Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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TITLE
METHOD OF ASSEM~LING A VE~IICLE FROM MODULAR COMPONENTS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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The present invention relates generally to a method of
assembling a vehicle and in particular to the use of
modular glass components in the assembly of a vehicle.
Initially, fixed window assemblies for vehicles were
comprised of a plurality of elements including adhesive
sealants applied around the marginal edges of a glass
sheet, suitable mechanical fasteners such as metal clips,
and exterior decorative trim strips disposed to cover the
junction between the marginal edges of the glass sheet and
-the adjacent portions of the vehicle frame. Such window
structures were costly, especially from a labor standpoint,
since it was necessary to assemble the individual elements
along the vehicle assembly line.
Subsequently, in an endeavor to improve the above
window structure, unitary window assemblies of the type
illustrated in U.S. Patent No. 4,072,340 were developed.
These assemblies included a sheet of glass, an adjacent
frame, and a casing or gasket of molded material, such as
polyvinyl chloride, extending between the frame and the
peripheral edge of the window to hold the sheet of glass
and the frame together. Fasteners were provided at spaced
locations along the frame such that the entire assembly
could be guided into location over the opening in a vehicle
body as a unit. Other types of unitary window assemblies
are disclosed in U.S. Patents Nos. 3,759,004 and 4,365,595.
While such unitary window structures greatly reduce the
time required to mount the window assembly in the
associated vehicle, such structures are relatively costly
since the individual components required to produce each
window assembly generally must be manually assembled.
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Also, there were endeavors to improve hinged window
structures in vehicles. For example, U.S. PatPnt No.
4,13g,234 discloses a window assembly which includes a molded
plastic casing or gasket around the peripheral edge of a
transparent window and an attachment member. The attachment
member may be a continuous rigid frame concealed from view
from the outside of the assembly and having a portion embedded
within a casing and a portion extending from the casing from
which the entire assembly is secured to the vehicle body.
Alternately, separate attaching members can be embedded within
the casing. The casing may be molded around only one edge of
the window thereby forming a flexible resilient hinge allowing
the window to be moved between open and closed positions.
U.S. Patent No. 4,363,191 discloses a hinged window
assembly having a rigid support with a base fastened to the
upper side of a window frame and a depending ~lange with a
free edge. An edge molding strip envelopes the periphery of
the window pane and includes a flexible hinge segment with one
portion adhered to the support flange adjacent the free edge
thereof to pivotly mount the window pane in the frame.
European Patent Application No. 0145354, published
June 19, 1985, discloses a window gasket assembly in which the
gasket is integrally molded from an elastomeric material such
as urethane, and at least a portion o~ which is simultaneously
bonded onto at least one substantially transparent window
panel. The gasket and window assembly can then be mounted and
bonded or secured directly to a vehicle body panel opening
with adhesives, thereby eliminating the need for discreet
mechanical fasteners, with at least one window panel being
hingedly and pivotally attachad to the vehicle body panel.
As vehicles become more streamlined, there is an
increased demand for curved, fixed glass panels which conform
to the body shape. Previously, such panels had to be formed
of a single sheet of glass and ~ny substantial deviation from
flat tended to produce optical distortion. Furthermore, there
is a demand for reducing the labour costs associated with
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assembling a car. One solution is a window assembly shown in
U.S. Patent No 4,332,413 for modifying the appearance of a
vehicle body. A glass fiber reinforced polyester panel
adapted to bridge a body opening has at least one opening
smaller and of a different configuration than the body
opening. A peripheral rabbet projects into the smaller
opening and an insert is positioned in the smaller opening and
held in place by an injection moldable elastomeric material
that interlocks the periphery of the insert with the rabbet.
The insert may be a window pane, a louvered panel, a lamp
housing lens, or other substantially planar article.
