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US 4,712,287 AGranted
Method of assembling a vehicle from modular components
AssigneeLibbey-Owens-Ford Co.
InventorNorman W. Johnston
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of assembling a vehicle includes the steps of forming a plurality of different modular window assemblies each having at least one sheet of transparent material upon which a gasket has been formed. A windshield module can include a peripheral gasket, integral leaf screen and a hinged sun roof. A door module can include a peripheral gasket and bracket attached to a window installed in a door. A rear window module can include hinged side windows and a roof panel. After the modules have been formed, they are then assembled to a vehicle body.
Claims31
A method of assembling a vehicle from a vehicle body and a plurality of modular window assemblies comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning a sheet of transparent material within the interior of a mold chamber formed by at least two cooperating mold sections;
- said mold sections provided with a gasket shaping portion which cooperates with a first peripheral portion of the sheet to define a first gasket forming cavity corresponding to a first gasket member to be formed and cooperates with a second peripheral portion of the sheet to define a second gasket forming cavity corresponding to a second gasket member to be formed;
- (b) inserting a plug between said first and second cavities;
- (c) injecting into the first and second gasket forming cavities a composition which is capable of polymerization when cured and, when cured in contact with the sheet, it adheres thereto to produce the first and second gasket members by injecting said composition into one of said first and second gasket forming cavities, removing said plug and then injecting said composition into the other one of said first and second gasket forming cavities;
- (d) removing the sheet and the first and second gasket member as a modular window assembly from the mold chamber;
- (e) repeating at least steps (a), (c) and (d) to produce a plurality of modular window assemblies;
- and
- (f) attaching said plurality of modular window assemblies to a vehicle body to assemble a vehicle.
5 more elements
A method of assembling a vehicle from a vehicle body and a plurality of modular window assemblies comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning a plurality of sheets of transparent material within the interior of at least one mold chamber formed by at least two cooperating mold sections;
- (b) said mold sections provided with a gasket shaping portion which cooperates with at least one peripheral portion of each of said sheets to define a plurality of gasket forming cavities corresponding to gasket members to be formed;
- (c) injecting into said gasket forming cavities a composition which cures in contact with and adheres to said sheets to produce said gasket members;
- (d) removing said sheets and said gasket members as a plurality of modular window assemblies;
- and
- (e) attaching said plurality of modular window assemblies to a vehicle body to assemble a vehicle.
3 more elements
A method of assembling a vehicle from a vehicle body and a plurality of modular window assemblies comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning a sheet of transparent material within the interior of a mold chamber formed by at least two cooperating mold sections;
- (b) said mold sections provided with a gasket shaping portion which cooperates with a first peripheral portion of the sheet to define a first gasket forming cavity corresponding to a first gasket member to be formed and cooperates with a second peripheral portion of the sheet to define a second gasket forming cavity corresponding to a second gasket member to be formed;
- (c) injecting into the first and second gasket forming cavities a composition which is capable of polymerization when cured and, when cured in contact with the sheet, it adheres thereto to produce the first and second gasket members;
- (d) removing the sheet and the first and second gasket members as a modular window assembly from the mold chamber;
- (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) to produce a plurality of modular window assemblies wherein for at least one of said modular window assemblies step (a) includes positioning at least first, second and third sheets of transparent material within the interior of said mold chamber, step (b) includes a gasket shaping portion cooperating with a first peripheral portion of each of first and second sheets to define said first gasket forming cavity and cooperating with a second peripheral portion of said first sheet and a first peripherial portion of said third sheet to define said second gasket forming cavity, step (c) includes injecting a composition which cures in contact with said first, second and third sheets and adheres thereto, and step (d) includes removing said first, second and third sheets and said first and second gasket members as said modular window assembly;
- and
- (f) attaching said plurality of modular window assemblies to a vehicle body to assemble a vehicle.
