Windscreen unit

Abstract

A windscreen unit 100 for a vehicle (Fig.4) comprising a body in white (BIW) component 102, a windscreen assembly and a support insert 114. The body-in-white chassis crossmember component comprises a

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a windscreen unit and more specifically to a windscreen unit having a support insert for a windscreen assembly. Aspects of the invention relate to a windscreen unit, and to a vehicle comprising a windscreen unit. BACKGROUND It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aspects of the invention are defined in the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a windscreen unit assembled on a vehicle; Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the specific elements of the windscreen unit; Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the support insert; and Figure 4 shows a vehicle comprising the windscreen unit, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A windscreen unit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is described herein with reference to the accompanying Figures 1 and 2. Embodiments of the present invention relate to a windscreen unit comprising a support insert as shown in Figure 3. Figure 1 illustrates a windscreen unit 100 according to the present invention, where the windscreen unit is assembled (installed) on a vehicle. In at least some examples, the vehicle may be a passenger vehicle, referred to as a car or as an automobile. As shown in Figure 1, the windscreen unit 100 comprises a body in white component 102 that, as is well known in the vehicle manufacturing industry, functions essentially as part of the frame or ‘skeleton’ of the vehicle, providing structural support for the other elements that compose the vehicle. The body in white component 102 extends along the cross-vehicle direction and comprises a section having a curved profile 104. The term “cross-vehicle direction” will be understood to mean a lateral direction extending across the vehicle. In addition, the body in white component 102 comprises a protrusion 106 extending from the body in white component 102. The protrusion 106 may be, for example, a rainhat feature of the body in white component 102, as is shown in the implementation of Figure 1. The windscreen unit 100 further comprises a windscreen 108, typically made of laminated glass, and a leafscreen 110, typically made of a light and resistant polymer material. As is well known in the vehicle industry, the leafscreen 110 serves as a cover to prevent leaves, dirt, and other debris from entering air intake or ventilation systems of the vehicle. The windscreen 108 and the leafscreen 110 also extend in the cross-vehicle direction along a corresponding plane to the body in white component 102. The windscreen 108 and the leafscreen 110 are joined together at respective facing edges by a sealing component 112 that also extends in a cross-vehicle direction to form a windscreen assembly. The sealing component 112 comprises a first edge that abuts to an edge of the windscreen 108 in the cross-vehicle direction, and a second edge, which connects to an edge of the leafscreen 110 in the cross-vehicle direction. To assemble the windscreen unit 100, the windscreen assembly is placed onto and supported by the body in white component 102, at a location proximate to the curved profile 104 section of the body in white component 102. As a result, the connection of the windscreen assembly and the body in white component 102 is arranged to form a concave recess extending in the cross-vehicle direction between the windscreen assembly and the curved profile 104 of the body in white component 102. As shown in Figure 1, the windscreen unit further comprises a support insert 114, made of a polymer material and positioned within the concave recess formed between the windscreen assembly and the body in white component 102. The support insert 114 is elongated along a longitudinal axis that extends in the cross-vehicle direction and is supported by (and interfaces with) the curved profile 104 and the protrusion 106 of the body in white component 102. Figure 2 is a perspective view focusing on some specific elements of the windscreen unit 100 and in particular shows a cross-sectional view of the support insert 114. As shown in Figure 2, the support insert 114 comprises a first (angled) surface 202 that is substantially planar and is abutted to the sealing component 112. The first surface 202 is arranged to interface with and support the windscreen assembly, such that, when installed in a vehicle, the first surface 202 is substantially parallel to the surface of the windscreen 108. The support insert 114 therefore also provides support for the windscreen 108 and the leafscreen 110 to prevent movement of these components in the y-direction (shown in the reference coordinates of Figure 2). The support insert 114 further comprises a second (curved) surface 204 opposite to the first surface 202, where the second surface 204 abuts to the body in white component 102. The second surface 204 of the support insert 114 has a profile that substantially conforms to (i.e., mirrors) the curved profile 104 of the body in white component 102. The second surface 204 also comprises an incurved cut-out 206 extending along the longitudinal axis of the support insert 114, in the cross-vehicle direction (i.e., the x-direction shown in the reference coordinates of Figure 2). The incurved cut-out 206 enables the support insert 114 to conform to the specific shape of the curved profile 104 during installation and subsequent use. An uppermost portion of the support insert 114 in Figure 2 is truncated to form a third surface 208 that is substantially planar in the y-direction, and is located between the first 202 and second 204 surfaces. The third surface 208 is also located proximate to the windscreen 108 and due to the truncated shape of the support insert 114 maintains a gap between the support insert 114 and the windscreen 108. Due to the shape of the support insert 114 and the position of the third surface 208 at a location that is sufficiently removed from the sealing component 112, this gap does not compromise the robustness of the support provided to the 2 windscreen unit by the support insert 114. Therefore, the specific shape provided by the third surface 208 to the support