Method of mounting a panel over an opening

Abstract

A transparency of a panel of the invention is secured to an recess in a vehicle by biasing the panel toward a hole in the recess defined by an end of a flange, and fixedly mounting the panel to the flange in less than 10 minutes. In one embodiment, the transparency is secured to the recess from a position within the vehicle. In another embodiment, the panel is replaced by providing access to the hole and moving the mounting devices toward the hole to engage the flange to fixedly secure the panel over the hole. When a prior art broken transparency is replaced, the broken transparency and the structural adhesive is removed, and a panel of the invention is mounted over the hole. When an unbroken panel of the invention is to be replaced, the inner trim from the recess is removed, and the mounting devices released from the flange.

1 . A method of securing a panel to a recess having a hole with the perimeter of the hole defined by an end of a flange, comprising: 
 biasing the panel toward the recess, and    fixedly mounting the panel to the flange within a time range of greater than 0 seconds to equal to or less than 60 minutes.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the time range is greater than 0 seconds to equal to or less than 30 minutes.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the time range is greater than 0 seconds to equal to or equal to 10 minutes.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the panel comprises a transparency having two or more mounting devices securely mounted on a major surface of the transparency in spaced relationship to one another, each of the mounting devices having a first contact surface and a second contact surface, and the flange has an outer surface and an opposite inner surface, wherein fixedly mounting the transparency to the recess comprises: 
 moving the first contact surface of the mounting devices and the flange relative to one another to move the first contact surface and the outer surface of the flange into contact with one another, and    moving the second surface of the mounting devices and the flange relative to one another to move the second contact surface and the inner surface of the flange into contact with one another to fixedly secure the panel to the recess.    
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the first surface of each of the mounting devices is spaced a first distance from the major surface of the transparency and the second surface of each of the mounting devices is spaced a second distance from the surface of the transparency, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein moving the first contact surface and moving the second contact surface occurs in accordance to one of the following sequences: 
 (i) moving the first contact surface is practiced before moving the second contact surface,    (ii) moving the first contact surface is practiced after moving the second contact surface, and    (iii) moving the first contact surface and moving the second contact surface are practiced together.    
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising mounting a locking arrangement to at least one of the mounting devices to maintain the first surface of the at least one mounting device in contact with the outer surface of the flange and the second surface of the at least one mounting device in contact with the inner surface of the flange.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel further comprises a weather seal mounted on marginal edge portions of the major surface of the transparency, the weather seal encircling the mounting devices.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the weather seal has a tacky surface and a shear strength of no greater than 100 pound per square inch.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the weather seal has a non-tacky surface and is mounted on marginal edge portions of the major surface of the transparency by an adhesive.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the recess is a recess of an enclosure selected from land, air, space, above water and below water vehicles, residential housing, commercial buildings, oven doors and containers having doors with viewing areas.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the recess is a recess of a vehicle and the transparency is selected from a windshield, a rear window, a quarter panel, a roof window, a side door window, and a transparency for a modular roof.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the transparency of the panel is selected from tempered glass, heat strengthened glass, two pieces of glass laminated together, annealed glass, curved glass and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the biasing is practiced from within the vehicle by engaging the panel and pulling the major surface of the transparency of the panel toward the recess.  
   
   
       15 . A method of fixedly securing a transparency over a hole in a recess of a vehicle, the hole having a perimeter defined by end of a flange, comprising: 
 passing the transparency through the hole in the recess from a position within the vehicle, and    securing the transparency over the hole from a position within the vehicle.    
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the transparency is a component of a panel, and the panel further comprises two or more mounting devices securely mounted on marginal edge portions of a major surface of the transparency in spaced relationship to one another, and the securing comprises: 
 engaging first surface and a second opposite second surface of the flange with the mounting devices.    
   
   
       17 . A method of replacing a transparency of a vehicle, the transparency being positioned over a hole having a perimeter defined by an end of a flange, comprising; 
 providing access to the hole;    providing a panel comprising a transparency having a first major surface and an opposite second major surface, a plurality of mounting devices securely mounted in spaced relationship to one another on inner marginal edge portions of the first major surface of the transparency;    moving the panel to move the mounting devices toward the hole, and    engaging outer and inner surface portions of the flange with the mounting devices to fixedly secure the panel over the hole.    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the transparency to be replaced is a broken transparency secured over the hole by a structural adhesive, wherein providing access to the hole comprises removing the damaged transparency and the structural adhesive,  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein providing access to the hole comprises; 
 removing inner trim from the recess, and    releasing mounting devices from the flange, wherein the mounting devices are mounted to the transparency and engage the flange to fixedly secure the transparency over the recess.