AU643819B2

AU643819B2 - Repairing vehicle glass

Info

Publication number: AU643819B2
Application number: AU82744/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian Keith Freund
Original assignee: Kulak Technologies Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Kulak Technologies Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1990-08-24
Filing date: 1991-08-26
Publication date: 1993-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 2011-08-26
Also published as: AU8274491A

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 6 66 66 Name of Applicant KULAK TECHNOLOGIES PTY LTD.

Actual Inventor IAN KEITH FREUND.

Address for Service GRANT ADAMS COMPANY, Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 9, National Mutual Centre, 144 Edward Street, BRISBANE. QLD. 4000

AUSTRALIA.

Invention Title "REPAIRING VEHICLE GLASS" Details of Associated Provisional Applications Numbers PK1956 The following statement is a full description of the invention including the best method of performing it known to me.

THIS INVENTION relates to a method of, and apparatus for, the repair of vehicle glass. The invention is particularly suitable for, but not limited to, the repair of fissures in laminated windscreens.

The term "fissures" shall include chips, cracks, scratches, stars, bullseyes, fractures and like damage to a windscreen.

Transport or Motor Registry Departments specify minimum safety standards for vehicle glass and 10 are likely to fail a road worthiness inspection if the windscreen is badly scratched, broken or cracked, particularly if the damage is within the "swept path" of the windscreen wipers. (This area forms the driver's primary field vision.) At one time, any damage to the windscreen in the "swept area" required replacement of the windscreen.

In recent years, repair techniques, such as those provided under the "Novus" trade mark, have been *0 available. With these techniques, a small hole is 20 drilled through the fissure to the transition layer of the windscreen, a shroud or adaptor is supported on the windscreen to surround the hole, and thermal setting cyano-acrylates are forced into the hole under pressure and are set by the application of heat (and/or UV 25 light).

0. While these techniques have been advantageous over the replacement of the damaged windscreens, they have a number of problems, as follows: any rubbish, debris, air and/or moisture may be trapped in the fissure and prevents the fissure from being fully filled by the cyano-acryiates, so that at least portions of the fissure remain visible due to different coefficients of refraction within the fissure; the cyano-acrylates become discoloured with time, as they are subject to long-term UV cure and react with the transition layer in the windscreen, making the fissure visible with time; and cyano-acrylates are highly toxic and require careful handling by the operator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method which overcomes, or at least reduces, the problems of the known techniques.

It is a preferred object of the pi ;ent invention to provide a method where vacuum is applied to the fissure to remove, or at least reduce, the debris, air and/or moisture in the fissure.

It is a further preferred object to provide a method where the chemical to fill the fissure is pumped into the evacuated fissure under pressure to achieve maximum filling of the fissure.

It is a still further preferred object to provide a method which uses a quick setting, TJV stable :chemical, which has a lower mammalian toxicity.

It is a still further preferred object to provide an apparatus for effecting this method.

Other preferred objects will become apparent from the following description.

In one aspect, the present invention resides in a method for the repair of a fissure in laminated 25 vehicle glass including the steps of: drilling a hole into the glass to the depth of its transition layer at, or adjacent to, the :location of the fissure; evacuating the fissure; pumping a repair solution into the fissure, through the hole, under pressure; allowing the repair solution to set; and removing any excess repair solution to the level of the glass.

Dependinc on the fissure, two or more holes may be drilled into the fissure, and if the fissure is a crack, it may be repaired in steps along its length.

Preferably, an adaptor is placed over the fissure and is sealed to the glass. Preferably, the adaptor is connected to a source of vacuum, eg. a pump, to evacuate the fissure, to draw out any debris, air and/or moisture. Preferably, the repair solution is placed in the adaptor before the fissure is evacuated so that any air and/or moisture is drawn through the repair solution.

Preferably, the adaptor is connected to a source of pressure, eg. a pump, to cause the repair solution to be forced into the fissure.

Preferably, the repair solution is a UV setting resin solution. A preferred resin solution is methyl acrylate but other suitable resin solutions may be used.

Preferably, after the solution has set, the 20 hole is filled with a higher viscosity repair solution, preferably, methyl acrylate, and any excess solution (when set) is buffed and polished to the level of the S. glass.

S: In a second aspect, the present invention preferably resides in apparatus for effecting the repair of a fissure in laminated vehicle glass as hereinbefore described including: a drill to drill a hole in the glass to the depth of its transition layer; a frame or clamp mountable on the glass; an adaptor or shroud on the frame or clamp sealably engageable with the glass; vacuum pump means connectable to the adaptor or shroud to evacuate the fissure; and pressure pump means connectable to the adaptor 4a or shroud to pump a repair solution through the hole drilled in the glass into the fissure, the repair solution setting to repair the fissure.

