Bonding structure with CTE gradient for mounting an optical element in a frame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9500837-B2
Application number	US-201414294245-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2014
Priority date	Jun 3, 2014
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

An athermalized window assembly intended for mounting in or on the exterior of a vehicle and associated method, the assembly comprising a window arranged with one or more mounting members in an opening in a plate. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the mounting members is between a coefficient of thermal expansion associated with the window and a coefficient of thermal expansion associated with the plate. The mounting members may comprise a plurality of skirts that form a coefficient of thermal expansion gradient between the window and the plate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical element assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a plate having an opening therein;
a optical element arranged in the opening;
one or more mounting members arranged between the optical element and the plate, the one or more mounting members having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is between a CTE of the plate and a CTE of the optical element; and
a first bonding agent layer arranged around and outer edge of the optical agent between the one or more mounting members and the optical element; and
a second bonding agent layer arranged between the one or more mounting members and the plate.

2. The optical element assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an optical device.

3. The optical element assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a sealed compartment, at least partially bounded by the window, at least a portion of the optical device being disposed in the sealed compartment.

4. The optical element assembly of claim 1 , the one or more mounting members further comprising two or more concentric skirts.

5. The optical element assembly of claim 4 , wherein the one or more mounting members form a CTE gradient between the window and the plate.

6. The optical element assembly of claim 1 , the one or more mounting members further comprising a plurality of segments arranged along a perimeter of the window.

7. The optical element assembly of claim 1 , wherein the opening in the plate has a profile similar to a profile of a corresponding edge of the window.

8. The optical element assembly of claim 1 , the first and second bonding agent layers are formed of a silicone based adhesive.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Zmek William
• Podyma Steven
• Kennedy Monty

Classifications

• G02B7/028 Primary

  with means for compensating for changes in temperature or for controlling the temperature; thermal stabilisation · CPC title

• B60J1/004

  Mounting of windows · CPC title

• Y10T156/10

  Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor · CPC title

• G02B7/025

  using glue · CPC title