Method of manufacturing an interlocked, “flush-to-front,” injection molded border and glass sheet

• US 6,558,601 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2000
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gemtron Corporation (SSW Holding Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gemtron Corporation (SSW Holding Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Herrmann, Bob, Daley, Howard, Reames, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): ORTIZ, ANGELA Y
• Application Number:
  US09/716,348
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 264/252, 264/271.1, 264/275, 264/250, 264/255, 264/259, 264/266, 264/274, 264/279.1, 425/126.1, 425/129.1, 425/323, 425/402, 425/574, 425/575, 425/576, 425/577
• US Class Current: 264/274
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14434 Coating brittle material, e.g. glass B29C45/14377, B29C45/14418 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/763 the edges being disposed in a substantial flat plane
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5427 the panes mounted flush with the surrounding frame or with the surrounding panes E06B3/5436 takes precedence; supporting structures for curtain walls E04B2/885
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2325/022 Shelves made of glass or ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/025 Drawers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/161 with frame, casing, or perimeter structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/163 Next to unitary web or sheet of equal or greater extent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/166 Glass, ceramic, or metal sections [e.g., floor or wall tile, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/168 Nonrectangular
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/169 Sections connected flexibly with external fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/192 Sheets or webs coplanar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/195 Beveled, stepped, or skived in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/198 Pile or nap surface sheets connected

Abstract

The method of the present invention is performed by providing a glass sheet having first and second opposite surfaces merging with each other along a peripheral ground angled surface setting-off with the glass sheet first surface an included angle substantially greater than normal. The glass sheet is placed in a mold having opposing cavity portions which collectively define a cavity including a peripheral edge cavity portion defined in part by a cavity defining surface which lies in the plane of the glass sheet first surface when the mold is closed. The mold is then closed such that the cavity defining surface and the glass sheet round angled surface set-off and angled complementary to the included angle and with the glass sheet per surface abutting the cavity defining surface inboard of the glass sheet -ground angled surface. Polymeric/copolymeric synthetic plastic material is injected into the peripheral cavity portion to completely encapsulate the glass sheet periphery with a border, frame or encapsulation having a first exterior surface coplanar with the glass sheet first surface whereby the latter two surfaces are “flush-to-front” and the glass sheet periphery is in undercut interlocked relationship with the injection molded border.

Claims

1. A method of forming a unitized article which includes a border along a periphery of a glass sheet comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a glass sheet having first and second opposite surfaces merging with each other along a peripheral surface which includes an angled, flat ;

uniplanar surface setting-off with the glass sheet first surface an included angle substantially greater than normal;

(b) placing the glass sheet in a mold having first and second mold bodies defining respective opposing first and second cavity surfaces which collectively define with said angled surface a concave cavity including a peripheral edge cavity portion defined in part by a cavity defining surface of the second cavity surface which lies in the plane of the glass sheet first surface when the mold is closed,

(c) closing the mold such that the cavity defining surface and the glass sheet angled surface set-off an angle complementary to said included angle and with the glass sheet first surface abutting the second cavity defining surface inboard of the angled surface,

(d) injecting hot synthetic plastic material into the concave cavity including the peripheral cavity portion to completely encapsulate the glass sheet periphery by a synthetic plastic material border having a first exterior surface coplanar with the glass sheet first surface whereby the latter two surfaces are flush and the glass sheet periphery is in undercut interlocked relationship with the border, and

(e) opening the mold by relatively moving the first and second mold bodies.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second mold bodies are defined respectively by a male mold body which enters a female mold body to define the concave cavity in the closed position of the mold to define an article defined by a bottom wall, a peripheral wall including the glass sheet and a terminal border.

2. A method of forming a unitized article which includes a border along a periphery of a glass sheet comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a glass sheet having first and second opposite surfaces merging with each other -along a stepped peripheral surface,

(b) placing the glass sheet in a mold having first and second mold bodies defining respective opposing first and second cavity surfaces which collectively define with said glass sheet stepped peripheral surface a concave cavity including a peripheral edge cavity portion defined in part by a cavity defining surface of the second cavity surface which lies in the plane of the glass sheet first surface when the mold is closed,

(c) closing the mold such that the cavity defining surface and the glass sheet stepped peripheral surface set-off a stepped cavity portion complementary to the glass sheet stepped peripheral surface and with the glass sheet first surface abutting the second cavity defining surface inboard of the glass sheet stepped peripheral surface,

(d) injecting hot synthetic plastic material into the concave cavity including the peripheral cavity portion to completely encapsulate the glass sheet periphery by a synthetic plastic material border having a first exterior surface coplanar with the glass sheet first surface whereby the latter two surfaces are flush and the glass sheet periphery is in undercut interlocked relationship with the border, and

e) opening the mold by relatively moving the first and second mold bodies.

4. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the first and second mold bodies are defined respectively by a male mold body which enters a female mold body to define the concave cavity in the closed position of the mold to define an article defined by a bottom wall, a peripheral wall including the glass sheet and a terminal border.

5. A method of forming a unitized article which includes a border along a periphery of a glass sheet comprising the steps of

(a) providing a glass sheet having first and second opposite surfaces merging with each other along a peripheral surface,

(b) placing the glass sheet against one of male and female mold bodies in an open position thereof and which in a closed position thereof define respective male and female cavity surfaces which collectively define a concave cavity defined by a base cavity portion, a peripheral wall cavity portion and a border cavity portion,

(c) closing the mold through relative telescopic movement of the male and female mold bodies bringing surfaces thereof outboard of the border cavity portion into abutment,

(d) injecting hot synthetic plastic material into the concave cavity to completely encapsulate the glass sheet periphery by a synthetic plastic material border, and

(e) opening the mold by way of relatively moving the male and female mold bodies relative to each other.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein a surface of one of the male and female cavity surfaces lies in a plane common to one of the first and second glass sheets opposite surfaces.

7. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the glass sheet peripheral surface is a substantially flat, uniplanar surface setting-off with the glass sheet first surface an included angle substantially greater than normal.

8. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the glass sheet peripheral surface is curved.

9. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the glass sheet peripheral surface is convexly curved.

10. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the glass sheet peripheral surface is stepped.

11. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the glass sheet peripheral surface is substantially flat.

12. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the glass sheet peripheral surface is a substantially flat, uniplanar surface setting-off with the glass sheet first surface an included angle substantially greater than normal, and the glass sheet angled, flat, uniplanar surface and the glass sheet second surface terminate in a rounded nose.