WO2020025898A1

WO2020025898A1 - Method and installation for priming window glass by pad printing using a water-based solvent

Info

Publication number: WO2020025898A1
Application number: PCT/FR2019/051875
Authority: WO
Inventors: Margaux JOUVE; Christophe Kleo; Keihann Yavari
Original assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
Priority date: 2018-07-31
Filing date: 2019-07-30
Publication date: 2020-02-06
Also published as: CN110972469B; CN110972468A; CN110972469A; CN110972468B; FR3084663B1; EP3829889A1; WO2020025897A1; EP3829888A1; FR3084663A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an installation for manufacturing window glass (1), comprising at least one seal portion and/or at least one window-glass accessory, said method comprising a preparatory operation before the seal portion and/or the accessory is brought into contact with said surface of the window glass (1), said preparatory operation comprising a priming step involving applying a primer fluid (4) to a surface of the window glass or to a surface of the seal portion and/or of the accessory in order to form a layer of primer which will be in direct contact with said seal portion and/or said accessory, said primer fluid (4) being contained in a reservoir and comprising a water-based solvent.

Description

METHOD AND INSTALLATION FOR PRIMING GLAZING BY TAMPOGRAPHY USING A WATER-BASED SOLVENT

The invention relates to the field of priming glazing and in particular to the field of priming glazing for vehicles.

The invention relates more particularly to a method of mass production of vehicle glazing, that is to say of large bend (at least 0.2 m ² ), for which it is desired to operate a partial priming , that is to say not covering the entire surface of the glazing.

When a glazing unit must be provided with a seal portion and / or an accessory, so that the material of the joint or the accessory adheres correctly to the glazing a priming layer is deposited either on a surface of the glazing, or on a surface of the seal portion or accessory.

The surfaces on the one hand of the glazing and on the other hand of the seal or of the accessory not being compatible, in particular when this seal or this accessory is made of plastic, so that the material of the seal or of the accessory adheres correctly to the glazing, the priming layer will thus promote this adhesion. It is therefore an adhesion primer; It is therefore an adhesion primer; it is not a layer having optical properties, and a fortiori not an optical layer over the entire surface, since an adhesion primer is applied only where there will be a portion of joint and / or a accessory to adhere to and is intended to be hidden in the final glazing, since it is applied in direct contact with the seal portion and / or the accessory.

The priming operation thus consists in depositing a layer of priming fluid either on the surface of the glazing which will accommodate the seal portion or the accessory or either on the surface of the seal portion or of the accessory that will be disposed against the adjacent surface of the glazing. An activator or an accelerator or even a heat supply is also sometimes used to activate or accelerate this adhesion or a layer of adhesive is interposed between the priming layer deposited on a surface of the joint portion or of the accessory and the adjacent glazing surface. A known method of the prior art consists in applying the priming fluid using a felt soaked in priming fluid by impregnation either manually by a human operator using a manual felt holder, or automatically by using a robot fitted with a support receiving the felt soaked in priming fluid.

It is also known from international patent application WO 2009/053583 a priming method by pad printing comprising a preparation operation comprising a priming step consisting in applying a priming fluid to a glazing surface to form a priming layer intended for be in direct contact with the joint portion. In this method, the priming step is carried out by pad printing by placing the priming fluid on a pad. This pad is then applied to the glazing surface. Compared to the method consisting in applying the priming fluid using a felt, the priming method by pad printing makes it possible to obtain a priming layer having a constant average thickness. It also improves the adhesion obtained by obtaining a priming layer in relief, thus increasing the contact surface with the joint portion and ultimately makes it possible to increase the precision of removal.

One of the drawbacks of the priming process by pad printing described in the international patent application WO 2009/053583 is that it uses a priming fluid containing a solvent presenting risks for the health of the operators intervening on the production means implementing the process. In fact, the priming fluid may contain an alcohol-based solvent, which is flammable and irritant, a solvent of the methyl ethyl ketone type, commonly called MEK, or a solvent of the toluene type, the latter two solvents being known for EHS risks (Environment, Health and Safety) that they present. Thus, the priming fluid is contained in a closed tank, also called an inkwell, so that the solvent does not evaporate into the ambient air of the environment surrounding the means of production. The closed tank has a seal, also called a ring, made of ceramic in order to ensure that it is sealed from the outside and thus does not contaminate the ambient air with the solvent contained in the fluid. priming. The ceramic seal, by nature, has relatively large dimensions very short, and its overall length can hardly be more than 25 cm. Consequently, the closed tank also has small dimensions since it is dependent on the dimensions of the ceramic seal. Thus, the priming process by pad printing does not make it possible to treat a large area of glazing in a single cycle. This process can at most treat a surface having a length of 250 mm. In this case, it is necessary to perform several cycles, thus lengthening the production time.

The present invention intends to remedy this drawback of the prior art by proposing a priming process by pad printing making it possible to treat large areas of glazing, to reduce production time and to limit EHS risks. The subject of the invention is therefore a method of manufacturing a glazing unit according to claim 1. It is a method of mass production of preferably vehicle glazing, in particular curved glazing, comprising at least a seal portion and / or at least one glazing accessory, said seal portion and / or said accessory adhering to at least one surface of said glazing and said method comprising a preparation operation before bringing the seal portion into contact, and / or of the accessory against said surface of the glazing, said preparation operation comprising a priming step consisting in applying a priming fluid to a surface of the glazing or to a surface of the seal portion and / or of the accessory for forming a priming layer which will be in direct contact with said joint portion and / or said accessory, said priming step being operated by pad printing by placing said priming fluid on a n pad having a silicone application face, and then applying directly or indirectly said application face on said surface of the glazing or on said surface of the seal portion and / or of the accessory, said priming fluid being contained in a tank and comprising a water-based solvent.

