Clamp glazing and its edge seal to limit the circumferential sliding process of the glazing without detaching from its mounting structure

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of pinched-type glazing in a frame, which can be found mainly in the aeronautical and railway markets. Two main technologies exist in aeronautical glazing, a pinched-type assembly and a bolted-type assembly.

[0002] The pinched type assembly shows during the pressurization of the device (aircraft) and possibly in the event of breakage of one or two structural glass layers (in English: single or double "failsafe") a risk that the glazing will come loose from the aircraft structure with the possibility of having a depressurization of the cabin linked to the leak between the seal and the aircraft structure.

[0003] Currently, on the majority of aircraft structures, the contact zone between the window press and the window seal is in the same plane of shape (α=0), i.e. a plane parallel to the main surface of the glazing in contact with the external atmosphere. On the lower part, the contact zone between the glazing seal and the aircraft structure has a positive or even zero angle β, i.e. in the latter case this contact zone is parallel to the main surface of the glazing in contact with the interior volume of the aircraft. This is the case of document US 2010 / 020381 A1.

[0004] The invention therefore aims to limit the peripheral sliding of a glazing pinched in its mounting structure (aircraft fuselage, etc.) in order to guarantee that the glazing does not become detached from the structure. This objective is achieved by the invention, which relates to an assembly according to claim 1.

[0005] In this application, any reference to an overhanging portion of the structural block refers to a projection of the structural block relative to the protective sheet.

[0006] Thanks to the invention, the pinching surfaces of the glazing form a narrowing in the direction of the edges of the glazing towards its central part. This arrangement is used in the event of deformation of the glazing, which may be caused by the breakage of one or all of the structural sheets (also called structural folds), by limiting or even eliminating the sliding of the periphery of the glazing on its mounting structure, to such an extent that any risk of the glazing becoming detached from its structure is thus eliminated.

[0007] Preferably, at least one of the contact surface of said first intermediate part and the glass press, and / or of said second intermediate part and the mounting structure, forms(forms) with the main surface of the structural block which is(are) closest to it(them), an angle of between -1 and - 40°. The value of this angle is defined so that depending on the span width, the external dimension of the seal (its thickness towards the edge of the glazing) is greater than the internal dimension of the seal on the glazing side (i.e. its total thickness including the thickness of the structural block, towards the central part of the glazing), even when the seal is compressed.

[0008] These negative angles can be obtained for example by the shape of the injection mold imprint or the extrusion, co-extrusion or lamination die used to form the peripheral seal on the one hand, and by machining the ice press and the mounting structure on the other hand.

[0009] Preferably, at least one of the contact surface of said first intermediate part and the ice press, and / or of said second intermediate part and the mounting structure, is (are) flat or has (have) at least one radius or curve.

[0010] Preferably, the structural block comprises two sheets bonded to each other by an interlayer adhesive layer; these two sheets are called structural sheets (possibly structural plies) and ensure the mechanical strength and resistance of the glazing.

[0011] Preferably, the structural block is bonded to the protective sheet by an interlayer adhesive layer.

[0012] Preferably, each sheet of the structural block and the protective sheet are made, independently of one another, of mineral glass such as soda-lime, aluminosilicate, borosilicate, optionally hardened, thermally toughened, or chemically reinforced, or of transparent polymer material such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) or polyurethane (PU). When one of these sheets constituting a free surface of the laminated glazing, i.e. the protective sheet in contact with the external atmosphere, or the structural sheet in contact with the interior volume of the aircraft or the train, is made of polymer material such as PC, its free surface is advantageously provided with an anti-scratch coating or varnish of the polysiloxane, hydrophilic, hydrophobic type, etc.

[0013] Preferably, said interlayer adhesive layers are made, independently of one another, of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA).

[0014] In general, laminated glazing may comprise a heating electrically conductive layer connected to an electric current source by bus bars arranged on two opposite sides of the glazing. This may be an anti-frost layer on the main face inside the laminated structure, of the sheet (in particular protective) intended to be in the mounting position in contact with the outside atmosphere, or an anti-fog layer on the main face inside the laminated structure, of the sheet (in particular structural) intended to be in the mounting position in contact with the interior volume of the air or rail vehicle. The anti-frost or anti-fog layer is made of tin-doped indium oxide (in English: indium tin oxide, abbreviated as ITO), metal such as silver, or equivalent.

[0015] Preferably, the peripheral seal is made of elastomeric polymer material, in particular injectable or implemented by extrusion, such as silicone, polyurethane (PU), polysulfide elastomer.

