Glazing comprising a profiled bead with a foaming agent and a bonded cover piece, as well as the manufacturing process for this glazing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a glazing unit (1) comprising a glazed element (2), and comprising a profiled bead (4) having a base (44) having a thickness (e44) of at least 5 mm, said base (44) of the profiled bead (4) comprising a material (45) incorporating a foaming agent, characterized in that said glazing unit comprises a cover piece (5) having a cover plate (55) extending substantially parallel to said base (44) and further outward than said base (44), said cover piece (5) adhering to said profiled bead (4) by means of an adhesive layer (6) interposed between a face of said cover plate (55) and a face of said base (44). (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Glazing COMPRISING A profiled cord with a foaming agent AND A glued cover piece as well as the method of manufacturing this glazing

[0001] The present invention relates to glazing, and in particular vehicle glazing, comprising a glazed element, creating a separation between an exterior space and an interior space, and comprising a profiled cord having, seen in cross-section, a base which is located in contact with a face of said glazed element.

[0002] It is known that the base of the profiled cord can have a relatively high thickness, of at least 5 mm, considered from the face of the glazed element to which the profiled cord is attached.

[0003] However, such a thickness is difficult to achieve using molding techniques. One solution is to incorporate an insert, usually made of plastic, inside the base so that it occupies part of the volume of the profiled bead, but this is a complex and costly technique because it can result in a large number of non-conforming glazing units. A second solution is to manufacture the base material to incorporate a foaming agent.

[0004] International patent applications No. WO 2014 / 086303 and WO 2015 / 074579 disclose embodiments of profiled cord incorporating a foaming agent.

[0005] Furthermore, it is known that a glazing can include a cover piece having a cover base extending substantially parallel to said base and further out than said base, but the mechanical attachment or chemical fixing of this cover piece to a thick base, of a thickness of at least 5 mm, is difficult to achieve and control industrially.

[0006] The present invention thus aims to remedy the disadvantages of the prior art by proposing a simple and effective solution for a profiled bead glazing having a thick base to have a cover piece further outside than this thick base.

[0007] Indeed, the inventors discovered that, surprisingly, even if the density of a base whose material incorporates a foaming agent is lower, it was possible to effectively glue a cover piece onto this thick base, even though the presence of the foaming agent is likely to affect the normally smooth surface of the base.

[0008] The fixing of the cover piece is thus extremely simple, while being very reliable and very compact.

[0009] The present invention relates, in its broadest sense, to a glazing comprising a glazed element creating a separation between an exterior space and an interior space, and comprising a profiled cord having, seen in cross-section, a base which is located in contact with a face of said glazed element and which has a thickness of at least 5 mm from this face, said base of the profiled cord comprising a material integrating a foaming agent, remarkable in that said glazing comprises a cover piece having a cover base extending substantially parallel to said base and further out than said base, said cover piece adhering to said profiled cord by means of an adhesive layer interposed between a face of said cover base and a face of said base.

[0010] Preferably, said profiled cord is based on, or made of, TPE.

[0011] Preferably, said base of the profiled cord is based on, or made of, TPE.

[0012] Preferably, said base of the profiled cord does not include a filler piece or reinforcement; it only includes the material that constitutes it.

[0013] The thickness of said base may be 5.0 mm or more; it may be at least 5.5 mm, or even at least 6.0 mm.

[0014] Preferably, said base has a lower density of at least 5%, and preferably between 5% and 45%, or even between 10% and 35%; this lower density is preferably measured in relation to the density of another part of the profiled cord which is in the same material as said base.

[0015] Preferably, said base of the profiled cord is located in contact with an outer face of said glazed element, and preferably only in contact with an outer face of said glazed element.

[0016] Preferably, the base of the profiled cord is made of a material incorporating a foaming agent, and preferably the entire profiled cord is made of a material incorporating a foaming agent. Thus, a single material is used for the entire profiled cord, which is simpler, but the foaming functionality is only achieved in the base, which has a thickness, and therefore a volume, suitable for this purpose; there are no bubbles and the density is lower than where the thickness is at least 5 mm.

[0017] Preferably, said glazed element is a fixed glazed element of a vehicle; it is not mobile relative to the vehicle which carries it.

[0018] The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing glazing according to the invention, said glazing comprising a glazed element forming a separation between an exterior space and an interior space, and comprising a profiled bead having, in cross-section, a base which is located in contact with a face of said glazed element and which has a thickness of at least 5 mm from this face, a foaming agent being integrated into said base of the profiled bead during the manufacture of said profiled bead by molding, said method being remarkable in that, after the manufacture of said profiled cord by molding, an adhesive layer is intercalated between one face of said base and one face of a cover plate of a cover piece, said cover plate extending substantially parallel to said base and further outside than said base, in order to allow the adhesion of said cover piece to said profiled cord.

