Vehicle panel assembly
First Claim
1. A panel assembly for closing a window opening in a vehicle and having a gasket on one surface thereof, comprising:
- a glass panel having opposing first and second surfaces terminating in a peripheral edge;
a primer layer applied to a portion of one of said first and second surfaces, said primer layer having a transition temperature of at least 200°
F. at or above which said primer layer exhibits improved adhesion properties for polymeric gaskets molded thereon at such temperatures; and
a polymeric gasket molded on said portion of one of said first and second surfaces of said glass panel and bonded thereto by said primer layer when said primer layer is heated to a temperature equal to or greater than said transition temperature, said glass panel including said primer layer being preheated to a temperature equal to or greater than said transition temperature prior to the molding of said gasket.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A single-sided gasketed panel assembly for use as a flush-mounted panel or window in vehicles, buildings, or other structures, as well as a method and apparatus for making such panel assemblies, wherein the panel assembly comprises a sheet-like panel having; a primer layer and at least one polymeric gasket molded to the panel on the primer layer. The primer applied to the panel has a predetermined transition temperature above which improved adhesion properties are exhibited for polymeric gaskets molded thereon when the primer is at or above such temperature. In a preferred embodiment, a gasket is molded from a thermoplastic polymeric material such as PVC onto the primed portion of the panel while the panel is at or above the transition temperature. The resulting bond between the gasket and panel can withstand a shear force greater than 300 pounds per square inch at a rate of 25 millimeters per minute and a 180° peel test force greater than 30 pounds per linear inch at a rate of 25 millimeters per minute after soaking for at least 250 hours in water having a temperature greater than 175° F.
The method for manufacturing the panel assembly includes applying a primer having a predetermined transition temperature as a coating to a surface of a panel, heating the panel and primer coating to a temperature at least equal to the transition temperature of the primer, and molding a gasket, preferably of a thermoplastic polymeric material, onto the surface of the heated panel and the primer coating while the temperature of the primer coating is at least equal to the primer transition temperature. The preferred mold assembly includes a mold cavity defined in a facing surface of one mold section and a heat insulative pad in the second mold section, the pad being urged against the surface of a sheet-like panel at a position opposite the mold cavity when the mold sections are closed.
66 Citations
75 Claims
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1. A panel assembly for closing a window opening in a vehicle and having a gasket on one surface thereof, comprising:
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a glass panel having opposing first and second surfaces terminating in a peripheral edge; a primer layer applied to a portion of one of said first and second surfaces, said primer layer having a transition temperature of at least 200°
F. at or above which said primer layer exhibits improved adhesion properties for polymeric gaskets molded thereon at such temperatures; anda polymeric gasket molded on said portion of one of said first and second surfaces of said glass panel and bonded thereto by said primer layer when said primer layer is heated to a temperature equal to or greater than said transition temperature, said glass panel including said primer layer being preheated to a temperature equal to or greater than said transition temperature prior to the molding of said gasket. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A vehicle panel assembly for sealing a window opening, comprising:
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a glass panel having a first and second generally opposing surfaces terminating in a peripheral edge; a primer layer applied to a portion of one of said first and second surfaces, said primer forming said layer selected from a group of primers having a primer transition temperature greater than or equal to 200°
F. where said primer layer achieves improved bonding of polymeric materials to a substrate;at least one thermoplastic polymeric gasket molded to said glass panel on said primer layer applied to one of said first and second surfaces, said glass panel including said primer layer being preheated to a temperature equal to or greater than said transition temperature prior to the molding of said gasket, the adhesive strength of said gasket when formed with a length of approximately one inch, a width of approximately three-fourths inch, and a thickness of approximately one-half inch being sufficient to withstand a shear force of more than 300 pounds at a rate of 25 millimeters per minute, and for a gasket having a width of approximately three-fourths inch, a thickness of approximately one-half inch, and a length sufficient to allow a free end to be grasped and pulled back at 180°
having a peel strength greater than 30 pounds per inch of width at a rate of 25 millimeters per minute after soaking for at least 250 hours in water having a temperature of at least 175°
F. (80°
C.). - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A panel assembly for use as a window in a vehicle opening, comprising:
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a transparent glass panel having a first and second surfaces terminating in a peripheral edge; an opaque ceramic frit coating bonded to a predetermined portion of said first surface of said panel; a primer coating on at least a portion of said opaque ceramic frit coating, said primer forming said primer coating having a transition temperature of at least 200°
F. at or above which said primer coating exhibits improved adhesion properties for a polymeric material to said ceramic frit coating;a gasket of thermoplastic polymeric material molded on said first surface and said opaque ceramic frit coating and on said portion having said primer coating to produce a gasket on only one surface of said glass panel, said glass panel, ceramic frit coating and primer layer being preheated to a temperature equal to or greater than said transition temperature;
said gasket molded on said primer coating after said glass panel, ceramic frit coating and primer coating have been heated to said transition temperature to bond said gasket with said panel, whereby a gasket having a length of about one inch, a width of about three-fourths inch, and a thickness of about one-half inch is bonded to said window panel with sufficient strength to withstand a shear force test of greater than 300 pounds at a rate of 25 millimeters per minute, and has a peel strength of greater than 30 pounds per inch of width at a rate of 25 millimeters per minute after soaking for more than 250 hours in water at least 175°
F. (80°
C.). - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A window panel assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
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a glass panel having at least one surface; a ceramic coating adhered to said one surface; a primer coating applied to said ceramic coating;
said primer coating having a transition temperature greater than or equal to 200°
F., at or above which improved adhesion qualities are exhibited for polymeric gaskets molded thereon at or above said transition temperature;
said primer coating being heated on said glass panel and ceramic coating to a temperature at least equal to said transition temperature; anda polymeric gasket molded on said primer coating on a single surface of said glass panel when said primer coating is at a temperature at least equal to said primer transition temperature. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A panel assembly for closing a vehicle window opening having a gasket on one surface thereof, comprising:
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a glass panel having first and second surfaces terminating in a peripheral edge; a primer layer applied to a portion of said first surface, said primer layer heated to a predetermined transition temperature equal to at least 200°
F. where improved adhesion properties are achieved for polymeric gaskets formed thereon; anda polymeric gasket formed on said portion of said first surface of said glass panel having said primer layer, said gasket formed on said primer layer when said primer layer is at a temperature equal to or greater than said transition temperature and bonded to said portion of said glass panel. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71)
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72. A panel assembly for closing a vehicle window opening having a gasket on one surface thereof, comprising:
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a transparent glass panel having first and second surfaces terminating in a peripheral edge; a primer layer applied to said first surface, said primer forming said layer having a predetermined transition temperature of at least 200°
F. at or above which improved adhesion properties are achieved for polymeric gaskets formed thereon; andat least one polymeric gasket injection molded on said first surface of said glass panel having said primer layer, said gasket injection molded on and bonded to said primer layer when said primer layer has been heated to a temperature equal to or greater than said transition temperature of said primer. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75)
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Specification