Glazing with profiled seal and trim and method of manufacturing the glazing

Abstract

A glazing includes a glazed element, at least one profiled seal portion, at least one trim having an elongate shape and which has a base and at least one flange, the base being situated above an exterior face of the profiled seal portion, wherein the flange includes, at an opposite end to the base, at least one tab which is present in the profiled seal portion while penetrating the profiled seal portion via a hole that opens onto the exterior face and does not open onto an interior face of the profiled seal portion and the tab being wholly in contact with the profiled seal portion.

Claims

1. A glazing comprising a glazed element, at least one profiled seal portion, at least one trim having an elongate shape which extends along an edge of said glazed element and which in cross section has an overall shape with a base and at least one flange extending at a non-zero angle from said base, said base being situated above an exterior face of said profiled seal portion, wherein said at least one flange comprises, at an opposite end to said base, at least one tab which is present in said at least one profiled seal portion while penetrating said at least one profiled seal portion via a hole that opens onto said exterior face and does not open onto an interior face of said at least one profiled seal portion and an entire external surface of said at least one tab being wholly in direct contact with said at least one profiled seal portion.

2. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein, on the inside of said at least one profiled seal portion, at least one external section of said at least one tab is greater than an internal section of said hole on the exterior face of said at least one profiled seal portion.

3. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one tab has a thickness identical to that of said at least one flange and a length comprised between 0.5 and 2 times a height of said at least one tab measured from the end of said at least one flange.

4. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one profiled seal portion has, on the interior face, a boss facing said at least one tab.

5. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein, viewed in cross section, said at least one trim has the overall shape of a U, with a first flange which comprises at least said at least one tab and a second flange which penetrates a cavity formed on the exterior face of said at least one profiled seal portion and which does not open onto the interior face of said at least one profiled seal portion.

6. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein, viewed in cross section, said at least one trim has the overall shape of a U and said at least one flange comprises a first flange and a second flange, with said first flange comprising, at an opposite end to said base, at least a first tab of said at least one tab, said first tab being present in said at least one profiled seal portion while penetrating said at least one profiled seal portion via a hole that opens onto said exterior face and does not open onto an interior face of said at least one profiled seal portion and said first tab being wholly in contact with said at least one profiled seal portion, and said second flange comprising, at an opposite end to said base, at least a second tab of said at least one tab, said second tab being present in said at least one profiled seal portion while penetrating said at least one profiled seal portion via a hole that opens onto said exterior face and does not open onto an interior face of said at least one profiled seal portion and said second tab being wholly in contact with said at least one profiled seal portion.

7. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one profiled seal portion is in contact with an interior surface of said base.

8. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one tab has the overall shape of an inverted T, a trunk of the T being formed as an integral part of said at least one flange.

9. The glazing as claimed in claim 8, wherein said at least one tab has the overall shape of an inverted T with at least one branch of the T chamfered toward the trunk or at least one branch of the T which has at least one tooth extending toward said at least one flange, or both at least one branch of the T is chamfered toward the trunk and at least one branch of the T which has at least one tooth extends toward said at least one flange.

10. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one profiled seal portion is in contact with said at least one flange over at least part of a height of said at least one flange.

11. The glazing as claimed in claim 10, wherein said at least one profiled seal portion is in contact on a longitudinal side of said at least one flange.

12. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein during a molding process, said at least one profiled seal portion is formed by molding on said glazed element wholly in contact with said at least one tab.

13. The glazing as claimed in claim 12, wherein the hole is formed during the molding process of said at least one profiled seal portion.

Description

(1) Several embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter by way of nonlimiting examples with reference to the attached drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a glazing according to the invention, the glazing being viewed from the outside;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the glazing of FIG. 1, the glazing being viewed from the inside;

(4) FIG. 3 is a partial view, in perspective and in section on AA of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view illustrating the trim of FIG. 3 and showing several tabs on the same flange;

(6) FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate three embodiments of tab; and

(7) FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view equivalent to FIG. 4 for another alternative form of embodiment of a trim, with tabs on two flanges.

