Windshield repair apparatus and method
AssigneeFrank D. Werner
InventorsFrank D. Werner, Robert W. Wiele
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for repairing windshields and the method for using the apparatus wherein a liquid, curable resin material is forced into cracks in the windshield, using an apparatus mounted directly to the windshield, and which provides a high injection pressure and subsequently a vacuum so that the crack is completely filled, and air bubbles are removed from the filling resin during the time the resin cures. The apparatus in one form includes a disposable, simple-to-make injector that seals positively around the opening of the crack so that the resin is forced into place, and by reversing the injector, a suitable vacuum can be applied to the injected resin for removal of air bubbles.
Claims17
An apparatus for injecting a liquid repair material into a crack of a glass such as a windshield comprising an injector tube, a bridge member of size and shape to hold said injector tube over said crack, means to hold said bridge member in a spaced relationship to said windshield and adjacent said crack, means to mount said injector tube on said bridge member in position to overlie the crack and with an end of said injector tube adjacent portions of said windshield surrounding said crack, said injector tube including means to seal the end of said injector tube against said windshield, and means to force said liquid repair material
An injector injecting liquid material into a small opening from cracks in a windshield or glass comprising a support, means to attach said support to the windshield, portions of said support being spaced from said windshield, a first tubular member, a second disposable tubular member carried by said first tubular member, said second tubular member having resilient means positioned against said glass and surrounding said opening, means between said support and said second tubular member to force said second tubular member and said resilient means against said glass, and a threaded member mounted on aid first tubular member and having a portion extending into said second tubular member, said threaded member being threadable to create a pressure on liquid material on the interior of said second tubular member, and retractable to create a vacuum on the interior of said second tubular member.
A method of repairing windshields or the like having cracks therein utilizing a liquid repair material for filling the crack which hardens upon curing comprising the steps of supporting an injector assembly over said crack on a windshield, sealing said injector assembly around the peripheral edges of said crack against uncracked portions of said windshield, placing liquid repair material over said crack, forcing the liquid repair material into said crack without mechanically moving loose portions of said cracked windshield, and creating a vacuum over said crack at a desired level for a cycle time of several minutes, and repeating the steps forcing of liquid repair material into the crack and vacuum cycle to fill the void volume of the crack, including the step of degasifying said liquid repair material prior to forcing the liquid material into the crack, said degasifying step comprising the steps of placing an amount of liquid repair material in a hypodermic syringe having a needle, blocking the outlet of said needle, creating a vacuum within the syringe and simultaneously placing said needle uprightly to let gas bubbles form by the vacuum rise toward the needle, and subsequently expelling the gas bubbles out of the needle.
The method of repairing windshields or the like having cracks therein utilizing a liquid repair material for filling the crack which hardens upon curing comprising the steps of supporting an injector assembly over said crack on a windshield, sealing said injector assembly around the peripheral edges of said crack against uncracked portions of said windshield, placing liquid repair material over said crack, focing the liquid repair material into said crack with said injector assembly without mechanically moving loose portions of said cracked windshield, and creating a vacuum over said crack at a desired level for a cycle time of several minutes comprising the step of placing a suction cup in position on said windshield with the edges of the suction cup surrounding said crack, and creating said vacuum by operating said suction cup to create a vacuum on the crack, releasing the vacuum and repeating the vacuum and release cycles to fill the void volume of the crack with liquid repair material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.