Preferably, said application face is applied indirectly to said surface of the glazing or to said surface of the seal portion and / or of the accessory, with the interposition of a woven element, that is to say with a pattern repeated on the surface and which is perforated over the entire thickness of the woven element, between said application face and a surface concerned by the application. It is possible in particular to provide a single woven element for a single pad and for a series of glazing and to provide that one (or more) part (s) of this woven element is full (s), i.e. - say not perforated over its thickness, so as not to allow the deposition of primer in this (these) part (s) when the pad is applied to the glazing.

Said priming fluid preferably does not contain an organic-based solvent, in particular no alcohol-based or aromatic-based solvent; this solvent thus has a very low harmfulness for the surrounding medium.

Thus, during the application of the pad comprising the priming fluid on the surface which must be provided with this fluid (surface to be primed), all the priming fluid provided by the pad is deposited on this surface and after this application, it there is no more priming fluid on the tampon (so to speak because it is not excluded to be able to note the presence of microdroplets) and the immediate environment is preserved.

The use of a priming fluid containing a solvent with very low harmfulness to the surrounding environment allows, in particular, the use of production means comprising an open tank in order to treat glazing having large dimensions. Means of production of this nature also have the capacity to process glazing of small dimensions. Such a priming fluid can also be used in production means comprising a closed tank. It is thus possible to use various means of production during the treatment of glazing.

Said priming fluid preferably has:

- on the one hand, a surface tension equal to or less than 25 mN / m, and preferably equal to or less than 23 mN / m; this surface tension preferably being greater than 5 mN / m;

- And on the other hand a viscosity between 10 and 200 mPa.s, or between 10 and 100 mPa.s, or even between 10 and 50 mPa.s, and preferably between 15 and 40m Pa.s; this viscosity preferably being still between 20 and 30 mPa.s.

Said priming fluid can be chosen such that it has a viscosity varying from 23 mPa.s ± 2 mPa.s to 15 mPa.s ± 2 mPa.s for a temperature varying from + 10 ° C to + 40 ° C, that is to say a viscosity which decreases in a value range fairly easy to master in the workshop. Thus, it is possible to control the ease of application of the fluid as a function of the ambient temperature of the workshop where the process is implemented.

The application surface of the tampon is not porous, it serves as a temporary support for the displacement of the quantity of priming fluid necessary for producing the priming layer.

Obviously, the priming fluid is not pure water, otherwise it would not be a priming fluid but water; the priming fluid comprising a water-based solvent preferably consists of less than 50% water (in molecular percentage).

By contacting the seal portion and / or the accessory against the surface of the glazing, it is of course to be understood an indirect contacting since the priming layer is interposed between on the one hand the surface of the glazing possibly covered an opaque layer and / or possibly a layer of adhesive and on the other hand the joint portion and / or the accessory. This priming layer is itself in direct contact with on the one hand the surface of the glazing or, where appropriate, with the opaque layer, or even with a layer of adhesive on the surface of the glazing or on the opaque layer and on the other hand the seal portion and / or the accessory.

By application within the meaning of the present invention is meant that the tampon undergoes a translational movement when it is applied against the surface to be primer.

This application can also be carried out indirectly by subjecting the glazing or the joint portion or the accessory to a translational movement in order to apply the surface to be primed against the pad.

It is thus possible to form a pattern, in relief, that is to say in three dimensions, in the priming layer, this pattern preferably being reproduced several times, so that when this pattern is inscribed in a circle of diameter equal to 10 mm or a side square equal to 10 mm, the pattern does not occupy the entire surface of this circle or respectively of this square. This relief increases the contact surface with the elements on each side of the priming layer.

The priming layer is thus perforated voluntarily and in a manner which reproduces from one glazing to another or from a portion of seal or from a accessory to the other, in particular inside a series of identical glazings.

The application of the priming fluid to the tampon is preferably carried out after having previously pressed said tampon against a plate coated with priming fluid: this is the step of transferring the priming fluid from the plate to the tampon; Most of the priming fluid previously contained in the plate and necessary for the creation of the priming layer is transferred to the buffer.

The coating of the priming fluid plate, during which the quantity necessary for the production of a priming layer is deposited in the plate, is preferably carried out during the application of the pad on the surface of the glazing to be primer or on the surface to be primed of the joint portion and / or of the accessory, in order to save time.

The coating of the photograph can in particular be carried out by passing over a closed reservoir containing priming fluid.

Preferably, said priming fluid is contained in an open tank, thus leaving said priming fluid in contact with the ambient air.

More preferably, said priming fluid is brought to said plate by means of a translating blade from said open tank to said plate.

Advantageously, an excess of priming fluid is scraped by said blade and / or by a secondary blade when returning to said open tank.

Preferably, after said preparation operation:

said portion of seal and / or said accessory is formed by extrusion of plastic material on said surface of the glazing or

said portion of seal and / or said accessory is formed by encapsulation of plastic material on said surface of the glazing or

said portion of seal and / or said accessory is applied, preformed, on said surface of the glazing and glued to said surface, optionally by interposing a layer of adhesive between on the one hand the priming layer of the portion of seal or accessory and on the other hand the surface of the glazing.

It is also possible to apply heat to activate or increase the effect of the priming layer. It is possible in particular to provide heat through the woven element, for example when it is based on copper fiber.

Furthermore, it is possible that during said preparation operation, said pad is applied several times against the surface of the glazing, in different places, to form several portions of priming layer in different places.

