UV-Cured Adhesive Bonding for Hardware to Glass
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in efficiently bonding large hardware brackets to vehicular glass surfaces without the need for primers, mixing, or autoclaving, while ensuring immediate green strength to prevent slipping during curing, and avoiding the complexities and costs associated with refrigerated adhesive storage.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the application of a curable adhesive composition comprising specific weight ratios of epoxy resins, liquid polyether polyols, hydroxyl-functional film-forming polymers, and a photoinitiator on either the hardware or glass, followed by ultraviolet radiation to initiate curing, allowing for bonding without the need for primers or autoclaving, and achieving sufficient tack and dimensional stability for immediate use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional heat curable adhesives are used with autoclaving process, then bond strength is achieved, but manufacturing efficiency is reduced due to large spacing requirements and batch processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal autoclaving process with a UV light curing system. The UV irradiation unit emits ultraviolet light that cures the adhesive layer instantly upon application, eliminating the need for thermal autoclaving equipment and the associated spacing requirements between windshields in the autoclave chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive layer is applied and cured immediately in sequence without requiring batch processing. The UV curing happens instantly when the adhesive is applied to the bracket, allowing continuous processing rather than waiting for batch autoclaving cycles to complete.
2Productivity
If conventional liquid adhesives are used without autoclaving, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but immediate green strength is insufficient causing hardware to slip during curing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces passive chemical curing (which lacks immediate strength) with active UV photopolymerization. The UV irradiation unit provides immediate energy input that triggers rapid crosslinking of the adhesive, creating instant green strength that prevents bracket slippage while maintaining continuous manufacturing flow.
3Reliability
If refrigerated adhesive storage is implemented, then adhesive performance is maintained, but process complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the curing mechanism from moisture-cured or heat-cured chemistry to UV-photo-cured chemistry. This parameter change in the adhesive formulation allows the adhesive to remain stable at ambient temperatures without refrigeration, while still achieving reliable bonding through UV activation. The adhesive composition includes photoinitiators that remain dormant until UV exposure.
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
This method enables efficient bonding of hardware to glass with improved throughput, reduced costs, and enhanced bond strength, eliminating the need for clamping or refrigeration, thus streamlining the manufacturing process and improving efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
irradiating the adhesive layer with ultraviolet radiation to initiate curing of the curable composition
Implementation Method 2
irradiating the adhesive layer with ultraviolet radiation to initiate curing of the curable composition
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of bonding together substrates that do not require use of primers, mixing, fixturing, or autoclaving. These methods can include the steps of disposing an adhesive layer on a bonding surface of either substrate, the adhesive layer comprising a curable composition that is dimensionally stable at ambient conditions; either before or after disposing the adhesive layer on the bonding surface, irradiating the adhesive layer with ultraviolet radiation to initiate curing of the curable composition; placing one substrate so as to be bonded to the other substrate by the adhesive layer; and allowing the adhesive layer to cure.