[0016] Preferably, a metal profile is inserted into the peripheral seal, covering the areas to which it conforms with a peripheral strip of the free surface of the protective sheet, the edges of the latter and the interlayer adhesive layer bonding the latter to the structural block, and the overhang of the main surface of the structural block closest to the protective sheet. This metal profile, commonly referred to as a "ZED" profile, constitutes a sealing barrier; its function is to prevent any moisture from penetrating into the laminated glazing.

[0017] Preferably, a stiffening shim is inserted into said second intermediate part of the peripheral joint between the projecting part of the main surface of the structural block furthest from the protective sheet, and the mounting structure (aircraft fuselage, train body, etc.). This shim may be made of composite material and solid, or made of a hollow metal profile.

[0018] The invention also relates to the application of an assembly as described above, to pinched type glazing in the aeronautical or railway field.

[0019] The invention will be better understood in light of the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which [ Fig. 1 ] is a sectional view of a state-of-the-art glazing unit. [ Fig. 2 ] schematically represents in section the glazing of the figure 1 . [ Fig. 3 ] is a schematic sectional representation of a first embodiment of the invention. [ Fig. 4 ] is a schematic sectional representation of a second embodiment of the invention. [ Fig. 5 ] is a schematic sectional representation of a third embodiment of the invention.

[0020] On the figure 1 , an aeronautical glazing 1 consists of a structural block 2 and an outer protective sheet 7 of chemically reinforced aluminosilicate glass with a thickness of between 0.5 and 5 mm.

[0021] The structural block 2 projects, extending beyond the protective sheet 7, to which it is bonded by means of a layer 6 of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) with a thickness of between 0.2 and 10 mm.

[0022] The structural block 2 consists of a sheet 3 of sodium-calcium silicate float glass with a thickness of between 1 and 30 mm, and a sheet 5 of polycarbonate (PC) with a thickness of between 1 and 30 mm bonded to each other by means of a layer 4 of TPU with a thickness of between 0.2 and 4 mm. Alternatively, when the sheet 5 is made of mineral glass, the adhesive layer 4 is made of PVB.

[0023] The rounded edges of the structural sheets 3 and 5 are protected by covering with elastomeric strips 8, commonly referred to by the English term “bumpers”, which cushion / absorb shocks.

[0024] The complex edge of the laminated glazing 1 is enveloped by a peripheral seal 11 consisting essentially of an elastomeric polymer material such as silicone, polyurethane, polysulfide or the like.

[0025] A metal profile 14 in ZED is integrated into the peripheral seal 11, in the area of ​​a peripheral strip of the free surface of the protective sheet 7, of the edge of the latter 7 and of the PVB layer 6, and of a peripheral strip of the structural sheet 3, projecting from the protective sheet 7. The ZED profile 14 prevents the penetration of moisture into the laminated structure 1.

[0026] On the other hand, the lower part of the peripheral seal 11, of maximum thickness, accommodates a stiffening wedge 15 made up of a hollow aluminum profile.

[0027] The laminated glazing 1 is fixed to the fuselage of an aircraft 22, by pinching between the latter 22 and a glass press 21 fixed, in particular by bolting, to the fuselage 22. The pinching is carried out with the interposition of the peripheral seal 11, more precisely of two notable parts of the latter 11: a first intermediate part 12 between the projecting part of the main surface of the structural block 2 closest to the protective sheet 7, and the glass press 21, on the one hand, and a second intermediate part 13 between the projecting part of the main surface of the structural block 2 furthest from the protective sheet 7, and the fuselage 22, on the other hand. The contact surface of the first intermediate part 12 and the glass press 21 is parallel to the main surface of the laminated glazing 1, with which it therefore forms a zero angle.The contact surface of the second intermediate part 13 with the fuselage 22 is substantially flat, forming with the main surface of the laminated glazing 1 an open angle, defined here, by convention, as positive. In the event of deformation of the laminated glazing 1, due for example to the pressurization of the aircraft under normal conditions of use or caused for example by a breakage of one of the two structural sheets 3 and 5, or even both, this open configuration of the two pinching surfaces is conducive to peripheral sliding of the laminated glazing 1 relative to the fuselage 22 and the glass press 21. The glazing is then likely to become detached from the fuselage, possibly leading to a risk of depressurization of the aircraft cabin.

