Pilkington Group Limited

Pilkington Automotive Deutschland Gmbh

Flachglas Aktiengesellschaft

Pilkington North America, Inc.

Joachim Pilz

Dieter Funk

Peter Paulus

Massimo Michetti

Neil John Durbin

Peter Michels

Robert J Boisselle

Walter Brans

Rolf Wenning

Dieter Bruns

Andreas Gorges

John George Lee

Michael Hurst

A process for preparing a laminated glazing involves providing a first glass sheet having a desired shape with a first thickness, providing a second glass sheet having a desired shape with a second thickness; providing an interlayer between the first and second glass sheet; applying a mould shaped substantially the same as the first glass sheet against the second glass sheet; aligning the two glass sheets and misaligning the mould with respect to the two glass sheets so the mould is offset relative to the two glass sheets; and laminating together the first and second glass sheets and the interlayer at a temperature and pressure sufficient to adhere the interlayer to the glass sheets, such that after lamination, the second glass sheet is offset relative to the first glass sheet whilst the shape of the second glass sheet is substantially the same as the shape of the first glass sheet.

Process for preparing a laminated glazing

A process for preparing a laminated glazing comprises providing a first glass sheet formed into a desired shape with a first thickness by a first procedure and providing a second glass sheet formed into a desired shape with a second thickness by a second procedure with an interlayer located therebetween, and laminating together the first and second glass sheets and the interlayer at a temperature and pressure sufficient to adhere the interlayer material to the glass sheets and in which the process further comprises applying a mould which is shaped substantially the same as the first glass sheet, against the second glass sheet, during laminating to adhere the interlayer material to the two glass sheets such that after lamination, the shape of the second glass sheet is substantially the same as the shape of the first glass sheet.

A laminated glazing comprising a first ply of glazing material and a second ply of glazing material joined by at least one ply of adhesive interlayer material is disclosed. The first ply of glazing material comprises a sheet of glass having a first composition and the second ply of glazing material comprises a sheet of glass having a second composition different to the first composition. The laminated glazing has (i) a peripheral region extending around the periphery of the laminated glazing, the laminated glazing having a surface compression stress in the peripheral region and (ii) an edge compression, wherein the magnitude of edge compression is greater than the magnitude of the surface compression stress in the peripheral region. A method of making such a laminated is provided. A glass sheet suitable for being incorporated in such a laminated glazing is also disclosed.

Laminated glazing

The glass sheets () of an asymmetric glass-sheet pair, which is intended for the production of laminated glass, are preheated in a preheating furnace () and then undergo a press-bending process in a press-bending station (). By means of a temperature measuring point () arranged at the exit of the press-bending station, it is ensured that the glass sheets exhibit a uniform bending behavior, in order to guarantee identical restoring forces during cooling. The temperature measuring point () is connected to a control device (), which causes an intermediate cooling of the glass sheet heating more rapidly by means of an intermediate cooling installation () in the pre-heating furnace and/or lengthens its dwell time in the press-bending station () by means of a timing control element ().

Process and plant for the treatment of the glass sheets of an asymmetric glass-sheet pair

The gas cushion serves to support a preheated glass sheet and is produced by a chamber, which is connected to a source () of compressed gas. The upper wall () of the chamber is adapted to the shape of the glass sheet and has a plurality of apertures for the passage of gas in the form of nozzles (), which comprise an entry bore () and, following thereupon, a progressively widening exit hole () with a nozzle exit area (). The upper wall () of the chamber has a greater degree of perforation (sum of the nozzle exit areas () in relation to the total area of the respective zone) in its edge zone () than in its central zone (). The nozzles ensure that no jet marks can arise. The gas of the gas cushion can also flow out undisturbed at the side, so that no cooling edges are present and the occurrence of cooling shadows is accordingly avoided.

Device for producing a gas cushion

A press bending station includes an annular mold () and a full-face mold (). Holes (), selectively connected to a negative pressure source, are placed in portions of the full-face mold () that are determined by the configuration of the annular mold when the annular mold comes into contact with a heated glass sheet () during the press bending process. The sheet () is drawn by negative pressure through the holes () towards the full-face mold () and thus acquires its shape. Positive pressure may be selectively applied to the holes () to release the sheet (). According to the invention, at least some of the holes () are arranged in at least one groove () formed in the mold face of the full-face mold. The grooves () according to the invention accelerate considerably the removal by negative pressure of the air between the molding face of the full-face mold () and the glass sheet () to be bent and thus improve the press bending process.

Press bending station for the bending of glass sheets

A transfer device for bent glass sheets during the course of automated production of motor vehicle glass windows on a production line with continuous furnace, bending press, toughening station and device for onward conveyance of the toughened glass sheets. The transfer device operates between the bending press and the toughening station. The transfer device is a shuttle transfer device whose shuttle is guided on shuttle guide rails. The shuttle guide rails are supported statically on the one hand on the press frame of the bending press and on the other hand on the station frame of the toughening station as beams on two supports or as continuous beams. The shuttle incorporates a shuttle frame as well as a shuttle ring mounted therein and the shuttle frame is guided on the shuttle guide rails by means of a shuttle frame mounting which movable on the shuttle guide rails. The shuttle ring is adjustable in relation to the shuttle frame mounting and thus in relation to the male bending mold. The shuttle ring incorporates on its edges positioning devices for the glass sheets received. At least the areas of the shuttle guide rails which project into the press frame of the bending press are removable for the purpose of carrying out maintenance and/or repair work on the bending press.

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Oer-Erkenschwick, Germany

Joachim Pilz