · regional
EP 1165506 · May 10, 2011 · regional
Continuity (2)
Division 14115091
Related Publication 20200185839A1 · Jun 11, 2020