Window unit, mold and associated method

Abstract

A window unit (10) comprising a glazing panel (2), a frame profile arranged on at least one peripheral side on at least a portion of an edge of the glazing panel. The frame profile comprises a rigid portion (3) designed to receive a trim strip (4). The rigid portion (3) has an elongated shape with a long edge along the at least one peripheral side and comprises at least one rigid connecting means (5a) and at least one flexible connecting means (5b). The at least one rigid connecting device and the at least one flexible connecting device have an elongated shape having a long edge along the at least one peripheral side and are integral parts of the rigid portion. The trim strip (4) comprises at least one first clamping portion (4a) rotatably connected to the at least one rigid connecting means, and at least one second clamping portion (4b) clamped to the at least one flexible connecting means. The at least one flexible connecting means is fully offset from the at least one rigid connecting means by a distance (D gt; 0 mm) greater than 0 mm in the direction of the long edge of the rigid portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a motor vehicle window unit, which includes an encapsulated glass panel, a decorative strip on at least a part of the peripheral side of the edge of the motor vehicle window unit, and a frame profile. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a window unit provided with a decorative strip and to a corresponding mold. Background Art

[0002] Window units having an encapsulated glass panel and a frame are known. Window units are usually equipped with a decorative strip to improve the visible appearance of the window. Generally, the decorative strip is made of a metallic material or a plastic material and is fixed to the encapsulated glass by different means, such as: gluing; bending the decorative strip in specific areas (harpoons); integrating metal fasteners into the frame; or overmolding the strip during an encapsulation process.

[0003] Today, some window units have a frame provided around the encapsulated glass unit by encapsulation with a soft material, and the decorative strip is fixed to the encapsulated glass panel with metal fasteners (such as the metal clips described in DE 19818153). These metal clips are manually fixed to the encapsulated frame before the decorative strip is assembled. However, this manufacturing is labor-intensive and increases the cost of window manufacturing.

[0004] Plastic inserts have been developed to support the decorative strip to avoid a high thickness of the encapsulation material and to meet the current expectations for a high surface quality of the window unit. To further serve the role of supporting the decorative strip, plastic inserts are also used to increase the rigidity of the encapsulated glass unit in some specific areas such as the rear corners. Due to the higher cooling rate after injecting the material for encapsulation, the use of such inserts also allows reducing the cycle time of the manufacturing process.

[0005] In the art, several process routes have been proposed to easily fix the decorative strip to the insert: Patent application CN 102272463 A discloses an insert for fixing a decorative strip on a formed frame. The insert includes at least one clamp, and the at least one clamp has at least an upstream mating part that cooperates with the formed frame and a downstream mating part that allows cooperation with an attachment fitting. The upstream mating part includes a plurality of hooked feet connected by a base, and the end of each foot is deformable. However, the insert has a plurality of hooked feet and a complex shape, making its own manufacturing process and its installation process highly complex. WO 2022 / 029000 proposes to more simply produce and fix the decorative strip by designing the rigid part of the frame to include a snap-fit system, which includes a rigid arm and a flexible arm. CN 114750707 discloses a system for fixing a decorative strip to an insert, which includes a mounting part, a fixing part, and a flexible part. Among them, the decorative strip includes a first clamping part rotatably connected to the mounting part and a second clamping part fixed to the flexible part.

[0006] However, the molding process of plastic inserts with rotational and flexible connections is very challenging, especially considering that the decorative strips are becoming thinner and thinner. Therefore, there is still a need in the art to design plastic inserts that allow for a simplified, sustainable, and cost-effective molding process. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention relates to a window unit, which includes an encapsulated glass panel and a frame profile. The frame profile is disposed on at least a part of the edge of the encapsulated glass panel on at least one peripheral side and includes a rigid part designed to receive a decorative strip. The rigid part has an elongated shape and includes at least one rigid connecting device and at least one flexible connecting device. The elongated shape has a long side along the at least one peripheral side. The at least one rigid connecting device and the at least one flexible connecting device have an elongated shape and are an integral part of the rigid part. The elongated shape has a long side along the at least one peripheral side. The window unit further includes a decorative strip, which includes at least one first clamping part rotatably connected to the at least one rigid connecting device and at least one second clamping part clamped to the at least one flexible connecting device. The at least one flexible connecting device is completely offset from the at least one rigid connecting device in the direction of the long side of the rigid part by a distance greater than 0 mm (D > 0 mm), preferably equal to or greater than 5 mm (D ≥ 5 mm), more preferably equal to or greater than 10 mm (D ≥ 10 mm), and most preferably equal to or greater than 15 mm (D ≥ 15 mm). The frame profile may further include a soft part, which is made of a soft material and overmolded on at least a part of the rigid part.

