U.S. patent application number 10/542814 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-17 for panel-shaped members with strips joined to them, and associated methods.
This patent application is currently assigned to GDX Automotive Rehburg GmbH & Co KG. Invention is credited to Bernhard Kreye.
Application Number | 20060179786 10/542814 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32773974 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060179786 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kreye; Bernhard |
August 17, 2006 |
Panel-Shaped Members with Strips Joined to Them, and Associated
Methods
Abstract
A windscreen glass (10) is secured in position adjacent a body
panel (12) of a windscreen opening in a motor vehicle body by a
bead of suitable adhesive (14), such as extruded material. In order
to provide a seal between the edge (10A) of the window glass (10)
and the body panel (12), a strip (16) made of suitable resilient
flexible material is secured to the surface of the window glass
(10) by means of bonding material (20), preferably polyurethane,
which is injected or otherwise placed into an open-mouthed channel
(18C) in the strip (16) and thus adheres both to the material of
the strip (16) and to the adjacent surface of the window glass
(10). The strip (16) has a flexible sealing lip (18B). The
polyurethane material (20) may be injected from a longitudinal end
of the channel (18C). In a modification, the polyurethane material
(20) may be injected through an opening through the window glass
(10).
Inventors: |
Kreye; Bernhard; (Wunstorf,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEYDIG VOIT & MAYER, LTD
700 THIRTEENTH ST. NW
SUITE 300
WASHINGTON
DC
20005-3960
US
|
Assignee: |
GDX Automotive Rehburg GmbH &
Co KG
Am Buchholz 4
Rehburg Loccum
DE
31547
|
Family ID: |
32773974 |
Appl. No.: |
10/542814 |
Filed: |
December 1, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
December 1, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB03/05676 |
371 Date: |
September 26, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/716.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60J 10/265 20160201;
B60J 10/70 20160201; B60J 10/30 20160201; E06B 2003/6232 20130101;
B60J 10/78 20160201; B60R 13/04 20130101; B60J 1/006 20130101; B60J
10/34 20160201 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/716.5 |
International
Class: |
E04C 2/38 20060101
E04C002/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 23, 2003 |
GB |
0301597.1 |
Apr 25, 2003 |
GB |
0309503.1 |
Claims
1. A panel-shaped member and strip combination, the member having a
surface, the strip defining a region, a bonding material, the
bonding material being disposed in the region to secures the strip
to the surface of the member the bonding material being covered by
the strip, and optionally comprising a primer applied to the
surface of the member before the application thereto of the bonding
material.
2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein bonding material
is polyurethane material.
3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the strip
comprises a surface in contact with the surface of the member, and
the region is a channel in the material of the strip, the channel
being connected to the surface of the strip which is in contact
with the surface of the member.
4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein the channel
comprises a narrowed mouth connecting the channel to the said
surface of the strip
5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein the channel
comprises sides and inwardly directed wall portions, the sides of
the channel being connected to the narrowed mouth by the inwardly
directed wall portions which extend to the mouth in directions
inclined away from the said surface of the strip to provide a
mechanical interlock between the material of the strip and the
bonding material.
6. The combination according to claims 3, wherein the bonding
material is injected into the channel or groove from at least one
end thereof.
7. The combination according to claim 3, wherein the panel-shaped
member comprises an aperture, the bonding material being injected
into the channel through said aperture in the panel-shaped
member
8. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the
panel-shaped member is or includes an edge surface thereof.
9. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the panel-shaped
member comprises at least a partial surround, and the strip
comprises a sealing portion extending therefrom for sealing against
said at least partial surround of the panel-shaped member.
10. The combination according to claim 9, further comprising a
decorative part and wherein the strip carries the decorative
part.
11. The combination according to claim 10, wherein the decorative
part is clipped to the strip.
12. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the panel-shaped
member is made of transparent or translucent material.
13. The combination according to claim 8, wherein the panel-shaped
member is made of transparent or translucent material for a window
and the surround is part of the frame of a window opening.
14. A method of joining a panel-shaped member to a strip comprising
the step of forming a recessed region in a surface of the strip to
be secured to a surface the member, and placing bonding material in
the region, securing the strip to the member with the bonding
material being covered by the strip.
15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the bonding material is
polyurethane material.
16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the region is a channel
in the material of the strip, the channel being connected to the
surface of the strip which is in contact with the surface of the
member.
17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the channel is
connected to the surface of the strip by a narrowed mouth.
18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the sides of the
channel are connected to the narrowed mouth by inwardly directed
wall portions which extent to the mouth in directions inclined away
from the said surface of the strip to provide a mechanical
interlock between the material of the strip and the bonding
material.
