TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a window unit for windows in motor vehicles and the like, comprising a glazing panel with a frame which has a frame profile and surrounding the edge of the window on at least two peripheral sides, wherein the frame grips the window or surrounds the window on at least two peripheral sides in the form of a ring which is enclosed in itself, and the frame comprises at least a primary part which is in the form of a hard component.

BACKGROUND ART

The injection of a primary part around a glazing panel can cause one of the major drawbacks is the presence of permanent force applied to the glazing panel. This effort is caused by the withdrawal related to the injection process of the primary part on the glazing panel and especially when the primary part is injected on the major part of peripheral sides of the glazing panel and due to the shrinkage of the primary part during the cooling step of the process of making the window unit.

Often, the glazing panel is not totally flat even has a defined curvature. The shrinkage of the primary part surrounding the edge of the window unit causes a narrowing of the primary part. Then, the primary part peels off the glazing panel by the same phenomenon as a bow that stretches. Thus, a gap between the primary part and the glazing panel occurs.

One solution to reduce this gap is to add in addition to a secondary part a primer material with a 2K process. The primer material is deposited on a surface of the glazing panel where the primary part will be not present. The secondary part is deposed on the primary part and on this surface to fix the primary part on the glazing panel. This increases the complexity of the process of fabrication and increases the cost. Furthermore, this solution is not applicable when the window unit is made only of hard material.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to alleviate these problems, and to provide a window unit providing less constraint without or with a limited gap between the primary part and the glazing panel.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the invention relates to a window unit comprising a glazing panel, a frame which has a frame profile and encompasses at least partially the peripheral sides of the glazing panel, and the frame comprises a primary part which is in the form of a hard component and with an exterior profile.

The invention relates also to a method to produce a window unit according to a first aspect of the invention comprising a step to create the at least one notch on the glazing panel or a step to overmold the at least one protrusion with the primary part on the glazing panel or a step to inject the at least protrusion and the primary part on the glazing panel.

The invention relates also to a mold to produce a window unit according to a first aspect of the invention comprising a part to create at least one notch and/or at least one protrusion on the frame.

The solution as defined in the first aspect of the present invention is based on the primary part has at least one inner profile line with at least one notch (203) and/or the primary part has at least one protrusion extended from the exterior profile of the glazing panel to the center of the window unit and comprising at least one fixing mean. These components reduce or increase locally the width of the primary part and then reduces shrinkage effect and the gap between the primary part and the glazing panel is reduced even no gap is present.

In some embodiment, the inner profile with at least one notch doesn't have fixing mean. Fixing means can be inserted or overmolded elsewhere with the primary part.

Preferably, the notch comprises an opening on the inner profile and a cavity without hard material opened towards the center of the window unit via the opening. In some embodiment, the opening can be a slit on the inner profile. The cavity and the opening can have different dimensions. In a preferred embodiment, the slit is thinner than the dimension of the cavity to maximize the stiffness of the primary part and to avoid the creation of a gap between the primary part and the glazing panel.

In one embodiment, the frame comprises at least one notch and at least one protrusion.

Fixing means able to fix the window unit to another element like a car body, a decorative object, a door frame, . . . . Fixing elements are fixed on the frame within the primary part

In one embodiment of the invention, the frame comprises an secondary part which is in the form of soft component, placed at least partially over the primary part. The secondary part allows to thigh the window unit on the structure where it is fixed. Such structure can be a car body, a building, . . . .

The secondary part can be injected in a second step over at least partially the primary part. Preferably, the secondary part is a single part. In some embodiments, the secondary part can be locally in contact with the glazing panel to ensure the aesthetic and the tightness of the window unit.

Preferably the at least one notch is on the inner profile of the frame and more preferably doesn't extend to the outer profile of the frame to keep the primary part in a single piece.

At least a bridge to release constraints by keeping the stiffness of the primary part can be added to the notch In case of a secondary part, this secondary part can maintain the bridge to keep mechanical properties and the effect of the bridge.

In a preferred embodiment, the hard component is a polypropylene based material. Other hard materials, with a young modulus higher than 1000 MPa, as polyamide, styrenic and others can be also used.

In a preferred embodiment, the soft component is a thermoplastic elastomer based material. Styrenic based and vulcanized thermoplastics elastomer are generally used. The soft component is in another embodiment a soft polyvinyl chloride.

In one embodiment of the invention, the primary part is in direct contact with the glazing panel meaning that the primary part is injected on the glazing panel. The glazing panel can have locally a bonding agent or primer material to ensure tightness and/or to promote the encapsulation of the primary part on the glazing panel.

The primary part can be overmolded on the glazing panel. To facilitate the process, the primary part can be injected into a mold to be encapsulated on the glazing panel. Preferably, the at least one protrusion and/or the at least one notch is created during the injection of the primary part.

Preferably to optimize the process and to reduce the price, the at least one protrusion is made of the same component than the primary part

In one embodiment of the invention, the primary part is in direct contact with the glazing panel meaning that the primary part is injected on the glazing panel. The glazing panel can have locally a bonding agent or primer material to ensure tightness and/or to promote the encapsulation of the primary part on the glazing panel.

In one embodiment, the glazing panel is a glass panel. The glass panel comprises at least one glass sheet.

The glass sheet can be a clear glass or a coloured glass, tinted with a specific composition of the glass or by applying a coating or a plastic layer for example.

In another embodiment, the fixing element has a local overthickness to reinforce the fixation and reduce the gap between the primary part and the glazing panel.

To produce a window unit as described, the method comprises a step to create the at least one notch on the glazing panel or a step to overmold the at least one protrusion with the primary part (102a) on the glazing panel (101) or a step to inject the at least protrusion and the primary part (102a) on the glazing panel.

Avantageously, a specific mold comprising a part to create at least one protrusion and/or at least one notch on the frame is used during the process. This mold can have a part of a cavity to create the at least one protrusion and/or an element to create the notch. Another mold can have a part where the at least one protrusion is inserted to be overmolded with the glazing panel by the primary part.

The window element of the present invention may be arranged in a window frame or a door frame.

It is noted that the invention relates to all possible combinations of features recited in the claims.

The following description relates to an automotive window unit but it's understood that the invention may be applicable to others fields like architectural windows which may provide an encapsulation surrounding the edge of the window on at least two peripheral sides.

