Glazing unit comprising, in a corner, a profiled seal with cuts and slit(s), seal and method for manufacturing such a glazing unit

Abstract

The invention relates to a glazing unit (1) comprising a glazed element (2) and a profiled seal (3), said profiled seal (3) having, in a rounded corner (27), a number x > 2 of transverse cuts (4), hollowed out with removal of material, and it has a number y of curved slits (5) passing through the thickness of a base (30) and situated closer than said cuts (4) to the edge of said glazed element (2).

Description

GLAZING COMPRISING IN ONE CORNER A PROFILED SEAL WITH CUTOUTS AND SLOT(S), SEAL AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SUCH GLAZING

[0001] The invention relates to the field of glazing, in particular for vehicles, and in particular for motor vehicles. The invention relates more specifically to glazing comprising a glazed element having an outer face, an inner face and an edge located between these two faces, a longitudinal edge, a lateral edge and a rounded corner, having at least one radius of curvature and being located between said longitudinal edge and said lateral edge.

[0002] The invention also relates to a particular profiled seal for such glazing and a method for manufacturing such glazing.

[0003] It is known from the prior art, for example from international patent application No. WO 00 / 10793, glazings of the aforementioned type further comprising along one or more edges a profiled seal having a base and a lateral bead (or a lateral lip), said base being fixed to said inner face and said bead extending from said base further than said edge, in a centrifugal direction.

[0004] As it is difficult to produce such a profiled joint with a base and a lateral bead (or lip) in the environment of a rounded corner, this document proposes to produce a specific repair using a mobile tool (mold / counter-mold).

[0005] This solution is technically satisfactory for a profiled joint made by in situ extrusion against one face of the glazed element but generates additional costs due to the fact that the resumption must be done in each corner and lengthens the time the glazing is present in the station where the profiled joint is fixed to the glazed element.

[0006] This solution is very difficult to apply to a prefabricated profiled seal, manufactured before its fixing to the glazed element.

[0007] The aim of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing glazing with a profiled seal which adapts well and easily to the curvature of the corner, for easier and less expensive implementation.

[0008] The present invention is thus based on the discovery that, surprisingly, it is possible to provide a profiled seal with a base fixed to the glazed element and a lateral bead (or lip) in the environment of a corner, and in particular when the profiled seal is a prefabricated seal (technology called "pre-assembly" in the glassmaking field).

[0009] To this end, the invention thus relates, in its broadest sense, to a glazing unit according to claim 1. This glazing unit comprises a glazed element and a profiled seal, said glazed element having an outer face, an inner face and an edge located between these two faces, a longitudinal edge, a lateral edge and a rounded corner, having at least one radius of curvature and being located between said longitudinal edge and said lateral edge, said profiled seal having a base and a lateral bead, said base being fixed to said inner face and said bead extending from said base further than said base, said glazing unit being remarkable in that in the environment of said corner, said base has a number x ≥ 2 of transverse, hollow cutouts, with removal of material and has a number y of curved slot(s), crossing the thickness of said base and located closer to the edge of said glazed element than said cutouts.

[0010] Said lateral edge may be oriented substantially perpendicularly to said longitudinal edge.

[0011] Said profiled seal may consist of said base and said lateral bead.

[0012] Said base preferably extends to the longitudinal or lateral edge of the glazed element.

[0013] Said bead extends from said edge of the glazed element further than said edge in the centrifugal direction.

[0014] For cutouts, this involves a complete removal of material which leads to the complete absence of the material of the profiled joint at the location of the cut; for the slot(s) preferably there is no removal of material but only an incision over the entire thickness of said base (in the exterior-interior direction).

[0015] Said profiled seal is fixed to said glazed element preferably only by virtue of the fact that only said base is fixed to said inner face and only to said inner face.

[0016] Thus, in the corner environment, the cutouts allow a deformation of the base so that it adapts to the curvature of the glazed element and the slot(s) reduce the internal stresses in the plastic material of said profiled joint. The bead thus retains a regular appearance (a regular profile), without swelling or deformation, in the corner environment.

[0017] Preferably, neither the cutouts nor the slot(s) extend into said bead.

