LU86496A1 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MOLDING AN ELEMENT RELATED TO THE MARGINAL PART OF A GLAZING - Google Patents

Description

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The present invention relates to a method and a device for molding an insert on the marginal part of a glazing by the intervention of a mold.

For glazing intended for construction, and especially for glazing intended for the automobile, it is more and more required, for aesthetic or aerodynamic reasons, that the edges of the glazing follow contours whose profile or section are relatively complex. The production of complicated glassy profiles is very often very difficult from a technical point of view. On the other hand, the fixing of such glazing in the housing intended for them may, in this case, be precarious or very difficult to implement.

It is therefore advantageous to be able to associate with the glazing an added element, easier to conform, which will have or complete the requested shape or which will more easily ensure the fixing of the glazing in its housing. This added element can be used for example for decoration or to make a seal between the glazing and its support or to make an anchoring element. It will generally have the form of a frame which surrounds the edge of the glazing. It can completely wrap around the edge of the glazing including the marginal parts of each side of the glazing or it can include the marginal part of one side of the glazing and be flush with the other side.

The term "glazing", used in the present description, means a panel comprising at least one sheet of vitreous material. This term naturally includes a simple sheet of tempered glass or not, laminated glazing 30 made up of several sheets of glass laminated by means of an interlayer thermoplastic film such as PVB for example, but also glazing made up of at least one glass sheet laminated with a plastic sheet such as polycarbonate for example, or any other similar combination.

In the field of construction, it is sometimes necessary to associate the added element with anchoring parts t i% * 1Î 2.

for glazing. These can be carried out at the same time as the insert itself.

To apply an insert to a glazing, molds are used which define, at the desired locations, 5 cavities into which a polymeric-sand material is injected. French patent application No. 2,553,083 shows an example of such a mold which encloses all the glazing. The internal walls of the mold, between which the glazing is inserted, must have a shape complementary to the shape of the latter. The polymerizable material is injected under high pressure. On the other hand, the phenomena of polymerization and hardening in turn create a relatively high internal pressure. It is therefore necessary, in this known technique, to exert a significant force on the mold to seal the cavity and avoid overflowing of material.

Even in the case where the curing of the material intended to form the insert does not generate high internal pressure, it is nevertheless necessary to pressurize the curing material to ensure that it fills completely and correctly the mold cavity. A significant effort must therefore also be exerted on the mold to ensure its closure.

The main drawback of this known technique lies in the fact that many glass breakages are observed following excessive stresses in the glass, despite the presence, on the mold, of plastic parts to avoid any direct contact between glass and metal. The production costs are thus heavily burdened. 11 is particularly so for semi-finished glazing, that is to say glazing having already added value, field to which the invention applies more particularly.

This problem is even more acute in the case of curved glazing in one and more particularly in two planes. This is particularly the case for windshields or rear windows for motor vehicles.

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The main cause of this glass breakage essentially lies in the difficulty of giving the mold a shape correctly adapted to the shape of each glazing. Even for a given curvature, the glazings do not all have exactly the same shape. This may in particular vary within certain limits defined by the manufacturing tolerances of the glazing. When a force is exerted on the mold, the differences between the shape of this mold and that of the glazing generate local tensions which quickly become too great for the glass.

Furthermore, when it is desired to apply an insert to a glazing having a curvature other than the glazing previously treated, it is necessary, even if the shape is only slightly different, to change the mold to use a mold which is better adapted to the new type of glazing.

The object of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks at least in part.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for molding an insert on the marginal part of a glazing. the intervention of a mold, characterized in that the components of the mold which define the cavity of the latter are frame-shaped components which extend only over a marginal part of the glazing and in that at least the or the parts of these components which come into contact with the glazing are deformable in a direction normal to the face of the glazing so that they can, under the action of a force, adapt automatically, to a certain extent. tolerance, to localized deviations from the edge of the glazing with respect to a predetermined profile.

In this aspect, the present invention provides a number of advantages. In fact, since the components of the mold have the form of a frame, that is to say that they occupy only the periphery of the glazing, they are more easily adapted to glazings of different shapes but having roughly similar edges. Outside its marginal zone, the glazing can therefore pre- 1 J% ί 4.

feel central parts even very different from a determined shape without it being necessary to adapt the shape of the mold to avoid the creation of significant local tensions favoring breakage of the glazing.