19. A method according to claim 17, wherein the placing step
comprises the step of injecting the bonding material into the
channel from at least one end thereof.
20. A method according to claim 17, wherein the placing step
comprises the step of injecting the bonding material into the
channel through at least one aperture in the panel-shaped
member.
21. A panel-shaped member and sealing strip combination, the member
having a surface, the sealing strip being formed of a material,
having a surface which is in contact with the surface of the
member, and defining a region, a bonding material, the bonding
material being disposed in the region to secure the sealing strip
to the surface of the member, the bonding material being covered by
the sealing strip, the region being a channel in the material of
the sealing strip, the channel having a narrowed mouth connecting
the channel to the surface of the sealing strip.
22. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the bonding
material adheres to the strip.
23. The combination according to claim 21, wherein the bonding
material adheres to the strip.
24. The method according to claim 14, wherein the bonding material
adheres to the strip.
25. The combination of claim 1, further comprising a second primer,
the second primer being disposed between the bonding material and
the strip.
26. The combination according to claim 21, further comprising a
primer disposed between the bonding material and the strip.
27. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step
of disposing a primer between the bonding material and the strip.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to panel-shaped members with strips
joined to them, and associated methods. Strip arrangements
embodying the invention, to be described in more detail below by
way of example only, can be used in motor vehicle body
construction, such as for sealing purposes relating to vehicle
windows and for similar applications in vehicles.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0002] According to the invention, there is provided a panel-shaped
member and strip combination, the strip defining a region in which
is received bonding material which secures the strip to a surface
of the member, the bonding material being covered by the strip,
with a primer optionally applied to the surface of the member
before the application thereto of the bonding material.
[0003] According to the invention, there is further provided a
method of joining a panel-shaped member to a strip, comprising the
step of forming a recessed region in a surface of the strip and
placing bonding material in the region which secures the strip to a
surface of the member, the bonding material being covered by the
strip.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] Window arrangements comprising windscreen glass panels with
strips secured to them and embodying the invention, and methods
according to the invention of making such arrangements, will now be
described, by way of example only, with reference to the
accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
[0005] FIG. 1 is a side view of a motor vehicle body incorporating
one or more of the strips;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a cross-section through an edge of the windscreen
opening of the vehicle body shown in FIG. 1, showing one of the
strip arrangements;
[0007] FIG. 3a shows a modification to the arrangement of FIG.
2;
[0008] FIG. 3b shows a further modification to the arrangements of
FIGS. 2 and 3a;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a cross-section on the line IV-IV of FIG. 1;
and
[0010] FIG. 5 corresponds to FIG. 4 but shows a modification.
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0011] FIG. 2 shows the windscreen glass 10 of the vehicle body
shown in FIG. 1, and the adjacent body panel 12 defining part of
the windscreen opening. The windscreen glass 10 is secured in
position, to the body panel 12, by a bead of suitable adhesive 14,
such as extruded material. Instead, however, the glass 10 may be
the glass of another window (e.g. side or rear window) in the
vehicle body in which case the body panel 12 will define the
appropriate window opening.
[0012] In order to provide a seal between the edge 10A of the
windscreen glass 10 and the body panel 12, a sealing strip shown
generally at 16 is provided. The strip 16 is made of suitable
resilient and flexible material 18, such as plastics, rubber or
thermoplastic elastomer material. It is extruded or moulded to have
a body portion 1 8A and a sealing lip 18B and to define a hollow
channel 18C with a re-entrant mouth 18D.
[0013] The strip 16 is secured to the windscreen glass 10 by means
of suitable bonding material 20 such as polyurethane material. The
material 20 fills the channel 18C and extends through the mouth 18D
to adhere firmly to the surface of the windscreen glass 10. The
material 20 in the channel 18C mechanically interlocks the strip 16
to the glass 10. Instead or in addition, the material 20 may adhere
to the material of the strip 16.
[0014] During manufacture, the strip 16 is mounted in position on
the outside surface of the windscreen glass 10. Polyurethane
bonding material (PU) 20 is then injected (or otherwise placed)
into the channel 18C from one end of the strip 16 so as to fill the
channel and the mouth 18D and thus to hold the strip 16 firmly
position as the bonding material solidifies.
[0015] Preferably, a suitable primer is applied to help secure the
polyurethane material to the glass and/or the strip 16.
[0016] The surface of the windscreen glass 10 may be curved, and
thus the strip 16 may correspondingly curved.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the sealing strip 16 may also include an
external decorative part 22 such as made of metal or other material
presenting bright external finish. The decorative part 22 may be
clipped into position, with its distal edges extending into
recesses in the strip 16, as illustrated.