It is also possible that during said preparation operation, said pad is applied several times, each time against a surface of a different joint portion and / or a surface of a different accessory, in order to allow the glazing to be provided with several portions of seal and / or of several accessories.

A glazing accessory within the meaning of the invention may generally consist of any element, of any material, positioned by extrusion, encapsulation or bonding against a glazing and requiring a layer to promote adhesion to cooperate properly with the glazing surface possibly coated with a layer of glue. This accessory can consist in particular of a base for / for:

- positioning and / or fixing pin,

- rear-view mirror, and in particular interior mirror,

- sensor (rain, light, ...),

- element allowing the mobility of the glazing: movable lateral glazing clip (holder in English), hinge and in particular hinge of quarter window, rail and in particular sunroof rail, ...

The invention also relates to the manufacturing installation for implementing the manufacturing method according to the invention.

This installation for manufacturing glazing, in particular curved glazing, comprising at least one portion of seal and / or at least one glazing accessory, said seal portion and / or said accessory adhering to at least one surface of said glazing, comprises at least one device for preparing said glazing before bringing the seal portion and / or the accessory into contact with said glazing surface, said device comprising means for operating priming and making it possible to apply a priming fluid on a surface of the glazing or on a surface of the seal portion and / or of the accessory to form a priming layer which will be in direct contact with said seal portion and / or said accessory.

The device for the preparation of said glazing is automatic, that is to say that it is managed by an automaton.

The installation is remarkable in that said device comprises at least one pad having a silicone application face, movable between an application position in which said application face is in contact with the surface of the glazing or with the surface. of the seal portion and / or of the accessory and a recharging position in which said application face is in direct or indirect contact with a reserve of priming fluid, said priming fluid comprising a solvent based on 'water.

In the application position the movable pad is not in contact with the priming fluid reserve and in the refill position the movable pad is not in contact with the surface of the glazing or the surface of the seal portion and / or the accessory.

Said application face may be in direct or indirect contact with the surface of the glazing or with the surface of the seal portion and / or of the accessory.

Preferably, said application face is in indirect contact with the surface of the glazing or with the surface of the seal portion and / or of the accessory since a woven element is located under said application face of the pad while being fixed. to the tampon.

In a variant, in the recharging position, the indirect contact between the buffer and the reserve of priming fluid is effected by means of a plate.

This photograph preferably comprises an openwork grid and which has a pattern, preferably reproduced several times, so that when this pattern is inscribed in a circle C of diameter equal to 10 mm or a side square equal to 10 mm , the pattern does not occupy the entire surface of this circle or respectively of this square.

This opening in particular makes it possible to prevent the priming fluid from being expelled beyond the edges of the pad when the latter is pressed against the plate. This grid preferably comprises a plurality of studs arranged on a bottom, the studs having a circular, oval or polygonal section, this section being constant or tapering in the opposite direction to the bottom, and the studs being possibly open to their end opposite the bottom.

These studs preferably have a diameter of between 1 mm and 10 mm including these values and a height h of between 20 μm and 2 mm including these values.

In a particular variant, at least two studs on the plate are joined using a bridge. The junction between the pads then provides an additional contact surface with the pad.

The pad preferably has a similar shape in two or even three dimensions to that of the surface of the glazing or of the surface of the seal portion and / or of the accessory.

The plate preferably has a shape similar in two or even three dimensions to that of the surface of the glazing or of the surface of the seal portion and / or of the accessory.

The priming layer preferably has a shape similar in two or even three dimensions to that of said plate and / or of said woven element.

The priming device also preferably includes a coating system for coating the plate with priming fluid.

This coating system preferably comprises a tank movable on the surface of a strip supporting the plate and in contact with this surface by means of a ceramic or metal or metal alloy seal. When the joint is made of metal or metal alloy, it has preferably undergone a surface treatment to harden it.

The plate can be produced in particular by etching, and in particular by chemical etching or laser etching, of the strip which supports it.

Preferably, the priming fluid is contained in an open tank, thus leaving said priming fluid in contact with the ambient air.

Alternatively, the installation comprises a blade translating from said open tank to said plate allowing said priming fluid to be brought to said plate. More preferably, said blade and / or a secondary blade scrapes off the excess priming fluid during the return to said open reservoir.

Finally, the invention relates to the use of a pad printing device, and in particular an automatic device, that is to say managed by an automaton, to carry out at least one step of priming a surface of a glazing or of a surface of a portion of seal and / or glazing accessory, in particular for curved glazing, for applying a priming layer on the surface of said glazing which will be in direct contact with at least one portion of seal and / or at least one accessory or to apply a priming layer on the surface of the seal portion and / or of the accessory and make it possible to adhere this seal portion and / or this accessory to said surface of the glazing, by arranging a priming fluid comprising a solvent with very low harmfulness to the surrounding medium on a pad and then applying said pad to said surface of the glazing or to the surface of the seal portion and / or of the accessory.