5 On the other hand, as the parts of the mold which are in contact with the glazing are deformable, the mold can also adapt to slight variations in the shape of the edge compared to a predetermined shape. When the mold is pressed against the glazing, there is therefore less risk of generating local tensions detrimental to the integrity of the glazing, the deformable part or parts adapting to the edge of the glazing. In addition, by the fact that its components are in the form of a frame, therefore that they occupy only the periphery of the glazing, the mold thus has a small footprint and is therefore inexpensive.

The expression “shape of the glazing”, used in the present description, signifies the exact profile followed by the surface of the glazing at the place of application of the added element. This includes not only the possible curvature (s) which give the glazing the general appearance required by the use to be made of it, for example a windshield must have such a shape in order to be fitted to such a vehicle model, but also the deviations of the profile within the tolerance range fixed for the type of glazing envi-25 sage, as well as the variations in thickness of the glazing which slightly alter the profile of the glazing.

The components of the mold can be rigid as a whole except for the parts which come into contact with the glazing at the time of implementation. 30 Preferably, however, the components of the mold are fully deformable to allow them to adapt to the shape of the glazing. This is the most efficient way for the mold to adapt easily and correctly to the configuration of the edge of the glazing. It can thus be deformed much more than in the case where only certain parts are deformable. By adopting this particular embodiment of the invention according to its first I * * * <> 5.

aspect, the risk of breakage of the glazing during the molding operation is very greatly reduced because there are no local tensions generated too great by the fact that the mold easily follows the actual shape of the glazing. The mold 5 can therefore easily accommodate variations in the shape of the glazing contained in the manufacturing tolerances. In addition, only one material is thus necessary to produce the entire mold.

As regards the qualifier "deformable" 10 assigned to the components of the mold, it is understood that these components cannot deform to the point of substantially altering the cavity of the mold. It is indeed imperative that the insert has the desired section and profile following the molding operation, lb During the molding operation, it is necessary to apply a force on the mold to ensure the seal of the cavity and thus avoid any overflow of the material of the insert and / or to give the appropriate shape to the insert. This force can be applied by simply inserting the mold-glazing assembly into a hydraulic press, for example. Preferably, however, the said deformable part or parts are held against the glazing under the action of an external force exerted elastically. By exerting the force in an elastic manner, the deformable parts of the components of the mold will be able to deform more freely to adapt to the edge of the glazing and thus more effectively ensure sealing while avoiding creating local tensions harmful to the glazing integrity. This embodiment 30 also makes it possible to accommodate different glazings of slightly different shapes.

The Applicant has discovered that this way of exerting force on the mold to ensure in particular the sealing of the cavity was very advantageous independently of the fact that the components of the mold are or are not components in the form of chassis which extend only over a marginal part of the glazing.

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This is why / according to a second aspect, the invention provides a method for molding an element attached to the marginal part of a glazing, characterized in that at least the part or parts of the components defining the cavity of the mold, which come into contact with the glazing are held against the latter under the action of an external force exerted elastically and in that at least this or these parts are deformable to allow different sections around the mold cavity to be relatively movable relative to each other under the influence of this force.

In the method according to the second aspect of the invention, the external force which keeps the deformable parts against the glazing and seals the cavity is exerted elastically so that these deformable parts retain maximum mobility under the influence of this force which allows them to easily match the shape of the glazing. They can therefore not only deform by crushing of the material, which taken in isolation can generate tension gradients in the case of significant crushing, but also by modification of their shape, under the action of a bending force. for example. This process therefore has the important advantage of easily adapting to the actual shape of the glazing without creating in the latter local tensions detrimental to its integrity. It is thus possible to apply relatively large thrusts without risking breaking the glazing. In fact, the fact of exerting the force in an elastic manner cooperates with the deformation of the deformable part or parts to favorably distribute the tensions in the glazing and avoid excessive or dangerous tension gradients. The force is thus applied while leaving to the deformable parts a maximum degree of freedom to adapt correctly to the shape of the glazing.

The method according to the second aspect of the invention therefore considerably reduces the risk of glass breakage.

On the other hand, the plaintiff has found that, from

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surprisingly, one can easily form on the glazing an added element having a shape and dimensions which validly meet the tolerances in the matter by using a mold of which at least some parts, which define the cavity, are deformable.

