Glazing with inbuilt profile section

Abstract

A glazing includes a laminated glazed element including an exterior glass sheet, an interior glass sheet, and at least one plastic interlayer sheet situated between the glass sheets, and, along at least part of at least one edge, a profile section including a functional part provided with a groove and a fixing part for fixing it to the glazed element. The fixing part includes an interlayer flange which, viewed in cross section, is situated between the interlayer face of the exterior glass sheet and the interlayer face of the interior glass sheet; of the interior face and the exterior face of the interlayer flange at least one face being in contact with the plastic interlayer sheet.

Claims

1. A glazing, comprising a laminated glazed element comprising an exterior glass sheet, an interior glass sheet, and at least one plastic interlayer sheet situated between said exterior and interior glass sheets, said exterior glass sheet having an exterior face, an edge face and an interlayer face which faces toward said plastic interlayer sheet, said interior glass sheet having an interlayer face which faces toward said plastic interlayer sheet, an edge face and an interior face, said glazing comprising, along at least part of at least one edge, a profile section comprising a functional part provided with a groove and a fixing part for fixing the profile section to the glazed element, wherein the fixing part comprises an interlayer flange which, viewed in cross section, is situated between the interlayer face of said exterior glass sheet and the interlayer face of said interior glass sheet, said interlayer flange comprising an exterior face facing toward the exterior glass sheet, an interior face facing toward the interior glass sheet and an edge face, and wherein the interior face or the exterior face of the interlayer flange is, or both the interior face and the exterior face of the interlayer flange are, in contact with said at least one plastic interlayer sheet.

2. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exterior face and the edge face of the interlayer flange are in contact with said at least one plastic interlayer sheet and the interior face of the interlayer flange is connected, by contact or via the interposition of a layer of adhesive material, with the interlayer face of the interior glass sheet.

3. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glazed element comprises at least one exterior interlayer sheet and one interior interlayer sheet made of plastic between the exterior glass sheet and the interior glass sheet, the exterior face of the interlayer flange being in contact with the exterior interlayer sheet and the interior face of the interlayer flange being in contact with the interior interlayer sheet.

4. The glazing as claimed in claim 3, wherein the glazed element further comprises a third plastic interlayer sheet between the exterior interlayer sheet and the inferior interlayer sheet, the edge face of the interlayer flange being in contact with an edge face of said third interlayer sheet.

5. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the groove is open toward the exterior.

6. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile section has, in cross section, two recesses that are open in the same direction or in opposite directions, a first recess forming the groove and a second recess fitting over the exterior glass sheet.

7. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interlayer flange has a width comprised between 5 and 40 mm.

8. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interlayer flange is corrugated.

9. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile section comprises at least one body part made of a thermoplastic material delimiting the groove, and at least one fixing insert provided with a distal part inserted into said body part and with a proximal part that projects out of said body part.

10. The glazing as claimed in claim 9, wherein the interlayer flange is made up at least in part of said proximal part of the fixing insert.

11. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interlayer flange has at least one cavity.

12. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile section is provided with a sealing lip between the groove and the interlayer flange.

13. The glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the groove is configured for clip-fastening a cover piece onto said profile section.

14. An assembly, comprising a glazing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the groove is configured for the clip-fastening of a cover piece onto said profile section, and a cover piece comprising, viewed in cross section, a barbed hook that enters said groove during clip-fastening.

15. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the cover piece is a scuttle panel or a trim element.

16. An assembly comprising a glazing as claimed in claim 1, and a bodywork component, the profile section bearing against said bodywork component.

17. The assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the bodywork component has a main portion and an end portion that is set back toward the interior with respect to said main portion and connected thereto by a shoulder, and the functional part of the profile section bears against the shoulder, and the glazed element is fixed by bonding to said end portion.

18. A profile section for a glazing as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one body part made of a thermoplastic material delimiting a groove, and at least one fixing insert provided with a distal part inserted into said body part and with a proximal part that projects out of said body part.

