GLAZING RECEIVING AND SECURING STRUCTURE, PARTICULARLY FOR MOTOR VEHICLE WINDSHIELDS

Abstract

This structure for receiving and securing glazing, particularly for windshields of motor vehicles, and more specifically heavy goods vehicles, is attached to the body of the vehicle's cab. It consists of a peripheral frame attached to the vehicle body. The frame defines a plurality of planes intersecting in pairs, each of said planes receiving a single or multi-layered glazing unit (5, 6). The glazing units (5, 6) are held at the points where the intersecting planes diverge or intersect by means of, on the one hand, a plate (8), also fixed to the upper and lower edges of the frame, and on the other hand, by lateral supports defined by the frame. (See Figure 3 for abbreviations.)

Description

Title of the invention: GLAZING RECEIVING AND SECURING STRUCTURE, PARTICULARLY FOR MOTOR VEHICLE WINDSHIELDS Scope of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to the field of automobiles, and more particularly to reinforced windshields for so-called "armored" vehicles, i.e., bulletproof vehicles. However, the present invention also finds application in the more general field of so-called transparent protection, such as, for example, for the glazing of observation and surveillance turrets.

[0002] It falls more particularly in the field of windscreens for heavy goods vehicles. Prior state of the art

[0003] In the context of civil vehicles, and more particularly heavy goods vehicles, the thickness of the glazing constituting the windscreen is relatively limited, so that it is possible to give the windscreen in question a curvature at the corners of the cab, a curvature suitable for promoting the driver's vision, and therefore consequently reducing the risks of accidents.

[0004] With regard to military vehicles, windshield armor is particularly sought after, in addition, of course, to the rest of the body. This windshield armor is traditionally achieved by using a significant thickness of glazing, obtained by layering several sheets of glass or equivalent.

[0005] With such thicknesses, typically between 40 and 120 millimeters, it is no longer possible to give the windshield any curvature. In this way, and in such a configuration, the windshield's protection is obtained by implementing vertical or substantially vertical posts or pillars extending at the corners of said windshield, fixed for example by mechanical assembly to the body or passenger compartment of the vehicle, and thus making it possible to obtain a windshield with different intersecting planes, capable of defining the main face of said windshield and lateral faces, contiguous to said main face.

[0006] If these structural uprights allow the fixing of such thicknesses of glazing oriented along intersecting planes, their disadvantage lies in a significant reduction of the visibility of the driver or operator.

[0007] The objective of the present invention is to overcome this drawback.

[0008] It also aims to simplify the manufacture of such windshields. Description of the invention

[0009] The invention relates to a structure for receiving and securing glazing, in particular for windshields of motor vehicles, and more particularly of heavy goods vehicles, said structure being secured to the body of the cab of said vehicle, or to the frame of a static enclosure.

[0010] According to the invention, this structure consists of a peripheral chassis attached to the vehicle body or to the frame of the static enclosure, for example by welding, said chassis defining a plurality of planes intersecting in pairs, each of said planes receiving a single or multi-thickness glazing, the glazing being held at the level of the divergence or intersection zones of the intersecting planes by means of, on the one hand, a plate, also fixed to the uprights or edges respectively upper and lower of the chassis or frame, and on the other hand, by lateral supports or lateral support zones defined by the chassis or frame.

[0011] In other words, the invention proposes to implement a frame or chassis folded at its periphery, and more precisely at its two main opposite edges, respectively upper and lower, these folds being located at the convergence zones of the glazing, said frame or chassis being attached and in particular fixed on the body itself or on the frame itself.

[0012] The glazing is positioned within this frame and held at the divergence zones by means of, on the one hand, a plate, also fixed to the uprights or edges respectively upper and lower of the frame, and on the other hand, by lateral supports defined by the chassis or frame.

[0013] In doing so, the implementation of typically vertical uprights or pillars is eliminated, and it becomes possible to implement glazing, regardless of its thickness, that is only flat, facilitating and simplifying its production and installation within the frame. Brief description of the figures

[0014] The manner in which the invention can be implemented and the resulting advantages will be more apparent from the following implementation examples, given by way of illustration and not limitation, in support of the attached figures.

[0015] The [Fig. 1] is a schematic representation illustrating the implementation of armored windscreens in accordance with the prior art.

[0016] Fig. 2 is a schematic front view representation of the structure according to the invention.

[0017] [Fig.3] is a schematic representation in section along line II - II of [Fig.2],

[0018] [Fig.4] is a schematic representation in section along line IV - IV of [Fig.2],

[0019] [Fig.5] is a schematic cross-sectional representation along line V - V of [Fig.2], Detailed description of the invention

[0020] Figure 1 shows a schematic view of an armored heavy-duty vehicle windshield conforming to the prior art. As can be seen, this windshield comprises a main face (1) and a side face (2), both made up of stacked panes of glass, in order to provide the windshield with its armoring function. The various layers constituting these side faces (1) and (2) are attached to a frame (3, 4), in particular a metallic one, which is itself attached to the vehicle body by screwing or welding.