According to a preferred form of implementation of the method according to the second aspect of the invention, the said deformable part or parts of the components of the mold are constituted by a sealing element to which the said force is applied directly so elastic. This embodiment makes it possible to act effectively from the point of view of sealing at the most delicate points of contact with the glazing. The mold can thus be made of a very resistant manner independently of the element of sealing. The latter may for example be constituted by a lip fixed to the mold or which one comes to apply against the latter under the action of the thrust. The force which keeps the mold closed can also be independent of the force exerted on the sealing element.

According to another preferred form of implementation of the method according to the second aspect of the invention, the components of the mold are entirely deformable to allow them to adapt to the shape of the edge of the glazing under the action of said force. resiliently exerted on the mold. This embodiment is very advantageous in that the entire mold can thus adapt to the glazing and easily and correctly match the shape of the latter. It is here the mold as a whole which adapts to the glazing and no longer the glazing which must adapt to the mold, which considerably reduces the risks of breakage of the glazing. Another advantage lies in the fact that the mold as a whole can thus consist of a single and same deformable material. It is therefore not necessary to provide a separate sealing element.

One of the important advantages of this embodiment is that the same mold can suit and adapt to variations in tolerances and even 1 J: 8.

in some cases with different forms of glazing, it being understood that the forms do not deviate too much from the same type of profile, without requiring the production of a large series of molds of different forms. Another advantage relates to demolding. Indeed, as the mold is flexible and fully deformable, it can be deformed to separate it more easily from the finished insert.

In addition, the same force can serve, in this case, as well to achieve the seal with the glazing as to 10 close the mold and seal between its various constituents.

The mold can of course, as is done in the prior art, enclose the entire glazing, that is to say that the mold defines a kind of box in which the glazing is inserted. Preferably, however, said mold components are chassis-shaped components which extend only over a marginal part of the glazing. The size of the mold is therefore limited to the definition of said cavity, that is to say that it will occupy only 20. glazing periphery, excluding central areas. The mold can thus more easily adapt to the glazing to be framed. This feature of the method according to the second aspect of the invention is also very interesting in that the mold is thus limited to this mistletoe is strictly necessary. One can easily perceive all the interest of this embodiment of the invention. Indeed, the manufacture of the mold is very greatly simplified and its cost price is therefore relatively low. The replacement of a used mold therefore does not entail significant costs. It is also therefore less expensive to have a series of molds intended to produce inserts of very varied shapes. In addition, the shape of the glazing, outside the receiving areas of the insert, has no influence on the constitution of the mold. 35 Indeed, the central zones of the glazing may be substantially different from a predetermined shape without requiring a special shape for the mold, provided that the "/ -.

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edges of the glazing conform to this predetermined shape.

The force can be exerted on the deformable part or parts in a discontinuous manner, that is to say for example by a series of localized thrusts. By way of example, mention may be made of the application of force by means of helical springs.

Preferably however, said force is exerted in the form of a thrust distributed continuously throughout the deformable part or parts. This procedure ensures a better distribution of the force exerted on the glazing and greatly reduces the risk of concentration of tensions detrimental to the integrity of the glazing. It also ensures better sealing of the cavity.

Preferably, to apply this continuously distributed thrust, said force is exerted by means of an increase in the pressure of a fluid being or introduced into a deformable container 20 which is in contact with the said one or more deformable parts of the mold components. It is a simple and very effective way to exercise a uniform push. In fact, the deformable container and the fluid easily adapt to any given shape and the pressure is thus distributed uniformly all along the contact surface with the glazing. This thrust is identical in all places of the deformable parts even when they have to modify their position to adapt to the glazing.

In this embodiment, water or oil or any other fluid which is suitable for pressurization can advantageously be used as the fluid. It should be noted of course that the choice of the fluid depends very much on the value of the force to be exerted, that is to say on the pressure to which the fluid will be brought. For very high pressures, for example, a liquid will generally be better suited than a gas. In many cases, however, the use of compressed air will be much preferred. It 1> '

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is indeed very easy to obtain in the factory and very practical to use, especially for pressurization and return to atmospheric pressure. The container can be a balloon for example. Preferably, however, said force is applied to the intervention of the deformation of at least one flexible pipe containing a fluid under pressure. The flexible hose is a convenient means of containing a fluid under pressure and it easily adapts to a determined route.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the said deformable part or parts consist of a deformable container in which there is a fluid which is pressurized to apply said force. This embodiment is advantageous because it simplifies the implementation of the invention. Indeed, the deformable parts simultaneously produce a container and the elastic application of the force can thus be simplified. The deformable parts also adapt more easily to the glazing.