[0018] Preferably, in order for the profiled joint to deform better in the environment of said corner, x is an even number and y = x / 2 + 1, or y = x / 2 - 1, with preferably 4 ≤ x ≤ 10.

[0019] Preferably, so that the profiled joint deforms better in the environment of said corner, at least one, and preferably each, cutout has a transverse plane of symmetry and is preferably, seen from the front, V-shaped, or U-shaped, or Y-shaped, in particular V-shaped with an angle between two wings of the V of between 45° and 90°, preferably with an angle of approximately 60°.

[0020] Preferably, said radius of curvature, or each radius of curvature, is between 50 mm and 230 mm.

[0021] Preferably, at least one, and preferably each, cutout has a width between 50% and 80% of the width of said base.

[0022] Preferably, said slots are located in a boss of said base. Preferably, said cutouts are not located in this boss.

[0023] Preferably, at least one, and more preferably each, cutout has a length and said cutouts are positioned in pairs, with a distance between two cutouts of a pair of between 100% and 300% of said length and with a distance between two cutouts of two successive pairs which is greater than said distance between two cutouts of a pair and which is between 200% and 500% of said length.

[0024] Preferably, at least one, and more preferably each, cutout has a length between 50% and 100% of the width of said base.

[0025] Preferably, said slot(s) is (or are) located in a portion of said profiled seal which is located between two pairs of cutouts and said slot(s) has (have) a length between 75% and 100% of said distance between two pairs. Preferably, said slot(s) is (or are) located centered between two pairs of cutouts.

[0026] Preferably, said bead is in surface continuity with said outer surface of the glazed element.

[0027] The concept of surface continuity within the meaning of the present invention, or "flush", means that visually, from the outside, the two surfaces appear to be continuous with each other. In practice, it is possible to measure a height difference of up to 1 mm due to manufacturing tolerances.

[0028] Advantageously, said profiled seal extends from the edge of the glazed element while being in surface continuity with the outer face of the glazed element along the entire length of the profiled seal, both in the longitudinal portion(s) and in the lateral portion(s) and in the corner(s).

[0029] Advantageously, said profiled seal extends from the edge of the glazed element while being in surface continuity with the outer face of the glazed element along the entire periphery of the glazed element.

[0030] The invention also relates to a profiled seal for glazing according to the invention, said profiled seal having a base and a lateral bead, said base being intended to be fixed to said inner face of the glazed element of the glazing and said bead extending from said base further than said base, said profiled seal being remarkable in that said base has a number x ≥ 2 of transverse, hollow cutouts, with removal of material and has a number y of slot(s) passing through the thickness of said base and intended to be located closer to the edge of said glazed element than said cutouts. Said slot(s) is (or are) closer to said lateral bead than said cutouts. Said slot(s) is (or are) suitable, i.e. intended, to be curved in the environment of a corner of said glazed element.

[0031] Preferably, said profiled seal is based on a polymer material such as a thermoplastic (PVC, TPE, etc.), a polyurethane or even a synthetic rubber of the EPDM type. Said profiled seal may be entirely made of polymer material or be partially made of polymer material and comprising an insert, for example made of metal, for reinforcement. Said base may comprise an insert.

[0032] Said profiled seal preferably has two zones each with x cutouts and y slot(s), for two corners of the glazing, in particular two lower corners of the glazing, or four zones each with x cutouts and y slot(s), for four corners of the glazing.

[0033] Preferably, for a corner and in particular for a corner having a plane of symmetry, the cutouts are identical (same shape, same dimensions) and if there are several slots, they are identical (same shape, same dimensions). Preferably, for a corner having a plane of symmetry, the area comprising the x cutouts and y slot(s) has a plane of symmetry which is the same as the plane of symmetry of said corner.

