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EGP Earns US Patent for Improved Windshield
Watercraft Windshield Design Is Patent #6 for EGP VP Peter Gerhardinger
CHICAGO, Ill. (August 27, 2004) – Engineered Glass Products is proud to announce its latest patent: an improved windshield for watercraft. EGP vice president Pete Gerhardinger and his engineering team created the design to improve the function, safety, and appearance of curved glass and plastic windshield assemblies. This is Gerhardinger’s sixth US patent.
Described in technical terms in the official patent documentation, this invention provides “a safe, free-standing, self-supporting [windshield] assembly for a marine vessel, which has broad flexibility from a styling/aesthetic viewpoint, has physical flexibility to conform to the shape of the windshield, and forms a watertight seal with the hull of the vessel.”
More simply described, the newly designed windshield allows for more curves, better strength, and improved safety. This is largely accomplished through the use of a molded, flexible polymeric frame. Not only is this much simpler and less expensive than a traditional, inflexible metal frame; it is also safer for the occupants and less stressful to the material.
“Our creative team is especially proud of this design because it’s an aesthetic improvement and a definite technological improvement as well,” says Gerhardinger. “We are currently exploring licensing opportunities with watercraft companies and windshield manufacturers who will use our patented design to improve their product.”
By creating a substantially continuous framework around each panel of the windshield, Gerhardinger’s team increased the inherent structural strength of the curved glass or plastic. The lower portion of the polymeric frame is capable of intimately conforming to the shape of the upper surface of a watercraft’s hull, reducing stress on both panel and frame.
Traditionally, the windshield of a small watercraft has numerous metal parts in the assembly, which can create many sharp edges. This, along with the inherently hard nature of metal, can be a safety hazard if someone in the watercraft is thrown against the windshield by rough water or other causes. With a polymeric frame, sharp edges are eliminated, and the flexibility of the material will absorb part of the impact.
Additionally, the smooth appearance of a polymeric frame, combined with its innate ability to conform to the curves of a watercraft, merges function with style. A metal frame cannot match the visual appeal of EGP’s newly patented design.
“EGP has provided my team with the perfect environment to explore the potential of coated glass technology, which of course is what we’re famous for,” says Gerhardinger. “But our research and discoveries reach far beyond the traditional products our company has produced in the past, and new patents like this one prove that EGP is expanding its horizons.”
With more than 25 years of experience in research and development, Gerhardinger holds six patents, with another pending. His expertise is recognized by the U.S. Congress, where he has been called on to testify before House and Senate subcommittees on energy efficiency. He has also been a guest speaker at numerous international conferences on technology and the glass industry.
As vice president of technology at Engineered Glass Products, Gerhardinger provides the technological foundation for EGP’s constantly evolving product line. Today, Gerhardinger and his team of engineers are pushing the limits and expanding the borders of EGP’s exclusive Hot Glass™ technology. As EGP continues to overcome technical and thermal barriers, the range of applications for this emerging technology becomes virtually limitless. Gerhardinger is currently devoting his considerable talents to designing new Hot Glass™ product solutions for hotels, architects, restaurants, and more.
“EGP is positioned to be a pioneer in the science of heated glass, which is destined to become commonplace and indispensable in the very near future,” says Gerhardinger.
Combining more than 50 years of experience with cutting-edge expertise, Engineered Glass Products (EGP) is today’s premier developer of heated glass technology. EGP is headquartered in Chicago, Ill., with a technology center located in Toledo, Ohio. For more information on heated glass technologies, e-mail info@egpglass.com or visit the Web site at www.egpglass.com. Hot glass technology. Reflect on the possibilities.
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