[0021] In order to allow the change of orientation between the faces (1) and (2), a vertical post (13) positioned at the two corners of the lateral ends of the main face (1) is implemented, allowing the different sheets constituting the shields to be effectively joined together on the one hand, and the intersection area of ​​the faces (1) and (2) to the chassis.

[0022] The inconvenience caused by this vertical post or profile to the driver is understandable, due to its size and width.

[0023] The invention is illustrated in relation to Figures 2 to 5, more specifically in connection with a windshield for heavy goods vehicles. This always employs a windshield consisting of a main face (5) and two lateral faces (6), each of these faces being made up of a stack of different sheets or panes of glass, in order to give the whole windshield the desired protection.

[0024] Unlike the prior art, the invention employs a metal frame (7) folded at the intersection areas between the main face (5) and the lateral faces (6), as can be seen, for example, in [Fig. 3]. This frame (7), in this case made of metal (armor steel), can be obtained by means of a welded structure, or by casting, or even by a die configured for this purpose.

[0025] Alternatively, this chassis (7) can be made by welding, or even gluing two by two of the elements which constitute it at the level of the secant or the intersection of the planes of the lateral faces (6) and the main face (5).

[0026] It may also be envisaged to make this chassis out of composite material, for example based on a reinforcement made from glass fibers or carbon fibers and organic matrix, capable of offering the same mechanical characteristics as those of a mechanical structure.

[0027] The various glazing elements constituting the main and lateral faces (6) and (5) are held by gluing onto this folded frame (7), at the level of the linear portions by curved protrusions (10) emanating from said frame (7) (see [Fig.5]).

[0028] Furthermore, at the level of the intersection areas, said glazing is firstly held by lateral support areas (9, 10, 11, 12) defined by the frame (7) on the one hand (see [Fig.3]), these lateral support areas being able to result from folding, said areas extending over the entire height of the frame between the upper edge and the lower edge, and on the other hand, by means of a metal plate (8), in this case vertical, fixed to the frame (7) by welding, respectively at the upper edge and the lower edge of said frame (7).

[0029] The lateral support zones (9, 10, 11, 12), due to their positioning and their attachment to the frame, are also likely to contribute to giving the frame or chassis (7) additional mechanical rigidity.

[0030] In so doing, due to this structure being much lighter than that of the prior art pillars, the driver's visibility is much less affected. Furthermore, it becomes possible to implement perfectly flat glazing for the main (5) and side (6) faces, respectively, facilitating the manufacturing process of such armored windshields.

[0031] In order to optimize the fixing of the glazing (5, 6) on the frame or chassis (7), it may also be envisaged to glue the edges or lateral edges of said glazing in contact with the lateral support areas (9, 10, 11, 12).

[0032] In a variant of the invention (not shown), the glazing can be optimized by means of added metal parts, commonly called "rappliques" in the field concerned, fixed by welding, bolting or otherwise to the upper and lower edges of the frame (7) /

[0033] Furthermore, assuming that the chassis is made of composite material, the plate (8) is itself made of composite material, and fixed to the chassis by gluing.

[0034] We can therefore understand the full interest of the present invention which makes it possible, in a simple way, to optimize both the production of such armored windshields, and the driving conditions of a vehicle equipped with such an armored windshield.

[0035] This interest is also present in the context of the production of transparent surfaces for observation and surveillance turrets.

Claims

Demands

1. Glazing reception and securing structure, in particular for windscreens of motor vehicles, and more particularly of heavy goods vehicles, said structure being secured to the body of the cab of said vehicle, characterized in that said structure consists of a peripheral frame (7) secured to the body of the vehicle, and in that said frame defines a plurality of planes intersecting in pairs, each of said planes receiving a single or multi-thickness glazing (5, 6), the glazing (5, 6) being held at the level of the areas of divergence or intersection of the intersecting planes by means of, on the one hand, a plate (8), also fixed to the respective upper and lower uprights or edges of the frame (7), and on the other hand, by lateral supports defined by the frame (7).

2. Glazing reception and securing structure for windshields of motor vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that the peripheral frame (7) is folded at the intersections of the secant planes.

3. Glazing reception and bonding structure for windshields of motor vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that the peripheral frame (7) is made by welding, or even by gluing two by two of the elements which constitute it at the level of the intersections of the intersecting planes receiving the glazing (5, 6).

4. Glazing reception and securing structure for windscreens of motor vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the peripheral frame (7) and the plates (8) are metallic.

5. Glazing reception and bonding structure for windscreens of motor vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the plates (8) are welded to the upper and lower edges of the frame (7).

6. Glazing reception and bonding structure for windscreens of motor vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the peripheral frame (7) and the plates (8) are made of composite material.

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