Laminated glazing comprising a light light-emitting diode

Abstract

A glazing, and in particular an automotive glazing, includes a laminated glazed element including an exterior glass sheet, an interior glass sheet and a plastic interlayer sheet that is located between the two glass sheets and including at least one light-emitting diode that is located under a peripheral edge of the interlayer face of the exterior glass sheet, wherein the emitting face of the light-emitting diode is located facing at least a part of the edge face of the interior glass sheet and wherein the glazing includes a profiled bead including an exterior lip an interior lip and a body, with the body being located a distance away from, and not in contact with, the emitting face of the light-emitting diode.

Claims

1. A glazing, comprising a laminated glazed element comprising an exterior glass sheet, an interior glass sheet and a plastic interlayer sheet that is located between said exterior and interior glass sheets, said exterior glass sheet having an exterior face, an edge face and an interlayer face that is oriented toward said plastic interlayer sheet, said interior glass sheet having an interlayer face that is oriented toward said plastic interlayer sheet, an edge face and an interior face, said glazing including at least one light-emitting diode located under a peripheral edge of said interlayer face of said exterior glass sheet and having an emitting face, wherein said emitting face is located facing at least a part of said edge face of said interior glass sheet and wherein the glazing includes a profiled bead including an exterior lip in contact with said peripheral edge of said interlayer face of said exterior glass sheet and/or said edge face of said exterior glass sheet, an interior lip in contact with a peripheral edge of said interior face of said interior glass sheet, and a body located between, and connecting, said exterior lip and said interior lip, with said body being located a distance away from the entirety of the light-emitting diode and not in contact with said light-emitting diode; wherein said light-emitting diode is attached to said peripheral edge of said interlayer face of said exterior glass sheet with an adhesive layer, said body being located a distance away from, and not in contact with said adhesive layer.

2. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said interior lip does not lie against said edge face of said interior glass sheet.

3. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said interior lip is in contact with said peripheral edge of said interior face of said interior glass sheet over only a part of its length.

4. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said exterior lip has a width comprised between 1.0 and 3.0 mm and a height comprised between 1.0 and 5.0 mm.

5. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said interior lip has a width comprised between 1.0 and 10.0 mm and a height comprised between 1.0 and 3.0 mm.

6. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an additional protective profile that at least partially covers an interior face of said profiled bead, the interior face of said profiled bead being the face furthest away from said light-emitting diode.

7. A process for manufacturing a glazing as claimed in claim 1, comprising positioning said profiled bead, by extruding a constituent material of said profiled bead, with said body located a distance away from said emitting face of the light-emitting diode and not in contact with said emitting face.

8. The process as claimed in claim 7, further comprising manufacturing an additional protective profile by encapsulating said profiled bead.

9. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glazing is an automotive glazing.

10. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body is located a distance away from, and not in contact with, said edge face of said interior glass sheet.

11. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein and said exterior lip is located a distance away from, and not in contact with, said adhesive layer.

12. The glazing as claimed in claim 6, wherein the additional protective profile completely covers the interior face of said profiled bead.

13. The process as claimed in claim 7, wherein the body is located a distance away from, and not in contact with, said edge face of said interior glass sheet.

14. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said profiled bead is a one-piece element.

15. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body includes a first interior face that is oriented so as to face the interlayer face of the exterior glass sheet and to face the interior face of the interior glass sheet, and a first exterior face, said first exterior face being opposite the first interior face, and wherein the first interior face is out of contact with the interlayer face of the exterior glass sheet and with the interior face of the interior glass sheet.

Description

(1) A plurality of forms of execution of the present invention will be described below, by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a glazing according to the invention; and

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a glazing according to the invention.

(4) For the sake of readability, in each figure the various elements are to scale and elements of secondary importance have in general not been shown. In the two figures, the same references have been used to reference the same elements.

(5) The present invention relates to a glazing 1, such as partially shown in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 2, comprising a laminated glazed element 2 comprising an exterior glass sheet 3, an interior glass sheet 5 and a plastic interlayer sheet 4 located between said two glass sheets.

(6) The present invention is described by way of example in the context of an application as an automotive glazing, this glazing separating an exterior space E that is outside the vehicle and an interior space I that is inside the vehicle. The notions of “exterior” and “interior” are therefore to be considered with respect to this exterior space E and this interior space I, respectively.

(7) The application of the present invention to a vehicle roof glazing and more precisely an application to a right-hand edge of a vehicle roof glazing (as may be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2) is in particular described, FIGS. 1 and 2 each being a partial vertical cross-sectional view of the glazing 1 before installation in a coachwork window aperture.

(8) The glazed element 2 of the glazing 1 is necessarily a laminated glazing that includes, from the exterior to the interior, at least: the exterior glass sheet 3, the plastic interlayer sheet 4 and the interior glass sheet 5; however, it is possible that at least one other sheet be intermediate between the exterior glass sheet 3 and the plastic interlayer sheet 4 or between the plastic interlayer sheet 4 and the interior glass sheet 5.

(9) The exterior glass sheet 3 has an exterior face 30 that is oriented toward the exterior E, an interlayer face 32 that is oriented toward the plastic interlayer sheet 4, and an edge face 31 that is located between these two faces.

