Multi-Layered Windowpane and Method for Producing Such Windowpane

Abstract

The invention relates to a multi-layered windowpane including a first transparent outer layer, a second transparent outer layer, and a third, smaller, transparent inner layer that is located in between the outer layers, an adhesive transparent foil layer located between the first outer layer and the third inner layer and a sealing surrounding the third inner layer. The invention also provides a thin layered windowpane core to be incorporated in such a multi-layered windowpane as well as a method for producing such a multi-layered windowpane.

Claims

1. A multi-layered windowpane comprising: a first transparent outer layer, a second transparent outer layer, and a third, smaller, transparent inner layer that is located in between the outer layers such that the outer transparent layers from all sides protrude from the third inner layer, an adhesive transparent foil layer located between the first outer layer and the third inner layer that over the entire surface of the third inner layer connects the third inner layer with the first outer layer; a sealing surrounding the third inner layer and gastight connecting the outline borders of the outer layers; wherein the thickness of each of the outer layers is at least two times the thickness of the third inner layer, and wherein the multi-layered windowpane further comprises spacers distributed over the entire surface of the side of the third inner layer facing towards the second outer layer.

2. The multi-layered windowpane according to claim 1, wherein the multi-layered windowpane further comprises: a fourth, thinner and smaller, transparent inner layer located in between the third inner layer and the second outer layer, and a second transparent adhesive foil layer located between the fourth inner layer and the second outer layer that over the entire surface of the fourth inner layer connects the fourth inner layer with the second outer layer; wherein the thickness of each of the outer layers is at least two times the thickness of each of the inner layers, wherein the outer layers from all sides protrude from the inner layers, and wherein the sealing surrounds both the inner layers and gastight connects the outline borders of the outer layers.

3. The multi-layered windowpane according to claim 1, wherein the spacers provide a free space adjacent the third inner layer, which free space is gastight separated from the outside air.

4. The multi-layered windowpane according to claim 1, wherein at least one transparent foil layer and/or the sealing is made of a thermoplastic elastomer, for instance an adhesive co-polymer like Poly Vinyl Butyral (PVB), Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA) or Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU).

5. The multi-layered windowpane according to claim 1, wherein the multi-layered windowpane has a curved shape.

6. The multi-layered windowpane according to claim 1, wherein at least one inner layer has a thickness of less than 2.1 mm, preferably a thickness of 0.3-0.7 mm.

7. The multi-layered windowpane according to claim 1, wherein the spacers are printed on a layer.

8. The multi-layered windowpane according to claim 1, wherein the spacers are glass elements attached to a layer.

9. The multi-layered windowpane according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the layers is made of glass, reinforced glass, or plastic.

10. A thin layered windowpane core to be incorporated in a multi-layered windowpane according to claim 2, comprising: at least two stacked transparent inner layers; spacers, spacing apart the two inner layers providing a free space between the two stacked inner layers; a sealing surrounding the stacked inner layers leaving a gas-permeable connection to the outside air; and two transparent foil layers, which transparent foil layers cover the outside both the inner layers and both at least partially also cover the sealing; wherein the inner layers, spacers, sealing and foil layers are mechanically joined with a gas-permeable connection of the free space between the two stacked inner layers to the outside air.

11. The thin layered windowpane core according to claim 10, wherein the surrounding sealing and/or at least one of the transparent foil layers are made of a thermoplastic elastomer which is in a pre-bonded not complete crosslinked or non-crosslinked state.

12. The thin layered windowpane core according to claim 10, wherein the surrounding sealing and/or the transparent foil layer have a pre-bonded profiled surface.

13. The thin layered windowpane core according to claim 10, wherein the surrounding sealing and/or the transparent foil layer are spot welded for providing a mechanical coherence to the thin layered windowpane core.

14. A method for producing a multi-layered windowpane according to claim 1, wherein the stacked two outer layers, at least one inner layer, the spacers, at least one intermediate transparent foil layer and the sealing are united by heating and exerting a pressure on the stack; wherein a free space provided by the spacers adjacent the third inner layer is brought to low gas pressure and subsequently gastight separated from the outside air; and wherein the pressure attaching at least one inner layer with an intermediate foil layer onto a corresponding outer layer, for as long as the intermediate foil layer is not hardened, is kept below the level of the pressure difference of the environmental pressure level with the low pressure level in the free space.

15. The method according to claim 14, comprising the subsequent method steps: a) attaching by heating at least an inner layer with an intermediate transparent foil layer to an outer layer until the intermediate foil layer is at least partially cross-linked; b) stacking the pre-processed inner layer/intermediate foil/outer layer partial stack with a least one additional outer layer and a sealing, c) placing the stack resulting from method step b) in a low-pressure environment while heating the stack and exerting pressure on the stack during which process stap gas is exerted from the free space; and d) gas-tight closing off the free space with the sealing and uniting all the layers of the multi-layered windowpane.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein during processing step a) two inner layers, each with an intermediate transparent foil layer are attached to a corresponding outer layer until both the intermediate foil layers are least partially cross-linked, and wherein during processing step b) both the pre-processed inner layer/intermediate foil/outer layer partial stacks are stacked with an intermediate sealing.

