Thermoform windshield stack with integrated formable mold
Manufacturing a pre-molded stack of one or more lenses to be installable on a curved substrate such as a vehicle windshield includes placing a moldable stack of one or more lenses and adhesive layer(s) on a mold, applying heat and pressure to the moldable stack to produce a pre-molded stack of one or more lenses from the moldable stack, and removing the pre-molded stack from the mold. The pre-molded stack may have a compound curvature, which may match a curvature of the curved substrate. The mold may be formed using three-dimensional shape data derived from the curved substrate, such as by optically scanning the curved substrate.
1. A pre-molded stack of two or more lenses installable on a curved substrate, the pre-molded stack comprising:
a stack of two or more lenses not including or affixed to the curved substrate; and
an adhesive layer interposed between each pair of adjacent lenses from among the two or more lenses;
wherein the pre-molded stack has a compound curvature.
2. The pre-molded stack of claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more lenses comprises a biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film.
3. The pre-molded stack of claim 1 , further comprising a sacrificial layer disposed on an outermost lens of the stack, the sacrificial layer including a sacrificial lens and a sacrificial adhesive interposed between the sacrificial lens and the outermost lens of the stack.
4. The pre-molded stack of claim 3 , wherein the sacrificial layer is more heat resistant than the outermost lens of the stack.
5. The pre-molded stack of claim 4 , wherein the sacrificial layer is less scratch resistant than the outermost lens of the stack.
6. The pre-molded stack of claim 3 , wherein the sacrificial layer is less scratch resistant than the outermost lens of the stack.
7. The pre-molded stack of claim 3 , wherein the sacrificial lens comprises a biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film.
8. The pre-molded stack of claim 7 , wherein the biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film can withstand temperatures between room temperature and 220° C. for two hours.
9. The pre-molded stack of claim 3 , wherein the sacrificial lens comprises an opaque polyester film.
10. The pre-molded stack of claim 9 , wherein the outermost lens of the stack comprises a transparent polyethylene terephthalate film.
11. A pre-molded stack of two or more lenses installable on a windshield, the pre-molded stack comprising:
a stack of two or more lenses not including or affixed to the windshield; and
an adhesive layer interposed between each pair of adjacent lenses from among the two or more lenses;
wherein the pre-molded stack has a compound curvature.
12. The pre-molded stack of claim 11 , wherein each of the two or more lenses comprises a biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film.
13. The pre-molded stack of claim 11 , further comprising a sacrificial layer disposed on an outermost lens of the stack, the sacrificial layer including a sacrificial lens and a sacrificial adhesive interposed between the sacrificial lens and the outermost lens of the stack.
14. The pre-molded stack of claim 13 , wherein the sacrificial layer is more heat resistant than the outermost lens of the stack.
15. The pre-molded stack of claim 14 , wherein the sacrificial layer is less scratch resistant than the outermost lens of the stack.
16. The pre-molded stack of claim 13 , wherein the sacrificial layer is less scratch resistant than the outermost lens of the stack.
17. The pre-molded stack of claim 13 , wherein the sacrificial lens comprises a biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film.
18. The pre-molded stack of claim 17 , wherein the biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film can withstand temperatures between room temperature and 220° C. for two hours.
19. The pre-molded stack of claim 13 , wherein the sacrificial lens comprises an opaque polyester film.
20. The pre-molded stack of claim 19 , wherein the outermost lens of the stack comprises a transparent polyethylene terephthalate film.