Ppg Industries, Inc.

Flight Dynamics, Inc.

James L Valimont

Glenn E Freeman

Robert B Wood

Mark A Thomas

Hershel L Phares

H Edward Littell, Jr

Joseph D Kelly

Barry L Shadle

George W Shoop

James H Dunaway

Karen J Korenkiewicz

Alan L Dumbris

A windshield display system for automobile includes a wavelength selective holographic combiner (12) laminated within the plies (36, 50) of an automobile windshield. A lamination process is provided to prevent degradation of the holographic combiner (12), which might otherwise occur with conventional windshield lamination processes. The holographic combiner (12) is processed in a manner that permits it to withstand the temperature and pressure extremes of the windshield lamination process. Also provided is a display system (60) for producing an image of vehicle information and the motorist's field of view as the motorist observes the real world scene.

Windshield display system for an automobile

A method for processing exposed holograms to enhance their thermal stability and enable them to withstand a windshield lamination process is disclosed. The secondary processing procedure entails an optional step of applying a moisture barrier to the hologram, followed by heat stabilizing the hologram and storing it in a relatively low humidity environment. Specifically, the exposed holographic material is heated to a peak temperature of about 135.degree. C. and thereafter cooled to provide a thermally stabilized holographic material that maintains its holographic qualities over a relatively broad range of temperatures.

Preparation of photosensitive material to withstand a lamination process

An automotive windshield for a head up display system is disclosed. The windshield includes a hologram embedded within the windshield assembly. In fabricating the windshield, the hologram, is deposited on a carrier substrate. The hologram is initially adhered to the windshield interlayer and the carrier substrate is removed, leaving the hologram. The windshield is then assembled and laminated.

Automotive windshield for a head up display system

A holographic windshield (10) includes an inner glass ply (36) having an inner flexible optically transparent inner interlayer (42) overlaid upon its inner surface (40). A middle flexible transparent interlayer (44) is overlaid upon the inner interlayer. The middle interlayer has an opening (46) formed therein. A flexible hologram (12) is fitted within the opening in the middle interlayer. An outer interlayer (48) is overlaid upon the middle interlayer including the flexible hologram. An outer glass ply (50) is overlaid upon the outer interlayer. The two glass plies are bonded together to form a unitary article. Also disclosed is a method for processing a holographic combiner to withstand a windshield construction process employing lamination techniques.

Vehicle display system using a holographic windshield prepared to

A method for manufacturing a bilayer or antilacerative windshield comprised of a rigid substrate and an innerliner, including the steps of producing a hole in the innerliner, assembling the rigid substrate and the innerliner together in interfacial relation to each other, and then placing an insert into the hole. Thereafter, the rigid substrate and the innerliner are laminated together to thereby provide the antilacerative windshield, the insert serving to prevent flow of the innerliner into the hole during the laminating step. After the laminating step is completed, the insert is removed from the hole, to thereby open the hole to expose the adjacent surface of the rigid substrate. The mounting pad or 'button' of a rear view mirror is then affixed to the exposed surface of the rigid substrate.

Method for manufacturing a laminated window

A vacuum mold for supporting a flexible sheet of interlayer material for assembly against a bent glass sheet or between a pair of bent glass sheets of matching configuration has a first apertured wall shaped to conform to the shape of the bent glass, and a second apertured wall of conforming shape adapted for coupling to a vacuum source to form and hold the flexible sheet of interlayer material against the mold in unwrinkled condition. The mold is pivoted to a carriage from a mold loading orientation of convex elevational configuration to a mold unloading orientation of concave elevational configuration.

Vacuum mold for making a windshield subassembly

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the automatic assembly of a flexible interlayer sheet with one or more bent glass sheets using residual heat from bending the glass sheets to make the flexible interlayer sheet sufficiently tacky to avoid relative sliding between the sheets comprising the subassembly or sandwich that is assembled.

