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 layers have respective peripheries that are greater than and extend beyond a periphery of the third transparent inner layer, a first adhesive transparent foil layer located between the first outer layer and the third inner layer and over an entire surface of the third inner layer such that the first adhesive transparent foil layer connects the third inner layer with the first outer layer; a fourth, thinner and smaller, transparent inner layer located in between the third inner layer and the second outer layer, such that the outer layers have respective peripheries that are greater than and extend beyond a periphery of the fourth transparent inner layer and; a second adhesive transparent foil layer located between the fourth inner layer and the second outer layer and over the entire surface of the fourth inner layer such that the second adhesive transparent foil layer connects the fourth inner layer with the second outer layer; a sealing surrounding both of the inner layers and gastight connecting outline borders of the outer layers; wherein a thickness of each of the outer layers is at least two times a thickness of each of the inner layers, wherein the multi-layered windowpane further comprises spacers distributed over a surface of the third inner layer facing towards the second outer layer, wherein the spacers are located in a free space adjacent the third inner layer, and wherein the free space is gastight separated from an outside air external to the multi-layered windowpane, wherein the first adhesive transparent foil layer covers an outside surface of the third inner layer, wherein the second adhesive transparent foil layer covers an outside surface of the fourth inner layer, and wherein the transparent adhesive foil layers both cover at least part of the sealing at a side of the sealing facing towards the respective outer layer.

2. 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. The method according to claim 8, comprising the subsequent method steps: a) attaching by heating at least an inner layer with an adhesive transparent foil layer to one of said outer layers until the adhesive transparent foil layer is at least partially cross-linked; b) stacking a partial stack comprising the inner layer/adhesive transparent foil layer/outer layer of step a) with a least one additional outer layer and a sealing to form a processed partial stack, c) placing the processed partial stack resulting from method step b) in a low-pressure environment while heating the processed partial stack and exerting pressure on the processed partial stack during which process step 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.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein during processing step a) two inner layers, each with a respective adhesive transparent foil layer are attached to a corresponding outer layer until both the adhesive transparent foil layers are least partially cross-linked, and wherein during processing step b) both the inner layer/adhesive transparent foil layer/outer layer partial stacks are stacked with an intermediate sealing.

11. The method according to claim 9, comprising the subsequent method steps: e) placing the stacked two outer layers, at least one inner layer, the spacers, at least one adhesive transparent foil layer and the sealing in an low pressure environment thus bringing the free space onto the low pressure level, f) gas-tight closing off the free space; g) increasing the pressure on the stack to an intermediate pressure level between the low pressure level used in method step e) and the environmental pressure and heating the stack until the stack is united and the at least one foil layer is hardened; and h) increasing the pressure on the united stack to environmental pressure level.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein before stacking the outer and inner layers, the sealing and at least one adhesive transparent foil layer according to method step e), a thin layered windowpane core is incorporated as a part of the outer and inner layers, the sealing and at least one adhesive transparent foil layer to be stacked, wherein the windowpane core comprises two inner layers, the spacers, the sealing, and two adhesive transparent foil layers.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the thin layered windowpane core is heated to a temperature<65 C. before the thin layered windowpane core is incorporated as a part of the outer and inner layers, the sealing and at least one transparent foil layer to be stacked.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the thin layered windowpane core as a semi-finished product is produced at a location different from where the subsequent method steps f)-h) take place.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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

(2) FIG. 1A a cross section of the components of a multi-layered windowpane according of the invention with a single inner layer before assembly;

(3) FIG. 1B a cross section of the components of a multi-layered windowpane according to FIG. 1A after assembly;

(4) 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;

(5) FIG. 2B a cross section of the components of a multi-layered windowpane according to FIG. 1B after assembly;

(6) FIG. 3 a cross section of an assembled out layer, foil layer and inner layer with spacers;

(7) FIG. 4 a cross section of a thin layered windowpane core according to the invention after assembly; and

(8) FIG. 5 a side view on a car-windowpane according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) 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.

(10) 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).

(11) 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.

(12) 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.

(13) 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.

(14) 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.

(15) FIG. 5 shows a side view on a car-windowpane 40 according to the invention that has a three dimensional shape.