The details and advantageous features of the invention appear from the following nonlimiting examples, illustrated with the aid of the attached figures:

Figure 1 illustrates a vertical sectional view of a vehicle windshield installed in a vehicle body bay, the windshield being equipped with a peripheral seal and a base for an interior mirror, the cut being made at this base;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a priming device comprising a closed priming fluid reservoir according to the invention;

Figure 3 illustrates a rear partial cross-sectional view of the priming device of Figure 2;

Figures 4 to 8 schematically illustrate the operating cycle of an example of a priming device comprising a closed priming fluid reservoir according to the invention implementing the priming method according to the invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates a sectional and perspective view of an example of extrusion of a seal on a glazing unit comprising a priming layer according to the invention; FIG. 10 illustrates a sectional view of an example of encapsulation of a seal on a glazing unit comprising a priming layer according to the invention;

Figure 11 illustrates a perspective view of a pattern of a plate grid;

Figures 12 and 13 illustrate a first embodiment of a pattern of a priming layer according to the invention respectively in top view and in perspective view, said layer having been obtained by the implementation of the illustrated grid in Figure 11;

FIG. 14 illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of a pattern of a priming layer according to the invention, seen from above;

FIG. 15 illustrates a third embodiment of a pattern of a priming layer according to the invention, seen from above;

FIG. 16 illustrates a section of a glazing according to the invention which has undergone an operation of extrusion of a portion of seal, this portion of seal having been removed and revealing the priming layer;

Figures 17 to 19 illustrate an alternative implementation using an open tank;

FIG. 20 illustrates a woven element tampon which is soaked or coated with priming fluid for indirect application of priming fluid;

Figure 21 illustrates a perspective view of a woven element tampon;

Figure 22 illustrates an exploded view of a woven element tampon; and

FIG. 23 illustrates a perspective view of a glazing unit having a surface comprising priming fluid after application of a woven element pad.

In these figures, the proportions between the thicknesses of the different elements and of the different layers are not strictly observed in order to facilitate their reading. In the context of the manufacturing method according to the invention, a glazing 1, such as the curved windshield of a motor vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1, is provided with a seal portion 2 formed of a plastic material during a formation or application operation of the seal portion on the glazing which will be detailed later.

The glazing 1 is also provided with a glazing accessory 2 ′ here consisting of a plastic base to allow the fixing by clipping of an interior mirror, but this base could also be a base forming part of the mirror. This base could also be made of a material other than a plastic and in particular could be made of metal or a metal alloy.

This glazing is thus intended to allow to close a bay formed in a vehicle body 7.

Both the seal portion and the accessory must adhere respectively to at least one surface 10, 10 ′ of said glazing 1 which is not a complete face of the glazing, but a portion of the face.

The surface 10 is located on one or on the two main faces of the glazing, that is to say on the inner face 11 and / or on the outer face 12 of the glazing, as well as possibly on the edge 13 of the glazing. This surface is generally, for vehicle glazing, near the peripheral edge of the glazing and often occupies the entire peripheral edge of the glazing. In FIG. 1, the surface 10 is located only on the edge of the internal face 11. The surface 10 ’is also located on the inner face 11 of the glazing.

Often, the edge of the glazing is provided with an opaque layer 14 which makes it possible to mask the internal part of the joint portion from the outside view and to protect this joint portion from solar radiation and in particular from the action of ultraviolet rays. .

When this opaque layer is present, it can be considered that the glazing surface to which the joint portion and / or the accessory must adhere integrates this opaque surface.

For the intended application, the glazing 1 can be a monolithic glazing or a laminated glazing.

The seal portion 2 illustrated here is a peripheral portion, formed by extrusion over the entire peripheral edge of the inner face 11 of the glazing, on the surface 10 which is itself present all along this peripheral edge.

This portion of seal 2 has, as can be seen in more detail in Figure 9, a base 21 disposed on the inner face of the glazing, two wings 22, 23 extending towards the interior of the vehicle, these wings being intended to allow to contain a bead of glue 24 which will stick the seal against the adjacent body portion 7. The joint portion also has a lip 25 extending beyond the edge 13 of the glazing and coming into contact with the bodywork by turning towards the outside of the vehicle. The seal portion also has a wire 26 making it easier to cut the seal portion to allow the glazing to be removed from the body, in particular to change it if it is broken.

The operation of forming or applying the seal portion 2 and / or the accessory 2 ’to the glazing will be detailed later. However, before this step, the method of manufacturing the glazing comprises an operation of preparing the glazing before bringing said plastic material into contact with the seal portion or the accessory with said surface 10, 10 'to which this material must adhere.

This preparation operation comprises a priming step consisting in applying a priming fluid 4 to said surface 10, 10 ’in the form of a priming layer 40, 40’. The priming fluid comprises a solvent with very low harmfulness to the surrounding environment. By very low harmfulness is meant a solvent which does not present a major risk for safety, such as for example a non-flammable solvent, or for the health of the operator implementing the process. A water-based solvent is an example of a solvent with very low harmfulness. For example, the priming fluid used has the characteristics of a surface tension of around 23 mN / m ± 2 mN / m and a viscosity of around 23 mPa.s ± 2 mPa.s (Brookfield viscosity at 20 ° C). The viscosity varies from 23 mPa.s to 15 mPa.s for a temperature varying from + 10 ° C to + 40 ° C.

In the context of the example in FIG. 1, the layer 40 is deposited directly on the opaque layer 14. According to the invention, the priming step is carried out by pad printing, using a pad printing device 3 of the type of that illustrated in FIG. 2.

During the priming step, the priming fluid 4 is temporarily placed on the application face 55 of a tampon 5 then this application face 55 of the tampon 5 is applied to said surface 10, 10 ′ which must be covered priming fluid. This allows the transfer of the priming fluid and this makes it possible to form a priming layer 40, 40 ’having a pattern.

The device 3 is automatic, that is to say is managed by an automaton and a touch screen 30 for management and control makes it possible to program the automaton and to control its correct operation.

This automaton optimizes the movements and the time required for each movement in order to allow the priming fluid to be deposited as quickly as possible after impregnating the buffer.

It includes means for operating the priming and making it possible to apply a priming fluid 4 to said surface 10, 10 'to form the priming layer 40, 40' which is then in direct contact with said portion of seal 2 and / or with said accessory 2 ').