[0019] For the manufacture of the glazing according to the invention, there are therefore two successive operations.

[0020] Advantageously, the glazing according to the invention is particularly light because the base incorporating a foaming agent is lighter and the adhesive layer is also very light.

[0021] Advantageously, the cover piece is fixed solely by the adhesive layer; preferably, there is no other means of attachment between the cover piece and the rest of the glazing.

[0022] One embodiment of the present invention will be described below by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying figures in which: - [Fig. 1] illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of a glazing according to the invention; and - [Fig.2] is a photograph of a cross-section of the base of a profiled cord with a foaming agent for implementing the invention.

[0023] In [Fig.1], the proportions between the different elements are respected but the background elements are not shown, in order to facilitate reading.

[0024] The present invention relates to a glazing 1, and in particular a vehicle glazing as seen in [Fig. 1]. This glazing comprises a fixed glazed element 2, forming a separation between an exterior space E and an interior space I and includes a profiled gasket portion (or cord) 4 made of a flexible polymer material which is located along a lateral edge of the fixed glazed element, this gasket portion extending further laterally than the lateral edge.

[0025] The portion of the joint has a groove having in cross-section a U-shape which encloses the edge of the glazed element 2.

[0026] The glazing 1 according to the invention, which is illustrated in cross-section, is a fixed rear side glazing of a motor vehicle body (not illustrated). It comprises the glazed element 2, fixed relative to this body, and is provided with the profiled gasket portion 4, made of a flexible polymer material, here along a lower horizontal edge of the glazed element 2; here, the profiled gasket portion 4 is peripheral: it goes all the way around the edge of the glazed element 2.

[0027] The glazing 1 creates a separation between an interior space I of the vehicle and an exterior space E of the vehicle. The glazed element 2 thus has an exterior face 21 intended to be oriented towards the exterior space E, an interior face 22 intended to be turned towards the interior space I, as well as a peripheral 20 edge, drawn here rounded but which can be straight.

[0028] The glazed element 2 can be monolithic, as shown here in [Fig. 1], i.e., made of a single sheet of material, or composite, i.e., made of several sheets of material between which at least one layer of bonded material is inserted in the case of laminated glazing. The sheet(s) of material can be mineral, in particular glass, or organic, in particular plastic.

[0029] When the glazed element is made of organic material, it was manufactured prior to the implementation of the invention by molding the material constituting the glazed element in a molding device comprising a mold having at least one fixed mold portion and one movable mold portion that is movable relative to the fixed mold portion, said mold portions cooperating in the closed state of the mold, during the molding step, to form a mold cavity having in cross-section the shape of the glazed element. Often, the glazed element made of organic material is not flat but convex.

[0030] When the glazed element is made of mineral material, it was manufactured prior to the implementation of the invention by melting mineral material into a flat sheet, then by cutting this sheet and possibly curving and / or tempering this sheet.

[0031] The profiled cord 4 thus has an outer face 41, which is intended to be oriented towards the outside E of the vehicle, and an inner face 42, which is intended to be oriented towards the inside I of the vehicle and in contact with the outer face 21 of the glazed element 2.

[0032] The polymer material constituting the profiled cord 4 can be a thermoplastic (PVC, TPE, ...), a polyurethane or a synthetic rubber of the EPDM type or any other suitable material.

[0033] The profiled cord 4 is preferably manufactured by implementing a manufacturing process called "encapsulation" because it includes a molding step of the profiled cord 4 in a molding device, between two molding elements, a molding element receiving the inner face of the glazing and a molding element receiving the outer face of the glazing, these two molding elements being closed on each other during the molding step while creating between them a molding cavity which is filled with the constituent material of the profiled cord 4 during the molding step of this profiled cord.

[0034] The profiled cord 4 is preferably arranged over the entire periphery of the glazed element 2, but this portion of the profiled seal could very well be positioned only on a part of the periphery of the glazed element 2.

[0035] Only the profiled cord 4 is manufactured in-situ, on the glazed element 2. All other elements are prefabricated: manufactured before the manufacturing of the profiled cord 4 on the glazed element 2.

[0036] The profiled cord 4 has a base 44 which is located opposite the outer edge of the glazed element 2, two outer wings 46, 46' which extend outwards from the base 44 and opposite the glazed element 2, and a lip 47 which extends opposite the edge 21 and opposite the glazed element 2.

[0037] The profiled cord 4 also includes an inner wing 48 which is located opposite the inner edge of the glazed element 2.

[0038] The profiled cord 4 encloses the edge of the glazed element.

[0039] The base 44 has a height h44 between 5.0 and 12.0 mm, or even between 5.0 and 10.0 mm; here 6.0 mm.