Preferably, the mold is made of a synthetic resin. A synthetic resin mold is easy to manufacture and its cost can be relatively low. The components of the mold can for example be themselves produced by molding, in particular by injection. A mold made of synthetic resin does not risk scratching the glass. On the other hand, it can be easily self-demolding. For this, it suffices to use a synthetic resin which does not adhere to the hardenable material. this is an important advantage compared to the conventional steel mold, because for these it is necessary to use a release agent which is very tedious and expensive during operation. By way of example of a synthetic resin which is very suitable for producing the components of the mold according to the invention, mention may be made of PTFE or high density polyethylene.

Curable material may be present on the glazing before closing the mold and applying force. In this case, the push on the mold will force 1 ί Λ% * 11.

this material to fill the cavity. Preferably, however, curable material is injected under pressure into the cavity after the application of said force. This procedure allows better filling of the cavity and there is no need to determine in advance, as precisely, the exact amount of hardenable material that will be required. The invention is particularly advantageous, for example, for the injection method known as the "RIM process" (Reaction injection Molding) where two or more components are mixed and injected under pressure, as well as for the method of injection known as the "R-RIM process" for which a reinforcing material is added.

As curable material, for example, synthetic rubbers such as EPDM or thermoplastic resins such as PVC can be used. Preferably, however, polyurethane is used as the curable material. This material has the important advantage of being able to be injected under relatively low pressure and at fairly low temperatures, while forming cured inserts which are thermally and mechanically stable.

When it is desired to charge the curable material, hollow glass microspheres are preferably used. This technique makes it possible to obtain a better flow of the curable material and therefore a better filling rate of the cavity, as well as to improve the production rates. This also makes it possible to reduce the shrinkage of the curable material after demoulding, which improves the tolerance ranges for the manufacture of the insert. The use of hollow glass microspheres allows an adjustment of the mechanical properties of the insert while improving the fluidity of the hardenable material. It also makes it possible to lighten the raised element, this mistletoe is an important asset in the manufacture of motor vehicles.

According to its first aspect, the invention also includes 12.

"* · \ T a device for molding an element attached to the marginal part of a glazing, characterized in that it comprises at least one mold, the components of which, which define its cavity, are components in the form of frames which 5 extend only over a marginal part of the glazing, in that it comprises means for exerting a force and in that at least the part or parts of these components which, at the time of use, come into contact with the glazing are deformable in a direction normal to the face of the glazing so that they can, under the action of said force, automatically adapt, within a certain tolerance, to localized deviations from the edge of the glazing compared to a predetermined profile.

Such a device is advantageous in that it easily accommodates glazing whose central parts can be very different, provided that their edges are roughly similar, since the components of the mold are components in the form of frames which are extend only over a marginal part of the glazing. As in addition, the parts of these components which, at the time of use, come into contact with the glazing are deformable in a direction normal to the face of the glazing, this device will easily adapt to variations in the shape of the glazing in manufacturing tolerances without risking breaking them. This also means that it can even adapt to another type of glazing with similar edges but very different central parts, without the need to produce a new mold. On the other hand, the mold thus has a small footprint and is therefore inexpensive to produce. The reserve of different molds and the replacement of used molds therefore does not entail significant costs.

Preferably, the components of the mold are fully deformable. In this way, one and the same material can be used for the production of the mold as a whole. In addition, the device thus has a simpler and less expensive structure.

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Preferably, the means for exerting the force are elastic means in contact with the said deformable part (s) for resiliently exerting an external force on the latter. Thanks to this characteristic, the 5 deformable parts retain a certain mobility which allows them to easily marry the real shape of the glazing without creating significant local tensions detrimental to the integrity of the glazing. The device is thus very flexible from the point of view of the risk-free use of 10 broken windows.

This latter characteristic has been found intrinsically advantageous, which is why, according to its second aspect, the invention includes a device for molding an element attached to the marginal part of a glazing, characterized in that it comprises a part d 'rigid support, at least one mold, the components of which define a cavity and at least the part or parts of which, at the time of use, come into contact with the glazing are deformable and in that it comprises elastic means in con-20 tact with said deformable part (s) to elastically exert an external force on it (s) thereof, with the support piece as limiting support, so that it (s) can (s) freely adapt to the profile of the glazing edge while the force is exerted.