[0034] The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a glazing unit according to the invention, said glazing unit comprising a glazed element and a profiled seal, said glazed element having an outer face, an inner face and an edge located between these two faces, a longitudinal edge, a lateral edge and a rounded corner, having at least one radius of curvature and being located between said longitudinal edge and said lateral edge, said profiled seal having a base and a lateral bead, said base being fixed to said inner face and said bead extending from said base further than said base, said method being remarkable in that - a number x ≥ 2, of transverse, hollow cutouts, are made in said base with removal of material and a number y of slot(s) is (or are) made in said base crossing the thickness of said base,then- said profiled seal is fixed to said glazed element with the cutouts and the slot(s) located in the environment of said corner, with said slot(s) located closer to the edge of said glazed element than said cutouts and with said curved slot(s) in the environment of said corner.,

[0035] Several embodiments of the present invention will be described below, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the appended figures in which: - illustrates a front view of the external space of a glazed element; - illustrates a view of the lower right corner of a glazing unit according to the invention comprising the glazed element of the and a profiled seal, seen from the internal space; - illustrates a partial view of the profiled seal of the, before its curvature to adapt to the curvature of a corner of the glazed element, before its fixing to the glazed element; - illustrates a cross-sectional view along A-A' of the profiled seal of the, before its curvature to adapt to the curvature of a corner of the glazed element, before its fixing to the glazed element; - illustrates a partial front view of a transverse V-shaped cutout of the profiled seal; - illustrates a partial view of the cutout of the in the environment of the corner ;-illustrates a partial front view of a rectangular transverse cut of the profiled joint;-illustrates a partial view of the cut of the in the corner environment;-illustrates a partial front view of a Y transverse cut of the profiled joint; and-illustrates a partial view of the cut of the in the corner environment.;

[0036] The present invention is described by way of example in the context of an application as fixed glazing 1 for a vehicle. This glazing closes a bay by creating a separation between an exterior space E, which is exterior to the vehicle, and an interior space I, which is interior to the vehicle. The notions of “exterior” and “interior” are therefore considered in relation, respectively, to the exterior space and the interior space.

[0037] The present invention is described, by way of non-limiting example, by being applied to a vehicle rear window glazing. With reference to the, the glazing is seen from the outside, oriented vertically as on a vehicle. In thethe glazing is shown schematically, in a view equivalent to a view of the interior space, the glazing not yet being installed in a bodywork bay (it is therefore not visible).

[0038] The glazing 1 comprises a glazed element 2. This glazed element may be monolithic, i.e. made up of a single sheet of material, or be composite, i.e. made up of several sheets of material between which is inserted at least one intermediate layer of adherent material, in the case of laminated glazing. The sheet(s) of material may be mineral, in particular glass, for example having undergone annealing or tempering, or organic, in particular plastic material such as polyvinyl butyral. The intermediate layer preferably contains at least one thermoplastic plastic material, preferably polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), and / or polyethylene terephthalate (PET).However, the thermoplastic intermediate layer may also contain, for example, polyurethane (PU), polypropylene (PP), polyacrylate, polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, polyacetate resin, casting resins, acrylates, fluorinated ethylene-propylene, polyvinyl fluoride and / or ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene, or copolymers or mixtures thereof. The thermoplastic intermediate layer may be formed from one or more superimposed thermoplastic films, the thickness of a thermoplastic film preferably not exceeding 1.0 mm, in particular from 0.25 mm or 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm or 0.9 mm, typically around 0.4 mm or 0.7 mm.

[0039] The glazing can form a windshield, a roof, a side or rear window of a vehicle. The vehicle can be a land road vehicle, such as a car, a truck, a bus, a tram, a railway vehicle. It can be a fixed glazing (not movable in the vehicle's frame of reference).

[0040] In the context of this document, the notion of "centripetal" and that of "centrifugal" is to be considered in relation to the central longitudinal axis of advance of the vehicle equipped with the glazing according to the invention as a vehicle rear window, that is to say the axis generally called "the X-X' axis" of the vehicle, which is perpendicular to the plane of the sheet of the; the centrifugal direction is perpendicular to this axis and in the direction of this axis while the centripetal direction is perpendicular to this axis and opposite, moving away from this axis.

[0041] In the illustrated embodiment, the glazing 1 comprises a glazed element 2 which is curved (i.e. not flat) and laminated.

[0042] The glazed element 2 has an outer face 20 which is oriented towards the outside E, an inner face 22 which is oriented towards the inside I and an edge 21 located between these two faces.

