Method and device for producing composite elements and composite element

• US 20070154705A1
• Filed: 05/15/2004
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Schott AG (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Schott AG (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Schneider, Rolf, Doeppner, Christoph
• Application Number:
  US10/558,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20070154705A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/334
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10247 Laminated safety glass or glazing containing decorations or patterns for aesthetic reasons containing metal wires for aesthetic reasons B32B17/10422
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10541 comprising a light source or a light guide
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10853 the membrane being bag-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 3/06 of glass or other translucent material; Fixing means therefor fixing glass panes by means applicable to windows E06B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/005 Rigidly-arranged sunshade roofs with coherent surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5436 involving holes or indentations in the pane
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/00 Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/001 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0041 provided in the bulk of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0095 Light guides as housings, housing portions, shelves, doors, tiles, windows, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/263 Coating layer not in excess of 5 mils thick or equivalent

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to produce composite elements comprising two glass panes (20, 21) with at least one insert (22), which is placed therebetween and whose surface is not complete with regard to the outer elements, e.g. its surface is perforated, and with at least one transparent, thermoplastic film layer (23). To this end, the composite element prepared in such a manner is placed inside a room from which air can be evacuated and is placed under compacting pressure. By increasing the temperature to a softening point of the film layer, the insert is joined to both glass panes by pressing, during which gases are forced out of the holes, recesses, etc. in the insert and are filled with the film material. This results in a bubble-free, optionally reinforced composite glass element that has an interesting appearance while also being provided with additional functions.

Claims

1. Method for producing composite elements (12), with two plate-like outer elements (20, 21), whereof at least one is a glass pane, at least one insert (22) located substantially between the outer elements (20, 21) and at least one more particularly transparent, thermally influenceable layer (23) for linking the outer elements (20, 21) with the insert (22), said method having the following steps:

introducing insert (22) and layer (23) between outer elements (20, 21),

introducing composite element (12) into an evacuatable area, particularly into a flexible bag (15),

applying a relative vacuum to the area, at least part of said area being under a compacting pressure caused by said relative vacuum is pressed onto the composite element (12) and the latter is compressed and

setting a treatment temperature in such a way that, combined with the compacting pressure, the layer (23) flows round the insert (22), whilst avoiding gas occlusion formation.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that in each case a thermoplastic film layer (23) is inserted between insert (22) and outer elements (20, 21).

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the insert (22) is not constructed in full surface manner relative to the outer elements (20, 21) and insert-free zones of the composite element (12) are completely filled with the material of the layer (23), the gas occlusions in the composite element (12) being removed.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a brushing or rolling movement acting in the direction of at least one edge of the composite element (12) assists the removal of gas occlusions and/or at least one marginal area of the composite element (12) is relieved in order to facilitate an escape of the gas occlusions.

5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the composite element (2) is compressed on all sides, but least in the vicinity of its two outer surfaces, particularly by means of an area constructed as a flexible bag (15), which completely embraces at least one composite element (12).

6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that for the compacting of the composite element (12) an optionally additional compacting pressure which is independent of the vacuum in the area is applied and is produced by means of an overpressure producing device, particularly using an autoclave.

7. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a compacting pressure of 5 to 25 bar, particularly 12 to 18 bar is chosen and/or a treatment temperature of 50 to 200°

C., particularly 100 to 150°

C. is chosen.

8. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the insert (12) is made from composite-reinforcing material, at least one decorative element and/or at least one electrical load, such as lighting means, heating means, etc., preferably a material which is more fracture-resistant than glass, e.g. light-transmitting plastic, preferably acrylic, polycarbonate, etc., metal, preferably in sheet form, e.g. as a perforated plate, metal or plastic knitwear, such as woven or knitted fabric, scrim, carbon fibres and/or wood or combinations of the aforementioned materials.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the lighting means are diodes, particularly LEDs.

10. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the insert (22) is a light guide (22a), which in particular has emitting surfaces (22b) in the longitudinal path or at one end emitting light at an angle to its longitudinal path and it preferably has a light source (22e, 22f) located outside the outer elements (20, 21).

11. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the layer (23) is in particular a thermoplastic film, which is preferably colourless and/or tear-resistant.

12. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a pretreatment is performed in such a way that the two outer elements (20, 21), the at least one insert (22) and the at least one layer (23) are precompacted to a precomposite under a precompacting pressure and is brought into the evacuatable area and preferably in the horizontal state the outer elements (20, 21) are precompacted and the resulting precomposite is introduced edgewise into the area.

13. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that for joining the outer elements (20, 21) several layers (23) are inserted, whereof at least one is cut out in accordance with the design of the insert (22), but preferably in each case one layer (23) runs between the insert and outer elements.

21. Composite element producible according to a method of claim 1.

22. Device for performing the method according to claim 1, with a heating device (17), particularly a furnace, for setting a treatment temperature suitable for thermally influencing a light-transmitting, particularly transparent layer (23) required for a composite element (12) to be produced and an evacuatable area (15) coupled to the heating device (17) for receiving individual components of the composite element (12) to be produced or at least one precompacted composite element and a vacuum producing device (19), coupled to the area (15), for producing a relative vacuum in said area, which has at least one pressing element pressable onto the composite element (12) under a compacting pressure caused by the relative vacuum.

23. Device according to claim 22, characterized in that the evacuatable area is constituted by a flexible, particularly heat-resistant bag (15).

24. Device according to claim 22, characterized in that a vacuum pump (19) is provided as the vacuum producing device.

25. Device according to claim 22, characterized in that there is an autoclave (14) in which the heating device (17) is integrated and which has an overpressure producing unit (16) for producing an overpressure acting as an additional compacting pressure on a composite element (12) to be produced.

14. Composite element with two plate-like outer elements (20, 21), whereof at least one is a glass pane, at least one is an insert (22) substantially located between the outer elements (20, 21) and at least one is in particular a transparent, thermally influenceable, film-like layer (23), which connects the outer elements (20, 21) to one another and to the insert (22).

15. Composite element according to claim 14, characterized in that between the insert (22) and the outer elements is in each case provided a film layer (23), which is joined thermoplastically both to the insert and to the outer elements.

16. Composite element according to claim 14, characterized in that the layer (23) is deformed in vacuum thermal manner and is gas occlusion-free, particularly air bubble-free.

17. Composite element according to claim 14, characterized in that the insert (22) is not constructed in full surface manner relative to the outer elements (20, 21) and insert-free zones within the composite element (12) are completely filled with the layer (23).

18. Composite element according to claim 14, characterized in that it is a mirror with a reflecting coating, particularly a metal coating, which has at least one through opening (35) for receiving at least one insert (22) and in particular the through opening is continued as a blind hole (28) in the outer element (20) constructed as a glass pane and the insert, such as a LED, is fixed therein by means of a filling layer substantially filling the through opening.

19. Composite element according to claim 14, characterized in that the insert is a light guide (22a), which in particular has emitting surfaces (22b) in the longitudinal path or at one end which emit light at an angle to its longitudinal path and preferably there are several emitting surfaces in the longitudinal path and/or the light guide (22a) is bifurcated in the longitudinal path preferably so as to give several branches and in particular the light guide has a single irradiation point (22c) for a light source (22e, 22f) and/or several emitting points or emitting surfaces (22b) and the light guide (22a) has a light source located outside the outer elements (20, 21), the light source preferably being replaceable and in particular in the form of a LED (22e).

20. Composite element according to claim 14, characterized in that the insert projects over at least one outer edge (40) of the outer elements (20, 21) and preferably only takes up one marginal area of the outer elements and is in particular a fastening element for the composite element (12).