A New High-Safety Glazing for Automobiles and Other Vehicles

The new high-safety glazing is superior to that currently in use. The total thickness is reduced by half, which results in greater lightness, flexibility, and reduction of the effects of inertia. It offers very high resistance to rupture and penetration caused by external impacts by small projectiles and even repeated impacts. In the event of breakage by these exterior impacts, total visibility is maintained. In the event of internal shocks of light or moderate energy, the high resistance to rupture combined with light inertia and great flexibility means that the human tolerance limit is never reached. When these internal shocks are of high energy, progressive deceleration and considerably heightened resistance to penetration is evident, compared to the high-impact sheeting of ordinary thick glass as prescribed by USAS Z26.1. The danger of cuts is practically eliminated and the guillotine effect is totally eliminated. Parameters which characterize and influence the mechanical reaction of this new glazing with respect to various types of impacts are studied and discussed.