Preferably, the frame or clamp has three arms in a Y-shape in plan, with a suction cap at the junction of the arms of the clamp, with the adaptor mounted on an injector body at or adjacent the end of one of the arms and respective adjustable feet at or adjacent the ends of the other two arms.

S S o Preferably, th. adaptor has a chamber, open to the glass, with a peripheral seal (eg. an C-ring) engageable with the glass. Preferably, quick-release fitting is provided on the adaptor for connection to the vacuum/pressure pump(s).

Preferably, the vacuum and pressure pump(s) are selectively supplied by a pump, preferably electrically-driven, with a valve selectively operable to apply a vacuum or pressure to the adaptor.

10 To enable the invention to be fully 'understood, a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig 1 is a perspective vie;; of the apparatus repairing a fissure in a motor vehicle windscreen; 15 Fig 2 is a side (part-sectional) view of the injector head, incorporating the adaptor, and the clamp; Fig 3 is a top plan view corresponding to Fig S2; Fig 4 is a schematic circuit of the vacuum- 20 pressure pump and connections; Fig 5 is a sectional side view of the glass being replaced; and Fig 6 is a similar view to Fig 5 before the final step.

25 The method will be described with reference to the repair of a "star" crack 11 in a laminated windscreen 10. The windscreen 10 has inner and outer glass layers 12, 13 separated by a plastic transition layer 14 (see Figs 5 and 6).

Using a small electric drill 100 with a diamond-tipped bit 101, a hole 15 is drilled through the star crack 11 to the depth of the transition layer 14.

The injector head 16 (See Figs 1 to 3) is placed on the windscreen 10, with the adaptor 17 over the star crack 11.

The adaptor 17 has an open chamber 16a surrounded by a peripheral O-ring 17a which sealably engages the windscreen 10. The body 17 of the injector head 16 is screw-threadably, adjustably received in a self-aligning bearing 19a in a mounting block 19 adjacent the end of one arm 20 of a Y-shaped clamp 21, which is releasably secured to the windscreen 10 by a suction cap 22. (Petroleum jelly or like material may be spread on the cap 22 to increase the suction on the 10 windscreen.) :04 Feet 23, 24 have adjustable shafts 25, 26 screw-threadably, adjustably mounted adjacent the ends of the arms 27, 28 of the clamp 21. The arm 21 is adjustable relative to the arms 27, 28 by a slot 20a and locking nut 20b. The adaptor 17 is located with its 0ring 17a about the star crack 11 and the body 18 is rotated until the O-ring 17a is sealed against the windscreen 10. The feet 23, 24 are adjusted to spread the load between the arms 20, 27, 28 of the clamp 21.

20 Referring now to Fig 4, a reciprocating piston pump 30 is powered by an electric motor (not shown).

"The electric motor may be a 12V DC motor and may be connected via a suitable lead 30a and plug 30b to the vehicle's accessory outlet (or cigarette lighter socket) (not shown).

The port 31 of the pump is connected to a Tmanifold 32 which is connected by one-way valves 33, 34 to respective ports 39, 40 with respective filters 41, 42. A hose 43 connects the inlet 44 of the injector head 16 to the outlet port 38 of the five-way valve 37, and the pressure/vacuum in the hose 43 is measured on a gauge 45. The five-way valve 37 is operable by a switch 46 so that the pump 30 acts as a vacuum pump for the injector head 16 by reversing the five-way valve 37.

Before the hole 43 is connected to the inlet 44 of the injector head 16, a small number of drops (eg.

10-15) of low viscosity methyl acrylate are dropped into the inlet 44 and form a pool on the windscreen 10 within the chamber in the adaptor.

To assist in locating the adaptor 17 relative to the scar crack 11, and to observe the repair steps, a small mirror 47 may be mounted on the inside of the windscreen 10, under the star crack 11, on an arm 48 with a suction cap 49 which engages the inner glass layer 12.

10 The hose 43 is connected to the injector head 16 and the pump 30 (acting as a vacuum pump) is switched .on.

It is observed via the mirror 45 that air bubbles (and moisture and/or debris) are drawn out of 15 the star crack 11 and the air bubbles pass up through the methyl acrylate into the chamber in the adaptor 17.

When no more bubbles are observed, the pump is switched off, the five-way valve 37 is reversed and the pump 30 is switched on again. The pump now acts as 20 a pressure pump and the methyl acrylate is forced into S, the star crack 11 through the hole 15 (eg. under 175 s* KPa/25 p.s.i. pressure).

The pump 30 is switched off and the injector head 16 (and cla.o 21) are removed from the windscreen 25 10. The repaired area is exposed to sunlight (or a UV lamp) to cause the methyl acrylate to set.

To fill the hole 13, several drops of higher viscosity methyl acrylate are dropped onto the hole (and surrounding glass) and are covered with a piece of clear plastic strip or tape and the methyl acrylate is allowed to set.