[0008] In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for producing such a window unit, the method comprising a co - molding step of a rigid part, the rigid part being disposed on at least a part of the edge of the insulating glass panel on at least one peripheral side, the rigid part being designed to receive a decorative strip, and the rigid part comprising at least one rigid connecting device and at least one flexible connecting device.

[0009] In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a mold for producing the rigid part of the above - mentioned window unit. The mold comprises a cavity for producing the rigid part by injection, the rigid part comprising at least one rigid connecting device and at least one flexible connecting device, and wherein the at least one flexible connecting device is completely offset from the at least one rigid connecting device by a distance greater than 0 mm (D > 0 mm) in the direction of the long side of the rigid part. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawings showing various exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are provided by way of illustration and not limitation. These drawings are schematic and not to scale. These drawings do not limit the present invention in any way.

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic 3D view of a window unit according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 2 is a schematic 3D view of a window unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, the window unit further comprising a decorative strip.

[0013] Figure 3 is Figure 1 an enlarged schematic 3D view of a part of

[0014] Figure 4 is Figure 3 a schematic 2D view of

[0015] Figure 5A and Figure 5B is Figure 4 a schematic cross - sectional view of the window unit of

[0016] Figure 6A and Figure 6B is Figure 4 a schematic cross - sectional view of the window unit of

[0017] Figure 7 is a schematic 3D view of the decorative strip. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] This document contemplates various changes, equivalents, and / or substitutions for particular embodiments and includes corresponding embodiments. In all the figures, the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same or similar parts. Other variations may be envisioned within the scope of the claims.

[0019] As used herein, spatial or directional terms such as "inner", "outer", "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", etc. are relevant to the present invention as shown in the figures. However, it should be understood that the present invention can take various alternative orientations, and thus, these terms are not considered restrictive. Further, all numbers representing dimensions, physical properties, processing parameters, amounts of ingredients, reaction conditions, etc. used in the specification and claims should in all cases be understood to be modified by the term "about". Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical values recited in the following specification and claims are approximate values that can vary depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention. In the following description, unless otherwise stated, the expression "substantially" means within 10%, preferably within 5%.

[0020] In addition, all ranges disclosed herein should be understood to include the starting and ending range values and to cover any and all sub-ranges subsumed therein. For example, the specified range "1 to 10" should be considered to include any and all sub-ranges between (and including) the minimum value 1 and the maximum value 10; that is, all sub-ranges start with a minimum value of 1 or greater, such as 1 to 6.1, and end with a maximum value of 10 or less, such as 5.5 to 10. Further, as used herein, the terms "deposited on" or "disposed on" mean deposited or disposed thereon but not necessarily in surface contact therewith. For example, a coating "deposited on a substrate" does not exclude the presence of one or more other coating films of the same or different compositions between the deposited coating and the substrate.

[0021] When the term "comprising" is used in this specification and claims, other elements or steps are not excluded. When an indefinite or definite article, such as "a" or "an", "the", is used in reference to a singular noun, this includes the plural of that noun, unless otherwise specified. In this document, "configured to (or set to)" can be used interchangeably with the following words in hardware and software as the case may be, such as "suitable for", "capable of", "adapted to", "manufactured to", "able to", or "designed to". In any case, the expression "the device is configured to do..." can mean "the device can do... in conjunction with another device or component".

[0022] In addition, the terms first, second, etc. in the specification and claims are used to distinguish similar elements and not necessarily to describe an order in terms of time, space, rank, or any other manner. It should be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable where appropriate, and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operating in other orders than those described or illustrated herein. When describing a component (e.g., a first component) "functionally or communicatively coupled to" or "connected to" another component (e.g., a second component), it should be understood that the component can be directly connected to the other component or can be connected to the other component through other components (e.g., a third component).

[0023] The present invention relates to a window unit comprising: an inset glass panel; a frame profile comprising a rigid part and an optional soft part; and a trim strip, wherein the trim strip is fixed to the rigid part via a rotational connection and a flexible connection. The object of the present invention is to design the rigid part such that it can perform its function of efficiently fixing the trim strip while allowing the corresponding injection mold of the rigid part to be robust and thus sustainable, and to provide a simple and cost-effective molding process.