According to one aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a method of assembling a vehicle from a
vehicle body and a plurality of modular window assemblies
comprising the steps of: (a) positioning a sheet of
transparent material within the interior of a mold chamber
formed by at least two cooperating mold sections; (b) said
mold sections provided with a gasket shaping portion which
cooperates with a first peripheral portion of the sheet to
define a first gasXet forming cavity corresponding to a first
gasket member to be formed and cooperates with a second
peripheral portion of the sheet to define a second gasket
forming cavity corresponding to a second gasket member to be
formed; (c) injecting into the first and second gasket forming
cavities a composition which is capable of polymerization when
cured and, when cured in contact with the sheet, it adheres
thereto to produce the first and second gasket members; ~d)
removing the sheet and the first and second gasket members as
a modular window assembly from the mold chamber; (e) repeating
steps ta) through (d) to produce a plurality of modular window
assemblies; and (f) attaching said plurality of modular window
assemblies to a vehicle body to assemble a vehicle.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method
of assembling a vehicle from a vehicle body and a plurality
of modular window assemblies comprising the steps of: ta)
positioning a plurality of sheets of transparent material
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within the interior of at least one mold chamber formed by at
least two cooperating mold sections; (b) said mold sections
provided with a gasket shaping portion which cooperates with
at least one peripheral portion of each o~ said sheets to
define a plurality of gasket forming cavities corresponding
to gasket members to be formed; (c) injecting into said gasket
forming cavities a composition which cures in contact with and
adheres to said sheets to produce said gasket members; (d)
removing said sheets and said gasket members as a plurality
of modular window assemblies; and (e) attaching said plurality
of modular window assemblies to a vehicle body to assemble a
vehicle.
Thus, the present invention relates to a method of
assembling a vehicle utilizing modular glass structures to
reduce the assembly time and cost. Each assembly includes one
or more glass sheets upon which a gasket has been formed by
in situ curing of a polymeric gasket ~orming material to
encapsulate the marginal peripheral edge portion of the sheet.
The gasket is typically formed by a reaction injection molding
process.
The modular assembly is ~ormed in a mold structure
which includes at least two cooperating mold sections each
having a recessed portion ~ormed therein in facing
relationship to one another. The recessed portions cooperate
to de~ine a sheet receiving chamber for receiving sheets of
transparent material such as glass. A compressible seal means
is positioned about at least a portion of the periphery of the
chamber and functions to resiliently support the glass sheets
within the chamber. Each mold section includes a metallic (or
other suitable material) main body portion, and a seal means
maintains the glass sheets in spaced apart relationship with
the main body portions of the mold sections to prevent any
glass-to-metal contact between the glass sheets and metallic
mold sections.
Also, the seal means cooperates with predetermined
portions of the glass sheet and mold sections for defining the
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gasket cavity having a configuration corresponding to the
gasket to be formed on the glass sheets. The facing surfaces
of the mold sections disposed outwardly of the gasket forming
cavity are in metal-to-metal contact with one another. This
enables the amount the seal means is compressed and the
dimensions of the gasket to be precisely controlled. Inlet
means or gates are provided for introducing a flowable gasket
forming material into the gasket cavity. Alternatively, where
two parts are ~eing encapsulated together, the seal can be
formed from a strip of sticky backed foam tape or elastomer
attached to either of the parts. The seal then cooperates
with the two parts to form a molding cavity between the parts.
In one embodiment, the method includes, for at least
one of said plurality of modular window assemblies a step of
inserting a plug between said first and second cavities is
performed before performing stap (c), and step (c) is
performed by injecting said composition into one of said first
and second gasket forming cavities, removing said plug and
then injecting said composition into the other one of said
first and second gasket forming cavities. If desired, the
composition injected into one of said first and second gasket
forming cavities is a different material than the composition
injected into the other one of said first and second gasket
forming cavities.
In another embodiment, the gasket shaping portion
of said mold sections includes a third gasket forming cavity
adjacent said second gasket forming cavity, and step (c)
includes injecting said composition into said third cavity to
form a third gasket portion as a tab extending from said
second portion of said gasket.
The modular glass assembly can include, for example,
two or more sheets of glass connected together with a hinge
formed in the gasket by a reduced cross sectional area. The
exterior surface of the hinge member is typically coplanar
with the exterior surfaces of the adjacent portions of the
gasket and the interior surface is recessed to form a normally
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U-shaped groove. Thus, the window assembly can be installed
in the vehicle by bending along the hinge axis to fit the
contour of the associated window opening. Such a modular
assembly may include a back light, a pair of side lights, and
a roof panel all connected by the gasket.
Another modular glass assembly can be a door glass
assembly including a glass sheet having a gasket formed along
at least one edge thereof and a bracket attached
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along at least one other edge thereof. The door glass
assembly can be installed in a door to form a modular
assembly which is then delivered to the vehicle body for
assembly.
Another modular assembly can be a windshield assembly
which includes an integral leaf screen and locator tab
formed at the base of the windshield. Eurthermore, the
upper portion of the windshield can extend into and form a
portion of the roof area and can include a sun roof panel
hingedly attached to the assembly.
