TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The disclosed invention relates to a bonding part attachable to a glass surface or other substrate through the use of adhesives. More particularly, the disclosed invention relates a method for attaching a prepared adhesive, such as a structural polyurethane, epoxy or other basic for an adhesive, pressed from a powder to an adhesive tablet, to a bonding part made of any one of several materials including, metal, glass, ceramics, plastics, wood and composites for attachment to another component such as a glass surface or to another substrate made of materials such metal, ceramics, plastics, wood and composites.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Attachment of a first component to a second component for any of a variety of applications may be made by any of several known methods of fastening, including mechanical or chemical fastening. Mechanical fastening, while often practical and reliable, is not always usable for every application. For example, where a first component is being attached to a second component and it is not desirable or practical to drill into or otherwise modify the second component for mechanical attachment, chemical fastening is the only other alternative. This is the case where, for example, a component is to be attached to a glass surface or other substrate (the second component). An example of a component-to-glass arrangement may be seen in the automotive industry where a rear view mirror or a metal hinge needs to be attached to a glass surface. Other examples of component-to-glass attachment needs exist such as in home and office construction.

[0003] A solution to the bonding challenge was introduced in the form of an adhesive applied between the part to be attached (the bonding part) and the substrate to which the bonding part was attached. The adhesives have been applied in several ways.

[0004] According to one known approach the adhesive is applied to the bonding part by dosing with nozzles and spraying the adhesive onto the bonding part. While this process can be easy and often inexpensive, it suffers from the need to frequently clean the nozzles in order to maintain a desired level of consistency in the actual spraying from part to part. In addition, the sprayed adhesive tends to be sticky, thus resulting in the possibility that the bonding part will come into contact with another object between the time of the spraying of the adhesive and the actual attachment of the bonding part to the substrate.

[0005] According to another known approach a double-sided tape is applied to the bonding part. According to this approach a release layer is removed from one side of the tape and the tape is applied to the bonding part. The release layer on the other side of the tape is left in place until the bonding part is ready for attachment to the substrate. This approach offers advantages in that it is usable at room temperature and the adhesive for contact with the substrate is not exposed until needed. Furthermore, the adhesive does not require an adhesion promoter. However, while the release layer protects against the adhesive from being inadvertently attached to a surface, it also adds an inconvenient step in the process of attachment of the bonding part to the substrate in that the layer must be removed prior to attachment. The release layer may also tear resulting in a portion of the layer being left behind on the adhesive surface and creating the potential for imperfect adhesion of the bonding part to the substrate. The step of attaching the double-sided tape to the bonding part is also complicated by the fact that this arrangement of structural adhesives can only be used for in-line assembly in which the bonding part, the double-sided tape and the substrate pass through a heater such as an autoclave to achieve full bonding performance.

[0006] A third and more attractive method is to provide the bonding part with a formed adhesive element such as a tablet already in position prior to shipment of the bonding part to the end-user. This arrangement is attractive as it results in a bonding part that is ready to bond with no requirement that the end user attach the adhesive tablet to the bonding part. However, it may be that the end user wishes to apply the tablet at its facility and according to its own schedule and arrangement. In such a case the concept of a pre-applied adhesive such as the bonding tablet already fitted to the bonding part may not be the optimal choice.

[0007] Accordingly, as in so many areas of fastener technology, there is room in the art of bonding parts for an alternate approach to the manufacture of bonding parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The disclosed invention provides a method for the attachment of a formed adhesive element to a bonding part in a practical and efficient way. The formed adhesive element may be conveniently attached to the bonding part by the end-user prior to attachment of the bonding part to the substrate. In order to attach the formed adhesive element to the bonding part according to the disclosed invention, the bonding part is heated then is moved in position over the formed adhesive element. As an alternative arrangement the bonding part may be used without heating at room temperature. The bonding part is then moved into a pre-contact position relative to the formed adhesive element. Thereafter the bonding part is moved into contact with the formed adhesive element, or the adhesive elements are mechanically or manually pushed against the adhesive coating surface of the bonding part. The bonding part, now having the formed adhesive element attached, is ready for attachment to the substrate. One or more formed adhesive elements may be attached to the bonding part.

[0009] Other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent when viewed in light of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should now be made to the embodiments illustrated in greater detail in the accompanying drawings and described below by way of examples of the invention wherein:

[0011] FIG. 1 A is an elevational view of a bonding part having formed adhesive elements attached thereto;

[0012] FIG. 1 B is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a formed adhesive element having a spherical shape for use in the disclosed invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 but illustrating the bonding part attached to a substrate;

[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a formed adhesive element; [0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a formed adhesive element;

[0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a formed adhesive element;

[0017] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a formed adhesive element;

[0018] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a formed adhesive element;

[0019] FIG. 8 is a sectional view of an alternate method of fixing the adhesive elements to the bonding part in which the formed adhesive elements are shown before being positioned onto the matrix plate;

[0020] FIG. 9 is a view similar to that of Figure 8 but showing the formed adhesive elements in place in their respective detents of the matrix plate;

[0021] FIG. 10 is a view similar to that of Figure 9 but showing the bonding part in position above and spaced apart from the formed adhesive elements and the matrix plate;

[0022] FIG. 1 1 is a view similar to that of Figure 10 but showing a bonding part in position on the formed adhesive elements;

[0023] FIG. 12 is a view illustrating the bonding part and its attached formed adhesive elements fitted thereto and positioned over a substrate; [0024] FIG. 13 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 2 but illustrating the bonding part adhered to the substrate;

[0025] FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of an irregularly-shaped bonding part having a plurality of formed adhesive elements positioned thereon;

[0026] FIG. 15 is a to plan view of the irregularly-shaped bonding part of Figure 14 illustrating the array of formed adhesive elements positioned thereon; and

[0027] FIG. 16 is a sectional view of a formed adhesive element in the shape of a ball with a spacer element embedded therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0028] In the following figures, the same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same components. In the following description, various operating parameters and components are described for different constructed embodiments. These specific parameters and components are included as examples and are not meant to be limiting.