19. The profile section as claimed in claim 18, wherein the proximal part of the fixing insert has a plurality of through-openings.

20. A method for producing a glazing as claimed in claim 1, comprising a step of laminating the exterior glass sheet and the interior glass sheet of the glazed element using at least one plastic interlayer sheet, the lamination step involving placing the interlayer flange of the profile section between the exterior glass sheet and the interior glass sheet in contact with said at least one interlayer sheet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be clearly understood and the advantages thereof will become better apparent from reading the following detailed description of a number of embodiments which have been depicted by way of non-limiting examples. The description refers to the appended drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a glazing according to a first embodiment, in cross section;

(3) FIG. 1A is an enlarged view of detail A of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative form of embodiment of the profile section of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative form of embodiment of the profile section of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 4 is a cross section of a glazing according to a second embodiment;

(7) FIG. 5 is a cross section of a glazing according to a third embodiment;

(8) FIG. 6 is a cross section of a glazing according to a fourth embodiment;

(9) FIG. 7 is a cross section of a glazing according to a fifth embodiment;

(10) FIG. 8 is a cross section of a glazing according to a sixth embodiment;

(11) FIG. 9 is a cross section of an unassembled glazing according to the sixth embodiment;

(12) FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative form of the sixth embodiment of the invention;

(13) FIG. 11 illustrates various steps in the manufacture of the glazing of FIG. 1, according to one possible implementation;

(14) FIG. 12 illustrates another possible implementation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT EXAMPLES

(15) The present invention relates to a glazing of the type comprising a laminated glazed element comprising an exterior glass sheet, an interior glass sheet and at least one plastic interlayer sheet situated between said glass sheets.

(16) By way of example, examples of glazings according to the invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings, in the context of applications as vehicle glazings, these glazings marking the separation between an exterior space E which is exterior to the vehicle and an interior space I which is interior to the vehicle.

(17) In the example of FIG. 1, the invention is applied to a vehicle windshield and more particularly to a lower edge of a vehicle windshield. FIG. 1 is a view in cross section of the glazing 1 installed in a bodywork opening and intended to close said opening. One edge of this opening is illustrated in FIG. 1 as a rabbet 9.

(18) In the example, the glazing 1 comprises a laminated glazed element 2 comprising an exterior glass sheet 3, an interior glass sheet 5 and two plastic interlayer sheets 41, 42 which are situated between said two glass sheets 3, 5.

(19) The exterior glass sheet 3 has an exterior face 3a which faces toward the exterior E, an interlayer face 3b which faces toward the plastic interlayer sheets 41, 42, and an edge face 3c situated between these two faces. It has, for example, a thickness e3 comprised between 1.8 and 2.5 millimeters.

(20) The interior glass sheet 5 has an interlayer face 5a which faces toward the plastic interlayer sheets 4, 4, an interior face 5b which faces toward the interior I and an edge face 5c situated between these two faces. It has, for example, a thickness e5 comprised between 1.2 and 2.5 millimeters.

(21) The exterior interlayer sheet 41 has an exterior face 41a which faces toward the interlayer face 3b of the exterior glass sheet 3 and which in this instance is in contact with this interlayer face 3b, an interior face 41b which faces toward the interlayer face 5a of the interior glass sheet 5, and an edge face 41c.

(22) The interior interlayer sheet 42 has an exterior face 42a which faces toward the interlayer face 3b of the exterior glass sheet 3, an interior face 42b which faces toward the interlayer face 5a of the interior glass sheet 5 and which in this instance is in contact with this interlayer face 5a, and an edge face 41c.

(23) In the example, the two interlayer sheets 41, 42 both have the same thickness (for example 0.36 mm or even 0.72 mm). In an alternative form, they could also have different thicknesses.

(24) They are for example made of PVB.

(25) The glazed element 2 thus has an exterior face produced by the exterior face 3a of the exterior glass sheet 3, an interior face produced by the interior face 5a of the interior glass sheet 5 and an edge face situated between these two faces and corresponding to the edge face 3c of the exterior glass sheet 3, to the edge face 5c of the interior glass sheet 5 and to the edge faces 41c, 42c of the two plastic interlayer sheets, these edge faces in this instance being in the continuation of one another.