2b Such a device is advantageous compared to known devices in that it allows the parts of the mold in contact with the glazing to adapt to it without being partially immobilized by the application of the force which ensures the sealing. This considerably reduces the risk of glass breakage due to excessive localized stresses. This advantage is obtained by means of a simple and easy to make device.

According to a preferred embodiment of the device according to the second aspect of the invention, the said deformable part (s) of the mold are constituted by a sealing element against which the said elastic means for exerting force are arranged. This peculiarity r v v 4 14.

provides a simple means of sealing without risking damage to the glazing. The sealing element may for example consist of a simple fine blade of stainless steel or plastic, fixed or applied against the mold, b on which the elastic means act. It can also be an extension of the material of the mold itself.

According to another preferred embodiment of the device according to the second aspect of the invention, the components of the mold are entirely deformable and the said means for exerting force are placed against these components. A flexible and deformable mold as a whole easily adapts to wide shape tolerances under the action of elastic means. This embodiment of the device is especially advantageous in that a lb same mold can adapt to several forms of glazing without having to be disassembled and replaced by another mold better suited to the new type of glazing to be treated. The device is also simpler because the elastic means for exerting said force also ensure the closing of the mold. On the other hand, a flexible mold is easier to set up than a rigid mold.

The dimensions of the mold components can be, in a conventional manner, of the same order of magnitude as the dimensions of the glazing, that is to say slightly greater than these to enclose the glazing as a whole. Advantageously, however, the mold components are chassis-shaped components intended to occupy only the peripheral zone of the glazing. This special feature of the mold reduces the components of the mold to what is strictly necessary. The organs of the device which depend on the shape of the added element to be produced are thus reduced to the minimum necessary and require a minimum bulk. The set of different molds and the set of reserve molds therefore represent a low investment. In addition, the weight and the cost of the device are thus greatly reduced and handling is also facilitated.

In a preferred embodiment of the arrangement * 1 1 b.

tif according to the invention, the mold components include two shells which cooperate to define said mold cavity. It is a simple and practical way to make the mold that defines the desired cavity. It should be noted that 5 of the shells may have, at a given location, a protuberance intended to produce an element associated with the added element. For example, the mold which provides the frame for a windshield can thus simultaneously form the base of a rear-view mirror. In the same vein, in architec-10 ture, one can simultaneously form anchor pieces for the glazing.

The means for exerting force may include, for example, a series of helical springs, the length of which may depend, to some extent, on the shape of the glazing and their position relative thereto. Preferably, the means for exerting force comprise at least one deformable container which is in contact with the said deformable part or parts of the components of the mold and inside which is or is introduced a fluid 20 which is pressurized to exert said force. It is a simple and effective way of producing the elastic means intended to exert said force. The container can easily run along the entire force application surface and pressurizing a fluid is an operation easily carried out in the workshop. The fluid constitutes a very good elastic medium for applying and distributing in a homogeneous manner a push along a surface of any shape.

Said container or containers may consist of any suitable deformable container such as for example an elongated balloon applied along the deformable parts. Preferably, however, the deformable container or containers are flexible pipes inside which there is a pressurized fluid. The flexible pipe is still the simplest and most effective member for producing the container. It can easily be made to follow the desired path along the components of the mold and it is easy to * * 16.

/ connect to a fluid pressurization installation. The fluid may consist of a liquid, such as for example water or oil, or of a gas. The choice of the fluid depends of course on the pressure necessary for each particular case. Compressed air is a fluid that will work well for many application cases. It is very common in the workshop and very practical for pressurization and depressurization.

According to another preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the said deformable part or parts consist of a deformable container and the means for exerting said force comprise a fluid which fills or is introduced into this container and which is put under pressure to exert force. As the deformable parts 15 themselves consist of a deformable container which contains a fluid forming part of the elastic means for applying force, the device is simplified.

Preferably, the mold is made of a synthetic resin. It is easier to machine or mold a synthetic resin to give it an adequate shape. Such a mold is also lighter. If necessary, it is easier to make a flexible and deformable mold in a synthetic resin. Its manufacture is also less expensive.

One can provide in the mold a simple filling hole of the cavity. Advantageously, the device according to the invention has means for injecting under pressure a hardenable material into the cavity. This dispo-30 sitive is very effective in filling the cavity correctly and completely, even if it has a very complex shape. It is also a simple way to introduce the curable material.