[0024] The rotational connection device very efficiently guides the fixing of the trim strip and fixes the trim strip to the rigid part. The flexible connection is also known to be a very effective connection means. Especially when made as an integral part of the rigid part, for the present invention, it greatly simplifies the production process. However, when made of a rigid thermoplastic material, the design of such a flexible connection device requires a certain amount of space to provide the required flexibility. In addition, the current trend in the automotive industry is to design trim strips that are becoming thinner and thus provide less and less space for the connection device to the rigid part of the window assembly. It has surprisingly been found that designing the rigid part comprising at least one rotationally rigid connection device and at least one flexible connection device such that the rigid connection device and the flexible connection device are displaced from each other allows the efficiency of both connection devices to be utilized even for thin trim strips. This design allows the corresponding mold of the rigid part to be robust and thus sustainable. Thus, this design of the rigid part provides a very effective connection of the trim strip to the rigid part, a robust mold, and a simple, cost-effective and sustainable production process.

[0025] As Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, in a first aspect, the present invention relates to a window unit (10) comprising an insulating glass panel (2), a frame profile which comprises a rigid part (3) designed to receive a trim strip (4). The frame profile is arranged on at least one peripheral side on at least a part of the edge of the insulating glass panel. The rigid part has an elongate shape which has a long side along the at least one peripheral side. The rigid part comprises at least one rigid connecting device (5a) and at least one flexible connecting device (5b); both devices have an elongate shape which has a long side along the at least one peripheral side. As Figure 7 shown, the trim strip (4) comprises at least one first clamping part (4a) rotatably connected to the at least one rigid connecting device (5a), and at least one second clamping part (4b) clamped to the at least one flexible connecting device (5b).

[0026] In the window unit of the present invention, the at least one flexible connecting device is completely offset from the at least one rigid connecting device by more than 0 mm (D > 0 mm) in the direction of the long side of the rigid part, as Figure 3 and Figure 4 shown. Insulating glass panel

[0027] The insulating glass panel (2) may comprise at least one glass plate. In another embodiment, the insulating glass panel may comprise a laminated glass panel due to reducing the induced deformation on the insulating glass panel. The laminated glass panel comprises glass plates which are held by one or more interlayers positioned between the glass plates. The interlayers used are typically polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) which can adjust the hardness. These interlayers keep the glass plates bonded together even when broken, so that they prevent the glass from breaking into a large number of sharp fragments. It may also be advantageous to have glass plates of different thicknesses to reduce weight and noise. Due to the induced deformation on the insulating glass panel, thin glass plates with a thickness of less than 1 mm can be used without bending or deforming. Thus, such thin glass plates can maintain the desired design.

[0028] The shape of the window unit in a plan view (in the X-Z plane) is generally triangular, especially for a window unit used as a quarterlight window unit. Depending on the application, the shape is not limited to triangular and can be rectangular, trapezoidal, circular, hexagonal, etc.

[0029] The inserted glass panel can be a flat or curved panel to fit the design of the vehicle. The inserted glass panel can be processed, i.e., annealed, tempered, …, to comply with the safety and anti-theft requirements specifications. A heatable system (e.g., a coating or a wire network) can be applied to the inserted glass panel to add, for example, a defrosting and / or demisting function.

[0030] The material of the glass plate can independently be, for example, soda-lime-silica glass, borosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass or other materials, such as thermoplastic polymers or polycarbonates, which are especially known for automotive applications. The reference to glass throughout this application should not be considered restrictive. The glass plate can independently be clear glass or colored glass, the colored glass being colored with a specific glass composition or by applying, for example, a decorative coating, paint or plastic layer. The glass plate can independently be manufactured by known manufacturing methods such as, for example, the float process, the fusion process, the draw process, the press forming process or the pulling process. As a manufacturing method of the glass plate, from the perspective of productivity and cost, the float process is preferably used. Window frame - rigid part

[0031] According to the invention, the window unit comprises a frame profile which is arranged on at least a part of the edge of the inserted glass panel on at least one peripheral side, the frame profile comprising a rigid part which is designed to receive a decorative strip. The rigid part has an elongate shape which has a long side along the at least one peripheral side.

[0032] It should be understood that the rigid part is typically made of a rigid thermoplastic material having a Young's modulus higher than 1000 MPa, preferably higher than 1500 MPa. In a preferred embodiment, the rigid part is a polypropylene-based material. Other rigid materials having a Young's modulus higher than 1000 MPa can also be used, such as polyamides, certain styrenes, ABS, certain PVCs, etc.