These means consist of a pad 5 having an application face 55 and movable between an application position in which this application face 55 is in contact with said surface 10, 10 'and a recharging position in which this application face 55 is in contact with a reserve 34 of priming fluid 4.

The application position, operated in the foreground is visible in Figure 2, while the charging position, operated in the background is not visible in Figure 2.

In the recharging position, the contact between the buffer 5 and the priming fluid reserve 4 is an indirect contact, operated by means of a plate 6.

The movements of the buffer 5 are carried out thanks to a set of pneumatic cylinders, or preferably thanks to a set of electric motors and transmission means in order to increase the precision of the displacements and the time necessary for these displacements, this assembly being managed and controlled by the automaton.

The pad 5 has a lower application face 55 which has a configuration very close in two, and preferably here in three, dimensions of that of the surface 10. The shape of the pad and that of the glazing have been exaggerated here in order to better illustrate their resemblance.

Either pad 5 is made entirely of antistatic silicone, or it is only its lower application surface 55 which is made of antistatic silicone.

The use of an antistatic silicone makes it possible to favor the temporary adhesion of the priming fluid and to avoid the formation of primary wires by a phenomenon of static electricity.

It was completely unexpected that a silicone application face 55 could temporarily load on the surface with an aqueous-based priming fluid because silicone is known to be hydrophobic.

A plausible explanation is that the technique works because the priming fluid is not only water but is water based; the presence of elements other than water in the priming fluid is sufficient to allow temporary loading of the application face 55 and to allow its unloading on the surface to be primed.

The silicone of the application face 55 is preferably a saturated silicone, that is to say a silicone without non-crosslinked particles, so that this face retains its cohesion as it is used.

The device 3 thus comprises, in addition to the buffer 5 and mechanisms making it possible to move it between its two positions, a support 31 for accommodating the glazing 1 and a base 32 on which a strip 60 is disposed on the surface of which the plate is produced. 6. The strip also rests on a plate fixed to the device 3 in a removable manner, in order to be able to change the strip when the configuration of the glazing changes.

The glazing 1 thus rests by its outer face 12 on the support 31 so that the inner face 11, exposed upwards, is free. For the treatment of the outer face 12, the glazing 1 in this case rests by its inner face 11 on a support so that the outer face 12, exposed upwards, is free. The device 3 further comprises a system for cleaning the underside of the pad 5 by means of a cleaning veil 50. Regularly, the pad 5 is applied against a veil stretched between a distributor roller 51 and a receiving roller 51 'and against a bearing surface 52, in order to deposit on this veil the surplus of priming fluid 4 which is on its surface .

Plate 6 is a relief pattern produced in a thick metallic sheet, called strip 60, this sheet being engraved by chemical etching, or laser engraving, in order to form a background and a pattern in relief relative to this background. The engraving can be likened to a grid, as explained below. The etching is carried out in hollow relative to the surface (here the upper surface) of the strip 60.

FIGS. 4 to 8 schematically illustrate an example of different phases making it possible to carry out the priming step using the device 3.

Before the cycle begins, priming fluid 4 is placed in a reservoir 34, illustrated in FIG. 3. This reservoir 34 consists of a tube with circular section having a bottom bottom open in the direction of the strip 60 which receives the plate. 6 and an upper opening closed with the aid of a cover 36, in order to prevent the priming fluid from evaporating or at least that its solvent does not evaporate.

The lower part of the reservoir 34 is provided with a circular seal 35, of the same diameter as the circular tube of the reservoir, this seal being here a ceramic seal. The reservoir 34 thus rests on the strip 60 by means of this seal 35.

This seal 35 makes it possible to move the tank 34 on the surface of the strip 60, without lifting the tank and ensures a tight contact between the wall of the tank and the surface of the strip 60 during this movement.

This movement is effected by means of a sliding system 37 which supports the reservoir 34 and which slides on horizontal rails parallel to the surface of the strip 60.

The width of plate 6 is preferably less than the diameter of reservoir 34, but the length of plate 6 can be greater than the diameter of reservoir 34. The operating cycle of the device 3 can be broken down into essentially five successive phases:

- 1 ^st phase, illustrated in FIG. 4: the buffer 5 is above the plate 6 soaked or coated with priming fluid 4.

- 2 ^nd phase, illustrated in FIG. 5: the pad 5 is lowered to the plate 6 and is pressed against the plate so that all of the priming fluid is transferred against the face of application of the pad, by capillarity, respecting the shape of the pattern of the photograph.

- ^3rd phase, illustrated in Figure 6: the buffer 5 is raised above the plate 6 and the buffer of the application face carries all the priming fluid 4 that was present on the plate; There is no longer, or almost no more, priming fluid 4 on plate 6; during this time, the glazing 1 is deposited on the support 31.

- 4 ^th phase, illustrated in Figure 7: the buffer 5 is pressed onto the glazing 1 and 4 causes deposition priming fluid contained previously on the surface of application on the surface 10, 10 'to form the layer of priming 40, 40 '; meanwhile, the reservoir 34 is passed over the plate 6 so that the priming fluid is deposited in the etching.

- ^5th phase, illustrated in Figure 8: the buffer 5 is disengaged from the surface of the glazing 1 and a priming layer 40, 40 'having a pattern is present on the surface 10, 10'; There is no longer, or almost no more, priming fluid 4 on the application surface of the pad 5; the glazing 1 can be removed from the support 31.

If the glazing still has at least one other surface primer independent or the surface 10, 10 is too large relative to the size of the buffer 5, it is possible not to remove the glazing during the ^5th phase repeating the cycle at least once by pressing the buffer 5 in a different place on the window 1 in the ^4th stage of the next cycle.