In the method according to the present invention, all
of the above-described assemblies can be preformed and
delivered to the vehicle body at the same time to be
attached thereto thereby reducing the assembly time and
cost.
BRIEF DFSCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above, as well as other advantages of the present
invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in
the art from the following detailed description of a
preferred embodimen-t when considered in the light of the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Eig. 1 is a perspective view of a door window assembly
for use in the method according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the door window
assembly of Fig. 1 installed in a door frame as a modular
glass assembly for use in the method according to the
present invention;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an encapsulated
windshield and leaf screen for use in the method according
to the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an encapsulated hinged
back window and side window assembly for use in the method
according to the present invention;
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Fi~. 5 iq an enlarged fragmentary sectional view
of the window as~embly of Fig. 4 taken alon~ the line 5-5
thereof;
Fig. 6 is an exploded per~pçctive view showing a
S vehiGle ~ody and various modular glass assemblies shown in
Figs. 1-5 for use with the method assording to the present
invention;
Fig. 7 i~ a front elevational view of an
alternate embodiment of the door window assembly of Fig.
1;
Fi~. 3 iq a perspestive view of an alternate
embodiment of the ensapsulated windshield and leaf screen
of Fig. ~;
Fig. 9 is a perspestive view of an alternate
embodiment of the encapsulated back window and ~ide
windows of Fig. 4;
Fig. 10 is an exploded perspeGtive view of a
vehicle body and various modular assemblies shown in Figs.
6-~ for use with the assembly method assording to the
2Q present invention; and
Fig. 11 is an exploded perspeçtive view of
another alternate embodimen-t of an encap~ulated back
window.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREr) EM~ODIMENTS
2~ There is shown in Fig. 1 a window assembly 10
adapted to be installed in a vehisle door frame (not
shown) -to form a modular glass assembly for use in the
method according to the present invention. A more
detailed description of the window assembly and the method
of making the same are found in U.S. Patent No. 4,~2,113,
entitled "WINDOW ASSEM~r.Y AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME".
As ~hown in Fig. 2, the window assembly 10 is installed in
a front door 11 of a vehisle (not shown). A scissor
linkage 12 is provided in the door
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11 to raise and lower the window assembly 10. Linkage l?
may be of any conventional type and is shown in the raised
position. The linkage 12 is pivotly connected at 13 and 14
to a bracket 15 attached to a lower edge 16 of a window 17
in the window assembly 10.
As shown in the drawings, front gasket 18 is attached
to a front edge 19 of the window 17 and a rear gasket 20 is
attached to a rear edge 21 of the window 17. The front
door 11 of the vehicle includes a window frame having a
rear section 22 formed to receive a flange member 23 formed
on the gasket 20 as the window is raised and lowered. The
flange member extends from a body portion 24 of the gasket
20 which encloses the rear edge 21 of the window 17 and is
attached thereto for movement with the window as the
linkage 12 raises and lowers the window assembly lOo The
front gasket 18 is of similar construction with a flange
member 25 and a body portion 26. The flange member 25 is
accepted by a gasket (not shown) in a fron-t section of the
window frame.
The bracket 15 includes an angled, elongate plate
member 27 secured to -the lower end of a C-shaped channel
member 28. The channel member 28 is formed to accept
rollers (not shown) attached at the pivot points 13 and 14
of the linkage 12 to permit raising and lowering of the
window assembly 10. The angle plate member 27 includes an
upper L-shaped portion which cooperates with the side wall
of the channel member 28 to define an upwardly facing
channel for receiving a lower peripheral edge 16 of the
window 17. The lower edge 16 is secured relative to the
30 bracket 15 by a U-shaped gasket 29. The gaskets 18, 20 and
29 are all simultaneously molded in situ to the window 17
and the bracket 15. In addition, the gasket 29 can have a
portion 29a molded along the lower edge 16 between the
bracket 15 and the front gasket 18. Also, a portion 29b
can be molded on the lower edge 16 between the bracket 15
a
and the rear gasket 20. After the door window assembly 10
has been formed with the gaskets and bracket, it can be
assembled into the front door 11 to form a modular door
assembly 30 for use in assembling a vehicle. Alternatively,
the bracket 15, or portions thereof, can be formed of
molding material at the same time the gaskets are formed.
There is shown in Fig. 3 a modular windshield assembly
31 including a glass sheet 32 having its peripheral edges
encapsulated by a gasket 33O The gasket 33 includes a top
10 portion 34, side portions 35 and 36, and a bottom portion
37 which portions completely encapsulate the peripheral
edges of the glass sheet 32. Attached to the bottom
portion 37 is an integral leaf screen 38 and a locating tab
means 39 extends from a front edge of the leaf screen 38.