[0040] The base 44 has a width I44 between 5.0 and 150.0 mm and here for example of 12.0 mm.

[0041] In order to enable the profiled cord to be produced by injection molding (“encapsulation”), the base 44 of the profiled cord 4 comprises a material 45 incorporating a foaming agent.

[0042] For simplicity, the entire profiled cord 4 was manufactured with material 45 incorporating a foaming agent.

[0043] Two foaming agents were tested for the TPE profiled cord: - Hydrocerol BIH 20, at 0.8% by weight; and - Lubobatch PE BA 9537, at 0.8% by weight.

[0044] These two agents cause bubbles in the material of base 44 having a diameter of the order of 50 to 2000 micrometers, as seen in [Fig.2].

[0045] In both cases, the addition of the foaming agent did not change the colorimetric appearance of the surface-profiled cord.

[0046] However, in both cases, the outer face 41 of the base 44 has a roughness while the rest of the profiled cord has a smooth outer surface.

[0047] In addition, the glazing 1 includes a cover piece 5 having a cover base 55 extending substantially parallel to the base 44 and further out than the base 44 when the cover piece 5 is fixed to the glazing 1.

[0048] The cover piece is thus an exterior trim piece.

[0049] The cover plate 55 has an outer face 51 oriented towards said outer space E and an inner face 52 oriented towards the outer face 21 of the glazed element 2.

[0050] The cover piece further has a wing 56, extending from said cover base 55, at an angle of approximately 40°, in the direction of the outer face 21.

[0051] The material constituting the cover piece 5 is preferably a plastic material. It can be, for example, LABS or PMMA. It can also be metal or a metal alloy.

[0052] To fix the cover plate 55 to the base 44, an adhesive layer 6 is positioned, in contact, between on the one hand the inner face 52 of the cover plate 55 and on the other hand the outer face 41 of the base 44.

[0053] The adhesive layer 6 is here an adhesive tape having a width of 10.0 mm and extending along the entire length of the cover sole 55.

[0054] The tests were carried out with a black double-sided adhesive tape based on acrylic foam, referenced GT6012 by the company 3M.

[0055] The cover piece 5 is preferably in one piece to better protect the profiled cord 4. The adhesive tape is also preferably in one piece to be easier to apply.

[0056] Preferably, the cover plate 55 is fixed to the base in the following manner: - an adhesion primer is applied to the outer face 41 of the base, then - the adhesive tape is applied and bonded to the inner face 52 of the cover sole, then - the cover piece is applied against the base so that the adhesive tape adheres to the outer face 41 of the base.

[0057] This is therefore solely a chemical fixing, by adhesion; without mechanical attachment.

[0058] The attachment of the cover piece to the base is surprisingly reliable.

[0059] Tests have shown that in both cases of foaming agent, a pull-out force of more than 100 N was required to detach the cover piece from the base.

Claims

Demands

1. Glazing (1) comprising a glazed element (2) forming a separation between an exterior space (E) and an interior space (I), and comprising a profiled bead (4) having, in cross-section, a base (44) which is located in contact with a face of said glazed element (2) and which has a thickness (e44) of at least 5 mm from this face, said base (44) of the profiled bead (4) comprising a material (45) incorporating a foaming agent, characterized in that said glazing comprises a cover piece (5) comprising a cover plate (55) extending substantially parallel to said base (44) and further outward than said base (44), said cover piece (5) adhering to said profiled bead (4) by means of an adhesive layer (6) interposed between a face of said cover plate (55) and a face of said base (44), said base (44) of the profiled bead (4) being based on, or in, TPE.

2. Glazing (1) according to claim 1, wherein said base (44) of the profiled cord (4) does not include a filler or reinforcement piece.

3. Glazing (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said base (44) has a lower density of at least 5%, and preferably between 5% and 45%, or even between 10% and 35%, this lower density being measured in relation to the density of another part of the profiled bead which is in the same material as said base.

4. A method for manufacturing glazing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, said glazing (1) comprising a glazed element (2) forming a separation between an exterior space (E) and an interior space (I), and comprising a profiled bead (4) having, in cross-section, a base (44) which is located in contact with a face of said glazed element (2) and which has a thickness (e) of at least 5 mm from this face, a foaming agent being integrated into said base (44) of the profiled bead (4) during the manufacturing of said profiled bead by molding, characterized in that, after the manufacturing of said profiled bead by molding, an adhesive layer (6) is intercalated between a face of said base (44) and a face of a cover plate (55) of a cover piece (5), said cover plate (55) extending substantially parallel to said base (44) and further outward than said base (44), in order to to allow the adhesion of said cover piece (5) to said profiled cord (4), said base (44) of the profiled cord (4) being based on, or in, TPE.

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