As part of the cycle, as soon as the ^5th stage is completed, the first phase may be initiated, provided to remove the reservoir 34 of the plate 6.

In fact, during phases 4 and 5, the reservoir 34 is kept on the plate in order to limit the drying of the priming fluid on the plate. FIG. 7 clearly shows that, in order to carry out the cycle more quickly, the cliché 6 of priming fluid 4 is coated during the application of the pad 5 on the surface 10, 10 ′ of the glazing.

The priming fluid thus undergoes three transfers during the priming cycle:

- ^1st transfer: from reservoir 34 to plate 6,

- ^2nd transfer: the plate 6 of the application face of the pad 5,

- ^3rd transfer: from the application face of the pad 5 on the surface 10, 10 'of the glazing.

The priming fluid starting to dry (in particular by evaporation of solvent) after the first transfer, when it is on plate 6, it will take the three-dimensional configuration of this plate and keep this configuration during the following two transfers.

Thus, the layer 40, 40 ′ has a configuration substantially identical between three dimensions to that of the photograph 6 when one considers on the one hand the configuration in relief relative to the background of the photograph 6 and on the other hand the configuration in relief of the layer 40, 40 ′ with respect to the surface 10, 10 ′ of the glazing unit before said plastic material of the seal portion and the base are brought into contact with said surface 10, 10 ′ to which they must adhere.

In the installation used, we can see similarities in shape in two, even three dimensions, between:

- the pad 5 and more precisely its lower application face 55 and the plate 6, and

- the surface 10, 10 ’and the pad 5 and more precisely its application face 55, lower.

For a good impregnation of the plate, in particular when the length of plate 6 is greater than the diameter of the reservoir 34, it is possible to take the reservoir 34 beyond the plate 6, that is to say so that each edge of the plate is in contact twice with the seal 35, once on the outward journey and once on the return from the reservoir 34.

The cleaning of the underside of the pad 5 by means of the veil 50 is carried out for example between the 5 ^th phase and the 1 ^st phase, every five or ten cycles, in order to remove on this occasion any residue of priming fluid on the lower surface of the pad 5 before reapplying priming fluid. Once the pad 5 has been applied against the web, the web impregnated with priming fluid in a roll on the receiving roller 51 'and a new cleaning surface is available by unrolling the dispensing roller 51.

In another embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 17 to 19, the priming fluid 4 is contained in an open reservoir 34 ’. More precisely, the open reservoir 34 ’is hollowed out and the priming fluid 4 is then directly in contact with the ambient air. Thus, in this other embodiment of the invention, the tank 34 ’is not closed unlike the tank 34 of the previous embodiment. Thus, the open tank 34 'replaces the closed tank 34 shown in Figures 3 to 8. To impregnate the plate 6, as illustrated in Figures 17 and 18, the priming fluid 4 is brought to the plate 6 by means of a blade 39 translating from the open tank 34 'to plate 6, then returning to the open tank 34'. The blade also makes it possible to scrape off the excess priming fluid 4 when it returns to the open tank 34 ’. The excess priming fluid 4 is then returned to the open tank 34 ’. The photograph 6 is then ready for the application of the buffer 5, as visible in FIG. 19.

In an alternative to this embodiment, a secondary blade is used, the function of which is to scrape off the excess priming fluid 4 when returning to the reservoir 34 ’. This secondary blade is adjustable in height in order to more precisely scrape off the excess priming fluid 4. One of the advantages of this embodiment is that it can process glazing 1 having a length greater than 250 mm. Thus, in this embodiment of the invention, the dimensions of the buffer 5, of the open reservoir 34 'and of the blade are larger than in the embodiment implementing a closed reservoir 34 and it is then possible to process larger glazing 1. In this embodiment, the priming fluid 4 used comprises a solvent with very low harmfulness to the surrounding medium, and in particular for operators. It is a water-based solvent.

According to the invention, the priming step is carried out by pad printing by applying the application face 55 of the pad 5 to:

- the surface 10, 10 'of the glazing or - on said surface of the joint portion 2 and / or of the accessory 2 ′ and this application can be carried out:

- either directly, with direct contact of the application face 55 against the surface concerned by the application,

- either indirectly, with the interposition of a woven element 56 between the application face 55 and the surface concerned by the application.

Figures 20 to 23 illustrate an example of implementation of this indirect application.

Figure 20 is equivalent to Figure 4 except that a woven element 56 is located under the application face 55 of the pad 5 while being attached to the pad 5. The rest of the steps illustrated in Figures 5 to 8 are not since they are identical, except that a woven element 56 is located under the application face 55 of the pad 5 while being attached to the pad 5.

Figure 21 shows the pad 5 upside down and Figure 22 is an exploded view of the same pad.

The woven element 56 is a fabric made for example of PTFE, polypropylene, or even copper fiber. It has a thickness of the order of 0.2 to 2.0 mm. The woven element 56 has a mesh (geometric shape reproduced on the surface of the woven element) which can for example be a square with a side of 2.0 mm, or a hexagon, or an octagon, or any stable geometric shape.

The woven element 56 participates in the transfer of the priming fluid from the plate 6 towards the application face 55 of the tampon, by capillary action, then in the transfer of the priming fluid from the application face 55 to the surface 10 to be coated with primer. .

FIG. 23 illustrates such a surface 10 of glazing 1, which is coated with a primer; The pad 5 is in a position to be raised after having been applied against the glazing and after having deposited therein the priming fluid.