[0029] Figures 1 A and 2 illustrate the general appearance of a bonding part having formed adhesive elements attached thereto. The shape and arrangement of the bonding part is only for illustrative purposes and is not intended as being limiting. In particular, a bonding part, generally illustrated as 10, is shown in position relative to a substrate 12. The substrate 12 may be any of several materials. The bonding part 10 includes a stud element 14 and a bonding plate 16. The bonding plate 16 includes an adhesive-contacting surface 18 upon which one or more formed adhesive elements 20 are attached by adhesion. In Figure 2 the bonding part 10 is shown adhered to the substrate 12. After attachment of the bonding part 10 to the substrate 12 a portion of the adhesive may overflow the perimeter of the bonding plate 1 6 in the form of outflow 22.

[0030] The formed adhesive element 20 may be of any one of a variety of shapes and sizes. This shape may be spherical, as illustrated in Figure 1 A and in 1 B, the latter figure showing a conventional shape. However, the illustrated shape and size are only suggestive and it is to be understood that the formed adhesive may be formed and shaped so as to meet any of a variety of needs without limitation. Examples of different shapes and sizes of formed adhesive elements are illustrated in Figures 3 through 7. Particularly, and with respect to Figure 3, a formed adhesive element 24 in the shape of a tablet is illustrated. With respect to Figure 4 a formed adhesive element 26 in the shape of a wafer is illustrated. With respect to Figure 5 a formed adhesive element 28 having an irregular shape is illustrated. With respect to Figure 6 a formed adhesive element 30 in the shape of a ring is illustrated. Finally, with respect to Figure 7, a formed adhesive element 32 having an irregular shape is illustrated. [0031] The formed adhesive elements may be positioned on apertures of an apparatus (not shown) having a matrix plate and ejector stamps (not shown) either manually or mechanically. Such an apparatus is set forth in co-pending United States Serial No.

, incorporated by reference herein. The formed adhesive elements may be moved to the apertures by a transfer head according to the apparatus set forth in co-pending United States Serial

No. incorporated by reference herein.

[0032] Placement of the adhesive elements onto the matrix plate and attachment thereof to the bonding part may be made without use of an ejector arrangement as illustrated in Figures 8 through 13.

[0033] With reference to Figure 8, the pair of formed adhesive elements 34 and 34' are shown above a matrix plate 36. The matrix plate 36 includes a pair of spaced apart, adhesive element-receiving detents 38 and 38' formed therein.

[0034] With reference to Figure 9, a view similar to that of Figure 8 is shown but the formed adhesive elements 34 and 34' are shown in place in their respective detents 38 and 38' of the matrix plate 36. Placement of the formed adhesive elements 34 and 34' may be made by mechanical placement or manually. As illustrated in Figure 9, portions of the formed adhesive elements 34 and 34' protrude above the surface of the matrix plate 36. [0035] As shown in Figure 10, the bonding part 10 has been moved into position above the formed adhesive elements 34 and 34' and the matrix plate 36. As discussed above, the bonding part 10 may be preheated or may be unheated and at room temperature.

[0036] The bonding part 10 is then lowered into contact with the formed adhesive elements 34 and 34' as shown in Figure 1 1 . Once adhesion is accomplished, the bonding part 10 and its attached formed adhesive elements 34 and 34' are separated from the matrix plate 36 and are positioned over the substrate 12 as shown in Figure 12. Once in its correct position, the bonding part 10 and its adhesive elements 34 and 34' are attached to the substrate 12 as shown in Figure 13.

[0037] It should be noted that the method and apparatus of the disclosed invention may be used with bonding parts of a great variety of shapes and sizes. The bonding part 10 illustrated and discussed above is only one possible configuration. Another configuration, intended as being illustrative and non-limiting, is shown in Figures 14 and 15.

[0038] With respect to Figures 14 and 1 5, a bonding part 40 includes a body having multiple sections of varying shapes and dimensions. Particularly, the bonding part 40 includes a first portion 42 which is generally concave, a second portion 44 which is generally flat having a downward-sloping angle, a third portion 46 which is also generally flat, a fourth portion 48 which is generally flat having an upwardly-sloping angle, and a fifth portion 50 which is generally convex. A plurality of spherical formed adhesive elements 34 are positioned in an array over the first portion 42, the second portion 44, the third portion 46, the fourth portion 48 and the fifth portion 50. As illustrated in Figure 15, the density of the spherical formed adhesive elements 34 over the various portions may be controlled by the number and placement of the spherical formed adhesive elements 34, thus controlling adhesion so that some portions demonstrate greater adhesion than others.

[0039] Not only can the shape and sizes of the spherical formed adhesive elements be controlled, the composition of the spherical formed adhesive elements can be modified as needed for certain applications. With respect to Figure 16, a formed adhesive element 52 includes an embedded spacer element 54 which is included within the adhesive element 52 as it is being formed. The spacer element 54 may be composed of a plastic, metal or other material usable with the adhesive elements. Upon attachment of the bonding part to which the formed adhesive element 52 is attached to a substrate the movement of the bonding part toward the substrate is limited because of the presence of the spacer element 54.

[0040] In addition, a color-code system might be employed to distinguish between adhesives. That is, a spherical formed adhesive element having one type of adhesive might include a color that is different than a color of another spherical formed adhesive element, which includes a different type of adhesive.

[0041] The foregoing discussion discloses and describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the true spirit and fair scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.