(26) The glazing 1 is intended to be bonded to the bodywork rabbet 9 using a bead of adhesive C which is situated between the interior face 5b of the interior glass sheet 5 and an adjacent part of the rabbet 9.

(27) The glazing 1 comprises, in addition to the glazed element 2, along at least part of the (in this case lower) edge thereof, a profile section 6, which, viewed in cross section, has a functional part 60 provided with a receiving housing or groove 61 in this instance intended for the clip-fastening of a cover piece 8 onto said profile section 6, and a fixing part 70 for fixing it to the glazed element and comprising an interlayer flange 71 situated between the interlayer face 3b of the exterior glass sheet 3 and the interlayer face 5a of the interior glass sheet 5.

(28) In the cross section that is FIG. 1, a main direction Y orthogonal to the tangent to the exterior face 3a of the exterior glass sheet 3 of the glazed element 2 at the point at which said exterior face 3a and the edge face 3c of said sheet 3 meet is defined.

(29) A lateral direction X, orthogonal to said main direction Y, is also defined.

(30) The direction orthogonal to the aforementioned directions X and Y is referred to as the longitudinal direction Z.

(31) In the example, the profile section 6 is a composite element comprising a fixing core or insert 64, in this instance made of metal, and a body part 65 made of thermoplastic surrounding part of said fixing insert.

(32) The thermoplastic body part 65 is, for example, overmolded around the fixing insert 64.

(33) It could also be extruded around the fixing insert 64, in the case of two-dimensional components (of constant cross section).

(34) As will be described in greater detail in what follows, it could be monolithic (i.e. with no interface within the material), or made up of several sub-parts (connected by one or more interfaces), in particular sub-parts made of different materials.

(35) The functional part 60 of the profile section 6 in this instance consists of the thermoplastic body part 65 delimiting the groove 61, a distal part of the fixing insert 64 being inserted into said body part 65 to secure it to said body part 65. In the particular example of FIG. 1, the distal part of the fixing insert 64 has a curved shape more or less corresponding to the profile of the groove 61.

(36) According to an alternative form, the distal part of the fixing insert 64 may extend over a limited portion of the body part 65, which may potentially be stiffened by one or more other reinforcing insert(s).

(37) A proximal part of the insert projects out of the body part.

(38) It is this proximal part of the insert 64 that in this instance forms the interlayer flange 71 of the profile section.

(39) The interlayer flange 71 comprises an exterior face 71a facing toward the exterior glass sheet 3, an interior face 71b facing toward the interior glass sheet 5 and an edge face 71c situated between these two faces.

(40) In the example illustrated in FIG. 1 more particularly, the interlayer flange 71 is arranged between the two plastic interlayer sheets 41, 42.

(41) The exterior face 71a of the interlayer flange 71 is in contact with the interior face 41b of the exterior interlayer sheet 41 and the interior face 71b of the interlayer flange 71 is in contact with the exterior face 42a of the interior interlayer sheet 42.

(42) The edge face 71c of the interlayer flange 71 is in contact with one, the other or both of the two interlayer sheets 41, 42. It is this last scenario that is illustrated in FIG. 1 and visible more clearly in the detail of FIG. 1A.

(43) The interlayer flange 71 has a thickness e7 that is less than the sum of the thicknesses of the two plastic interlayer sheets 41, 42. Thus it does not come into contact with the interlayer faces of the exterior and interior glass sheets 3, 5.

(44) The interlayer flange 71 has a width 1, measured in the lateral direction X, comprised between 5 and 40 mm, or even comprised between 5 and 20 mm. This width is enough to ensure firm retention of the interlayer flange 71 between the exterior interlayer sheet 41 and the interior interlayer sheet 42 without the risk of disrupting the cohesion of the two glass sheets 41, 42.

(45) For preference, the profile section 6 extends continuously over the entire length (or substantially the entire length) of the lower edge of the glazing 1.

