Glazing Fitting Adhesive Attachment for Laminated Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing laminated glazing systems require an additional cutting step to embed a capped nut in the polymer interlayer, increasing assembly time and production costs, and necessitate precise alignment, which complicates the process.
Innovation Solution
A laminated glazing panel design where a glazing fitting is secured to a sheet of glazing material with an adhesive interlayer, allowing the interlayer material to flow into a hole during lamination and associate with the fitting's attachment feature, ensuring the fitting remains attached even if the glazing material breaks, preventing the external pane from falling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a capped nut is embedded in the polymer interlayer, then the glazing fitting can be secured to the interlayer, but an additional cutting step is required and assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the attachment feature from the interlayer embedding process and relocates it to the glazing fitting itself. The recess is formed directly in the head portion of the glazing fitting, eliminating the need to embed capped nuts in the interlayer. This extraction of the attachment functionality from the interlayer resolves the technical contradiction by removing the additional cutting step while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of embedding an attachment component (capped nut) into the interlayer as in conventional designs, the invention inverts the approach by forming the attachment feature (recess) directly in the glazing fitting. The interlayer material flows into this pre-formed recess during lamination, reversing the conventional sequence of operations and eliminating the need for post-lamination embedding steps.
2Reliability
If a capped nut is embedded in the polymer interlayer, then the glazing fitting can be secured, but precise alignment is necessary which complicates the process
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by forming the recess in the glazing fitting before the lamination process. The recess is pre-formed with precise dimensions and positioning, eliminating the need for alignment during the lamination process. The interlayer material simply flows into this pre-prepared recess, removing the alignment complexity entirely.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the alignment requirement from the embedding process by relocating the attachment feature to the glazing fitting itself. The recess is formed as an integral part of the fitting, removing the need for precise alignment between separately embedded components and the glass holes.
3Ease of manufacture
If a hole is drilled through both sheets of glass for securing the fitting, then the fitting can be attached, but the external pane may fall if the internal pane breaks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces the adhesive interlayer material as an intermediary that bonds the glazing fitting to the glass assembly. The interlayer material flows into the recess in the fitting head and cures to create a strong adhesive bond, mediating the connection between the fitting and the glass sheets. This adhesive bond ensures the external pane remains secured even if the internal pane breaks.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite materials by combining the adhesive interlayer material with the mechanical structure of the glazing fitting. The recess in the fitting head is designed to receive and bond with the cured interlayer material, creating a composite attachment system that combines mechanical interlocking with adhesive bonding for enhanced reliability.
4Reliability
If additional holes are drilled around the periphery of large glazing panels, then the fitting can be securely attached, but the complexity of the assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies universality by designing the recess in the glazing fitting head to accommodate the adhesive interlayer material, creating a universal attachment mechanism that works for all glazing panel sizes. The same recess-based adhesive attachment system can be used whether one hole or multiple holes are drilled, simplifying the assembly process while maintaining attachment security.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design simplifies the assembly process, reduces costs, and ensures the glazing fitting remains securely attached to the support structure, maintaining the external pane's position during breakage of the internal facing pane.
Implementation Method 1
some of the first sheet of adhesive interlayer material is in the hole in the first sheet of glazing material and is operatively associated with the first attachment feature thereby attaching the glazing fitting to the first sheet of adhesive interlayer material
Data Source
AI summary
A laminated glazing panel comprising first and second sheets of glazing material joined by an interlayer structure comprising a first sheet of adhesive interlayer material is described. Inboard of a peripheral edge of the first sheet of glazing material, the first sheet of glazing material has a hole therein. The laminated glazing panel further comprises a glazing fitting secured thereto, the glazing fitting comprising a head portion and an attachment feature. The head portion is positioned in the hole such that a first surface thereof faces the first sheet of adhesive interlayer material. Some of the first sheet of adhesive interlayer material is in the hole and is operatively associated with the first attachment feature thereby attaching the glazing fitting to the first sheet of adhesive interlayer material. Suitable glazing fittings and methods of making such laminated glazing panels are also described.