Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-25
2002-07-02
Gallagher, John J. (Department: 1733)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C425S556000, C428S081000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06413347
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing a frame-attached transparent plate applied to, for example, a fixed window of an automobile, and an apparatus used for producing such frame-attached transparent plate.
2. Discussion of the Background
A fixed window
30
provided at a side face of an automobile is often formed by fitting a frame-attached glass plate
33
to a recessed opening portion
32
of a body panel in order to form a flush surface in the automobile body and to improve the appearance (FIG.
3
).
The frame-attached glass plate
33
comprises a frame
35
, called under the name of a gasket, a mole, a molding or the like, attached to a peripheral portion of a rear surface
34
A (an inner side of an automobile) of a glass plate
34
. The frame-attached glass plate
33
is fixed to the body panel
31
with an adhesive agent
36
. On the rear surface
34
A of the glass plate
34
, a dark-colored coating layer
37
by ceramic coating is provided so that the adhesive agent
36
is not visible from a side of the front surface
34
B (an outer side of automobile).
In many cases, the glass plate
14
is bend-shaped in a two-dimensional direction or a three-dimensional direction.
The following methods are used for producing the frame-attached glass plate
33
: conventional example 1 is a bonding method where a frame
35
is formed by bonding an elongated extruded material formed by extruding to a glass plate
34
by means of a double-coated tape; and conventional example 2is a one-piece injection-molding method where a frame
35
is formed by injection-molding resin on a peripheral portion of a glass plate
34
placed in a predetermined mold.
In the conventional example 1, however, the shape in cross section of the frame
35
is constant due to the extruded material, and there is apt to occur a poor appearance derived from a poor dimensional accuracy, a poor bonding strength or a curve in the extruded material. Such poor appearance appears remarkably when a degree of curving in the glass plate is large. In order to eliminate the poor bonding strength in the extruded material, it is considered appropriate to use an adhesive agent such as urethane sealant or the like. However, use of the adhesive agent creates new problems that a post treatment for removing a squeeze of the bonding agent is necessary, and it takes time for the solidification of the bonding agent.
The conventional example 2, although it can eliminate the problems in the conventional example 1, creates a problem in that the cost for manufacturing is high. In particular, it is necessary to increase the accuracy of the shape of the mold in order to place the glass plate in the mold. When the accuracy of the shape of the mold is low, the glass plate is broken at the time of one-piece injection-molding of the frame. Further, in a case of using a curved glass plate, an error in the curved shape takes place in the glass plate. When a degree of curving in the glass plate is large, the error in the curved shape appears remarkably. When the error in the curved shape appears remarkably, the glass plate is broken at the time of one-piece injection-molding of the frame even though the accuracy of the shape of the mold is high.
Further, there is proposed a method for producing a panel for an automobile wherein a gasket main body of substantially annular shape is formed by injection-molding in a mold, the mold is opened, and a glass plate is pushed toward the opened mold to bond the gasket main body to the glass plate (U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,673), which is conventional example 3.
In the conventional example 3, after the gasket main body has been obtained by injection-molding, the glass plate is pushed to the gasket main body in a state that the gasket main body is held in the mold. Accordingly, if the shape of parting surfaces of the mold, after the mold has been opened, does not meet the shape of the glass plate, the glass plate is broken when the glass plate is pushed. On the contrary, a fault of bonding of the gasket main body to the glass plate may occur. In particular, when the gasket main body is provided on only one surface of the glass plate(herein-below, the one surface is referred to as a surface), the fault of bonding is serious unlike a case that the gasket main body has the following structure.
Namely, there has been known such a structure that a recessed portion adapted to receive an edge and both faces of the glass plate is formed in the gasket main body, and the gasket main body is attached onto the glass plate in a state that the periphery of the glass plate is inserted in the recessed portion. The presence of the recessed portion in the gasket main body reinforces a holding strength between the gasket main body and the glass plate when the gasket main body is fitted to the glass plate. However, when the gasket main body is provided on only a surface of the glass plate, the holding strength to the both members depends on the bonding of these members. Accordingly, the above-mentioned poor bonding strength appears remarkably as a problem in a case of providing the gasket main body on only a surface of the glass plate.
When the glass plate is bend-shaped, in order to prevent the breakage of the glass plate, it is necessary to form previously parting surfaces of a mold to have a circular arch plane or spherical plane which corresponds to a curved shape of the glass plate, and to determine correctly the relative position of the glass plate and the gasket main body. Accordingly, there are problems that cost for the mold is high and steps for manufacturing are complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a frame-attached transparent plate wherein the shape in cross section of a frame can optionally be selected even when the transparent plate such as a glass plate is bend-shaped; a poor dimensional accuracy, a poor bonding strength and a poor appearance of the frame can be eliminated as well as the cost for the mold can be reduced, and the frame can be provided on a surface of the transparent plate without complicating the steps for manufacturing.
Further, it is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus used suitably for the method for producing a frame-attached transparent plate.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, the present invention is to provide a method for producing a frame-attached transparent plate formed by bonding a frame to a peripheral portion of a surface of a transparent plate, the method for producing a frame-attached transparent plate being characterized by comprising injecting a resinous material into a cavity space formed in a mold, which has a shape corresponding substantially to the shape of a frame, to form the frame; opening the mold to expose outside at least a surface to be bonded to the transparent plate, of the frame; arranging the transparent plate to oppose to the frame; projecting the frame from the mold so as to correspond to a curved shape formed in a peripheral portion of the transparent plate to thereby press the frame to a surface of the transparent plate, and bonding the frame onto the peripheral portion of the transparent plate.
In this method for producing a frame-attached transparent plate, the shape in cross section of the frame to be molded in the mold can optionally be selected and a poor dimensional accuracy, a poor bonding strength, and poor appearance and so on do not occur.
Further, in the method for producing a frame-attached transparent plate, the frame is projected for bonding from the mold in correspondence to a curved shape in the periphery of the transparent plate. Accordingly, a mold in which parting surfaces are flat or nearly flat in shape can be employed even when the transparent plate is bend-shaped, and the determination of the relative partitions of the transparent plate and the frame can be simplified in comparison with the conventional techniques.
Namely, in the method for producing a frame-at
Hashimoto Hideyuki
Hosaka Yoshio
Kondou Takanobu
Tanaka Nobuyuki
Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
Gallagher John J.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
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