Bonded vehicular glass assemblies utilizing urethane adhesive and method for making same

• US 6,846,039 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lewno, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NILAND, PATRICK DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US10/054,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20020111410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 522/046.2, 522/046.9, 522/08, 296/201, 427/372.2, 427/385.5, 427/388.1, 427/389.7, 428/425.6, 156/108
• US Class Current: 296/201
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10366 Reinforcements of the laminated safety glass or glazing against impact or intrusion containing metal wires for reinforcement B32B17/10412
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/14 with pivotal or rotary movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/16 slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/1853 horizontally in direction transverse to vehicle longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/1884 about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/30 characterised by the fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/34 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/70 specially adapted for windows or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/74 for sliding window panes, e.g. sash guides
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/82 for movable panels in roofs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31601 Quartz or glass

Abstract

A bonded vehicular glass assembly utilizes a urethane adhesive to attach a dynamic load-bearing attachment member to a glass substrate to form a joint suitable for use on a vehicle. Related methods of forming, and methods of attaching components to glass are disclosed.

Claims

1. A vehicular window assembly suitable for use in a vehicle, said window assembly comprising:

a glass panel having a first surface and an opposing second surface;

a gasket for attachment to said glass panel for mounting said window assembly to the vehicle, said gasket comprising at least one of a rigid polymeric material and a flexible polymeric material, said gasket disposed adjacent at least a perimeter portion of said first surface;

said glass panel and said gasket joined by an adhesive layer;

said adhesive consisting essentially of urethane, said urethane adhesive disposed between said first surface of said glass panel and said gasket, said layer of urethane adhesive cured to form a load bearing joint suitable for use on the vehicle;

said layer of cured urethane adhesive bonding said gasket to said first surface of said glass panel prior to installation of said assembly in the vehicle and without exposure of said bonded gasket on said second surface of said panel; and

wherein said joint including said urethane adhesive is capable of withstanding a localized tensile load of at least 5 pounds per square inch without failure due to separation from the underlying glass, said localized tensile load being applied in a temperature range of −

40°

to 100°

C., said cure of said joint being accelerated by at least one of a) heating and b) at least one chemical agent; and

wherein said assembly further includes an attachment member adhesively attached to said first surface of said glass panel at a location spaced from said gasket.

2. The vehicular window assembly of claim 1 wherein said joint is capable of withstanding a localized tensile load of at least 40 pounds per square inch without failure.

3. The vehicular window assembly of claim 2 wherein said gasket has a surface area mounting footprint of less than about 6 square inches.

4. The vehicular window assembly of claim 1 wherein said joint is capable of withstanding a localized tensile load of at least 80 pounds per square inch without failure.

5. The vehicular window assembly of claim 4 wherein said gasket has a surface area mounting footprint of less than about 6 square inches.

6. The vehicular window assembly of claim 1 wherein said gasket has a surface area mounting footprint of less than about 6 square inches.

7. The vehicular window assembly of claim 6 wherein said cure of said joint is accelerated by heating with at least one of induction heating and infrared heating.

8. The vehicular window assembly of claim 1 wherein said gasket has a surface area mounting footprint of less than about 1 square inch.

9. The vehicular window assembly of claim 1 wherein said cure of said joint is accelerated by heating with at least one of induction heating and infrared heating.

10. The vehicular window assembly of claim 1 further comprising a layer of at least one of an adhesive promoter and a primer disposed between said glass panel and said layer of adhesive.

11. The vehicular window assembly of claim 10 wherein said at least one of said adhesion promoter and said primer is selected from the group consisting of silane compounds, titanium coupling agents, zirconium coupling agents, and moisture-curable urethane prepolymers.

12. The vehicular window assembly of claim 10 wherein the thickness of said layer of at least one of said adhesion promoter and said primer is from about 0.01 mils to about 3.5 mils.

13. The vehicular window assembly of claim 10 wherein the thickness of said layer of at least one of said adhesion promoter and said primer is from about 0.05 mils to about 2 mils.

14. The vehicular window assembly of claim 10 wherein the thickness of said layer of at least one of said adhesion promoter and said primer is from about 0.1 mils to about 1.0 mils.