[0028] There figure 2 schematically represents a situation in which the two pinching surfaces are flat and define two zero angles with respect to the laminated glazing 1. This configuration, like that of the figure 1 , promotes unwanted peripheral sliding of the laminated glazing 1 in its mounting structure.

[0029] On the figure 3 , one of the two pinching surfaces, the contact surface of the peripheral seal 11 and the ice press 21 is flat and approaches the structural block 2 in the direction of the edge towards the central part of the latter 2. This contact surface forms with respect to the structural block an angle defined by convention as negative. The other pinching surface, the contact surface of the peripheral seal 11 and the fuselage 22, is flat and parallel to the structural block 2.

[0030] On the figure 4 , on the contrary, it is the contact surface of the peripheral seal 11 and the fuselage 22 which is flat and forms with respect to the structural block 2 an angle defined above as negative, while the contact surface of the peripheral seal 11 and the ice press 21 is flat and parallel to the structural block 2.

[0031] On the figure 5 , these are the two pinching surfaces which define a negative angle with respect to the structural block 2. In the three embodiments in accordance with the invention of the figures 3, 4 et 5, one or both of the pinching surfaces approaches the structural block 2 in the direction from the edge towards the central part thereof 2, i.e. forms a negative angle with respect to it 2, so that the outer dimension (total thickness) of the peripheral seal 11 towards the edge of the structural block 2 is greater than its inner dimension (its total thickness, including that of the structural block 2), towards the central part of the structural block 2. The technical measure of the invention is such as to reduce the peripheral sliding of the structural block 2 in its mounting structure 22, when it 2 is deformed, to such an extent that any loosening of the structural block 2 from the structure 22 and the ice press 21 is eliminated.

Claims

1. Assembly of laminated glazing (1), a peripheral seal (11) thereof, a windowpane retainer (21) for clamping the laminated glazing (1) and a mounting structure (22), the laminated glazing (1) consisting of a transparent structural block (2) comprising at least one sheet (3, 5), and an external transparent protective sheet (7), wherein the structural block (2) overhangs relative to the protective sheet (7), the peripheral seal (11) having a first spacer part (12) between the overhanging part of a main surface of the structural block (2) closest to the protective sheet (7), and the windowpane retainer (21) for clamping the laminated glazing (1) in order to attach the structural block to the mounting structure (22), the peripheral seal (11) having a second spacer part (13) between the overhanging part of the main surface of the structural block (2) furthest from the protective sheet (7), and the mounting structure (22), characterized in that at least one of a contact surface between said first spacer part (12) and the windowpane retainer (21) and / or a contact surface between said second spacer part (13) and the mounting structure (22) approach(es) the structural block (2), from the edge of said structural block (2) toward the central part thereof.

2. Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the contact surface between said first spacer part (12) and the windowpane retainer (21) and / or the contact surface between said second spacer part (13) and the mounting structure (22), form(s) with the main surface of the structural block (2) which is / are closest to same, an angle of between -1 and -40°.

3. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the contact surface between said first spacer part (12) and the windowpane retainer (21) and / or the contact surface between said second spacer part (13) and the mounting structure (22) is / are planar or has / have at least one radius or one curve.

4. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the structural block (2) comprises two sheets (3, 5) bonded to one another by an adhesive interlayer (4).

5. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the structural block (2) is bonded to the protective sheet (7) by an adhesive interlayer (6).

6. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each sheet (3, 5) of the structural block (2), and the protective sheet (7) consist, independently of one another, of mineral glass such as soda-lime, aluminosilicate or borosilicate glass, optionally hardened, thermally tempered, or chemically strengthened, or of transparent polymer material such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyurethane (PU).

7. Assembly according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the adhesive interlayers (4, 6) consist, independently of one another, of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer.

8. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the peripheral seal (11) is made of elastomeric polymer material which is, in particular, injectable or implemented by extrusion, such as silicone, polyurethane (PU), polysulfide elastomer.

9. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a metallic profile (14) is inserted into the peripheral seal (11), covering the regions to which it conforms with a peripheral strip of the free surface of the protective sheet (7), of the edge faces of said sheet (7) and of the adhesive interlayer (6) bonding said sheet (7) to the structural block (2), and of the overhang of the main surface of the structural block (2) closest to the protective sheet (7).

10. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a stiffening wedge (15) is inserted into the second spacer part (13) of the peripheral seal (11) between the overhanging part of the main surface of the structural block (2) furthest from the protective sheet (7), and the mounting structure (22).

11. Application of an assembly according to one of the preceding claims to a clamped-type glazing in the field of aeronautics or railways.