Laminated Glass with Segmented Interlayers for Rollbar Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laminated glass used in deployable rollover protection systems faces challenges in allowing rapid deployment of safety devices like rollbars due to interlayer films providing excessive mechanical resistance, which can hinder their deployment during a rollover event.
Innovation Solution
A laminated glazing system with distinct deployment areas (A1) and non-deployment areas (A2) is developed, utilizing adhesive films with varying mechanical properties to facilitate the deployment of rollbars, achieved by adjusting the composition and adhesion of the interlayer film in these areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the interlayer film provides high mechanical strength and adhesion, then the laminated glass has good overall mechanical strength and sound damping properties, but the mechanical resistance prevents rapid deployment of rollbars during a rollover event
Solution Approach 1:
The interlayer film is segmented into different regions with different mechanical properties. Deployment regions have lower mechanical strength (softer material) to allow rollbar penetration, while non-deployment regions maintain high mechanical strength for overall structural integrity and sound damping. This spatial segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing the film to be weak where needed and strong where required.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the interlayer film are assigned different local qualities - specifically, different mechanical strengths and adhesion properties. The deployment regions use material with lower storage modulus and glass-transition temperature to facilitate rollbar deployment, while non-deployment regions use material with higher mechanical properties for structural support. This local differentiation allows simultaneous optimization of both deployment ease and overall strength.
2Ease of operation
If the interlayer film is made softer to reduce mechanical resistance, then rollbar deployment is facilitated, but the overall mechanical strength and sound damping properties are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The interlayer film is divided into deployment regions with softer material properties and non-deployment regions with harder material properties. This segmentation allows the softer regions to facilitate rollbar deployment while the harder regions maintain overall mechanical strength and sound damping performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The film exhibits local quality variations where deployment zones have reduced mechanical strength (lower storage modulus and glass-transition temperature) to enable easy rollbar penetration, while surrounding areas maintain high mechanical strength for structural integrity. This local property differentiation resolves the contradiction between deployment ease and overall strength.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform interlayer film properties are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but deployment regions cannot be differentiated from non-deployment regions
Solution Approach 1:
The interlayer film is manufactured with spatially varying properties - different composition, thickness, or mechanical characteristics in deployment versus non-deployment regions. This local quality differentiation enables functional versatility (deployment capability) while maintaining a relatively simple lamination process. The manufacturing complexity is localized to the film production stage rather than the assembly stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlayer film uses composite material construction with different material compositions or layer structures in different regions. Deployment regions may use materials with lower glass-transition temperature or different polymer compositions to reduce mechanical resistance, while non-deployment regions use materials optimized for strength and adhesion. This composite approach enables functional differentiation while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention is directed to a deployable rollover protection system with a laminated glazing comprising two sheets of glass combined by an adhesive film and at least one rollbar deployable through the laminated glazing characterized in that at least one deployment area A1 of the laminated glazing through which the at least one rollbar is deployed has different mechanical properties than the non-deployment areas A2 of the laminated glazing.