15. The vehicular window assembly of claim 1 further comprising a glass frit layer disposed on said glass panel, said glass frit layer being disposed between said first surface of said glass panel and said layer of cured adhesive such that said layer of cured adhesive bonds said gasket directly to said glass frit layer.

16. The vehicular window assembly of claim 1 wherein the thickness of said adhesive layer disposed between said gasket and said glass panel is from about 0.01 mm to about 4.0 mm.

17. The vehicular window assembly of claim 16 wherein the thickness of said adhesive layer is from about 0.25 mm to about 2.0 mm.

18. The vehicular window assembly of claim 17 wherein the thickness of said adhesive layer is from about 0.5 mm to about 1.0 mm.

19. The vehicular window assembly of claim 1 wherein said attachment member is selected from the group consisting of mounting members, hinges, devises, latches, lift brackets, division bars, positionable members, guide tracks, handles, guide pins, strut-mounting hardware, strikers, struts, power-mounting hardware, track members, rails, latch members, antennas, wiper mounts, sealing members, cosmetic articles, pin components, and hinge members.

20. A bonded vehicular assembly suitable for use in a vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a glass substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface;

a gasket for attachment to said glass substrate for mounting said vehicular assembly to a vehicle, said gasket comprising at least one of a rigid polymeric material and a flexible polymeric material, said gasket disposed adjacent at least a perimeter portion of said first surface; and

a layer of urethane adhesive disposed between and bonding said first surface of said glass substrate to said gasket, said urethane adhesive disposed between said first surface of said glass panel and said gasket, said layer of urethane adhesive cured to form a load bearing joint suitable for use on the vehicle;

said layer of cured urethane adhesive bonding said gasket to said first surface of said glass substrate prior to installation of said assembly in the vehicle and without exposure of said bonded gasket on said second surface of said substrate; and

wherein said joint including said urethane adhesive is capable of withstanding a localized tensile load of at least 5 pounds per square inch without failure due to separation from the underlying glass;

said localized tensile load being applied in a temperature range of −

40°

C. to 100°

C.;

said cure of said joint being accelerated by at least one of a) heating, and b) at least one chemical agent.

21. The bonded vehicular assembly of claim 20 wherein said cure of said joint is accelerated by heating with at least one of induction heating and infrared heating.

22. The bonded vehicular assembly of claim 20 wherein said gasket has a surface area mounting footprint of less than about 6 square inches.

23. The bonded vehicular assembly of claim 20 wherein said gasket has a surface area mounting footprint of less than about 1 square inch.

24. The bonded vehicular assembly of claim 20 wherein said joint is capable of withstanding a localized tensile load of at least 40 pounds per square inch without failure.

25. The bonded vehicular assembly of claim 20 wherein said joint is capable of withstanding a localized tensile load of at least 80 pounds per square inch without failure.

26. The bonded vehicular assembly of claim 20 further comprising a layer of at least one of an adhesion promoter and a primer disposed between said glass substrate and said layer of urethane adhesive.

27. The bonded vehicular assembly of claim 26 wherein said at least one of said adhesion promoter and said primer is selected from the group consisting of silane compounds, titanium coupling agents, zirconium coupling agents, and moisture-curable urethane prepolymers.

28. The bonded vehicular assembly of claim 20 wherein said assembly is a movable vehicular window assembly.

29. The bonded vehicular assembly of claim 20 wherein said assembly further comprises a glass frit layer disposed on said glass substrate, said glass frit layer being disposed between said first surface of said glass substrate and said layer of urethane adhesive such that said layer of urethane adhesive bonds said gasket directly to said glass frit layer.

30. The bonded vehicular assembly of claim 20 wherein said assembly also includes a hinge having a first portion and a second portion that is movable with respect to said first portion, and wherein said first portion is bonded to said first surface of said glass substrate by an amount of said urethane adhesive disposed between and contacting said first portion and said glass substrate.

31. The bonded vehicular assembly of claim 30 wherein said second portion of said hinge is affixed to a vehicular mounting surface.