The tape is removed and the excess methyl acrylate 50 around the hole 15 is scraped away, eg. with a razor blade. Using a very soft emery paper, the final excess methyl acrylate is removed and the surface buffed and polished to the outer glass 13 of the windscreen.

8 The repair is now completed.

The refractive index of the methyl acrylate substantially equals the refrac'tive index of glass and so the repaired crack is undetectable (or only slightly visible).

For large "bullseye" cracks, it may be necessary to drill two spaced holes in the outer layer of the glass and effect the repair method on each in turn.

For longer cracks, it will generally be necessary to repair the crack in sections along its length, the sections being interconnected to complete the repair.

The skilled addressee will appreciate that the application of the vacuum of the fissure before its repair will remove any occlusions which would otherwise prevent the complete filling and repair of the fissure by the UV settable repair solutions.

Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described and illustrated without departing from the present invention.

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Claims

1. A method for the repair of a fissure in laminated vehicle glass including the steps of: drilling a hole into the glass to the depth of its transition layer, or adjacent to, the location of the fissure; evacuating the fissure; pumping a repair solution into the fissure, through the hole, under pressure; allowing the repair solution to set; and removing any excess repair solution to the level of the glass.

2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein: two or more holes are drilled into the fissure and steps and are carried out on each hole in turn.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein: to effect steps and an adaptor is 20 placed over the fissure and sealed to the glass, the adaptor having an open chamber surrounded by a peripheral seal and is adjustably mounted on a frame or clamp releasably mountable on the glass, the peripheral So seal engaging the glass around the hole.

4. A method according to Claim 3 wherein: to effect step the adaptor is connected *to a source of vacuum to evacuate the fissure to draw o out any debris and/or moisture in the fissure.

A method according to Claim 4 wherein: the repair solution is placed in the adaptor before the fissure is evacuated so that any air and/or go "moisture is drawn through the repair solution to visually indicate the removal of the air and/or moisture.

6. A method according to any one of Claims 3 to wherein: to effect step the adaptor is connected to a source of pressure to cause the repair solution to be forced into the fissure under pressure.

7. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein: the repair solution is a UV setting resin solution with a refractive index substantially equal to the refractive index of glass.

8. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein: after the repair solution has set, the hole is filled with a higher viscosity repair solution and any excess repair solution, when set, is buffed and polished to the level of the glass.

9. A method according to Claim 8 wherein: the repair solution and/or the higher viscosity repair solution is methyl acrylate.

Apparatus for effecting the repair of a 20 fissure in laminated vehicle glass as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, including: *a drill to drill a hole in the glass to the depth of its transition layer; a frame or clamp mountable on the glass; an adaptor or shroud on the frame or clamp sealably engageable with the glass; vacuum pump means connectable to the adaptor or shroud to evacuate the fissure; and pressure pump means connectable to the adaptor or shroud to pump a repair solution through the hole drilled in the glass into the fissure, the repair solution setting to repair the fissure.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 10 wherein: the frame or clamp has three arms in a substantially Y-shape in plan view, with a suction cap at the junction of the arms of the clamp, with the adaptor mounted on an injector body in a self-aligning bearing at or adjacent the end of one of the arms and respective adjustable feet at or adjacent the ends of the other two arms.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 10 or Claim 11 wherein: the adaptor has a chamber, open to the glass, with a peripheral seal engageable with the glass, and is connected to an injector body with a quick-release fitting connectable to a hose connected to the vacuum and pressure pump means.

13. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 10 to 12 wherein: the vacuum and pressure pump means comprise a single electrically-driven pump with a valve selectively operable to apply vacuum or pressure to the adaptor.

14. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 10 to 20 13 wherein: a mirror is releasably mounted on the opposite side of the glass to the adaptor to observe the evacuation of the fissure and the pumping of the repair solution into the fissure.

15. Apparatus for the repair of a fissure in vehicle glass substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A method for the repair of a fissure in vehicle glass substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. Vehicle glass repaired by the method of any o 0: one of Claims 1 to 9 or 16.

18. Vehicle glass repaired by the apparatus of any one of Claims 10 to DATED this second day of July 1993. KULAK TECHNOLOGIES PTY LTD (ACN 011 063 497) w tBy their Patent Attorneys GRANT ADAMS COMPANY ABSTRACT To repair a fissure in laminated vehicle glass, at least one hole is drilled into the fissure to the depth of the transition layer. An adaptor, adjustably mounted on a removable clamp, and containing a few drops of UV settable repair solution (eg. methyl acrylate) is sealed about the hole and is connected to a vacuum pump to evacuate any debris, air and/or moisture from the fissure (through the repair solution). The repair 10 solution is then pumped into the fissure under pressure and allowed to set. The hole is filled with higher viscosity repair solution and any excess is removed and S' the surface is buffed and polished. a4 4. 4 ft