(10) The interior glass sheet 5 has an interlayer face 50 that is oriented toward the plastic interlayer sheet 4, an interior face 52 that is oriented toward the interior I and an edge face 51 that is located between these two faces.

(11) The plastic interlayer sheet 4 has an exterior interlayer face 40 that is oriented toward the interlayer face 32 and that here makes contact with this interlayer face 32, an interior interlayer face 42 that is oriented toward the interlayer face 50 and that here makes contact with this interlayer face 50, and an edge face 41 that is located between these two interlayer faces 32, 42.

(12) In the figures, the glass sheets are each illustrated with a rounded edge face 31, 51; however these edge faces may be straight (vertical), with the edges between the edge faces and the faces then making right angles.

(13) The glazed element 2 thus has an exterior face formed by the exterior face 30 of the exterior glass sheet 3, an interior face formed by the interior face 52 of the interior glass sheet 5 and an edge face located between these two faces, corresponding to the edge face 31 of the exterior glass sheet 3, to the edge face 41 of the plastic sheet 4 and to the edge face 51 of the interior glass sheet 5, the edge faces of the two glass sheets here being shifted horizontally from one another in the zone in question, while being separated vertically by a space corresponding to the thickness of the plastic sheet 4.

(14) The periphery of the interior glass sheet 5 thus presents in the location seen in cross section an indent.

(15) The glazing 1 is intended to be adhesively bonded to a rabbet of the coachwork using a bead adhesive (not illustrated) that is located between the interior face 52 of the interior glass sheet and an adjacent portion of the rabbet.

(16) The glazing 1 includes, apart from the glazed element 2, at least one light-emitting diode 20 that is located in a particular zone of the glazing: in a zone of the glazed element in which the edge face 51 of the interior glass sheet is shifted more toward the center of the glazed element than the edge face 31 of the exterior glass sheet, i.e. in the zone of the indent.

(17) Furthermore, in this zone, it is possible for the edge face 41 of the interlayer sheet to be aligned with the edge face 51 of the interior glass sheet, or even for the edge face 41 of the interlayer sheet to be shifted toward the center of the glazed element with respect to the edge face 51 of the interior glass sheet 5.

(18) The light-emitting diode 20 is located under a peripheral edge of the interlayer face 32 of the exterior glass sheet 3 and includes an emitting face 21 located facing at least a part of the edge face 51 of the interior glass sheet 5 in order to emit light into this interior glass sheet 5 via its edge face 51.

(19) According to the invention, the glazing 1 includes a profiled bead 6 including: an exterior lip 63 in contact with the peripheral edge of the interlayer face 32 of the exterior glass sheet 3 and/or the edge face 31 of the exterior glass sheet 3, an interior lip 65 in contact with a peripheral edge of the interior face 52 of the interior glass sheet 5, and a body 64 located between the exterior lip 63 and the interior lip 65,

(20) with the body 64 located a distance away from the emitting face 21 of the light-emitting diode 20 and not in contact with this emitting face 21; the body 64 is located a distance away from the entirety of the light-emitting diode 20 and does not make contact with this light-emitting diode 20, in order to create a space S that is devoid of solid material.

(21) The profiled bead 6 thus has an exterior face 60 that is oriented so as to face the interior faces 22 and 52 of the glass sheets and an interior face 62 that is located opposite the exterior face. The exterior face 60 is oriented toward the exterior E; the interior face 62 is oriented toward the interior I.

(22) In FIGS. 1 and 2, the exterior lip 63 makes contact both with the peripheral edge of the interlayer face 32 of said exterior glass sheet 3 and the edge face 31 of the exterior glass sheet 3 in order to allow a seal tightness that is as high as possible with respect to fluids to be obtained, in order to protect the light-emitting diode 20.

(23) Furthermore, in FIGS. 1 and 2 the body 64 is located a distance away from and does not make contact with the edge face 51 of the interior glass sheet 5, in order to create a space S that is large enough to insulate the body 64 from the heat emitted by the light-emitting diode 20.

(24) The absence of contact between the light-emitting diode 20 and the entirety of the exterior face 60 located facing it may be clearly seen in the figures.

(25) The body 64 thus has a width 164 that is equal to the distance by which the edge face 51 of the interior glass sheet is shifted toward the center of the glazed element, with respect to the edge face 31 of the exterior glass sheet, in the zone in which the light-emitting diode is present. This width l.sub.64 is preferably comprised between 5.0 and 50.0 mm, and is for example 10.0 mm.

(26) The exterior lip 63 has a width 163, in contact with the exterior glass sheet 3, that is preferably comprised between 1.0 and 5.0 mm and is, for example, 3.0 mm.

(27) The interior lip 65 has a width l.sub.65 that extends from the edge face 51 of the interior glass sheet in the direction of the center of the glazed element, which is preferably comprised between 1.0 and 50.0 mm and is, for example, 5.0 mm.