The invention also extends to a glazing on the marginal part of which an insert is molded by a method as described above.

Preferred embodiments of the invention * t 17.

will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the main members of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of a second embodiment of a device according to the invention,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 10 but for a third embodiment of a device according to the invention.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the device according to the invention essentially comprises a support piece 1, a mold 2 and one or more deformable pipes 3 arranged on each side of the mold between the mold and the support piece. The flexible pipes 3 contain a fluid 4 such as for example compressed air. They consist for example of reinforced PVC. In this exemplary embodiment, the elastic means for applying the force 20 comprise the flexible pipes 3 and the fluid 4. It is optionally possible to place one or more spacers 9 serving as a guide for holding the flexible pipes 3 correctly in place. The support piece is formed by 6 mm thick steel sheets. A sheet is placed on each side of the mold and they are assembled by means of a fastening system 10, for example by means of bolts or clips, which hold them firmly together, but in a removable manner, to support the thrust of closing the mold. The components of the mold are chassis-shaped components, that is to say that they surround only the edge of the glazing, excluding the central part. They are fully deformable and they include a lower shell 5 and an upper shell 6 which cooperate to produce the desired cavity 7. The shells 5 and 6 are made of synthetic resin such as for example PTFE.

To apply an element added to a glazing 8 consisting for example of a thermally toughened windshield, * r 18.

we proceed as follows. The glazing 8 is inserted between the lower and upper shells 5 and 6 of the mold 2. The shape of the added element to be produced is thus completely defined. The support piece is held firmly assembled by clips. Compressed air is injected into the pipes 3 at a pressure of around 10 bar. Polyurethane, maintained at about 60 to 70 ° C, is injected through a suitable injection hole in the mold, under a pressure of about b bar. One can for example jointly inject two or more components which react chemically in the cavity to constitute the polyurethane or one can inject a liquid prepolymer or a thermoplastic polyurethane which is softened under the action of heat. To improve the fluidity of the injected hardened material, hollow glass microspheres were added.

The polyurethane is left to harden and cool for a few minutes. The compressed air pressure is released. The support piece is moved aside and the glazing unit 20 provided with its added 'element thus produced is removed from the mold. Demolding is facilitated by the fact that the mold is flexible and that the material of the mold does not adhere to the polyurethane.

As the sealing and closing thrust of the mold is applied by means of the flexible hoses and the compressed air and the mold is deformable, the latter easily adapts to the actual shape of the glazing. By proceeding in this way to produce several series of windshields for motor vehicles, no glass breakage was found, whereas glass breakage was frequent when proceeding according to the prior art.

As a variant, the internal walls of the mold were coated and delimit the cavity with a paint which facilitates release from the mold and which is found on the finished insert to protect it from ultraviolet rays. The edges of the glazing can also be coated with an adhesive agent or an adhesive to increase the adhesion of the element attached to the glazing.

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In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the components of the mold 12 are rigid components, but the parts of the mold which contact the glass are deformable and consist of sealing elements 13 5 having the. shape of lips. These elements seal the cavity 17 of the mold relative to the glazing. In this figure only one mold shell has been shown. The glazing 18 is a laminated sheet comprising a glass sheet 19 and a polycarbonate sheet 20 laminated with an adhesive. A flexible pipe 14 containing compressed air 15 provides the elastic means of applying the force by bearing on the element 16 fixed relative to the support piece 11. The sealing element is thus held against the glazing 18 by an elastically exerted force 15 which allows it to properly match the shape of the glazing.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the deformable part of the mold is constituted by a hollow sealing element 21 into which is injected com-20 award-winning air 22 to exert force. In this figure only one shell of the mold has been shown. The glazing 23 is, for example, a laminated windshield comprising two sheets of glass 24 and 25 · laminated together using a sheet of PVB 26. In this case also, the parts of the mold which contact the glass can easily adapt to the shape of the glazing under the action of pressure without creating significant local tensions in the glazing.

