Component assembly comprising a glass component with a molded portion and a functional element

Abstract

The invention relates to a component assembly comprising: - a glass component (100) for separating an interior space from an exterior environment, having a molded portion (2), wherein the molded portion (2) is integrally formed in the glass of the glass component (100) in such a way that it forms a mounting space (3) for a functional element (4), and - a functional element (4) which is arranged at least partially in the mounting space (3), wherein the molded portion (2) comprises a protrusion (5) and / or a recess (6), and wherein the molded portion (3) is adapted to the mounting space requirements of the functional element (4).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a glass component, particularly as a vehicle component or building component, having molded features for accommodating functional elements. Background Technology

[0002] In modern glass components, particularly in vehicle and building components, there is a growing demand for functional elements such as sensors, lighting systems, or antennas. This is currently achieved by attaching or inserting components (primarily made of plastic materials) into closed or cut-out glass surfaces to create the necessary mounting space or provide necessary protective covers. Attaching or inserting plastic components creates transitions and edges adjacent to the glass, which need to be sealed against moisture and often accumulate dirt. An example of this is described in WO 2023 / 062169 A1. A vehicle's windshield has cutouts into which sensor elements are inserted via frame inserts.

[0003] Specifically for interior components of vehicles, such as glass covers used to conceal displays, methods have been developed to allow for abrupt bending of the glass panel in certain areas, thus providing a wider range of design options. One such method is described in US 2022 / 0204381 ​​A1, where both hot bending and cold bending are used to create curves in interior glass panels. However, interior glass panels used to cover cockpit components are incomparable to glass components used to separate interior spaces from the external environment in terms of material selection, quality, and thickness. Therefore, the described methods cannot be transferred to such general-purpose glass components.

[0004] However, sharply curved glass components are also known to be suitable for separating interior spaces from the external environment. US 2019 / 0135087 A1 describes a windshield with curved sections. The outwardly curved sections of the windshield are used to deflect dust and water, particularly for vehicles used in such environments (such as ATVs and other off-road vehicles). However, the text does not describe the arrangement of functional elements in the curved sections of the panel, especially since these sections are designed to be transparent and reduce turbulence flowing along the windshield.

[0005] WO 2019 / 130284 A1 describes another method for manufacturing vehicle windshields with locally abrupt curvature. Similar to the aforementioned literature, in this case, the deformation is introduced into the vehicle's exterior window solely for the purpose of improving aerodynamics.

[0006] Therefore, regarding vehicle and building components, there is a great deal of attention on integrating various functional elements into the components, but there is also attention on designing the component structure in a way that allows the components to be manufactured as a single unit based on a single base material.

[0007] In automobile manufacturing, there are strict requirements for the visual appearance of the materials used, especially for high-end vehicles. In this context, unevenness or obvious visual defects on the surface of components are undesirable.

[0008] Furthermore, due to the increasingly complex structure of vehicle components, there is a greater need for efficient manufacturing methods that enable the production of components in as few steps as possible. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a component arrangement including a glass component that provides mounting space for one or more functional elements, but without transitions, joints, or edges adjacent to attached parts. Furthermore, considering sustainable manufacturing and recyclability, the use of glued plastic material components should be avoided.

[0010] According to the proposal of the invention, these and other objectives are achieved by the glass component as described in independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are presented in the dependent claims.

[0011] The present invention relates to a component arrangement comprising a glass component for separating an interior space from an external environment, the glass component having molding features, wherein the molding features are integrally formed in the glass of the glass component in such a way as to form a mounting space for a functional element, and a functional element at least partially arranged in the mounting space, wherein the molding features have protrusions and / or recesses, and wherein the molding features are adapted to the mounting space requirements of the functional element.

[0012] The component arrangement according to the invention includes a glass component, which, in other words, has an integral molded feature within its material range. Therefore, the molded feature in the sense of the invention is not an opening or cut, since no glass material is present to form the molded feature. The molded feature has protrusions and / or recesses. The molded feature is shaped such that it forms a mounting space for a functional element. Here, the terms mounting space and functional element are interpreted broadly. The term mounting space, for example, also refers to a situation where the functional element is not fully fitted into the space but only partially fitted; in other words, it partially or only as a single component protrudes into the space. The term functional element specifically refers to any type of device that provides functionality for a building or vehicle. Examples include optical functional elements such as cameras, sensors, lighting devices, or antennas.

[0013] According to the invention, the mounting space formed by the molding features is adapted, in particular, in terms of its size and / or shape, to a functional element or at least a portion or part of a functional element, such that the mounting space at least partially accommodates the functional element. This achieves excellent integration of the functional element into the glass component without the need for additional materials (e.g., as supports or seals), and without the need for sealed transitions and joints.

