PRE-LAMINATED OPACIFYING ASSEMBLY FOR GLAZING

Abstract

A pre-laminated opacifying assembly configured to cooperate with at least one transparent protection element, the pre-laminated opacifying assembly including a functional layer having a degree of opacity adapted to be modified, a bonding material attached on at least one face of the functional layer, the bonding material being configured to cooperate with the at least one transparent protection element so as to secure the at least one transparent protection element to the functional layer, the bonding material being configured to maintain adhesive properties for at least two firings such that a first firing secures the bonding material and the functional layer and a second firing secures the bonding material and the at least one transparent protection element.

Claims

1. A pre-laminated opacifying assembly configured to cooperate with at least one transparent protection element, the pre-laminated opacifying assembly comprising: a functional layer having a degree of opacity adapted to be modified, and a bonding material attached on at least one face of the functional layer, the bonding material being configured to cooperate with the at least one transparent protection element so as to secure the at least one transparent protection element to the functional layer, the bonding material being configured to maintain adhesive properties for at least two firings such that a first firing secures the bonding material and the functional layer and a second firing secures the bonding material and the at least one transparent protection element.

2. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bonding material is attached on the-two faces of the functional layer, each face of the two faces being configured to be disposed opposite a corresponding transparent protection element.

3. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bonding material includes the functional layer.

4. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bonding material comprises a transparent thermoplastic element.

5. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 1, wherein the functional layer comprises a state-changing opacifying film and a monitoring device disposed at least partially opposite the state-changing opacifying film.

6. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 5, wherein the monitoring device is comprised in a monitoring system of the pre-laminated opacifying assembly, the monitoring system being configured to vary a degree of opacity of the state-changing opacifying film.

7. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 6, wherein the monitoring system comprises a control electronic component or an electronic circuit configured to be connected to a connector of the state-change opacifying film.

8. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 1, comprising a heating element configured to defrost the at least one transparent protection element (3)-when the at least one transparent protection element is secured to the bonding material.

9. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 1, wherein the functional layer and the bonding material are secured together so as to generate a surface assembly having a slice defining an outer outline, the pre-laminated opacifying assembly comprising a seal attached on at least one portion of the slice.

10. A laminated opacifying glazing comprising a pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 1 and the at least one transparent protection element.

11. A method for manufacturing a pre-laminated opacifying assembly according claim 1, comprising the following steps: positioning the bonding material on at least one face of the functional layer, carrying out the first firing for securing the bonding material and the functional layer according to a firing temperature below a limit value so as to obtain a partial molecular entanglement of the bonding material.

12. The manufacturing method according to claim 11, wherein the limit value of the firing temperature is 100° C.

13. The manufacturing method according to claim 11, according to which the first firing is carried out under a vacuum comprised between 0 and -980 mbar or using a heating press configured to apply a pressure of up to one bar.

14. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 2, wherein the bonding material includes the functional layer.

15. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 14, wherein the bonding material comprises a transparent thermoplastic element.

16. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 15, wherein the functional layer comprises a state-changing opacifying film and a monitoring device disposed at least partially opposite the state-changing opacifying film.

17. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 16, wherein the monitoring device is comprised in a monitoring system of the pre-laminated opacifying assembly, the monitoring system being configured to vary a degree of opacity of the state-changing opacifying film.

18. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 17, wherein the monitoring system comprises a control electronic component or an electronic circuit configured to be connected to a connector of the state-change opacifying film.

19. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 18, comprising a heating element configured to defrost the at least one transparent protection element when the at least one transparent protection element is secured to the bonding material.

20. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly according to claim 19, wherein the functional layer and the bonding material are secured together so as to generate a surface assembly having a slice defining an outer outline, the pre-laminated opacifying assembly comprising a seal attached on at least one portion of the slice.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0060] The invention will be better understood with the aid of the detailed description that is disclosed hereinbelow with reference to the appended drawings.

[0061] [FIG. 1] is a schematic sectional view of a glazing comprising a pre-laminated opacifying assembly.

[0062] [FIG. 2] is a schematic sectional view of the glazing comprising the pre-laminated opacifying assembly when being mounted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] In the following detailed description of the figures defined hereinabove, same elements or the elements filling identical functions may keep the same reference numerals so as to simplify understanding of the invention.

[0064] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the pre-laminated opacifying assembly 1 is configured to cooperate with at least one transparent protection element 3, and in particular two transparent protection elements. The pre-laminated opacifying assembly 1 comprises a functional layer 5 having a degree of opacity adapted to be modified and a bonding material 7.

[0065] The at least one protection element 3 may be a pane, preferably made of glass, Alternatively, the transparent protection element 3 may be made of a synthetic material such as plastic.

[0066] The bonding material 7 is attached on each face 9 of the functional layer 5, the bonding material 7 being configured to cooperate with the transparent protection elements 3 so as to secure them to the functional layer 5.

[0067] The bonding material 7 is configured to melt according to determined temperature conditions. The bonding material 7 comprises a transparent thermoplastic element. The thermoplastic element has properties of thermal insulation and/or filtering of incident rays such as infrared and/or UV.

[0068] Each face 9 of functional layer 5 is configured to be disposed opposite a corresponding transparent protection element 3.

[0069] The functional layer 5 comprises a state-changing opacifying film 11 and a monitoring device 13, which may be a film or a thin element, disposed at least partially opposite the state-changing opacifying film 11.