The leaf screen 38 replaces the prior art leaf screens
which were typically formed of wire mesh, stamped steel or
molded rigid plastic. These screens are utilized to
prevent debris from falling into the engine compartment
between the hood and body of those vehicles having
windshield wipers mounted in the area. In order to provide
for the passage of air between the exterior of the vehicle
and the engine compartment, a plurality of elongated slots
or apertures 40 are typically formed in the leaf screen 38.
The gasket portions 34, 35, 36 and 37 completely
encapsulate the peripheral edge of the glass sheet 32 to
provide a seal against the intrusion of fluids between the
windshield and the frame of the vehicle in which it is
installed. Thus, the windshield assembly 31 is typically
fitted into an opening in the vehicle and the gasket 33 is
secured to the vehicle with a suitable adhesive. The leaf
screen 38 is formed integral with the remaining portions of
the gasket 33 and at the proper angle such that it fills an
opening between the body of the vehicle and the hood of the
vehicle. The tab means 39 can include one or more apertures
41 for receiving fastening means to secure the leading edge
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of the leaf screen, typically to the bQdy of the vehiçle.
The leaf sGreen 3~ and/or the ta~ 3~ also can be formed of
metal, plastic or any suitable material and attached to
the glass sheet ~2 with the gasket 33.
Such a modular assembly is dis~losed along with
a method of forming the same in U.~. Patents Nos.
4,7~5,672 and 4,7~2,425, entitled "WINDSHIELD AND LEAF
SCREEN ASSEM~LY AND METHO~ OF MAKING THE SAME".
There i.s shown in Fig. 4 a modular rear window
assembly 42 including a pair of side or rear quarter panel
windows 4~ and 44 joined to either side of a rear window
45. The windows 4.3, *4 and 45 can be formed of flat or
curved sheets of transparent material as shown. In either
case, the final configuratiQn of the window assembly 42
would be difficult, if not impossible, to aGhieve with a
single sheet of transparent material.
The edges of the window.s are encapsulated by a
gasket 4~ which alsn form.s a hinge conneçting the rear
window 45 at one side to the side window 43 and at the
other side of the side window 44. For example, side
window 43 is encapsulated along the top edge by a top
edge portiQn gasket 47, is encapsulated along one side
edge by side edge portion gasket 4~, and is encapsulated
along a bottom edge hy a bottom edge portion gasket g~.
The opposite side edge of the side window 43 is
encapsulated ~y a hinge portion gasket 50 which also
encapsulates an adjacent side edge of the rear window 45.
The top edge of the rear window 45 is encapsulated by a
top edge gasket portion 51 and the bottom edge of the rear
window 45 is encapsulated ~y a bottom edge portion gasket
52. The top edge of the side window 44 is encapsulated by
a top edge portion gasket 53, a side edge of the window 44
is encapsulated by a side edge portion gasket 54, and a
~ottom edge portion gasket 55 encapsulates
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the bo~tom edge of the side window 44. The other side edge
of the side wlndow 4~ is attached to an adjacent side edge
of the rear window 45 by a side edge portion gaske-t 56.
As shown in Fig. 5, an enlarged fragmentary
5 cross-sectional view taken along -the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, the
side edge gasket 48 wraps around and completely encloses a
side edge portion 57 of the side quarter panel window 43.
The gasket 48 is representative of the gasket portions 47,
49, 51, 52, 53, 54, and 55. The gasket portion 50 is formed
with two edge enclosing portions 58 and 59 joined by a
narrow cross-section hinge portion 60. The side portions 58
and 59 are similar in cross-section to the side portion 48.
The side portion 58 encapsulates an edge portion 61 of,the
side window 43 and the side portion 59 encapsulates an edge
15 62 of the rear window 45. The hinge portion 50 permits
relative angular movement between the side window 43 and the
rear window 45 during manufacture, shipping and
installation. Thus, the side windows 43 and 44 and the rear
window 45 can be formed in separate operations and then
assembled together with the molded gasket 46 into a more
complex configuration which is easier to install into a
vehicle. The gasket 46 also seals against the intrusion
fluid such as wind and rain between the glass windows and
the body of the vehicle.