[0033] In some preferred embodiments, the rigid part can be reinforced with fillers (glass fibers, glass beads, calcium carbonate, talc, silica, wollastonite, clay, calcium sulfate fibers, mica), i.e., polypropylene reinforced with 30% glass fibers (PP30GF), which has a Young's modulus higher than 1500 MPa, about 1680 MPa.

[0034] In an embodiment of the invention, the rigid part is in direct contact with the inserted glass panel, which means that the rigid part is directly injected onto the inserted glass panel without any other material between the main part and the surface of the inserted glass panel. The inserted glass panel can locally have an adhesive or primer material to ensure tightness and / or to facilitate the encapsulation of the rigid part on the inserted glass panel.

[0035] The rigid part can be overmolded onto the inset glass panel. To facilitate this process, the rigid part can preferably be injected into a mold for encapsulation onto the inset glass panel. The rigid part can have a specific shape to meet the requirements of the desired application. In some embodiments, the rigid part can have extensions to ensure the mechanical strength of the window unit. Connecting device

[0036] In the window unit of the present invention and as Figure 1 shown, the rigid part includes at least one rigid connecting device (5a) and at least one flexible connecting device (5b). The at least one rigid connecting device and the at least one flexible connecting device have an elongated shape with a long side along the at least one peripheral side. The at least one rigid connecting device and the at least one flexible connecting device are an integral part of the rigid part, i.e., the rigid connecting device, the flexible connecting device, and the rigid part are made as a single part. Thus, they are made of the same material and in a single-step process.

[0037] In the present invention, the at least one flexible connecting device is completely offset from the at least one rigid connecting device by a distance greater than 0 mm (D > 0 mm) in the direction of the long side of the rigid part. Each connecting device has a long side along the at least one peripheral side and has an edge orthogonal to this direction. As Figure 3 and Figure 4 shown, the distance D is measured between the edge of the at least one flexible connecting device and the edge of the nearest adjacent rigid connecting device.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the distance is equal to or greater than 5 mm (D ≥ 5 mm), preferably equal to or greater than 10 mm (D ≥ 10 mm), more preferably equal to or greater than 15 mm (D ≥ 15 mm). Preferably, the distance is less than or equal to 25 mm (D ≤ 25 mm), more preferably less than or equal to 20 mm (D ≤ 20 mm).

[0039] It has been found that such an offset provides the required molding space for molding two connecting devices, especially for molding a flexible connecting device. It has indeed been surprisingly found that when the decorative strip is designed such that its width is so narrow that there is not enough space to position a proper snap-fit system, it is still possible to achieve a quick and efficient fixing of the decorative strip by providing a rigid part having spaced-apart rigid connecting devices for rotational connection and flexible connecting devices for clamping. The width of the decorative strip is measured in a direction orthogonal to the long side. The distance between the at least one rigid connecting device and the at least one flexible connecting device needs to provide enough space for the necessary injection handling sliders and / or injection ports. In another preferred embodiment, the rigid part is designed to receive injection ports that allow molding of the rigid part without sliders in order to provide an even more robust and sustainable mold, lower production costs, and lower maintenance costs.

[0040] The rigid part can typically include more than one rigid connecting device and more than one flexible device. Typically, the number of rigid connecting devices is equal to the number of flexible connecting devices, and typically they alternate along the long side of the rigid part.

[0041] In other embodiments of the present invention, it can be envisaged that there are more rigid connecting devices than flexible connecting devices, or there are more flexible connecting devices than rigid connecting devices. It can also be envisaged that several rigid connecting devices are adjacent to each other and / or several flexible connecting devices are adjacent to each other. Their number and position will depend on the type, shape, and material of the decorative strip. Figure 1 An embodiment is shown in which the rigid part does not include the same number of rigid connecting devices and flexible connecting devices, i.e., three rigid connecting devices and two flexible connecting devices.

[0042] In embodiments of the present invention in which the rigid part includes more than one rigid connecting device and more than one flexible connecting device, for each connecting device, the distance D between each edge of the flexible connecting device and the edge of the nearest adjacent rigid connecting device is measured. In some embodiments in which the flexible connecting device is not placed adjacent to the rigid flexible device, such as when the flexible connecting device is placed adjacent to another flexible connecting device or near the edge of the rigid part, the distance D is not measured.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment for further enhancing the sustainability of the rigid part and the corresponding mold, the rigid connecting devices and the flexible connecting devices are distributed along the length of the long side of the rigid part and offset in a direction orthogonal to at least one peripheral side in order to provide effective fixing of the decorative part. In fact, the combination of one rigid connecting device and its adjacent flexible connecting device can typically be used to form two arms of a snap-fit system. Rigid connecting device

[0044] As Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5A and Figure 5B shown, the rigid connection device (5a) includes a support to enable rotational connection with the first clamping portion (4a) of the trim strip.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment and as Figure 1 depicted, the rigid connection device lies on a substantially straight line of the rigid portion. More preferably, the rigid connection device lies on a straight line close to the installed glass panel to guide the positioning of the trim strip along the installed glass panel and perform rotational fixation towards the vehicle body. This is advantageous for avoiding damage and scratches to the vehicle body.