4 more elements
A method of assembling a vehicle from a vehicle body and a plurality of modular window assemblies comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning a sheet of transparent material within the interior of a mold chamber formed by at least two cooperating mold sections;
- (b) said mold sections provided with a gasket shaping portion which cooperates with a first peripheral portion of the sheet to define a first gasket forming cavity corresponding to a first gasket member to be formed and cooperates with a second peripheral portion of the sheet to define a second gasket forming cavity corresponding to a second gasket member to be formed;
- (c) injecting into the first and second gasket forming cavities a composition which is capable of polymerization when cured and, when cured in contact with the sheet, it adheres thereto to produce the first and second gasket members;
- (d) removing the sheet and the first and second gasket members as a modular window assembly from the mold chamber;
- (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) to produce a plurality of modular window assemblies wherein for at least one of said modular window assemblies step (a) includes positioning at least a second sheet of transparent material within the interior of the mold chamber, step (b) includes said gasket shaping portion cooperating with a first peripheral portion of one of said sheets to define said first gasket forming cavity and cooperating with a second peripheral portion of said one sheet and a first peripherial portion of said second sheet to define said second gasket forming cavity, step (c) includes injecting a composition which cures in contact with said one sheet and said second sheet and adheres thereto, and step (d) includes removing said second sheet from the mold chamber with said one sheet and said first and second gasket members as said one modular window assembly;
- and
- (f) attaching said plurality of modular window assemblies to a vehicle body to assemble a vehicle.
4 more elements
A method of assembling a vehicle from a vehicle body and a plurality of modular window assemblies comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning a sheet of transparent material within the interior of a mold chamber formed by at least two cooperating mold sections;
- (b) said mold sections provided with a gasket shaping portion which cooperates with a first peripheral portion of the sheet to define a first gasket forming cavity corresponding to a first gasket member to be formed and cooperates with a second peripheral portion of the sheet to define a second gasket forming cavity corresponding to a second gasket member to be formed;
- (c) injecting into the first and second gasket forming cavities a composition which is capable of polymerization when cured and, when cured in contact with the sheet, it adheres thereto to produce the first and second gasket members;
- (d) removing the sheet and the first and second gasket members as a modular window assembly from the mold chamber;
- (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) to produce a plurality of modular window assemblies wherein for at least one of said modular window assemblies step (b) includes positioning a bracket means along the periphery of the transparent sheet within the interior of the mold chamber, said gasket shaping portion cooperating with said first peripherial portion of the sheet and the bracket means to define said first gasket forming cavity, and step (c) includes a composition which when cured in contact with said bracket means adheres thereto to produce said first gasket member;
- and
- (f) attaching said plurality of modular window assemblies to a vehicle body to assemble a vehicle.
4 more elements
A method of assembling a vehicle from a vehicle body and a plurality of modular window assemblies comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning a sheet of transparent material within the interior of a mold chamber formed by at least two cooperating mold sections;
- (b) said mold sections provided with a gasket shaping portion which cooperates with a first peripheral portion of the sheet to define a first gasket forming cavity corresponding to a first gasket member to be formed and cooperates with a second peripheral portion of the sheet to define a second gasket forming cavity corresponding to a second gasket member to be formed;
- (c) injecting into the first and second gasket forming cavities a composition which is capable of polymerization when cured and, when cured in contact with the sheet, it adheres thereto to produce the first and second gasket members;
- (d) removing the sheet and the first and second gasket members as a modular window assembly from the mold chamber;
- (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) to produce a plurality of modular window assemblies wherein for at least one of said modular window assemblies said first gasket member is formed to encapsulate the peripheral edge portions of said transparent sheet material and said second gasket member is formed to extend from a portion of said first gasket member as a leaf screen;
- and
- (f) attaching said plurality of modular window assemblies to a vehicle body to assemble a vehicle.
4 more elements
A method of assembling a vehicle from a vehicle body and a plurality of modular window assemblies comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning a sheet of transparent material within the interior of a mold chamber formed by at least two cooperating mold sections;
- (b) said mold sections provided with a gasket shaping portion which cooperates with a first peripheral portion of the sheet to define a first gasket forming cavity corresponding to a first gasket member to be formed and cooperates with a second peripheral portion of the sheet to define a second gasket forming cavity corresponding to a second gasket member to be formed;
- (c) injecting into the first and second gasket forming cavities a composition which is capable of polymerization when cured and, when cured in contact with the sheet, it adheres thereto to produce the first and second gasket members;
- (d) removing the sheet and the first and second gasket members as a modular window assembly from the mold chamber;
- (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) to produce a plurality of modular window assemblies wherein for at least one of said modular window assemblies said gasket shaping portion of said mold sections includes a third gasket forming cavity adjacent said second gasket forming cavity, and step (c) includes injecting said composition into said third cavity to form a third gasket member as a tab extending from said second gasket member of said gasket;
- and
- (f) attaching said plurality of modular window assemblies to a vehicle body to assemble a vehicle.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.