Patent Application
20220388376
This application claims priority to German patent application DE102021114562.7 by the same inventor and filed on 7 Jun. 2021.
Not Applicable.
The invention relates to a vehicle window for a vehicle, and to a method for producing a vehicle window of this kind.
A vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprises side windows that are installed either in doors so as to be movable up and down or as stationary elements in the bodywork. In addition, vehicles can comprise windows that provide a view backwards. These side windows and/or rear windows are produced from a float glass as a safety glass. In some applications, and also to reduce weight, they can be made of plastics material. In the case of windows of this kind made of plastics material, it is possible to also shape these windows in a three-dimensional manner, as a result of which specific design demands can be met. However, windows of this kind produced from plastics material have the disadvantage whereby they are become unroadworthy and tarnished after a relatively long period of use, by contrast with windows made of float glass as a safety glass. However, the windows produced from float/safety glass are disadvantageous in that they do not allow for any three-dimensional deforming, but rather extend in a two-dimensional plane or can only be slightly curved.
The object of the invention is to propose a vehicle window for a vehicle and a method for producing a vehicle window of this kind so that greater freedom of design for the shape of the windows and also a long service life are made possible.
This object is achieved by a vehicle window for a vehicle, which vehicle window has a glass body, on which a three-dimensionally deformed functional region having a free form is moulded, said functional region bulging with respect to the plane of the glass body, and the glass body and the integrated three-dimensionally deformed functional region are produced from a pressed glass. Using pressed glass makes it possible to obtain a long service life compared with vehicle windows made of plastics material, in particular polycarbonate. In addition, producing the glass body, having the integrated functional region, from pressed glass is advantageous in that a design of three-dimensional free forms is made possible. This cannot be implemented in a float/safety glass.
In a vehicle window of this kind, the glass body, which comprises an outside and an inside, which are spaced apart by a wall thickness of the glass body, and is delimited by an externally peripheral edge, can have a planar extent in a two-dimensional plane and also in a spherically curved plane.
In addition, the glass body and the three-dimensionally shaped, integrated functional region are preferably produced from pressed glass by way of primary shaping. This enables cost-effective production of a vehicle window of this kind. Post-treatment, for example reshaping, in order to introduce the three-dimensionally shaped functional region, can be omitted. This production of the vehicle window by primary shaping is also advantageous in that a vehicle window of this kind can be produced to be free of stresses.
In addition, the three-dimensionally shaped functional region preferably protrudes with respect to a planar extent of the glass body. As a result, pre-existing installation conditions, in particular on vehicles, can be retained and an additional function can be added to the vehicle window as a result of said three-dimensionally shaped functional region integrated in the glass body.
Advantageously, in a transition region from the planar extent of the glass body into the three-dimensionally shaped functional region, the same wall thickness as in the planar extent of the glass body is provided. The glass body, the three-dimensionally shaped functional region and a transition region are thus configured to be distortion-free.
The transition region between the planar extent of the glass body and the three-dimensionally shaped functional region is preferably rounded or elliptical. In particular, a step-free arrangement is provided. Owing to smooth transitions of this kind, peak stresses in the transition region between the planar extent of the main body and the three-dimensional functional region can also be reduced.
Alternatively, the three-dimensionally shaped functional region can be formed to have a different wall thickness from the glass body. Preferably, the transition region has a distortion-free through-vision. For example, starting from the two-dimensionally extending glass body, an increase in the thickness of the wall thickness can be provided in the transition region and/or a three-dimensionally shaped functional region compared with the thickness of the two-dimensionally extending glass body, thereby achieving higher stiffness. In addition, the transition region and/or the three-dimensionally shaped functional region can be formed to be thinner than the glass body.
According to a preferred embodiment of the vehicle window, the three-dimensional functional region has an edge portion located in an outer edge of the glass body. As a result, the flexibility in the design, application and introduction of the three-dimensional functional region can be increased.
In particular, the three-dimensionally deformed functional region is formed as a recessed handle that adjoins an outer edge of the two-dimensionally extending glass body. Behind this recessed handle, a door opening mechanism can be provided, which is thus protected against external influences and/or is aerodynamically covered. Moreover, the three-dimensional functional region can be formed as a spoiler or a wind deflector that can be provided not only on a side window but also on a rear window or tailgate. In addition, the three-dimensionally shaped functional region can be used as a design element. For example, an optical distortion can be obtained by wall thickness modifications and/or darkening and/or surface modifications. This can also be a visual effect for privacy, for example.
The glass body of the vehicle window is preferably produced from a soda-lime glass, an aluminium silicate glass or a borosilicate glass. Glasses of this kind allow for production using pressed glass and exhibit high quality in terms of transparency. Colours of any kind, from red to green, blue to yellow, are conceivable and possible, within the values that meet statutory regulations.
The above-described vehicle window can, for example, be formed as a side window in a door of a vehicle, or as a fixed window, in particular a triangular window, preferably between the B-pillar and C-pillar, of a vehicle. A vehicle window of this kind can also be used as a rear window or a tailgate.
The object of the invention is further achieved by a method for producing a vehicle window for vehicles according to one of the above-described embodiments in which the glass body and a three-dimensionally shaped functional region, which has a free form and bulges with respect to the plane of the glass body, is produced from pressed glass by a pressed-glass process. This enables cost-effective production.
In particular, a vehicle window of this kind can be made available for further processing without any finishing. For example, an overmoulding can be applied, which provides covering along the outer edge at least in part and is intended for sealingly arranging the vehicle window in an opening of a bodywork of a vehicle.
In addition, an insert can advantageously be positioned in a mould for producing the vehicle window, and once the pressed glass has been introduced into the vehicle mould the insert is enclosed and retained by the glass body at least in part. As a result, greater flexibility and functionality can be achieved for a vehicle window of this kind.
Preferably, the metal insert is incorporated in the glass body. This makes it possible to increase the functionality.
The invention and other advantageous embodiments and developments thereof will be described and explained in more detail below on the basis of the examples shown in the drawings. The features set out in the description and the drawings can be implemented either individually or together in any combination in accordance with the invention. In the drawings:
The vehicle window 11 according to
In addition, individual regions of the vehicle window 11, in particular regions that extend along the external peripheral edge 16 and/or also at least in part inside the three-dimensionally shaped functional region 21, preferably have a colouring. For example, regions of the vehicle window 11 can be provided with a black colouring.
In addition, at least one insert 31 can preferably be provided in the vehicle window 11, which insert is enclosed and retained by the glass body 12 at least in part. In the vehicle window 11 according to
The vehicle window 11 according to the above-described embodiments can comprise an overmoulding of a plastics material that extends at least in part along the peripheral edge 16 of the vehicle window 11. This overmoulding is formed as a seal for sealing an opening in a bodywork of a vehicle with respect to the vehicle window 11.
The embodiments of the vehicle windows 11 described above by way of example are preferably produced by a pressed-glass process. Said vehicle window 11 is thus produced from pressed glass by way of primary shaping. As a result, any designs for shaping the three-dimensionally shaped functional region 21 can be introduced into a planar extent 18 of the glass body 12. Said at least one functional region 21 can also be provided within a planar extent 18 of the glass body 12 at a distance from the peripheral edge 16. One or more three-dimensionally shaped functional regions 21 can be provided in the vehicle window 11.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE102021114562.7 | Jun 2021 | DE | national |