[0070] The monitoring device 13 may comprise a touch-sensitive control 15 able to be used through the at least one transparent protection element 3. In other words, the touch-sensitive control 15 operates by manual interaction on the transparent protection element 3 opposite said touch-sensitive control 15. The monitoring device 13 may comprise a sensor 17, for example a brightness sensor.

[0071] The monitoring device 13 is comprised in a monitoring system 19 of the pre-laminated opacifying assembly 1, the monitoring system 19 being configured to vary a degree of opacity of the state-changing opacifying film 11.

[0072] The monitoring system 19 may comprise an electronic circuit 21 configured to be connected to a connector 23 of the state-changing opacifying film 11.

[0073] Alternatively, the connector 23 is configured to be connected to an outer element for varying the degree of opacity that is adapted to output variable supply power.

[0074] When present, the electronic circuit 21 is a printed circuit and the electronic circuit 21 comprises the monitoring device 13.

[0075] The monitoring device 13 may comprise a heating element 25 configured to defrost the corresponding transparent protection element 3. The monitoring device 13 may also comprise a lighting device 27, such as a LED, a diode, a phosphorescent element.

[0076] The monitoring device 13 may comprise an information display device 28. The information display device 28 comprises a screen, such as a flexible screen, or an electroluminescent display. The information display device 28 may be configured to be transparent in an idle operation mode or when turned off.

[0077] The monitoring device 13 may comprise a photovoltaic element 29 configured to capture an incident ray through at least one transparent protection element 3. The at least one photovoltaic element 29 is transparent.

[0078] The functional layer 5 and the bonding material 7 are secured together so as to generate a surface assembly 31. By surface assembly 31, it should be understood an assembly having a flat and/or curved shape, that is to say with a small thickness compared to its other dimensions.

[0079] The surface assembly 31 has a slice 33 defining an outer outline, the pre-laminated opacifying assembly 1 comprising a seal 35 attached on at least a portion of the slice 33, and in particular to the entire outline. The seal 35 comprises a synthetic polymer.

[0080] The monitoring system 19 may comprise an outer bonding element 37 passing through the seal 35, the outer bonding element 37 being configured to be connected to a power source 39 such as a battery or a current source.

[0081] The bonding material 7 includes the functional layer 5. In other words, the functional layer 5 is encapsulated in the bonding material 7, that is to say comprised in a matrix constituted by the bonding material 7.

[0082] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the pre-laminated opacifying assembly 1 is obtained by lamination, the lamination consisting of complexing and firing.

[0083] The bonding material 7 is configured to maintain adhesive properties for at least two firings so that a first firing secures the bonding material 7 and the functional layer 5 and a second firing secures the bonding material 7 and the transparent protection elements 3.

[0084] Thus, a laminated opacifying glazing 41 comprises the pre-laminated opacifying assembly 1 and the two transparent protection elements 3.

[0085] The two transparent protection elements 3 are assembled to the pre-laminated opacifying assembly 1 by lamination, that is to say complexing and firing. Thus, the pre-laminated opacifying assembly 1 may be easily secured to the transparent protection elements 3 during a second lamination following the manufacture of the pre-laminated opacifying assembly 1 without being necessary to add a new adhesive layer such as a layer of glue.

[0086] This arrangement allows the pre-laminated opacifying assembly 1 to be stored and/or transported before securing the transparent protection elements. It is therefore possible to produce initially pre-laminated opacifying assemblies 1 which may be delivered as such as semi-finished products.

[0087] More specifically, the bonding material 7 has an outer surface configured to cooperate with the transparent protection elements 3, the bonding material 7 comprising an outer portion extending from the outer surface.

[0088] The outer portion is configured to maintain its molecular arrangement during the first firing. The bonding material 7 should not undergo irreversible transformation at the level of the arrangement of its molecules.

[0089] In other words, during the first firing, the outer portion initiates a partial molecular entanglement with the aim of facilitating adhesion during the second firing. The outer portion corresponds to a determined thickness of bonding material extending from the outer surface towards the functional layer 5.

[0090] The exterior of the pre-laminated opacifying assembly has a granular and translucent appearance at the end of the first firing. This means that the bonding material is able to undergo the second firing to be secured to the at least one transparent protection element without adding a layer of glue.

[0091] The outer portion of the bonding material is configured to be further transformed during the second firing.

[0092] For the transport, a pre-laminated wrapped entity comprising a pre-laminated opacifying assembly and two protection layers attached on either side of the pre-laminated opacifying assembly on the outer surface, is produced.

[0093] The protection layers are metallic layers and in particular aluminum layers. The pre-laminated wrapped entity constitutes therefore a semi-finished product which may be stored and transported without risk of degradation.

[0094] With regard to the method of manufacturing the pre-laminated opacifying assembly 1 as described above, the following steps are carried out: positioning the bonding material 7 on the faces of the functional layer 5 and carrying out the first firing for securing the bonding material 7 and the functional layer 5 according to a firing temperature below 100° C.

[0095] The first firing is carried out under a vacuum comprised between 0 and -980 mbar or using a heating press configured to apply a pressure of up to one bar.

[0096] The vacuum is obtained by a vacuum bag. The press-firing may be carried out flat or according to a guide configured to impart an at least partially domed shape to the pre-laminated opacifying assembly.

[0097] It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the sole embodiment described hereinabove as example, it encompasses on the contrary all variants thereof.