Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Window or window sash – sill – mullion – or glazing – Architrave; i.e. – molding or finish strip touching pane face
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-18
2003-11-11
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Window or window sash, sill, mullion, or glazing
Architrave; i.e., molding or finish strip touching pane face
C052S208000, C052S204670, C052S204710, C052S717010, C052S204597, C296S093000, C296S146150, C296S201000, C296S096200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06643984
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a frame-attached window panel wherein a frame member made of a resinous material is provided at a peripheral portion of a window panel, which is attached mainly to a window opening of automobile.
Heretofore, a glass sheet attached with a frame member (a frame-attached window panel) is attached to a window opening of an automobile.
FIG. 6
is a cross-sectional view partly omitted showing an example of the frame-attached glass sheet
110
which is attached to a window opening
96
formed in a body panel
95
of automobile. The frame-attached glass sheet
110
comprises a glass sheet
90
and a molding (a frame member)
111
made of a resinous material which is provided at a peripheral portion of the glass sheet
90
.
The molding
111
is provided with a base portion
112
connected firmly to the glass sheet
90
and a lip portion
113
projecting from the base portion
112
. The lip portion
113
is in contact with an opening circumferential wall
95
a
(i.e., a portion of the body panel
95
) to define the window opening
96
so that water or dust is prevented from entering from an automobile exterior side into the automobile cabin through the window opening
96
, namely, the lip portion
113
seals the window opening.
As a material for the molding
111
, plasticized polyvinyl chloride or the like is generally used.
In recent years, a high degree of quietness has been required for automobiles during cruising. In a case of using the molding
111
wherein the base portion
112
and the lip portion
113
are formed integrally by molding, noises sometimes generate from a position where the lip portion
113
contacts the opening circumferential wall
95
a
during the cruising of the automobile if the contact angle of the lip portion
113
to the opening circumferential wall
95
a
or another condition is inappropriate. The problem of noises has become significant recently.
The generation of noises does not necessarily take place in a case that the entire circumference of the frame-attached window panel is surrounded by the window opening. For instance, when a frame-attached window panel is used for a small window or a front ventilating (referred to simply as FV) window formed in front of a door of an automobile, a rear side of the frame-attached window panel contacts a front side of the door of the automobile. Since the door of the automobile is movable, there is a certain allowance in the space between the rear side of the frame-attached window panel and the front side of the door of the automobile. The space is sealed by utilizing the elasticity of the lip portion. In the structure for sealing the space with a sufficient allowance by utilizing the elasticity of the lip portion, however, vibrations of the lip portion become remarkable due to the vibrations of the automobile or an air stream during the cruising of the automobile, with the result that the generation of noises becomes remarkable.
In order to reduce such noises, a frame-attached window panel
120
is proposed as shown in FIG.
7
. The frame-attached window panel
120
is provided with a molding
121
which has a base portion
122
made of plasticized polyvinyl chloride or the like and a lip portion
123
, as a separate body from the base portion
122
, which is bonded to the base portion
122
by means of an adhesive means
124
such as a double-faced adhesive tape. The lip portion
123
is made of a material having a low skin friction resistance.
On the other hand, JP-A-7-62183 discloses a molding obtained by the co-extrusion of two or more kinds of material.
In the structure shown in
FIG. 7
, however, an operation for bonding the lip portion
123
to the base portion
122
by the adhesive means
124
is required. Further, the appearance and the durability were insufficient.
Further, in the structure disclosed in JP-A-7-62183, an operation for attaching the molding prepared by the co-extrusion to the window panel is required additionally.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a frame-attached window panel capable of suppressing the generation of noises without destroying the appearance and reducing the durability.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for preparing such frame-attached window panel by simplified steps.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a frame-attached window panel wherein a frame member made of resin is molded integrally with a peripheral portion of a window panel, the frame-attached window panel being characterized in that the frame member comprises a base portion attached firmly to the peripheral portion of the window panel and a primary molding molded integrally with the base portion, and the primary molding is made of a material different from the material for the base portion.
According to the frame-attached window panel having the above-mentioned construction, the frame member can be fixed to the window panel and the primary molding can be fixed to the base portion at the same time of forming by molding the base portion of the frame member. Any adhesive means is not used in order to integrate the primary molding with the base portion. Accordingly, since the primary molding is provided as a part made of a material having a low skin friction resistance, a frame-attached window panel having excellent appearance and durability and capable of suppressing the generation of noises can be obtained at low cost.
As the window panel, a transparent or translucent glass sheet or resin plate can be exemplified. A colored glass sheet or resin plate may be used when it has sufficient see-through properties. However, it is preferred to use a glass sheet because there is little possibility of breaking at the time of injection-molding a resinous material for the base portion of the frame member. As the glass sheet, a single glass sheet or a laminated glass can be exemplified. Further, as the glass sheet, tempering may be conducted or a functional coating such as heat reflecting film may be provided.
The material for the base portion of the frame member is selected in consideration of the points that flowability in injection-molding is good and the appearance and weathering properties after the molding are excellent. For this, plasticized polyvinyl chloride or an elastomer of olefin type, urethane type, epoxy type or acrylic type can be exemplified.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the primary molding comprises a joining portion formed integrally with a base portion and a lip portion projecting from the joining portion wherein the material for the lip portion is different from that for the joining portion.
As the material for the lip portion, a low frictional material having a low skin friction resistance such as chlorinated polyethylene, foamed EPDM or the like may be used. Here, the low frictional material means a material having a low skin friction resistance such as plasticized polyvinyl chloride. By using the above-mentioned structure and material, the occurrence of noises can be suppressed effectively.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the joining portion of the primary molding is made of the same material as the base portion of the frame member. Here, the meaning of “same material” includes a material slightly different in composition as far as the material exhibits good compatibility. For example, plasticized polyvinyl chloride and rigid polyvinyl chloride which are different in only percentage composition are within the meaning of “the same material”. Thus, the durability of the frame member can further be improved.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4953907 (1990-09-01), Sugita
patent: 5001876 (1991-03-01), Harper et al.
patent: 6382696 (2002-05-01), Young
patent: 6460300 (2002-10-01), Mikkaichi et al.
Kato Kenji
Kondo Takanobu
Tanaka Nobuyuki
Yamamoto Yoshinobu
Asahi Glass Company Limited
Friedman Carl D.
Varner Steve
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