Laminated Vehicle Glazing Insert for Frameless Door Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laminated vehicle side glazings, especially in frameless doors, face safety issues due to the risk of breaking and becoming projectiles during impacts, as existing link mechanisms by pinching or screwing are inadequate in ensuring attachment to the driving device, leading to potential harm to occupants.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an insert between the interlayer and one or both sheets of glass in the non-visible zone to enhance the structural integrity and retention of the glazing, allowing it to withstand impacts and maintain attachment to the driving device through link means.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If laminated glazing is used in frameless doors with existing link mechanisms, then the glazing can be mounted and operated, but the safety is insufficient due to risk of breaking and becoming projectiles during impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining glass sheets with polymer interlayer material to create laminated glazing. This composite structure ensures that even if the glass breaks during impact, the polymer interlayer holds the fragments together, preventing them from becoming projectiles and maintaining attachment to the driving device.
Solution Approach 2:
The glazing is segmented into multiple layers (outer glass sheet, polymer interlayer, inner glass sheet) that work together to provide both safety and strength. The segmentation allows each layer to fulfill specific functions: glass provides structural integrity while the polymer provides impact absorption and fragment retention.
2Strength
If link means are added to ensure attachment, then the attachment strength improves, but the bulk increases due to protruding link pieces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the link means with the glazing structure itself by integrating fixing parts directly into the laminated glazing assembly. The link means are positioned within the non-visible zone and combined with the glass and polymer layers, eliminating the need for separate protruding link pieces and reducing overall bulk.
Solution Approach 2:
The link means are arranged in the non-visible zone below the limit of visibility, utilizing the vertical dimension to position attachment components without affecting the visible aesthetic or increasing horizontal bulk. This dimensional relocation allows functional integration without visual or spatial compromise.
3Illumination intensity
If fixing parts are produced in the non-visible zone, then the aesthetic appearance is maintained, but the attachment reliability is insufficient without additional reinforcement
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer interlayer acts as an intermediary between the glass sheets and the link means in the non-visible zone. It provides bonding and reinforcement to the fixing parts, ensuring attachment reliability while keeping all components positioned in the non-visible zone to maintain aesthetic appearance from the visible side.
Data Source
AI summary
A laminated glazing for a motor vehicle, notably side glazing intended to be slidingly mounted in a door of the vehicle, includes at least one outer sheet of glass and one inner sheet of glass joined together by an interlayer which includes at least one sheet of polymer material, in which a visible zone and a non-visible zone of the glazing extend on either side of a limit of visibility and including, in the non-visible zone situated below the limit of visibility, at least one fixing part which includes at least one fixing hole intended to receive a link system with a driving device of the glazing and at least one insert including an orifice configured to be aligned with the fixing hole, wherein the insert includes at least one part which is interposed between the interlayer and one of the outer or inner one of the sheets of glass.