[0046] The rigid connection device allows the connection of the trim strip by rotation. The axis of rotation of the trim strip is substantially parallel to the long side of the rigid portion. Typically, the first clamping portion (4a) of the trim strip rotates on the support, which can be a bridging member or a rigid top support; an orifice, an opening or a slot; a niche, a recess, a depression or a concave corner; a notch or any other device performing the same function. In a preferred embodiment, the rigid connection device is a hole, preferably a hole of an overall rectangular shape. Flexible connection device

[0047] To allow the assembly between the second clamping portion of the trim strip and the rigid portion, some deformation of the flexible connection device is required. The direction of deformation is generally perpendicular to the direction of the long side of the rigid portion. Suitable flexible connection devices are described with reference to pages 4 and 3 of patent application WO 2022 / 029000 Figure 3 as explained therein, for a given admissible strain ratio related to the material used, the maximum deformation of the flexible arm (allowing the flexible arm to act elastically without the risk of breakage) is proportional to the elastic factor. The elastic factor is mainly independent of the material used (since it is a rigid material), but is related to the design of the flexible arm of the snap-fit system: the higher the elastic factor, the more the flexible arm can move to a greater extent without the risk of damage and with an appropriate rebound effect.

[0048] In some embodiments, the flexible connection device (5b) can have an arm designed to be flexible in a direction substantially perpendicular to the penetration axis of the trim strip inserted through the flexible connection device (5b). Since it is made of a rigid material such as polypropylene, the shape, length, thickness and / or width can vary according to the application and the trim strip to be inserted. The flexible connection device can also include an end portion. The end portion can include a hook-like element to hold the trim strip once inserted into the flexible connection device (5b).

[0049] AsFigure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 6A and Figure 6B As shown by Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 6A and Figure 6B , the flexible connection device (5b) preferably includes an arm and a hook-shaped end portion so as to be able to clamp onto the second clamping portion (4b) of the decorative strip.

[0050] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flexible connection device has an elastic factor higher than 30 mm. The elastic factor is defined as the square of the average length of the arm divided by the average thickness of the arm.

[0051] To provide further elasticity to the flexible connection device and further robustness to the rigid part, preferably, the rigid part (3) further includes a torsion bar (5c), and typically has a torsion bar on each side of the rigid connection device (5b). The torsion bar is connected between the rigid part and the flexible connection device, as Figure 3 and Figure 4 shown. The torsion bar can be elastically deformed to drive the flexible connection device to rotate relative to the rigid part.

[0052] Therefore, due to the required deformations associated with the decorative strip assembly, the risk of breakage of the rigid part (which is a brittle material) is reduced. This allows the decorative strip to be assembled safely, quickly and simply onto the rigid part.

[0053] Furthermore, this combination of the rigid connection device and the flexible connection device also allows for the removability of the decorative strip after it has been assembled onto the rigid part using a flat screwdriver, for example when the window assembly has not yet been assembled in the vehicle. This is advantageous because it allows for quality inspection in the factory. In fact, if there are problems during production, it allows the decorative strip to be unloaded and the entire faulty window unit to be avoided from being scrapped. However, after the decorative strip has been assembled in the vehicle, it may not be possible to remove the decorative strip. Allowing rework by disassembling the decorative strip when the window unit is placed in the vehicle would be a problem in terms of safety and theft risk.

[0054] According to an embodiment of the present invention, one or more guiding devices can be integrated into the rigid part so as to better align the rigid part with the decorative trim by mating the guiding devices with the rigid arms of the decorative trim. Using the guiding devices allows for ensuring correct assembly. In some cases, the guiding devices can be integrated onto the rigid part, or more particularly also integrated onto the rigid part and the decorative strip. The function is to guide the decorative strip according to the rigid part and thus ensure precise alignment between the two parts, which then guarantees high-quality positioning of the decorative strip on the encapsulation of the frame profile.