(8) In these figures, individual elements in each figure are drawn to scale, but the elements in the background are generally not included, except in FIG. 3, in order to make them easier to study.

(9) The present invention relates to a glazing 1, and in particular a vehicle glazing as visible in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(10) This glazing comprises a glazed element 2, at least one profiled seal portion 3 fixed to the glazed element, at least one attached component, such as a trim 4 fixed directly to said profiled seal portion 3; in the case of the invention, there is no intermediate fixing component fixed on the one hand to the trim 4 and on the other hand to said profiled seal portion 3, between these two elements.

(11) The glazing 1 according to the invention which is illustrated is a fixed rear side window glazing of a motor vehicle (rear quarterlight). It comprises a glazed element 2 which is fitted with a portion of a profiled seal (or bead) portion 3 made from a flexible polymer material which runs all around the glazed element 2.

(12) The glazing 1, which potentially also comprises one (or more) accessory and in particular one (or more) accessory for attaching the glazing, is intended to close an opening that marks a boundary between an interior space I of the vehicle and an exterior space E outside the vehicle. The glazed element 2 thus has an exterior face 22 intended to face toward the exterior space E, an interior face 23 intended to face toward the interior space I, and a peripheral edge face 21.

(13) The glazed element may be monolithic, which means to say made up of a single sheet of material, or may be composite, which means to say made up of several sheets of material between which is inserted at least one layer of adhesive material in the case of laminated glazings. The sheet(s) of material may be mineral, in particular glass, or organic, in particular plastic.

(14) In the case of a vehicle glazing, the glazing generally has, at least partially at its periphery, a decorative band (not illustrated).

(15) When the glazed element is made of an organic material, it has been manufactured prior to the implementation of the invention by molding the material of which the glazed element is made in a molding device comprising a mold comprising at least one fixed mold part and one mobile mold part which is able to move with respect to the fixed mold part, said mold parts collaborating, when the mold is closed, during the molding step, to form a molding cavity which, in cross section, has the cross-sectional shape of the glazed element. Often, the glazed element made of organic material is not flat but curved.

(16) When the glazed element is made of mineral material, it has been manufactured prior to the implementation of the invention by melting mineral material into a flat sheet, then by cutting this sheet and possibly bending and/or tempering this sheet.

(17) In FIGS. 1 to 3, the glazed element 2 is a monolithic glazing. The glazing illustrated is a fixed glazing, but the present invention may also apply to a mobile glazing.

(18) The profiled seal portion 3 thus has an exterior face 32 which is intended to face toward the outside E of the vehicle, and an interior face 33 which is intended to face toward the inside I of the vehicle.

(19) The polymer material of which the profiled portion 3 is made may be a thermoplastic (PVC, TPE, etc.), a polyurethane, or even a synthetic rubber of the EPDM type, or any other suitable material.

(20) The profiled seal portion 3 is preferably manufactured by implementing a manufacturing method known as “encapsulation” because it comprises a step of molding the profiled seal portion 3 in a molding device, between two molding elements, one molding element accommodating the interior face of the glazing and one molding element accommodating the exterior face of the glazing, these two molding elements being closed on one another during the molding step while at the same time producing between them a molding cavity which is filled with the material of which the profiled seal portion is made during the step of molding of this profiled seal portion.

(21) The profiled seal portion 3 is preferably arranged around the entire periphery of the glazing 1, although this profiled seal portion could very well be positioned on only part of the periphery of the glazing or on an arbitrary part of the glazing.

(22) The trim 4 has an elongate shape which extends along at least one edge of the glazed element 2 and which in this instance extends along three edges of the glazed element: a bottom edge, a rear edge and a top edge. The trim 4 has, in cross section, an overall shape with a base 40 and at least one flange 41 extending at a non-zero angle from the base, the base being situated over an exterior face 32 of said profiled seal portion 3.

(23) In the figures, the trim 4 thus covers a portion of the exterior face 32 of the profiled seal and in particular a longitudinal boss 31 which extends all the way along the trim 4, under the base 40.