[0014] In one embodiment of the invention, the glass component is a single glass panel, such as a float glass panel or a laminated glass panel. The laminated glass panel preferably consists of multiple layers, including at least one inner glass panel, an outer glass panel, and at least one thermoplastic interlayer disposed therebetween.

[0015] This invention thus provides, for the first time, a seamless additional mounting space for integrating functional elements into glass components. This allows for the one-piece manufacturing of glass components based on a single base material. For sustainability and recyclability, glued plastic material components are avoided. Especially for high-end vehicles in the automotive industry, it meets stringent requirements regarding the visual appearance of the materials used. It avoids unevenness or severe visual defects on the component surface. The component is manufactured in just a few steps. Moisture sealing is eliminated or greatly reduced, and the ingress of dirt is no longer possible.

[0016] In one embodiment of the invention, the molding feature has protrusions and / or recesses in the glass component.

[0017] Depending on the application type (e.g., movable or fixed), the size of the glass window (e.g., large or small), the size and type of functional components (e.g., optical sensors, lighting elements, or antennas), and the type of glass window (e.g., curved / flat, monolithic / laminated), parameters can be set to create seamless molded features in the glass component. Thanks to modern possibilities for incorporating a wide variety of geometries into glass, even geometries with very small radii, protrusions, recesses, and combinations thereof, can be produced without problems.

[0018] Various methods are known for introducing such protrusions or recesses into glass (even those with sharply curved profiles); this can be achieved, for example, using bending techniques such as pressure bending, gravity bending, laser-based bending, or another known technique. The chosen technique or combination of techniques depends on the size of the radius. Furthermore, a vacuum can be used to assist the bending process. Similarly, heating the area to be sharply bent using lasers, microwave radiation, or heated air can be provided as an aid. The minimum radius of the molded feature formed by bending is typically the thickness of the glass. In the case of laminated glass panels for vehicles, the minimum radius of the molded feature produced by bending is therefore approximately 4 mm.

[0019] The molding feature can be positioned substantially centered relative to the width of the glass component. It can also be placed in the edge area of ​​the glass component.

[0020] For example, if lighting elements such as turn indicators, brake lights, taillights, or other indicator elements must occupy a specific location (the side or lower edge of the vehicle's rear window) according to regulations, or if such positioning is advantageous due to the optimization of the field of view of sensors such as cameras or lidar sensors, then positioning in the edge area of ​​the glass component is particularly suitable.

[0021] In one embodiment of the invention, the glass component has two, three, four, or more molding features. Here, the number of functional elements or the required mounting space for one or more functional element components is particularly crucial. Purely aesthetic or visual requirements also play a role in the selection of geometry and the number of molding features.

[0022] In one embodiment, the glass component is a vehicle component, an exterior building component, or an interior building component. The glass component according to the invention has a variety of uses and applications.

[0023] When used as vehicle components, glass components, particularly windshields, sunroofs, and / or rear windows, are examples.

[0024] Preferred embodiments also include combinations of windshields or rear windows and sunroofs, wherein in each case, one molded feature is arranged complementaryly to the other. Furthermore, there are preferred embodiments in which the windshield and sunroof, or the rear window and sunroof, are designed as continuous window components and have molded features according to the invention for accommodating functional elements. Even a design as a single window component covering all three functional surfaces (windshield, roof, and rear window) is conceivable and can be described as a full window.

[0025] In one embodiment of the invention, the functional element is a sensor, a lighting system, and / or a functional interior extension of the vehicle.

[0026] Within the scope of this invention, the term sensor specifically includes optical sensors, such as camera or lidar sensors. Examples of lighting elements specifically include turn indicators, brake lights, taillights, fog lights, reversing lights, and nighttime illumination (particularly in the construction field). Functional elements can also be display elements that can display symbols or other information pointing to the exterior or interior of the vehicle.

[0027] Within the scope of this invention, all embodiments mentioned with respect to individual features can be freely combined with each other, as long as they do not contradict each other. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and exemplary embodiments. The drawings are schematic and not to scale. The drawings do not limit the invention in any way. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 This is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 This is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 This is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 9 This is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Figure 1 A height-based schematic diagram of the component arrangement including the glass component 100 according to the invention is shown. The embodiment shown here depicts a windshield 7 and a separate roof glass panel 8 of a vehicle. The roof glass panel 8 has a molding feature 2 integrally formed in the glass of the glass component 100 such that it forms a mounting space 3 for a functional element 4, which is at least partially disposed therein. For example, the functional element 4 is an optical sensor, particularly a camera or lidar sensor. The molding feature 4 is shaped such that it provides mounting space for the functional element 4, thus providing a flat viewing area for the functional element. Furthermore, the molding feature 2 is shaped such that it provides both protection against oblique incident light and a straight transition area to the rest of the roof glass panel, allowing for a good visual appearance of the functional element 4 integrated into the entire glass assembly 100 according to the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the molding feature 2 is arranged substantially centrally relative to the width of the glass component 100 and is located in the edge region adjacent to the windshield 7 below it.