[0055] Preferably, the rigid part will include guiding devices (8) near the rigid connection device, such as guiding ramps and / or chamfers on the edge thickness of the rigid connection device, asFigure 3 and Figure 4 shown

[0056] As Figure 3 and Figure 4 shown, an additional advantage of the offset of the at least one rigid connecting device and the at least one flexible connecting device of the present invention is that a reinforcing device (7) can be added between the rigid connecting device and the flexible connecting device, preferably along the edge of the flexible connecting device, to provide an even stronger and thus more sustainable rigid part. Decorative strip

[0057] To improve the overall appearance of the vehicle, a decorative strip is provided on the part visible from the outside of the vehicle on the edge of the vehicle's flush glass panel (2), as Figure 2 shown. The decorative strip (4) is used to cover the edge of the vehicle's flush glass panel. Typically, the decorative strip (4) is used as a decoration on the part visible from the outside of the vehicle on the edge of the flush glass panel (2). It should be understood that the manner of fixing the decorative strip (4) to the rigid part (3) can also be applied to other decorative products or vehicle flush glass fittings. The decorative strip is generally an elongated element, substantially parallel to the edge of the flush glass unit, having a well-surfaced outer surface. The decorative strip can have any shape to mask the part of the window unit that should not be visible once installed on the structure.

[0058] As Figure 7 shown, the window unit of the present invention further includes a decorative strip (4), which includes at least one first clamping part (4a) rotatably connected to the at least one rigid connecting device (5a), and at least one second clamping part (4b) clamped to the at least one flexible connecting device (5b). The second clamping part can be made of several discrete parts corresponding to each flexible connecting device of the rigid part and / or can be made of a more or less long part extending along the long side of the elongated shape of the decorative part. Figure 7 The illustrated embodiment shows three discrete first clamping parts (4a) and a single long second clamping part (4b).

[0059] Figure 5A and Figure 5B show the rotational connection between the rigid part (3) and the decorative part (4). The first clamping part (4a) of the decorative strip is inserted into the rigid connecting device (5a), and the decorative strip is pressed down to clamp the second clamping part (4b) of the decorative strip to the flexible device (5b) of the rigid part (3), as Figure 6A and Figure 6BAs shown. In one embodiment, the decorative strip includes a number of first clamping portions typically arranged at intervals. In this case, the rigid portion includes a number of corresponding rigid connecting devices. Similarly, the decorative strip may include a number of second clamping portions typically arranged at intervals. In this case, the rigid portion includes a number of corresponding flexible connecting devices.

[0060] As Figures 5A to 6B shown, the rotational direction of the first clamping portion (4a) is preferably opposite to the bending direction of the second clamping portion (4b), which helps the decorative strip to be firmly fixed to the rigid portion (3).

[0061] As Figure 7 shown, the decorative strip (4) may further include a stop strip (4c). The stop strip is fixed on the edge of the decorative strip. When the decorative strip is snap-fitted to the rigid portion (3), the stop strip (4c) can reduce the mating gap formed between the decorative strip and the window unit to prevent environmental dust, etc. from entering therebetween. The stop strip further allows reducing the risk of scratching on the vehicle body and positioning the decorative strip correctly on the rigid portion and ensuring the correct alignment of the decorative strip on the vehicle body.

[0062] The first clamping portion (4a), the second clamping portion (4b), and the stop strip (4c) (when present) are fixed to the decorative strip (4) on the same side surface and are spaced apart from each other for snap-fitting to the rigid portion (3).

[0063] The decorative strip can be made of a plastic-based material or a metal (such as aluminum). For aesthetic reasons (such as matching the color of the structure or providing a specific finish appearance), the decorative strip can have a coating, film, etc. on its outer surface. Frame profile - soft part

[0064] As Figures 5A to 6B shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the frame profile of the window unit further includes a soft part (6) made of a soft material. The soft part is overmolded on at least a part of the rigid portion. As described above, the rigid portion is typically made of a hard material. The frame profile allows the window unit to be fastened to the structure to which it is fixed. Such a structure can be a vehicle body, a building...

[0065] The frame profile can be injected in a step completed after the step of injecting the rigid portion, at least partially on the rigid portion. Preferably, the frame profile is a single part. In some embodiments, the frame profile part can be in local contact with the inset glass panel to ensure the aesthetics and sealing of the window unit.

[0066] According to an embodiment of the invention, the frame profile surrounds the edge of the inserted glass panel on at least one peripheral side and is made of a soft material which has a natural chemical cohesive bond with the hard component of the rigid part. Thus, good adhesion between the frame profile and the rigid part can be obtained without using an undercoat between the two parts.