[0018] In a case where the surface of the windscreen glass 10 is
slightly curved, the strip 16 may be held in a matchingly curved
configuration during the manufacturing process, such as by a
suitable jig, and the decorative part 22 is correspondingly curved
and secured onto the sealing strip 16. The sealing strip 16, with
the decorative part 22 secured to it, is thus held in the required
curved configuration and is mounted on the windscreen glass 10
using the polyurethane or other bonding material 20 in the manner
described.
[0019] FIG. 3a shows a modification to the arrangement of FIG. 2.
In FIG. 3a, the sealing lip 18B is omitted. Instead, a seal between
the edge of the windscreen glass 10 and the frame 12 is provided by
other means, such as by the seal shown at 24. Alternatively, the
seal 24 can be omitted altogether. Means defining a groove for
collecting rain water may be provided.
[0020] Advantageously, the channel 18C is shaped to provide
longitudinal recesses 18E having relatively narrow mouths and
enlarged inner regions 18F (see FIG. 3a), which provide improved
mechanical interlocking between the PU bonding material 20 and the
body portion 18A.
[0021] Again, a primer can be applied to help secure the PU
material to the glass and/or the strip 16.
[0022] In another modification, however, the strip 16 (with the
decorative part 22 omitted) can be secured to the inside surface of
the windscreen glass 30 in the same manner as shown in FIGS. 2 and
3.
[0023] FIG. 3b shows a further modification in which parts
corresponding to parts in FIGS. 2 and 3a are similarly referenced.
As shown in FIG. 3b, the strip 18A is secured (in the same manner
as described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3a to the surface of the
edge 10A of the glass 30. A primer can advantageously be used here
also.
[0024] FIG. 4 shows the window glass 30 of the rear quarter light
window of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1. In this case, the window
glass 30 is held in position within the rigid window frame 32
carried by the upper part of the rear door of the vehicle by means
of a fixture 34. The fixture 34 comprises a head 36 integral with a
screw-threaded part 38 which extends through a hole 40 in the
window frame 32 and threadedly engages a hollow bore 42 in a
mounting block 44 secured to the inside surface of the window glass
30. The mounting block 44 may be made of any suitable material and
is securely attached, as by adhesive, to the window glass 30. The
underside of the head 36 of the fixture 34 bears against the inside
surface of the window frame 32 and thus secures the window glass in
position. A bead of sealing and/or adhesive material 46, which may
be extruded, may also be present for providing additional sealing
and securing action between the mounting block 44 and the window
frame 32.
[0025] In order to provide a seal between the edge of the window
glass 30 and the window frame 32, a sealing strip 48 is provided,
which can be extruded or moulded from suitable resilient flexible
material, such as plastics, rubber or thermoplastic elastomer. The
strip 48 is formed to provide an open channel 48A having a mouth
48B.
[0026] In use, the strip 48 is placed along the edge of the window
glass 30, and suitable bonding material 49, preferably polyurethane
material, is injected (or otherwise placed) into the channel 48A
from one end of the strip 48, so as to fill the channel and extend
through the mouth 48B, adhering to the surface of the window glass
30. The material 49 in the channel 48A mechanically interlocks the
strip 48 to the glass 30 so as to hold the strip firmly in
position. Instead or in addition, the material 49 may adhere to the
material of the strip 48.
[0027] Again, a primer can be used to help secure the PU material
to the glass and/or the strip 48.
[0028] This process may be carried out before or after the window
glass 30 is fixed to the window frame by the fixture 34.
[0029] FIG. 5 shows a modification to the arrangement of FIG. 4,
and parts in FIG. 5 corresponding to those in FIG. 4 are similarly
referenced.
[0030] In the arrangement of FIG. 5, however, a hole 50 is provided
(shown dotted) which extends through the window glass 30 and the
corresponding region of the mounting block 44. The sealing strip 48
is placed over the edge of the window glass 30, so that the hole 50
opens into the mouth 48B of the channel 48A. The polyurethane or
other bonding material 49 can thus be injected into the channel 48A
through the hole 50. More than one such hole can be provided.
Again, a primer can be used in the manner already explained.
[0031] The windscreen 10 or the quarter light 30 can be made of
polycarbonate or similar material instead of glass.
[0032] However, although the foregoing description has related to
the securing of a sealing strip to the translucent or transparent
member of a window opening, it could instead relate to the securing
of a strip to some other panel-shaped member not for a window
opening--such as, for example, a closure member for an opening.
* * * * *