Complex stress-engineered frangible structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10648491-B2
Application number	US-201916273397-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2019
Priority date	Apr 6, 2016
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A stress-engineered frangible structure includes multiple discrete glass members interconnected by inter-structure bonds to form a complex structural shape. Each glass member includes strengthened (i.e., by way of stress-engineering) glass material portions that are configured to transmit propagating fracture forces throughout the glass member. Each inter-structure bond includes a bonding member (e.g., glass-frit or adhesive) connected to weaker (e.g., untreated, unstrengthened, etched, or thinner) glass member region(s) disposed on one or both interconnected glass members that function to reliably transfer propagating fracture forces from one glass member to other glass member. An optional trigger mechanism generates an initial fracture force in a first (most-upstream) glass member, and the resulting propagating fracture forces are transferred by way of inter-structure bonds to all downstream glass members. One-way crack propagation is achieved by providing a weaker member region only on the downstream side of each inter-structure bond.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A stress-engineered frangible structure, comprising:
a plurality of interconnected discrete glass members comprising a first glass member and a second glass member each including at least one strengthened glass portion comprising a stress-engineered glass material, at least the second glass member comprising at least one weakened glass portion; and
a bonding member connected between the first and second glass members, the bonding member configured to transmit a fracture force propagating from the first glass member to the second glass member with energy sufficient to cause the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member to fracture;
wherein fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes functionality of the frangible structure.

2. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 1 , wherein fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes functionality of the frangible structure by a loss of mass of the frangible structure.

3. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 1 , wherein fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes mechanical functionality of the frangible structure.

4. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the frangible structure is a component of a machine; and
fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes functionality of the machine component.

5. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the frangible structure is a movable component of a machine; and
fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes functionality of the movable machine component.

6. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the frangible structure is a component of a vehicle; and
fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes functionality of the vehicle component.

7. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 1 , wherein fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes functionality of electronic circuitry disposed on the frangible structure.

8. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 1 , wherein fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes functionality of one or more electronic devices disposed on the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member.

9. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 1 , further comprising a trigger mechanism operably attached to the first glass member, the trigger mechanism configured to generate an initial fracture force sufficient to initiate transmission of the fracture force from the first glass member to the second glass member.

10. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 9 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect a predetermined transmitted signal, and configured to generate a trigger signal in response to detection of the predetermined transmitted signal, wherein the trigger mechanism is configured to generate the initial fracture force in response to the trigger signal.

11. A stress-engineered frangible structure, comprising:
a plurality of interconnected discrete glass members comprising a first glass member and a second glass member each including at least one strengthened glass portion comprising a stress-engineered glass material, at least the second glass member comprising at least one weakened glass portion; and
a bonding member connected between the first and second glass members, the bonding member configured to transmit a fracture force propagating from the first glass member to the second glass member with sufficient energy to cause the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member to fracture;
wherein fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes functionality of the frangible structure from a first functional state to a second functional state different from the first functional state.

12. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 11 , wherein fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes functionality of the frangible structure by a loss of mass of the frangible structure.

13. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 11 , wherein fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes mechanical functionality of the frangible structure.

14. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 11 , wherein:
the frangible structure is a component of a machine; and
fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes functionality of the machine component.

15. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 11 , wherein:
the frangible structure is a component of a vehicle; and
fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes functionality of the vehicle component.

16. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 11 , wherein:
the frangible structure is a movable component of a machine; and
fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes functionality of the movable machine component.

17. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 11 , wherein fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the second glass member changes functionality of electronic circuitry disposed on the frangible structure.

18. The stress-engineered frangible structure of claim 11 , further comprising a trigger mechanism operably attached to the first glass member, the trigger mechanism configured to generate an initial fracture force sufficient to initiate transmission of the fracture force from the first glass member to the second glass member.

19. A method for producing a stress-engineered frangible structure, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of discrete glass members each including at least one strengthened portion comprising a stress-engineered glass material; and
interconnecting the plurality of discrete glass members such that each discrete glass member is connected by way of a bonding member to an adjacent one of the discrete glass members, wherein:
each bonding member is configured to transfer first propagating fracture forces from the at least one strengthened portion of a first glass member to the at least one strengthened portion of an adjacent second glass member such that secondary propagating fracture forces are generated in the adjacent second glass member in response to the transferred first propagating fracture forces sufficient to cause fracture of at least one weakened glass portion of the adjacent second glass member; and
fracture of the at least one weakened glass portion of the adjacent second glass member changes functionality of the frangible structure.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising providing a trigger mechanism configured to generate an initial fracture force in the first glass member, wherein the initial fracture force generated in the first glass member by the trigger mechanism is transferred by way of the bonding members to at least the adjacent second glass member.

Assignees

• Palo Alto Res Ct Inc

Inventors

• Limb Scott J H
• Whiting Gregory L

Classifications

• C03C27/06 Primary

  Joining glass to glass by processes other than fusing (fusing C03B23/20; units for use as elements for closing wall or like openings and comprising two or more parallel glass panes in spaced relationship, the panes being permanently secured together E06B3/66) · CPC title

• C03C15/00

  Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by etching (etching or surface-brightening compositions, in general C09K13/00) · CPC title

• B32B17/10137

  Chemical strengthening · CPC title

• C03B23/203

  Uniting glass sheets (C03B23/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C03C27/10

  with the aid of adhesive specially adapted for that purpose · CPC title