[0067] The soft component having a Young's modulus of less than 1000 MPa can be made of a thermoplastic elastomer-based material. Styrenic and vulcanized thermoplastic elastomers are commonly used. In another embodiment, the soft component is soft polyvinyl chloride.

[0068] The soft component is used to impart the final surface appearance of the frame and is also used to assemble the window unit to the vehicle body. Effectively, the softness of the material allows interference to be created between the vehicle body and the window unit by using a soft lip. The soft component is sometimes also used to ensure the sealing function between the vehicle body and the encapsulated window unit.

[0069] Typically, the frame profile and the rigid part are at least partially injected onto the inserted glass during an injection molding process. Thus, the process of manufacturing the window unit according to the invention is simplified.

[0070] On the other hand, the invention relates to a method for producing a window unit (10) as described herein, wherein the method comprises an overmolding step of a rigid part (3) which is arranged on at least a part of the edge of an inserted glass panel (2) on at least one peripheral side, the rigid part being designed to receive a trim strip (4), and the rigid part (3) comprising at least one rigid connecting device (5a) and at least one flexible connecting device (5b).

[0071] According to an embodiment of the invention, the rigid part is first produced by injection molding in a separate mold. The rigid part can be stored in an encapsulation mold or a cavity of a mold before being overmolded together with the frame profile made of a soft material. According to this embodiment, the method for producing a window unit comprises the following steps: a) Injecting the rigid part into a separate mold. The rigid part actually comprises at least one rigid connecting device and at least one flexible connecting device, b) Placing the inserted glass and the rigid part in an encapsulation mold, c) Encapsulating the soft part on at least one peripheral side of the inserted glass panel and overmolding the soft part on at least a part of the rigid part to form an injected module, the trim strip being intended to be placed in this at least a part of the rigid part, d) Retrieving the injected module from the encapsulation mold, e) assembling the decorative strip on the injection-molded module by rotatably connecting a first clamping portion of the decorative strip to at least one rigid connecting device of the rigid portion, and f) clamping a second clamping portion of the decorative strip to the at least one flexible connecting device.

[0072] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the rigid portion is directly molded by encapsulation on at least one peripheral side of the inlaid glass panel and overmolded in a second encapsulation mold or cavity with a frame profile made of a soft material. This classic 2K process makes the process easier and reduces costs. According to this embodiment, the method comprises the following steps: a) placing the inlaid glass in a first encapsulation mold or cavity, b) encapsulating the rigid portion on at least one peripheral side of the inlaid glass panel, in which the decorative strip is intended to be placed. The rigid portion actually comprises at least one rigid connecting device and at least one flexible connecting device c) transferring the inlaid glass and the rigid portion thus formed to a second encapsulation mold or cavity, d) overmolding at least a part of the rigid portion by injecting a soft part and overmolding at least one peripheral side of the inlaid glass panel by simultaneously injecting the frame profile to form an injection-molded module, e) removing the injection-molded module from the second encapsulation mold or cavity, f) assembling the decorative strip on the injection-molded module by rotatably connecting a first clamping portion of the decorative strip to at least one rigid connecting device of the rigid portion, and g) clamping a second clamping portion of the decorative strip to at least one flexible connecting device of the rigid portion.

[0073] In this method, the rigid portion provided with at least one rigid connecting device and at least one flexible connecting device is directly molded on the inlaid glass panel. In that case, a specific encapsulation mold is manufactured. The inlaid glass panel is placed in this mold and the inlaid glass panel is directly encapsulated with a hard material (i.e., the rigid portion). Later, the module made of the inlaid glass panel and the hard rigid portion is placed in another mold or a cavity of a mold, and then overmolded with a soft material of the frame profile. The process of manufacturing the inlaid glass panel provided with the frame profile and the rigid portion intended to receive the decorative strip is simplified and the labor is reduced.

[0074] The rigid part can be molded separately or can be directly molded onto the glazed panel. Thus, in another aspect, the present invention relates to a mold for producing a rigid part (or a window unit including a rigid part), the rigid part including flexible connection means and rigid connection means. The mold includes a cavity for producing the rigid part by injection. The mold includes a top part and a bottom part. These parts can be closed to produce the cavity. Once these parts are closed, the cavity is sealed. The mold includes at least one injection nozzle for injecting the rigid part into the cavity.