[0030] The molding features can also be oriented rearward, rather than forward relative to the windshield 7 in the direction of travel, and the adjacent panel is the vehicle's rear window rather than the windshield.

[0031] Figure 2A height-based schematic diagram of the component arrangement including a glass component 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The embodiment shown here depicts a windshield 7 and a separate roof glass panel 8 of a vehicle. The windshield 7 has a molded feature 2 in the form of a recess 6. The recess 6 provides a view of the functional element 4 integrated in the roof glass panel 8 in such a way that the boundary of the view has a planar profile. At the same time, the lateral design features of the molded feature prevent lateral light from penetrating. Another molded feature 2 corresponding to the molded feature 2 is provided in the edge region of the roof glass panel 8 facing the windshield 7. The curved protrusion here expands the mounting space for accommodating the functional element 4.

[0032] The molding features can also be oriented rearward, rather than forward relative to the windshield 7 in the direction of travel, and the adjacent panel is the vehicle's rear window rather than the windshield.

[0033] Figure 3 As shown Figure 2 A similar embodiment of the invention is shown. Here, the molded feature 2 is more prominent and angled as a protrusion in the roof glass panel 8. In the specific design of the molded feature, aesthetic appeal and flow optimization can be considered in addition to functional requirements. The molded feature can also be oriented rearward instead of forward in the direction of travel toward the windshield 7, and the adjacent panel is the rear window of the vehicle rather than the windshield.

[0034] Figure 4 Another embodiment of a component arrangement including a glass component 100 according to the invention is shown. Figure 3 Compared to the embodiment shown, both the windshield 7 and the roof glass panel 8 have two parallel and adjacent molded features 2, 2'. These molded features can also be oriented rearwards, rather than forwards in the direction of travel toward the windshield 7, and the adjacent panel is the rear window of the vehicle, not the windshield.

[0035] Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 The embodiment of the invention shown here is a modification. In contrast, the embodiment shown here does not include any recesses in the windshield 7, resulting in a typical curved profile without any molding features. The roof glass panel 8 has two parallel aligned molding features 2, 2', which provide more mounting space for functional elements 4, 4' compared to the previous design.

[0036] Figure 6 Another embodiment of a component arrangement including a glass component 100 according to the invention is shown. Figure 1-5Compared to the design shown, the glass component is enlarged. For example, it represents a one-piece, seamless vehicle glass panel that serves as both a windshield and roof glass panel, or a roof glass panel and a rear window. The molding feature 2 is designed to accommodate a protrusion of a functional element within the resulting mounting space 3. In the variant shown here, the molding feature 2 has both a recess 6 and a protrusion 5. These partial molding features collectively extend the mounting space 3 for accommodating the functional element 4 and provide a flat field of view for the optical functional element.

[0037] Figure 7 Showing from Figure 6 Another variation of the present invention. Here, the molding feature 2 is formed as a protrusion 5.

[0038] Figure 8 Showing from Figure 8 A variation of the present invention is provided in which only one recess 6 is provided as a molding feature. This variation is particularly suitable for functional elements with relatively small installation space requirements, such as, for example, lighting elements.

[0039] Figure 9 It shows Figure 8 Another variation of the design, in which an inclined viewing window is formed in the molding feature 2, has both a recess 6 and a protrusion 5.

[0040] List of reference numerals 100 Glass components 2. Molding features 3 Installation space 4 Functional Components 5. Protrusion 6 recess 7. Windshield 8. Vehicle sunroof.

Claims

1. A component arrangement, comprising: - A glass component (100) for separating an interior space from the external environment, the glass component having a molding feature (2) wherein the molding feature (2) is integrally formed in the glass of the glass component (100) such that it forms a mounting space (3) for a functional element (4), and - Functional element (4), which is at least partially arranged in the mounting space (3), The molding feature (2) has a protrusion (5) and / or a recess (6), and the molding feature (3) is adapted to the installation space requirements of the functional element (4).

2. The component arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the glass component (100) is a single glass panel or a laminated glass panel.

3. The component arrangement according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the molding feature (2) is substantially centered relative to the width of the glass component (100).

4. The component arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the molding feature (2) is placed in the edge region of the glass component (100).

5. The component arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the glass component (100) has two, three, four or more molding features (2).

6. The component arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the glass component (100) is a vehicle component, an exterior building component, or an interior building component.

7. The component arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the glass component (100) is a vehicle component, particularly a windshield, a sunroof, and / or a rear window.

8. The component arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the optical functional element (4) is a sensor, a camera and / or the vehicle's lighting system.

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