(46) In the example, the groove 61 is open toward the exterior.

(47) The cover piece 8 here is intended to be positioned further toward the outside than the profile section 6 and to cover it at least in part when the glazing 1 is viewed from the exterior E. Here, in the context of the application to the lower edge of a windshield, this is a scuttle panel intended to make the visual connection between the windshield and the hood while at the same time channeling runoff water and at the same time providing ventilation of the engine compartment through the ventilation openings (not depicted). A scuttle panel is typically made of a plastic material. As an alternative, in particular in the context of an application to a windshield lateral or upper edge, the cover piece could equally be a trim element intended to limit the ingress of water along the side of the glazing through the presence of a lip situated against the rabbet 9.

(48) In the example, the exterior face 8a of the scuttle panel, which is substantially planar, is intended to remove runoff water, in particular rainwater running off the windshield, and an opposite interior face 8b is provided with a barbed hook 80 intended to enter the groove 61 of the profile section 6 during clip-fastening.

(49) The groove 61 has a mouth and a bottom: when the cover piece 8 is being clip-fastened, the barbed hook 80 enters the groove 61 via the mouth heading toward the bottom; in general, in the clip-fastened position, the barbed hook 80 does not touch the bottom of the groove.

(50) The mouth of the groove, via which the barbed hook 80 is introduced, is produced by two throats: a distal throat 67, situated to the left of the barbed hook 80 in FIG. 1, and a proximal throat 68, situated to the right of the barbed hook 80 in the same figure. These two throats have the purpose of guiding the barbed hook 80 precisely toward the bottom of the groove 60 during clip-fastening.

(51) The two throats 67, 68 of the mouth of the groove 61 are each hammer-shaped with their heads almost facing one another.

(52) The barbed hook 80 for its part is a double barbed hook: it is made up, when viewed in cross section, of two bosses facing away from one another.

(53) Clip-fastening thus consists in the barbed hook 80 entering the groove 61 and more specifically of the two bosses of the barbed hook entering the groove 61 and under the two throats.

(54) For correct retention, the width of the mouth, at the shortest distance between the two throats 67, 68, is less than the width of the two bosses at their widest.

(55) In this first embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the groove 61 does not extend beyond an artificial plane situated in the continuation of the exterior surface 3a of the exterior glass sheet 3: the profile section lies flush with the exterior surface 3a of the exterior glass sheet 3.

(56) The distal exterior edge of the functional part 60 (on the side of the groove 61 that is furthest away from the glazed element 2 in FIG. 1) is situated less on the outside than the proximal exterior edge of said part 60 (on the side of the groove 61 that is closest to the glazed element 2 in FIG. 1) so that when the cover piece 8 is clipped into the groove 61 an exterior face 8a of the cover piece 8 can be in the continuation of the exterior surface 3a of the exterior glass sheet 3; the cover piece is then said to be flush with the exterior glass sheet 3. The profile section 6 does not protrude any further toward the exterior than the exterior face 3a of the exterior glass sheet 3.

(57) It is thus also possible for the cover piece 8 to be present over the groove 61 but not to protrude over the exterior face 3a.

(58) The bottom of the groove 61 may itself be situated further toward the interior than the interior face 5b; that does not impede the positioning of the glazing in the bodywork opening because there is space between the interior face 5b and the rabbet 9 for the bead of adhesive C.

(59) The profile section 6 is thus laminated between the two glass sheets 3, 5 of the glazed element and fixed to these sheets 3, 5 via plastic sheets 41, 42 also known as lamination interlayers. These plastic sheets 41, 42 here serve to fix the glass sheets 3, 5 together and to fix the profile section 6 to the glazed element 2.

(60) The profile section 6 is therefore, at least in part, built into the glazed element 2 at the time of lamination.

(61) FIG. 11 illustrates various steps in the production of the glazing 1 of FIG. 1, according to one possible embodiment.

(62) In a first step (A), the interior interlayer sheet 42 is placed on the interlayer face 5a of the interior glass sheet 5.

