Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Window or window sash – sill – mullion – or glazing
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-04
2002-10-22
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Window or window sash, sill, mullion, or glazing
C052S204530, C052S208000, C296S096210, C296S146150, C296S216090
Reexamination Certificate
active
06467225
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a glass sheet and a glass window used in vehicles such as automobiles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a glass window for vehicles such as automobiles, a glass sheet is usually fixed to a window frame by the edge thereof being supported by a molding. Alternatively, as shown in
FIG. 12
, a glass sheet
51
may be fixed to a vehicle body
60
by inserting a bolt
56
into a hole penetrating a glass sheet
51
, and fixing the glass sheet
51
to the vehicle body
60
via a cushion
58
with the bolt
56
and a nut
57
. Although forming a hole in the glass sheet is required, there is no need to prepare a window frame to which the glass sheet is fixed in this glass window. Therefore, such a window is more advantageous because of a higher degree of flexibility in the design of the vehicle body.
On the other hand, in the field of vehicles, especially, automobiles, an attempt to provide a vehicle body with a flush surface has been made in order to reduce air resistance and eliminate wind noise. As shown in
FIG. 13
, a glass window having a glass sheet
52
and a supporting member flush with a vehicle body
50
has been proposed. In the glass window, a resin
53
is extruded directly at an edge of the glass sheet
52
. As shown in
FIG. 13
, a ceramic mask
55
often is formed on the glass sheet
52
in order to prevent the attached portion from being seen from the outside.
However, no effective method for a flush surface has been proposed for a glass window in which a glass sheet is fixed to a vehicle body by utilizing a hole. The head of a bolt for fixing a glass sheet entirely protrudes from the surface of the glass sheet when the glass window is used.
On the other hand, in a resin window using a resin sheet, methods for a flush surface other than that shown in
FIG. 13
have been proposed (e.g., Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Tokkai-Sho) No.
63-82814,
Japanese Utility Model Publication No.
3-98115,
and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Tokkai-Hei) No.
7-137535
). However, a resin sheet is inherently different from a glass sheet, which is a brittle material. Unlike the glass sheet, the surface of a resin sheet is susceptible to scars. In the resin sheet, the problem of surface hardness is more significant than the problem of strength. Therefore, when considering the glass window for vehicles, in general, those skilled in the art have not referred to the resin window for vehicles produced with a resin sheet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has an object of providing a glass window for vehicles in which a glass sheet is fixed to a body of a vehicle by utilizing a hole that has a reduced protrusion of a supporting member, such as a bolt, from the surface of th e g lass sheet. The present invention has another object of providing a glass sheet suitable for such a glass window for vehicles. In order to achieve the object of the present invention, a glass sheet of the present invention includes a hole formed in the glass sheet for attachment of the glass sheet to a body of a vehicle. The hole includes a through hole and a thin part where a thickness of the glass sheet is reduced. The thin part is formed in contact with the through hole.
Such a glass sheet constitutes a glass window for vehicles in which a protrusion of a supporting member from the surface of the glass sheet can be reduced by utilizing the thin part of the glass sheet. More specifically, for example, when a glass sheet is fixed with a bolt, the head of the bolt is fitted in the thin part of the glass sheet, so that the protrusion of the head of the bolt can be reduced. The glass sheet can constitute a glass window in which the protrusion of the supporting member is eliminated so that the supporting member is substantially flush with the glass. sheet.
In one embodiment of the glass sheet of the present invention, the shortest distance between a periphery of the hole in the glass sheet and an edge of the glass sheet is preferably at least twice the thickness of the glass sheet. According to this preferred embodiment, the degradation of the strength of the glass sheet due to forming the hole can be suppressed.
Furthermore, in one embodiment of the glass sheet of the present invention, the glass sheet is preferably a tempered glass sheet. A difference between a thickness of the glass sheet and a thickness of the thin part is preferably 0.5 mm or more. The thickness of the thin part is preferably larger than a half of the thickness of the glass sheet. This preferred embodiment provides a glass sheet that is suitable to allow a glass window for vehicles to have a flush surface and is ensured the strength necessary as a window frame.
Furthermore, in another embodiment of the glass sheet of the present invention, the periphery of the hole preferably does not form an exact circle. According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to constitute a glass window for vehicles useful in the prevention of stealing goods in the vehicle.
Furthermore, in order to achieve the above-described object, a glass window for vehicles of the present invention comprises the glass sheet of the present invention and a supporting member fitted in the hole for supporting the glass sheet.
Such a glass window for vehicles makes it possible to suppress the protrusion of the supporting member from the surface of the glass sheet and allow a flush surface of the glass window for vehicles with the glass sheet fixed by utilizing the hole.
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patent: 4621453 (1986-11-01), Watanabe
patent: 4680206 (1987-07-01), Yoxon
patent: 4969681 (1990-11-01), Schleicher et al.
patent: 5027567 (1991-07-01), Roberts
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patent: 5138804 (1992-08-01), Roberts
patent: 5235239 (1993-08-01), Jacob et al.
patent: 5540514 (1996-07-01), Demars
patent: 5570923 (1996-11-01), Taylor
patent: 5741043 (1998-04-01), Palajac
patent: 5778599 (1998-07-01), Saito
patent: 6138434 (2000-10-01), Demars et al.
patent: 623 449 (1981-06-01), None
patent: 296 21 302 (1996-12-01), None
patent: 0 208 237 (1986-07-01), None
patent: 0 801 201 (1997-03-01), None
patent: 2 658 237 (1990-02-01), None
patent: 63-82814 (1988-04-01), None
patent: 3-98115 (1990-01-01), None
patent: 7-137535 (1995-05-01), None
Friedman Carl D.
McDermott Kevin
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Ltd.
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