As shown in Fig. 5, the hinge portion 60 is formed
with an outer surface 63 which is substantially coplanar
with outer surfaces 64 and 65 of the side portions 58 and
59 respectively. An inner surface 66 of the hinge portion
60 is substantially recessed from the inner surfaces 67 and
30 68 of the side portions 58 and 59 respectively to form a
substantially U-shaped groove 69 extending the length of
the side edge gasket portion 50. As the side window 43 is
moved in the direction of an arrow 70, the groove 69
becomes narrower, but the outer surface 63 remains
substantially the same to provide a smooth appearance on
-the exterior of the vehicle.
~ stated a~ove, parts formed of metal, plastic
or any other sui-ta~le material can ke atta~hed to a gla.s~
panel utili~ing the ~a~ket materlal. For e~ample, rigid
plastic parts made from a thermoplastic such as polyvinyl
chloride (PV~) and~or parts formed from a ruh~er-like
terpolymer (EPDM) can be placed in a mold with one or more
glass sheets and partially or fu].ly enGapsulated with
gasket material to form a modular unit.
There is çhown in Fig. 6 an çxploded perspective
view of a vehiçle ~ody 71 and various modular window
assemblie~ to be installed on said body in açcordanGe with
the method of the present invention. The modular
assemblies include a driver's door and window assembly 30,
a complementary pas.Senger's door and window assembly 72, a
windshield and leaf screen assembly 31, and a rear window
assembly 42. The vehiGle hody inGludes corresponding
openings for receiving the various assem~lies such as a
driver'~ door opening 73 for receiving the modular door
assembly 30, a passenger's door opening 74 for re&eiving
the modular passenger door a.~semhly 72, a windshield
opening 75 for the moc~ular windshield 31, and a rear
window opening 7~ for the modular rear window as~embly 42.
In addition, an opening 77 can be formed in a roof of the
vehicle body 71 to accept a sun roof a~emhly '7~ of any of
many Gommercially availa~le types. Each of the modular
window assem~lie~ ~0, 31, 42, 72 and 78 are manufactured
separately and then brought to a vehicle a~sembly line to
he installed on the vehicle body 71 at the appropriate
time.
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12
As the automotive stylist creates cars having more
glass area, the use of modular window assemblies according
to the present invention will enable the manufacture of a
vehicle having all glass panels above the belt line. The
panels can be formed of clear glass, tinted glass, and
glass having one or both surfaces coated with an opaque or
semi-transparent material, and panels which open and close.
There is shown in Figs. 7 through 10 an alternate embodiment
of various modular window assemblies utilized in the method
according to the present invention.
There is shown in E'ig. 7 a door window assemb`ly 80
which includes a sheet of glass 81 having its peripheral
edges encapsulated in a gasket material 82. A bracket 83
can be attached to the glass sheet 81 by the gasket ma-terial
82 for connection with a window raising and lowering
mechanism such as the one shown in Fig. 2. The window
assembly 80 can be attached to a driver's door 84 to form a
modular door assembly 84 as shown in Fig. 10. The door 84
does not include an upper frame for surrounding the
peripheral edge of the window assembly 80 although such a
frame could be provided as shown in Fig. 2.
There is shown in Fig. 8 an alternate embodiment
modular windshield assembly 86. The assembly 86 includes a
glass windshield 87 having its peripheral edge encapsulated
in a gasket 88. ~ leaf screen 89 is formed integral with a
bottom edge portion of the gasket 88. The windshield also
includes an upper portion 90 which is formed to extend over
a forward portion of the passenger compartment of a vehicle
when the windshield assembly 86 is installed in a vehicle
body. There is formed in the upper portion 90 an aperture
having its peripheral edge portion encapsula-ted in a gaské-t
91. The opening is closed by a glass panel or sun roof 92
which can have one of its edges, preferably the front edge,
encapsulated by the gasket 91 to form a hinge thereby
allowing the rear edge of the sun roof 92 to be raised.
Thus, the gasket and hinge 91 serves to seal the opening
when the sun roof 92 is closed and func-tions as a hinge to
allow movement of the sun roof 92 when it is desired to
open the sun roof. Of course, the gaskets 88 and 91 and
the leaf screen 89 can be formed on the windshield 87 and
the sun roof 92 in a single molding process as previously
described.
There is shown in Fig. g a modular rear window assembly
93. The assembly 93 includes a rear window 94, side or rear
10 quarter windows 95 and 96, and a roo panel 97 all formed of
glass sheets. The windows 9~, 95, 96 and 97 are joined
together by a gasket and hinge 98 which encapsulates the
peripheral edges of all of the panels. If the panels and
the gasket are not formed in the final position shown in
Fig. 9, it will be necessary to connect some of the panels
together with a hinge portion gas]cet and then seal abut-ting
gasket portions after the assembly has been installed in the
vehicle body.
