Method for making a laminated glass sheet

• US 6,926,786 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2002
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
• Inventors: Immerschitt, Stefan, Schilde, Heinz, Leclercq, Philippe, Frost, Thorsten, Poncet, Laurent, Kraemling, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): Rossi, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US10/077,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20020094407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 156/99, 156101-102, 156/106, 156/253, 156/257, 156268-269, 428/189, 428/192, 428 77- 78, 428/138, 428/426, 428/430, 428/432, 428/437, 521/712, 527/861.1, 527/861.2, 296/84.1, 219/203
• US Class Current: 156/101
• 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 17/10183 being not continuous, e.g. in edge regions
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10293 Edge features, e.g. inserts or holes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10385 for ohmic resistance heating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10486 photochromic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/1066 imparting a tint in certain regions only, i.e. shade band
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10981 Pre-treatment of the layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1057 Subsequent to assembly of laminae
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1064 Partial cutting [e.g., grooving or incising]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1082 Partial cutting bonded sandwich [e.g., grooving or incising]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1084 of continuous or running length bonded web
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 including nonapertured component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31616 Next to polyester [e.g., alkyd]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3163 Next to acetal of polymerized unsaturated alcohol [e.g., formal butyral, etc.]

Abstract

In a method for making laminated glass, a sheet includes two glass substrates with an interlayer sheet between them. This sheet includes a polymer based film provided on one of the surfaces with a thin functional layer. The sheet is cut out in dimensions substantially identical to or greater than one of the glass substrates. The sheet is slit on at least the thickness of the film provided with the functional layer so as to delimit at least a peripheral zone of the film located between the slitting line and its edge. The interlayer sheet is assembled between the glass substrates. The peripheral zone is then detached by mechanical traction to transform the laminated glass sheet.

Claims

1. A process for manufacture of a laminated glazing unit comprising at least two glass substrates assembled by an intermediate film having at least one ply based on a polymer or polymers provided on at least one of its faces with a functional thin layer or a stack of functional thin layers having properties of reflection in infrared, wherein the process includes the following steps:

a)—

the intermediate film already containing at least the ply provided with the thin layer or the stack of thin layers is cut to dimensions larger than at least one of the two glass substrates,

b)—

the intermediate film is incised through at least a thickness of the ply provided with the thin layer or the stack of thin layers having properties of reflection in infrared, in such a way as to define at least one peripheral zone or zones of said ply localized between an incision line and an edge of the ply,

c)—

the intermediate film is assembled between the two glass substrates by adjoining thereto any polymer ply or plies thereof which was or were missing,

d)—

the peripheral zone or zones of the ply is or are detached by pulling it on them mechanically,

e)—

the laminated glazing unit is transformed, the steps taking place in the above order.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the incision line is made by stamping or by cutting with a movable tool provided with a slicing element or a laser.

3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the thin layer or the stack of thin layers having properties of reflection in the infrared is or are provided with an electricity supply to give the layer or the layers heating capability.

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the faces of at least one ply which constitutes the intermediate film and which is not in contact with the thin layer or the stack of thin layers having properties of reflection in the infrared is provided with a network of heating wires.

5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the incision line at least partly follows, in smaller proportions, a profile similar or identical to that of edge walls of the glass substrates.

6. A process according to claim 1, wherein, before assembly (c), the intermediate film is also incised through at least the thickness of the ply provided with the thin layer or the stack of thin layers, in such a way as to define a line which is closed on itself, thus allowing windows to be created.

7. A process according to claim 1, wherein the ply is based on flexible polymers of linear polyester.

8. A process according to claim 7, wherein the linear polyester is one of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyether sulfide, polysulfide and polymethacrylate.

9. A process according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate film comprises a plurality of polymer plies, wherein in particular the ply provided with the layer or the stack of thin layers having properties of reflection in the infrared is disposed between two plies based on thermoplastic polymers.

10. A process according to claim 9, wherein the thermoplastic polymers are one of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and polyurethane (PU).

11. A process according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate film comprises a plurality of plies based on a polymer or polymers, and wherein the ply provided with the thin layer or the stack of thin layers having properties of reflection in the infrared is incised during step (b).

12. A process according to claim 11, wherein only the peripheral zone or zones of the ply provided with the layer or the stack of thin layers having properties of reflection in the infrared is or are detached during step (d).

13. A process according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral zone or zones of the ply is or are designed such as to overhang locally edge walls of the glass substrates.

14. A process according to claim 13, wherein the peripheral zone or zones of the ply is or are designed in a form of a starting tab or tabs on which mechanical pulling action is exerted to detach the peripheral zone or zones during step (d).

15. A process according to claim 1, wherein the thin layer or the stack of thin layers comprises at least one layer based on at least one metal belonging to the group comprising:

silver, copper, indium, gold, nickel, chromium, aluminum, tantalum, niobium, or based on at least one doped metal oxide.

16. A process according to claim 15, wherein the at least one doped metal oxide is one of tin oxide doped with fluorine (SnO₂:

F), indium oxide doped with tin (ITO) and metal nitride of the types TiN and ZrN.

17. A process according to claim 1, wherein the incision line defines a continuous peripheral zone on a ply in such a way that, once assembly has been completed, there exists, between the edge of the ply and edge walls of the glass substrates, a margin which is always at least 3 mm.

18. A process according to claim 17, wherein the margin is about 6 mm.

19. A process according to claim 1, wherein the incised peripheral zone or zones of the ply defined by the incision line designed so as to enclose elements designed to be inserted between the glass substrates and the intermediate film in the laminated glazing unit, so as to create windows to allow electromagnetic waves to pass there through.

20. A process according to claim 19, wherein the elements designed to be inserted include one of elements of connection circuitry, elements of a current-lead type, volumetric sensors, moisture sensors, electronic chips and radio antennas.

21. A process according to claim 1, wherein all or part of a zone or zones of the intermediate film corresponding to the peripheral zone or zones detached from the ply during step (d) are masked by an opacifying coating.

22. A process according to claim 21, wherein the opacifying coating is applied by one of depositing enamel on an outer or inner face of at least one of the glass substrates, silk-screen printing of ink on at least one of the faces of the at least one ply of the intermediate film, and by coloring a border of the at least one ply throughout in a form of a strip of graduated coloration.