Process for producing a curved laminated safety glass sheet

• US 6,261,398 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1999
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pilkington Automotive Deutschland GmbH (Nippon Sheet Glass Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Pilkington Automotive Deutschland GmbH (Nippon Sheet Glass Company Limited)
• Inventors: Costa, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, Michael W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haran, John T.
• Application Number:
  US09/381,558
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 156/99, 156/102, 156/103, 156/104, 156/106, 156/212, 156/286
• US Class Current: 156/102
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 1/00 Layered products having a non-planar shape
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10005 laminated safety glass or glazing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10174 Coatings of a metallic or dielectric material on a constituent layer of glass or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10788 containing ethylene vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10807 Making laminated safety glass or glazing; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10889 shaping the sheets, e.g. by using a mould B32B17/10816 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10935 as a preformed layer, e.g. formed by extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10972 Degassing during the lamination B32B17/10816 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/02 characterised by a sequence of laminating steps, e.g. by adding new layers at consecutive laminating stations

Abstract

This invention concerns a process for producing a curved, laminated safety glass sheet from a first curved glass sheet (1), a first laminated layer (2), a thermoplastic substrate sheet (4) with a biaxially drawn thin-layer system (3), a second laminated layer (5), and a second curved glass sheet (10) conforming to the first one. To avoid formation of folds in the substrate layer, the process has the following steps: (a) a prelaminated sheet consisting of the first laminated layer (2) and the substrate sheet (4) is superimposed with its laminated layer facing the first glass sheet, (b) a bend-resistant cover sheet (10) conforming to the first glass sheet (1) is superimposed on the prelaminated sheet, (c) the glass layer packet formed out of the first glass sheet (1) and the prelaminated sheet with the cover sheet (10) superimposed upon it is preliminarily bonded by removing the air and subjecting it to pressure and heat, (d) the cover sheet (10) is removed, (e) the second laminated layer (5) and the second glass sheet (10) are superimposed on the preliminarily bonded glass-film pocket, (f) the laminate so formed is preliminarily bonded by removing the air and subjecting it to pressure and heat, (g) the preliminarily bonded laminate is finally bonded into a laminated safety glass sheet by subjecting it to pressure and heat.

Claims

1. A process for producing a bent laminated safety glass pane from a first bent glass sheet 1, a first bonding layer 2, a thermoplastic carrier foil 4 provided with a thin layer system 3, a second bonding layer and a second bent glass sheet matching the first bent sheet, comprising the steps of:

(a) placing a foil prelaminate, comprised of the first bonding layer and the carrier foil with a bonding layer side against the first glass sheet,

(b) placing a cover sheet bent to match the first glass sheet, on the foil prelaminate,

(c) degassing the glass-foil stack formed from the first glass sheet and the foil prelaminate and prebonding the stack under heat and pressure,

(d) removing the cover sheet,

(e) applying the second bonding layer and the second glass sheet to the prebonded glass-foil stack,

(f) degassing the thus formed laminate and prebonding the laminate under heat and pressure, and

(g) finally bonding the prebonded laminate by the application of pressure and heat to a laminated safety glass pane.

2. The process according to claim 1 wherein a biaxially stretched carrier foil is used.

3. The process according to claim 1 wherein a foil prelaminate is used in which the thin layer system of the carrier foil is in contact with the first bonding layer.

4. The process according to claim 1 wherein the second glass sheet is used as the cover sheet.

5. The process according to claim 1 wherein the cover sheet before application to the foil prelaminate is provided with an adhesion reducing thin separating layer.

6. The process according to claim 1 wherein the carrier foil of the foil laminate prior to the application of the cover layer is provided with an adhesion reducing thin separating layer.

7. The process according to claim 1 wherein as the separating layer, a separating foil is used which under the conditions of step (c) is adherent neither to the cover layer nor to the carrier foil.

8. The process according to claim 1 wherein the first and second bonding layers are comprised of polyvinylbutyral (PVB) or ethylenevinylacetate copolymers (EVA).

9. The process according to claim 1 wherein a carrier foil of PET (polvethyleneterephthalate) is used.

10. The process according to claim 2 wherein steps (c) and (f) are carried out at temperatures which are so far below the maximum temperature of the final bonding according to process step (g) that the heat shrinkage capacity of the carrier foil in both directions in process step (g) remains at least 10% and preferably at least 20% of its heat shrinkage capacity before process step (a).

11. The process according to claim 1 wherein for process step (c) a pressure of a maximum of 2.5 bar is used at a temperature which is at least 10°

and preferably at least 50°

below the maximum temperature at the final bonding according to process step (g).

12. The process according to claim 1 wherein step (f) is carried out at a pressure of a maximum of 2.5 bars and a temperature which lies at least 10°

below the maximum temperature for final bonding according to process step (g).

13. The process according to claim 1 wherein the final bonding according to step (g) is carried out at a temperature of 115°

to 135°

C. and a pressure of a maximum of 13 bar.