Method and apparatus for assembling sandwiches comprising hot bent glass

The present invention relates to apparatus for aligning a pair of bent glass sheets of matching configuration for assembly with a position occupied by a flexible sheet of interlayer material to form a sandwich to be laminated.

Apparatus for aligning bent glass sheets for assembly into bent glass

Assembly apparatus including a vacuum mold for supporting a flexible sheet of interlayer material for assembly against a bent glass sheet or between a pair of bent glass sheets of matching configuration has a first apertured wall shaped to conform to the shape of the bent glass, and a second apertured wall of conforming shape adapted for coupling to a vacuum source to form and hold the flexible sheet of interlayer material against the mold in unwrinkled condition. The mold is pivoted to a carriage from a mold loading orientation of convex elevational configuration to a mold unloading orientation of concave elevational configuration. Carriage movement between a mold loading station and an assembly station is correlated to the elevational configuration of the mold in assembling said flexible sheet of interlayer material against one or more bent glass sheets.

Shaped mold and a method of using same to assemble sandwich of a sheet

This invention relates to an arrangement of vacuum cups in a bent glass sheet sandwich assembly apparatus and a method of using said arrangement that provides a temporary bias to the central portion of a bent glass sheet to insure that a flexible sheet of interlayer material applied to the bent glass sheet initially engages its central portion and the area of engagement extends gradually to the edge of the sheets to avoid entrapment of air or other vapors in the interface of the resulting subassembly. When another bent glass sheet is applied to the opposite surface of the flexible sheet of interlayer material, the subassembly is temporarily biased once more to insure initial engagement in the central portion gradually extending to the edge of the sheets to avoid entrapment of air or other vapors in the interface of the subassembly with the second bent glass sheet.

Apparatus comprising arrangement of vacuum cups to assemble one or more

This invention relates to an arrangement of vacuum cups in a bent glass sheet sandwich assembly apparatus and method of using said arrangement that provides a temporary bias to the central portion of a bent glass sheet to insure that a flexible sheet of interlayer material applied to the bent glass sheet initially engages its central portion and the area of engagement extends gradually to the edge of the sheets to avoid entrapment of air or other vapors in the interface of the resulting subassembly. When another bent glass sheet is applied to the opposite surface of the flexible sheet of interlayer material, the subassembly is temporarily biased once more to insure initial engagement in the central portion gradually extending to the edge of the sheets to avoid entrapment of air or other vapors in the interface of the subassembly with the second bent glass sheet.

Arrangement of vacuum cups to assemble one or more bent glass sheets

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for aligning a pair of bent glass sheets of matching configuration for assembly with a position occupied by a flexible sheet of interlayer material to form a sandwich to be laminated.

Aligning bent glass sheets for assembly into bent glass sheet sandwiches

A laminate assembly having rigid sheets about a thermoplastic interlayer has interfacial surfaces evacuated and peripheral edges sealed by applying localized vacuum and heat to only the periphery and marginal edge portions. A flexible heating blanket having marginally embedded heating elements overlies the laminate assembly and is biased theretoward by a flexible channel-shaped ring. The channel-shaped ring establishes a conduit about the periphery of the laminate assembly which is evacuated to remove entrapped air, and the heating element is energized to bond and seal the marginal edge portions of the assembly.

Manufacture of laminated assemblies

A mold for supporting a flexible sheet of interlayer material for assembly against a bent glass sheet or between a pair of bent glass sheets of matching configuration has a first apertured wall shaped to conform to the shape of the bent glass, and a second apertured wall of conforming shape adapted for coupling to a vacuum source to form and hold the flexible sheet of interlayer material against the mold in unwrinkled condition. The mold is pivoted to a carriage from a mold loading orientation of convex elevational configuration to a mold unloading orientation of concave elevational configuration. Carriage movement between a mold loading station and an assembly station is correlated to the elevational configuration of the mold in a method of using the mold in assembling said flexible sheet of interlayer material againt one or more bent glass sheets.

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Cheswick, PA, United States of America

James L Valimont