Encapsulated glass frame assemblies and associated methods for forming same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9920566-B1
Application number	US-201715486438-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 13, 2017
Priority date	Nov 1, 2016
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

An encapsulated glass assembly includes a glass panel and a plastic frame coupled to the glass panel and an encapsulant for securing the frame to the panel. The frame includes at least three sides, wherein at least two and less than all of the at least three sides of the frame have a C-shaped channel extending within an outer frame surface and wherein another one side of the at least three sides does not have a C-shaped channel. The panel is introduced onto the inner surface of the lower wall portion of the another one side and then slid within each one of the C-shaped channels on the at least two sides. An encapsulant is bonded onto the panel and frame to secure the frame to the panel. The encapsulant has a Shore hardness less than the Shore hardness of the frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An encapsulated glass assembly comprising:
a glass panel having a first side and a second side and an edge between said first side and said second side;
a plastic frame coupled to said glass panel, said plastic frame having at least three sides and having a corner located between each adjacent side and including an outer frame surface, each of said at least three sides including a lower wall portion extending within said outer frame surface, said lower wall portion including an inner surface,
wherein at least two and less than all of said at least three sides of said plastic frame include a C-shaped channel extending within said outer frame surface, wherein each one of said C-shaped channels has said lower wall portion and an upper wall portion and a side wall portion connecting said lower wall portion to said upper wall portion, said lower wall portion spaced from said upper wall portion;
wherein another one side of said at least three sides of said plastic frame includes said lower wall portion but does not include a C-shaped channel;
wherein said glass panel is coupled to said plastic frame such that said glass panel is contained within each one of said C-shaped channels and such that an edge portion of said second side of said glass panel is adjacent to said inner surface of said lower wall portion along said another one side of said at least three sides of said plastic frame; and

an encapsulant bonded to at least one of said first side and said second side of said glass panel and bonded onto said outer frame surface of said plastic frame to secure said glass panel to said plastic frame, said encapsulant having a Shore hardness less than a Shore hardness of said plastic frame.

2. The encapsulated glass assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said encapsulant is bonded to each of said first side and said second side of said glass panel to secure said glass panel to said plastic frame.

3. The encapsulated glass assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said plastic frame comprises a single C-shaped channel, said single C-shaped channel extending along at least two adjacent sides of said plastic frame.

4. The encapsulated glass assembly according to claim 1 , said plastic frame comprises a pair of said C-shaped channels, a first one of said pair of C-shaped channel extending along a first side of said at least two sides of said plastic frame and a second one of said pair of C-shaped channels extending along a second side of said at least two sides, said second side different from said first side.

5. The encapsulated glass assembly according to claim 4 , wherein said first side extends between a first corner and a second corner, and wherein said C-shaped channel on said first side of said plastic frame extends an entire length of said first side from said first corner to said second corner.

6. The encapsulated glass assembly according to claim 4 , wherein said first side extends between a first corner and a second corner, and wherein said C-shaped channel on said first side of said plastic frame does not extend an entire length of said first side from said first corner to said second corner.

7. The encapsulated glass assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a first side of said at least two sides including said C-shaped channel includes at least two spaced apart C-shaped channels.

8. The encapsulated glass assembly according to claim 7 , wherein an L-shaped channel is disposed between said at least two spaced apart C-shaped channels on said first side of said plastic frame, said L-shaped channel including said side wall portion connected to said lower wall portion.

9. The encapsulated glass assembly according to claim 1 , wherein an edge section of at least one of said at least one upper wall portions is in resilient contact with said portion of said first side of said glass panel.

10. The encapsulated glass assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said plastic frame has a Shore D hardness of from 55 to 95.

11. The encapsulated glass assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said encapsulant comprises TPE.

12. The encapsulated glass assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said plastic frame comprises a polypropylene plastic frame.

13. The encapsulated glass assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a primer disposed on one of said first side and said second side of said glass panel such that said primer bonds said glass panel to said encapsulant.

14. The encapsulated glass assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the glass panel comprises a laminated glass panel or a tempered glass panel.

15. A vehicle including the encapsulated glass assembly of claim 1 .

16. A method for forming an encapsulated glass assembly including a glass panel having a first and a second side and an edge connecting the first side to the second side, said method comprising:
forming a plastic frame having at least three sides and having a corner located between each adjacent side and including an outer frame surface, each of the at least three sides including a lower wall portion extending within the outer frame surface, the lower wall portion including an inner surface,
wherein at least two and less than all of the at least three sides of the plastic frame include a C-shaped channel extending within the outer frame surface, wherein each one of the C-shaped channels has the lower wall portion and an upper wall portion and a side wall portion connecting the lower wall portion to the upper wall portion, the lower wall portion spaced from the upper wall portion;
wherein another one side of the at least three sides of the plastic frame includes the lower wall portion but does not include a C-shaped channel;

coupling the glass panel to the plastic frame by introducing the glass panel onto the inner surface of the lower wall portion of the another one side and then sliding the glass panel within each one of the C-shaped channels such that the glass panel is contained within each one of the C-shaped channels and such that an edge section of the second side of the glass panel is adjacent to the inner surface of the another one side of the plastic frame;
introducing an encapsulating material in a flowable form or in a liquid form onto at least one of the first side and the second side of the glass panel and onto the outer frame surface of the plastic frame; and
cooling the encapsulating material to harden the encapsulating material to form an encapsulant to secure the glass panel to the plastic frame, the encapsulant bonded to the at least one of the first side and the second side of the glass panel and bonded onto the outer frame surface of the plastic frame, the encapsulant having a Shore hardness less than a Shore hardness of the plastic frame.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the step of introducing an encapsulating material comprises introducing an encapsulating material at a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature of the encapsulating material onto the first side and the second side of the glass panel and onto the outer frame surface of the plastic frame.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the plastic frame comprises a single C-shaped that extends along at least two adjacent sides of the plastic frame, and wherein the step of coupling the glass panel to the plastic frame comprises:
coupling the glass panel to the plastic frame by introducing the glass panel onto the inner surface of the lower wall portion of the another one side and then sliding the glass panel within the single C-shaped channel such that the glass pane

Assignees

• Agc Automotive Americas R&D Inc
• Agc Flat Glass Na Inc

Inventors

• Bennett Daniel
• Lahnala David W
• Jerrim Joel

Classifications

• E06B3/5454

  inside U-shaped section members · CPC title

• E06B1/26 Primary

  Frames of plastics · CPC title

• B60J1/007

  received in frames to be attached to vehicle · CPC title

• B60J1/10 Primary

  fixedly mounted {(B60J1/085 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60J10/78

  adjacent to corner pieces, mirror supports or quarter windows · CPC title