[0075] When the rigid part is directly molded onto the glazed panel, the mold is designed to receive at least a part of the glazed unit onto which the rigid part is to be inserted. It should be understood that only the part of the glazed panel to be injected or the entire glazed panel can be inserted into the mold.

Claims

1. A window unit (10), comprising: i. an inset glass panel (2), ii. a frame profile which is provided on at least one peripheral side on at least a part of the edge of the inset glass panel and which includes a rigid part (3) designed to receive a trim strip (4), the rigid part • having an elongate shape with a long side along the at least one peripheral side, and • including at least one rigid connecting device (5a) and at least one flexible connecting device (5b), • wherein the at least one rigid connecting device and the at least one flexible connecting device have an elongate shape and are an integral part of the rigid part, the elongate shape having a long side along the at least one peripheral side; iii. the trim strip includes at least one first clamping part (4a) rotatably connected to the at least one rigid connecting device and at least one second clamping part (4b) clamped to the at least one flexible connecting device characterized in that the at least one flexible connecting device is completely offset from the at least one rigid connecting device by a distance greater than 0 mm (D > 0 mm) in the direction of the long side of the rigid part.

2. The window unit according to claim 1, wherein, the distance is equal to or greater than 5 mm (D ≥ 5 mm), preferably equal to or greater than 10 mm (D ≥ 10 mm), more preferably equal to or greater than 15 mm (D ≥ 15 mm).

3. The window unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the flexible connecting device has an elastic factor higher than 30 mm, the elastic factor being defined as the square of the average length of the arm divided by the average thickness of the arm.

4. The window unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the rigid part is made of a rigid thermoplastic material having a Young's modulus higher than 1000 Mpa, preferably made of a rigid thermoplastic material having a Young's modulus higher than 1500 Mpa, more preferably made of a polypropylene-based material.

5. The window unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the frame profile further includes a soft part (6), the soft part being made of a soft material and overmolded on at least a part of the rigid part.

6. The window unit according to claim 6, wherein, the soft material of the frame profile has a Young's modulus lower than 1000 MPa, preferably a material based on a thermoplastic elastomer.

7. The window unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the rigid part further includes a strengthening device (7).

8. The window unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the rigid part further includes a torsion bar (5c), preferably having a torsion bar on each side of the rigid connecting device.

9. The window unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the trim strip further includes a stop strip (4c).

10. A method for producing a window unit (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The method includes a step of overmolding a rigid part (3) which is arranged on at least a part of the edge of the inset glass panel (2) on at least one peripheral side, the rigid part being designed to receive a decorative strip (4), and the rigid part includes at least one rigid connecting device (5a) and at least one flexible connecting device (5b).

11. The method for producing a window unit according to claim 10, characterized in that the method includes the following steps: a. placing the inset glass in a first encapsulation mold or cavity; b. encapsulating the rigid part on at least one peripheral side of the inset glass panel, the decorative strip being intended to be placed in the at least one peripheral side; c. transferring the thus formed inset glass and rigid part to a second encapsulation mold or cavity; d. overmolding at least a part of the rigid part by injecting the soft part and simultaneously overmolding at least one peripheral side of the inset glass panel by injecting the soft part to form an injected module; e. removing the injected module from the second encapsulation mold or cavity; f. assembling the decorative strip on the injected module by rotatably connecting a first clamping part of the decorative strip to at least one rigid connecting device of the rigid part; and g. clamping a second clamping part of the decorative strip to at least one flexible connecting device of the rigid part.

12. The method for producing a window unit according to claim 10, characterized in that the method includes the following steps: a. injecting the rigid part into a separate mold; b. placing the inset glass and the rigid part in an encapsulation mold; c. encapsulating the soft part on at least one peripheral side of the inset glass panel and overmolding the frame profile on at least a part of the rigid part to form an injected module, the decorative strip being intended to be placed in the at least a part of the rigid part; d. removing the injected module from the encapsulation mold; e. assembling the decorative strip on the injected module by rotatably connecting a first clamping part of the decorative strip to at least one rigid connecting device of the rigid part; and f. clamping a second clamping part of the decorative strip to at least one flexible connecting device of the rigid part.

13. A mold for producing the rigid part of the window unit according to claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the mold includes a cavity for producing the rigid part (3) by injection, the rigid part includes the at least one rigid connecting device (5a) and the at least one flexible connecting device (5b), and wherein, the at least one flexible connecting device is completely offset from the at least one rigid connecting device by a distance greater than 0 mm (D > 0 mm) in the direction of the long side of the rigid part.

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