There is shown in Fig. 10 the modular windshield
assembly 86, the modular rear window assembly 93, the
modular driver's door assembly 85, and a complemen-tary
modular passenger's door assembly 99 positioned to be
installed on a vehicle body 100. The assemblies 86 and 93
are constructed to abut gasketed edges to form a roof over
the passenger compartment. The abutting edges can be sealed
and the door window assemblies rolled up into engagement
with the roof portion to form a fluid tight cover for the
passenger compartment consisting of all glass panels above
the belt line of the vehicle body. If necessary, either or
both of the modular assemblies 86 and 93 could be formed
with a strengthing means such as a roll bar which is
attached to the vehicle body when the modular assemblies are
installed. Alternatively, the roll bar could be installed
on the vehicle body prior to the installation of the modular
assembly.
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There is shown in F.ig. 11 another alternate embodiment
of an encapsulated back window for a vehicle. Many vehicles
are of the popular lift back or hat~h type. A modular
assembly can be formed of an inner frame 101, a back window
assembly 102 and an outer frame 103. The inner frame 101
includes a step 104 formed on an inner periphery of the
frame upon which a peripheral edge portion of the bac~
window assembly 102 rests. The outer frame 103 is then
attached to the inner frame 101 to sandwich the back window
assembly 102 between the two frames. The back window
assembly 102 can be formed of a sheet of glass 105 and an
encapsulating gasket por-tion 106. The gasket 106 can be
formed on -the glass sheet 105 in a separate operation as
previously discussed or, it can be formed in a molding
operation with the inner frame 101. In some instances, the
sheet of glass 105 could be assembled with the inner frame
101 and the outer frame 103 forming a portion of a mold
cavity. After all the parts have been assembled, hardware
(not shown) for attaching the back window assembly to the
vehicle can be installed.
In summary, the me-thod according to the present
invention involves the steps of producing a plurality of
window assemblies including at least a windshield assembly,
a rear window assembly, and a pair of door window assemblies
and installing said assemblies in a vehicle body along a
vehicle assembly line. The door window assembly can include
a transparent sheet, a bracket means and a gasket adhered to
the periphery of the sheet produced by a method including
the steps of positionlng a transparent sheet of material
within the interior of a mold cavity formed by a plurality
of cooperating die sections, said mold cavity having the
shape and position, relative to the transparent sheet, o:f
the ultimate gasket, and enclosing the marginal surfaces of
the sheet immediately adjacent the periphery thereof;
positioning said bracket means within the interior of said
mold cavity; injecting into the mold cavity a composition
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which is capable of polymerization when cured to produce a
gasket, and when cured in contact -therewitll, it adheres to
the marginal surfaces of the sheet material and the bracket
means; and removing the assembly from the mold cavity. The
type of gasket material utilized will depend upon the
application and can be polyurethane, polyurea,
polyacrylamate or other suitable material.
The windshield assembly includes a transparent sheet
having a first gasket member adhered to the peripheral
portion thereof and a leaf screen formed as a second gasket
member integral with the first gasket member produced
according to a me-thod including the steps of positioning a
sheet of transparent material within the interior of a mold
chamber formed by at least two cooperating mold sections;
said mold sections provided with a gasket shaping portion
which cooperates wi-th a first peripheral portion of the
sheet to define a first gasket forming cavity corresponding
to a first yasket member to be formed and cooperates with a
second peripheral portion of the sheet to define a second
gasket forming cavity corresponding to a secon~ gasket
member to be formed; injecting into the first and second
gasket forming cavities a composition which is capable of
polymerization when cured and, when cured in contact with
the sheet, it adheres thereto to produce the first and
second gasket members; and removing the window assembly
from the mold chamber. The rear window assembly includes
at least a first and second sheet of transparent material
and a gasket adhered to the sheets of transparent material
including a hinge portion to permit relative movement
between the first and second sheets.
The door window assembly is assembled into a door for
a vehicle body. The windshield assembly, the rear window
assembly and a pair of complementary door window assemblies
are then transported to a vehicle assembly line for
installation on a vehicle body.
16
In accordance with the provisions of the patent
statutes, the principle and mode of operation of the present
invention have been described in what is considered to
represent the preferred embodiment. However, it should be
understood that the invention ma~ be practiced otherwise
than as specifically illustrated and described without
departing from its spirit or scope.
