Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Storm-front shield – apron – or robe
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-23
2001-06-05
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Storm-front shield, apron, or robe
C296S084100, C296S146150, C052S208000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241304
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to vehicle windows, and especially to vehicle windows provided with a polymer profile on or adjacent at least one edge thereof.
Traditionally, fixed (i.e. non-opening) vehicle windows were glazed using a gasket which both fitted over the edge of the glass to hold it in position and engaged the bodywork of the vehicle. Such gaskets typically had an “H” section with the glass fitting into one recess of the “H” and the opposed recess of the “H” section engaged over a metal flange formed in the vehicle bodywork and extending around the periphery of the window aperture.
More recently, it has been common to glaze fixed vehicle windows adhesively, using a modem adhesive to bond the window to the metal bodywork. In this way, a rigid bond can be formed between window and body, with the window supplementing the strength and stiffness of the vehicle body. To provide an aesthetically pleasing trim, polymer profiles have been bonded to the glass to form a frame (i.e. a continuous, endless, ring) around the periphery of the window, with the adhesive used to bond the window to the car applied between the vehicle body and the polymer profile. More recently, it has been proposed to apply the adhesive directly between the vehicle body and the glass surface immediately inside the frame around the window formed by the polymer profile.
Polymer profiles used in bonded glazing systems may be preformed and then bonded to the window surface, or be produced in situ on the glass either by encapsulation (a process in which the window is placed in a mold which defines the required shape for the polymer profile around the periphery of the glass, and the required solid polymer precursor introduced into the mold cavity in liquid form and cured in situ on the glass), or by extrusion from a suitable shaped nozzle which is advanced around the periphery of the window to form the required frame.
The polymeric profile frames bonded to the vehicle window may serve a variety of functions. For example, in addition to (optionally) providing a “bed” on the glass to receive adhesive for bonding the glazing to the car, they may include inner and/or outer dams for limiting the spread of such adhesive, and distance elements for controlling the distance between the internal surface of the window and the opposing surface of the vehicle bodywork to which the window is to be bonded by adhesive. The frame may project beyond the edge of the glass into contact with vehicle bodywork opposing the edge face of the glass, thereby positioning the window positively within the aperture (see, for example, EP 0 121 480A,
FIG. 3
, and EP 0 545 896B).
However, providing a polymeric profile in the form of a frame around the periphery of the window requires significant quantities of polymer material (which may be costly) and, if the frame is provided by direct extrusion of the polymer material onto the surface of the window, requires rectification of the joint where the frame is completed, which is liable to be a time-consuming and hence expensive process. Rectification refers to the process of making good the join between the start and end of the extrusion, i.e. making it uniform and hence not readily detectable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been found that the important advantages of the prior art profile frames may be achieved without using a frame, by providing a polymer profile along one or more, e.g. two, edges of the window, but leaving part of the periphery of the window free of polymer profile.
According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle window for mounting in an aperture in a vehicle body, the window comprising a glass pane having inner and outer faces provided with a polymer profile extending along at least a substantial part of at least one edge of the pane and adhering to the inner face thereof, said profile projecting a predetermined distance from the inner face, and locating means for locating the window relative to the aperture during assembly of the vehicle, wherein at least part of at least one edge of the pane is free of the at least one polymer profile. The profile preferably extends along the full length, or substantially the full length, of the respective edge of the window but in some circumstances a smaller length may be desirable or acceptable.
Preferably the window includes at least two polymer profiles, wherein the polymer profiles are formed in situ on the glass pane, and at least one preformed finishing member extends along an edge of the pane substantially all the way from one polymer profile to the other polymer profile. More preferably, the preformed finishing member extends along substantially all of the edges and parts of edges free of the polymer profile.
It will be appreciated that by obviating the need to provide a continuous frame of profile, the hitherto burdensome need for a rectification step is avoided.
The locating means for the window may be included in and be provided by the polymer profile or it may be provided as a separate member, additional to the polymer profile.
Preferably the profile along at least one edge of the window projects beyond that edge.
The projection of the profile beyond the edge of the window may be shaped to engage a surface of the vehicle body opposed to the edge face of the glass, and the profile may serve to locate the window (in at least one direction) within the aperture in the vehicle. The profile may also serve as a dust/weather seal between the edge of the glass and the adjacent bodywork.
The profile may be applied along at least the lower edge of the window, so it serves to support the window in the required position. When the profile is applied along two opposed edges, the profile may be the same or different on the two opposed edges, depending on the position and application of the window. When the profile is applied along two adjacent edges, the profile is preferably the same on those two edges and is preferably continuous along those edges and round the corner between them.
Advantageously, the window may further comprise one or more polymeric distance pieces, adhered to the inner face of the glass pane, and spaced from the polymer profile along the peripheral margin of the window, the polymer profile(s) and distance piece(s) providing means for spacing the inner face of the window from the opposed surface of the vehicle bodywork when the window is bonded in position in the vehicle body.
The number and location of polymeric distance pieces used will depend on the shape and dimensions of the window. Usually at least one polymeric distance piece will be used on each edge of the window not provided with a polymeric profile extending along the edge, although longer edges may require two or more distance pieces and it may be unnecessary to provide any distance pieces along shorter edges.
One or more of the distance pieces may be shaped to co-operate with features of the vehicle body to locate the window in position within the window aperture; i.e. the distance pieces may constitute a locating means.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4910071 (1990-03-01), Kunert
patent: 4938521 (1990-07-01), Kunert
patent: 5137770 (1992-08-01), Rothe et al.
patent: 5149168 (1992-09-01), Yada et al.
patent: 5261718 (1993-11-01), Ohlenforst et al.
patent: 5316829 (1994-05-01), Cordes et al.
patent: 5443673 (1995-08-01), Fisher et al.
patent: 5519979 (1996-05-01), Kunert et al.
patent: 5558387 (1996-09-01), Sumida et al.
patent: 5603546 (1997-02-01), Desir, Sr.
patent: 5695236 (1997-12-01), Banno et al.
patent: 5927040 (1999-07-01), Kuwabara
patent: 2147244 (1985-05-01), None
Dayoan D. Glenn
Marshall & Melhorn LLC
Morrow Jason
Pilkington Automotive UK Limited
LandOfFree
Vehicle window does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Vehicle window, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Vehicle window will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2528806