(24) It is in order to improve the esthetic appearance of the glazing that part of the profiled seal portion 3 visible from the outside of the vehicle is hidden by the trim 4.

(25) The trim is prefabricated: it has been manufactured, and possibly shaped, prior to being attached to the glazing. It may be made of aluminum, aluminum alloy, steel and in particular stainless steel.

(26) The material of which it is formed preferably has an elastic modulus comprised between 80.Math.10.sup.3 MPa and 500.Math.10.sup.3 MPa so as to exhibit high rigidity.

(27) The trim has a complex shape: in cross section it has a shape with a central base 40 and at least one flange 41, 41′ extending from said base. This flange 41 or these flanges 41, 41′ here (each) extend from one transverse end of the base 40. This shape is positioned upside down with the base situated uppermost or, more specifically here, on, the exterior face of said profiled seal portion 3 so as to cover the boss 31. The interior face 42 of the trim is thus in contact with the exterior face 32 of the profiled seal portion 3 at least along the part furthest toward the outside of the boss 31.

(28) According to the invention, as visible in FIGS. 3 and 4, viewed in cross section (which means to say transversely with respect to said elongate direction of the trim), a distal flange 41 of the trim comprises at an opposite end to the base 40 at least one tab 45 and preferably several tabs 45.

(29) This tab 45 (and preferably these tabs 45) is (or are) present in the profiled seal portion 3 while penetrating said profiled seal portion 3 via a hole 30 that opens onto said exterior face 32 and does not open onto an interior face 33 of said profiled seal portion 3; furthermore this tab 45 (and preferably these tabs 45) is (or are) wholly in contact with the profiled seal portion 3, from the end 44 of the flange that bears the tab and over the entire height of the tab (or tabs); this tab 45 (and preferably these tabs 45) is (or are) embedded in the profiled seal portion 3.

(30) The hole in which the (or each of the) tab(s) is (or are) hidden has a shape that complements the tab.

(31) The flange 41 that bears the tab (or tabs) 45 is preferably longitudinal; and preferably along the entire length of the trim.

(32) The tab 45, and preferably each tab 45, is solid and thus has no aperture, or in other words no opening, through which material of the profiled seal 3 could then pass.

(33) When there are several tabs 45, in order to fix the trim 4 to the profiled seal portion 3, each of the tabs 45 is in a hole 30 that opens onto the exterior face 32 and does not open onto the interior face 33 of said profiled seal portion 3 and each tab 45 is wholly in contact with said profiled seal portion 3.

(34) The hole 30, or each hole 30, is preferably formed during the manufacture by molding of the profiled seal portion 3.

(35) As visible in the figures, the tab 45, or each tab, is in the extension of the flange that bears it and here is preferably formed as an integral part of the flange that bears it; the trim is, in this instance as a single piece of metal, made up of a simple (not bent-over double) metal sheet of a thickness for example of 0.4 mm to 2 mm, which is then bent.

(36) FIG. 3 shows that, in proportion, the thickness of the profiled seal portion 3 is relatively small outside of the zone in which the tab 45 is present, and thicker in the zone in which the tab 45 is present; the profiled seal portion 3 thus has, on the interior face 33, a local boss 35 facing the tab 45, and only facing the tab 45, making it possible to plan for more profiled seal portion material and thus better anchorage of the tab in the material of the profiled seal portion. This boss 35 may act as an end stop for the thickness of the adhesive (not illustrated) used to bond the glazing into the bodywork opening. This in particular illustrates the benefit of the invention for configurations in which the space available between the edge face 21 of the glazed element and the adjacent bodywork (not illustrated) is small.

(37) Here, the overall width of this boss 35 is greater than the overall width L of said tab by approximately 2 mm on each side.

(38) As can be seen in FIG. 3, the tab 45, or each tab, preferably has a length L comprised between 0.5 and 2 times its height w measured from the end 44 of the flange 41; here, the ratio is 1:1.

