Cold formed glass applique

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10549704-B2
Application number	US-201515324153-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2015
Priority date	Jul 10, 2014
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed herein are applique assemblies (200) comprising a substrate (210) comprising a first non-planar surface (220) defining a recess and a glass sheet (230) having a thickness of less than about 3 mm, wherein the glass sheet is configured to fit within the recess, and further wherein the glass sheet is cold formed to conform to the first non-planar surface. The applique assembly may include a chemically strengthened or non-chemically strengthened glass sheet having a thickness ranging from about 0.1 mm to about 2 mm. The applique assembly may be used to cover structural elements on the exterior of a vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An applique assembly comprising:
a substrate comprising a first non-planar surface and a second surface, the first non-planar surface comprising a groove defining a recess, the groove extending at least partially around an edge of the recess; and
a glass sheet having a thickness of less than about 3 mm and located within the recess;
wherein the groove has a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the glass sheet,
wherein the glass sheet is formed into the recess via a cold-forming process to conform to the first non-planar surface, the glass sheet comprising a bending stress that is imparted by the cold-forming process, at least a portion of the glass sheet being retained by the groove, and
wherein the second surface of the substrate is configured to attach to an exterior surface of a vehicle such that the applique assembly covers at least part of a structural frame of the vehicle.

2. The applique assembly of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a plastic substrate, a molded plastic substrate, an extruded plastic substrate, or a metal substrate.

3. The applique assembly of claim 1 , wherein the assembly does not comprise an adhesive layer attaching the substrate to the glass sheet.

4. The applique assembly of claim 1 , wherein the glass sheet is selected from the group consisting of an aluminosilicate glass, an alkali-aluminosilicate glass, a borosilicate glass, an alkali-borosilicate glass, an aluminoborosilicate glass, and an alkali-aluminoborosilicates glass.

5. The applique assembly of claim 1 , wherein the glass sheet is chemically strengthened.

6. The applique assembly of claim 1 , wherein the glass is chosen from clear, colored, and opaque glasses.

7. The applique assembly of claim 1 , wherein the glass sheet has a thickness ranging from about 0.1 mm to about 2 mm.

8. The applique assembly of claim 1 , wherein the glass sheet has a thickness ranging from about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm.

9. The applique assembly of claim 1 , wherein the glass sheet has a compressive stress greater than about 100 MPa and a depth of layer of compressive stress greater than about 10 microns.

10. The applique assembly of claim 1 , wherein the glass sheet has a compressive stress greater than about 700 MPa and a depth of layer of compressive stress greater than about 40 microns.

11. The applique assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second surface is attached to a pillar of the vehicle.

12. The applique assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional layer that is selected from the group consisting of clear and colored anti-splinter films, adhesive films, and decorative films.

13. The applique assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional element that is selected from the group consisting of a light source, touch sensor, antennae, and combinations thereof.

14. An applique assembly comprising:
a substrate comprising a first non-planar surface and a second surface, the first non-planar surface comprising a groove defining a recess, the groove extending at least partially around an edge of the recess; and
a strengthened glass sheet having a thickness of less than about 3 mm and located within the recess;
wherein the groove has a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the glass sheet,
wherein the glass sheet is formed into the recess via a cold-forming process to conform to the first non-planar surface, the glass sheet comprising a bending stress that is imparted by the cold-forming process, at least a portion of the glass sheet being retained in the groove by frictional forces,
wherein the strengthened glass sheet comprises a compressive stress greater than about 100 MPa and a depth of layer of compressive stress greater than about 10 microns,
wherein the second surface of the substrate is configured to attach to an exterior surface of a vehicle, and
wherein the applique assembly is a decorative cover to cover at least part of a structural or functional element of the vehicle from view.

15. The applique assembly of claim 14 , wherein the substrate comprises a metal or a plastic.

16. The applique assembly of claim 14 , wherein the substrate has a thickness substantially equal to or greater than the thickness of the glass sheet.

17. The applique assembly of claim 14 having a thickness in the range from about 0.2 mm to about 10 mm.

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Mcfarland Michael James

Classifications

• B44C5/005 Primary

  comprising inserts · CPC title

• Y10T428/315

  Surface modified glass [e.g., tempered, strengthened, etc.] · CPC title

• B44C5/0407

  containing glass elements · CPC title

• B60Y2200/14

  Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses · CPC title

• B60R13/04 Primary

  External} Ornamental or guard strips; Ornamental inscriptive devices {thereon (fastening strips or bars to sheets or plates by means of clips F16B5/12) · CPC title