32. A method of adhering a gasket to a glass surface for use in a vehicle, said method comprising:

providing a substrate having a glass surface and an opposing second surface;

providing a gasket to be adhered to said glass surface, said gasket adapted for attachment to said glass surface for mounting the substrate and gasket to a vehicle, said gasket having a mounting surface of less than about six (6) square inches and comprising at least one of a rigid polymeric material, said gasket disposed adjacent at least a perimeter portion of said first surface;

providing a urethane adhesive;

depositing an effective amount of said urethane adhesive on at least one of said gasket mounting surface and said glass surface;

positioning said gasket and said substrate such that said urethane adhesive is disposed between and contacting said gasket and at least a portion of said glass surface of said substrate without exposure of said gasket on said opposing second surface of said substrate; and

curing said urethane adhesive to form a load bearing joint between said gasket and said portion of said glass surface of said substrate including accelerating said curing by at least one of a) heating and b) at least one chemical agent whereby said joint which is formed is capable of withstanding a localized tensile load of at least five (5) pounds per square inch when said load is applied at a temperature in the range of −

40°

C. to 100°

C.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said adhesive comprises an isocyanate component and a polyol component including a high amine density plural amine compound, and wherein said method further comprises, prior to said depositing said adhesive, a step of:

mixing said isocyanate component and said polyol component.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said high amine density plural amine compound is in an amount of from about 2% to about 20% by weight of said polyol component and said adhesive further comprises at least one filler agent in at least one of said isocyanate component and said polyol component, wherein said filler agent is in an amount of from about 15% to about 50% of the total weight of said polyol and isocyanate components.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said filler agent is in an amount of from about 20% to about 30% of the total weight of said polyol and said isocyanate components.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein said filler agent is selected form the group consisting of silicates, silica, calcium carbonate, talc, and combinations thereof.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein said isocyanate component comprises compounds with isocyanate functionality and said polyol component comprises compounds with hydroxy and/or amino functionality, and wherein the ratio of isocyanate functionality to hydroxy and amino functionality is from about 0.9 to about 2.0.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said ratio of isocyanate functionality to hydroxy and amine functionality is from about 1.03 to about 1.4.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein said ratio of isocyanate functionality to hydroxy and amino functionality is from about 1.1 to about 1.3.

40. The method of claim 33 wherein said high amine density plural amine compound is a compound having an amine to carbon ratio of from about 1.0 to about 0.25:

1 with the provisos that (i) the compound contains at least 3 amine groups except if said compound is aromatic then said compound contains at least 2 amine groups, and (ii) the compound contains from 2 to 24 carbon atoms.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said high amine density plural amine compound has a molecular weight of from about 115 to about 5000.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein said high amine density plural amine compound has a molecular weight of from about 210 to about 290.

43. The method of claim 33 wherein said high amine density plural amine comprises a reaction product of (i) at least one of pentaerythritrol, glucose, and sucrose, and (ii) at least one member selected from the group consisting of ammonia and amino alkanes of the formula C_xH_nNH₂, where x range from 1 to 20 and n is such that the alkane is saturated.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein x ranges from about 1 to about 6.

45. The method of claim 32 further comprising, prior to depositing said adhesive, a step of:

depositing a layer of at least one of an adhesion promoter and a primer to at least one of said glass surface and said gasket mounting surface.

46. The method of claim 32 wherein the thickness of said adhesive disposed between said gasket and at least a portion of said glass surface is from about 0.01 mm to about 4.0 mm.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein the thickness of said adhesive is from about 0.25 mm to about 2.0 mm.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the thickness of said adhesive is from about 0.5 mm to about 1.0 mm.

49. The method of claim 32 wherein said depositing step is performed by robotic deposition.

50. The method of claim 32 wherein said depositing step is performed by utilizing a dispense metering unit and a mixing unit.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein said mixing unit is a mix tube in association with a sequential reverse mixer.

52. The method of claim 50 wherein said providing urethane adhesive is performed by delivering said adhesive through thermally controlled lines to said dispense metering unit.

53. The method of claim 32 wherein said heating is performed by a method selected from the group consisting of induction curing, infrared heating, and combinations thereof.

54. The method of claim 32 further including providing said substrate with a layer of frit on said glass surface, depositing said urethane adhesive on at least one of said gasket mounting surface and said frit layer, and positioning said gasket and said substrate such that said urethane adhesive is disposed between and contacting said gasket and at least a portion of said frit layer.