As indicated above, after the glazing preparation operation, an operation of forming or applying the seal portion to the glazing is carried out within the framework of the manufacturing process according to the invention. In a first variant, illustrated in FIG. 9, the joint portion 2 is formed by extruding the plastic material forming the joint on said surface 10, while in a second variant, illustrated in FIG. 10, said joint portion 2 is formed by encapsulation of the plastic material forming the seal on said surface 10 and that in a third variant, not shown, said seal portion 2 is applied, preformed, on said surface 10 to be bonded thereto by means of the priming layer.

Figure 9 shows an extrusion head 80 which is moved over or above the inner face 11 of the glazing 1 according to the double arrow F.

The plastic material passes through the conduit 81 and is extruded on the surface 10 via the slot 82. The bead of adhesive 24 is illustrated here because it can be co-extruded together with the plastic material of the joint portion , but in general, it is applied after extrusion, just before positioning the glazing in the bay of the bodywork 7, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

In the illustrated configuration, the lip 25 does not adhere to the edge 13 of the glazing and the layer 40 is thus deposited only on the inner face 11 of the glazing 1 and more precisely on the opaque layer 14, and the extrusion is operated so that the base 21 of the joint portion is placed directly on the layer 40.

FIG. 10 illustrates two parts of molds 91, 92 hermetically closed using a seal system 93 on the glazing 1 so as to form a mold cavity which is filled with the plastic material constituting the seal portion 2 during encapsulation.

In the illustrated configuration, the layer 40 has been previously applied not only to the inner face 11, but also to the edge 13 and to the outer face 12 since the area to be primer defined by the surface 10 extends over these three faces.

To do this, a substantially flat pad was applied to each side or an L or U pad was applied.

This solution is of course also applicable when the encapsulation is only carried out on two sides of the glazing or one side and one edge, or even only on one side or only on the edge of the glazing. In a variant of the invention not illustrated, the priming step is carried out by pad printing by placing said priming fluid on a pad and then applying said pad not on the glazing but on the surface of the seal portion and / or accessory.

This variant is compatible with the previous one because it is possible to provide for example that a first pad is applied to a surface of the glazing to prime the glazing where the glazing will be provided with a portion of seal and that a second pad is applied to a surface of an accessory in order to then provide the glazing with this accessory.

FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of a pattern of a plate 6. This plate has the form of an openwork grid produced on the upper surface of the strip 60 and having a bottom recessed with respect to this surface.

This grid consists of a plurality of studs 61 arranged on the bottom (not shown) set back down relative to the upper surface of the strip 60, so that the studs each have a vertical axis oriented along the axis. z from verticality and perpendicular to the horizontal background.

These studs 61 are cylindrical and closed at their end opposite the bottom, but they could also be also tubular, open at their end opposite the bottom.

They are of constant circular section, between 1 mm and 10 mm, by including these values over a height h between 20 pm and 2 mm by including these values, but they could also be truncated conical, thinner at their end opposite to background.

They could also be of oval, polygonal section (triangular, rectangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, ...)

Furthermore, these studs aligned for example along two perpendicular horizontal axes x and y, are all of the same outside diameter and are arranged at equal distance from each other along the x axis and at equal distance b from each other along l y axis (perpendicular to the x axis and the vertical z axis), a and b here being identical numbers.

The distance a from a plot axis to the next along the x axis is, for example, of the order of 8 mm, the distance b from a plot axis to the next along the y axis is, for example, of the order of 8mm for studs having a constant external diameter, for example of the order of 5 mm.

However, it is also possible that the studs do not all have the same general external dimensions and that they are not all placed at the same distance from each other.

In addition, the studs here all have the same height h, which is of the order of 80 μm from the bottom, but it is possible to produce a grid with studs of different heights.

The pattern of the grid illustrated in FIG. 11 can be defined as being, in top view, a circle with a diameter equal to the outside diameter of a stud, this pattern being reproduced over the entire background of the photograph at a distance a according to Tax x and at distance b according to Tax y.

Thus, when this pattern is inscribed in a circle with a diameter of 10 mm or a square with a side equal to 10 mm, the pattern does not occupy the entire surface of this circle or respectively of this square.

The reproduction of the pattern of the grid illustrated in FIG. 11 by means of the buffer 5 to form a priming layer 40 is illustrated in FIGS. 12 in top view and 13 in perspective view.

In the following description, reference is made to the priming layer 40 of the joint portion 2, but the description also applies to the priming layer 40 ’of the accessory 2’.

This pattern consists of a stud 41 of the same diameter as the stud 61, reproduced at the same distance a according to Tax x and at the same distance b according to Tax y as the stud 61. However, the height h 'of the stud 41 is approximately half the height h of the stud 61. The reference 42 designates the center of the studs 41.

The pattern of the priming layer 40 illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 can thus also be defined as being, when viewed from above, a circle with a diameter equal to the outside diameter of a stud, this pattern being reproduced throughout the layer 40, that is to say over the entire surface 10 of the glazing, at a distance a according to Tax x and at a distance b according to Tax y.

Thus, when this pattern is inscribed in a circle C, visible in FIG. 12, of diameter equal to 10 mm or a square of side equal to 10 mm, the pattern does not occupy the entire surface of this circle or respectively of this square. Between the studs, there is no priming fluid: either it is the layer opaque 14 if the seal portion 2 must be formed on such an opaque layer or if the seal portion 2 is applied, preformed on such an opaque layer, either it is the surface of the glazing, or the surface of the seal portion or accessory.

FIG. 14 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the pattern of the layer 40 in which the studs are also of constant circular section over their entire height, but in which small studs 43 about 5 to 20 times finer than the studs 41 are inserted in the space available between these studs 41, the center of these small studs 43 is arranged at approximately half the distance a from the center 42 of the studs 41 along the x axis and at approximately half of the distance b from the center 42 of the studs 41 along the y axis.

