Encapsulated glass frame assemblies and associated methods for forming same

An encapsulated glass assembly comprising:

• a glass panel having a first side and a second side and an edge between said first side and said second side, wherein said glass panel comprises a laminated glass panel or a tempered glass panel;
• a plastic frame coupled to said glass panel, said plastic frame having at least three sides and having a corner located between each adjacent side and including an outer frame surface, said outer frame surface including a channel extending within said outer frame surface,
• wherein said channel has a lower wall portion connected to a side wall portion,
• wherein said outer frame surface further includes at least one upper wall portion extending from said side wall portion and extending along at least one side of said at least three sides of said plastic frame, each one of said at least one upper wall portions spaced from said lower wall portion and further defining a portion of said channel as a C-shaped channel, wherein said at least one upper wall portion is connected to and extending from less than an entire upper length of said side wall portion;
• and
• wherein said glass panel is coupled to said plastic frame such that the glass panel is retained within said C-shaped channel and such that said edge of said glass panel is adjacent to said side wall portion along each of said at least three sides and said corners of said plastic frame;
• and
• an encapsulant bonded to at least one of said first side and said second side of said glass panel and bonded onto said outer frame surface of said plastic frame to secure said glass panel to said plastic frame, said encapsulant having a Shore hardness less than a Shore hardness of said plastic frame,
• wherein said side wall portion of said plastic frame is disposed between said edge of said laminated glass panel and said encapsulant.

A method for forming an encapsulated glass assembly including a glass panel comprising a laminated glass panel or a tempered glass panel and having a first side and a second side and an edge for connecting the first side to the second side, said method comprising:

• forming a plastic frame having at least three sides and having a corner located between each adjacent side and including an outer frame surface, the outer frame surface including a channel extending within the outer frame surface, the channel including a lower wall portion connected to a side wall portion, wherein the outer frame surface further includes at least one upper wall portion extending from the side wall portion and extending along at least one side of the plastic frame, each one of the at least one upper wall portions spaced from the lower wall portion and further defining a portion of the channel as a C-shaped channel;
• coupling the glass panel to the plastic frame such that the glass panel is retained within the C-shaped channel and such that the edge of the glass panel is adjacent to the side wall portion along each of the at least three sides and the corners of the plastic frame;
• introducing an encapsulating material in a flowable form or in a liquid form onto the at least one of the first side and the second side of the glass panel and onto the outer frame surface of the plastic frame;
• and
• cooling the encapsulating material to harden the encapsulating material to form an encapsulant to secure the glass panel to the plastic frame, the encapsulant bonded to the at least one of the first side and the second side of the glass panel and bonded onto the outer frame surface of the plastic frame, the encapsulant having a Shore hardness less than a Shore hardness of the plastic frame,
• wherein the side wall portion of the plastic frame is disposed between the edge of the glass panel and the encapsulant.