Curved Windshield PET Barrier for Abrasion and Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current safety films for windshields lack durability and do not meet ANSI Z26 standards for weathering, abrasion resistance, and impact resistance, leading to high replacement costs and safety concerns due to the lack of effective external protective barriers for both glass and plastic windshields.
Innovation Solution
A protective barrier comprising a stack of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films with a hard coat and adhesive layer, designed to be affixed to a curved substrate, which maintains a high modulation transfer function for minimal distortion and improved impact resistance, and includes UV stabilizers for enhanced durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If glass is used for windshields, then abrasion resistance is improved, but impact safety deteriorates due to sharp fragments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining glass with a polyester safety film and hard coat coating. The glass provides abrasion resistance while the polyester film holds together impact fragments, creating a composite structure that delivers both wear resistance and impact safety without the harmful sharp fragments of pure glass.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If plastic is used for windshields, then impact safety is improved, but abrasion resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines plastic (polyester film) with a hard coat coating applied to its exterior surface. The polyester provides impact safety by containing fragments, while the hard coat layer compensates for the plastic's softness by providing the necessary abrasion resistance, achieving both safety and durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The hard coat is applied specifically to the exterior surface where abrasion occurs, while the bulk polyester material maintains its impact-absorbing properties. This localized application of different material properties optimizes both abrasion resistance at the surface and impact safety throughout the material.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If safety film is mounted on the interior, then service life is improved, but exterior protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of mounting the safety film on the interior side as is conventional, the patent inverts the approach by applying the safety film and hard coat combination to the exterior side of the glass. This allows the protective layers to directly withstand environmental exposure, abrasion, and impact while the glass provides structural support from behind.
Data Source
AI summary
A protective barrier affixable to a curved substrate comprises a stack of two or more lenses, each of the two or more lenses including a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, a hard coat on a first side of the PET film, and an adhesive layer on a second side of the PET film opposite the first side. The stack of two or more lenses may have a modulation transfer function that exhibits a contrast value greater than 75% for a spatial resolution of one line-pair per 0.0003 radians at 65 degrees angle of incidence. Heat and pressure may be applied to conform the stack of two or more lenses to the shape of the curved substrate.