insert 114 optimises the amount of material needed to make the support insert 114. Referring to Figure 3, the structure of the support insert 114 will be described in more detail. The support insert 114 is made of a polymer material, for example, expanded polypropylene having a density of around 60g / L. This density results in a support insert 114 that is robust enough to provide sufficient support to the windscreen unit, whilst also presenting enough flexibility to conform to the curved profile 104 of the body in white component 102 during the assembly process, facilitating the installation of the support insert 114 and the assembly of the windscreen unit 100. As shown in Figure 3, the second surface 204 of the support insert 114 comprises a plurality of fastening features 302 arranged to secure the support insert 114 to the body in white component 102. The second surface 204 of the support insert 114 also comprises a first locating feature 304 and a second locating feature 306 positioned at opposite ends of the support insert 114, relative to a longitudinal axis of the support insert 114 (i.e., along the x-direction, as shown in the reference coordinates provided in Figure 3). The first locating feature 304 and the second locating feature 306 are arranged to interface with complementary features on the body in white component 102 so as to locate the support insert 114 in a desired position relative to the body in white component 102 during assembly of the windscreen unit 100. The fastening features 302 may be any appropriate fastening means, such as, for example double-sided adhesive elements (i.e., a double-sided adhesive tape). The first locating feature 304 comprises a recess or indentation arranged to connect with a matching projection located at the protrusion 106 that extends from the body in white component 102. The second locating feature 306 may comprise a pin or a hole that is configured to connect with a corresponding feature in the body in white component 102 (e.g., a hole or pin, respectively). Other alternative interfacing I fastening mechanisms known within the art are also possible. During the assembly process, the support insert 114 is first moved along a direction substantially perpendicular to the cross-vehicle direction (i.e., along the z-direction, as shown in the reference coordinates provided in Figure 3), towards the surface of the body in white component 102 and substantially aligned with the curved profile 104 of the body in white component 102. A subsequent step of the assembly process involves placing the components that form the windscreen assembly in their desired final locations: once assembly is completed, the support insert 114 will be positioned within the curved recess formed between the curved profile 104 of the body in white component 102 and the windscreen assembly. When located in this position, the first locating feature 304 and the second locating feature 306 are arranged to interface with the complementary portions of the body in white component 102, and thereby maintain or control the position of the support insert 114 (in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support insert 114 and) relative to the body in white component 102. Figure 4 illustrates a vehicle 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle 400 comprises the windscreen unit 100 as illustrated in Figure 1. It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A windscreen unit for a vehicle, the windscreen unit comprising:a body in white component comprising a curved profile and extending along a cross-vehicle direction in the vehicle;a windscreen assembly comprising:a windscreen;a leafscreen; anda sealing component extending in the cross-vehicle direction and arranged to connect an edge of the windscreen to an edge of the leafscreen at a location proximate to the curved profile of the body in white component,wherein connection of the windscreen assembly to the body in white component is arranged to form a concave recess extending in the cross-vehicle direction between the windscreen assembly and the body in white component;the windscreen unit further comprising:a support insert made of a polymer material and positioned within the concave recess, the support insert being elongated along a longitudinal axis that extends in the cross-vehicle direction, wherein the support insert comprises:a first surface abutted to the sealing component and arranged to interface with and support the windscreen assembly; anda second surface opposite to the first surface and abutted to the body in white component, wherein the second surface has a profile that substantially conforms to the curved profile of the body in white component, and comprises an incurved cut-out extending along the longitudinal axis of the support insert.

2. The windscreen unit of Claim 1, wherein the second surface of the support insert further comprises:a plurality of fastening features arranged to secure the support insert to the body in white component; andfirst and second locating features positioned at opposite ends of the support insert and arranged to locate the support insert in a desired position relative to the body in white component.

3. The windscreen unit of Claim 2, wherein during assembly of the support insert in the windscreen unit, the first locating feature is arranged to control a position of the support insert in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support insert and in relation to the curved profile of the body in white component, wherein the first locating feature is arranged to receive a protrusion extending from the body in white component, wherein the first locating feature is one of a recess or an indentation.

4. The windscreen unit of any of Claims 2 or 3, wherein during assembly of the support insert in the windscreen unit, the second locating feature is arranged to control a position of the support insert in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support insert and in relation to the curved profile of the body in white component, wherein the second locating feature is one of a pin or a hole.

5. The windscreen unit of any preceding claim wherein the polymer material is expanded polypropylene with a density of 60g / L.

6. A vehicle comprising the windscreen unit of any preceding claim.

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