Sliding Laminated Glazing With Hidden Alignment Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of complex laminated vehicle windows is challenging due to difficulties in achieving perfect alignment between thick and thin glass sheets during the lamination process, leading to misalignment, fragility, and rejection by manufacturers.
Innovation Solution
A mobile laminated glazing design with an interior recess where the inner glass sheet and adhesive material edges align with the outer glass sheet edges in hidden zones, ensuring a uniform and aesthetically pleasing periphery, and positioning these edges in alignment zones for reliable lamination and manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the inner glass sheet and adhesive material edges are positioned to form an internal recess in the visible part of the glass, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and misalignment risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating an internal recess only in specific zones (visible part) while maintaining edge alignment in other zones (hidden alignment zones). This allows the aesthetic benefit of the recess to be realized where visible, while avoiding manufacturing difficulties in areas where alignment is critical for lamination success.
Solution Approach 2:
The periphery of the glass is segmented into different functional zones: visible zones where the internal recess provides aesthetic value, and hidden alignment zones where edge continuity ensures reliable lamination. This segmentation allows each zone to serve its specific purpose without compromising the other.
2Manufacturing precision
If the inner glass sheet perfectly follows the curve of the thick outer glass sheet across its entire surface, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the difficulty of manufacture increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recognizes that perfect alignment across the entire surface is neither necessary nor achievable. Instead, it focuses precision requirements on local hidden alignment zones where edge continuity is critical, while allowing more variability in visible zones where the internal recess is intentionally created.
3Ease of manufacture
If the edge of the thin inner glass sheet is misaligned relative to the thick outer glass sheet, then the ease of manufacture is improved (tolerance to misalignment), but the reliability and strength of the laminated glass deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates hidden alignment zones where the inner glass sheet and adhesive material are positioned to align with the outer glass sheet edges. These localized alignment zones provide reference points that ensure proper positioning and structural integrity, while allowing flexibility in other areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The hidden alignment zones are designed and positioned in advance during the lamination process to serve as reference points. This preliminary positioning action ensures that subsequent lamination operations can proceed with proper alignment, preventing misalignment issues before they affect structural integrity.
4Shape
If the internal recess width is reduced to a very small value (1 mm or less), then the aesthetic homogeneity is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates hidden alignment zones where the inner glass sheet and adhesive material edges align with the outer glass sheet edges. These zones serve as reference points that define the starting position of the internal recess, ensuring consistent width without requiring absolute precision across the entire perimeter.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a glazing unit (1') for a motor vehicle, comprising a curved and laminated glass pane (2'), with: - over the whole visible portion of the glass pane (VP): an interior recess (9) of an edge (51) of an interior glass sheet (5) having a width (W) of between 0.8 mm and 5.0 mm, and - in a hidden portion of the glass pane (HP): at least one hidden alignment zone (HAZ1) in which the edge (51) of the interior glass sheet (5) and the edge (41) of the adhesive material sheet (4) are both in the lateral extension of the edge (31) of the exterior glass sheet (3).