(28) The body 64 has a height h.sub.64 that is equal to the height between the interior face 23 of the light-emitting diode and the interior face 52 of the interior glass sheet. This height h.sub.64 is smaller than the thickness of the interior glass sheet 5; for example, when the thickness of the interior glass sheet is 2.0 mm, the height h.sub.64 is smaller than 2.0 mm. It may for example be about half the thickness of the interior glass sheet.

(29) The exterior lip 63 has a height h.sub.63, which is measured from the interior face 23 of the light-emitting diode and in the direction of the exterior; this height is: at minium equal to the thickness of the light-emitting diode 20 when the exterior lip 63 makes contact with the peripheral edge of the interlayer face 32 of the exterior glass sheet 3; this height is equal to the thickness of the light-emitting diode 20 when the exterior lip 63 makes contact only with the peripheral edge of the interlayer face 32 of the exterior glass sheet 3 without in contact with the edge face 31 of the exterior glass sheet 3; and at minium equal in addition to half the thickness of the exterior glass sheet 3 when the exterior lip 63 makes contact with the edge face 31 of this exterior glass sheet 3; for example, when the thickness of the exterior glass sheet is 2.0 mm, a minimum height of 1.0 mm is required in addition to the thickness mentioned in the first point.

(30) The interior lip 65 has a height h.sub.65 that extends from the interior face 52 of the interior glass sheet in the direction of the interior, which is preferably comprised between 1.0 and 5.0 mm and is, for example, 3.0 mm.

(31) The light-emitting diode 20 is located in the zone in which the edge face 51 of the interior glass sheet is more toward the center of the glazed element than the edge face 31 of the exterior glass sheet. It is thus located more toward the center of the glazed element than the exterior flange 63. It is attached to the peripheral edge of said interlayer face 32 of the exterior glass sheet 3 by means of an adhesive layer 22.

(32) This adhesive layer 22 has a thickness smaller than that of the interlayer sheet 4. As the edge face 41 of the interlayer sheet is shifted toward the center of the glazed element with respect to the edge face 51 of the interior glass sheet 5, this adhesive layer 22 may extend between the two glass sheets 3, 5, in proximity to the interlayer sheet, in the gap left by the interlayer sheet.

(33) Preferably the body 64 is located a distance away from this adhesive layer 22 and does not make contact with this adhesive layer.

(34) Furthermore, the exterior lip 63 is preferably located a distance away from this adhesive layer 22 and does not make contact therewith.

(35) The interior lip 65 preferably does not lie against the edge face 51 of said interior glass sheet 5 in order that a maximum of light emitted by the light-emitting diode 20 penetrates into the interior glass sheet via this edge face 51.

(36) It is possible for the interior lip 65 to make contact with the peripheral edge of the interior face 52 of said interior glass sheet 5 over only a part of the length of the interior lip 65.

(37) Thus, it is possible to produce a recess in the thickness of the interior lip 65 such that the interior lip does not make contact with the ridge located between the edge face 51 and the interior face 52.

(38) To manufacture the profiled bead 6, it is proposed that it be positioned by extruding a constituent material of the profiled bead directly onto the glazed element, after the latter has been produced (after the lamination).

(39) It is then possible to produce the profiled bead 6 such that the body 64 is located a distance away from, and not in contact with, the light-emitting diode 20.

(40) Furthermore, it is possible for the profiled bead 6 to be a distance away from and to not make contact with the edge face 51 of the interior glass sheet 5.

(41) It is moreover possible for the profiled bead 6 to be a distance away from and to not make contact with the interior face 32 of the exterior glass sheet 3.

(42) The constituent polymer of the profiled bead 6 may be a thermoplastic (PVC, TPE, etc.), a polyurethane or even a synthetic rubber such as EPDM or any other suitable material.

(43) FIG. 2 illustrates one variant embodiment in which the profiled bead 6 furthermore includes an additional protective profile 7 that is located more toward the interior than said profiled bead 6.

(44) The interior face 62 of the profiled bead 6 is thus at least partially and even, as here, completely covered by the additional protective profile 7.

(45) This additional protective profile 7 is, preferably, manufactured not by extrusion but by encapsulation of the profiled bead 6.

(46) To do this, the process for manufacturing the glazing 1 includes a step of molding the additional protective profile 7 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 onto each other during the molding step while leaving therebetween a molding cavity that is filled with the constituent material of the additional protective profile in the step of molding this additional protective profile.

(47) The additional protective profile 7 preferably completely covers the profiled bead 6. It thus makes contact with the interior face 52 of the interior glass sheet and contact with the edge face 31 and/or the exterior face 30 of the exterior glass sheet 3.

(48) In FIG. 2, the illustrated additional protective profile 7 is aligned (flush) with the exterior face 30 and does not protrude above this exterior face 30 or make contact with this exterior face.

(49) The constituent polymer of the additional protective profile 7 is different from the constituent material of the profiled bead; the additional protective profile 7 may for example be made of polyurethane or of polyvinyl chloride.

(50) Depending on the materials used, it is possible for the profiled bead 6 and the additional protective profile 7 to adhere.

(51) The present invention is applicable to any glazing and in particular to any fixed automotive glazing. It may also be applied to any edge of such a glazing: left-hand edge, right-hand edge, top edge or bottom edge, and in particular to a plurality of or even all these edges at the same time.