[0043] The glazed element 2 has a longitudinal edge 23, bottom, a lateral edge 24, left, a longitudinal edge 25, top and a lateral edge 26, right.

[0044] The glazed element 2 has two lower corners 27, 27', located: - for the corner 27 between the longitudinal edge 23, bottom, and the lateral edge 24, and visible in, of the interior space I, - and for the corner 27' between the longitudinal edge 23, bottom, and the lateral edge 26.

[0045] Glazing 1 includes a profiled seal 3, detailed further on.

[0046] The glazed element 2 is a laminated glazed element which comprises an outer glass sheet, an inner glass sheet and an interlayer sheet of plastic material located between said two glass sheets.

[0047] However, it is possible that at least one other sheet is interposed between the outer glass sheet and the interlayer sheet of plastic material or between the interlayer sheet of plastic material 4 and the inner glass sheet.

[0048] The glazed element 2 thus has an outer face 20 produced by an outer face of the outer glass sheet, an inner face 22 produced by an inner face of the inner glass sheet and an edge 21 located between these two faces, corresponding to the edge of the outer glass sheet, to the edge of the plastic sheet and to the edge of the inner glass sheet, these three edges being here in continuity with each other.

[0049] The glazing 1 comprises, in addition to the glazed element 2, along at least part of the lower longitudinal edge, and preferably along the entire lower longitudinal edge, a profiled seal 3 visible in detail at.

[0050] The profiled seal 3 here consists of two distinct parts: a base 30 and a lateral bead 31. The base 30 is a part of the profiled seal 3 which is fixed to the inner face 22 extending to the longitudinal or lateral edge of the glazed element. The bead 31 is a part of the profiled seal 3 which is not fixed to the glazed element and which extends from the base (i.e. from the edge 21 in the state installed in the glazing) further than the base 30 (i.e. further than the edge 21 in the state installed in the glazing) in a centrifugal direction. The profiled seal is fixed to the glazed element 2 solely due to the fact that only the base 30 is fixed to the inner face 22 and only to this inner face 22. Thus, the base 30 does not extend opposite the edge 21; it is the bead which extends opposite the edge 21.

[0051] In the installed state, the bead 31 extends from the edge 21, being here in surface continuity with the outer face 20 of the glazed element (the bead 31 is “flush”, in English, with the outer face 20 of the glazed element).

[0052] As visible in, in the environment of a corner 27, here the lower left corner, the corner has four successive radii of curvature, starting from the lateral edge 24 and going up to the longitudinal edge 23, bottom: - R0 for example of 234 mm, - R1 for example of 81.5 mm, - R2 for example of 75 mm, and - R3 for example of 224 mm.

[0053] In the environment of corner 27, the corner could have one, two, three, or more than four (successive) radii of curvature.

[0054] In the environment of the corner 27, the base 30 has a number x ≥ 2 of transverse, hollow cutouts 4, with removal of material and has a number y of curved slot(s) 5.

[0055] At the location of a cutout 4 there is no profiled seal material 3 at all. At the location of the (or each) slot 5, the profiled seal material 3 is present; it is only an incision, without removal of material. At the location of the slot 5, the incision crosses the entire thickness of the base 30. Furthermore, the slot 5 is located closer to the edge of said glazed element 2 than the transverse cutouts 4, that is to say further in a centrifugal direction than the cutouts 4 and offset from the cutouts 4: when a cutout is observed and a more centrifugal direction than this cutout is considered, there is no slot because a slot at this location risks weakening the structure of the profiled seal 3 too much.

[0056] x is here an even number, with preferably 4 ≤ x ≤ 10. Here x = 10 for corner 27. y could be equal to x / 2 but then there is a risk of a problem arising in the non-symmetrical reaction of joint 6 to the curvature of the corner. Preferably, y is different from x / 2; y can be equal to x / 2 + 1. Preferably here y = x / 2 – 1; this is the best configuration to obtain a symmetrical adaptation of profiled joint 3 to the curvature of the corner. x and y are preferably identical for both corners 27, 27'.