FIG. 15 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the pattern of the layer 40 of FIG. 14 in which the studs 41 are connected by bridges 44 oriented here along the x axis.

FIG. 16 illustrates the layer 40 of FIG. 15 as can be seen with the naked eye when the joint portion 2 and the bead of glue 24 have been removed from the glazing 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 made according to the method according to the invention.

Both the studs 41, the small studs 43 and the bridges 44 are visible. They make it possible to increase the surface of the priming layer 40, and thus the adhesion force provided by this layer. The pattern of the priming layer is therefore perfectly identifiable.

The present invention is described in the foregoing by way of example. It is understood that a person skilled in the art is able to carry out different variants of the invention without going beyond the scope of the patent as defined by the claims.

A person skilled in the art is in particular able to vary the size and / or the number and / or the situation both of the portion (s) of seal and of the accessory (s).

It can also design an installation comprising several priming devices and / or a priming device comprising several buffers applied simultaneously or successively in different places against the surface to be primed.

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing a glazing (1), in particular curved glazing, comprising at least one portion of seal (2) and / or at least one accessory (2 ') of glazing, said portion of seal (2) and / or said accessory (2 ') adhering to at least one surface (10, 10') of said glazing (1) and said method comprising a preparation operation before bringing the seal portion (2) into contact and / or of the accessory (2 ') against said surface (10, 10') of the glazing (1), said preparation operation comprising a priming step consisting in applying on the one hand a priming fluid (4) on a surface ( 10, 10 ') of the glazing or on the other hand on a surface of the seal portion (2) and / or of the accessory (2') to form a priming layer (40, 40 ') which will be in contact direct with said seal portion (2) and / or said accessory (2 '), said priming step being operated by pad printing by placing said priming fluid (4) on a ta mpon (5) having an application face (55) made of silicone, and then applying said application face (55) to said surface (10, 10 ′) of the glazing or to said surface of the seal portion (2 ) and / or the accessory (2 '), said priming fluid (4) is contained in a reservoir (34, 34'), characterized in that said priming fluid (4) comprises a solvent based on water.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said application face (55) is applied indirectly to said surface (10, 10 ') of the glazing or to said surface of the seal portion (2) and / or the accessory (2 '), with the interposition of a woven element (56) between said application face (55) and a surface concerned by the application.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said priming fluid (4) has on the one hand a surface tension equal to or less than 25 mN / m, and preferably equal to or less than 23 mN / m and on the other hand, a viscosity between 10 and 200 mPa.s, or between 10 and 100 mPa.s, or even between 10 and 50 mPa.s, and preferably between 15 and 40 mPa.s.

4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said priming fluid (4) has a viscosity evolving from 23 mPa.s ± 2 mPa.s to 15 mPa.s ± 2 mPa.s for a temperature varying from + 10 ° C to + 40 ° C.

5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said priming fluid (4) is contained in an open tank (34 ') thus leaving said priming fluid (4) in contact with air ambient.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that said priming fluid (4) is brought onto said plate by means of a translating blade from said open reservoir (34 ') to said plate (6) and in that, from preferably, an excess of priming fluid (4) is scraped by said blade and / or by a secondary blade when returning to said open tank (34 ').

7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the application of said priming fluid (4) on the pad (5) is carried out after having previously pressed said pad (5) against a plate ( 6) priming fluid coating.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the coating of the plate (6) of priming fluid (4) is operated during the application of the pad (5) on the surface (10, 10 ') of the glazing or on the surface of the seal portion (2) and / or the accessory (2 ').

9. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that after said preparation operation, said seal portion (2) and / or said accessory (2 ') is formed by extruding plastic on said surface (10, 10 ') of the glazing or is formed by encapsulation of plastic material on said surface (10, 10') of the glazing or said portion of seal (2) and / or said accessory (2 ') is applied, preformed, on said surface (10, 10 ') of the glazing and glued to said surface (10, 10').

10. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that during said preparation operation said pad (5) is applied several times against the surface (10, 10 ’) of the glazing (1).

11. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that during said preparation operation said pad is applied several times, each time against a surface of a portion of seal (2) different and / or d 'a surface of a different accessory (2').

12. Installation for manufacturing a glazing (1), in particular curved glazing, for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, said installation comprising at least one portion of seal (2) and / or at least one glazing accessory (2 '), said seal portion (2) and / or said accessory (2') adhering to at least one surface (10, 10 ') of said glazing (1), said installation comprising at least one device (3) for the preparation of said glazing before contacting the seal portion (2) and / or the accessory (2 ') against said surface (10, 10') of the glazing, said device (3) comprising means for operating the priming and making it possible to apply a priming fluid (4) to a surface (10, 10 ') of the glazing or to a surface of the seal portion (2) and / or of the 'accessory (2') to form a priming layer (40, 40 ') which will be in direct contact with said seal portion (2) and / or said accessory ( 2 '), said device (3) comprising at least one pad (5) having an application face (55) made of silicone, movable between an application position in which said application face (55) is in contact with the surface (10, 10 ') of the glazing or with the surface of the seal portion (2) and / or of the accessory (2') and a recharging position in which said application face (55) is in contact with a reserve of priming fluid (4), characterized in that said priming fluid (4) comprises a water-based solvent.

13. Installation according to claim 12, characterized in that a woven element (56) is located under said application face (55) of the pad (5) while being attached to the pad (5).

14. Installation according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the priming fluid (4) is contained in an open tank (34 ’) thus leaving said priming fluid (4) in contact with the ambient air.