Laminated Glass Structure for Automotive Glazing Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automotive glazing structures face issues with impact resistance, weight, and compliance with regulatory standards, particularly in terms of ballistic and flammability tests, and tend to be prone to breakage and scratches.
Innovation Solution
A laminated glass structure comprising thin, chemically strengthened glass layers and a polycarbonate interlayer, which provides enhanced mechanical rigidity and scratch resistance while meeting regulatory requirements through optimized thickness and material selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional monolithic glass or thick glass laminates are used, then impact resistance and strength are improved, but weight increases and fuel efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite laminate structure consisting of multiple thin glass plies (e.g., two 2.1 mm plies or three 1.6 mm plies) bonded with polymer interlayers (PVB, EVA, or ionomer). This composite construction achieves impact resistance comparable to or exceeding conventional monolithic glass while reducing overall weight, thereby improving fuel efficiency without sacrificing safety performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the glass by applying chemical strengthening through ion exchange processes. This increases the surface compressive stress and strength of thin glass plies, enabling them to perform as effectively as thicker glass while maintaining reduced weight. The ionomer interlayer also undergoes physical changes at elevated temperatures to enhance bonding and impact resistance.
2Weight of moving object
If glass thickness is reduced to save weight, then weight savings are achieved, but structural rigidity and impact resistance decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin glass plies (2.1 mm or thinner) strengthened by chemical ion exchange and bonded with polymer interlayers to form a composite laminate. This composite structure compensates for the reduced thickness of individual glass plies, maintaining overall structural rigidity and impact resistance while achieving significant weight savings compared to conventional monolithic glass.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies chemical strengthening parameters to thin glass plies through ion exchange, increasing surface compressive stress to compensate for reduced thickness. The polymer interlayers also undergo physical parameter changes at elevated temperatures during lamination, enhancing their bonding strength and contribution to overall structural rigidity.
3Weight of moving object
If polymer window panes are used to reduce weight, then weight savings and scratch resistance are improved, but impact resistance, flammability compliance, and ballistic performance worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a hybrid composite laminate combining thin chemically strengthened glass plies with polymer interlayers. The glass provides superior impact resistance, scratch resistance, and ballistic performance, while the polymer contributes weight reduction, flexibility, and acoustic damping. This composite achieves a balance that pure polymer cannot attain, meeting all regulatory requirements including flammability and ballistic tests.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent assigns different functional qualities to different layers: the thin glass plies provide local strength, scratch resistance, and impact resistance at the outer surfaces, while the polymer interlayers provide local flexibility, damping, and weight reduction in the intermediate regions. This local differentiation of material properties optimizes overall performance.
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
The solution achieves weight savings, improved impact resistance, and compliance with stringent regulatory standards for ballistic and flammability tests, while maintaining acoustic performance and transparency.
Implementation Method 1
ion exchange (IX) techniques can produce high levels of compressive stress in the treated glass, as high as about 1000 MPa at the surface
Implementation Method 2
a polymer interlayer (e.g., standard or acoustic polyvinyl butryal)
Data Source
AI summary
A laminate structure having a first chemically strengthened glass layer, a second chemically strengthened glass layer, and a polymer interlayer structure intermediate the first and second glass layers. The polymer interlayer structure can include a first polymeric layer adjacent to the first glass layer, a second polymeric layer adjacent to the second glass layer, and a polymeric rigid core intermediate the first and second polymeric layers.