(63) In a second step (B), the profile section 6 is placed in such a way that the interlayer flange 71 is superposed with said interior interlayer sheet 42.

(64) At that moment, the interior glass sheet 5, the interior interlayer sheet 42 and the interlayer flange 71 form a first stack.

(65) In a third step (C), the upper interlayer sheet 41 is placed on the first stack.

(66) In a fourth step (D), the exterior glass sheet 3 is placed on the upper interlayer sheet 41.

(67) The interlayer flange 71 is thus placed between the exterior glass sheet 3 and the interior glass sheet 5 and fixed to said glass sheets 3, 5 via the plastic interlayer sheets 41, 42.

(68) There is then applied to the assembly a pressure that is high enough to cause the various layers to adhere to one another by means of the plastic interlayer sheets 41, 42, in a vacuum bag, between lamination rolls (when the profile section 6 does not extend beyond the continuation of the exterior and interior faces 3a, 5b of the glazed element 2), or alternatively in an autoclave.

(69) In the example illustrated, the profile section 6 is formed with its thermoplastic body part 65 prior to the lamination step.

(70) According to an alternative form of embodiment, the body part 65 may also be formed around the distal part of the fixing insert 64 projecting out of the glazed element 2, after lamination. According to one possible embodiment, steps A to D may be identical to those described hereinabove but succeeded by a step E of coating the distal part of the fixing insert 64 that projects out of the glazed element 2, as illustrated in FIG. 12. The coating step E is, for example, a step involving overmolding at least a portion of the distal part of the insert 64 with the thermoplastic body part 65. This embodiment offers the advantage that, in the case of the body part 65, it allows the use of materials that are incompatible with the lamination step, for example of materials that are unable to withstand the high temperatures or pressures.

(71) According to another alternative form, the stacking could be begun not on the interlayer face 5a of the interior glass sheet 5 but on the interlayer face 3b of the exterior glass sheet 3.

(72) It might also be possible to preassemble at least one of the glass sheets with an interlayer sheet made of plastic. In the example of FIG. 11 for example, it might be possible to preassemble the plastic interlayer sheet 41 and the exterior glass sheet 3 before arranging this preassembled assembly on the first stack.

(73) FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative form of profile section 6 that could be used in a glazing according to the invention, in which the interlayer flange 71 formed by the proximal part of the fixing insert 64 has a plurality of through-openings 75, in this instance distributed evenly over its surface. These openings open both onto the exterior face 71a and onto the interior face 71b of the interlayer flange 71.

(74) According to an alternative form, the interlayer flange 71 may have one or more blind cavities, opening onto just one of its faces that are its exterior face 71a and its interior face 71b.

(75) During assembly, under the effect of the pressure, the plastic constituting the interlayer sheet(s) 41, 42 enters the cavities of the interlayer flange 71, strengthening the fixing of the profile section 6 to the glazed element 2.

(76) FIG. 3 illustrates yet another alternative form of profile section 6 that can be used in a glazing according to the invention, in which the interlayer flange 71 is corrugated.

(77) In the example illustrated, the interlayer flange 71 has a wavy shape in longitudinal section (i.e. in a plane orthogonal to the axis X containing Y and Z).

(78) According to an alternative form, it could have a wavy shape in cross section.

(79) FIG. 4 illustrates a glazing 1 according to another embodiment, in which the groove is open in the lateral direction.

(80) The profile section 6 has, in cross section, an m-shape. A first recess of the m creates the groove 61 to accommodate the barbed hook 80 of the cover piece 8 and a second recess of the m fits over the exterior glass sheet 3, preferably coming up against the edge face 3c of the exterior glass sheet 3.

(81) FIG. 5 illustrates a glazing 1 according to another embodiment, in which the groove is open in the lateral direction.

(82) The profile section strip 6 here has, in cross section, an S-shape. A first recess of the S (the upper recess, open to the left in FIG. 5) creates the groove 61 to accommodate the barbed hook 80 of the cover piece 8 and a second recess of the S fits over the exterior glass sheet 3, preferably coming up against the edge face 3c of the exterior glass sheet 3.