17. The method according to claim 14, comprising the subsequent method steps: a) placing the stacked two outer layers, at least one inner layer, the spacers, at least one intermediate transparent foil layer and the sealing are placed in an low pressure environment thus bringing the free space onto the low pressure level, b) gas-tight closing off the free space; c) enhancing the external pressure on the stacked package to an intermediate pressure level between the low pressure level used in method step e) and the environmental pressure and heating the stacked package until the stacked package is united and the at least one foil layer is hardened; and d) enhancing the pressure on the united stack to environmental pressure level.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein before stacking the outer and inner layers, the sealing and at least one transparent foil layer according to method step f) a thin layered windowpane core according to claim 10 is made as a semi-finished product, which thin layered windowpane core in method step f) is incorporated as a part of the outer and inner layers, the sealing and at least one transparent foil layer to be stacked.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the thin layered windowpane core is heated to a temperature <65° C., preferably <55° C., before the thin layered windowpane core in method step f) is incorporated as a part of the outer and inner layers, the sealing and at least one transparent foil layer to be stacked.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the thin layered windowpane core as a semi-finished product is produced at a different location then where the subsequent method steps f)-h) take place.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The present invention will be further elucidated on the basis of the non-limitative exemplary embodiments shown in the following figures. Herein shows:

[0028] FIG. 1A a cross section of the components of a multi-layered windowpane according of the invention with a single inner layer before assembly;

[0029] FIG. 1B a cross section of the components of a multi-layered windowpane according to FIG. 1A after assembly;

[0030] FIG. 2A a cross section of the components of an alternative embodiment of the multi-layered windowpane according of the invention with two inners layer before assembly;

[0031] FIG. 2B a cross section of the components of a multi-layered windowpane according to FIG. 1B after assembly;

[0032] FIG. 3 a cross section of an assembled out layer, foil layer and inner layer with spacers;

[0033] FIG. 4 a cross section of a thin layered windowpane core according to the invention after assembly; and

[0034] FIG. 5 a side view on a car-windowpane according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] FIG. 1A shows a cross section of the individualised components of a multi-layered windowpane 1 according of the invention having a first transparent outer layer 2, a second transparent outer layer 3, and a third, smaller, transparent inner layer 4 that is located in between the outer layers 2, 3. Also visible is that the outer layers 2, 3 protrude from all sides from the third inner layer 4. Between the first outer layer 2 and the third inner layer 4 an adhesive transparent foil layer 5 is provided. A sealing 6 surrounds the third inner layer 4. The thickness D.sub.1, D.sub.2 of the outer layers 2, 3 is more than twice the thickness D.sub.3 of the third inner layer 4. Over the entire surface 7 of the third inner layer 4 spacers 8 are distributed that facing towards the second outer layer 3. In FIG. 1A the components are not unified yet.

[0036] In FIG. 1B the components as shown in FIG. 1A are now assembled (unified) to a multi-layered windowpane 1 according of the invention. The adhesive transparent foil layer 5 connect the third inner layer 4 with the first outer layer 2 and the sealing 6 connects the outer layers 2, 3 (together with the adhesive transparent foil layer 5). The sealing 6 here is even merged with the foil layer 5. Around the spacers 8 there is free space 9 that is gas-tight sealed off from the environment 10 by the sealing 6 and the foil layer 5. In this free space 9 the gas pressure is preferably lower than the air pressure in the environment (more preferably close to vacuum).

[0037] FIG. 2A shows a cross section of the components of an alternative embodiment of a multi-layered windowpane 11 before assembly wherein the components that correspond with the identical components of the multi-layered windowpane 1 as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B have identical reference signs. Compared to the windowpane 1 from FIGS. 1A, 1B the multi-layered windowpane 11 has two inners layers 5, 12; a third inner layer 5 (as demonstrated before) and an additional fourth inner layer 12. Between the fourth inner layer 12 and the second outer layer 3 an additional transparent adhesive foil layer 13 is positioned. Also the fourth inner layer 12 is smaller than the outer layers 2, 3. The thickness D.sub.4 of the fourth inner layer 14 is less than half the thickness D.sub.1, D.sub.2 of the outer layers 2, 3 and is more less the same as the thickness D.sub.3 of the third inner layer 4.

[0038] In FIG. 2B the components as shown in FIG. 2A are now assembled (unified) to a multi-layered windowpane 1 according of the invention. The adhesive transparent foil layer 13 connects the fourth inner layer 12 with the second outer layer 3 and the sealing 6 connects the outer layers 2, 3 (together with the adhesive transparent foil layers 5, 13). Also here the sealing 6 may be merged with both the foil layer 5, 12. The free space 9 around the spacers 8 is now located between the two inner layers 5, 12 and is also gas-tight sealed off from the environment 10 by the sealing 6 and the foil layers 5, 12.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a cross section of an assembled out layer 2, foil layer 5 and inner layer 4 with spacers 8 which elements are already unified as a semi-finished product 20. The foil layer 5 is preferably irreversible hardened (cross-linked) so that when heated again it will not loose its solidity. Using such a semi-finished product 20 in the production of a multi-layered windowpane 1, 11 according to the invention limits the chance of deformations in the finished windowpane foil layer(s) 5, 13 causing optical distortion.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a cross section of a thin layered windowpane core 30 according to the invention after assembly as a semi-finished product to be incorporated in a multi-layered windowpane 1, 11 according to the invention. The windowpane core 30 has two stacked transparent inner layers 31, 32, spacers 33 spacing apart the two inner layers 31, 32 and providing a free space 34 between the inner layers 31, 32. A sealing 35 surrounds the inner layers 31, 32 (and not visible: leaving a gas-permeable connection to the outside air). Two transparent foil layers 36, 37 cover the outside of the inner layers 31, 32 and both also cover the sealing 35 but the transparent foil layers 36, 37 are not fully merged with the sealing 35 as there remains a gas-permeable connection of the free space 34 between the two stacked inner layers 31, 32 to the outside air 10.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows a side view on a car-windowpane 40 according to the invention that has a three dimensional shape.