Claims (29)

1. Method for molding an element attached to the marginal part of a glazing by the intervention of a mold, characterized in that the components of the mold which define the cavity of the latter are components in the form of b chassis which s 'extend only over a marginal part of the glazing and in that at least the part or parts of these components which come into contact with the glazing are deformable in a direction normal to the face of the glazing so that they can, under the action of a force, automatically adapting, within a certain tolerance, to localized deviations from the edge of the glazing with respect to a predetermined profile. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the components of the mold are entirely deformed in order to allow them to adapt to the shape of the glazing. 3. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the said deformable part or parts are held against the glazing under the action of an external force exerted elastically. 4. Method for molding an element attached to the marginal part of a glazing, characterized in that at least the part or parts of the components defining the mold cavity, which come into contact with the glazing are held against the latter under the action of an external force 25 exerted elastically and in that at least this or these parts are deformable to allow different sections around the mold cavity to be movable relatively with respect to each other under the influence of this strength. 5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the said deformable part (s) of the components of the mold consist of a sealing element on which said force is applied directly in an elastic manner. 6. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the components of the mold are fully deformed "sl 21. 'e blés to allow them to adapt to the shape of the edge of the glazing under the action of said force exerted resiliently on the mold. 7. Method according to one of claims 4 to 6, b characterized in that said mold components are components in the form of a frame which extend only over a marginal part of the glazing. 8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said force is exerted in the form of a thrust distributed continuously throughout the deformable part or parts. 9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that said force is exerted by means of an increase in the pressure of a fluid being or introduced into a deformable container which is in contact with said one or more deformable parts of the mold components. 10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that said force is applied to the intervention of the deformation of at least one flexible pipe containing a fluid under pressure. 11. Method according to one of claims 1 or 4, characterized in that the said deformable part (s) consist of a deformable container in which there is a fluid which is pressurized to apply said force. 12. Method according to one of claims there 11, characterized in that the mold consists of a synthetic resin. 13. Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that curable material is injected under pressure into the cavity after the application of said force. 14. The method of claim 13, characterized in that polyurethane is used as curable material. 15. Method according to one of claims 13 or 'ft V. ·. i '*' 22. 14, characterized in that hollow glass microspheres are used as filler for the hardenable material. 16. Device for molding an element attached to the marginal part of a glazing, characterized in that it comprises at least one mold, the components of which, defining its cavity, are components in the form of frames which extend only on a marginal part of the glazing, in that it comprises means for exerting a force and in that at least the part or parts of these components which, at the time of use, come into contact with the glazing deformable in a direction normal to the face of the glazing so that they can, under the action of said force, automatically adapt, within a certain tolerance, to localized deviations from the edge of the glazing with respect to a predetermined profile. 17. Device according to claim 16, characterized in that the components of the mold are fully deformable. 18. Device according to one of claims 16 or 20 17, characterized in that the means for exerting the force are elastic means in contact with the said deformable part (s) to elastically exert an external force on it (s) . 19. Device for molding an element attached to the marginal part of a glazing, characterized in that it comprises a rigid support piece, at least one mold, the components of which define a cavity and of which at least the part or parts which, at the time of use, come into contact with the glazing are deformable and in that it comprises elastic means in contact with the said deformable part or parts to elastically exert an external force on it (s) , with the supporting piece as the limiting support, so that it can be freely adapted to the profile of the glazing edge while the force is exerted. 20. Device according to claim 19, characterized in that the said deformable part or parts of the mold 'Jt *' <* 23. are constituted by a sealing element against which the said elastic means are arranged to exert the force. 21. Device according to claim 19, character-ized in that the components of the mold are fully deformable and in that the said means for exerting force are placed against these components. 22. Device according to one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that the components of the mold are components in the form of a frame intended to occupy only the peripheral zone of the glazing. 23. Device according to one of claims 16 to 22, characterized in that the components of the mold comprise two shells which cooperate to define said mold cavity. 24. Device according to one of claims 16 to 23, characterized in that the means for exerting force comprise at least one deformable container which is in contact with the said deformable part (s) of the mold components and at inside which is located or is introduced a fluid which is pressurized to exert said force. 25. Device according to claim 24, characterized in that the deformable container or containers are flexible pipes inside which there is a pressurized fluid. 26. Device according to one of claims 16 or 19, characterized in that the said deformable part or parts consist of a deformable container and in that the means for exerting said force comprise a fluid which fills or is introduced into this container and mistletoe is pressurized to exert force. 27. Device according to one of claims 16 to 26, characterized in that the mold consists of a synthetic resin. 28. Device according to one of claims 16 to 27, characterized in that it has means for injecting 24. L> Λ-Λ * under pressure a hardenable material in the cavity. 29. Glazing on the marginal part of which an added element is molded by a method according to one of claims 1 to 15.