(83) FIG. 6 illustrates a glazing 1 according to another embodiment of the invention in which the exterior face 71a and the edge face 71c of the interlayer flange 71 are in contact with the plastic interlayer sheets 41, 42. More specifically, in the example illustrated, the exterior face 71a of the interlayer flange 71 is in contact with the upper interlayer sheet 41 and its edge face 71c with the lower interlayer sheet 42.

(84) The interior face 71b of the interlayer flange 71 is connected via a layer of adhesive material 77 to the interlayer face 5a of the interior glass sheet 5.

(85) Thanks to these measures, the load supplied to the interlayer flange during clip-fastening of the cover piece 8 onto the groove 61 are reacted in part by the interior glass sheet. The interior plastic interlayer sheet 42 experiences less stress, and the fixing of the interlayer flange 71 to the glazed element 2 is preserved.

(86) According to another embodiment which has not been depicted, the glazed element 2 could also comprise a single plastic interlayer sheet which would then be in contact with the exterior face of the interlayer flange of the profile section 6 and preferably the edge face 71c of this flange 71.

(87) FIG. 7 illustrates a glazing 1 according to another embodiment of the invention, in which the glazed element 2 comprises, between the exterior interlayer sheet 41 and the interior interlayer sheet 42 made of plastic, a (third) plastic intermediate interlayer sheet 43.

(88) The exterior face 71a of the interlayer flange 71 is in contact with the interior face 41b of the exterior interlayer sheet 41, the interior face 71b of the interlayer flange 71 is in contact with the exterior face 42a of the interior interlayer sheet 42 and the edge face 71c of the interlayer flange 71 is in contact with the edge face 43c of said intermediate interlayer sheet 43.

(89) FIG. 8 illustrates a glazing 1 according to another embodiment of the invention, in particular a rear screen, assembled on a vehicle bodywork component.

(90) In this example, the groove 61 of the profile section 6 of the glazing 1 is not intended for the clip-fastening of a cover piece 8 but is intended to form a flow channel, in particular in which runoff water can flow.

(91) In the example illustrated it has a U-shaped cross section but could have any other suitable cross section.

(92) In the example, the profile section 6 bears against the bodywork component 9.

(93) The bodywork component 9 is a bodywork opening having a cutout near its distal edge, to allow the glazing 1 to be mounted in said opening.

(94) More particularly, the bodywork component 9 has a main portion 91 and an end portion 92 (closer to the free edge of the opening than said main portion 91) that is set back toward the inside with respect to said main portion 91 and connected thereto via a shoulder 93.

(95) In the example, the end portion 92 and the shoulder 93 between them form an angle close to a right angle.

(96) The functional part 60 of the profile section 6 bears against the shoulder 93. The portion of the functional part 60 that forms the distal throat 67 of the groove and the bottom of the groove 61 are elastically deformed respectively against the shoulder 93 and against the exterior face of the end portion 92 of the bodywork component. Thus, the functional part 60 collaborates with the bodywork component 9 by having complementing shape, ensuring that said part is held in position and ensuring sealing at the borders of the glazing 1.

(97) The glazed element 2 is fixed by bonding to said end portion 92.

(98) For preference, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the profile section 6 has a height such that, after assembly, the distal exterior edge of the fixing part 60 is in the continuation of the exterior face 91a of the main portion 91 of the bodywork component 9.

(99) FIG. 9 depicts an unassembled view of the glazing according to the embodiment of FIG. 8. This FIG. 9 shows the functional part of the profile section 6 in a non-deformed state. The arrows indicate the way in which deformation is performed.

(100) FIG. 10 is an alternative form of the embodiment of FIG. 8, in which the interlayer flange 71 is provided with a plurality of through-openings 75.

(101) The present invention can be applied to any glazing and in particular to any type of vehicle glazing. It may be applied to any arbitrary edge of this glazing: left, right, top or bottom, and in particular to several of these edges at a time, or even to all of the edges at once.