(39) The tab 45 has the overall shape of an inverted T, a trunk of the T being formed as an integral part of the flange 41. It is therefore not possible to remove the tab 45 and, therefore, the trim 4, without damaging the hole in which the tab lies and therefore the profiled seal portion.

(40) FIGS. 5 to 7 illustrate various alternative forms of embodiment of the overall inverted-T shape: in FIG. 5, the branches of the T are straight, of the same height over their entire length, in FIG. 6, the branches of the T are chamfered toward the trunk, which means to say that they are not as tall toward the trunk, and in FIG. 7, the branches of the T each have at least one tooth 49, for example a triangular or parallelepipedal tooth, which extends toward the flange 41, and preferably each have several teeth.

(41) These alternative forms can of course be combined with one another on one branch or on both branches.

(42) In absolute terms, it is possible to create an L-shaped tab 45, which means to say one shaped like a T as illustrated but with just one branch; however, that then generates an imbalance in the retention of the trim by the profiled seal portion.

(43) The trim 4 is held against the interior face 33 by the tab 45 (or the tabs 45), embedded in the profiled seal portion.

(44) The profiled seal portion 3 is thus in contact with the interior surface 43 of the base 40 with no adhesion-promoting layer interposed between the base 40 and the profiled seal portion 3 and even with no adhesion-promoting layer interposed between the trim 4 and the profiled seal portion 3.

(45) For even better retention still, the flange 41 is preferably in contact with the profiled seal portion 3 over at least part of its height, and preferably over its entire height. This contact is preferably on each longitudinal side of the flange 41.

(46) It is possible for the trim to be straight along its length. However, it is entirely possible for the trim to be curved along its length and to be present on two adjacent sides of the glazed element, or even on three sides of the glazed element as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, or even all around the glazed element.

(47) It is then possible for the trim to comprise at least two tabs 45 on each of the sides of the glazed element which are provided with the trim.

(48) It is possible to optimize the retention achieved by the tabs according to their respective positions in space so as to have retention in the three dimensions of space.

(49) FIGS. 3 and 4 moreover show that, in particular when viewed in cross section at the point at which a tab is present, and preferably all along the length of the trim, according to a first alternative form of embodiment of the invention, the trim 4 has the overall shape of a U, with a first flange 41 which comprises at least one tab 45 and a second flange 47 of the U of the trim which penetrates a cavity 34 formed on the exterior face 32 of said profiled seal portion 3, said cavity not opening onto the interior face 33 of said profiled seal portion 3.

(50) In this first alternative form, this second flange 47 has no tab.

(51) This second flange 47 is preferably the proximal flange of the U, which is the one closest to the glazed element when mounted and said first flange 41 is then the distal flange of the U, the one furthest from the glazed element when mounted, so as to have more space in the profiled seal portion to accommodate the tab 45.

(52) In an alternative form which has not been illustrated it is possible to plan for the trim 4 to have the overall shape of an L, with the base 40 penetrating a cavity formed on the exterior face 32 of the profiled seal portion 3, this cavity not opening onto the interior face 33 of the profiled seal portion 3.

(53) FIG. 8 shows a second alternative form of the invention, viewed in cross section at the point at which a tab is present, in which the trim 4 has the overall shape of a U, with as for the first alternative form, a first flange 41 which comprises at an opposite end 44 to the base 40 at least a first tab 45, this first tab 45 being present in the profiled seal portion 3 while penetrating said profiled seal portion 3 via a hole that opens onto said exterior face 32 and does not open onto an interior face 33 of said profiled seal portion 3 and the tab 45 being wholly in contact with the profiled seal portion 3, and unlike in the first alternative form, a second flange 41′ which comprises at an opposite end 44′ to the base 40 at least a second tab 45′, this second tab 45′ being present in said profiled seal portion 3 while penetrating said profiled seal portion 3 via a hole that opens onto said exterior face 32 and does not open onto an interior face 33 of said profiled seal portion 3 and the second tab 45′ being wholly in contact with the profiled seal portion 3.

(54) The tabs 45 and 45′ are preferably longitudinally offset (which means to say do not face one another) in order to improve the retention of the tabs in the profiled seal portion.