Laminated Glazing Mounting Hole Alignment With Polymeric Bushing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Laminated safety glass side windows in vehicles face challenges in aligning mounting holes due to manufacturing offsets, leading to inconsistent hole sizes and complicating the installation of brackets or attachments, especially in curved panes.

Innovation Solution

A laminated glass pane with a one-piece polymeric compensating element that aligns and stabilizes the mounting hole by incorporating a through-hole, allowing for consistent hole size and shape despite manufacturing misalignments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If holes are drilled in both glass panes before lamination, then mounting holes can be created, but manufacturing offsets cause misalignment and inconsistent hole sizes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of creating mounting holesVSAvoidalignment precision of mounting holes
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting hole system is segmented into three parts: a hole in the first glass pane, a hole in the second glass pane, and a compensating element with its own hole. The compensating element acts as an independent segment that absorbs alignment errors from the glass panes, ensuring consistent final hole geometry regardless of pane misalignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The compensating element serves as an intermediary component between the two glass panes. It mediates the connection by providing a reference hole that both panes align to, rather than requiring precise alignment between the panes themselves. This intermediary absorbs the manufacturing offsets and ensures consistent mounting hole geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a holder is clamped or glued to the lower edge, then attachment is achieved, but the method is more complex and less stable than hole-based attachment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of attachmentVSAvoidcomplexity of attachment system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The compensating element is designed to be self-aligning and self-compensating. During lamination, it automatically positions itself to bridge any gaps between the glass pane holes, requiring no additional adjustment or complex alignment procedures. The system serves itself by using the compensating element's own geometry to absorb misalignment errors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If curved glass panes are used, then aesthetic and functional requirements are met, but hole alignment becomes even more difficult due to curvature

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to create curved panesVSAvoidalignment precision of holes in curved panes
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The compensating element introduces a new geometric parameter - its own hole position and size - that can be optimized independently of the glass pane curvature. By changing the parameters of the compensating element (hole diameter, position, shape), the system can accommodate various curvature radii and pane thicknesses while maintaining consistent mounting hole geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

Ensures stable and reproducible mounting holes, simplifying the attachment process and reducing manufacturing complexity, particularly for curved glass panes.

Implementation Method 1

at least a first pane (1) and a second pane (2), which are bonded together via a thermoplastic interlayer (3)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLamination: Lamination

Data Source

PatentEP3377316B1Laminated glazing with a fastening hole
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 SAINT GOBAIN SEKURIT FRANCE
  • EP3377316B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2A-A'
  • EP3377316B1 patent drawingFigure 3A-A'~4A-A'
  • EP3377316B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a laminated glass panel (V) which includes a fastening through-hole and at least comprises a first glazing (1) and a second glazing (2) that are joined together by a thermoplastic intermediate layer (3), and at least one bushing (4) that extends through the entire laminated glass panel (V). The edge (K) of the bushing (4) is provided with a monolithic polymer element (5) that includes a through-hole (6) extending through the bushing (4).