[0057] The 4 transverse cutouts are all identical here. Each cutout 4 has a length L4 of 5.0 mm and a width l4 of 7.0 mm. The cutouts 4 have a length L4 between 50% and 100% of the width l30 of the base 30.

[0058] The cutouts 4 have a width l4 between 50% and 80% of the width l30 of the base 30. There is no cutout in the bead 31.

[0059] The cutouts 4 are here positioned in pairs, with a distance between two cutouts of a pair L44 which is identical for each pair of cutouts and which is between 100% and 300% of the length L4 of the cutouts. Furthermore, a distance between two cutouts of two successive pairs L45 is greater than the distance between two cutouts within a pair L44; this distance between two cutouts of two successive pairs L45 is between 200% and 500% of the length L4.

[0060] The slots 5 are located in a boss 34 of the base 30, that is to say an excess thickness of the base 30. There is no slot in the bead 31.

[0061] The slots 5 are all identical here. They are parallel to each other and follow one another along the length of the profiled seal when it is considered flat, before fixing to the glazed element, as visible in. Each slot 5, oriented longitudinally (along the length of the profiled seal) on this, here has a length L5 of 20.0 mm. The width of each slot 5, even if it is visible in for the purposes of explanation, is not measurable because it is not a matter of removing material but just of an incision, each incision being made using a tool which separates the material on each side of the tool without removing any material.

[0062] When the profiled seal is fixed to the glazed element it is possible that one (or more) slot(s) 5 are visible, that is to say are visible, that is to say appear as a hole seen from the inside, in particular when the radius of curvature is equal to or greater than 100 mm.

[0063] When the profiled seal is fixed to the glazed element, along the entire length of the corner 27, the slot(s) 5 is (or are) curved following the curvature of the corner.

[0064] Each slot 5 is located in a portion of the profiled joint 3 which is located between two pairs of cutouts 4 (i.e. is located in the location of the distance between two cutouts of two successive pairs L45) and each slot 5 is here centered in this portion between these two successive pairs. Each slot 5 thus has a length L5 of between 75% and 100% of the distance between two cutouts of two successive pairs L45.

[0065] The cutouts 4 here have a transverse plane of symmetry S to adapt well to the curvature of the corner. They are preferably, seen from the front: - V-shaped, as visible when flat and adapted to a corner curvature of ; - or U-shaped, as visible when flat and adapted to a corner curvature of - or Y-shaped, as visible when flat and adapted to a corner curvature of.

[0066] [Figs. 6, 8 and 10] show that the cutouts 4 allow deformation of the profiled seal 3 so that it adapts to the curvature of the glazed element.

[0067] The V shape is the preferred shape, which causes the least disturbance to the profile of the rest of the profiled joint in the corner (and in particular the least disturbance to the profile of the bead); here there is an angle G between two wings of the V which is between 45° and 90°, preferably here an angle G of 60°.

[0068] The cutouts 4 and the slot(s) 5 are preferably provided in each corner of the glazing. There may be no cutouts 4 or slot 5 along the longitudinal edges 23, 25, nor along the lateral edges 24, 26.

[0069] To manufacture the glazing according to the invention, it is possible to first manufacture, that is to say prefabricate, the profiled seal with, in said base 30, the number x ≥ 2, of cutouts 4 and the number y of slot(s) 5, per corner, then to fix, for example by gluing, the profiled seal 3 to said glazed element 2, that is to say to fix the base 30 to the inner face 22 with the cutouts and the slot(s) located in the environment of the corner 27; The slot(s) 5 are located closer to the edge of the glazed element 2 than the cutouts 4.

[0070] When the profiled joint 3 is prefabricated, the base 30 of the profiled joint 3 is preferably fixed to the inner face 22, and preferably only to this inner face (not to the edge, nor to the outer face), for example using double-sided adhesive tape 32 or using a bead of glue.

[0071] In another variant, to manufacture the glazing according to the invention, it is possible to mold directly on the glazed element 2 the profiled seal with, in said base 30, the number x ≥ 2, of cutouts 4 and the number y of slot(s) 5, per corner, the profiled seal 3 then being fixed to the glazed element 2 (or “encapsulated”), that is to say the base 30 being fixed to the inner face 22 with the cutouts and the slot(s) located in the environment of the corner 27; The slot(s) 5 are located closer to the edge of the glazed element 2 than the cutouts 4.

