Windshield spacer

A one-piece rubber or elastomeric block has a relatively hard or rigid base portion and a relatively soft or compliant ledge portion. The base prevents a windshield from sliding downward as it is being bonded to a window frame of a vehicle and the ledge serves as a compliant cushion which prevents the weight of the windshield from extruding a soft bead of urethane or other sealer from between the windshield and the frame. The elastomeric block sits within a channel of a vehicle window frame. A windshield is mounted upon the vehicle window frame, resting upon the elastomeric block and attached to the frame via the bead of urethane.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates in general to resilient pads used in the
 assembly of a windshield to a motor vehicle and in particular to an
 elastomeric pad located between a windshield and a sheet metal cowl
 extending from an instrument panel of an automobile.
 2. Description of Prior Developments
 Windshields are typically bonded to a vehicle using a bead of urethane. As
 the urethane takes many hours to set up and cure, some form of support is
 generally required for locating and holding the windshield in position
 until bonding is complete. In the past, elastomeric blocks were placed
 between the bottom edge of a windshield and a sheet metal cowling to
 prevent the windshield from sliding downward toward the cowling. The
 support was generally of a relatively high durometer rubber or elastomeric
 material. A second spacer was typically located beneath the inside of the
 windshield and an adjacent cowling for spacing the windshield or window a
 predetermined height above the cowling to allow the bead of urethane to
 set up and cure with a predetermined thickness or height.
 Although this prior method worked somewhat satisfactorily, it was found
 necessary to form the two spacers of different durometer materials. This
 resulted in a relatively costly assembly, and, for various reasons,
 resulted in a relatively high number of defects in the nature of water
 leaks through the urethane bond.
 Accordingly, what is needed is an inexpensive and easily assembled spacer
 for locating and supporting a windshield as a urethane bond cures and
 secures the windshield to the frame of a vehicle.
 Another need exists for such a spacer which provides both horizontal and
 vertical support in such a manner that relatively rigid support is
 provided along the plane of the windshield and relatively compliant and
 conforming support is provided in a plane perpendicular to that of the
 windshield.
 Still another need exists for a spacer which provides two levels of
 compliance and support with a single unitary elastomeric spacer.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention has been developed to meet the needs noted above, and
 therefore has as an object the provision of a one-piece spacer for
 supporting a windshield both horizontally and vertically as the windshield
 is held in place during bonding and curing of a urethane seal around the
 windshield.
 Another object of the invention is the provision of a one-piece windshield
 spacer which provides a relatively stiff support along the plane of a
 windshield and a relatively compliant or soft support in a direction
 perpendicular the plane of the windshield.
 A further need exists for a windshield spacer formed as a unitary
 homogeneous molding or extrusion which is configured in such a manner that
 it provides variable degrees of compliance and support.

In the various figures of the drawings, like reference characters designate
 like or similar parts.
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 The present invention will now be described in conjunction with the
 drawings beginning with FIG. 1 which shows a windshield or window 10 being
 bonded to the window frame 12 of a vehicle 14 in accordance with the
 invention. As seen in FIG. 2, the windshield 10 is bonded to the frame 12
 with a bead of urethane 16 in a conventional fashion. The urethane 16 is
 typically applied to the underside of the windshield 10 and then
 subsequently pressed onto the frame 12. Since the urethane can take
 several days to fully set up and cure, one or more spacers 18 are used to
 locate and hold the windshield 10 in place on the frame 12 until the
 urethane 16 sufficiently cures and sets up to securely hold the windshield
 by its own bond strength.
 As further seen in FIG. 2, the bottom edge 20 of windshield 10 rests in a
 right-angled step 22 formed in the spacer 18. The underside 24 of the
 windshield is also supported within step 22. In this manner, the
 windshield is spaced and supported both horizontally and vertically with
 respect to the vehicle frame 12.
 As seen in FIG. 3, spacer 18 includes a substantially rectangular base
 portion 26 having a flat bottom wall 28, a flat front wall 30 and a flat
 top wall 32 which forms a support surface for the bottom edge of
 windshield 10. A diagonal back face or chamfer 34 extends upwardly and
 rearwardly from the bottom wall 28 to intersect a rear wall 36 which
 extends upwardly to a hollow ledge portion 38.
 The ledge portion 38 has a substantially rectangular shape through which a
 bore or channel 40 extends along the full transverse length of the ledge
 portion. Channel or bore 40 may have any shape, however, the generally
 oval shaped bore shown in FIG. 3 performs well by providing a soft
 compliant support to windshield 10. Ledge portion 38 extends upwardly from
 the base 26 adjacent top wall 32 along a front support wall 42 which
 extends substantially parallel to the rear wall 36.
 The front support wall 42 together with the top wall 32 define the
 right-angled step or recess 22 within the spacer 18. An upper wall 44
 spans the front support wall 42 and the rear wall 36 and extends
 substantially perpendicular to each. The entire spacer, including the base
 portion 26 and the ledge portion 38 can be formed as a homogeneous
 one-piece extrusion. Bore 40 can also be formed during the extrusion
 process.
 Referring again to FIG. 2, it can be appreciated that when the spacer 18 is
 securely nested within the L-shaped channel 46 formed on the bottom of
 frame 12, step 22 provides a secure seating and anchorage for the lower
 edge 20 of the windshield 10 as well as the adjoining portion of the
 underside 24 of windshield 10. The top wall 32 of the spacer 18 prevents
 the windshield 10 from sliding downwardly onto the channel 46 as the bead
 of urethane 16 cures. The height of front wall 30 is selected to provide
 the required spacing and alignment of the windshield on the frame 12.
 Because the base 26 of the spacer 18 is formed of a solid mass of
 elastomeric material, it does not compress to any significant extent along
 the plane of windshield 10. That is, the windshield 10 does not compress
 the top wall 32 towards the bottom wall 28 to any significant degree due
 to the solid nature of the base 26.
 However, the hollow ledge portion 38 of the spacer 18 is significantly more
 flexible, compliant and more easily deformed than the solid base 26 due to
 the formation of the channel or bore 40 therethrough. This flexibility
 afforded the ledge portion 38 is most desirable for accommodating
 irregularities and manufacturing tolerances between the frame 12 and
 windshield 10.
 That is, the undersurface 24 of windshield 10 is subject to slight waves or
 undulations, and the surface of the L-shaped channel of frame 12 along the
 bottom edge 20 of windshield 10 is also subject to irregularities such as
 welds and small imperfections. The hollow ledge portion 38 simply
 compresses to conform to the bumps, waves and grooves present between the
 windshield and frame. This allows the windshield to set itself relatively
 evenly around the frame and thereby maintain the continuity and integrity
 of the bond and seal formed by the curing urethane.
 It should be understood that while this invention has been discussed in
 connection with one particular example, those skilled in the art will
 appreciate that other modifications can be made without departing from the
 spirit of this invention after studying the specification, drawings, and
 the following claims.