[0072] Thanks to the invention, along the entire length of the corner 27, the bead 31 retains its profile and can extend from the edge 21 while being in surface continuity with the outer face 20 of the glazed element (the bead 31 is “flush”, in English, with the outer face 20 of the glazed element).

Claims

Glazing (1) comprising a glazed element (2) and a profiled gasket (3), said glazed element (2) having an outer face (20), an inner face (22) and an edge (21) situated between these two faces, a longitudinal edge (23), a lateral edge (24) and a rounded corner (27), having at least one radius of curvature (R1) and being situated between said longitudinal edge (23) and said lateral edge (24), said profiled gasket (3) having a base (30) and a lateral bead (31), said base (30) being fixed to said inner face (22) and said bead (31) extending from said base further than said base (30), characterized in that in the environment of said corner (27), said base (30) has a number x ≥ 2 of transverse, recessed cutouts (4), with material removal and has a number y of slot(s) (5), curved(s), passing through the thickness of said base (30) and located closer(s) to the edge of said glazed element (2) than said cutouts (4). Glazing (1) according to claim 1 in which, x is an even number and y = x / 2 + 1, or y = x / 2 - 1, preferably with 4 ≤ x ≤ 10. Glazing (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one, and preferably each, cutout (4) has a transverse symmetry plane (S) and is preferably, viewed from the front, in the shape of a V, or a U, or a Y, in particular in the shape of a V with an angle (G) between two wings of the V of between 45° and 90°, preferably with an angle (G) of about 60°. Glazing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said radius of curvature (R1), or each radius of curvature (R1), is between 50 mm and 230 mm. Glazing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one, and preferably each, cutout (4) has a width (l4) between 50% and 80% of the width (l30) of said base (30). Glazing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said slots (5) are located in a boss (34) of said base (30). Glazing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one, and preferably each, cutout (4) has a length (L4) and said cutouts (4) are positioned in pairs, with a distance between two cutouts of a pair (L44) of between 100% and 300% of said length (L4) and with a distance between two cutouts of two successive pairs (L45) which is greater than said distance between two cutouts of a pair (L44) and which is between 200% and 500% of said length (L4). Glazing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one, and preferably each, cutout (4) has a length (L4) between 50% and 100% of the width (l30) of said base (30). Glazing (1) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein said (or said) slot(s) (5) is (or are) located in a portion of said profiled joint (3) which is located between two pairs of cutouts (4) and said (or said) slot(s) (5) has a length (L5) between 75% and 100% of said distance between two pairs (L45). profiled seal (3) for glazing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, said profiled seal (3) having a base (30) and a lateral bead (31), said base (30) being intended to be fixed to said inner face (22) of said glazing element (2) and said bead (31) extending from said base further than said base (30), characterized in that said base (30) has a number x ≥ 2 of transverse, recessed cutouts (4) with material removal and has a number y of slot(s) (5) passing through the thickness of said base (30) and intended to be located closer to the edge of said glazing element (2) than said cutouts (4). A method for manufacturing glazing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a glazed element (2) and a profiled gasket (3), said glazed element (2) having an outer face (20), an inner face (22) and an edge (21) situated between these two faces, a longitudinal edge (23), a lateral edge (24) and a rounded corner (27) having at least one radius of curvature (R1) and being situated between said longitudinal edge (23) and said lateral edge (24), said profiled gasket (3) having a base (30) and a lateral bead (31), said base (30) being fixed to said inner face (22) and said bead (31) extending from said base beyond said base (30), characterized in that a number x ≥ 2 of transverse, recessed cutouts (4) are made in said base (30) with material removal and a number y of slot(s) (5), is (or are) made in said base (30) by passing through the thickness of said base (30),then- said profiled joint (3) is fixed to said glazed element (2) with the cutouts and the slot(s) located in the vicinity of said corner (27), with said slot(s) (5) located closer to the edge of said glazed element (2) than said cutouts (4) and with said slot(s) curved in the vicinity of said corner (27).

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