

  (Source: CBS)





Melting Prius owner



Studio City





[Image Source: Jason Mick/DailyTech]


Source: CBS

Comments     Threshold


RE: Umm
By spread on 1/26/2012 2:33:31 PM , Rating: 2
Problem comes in the shape of the window/windows.

Not an easy fix. Probably double pane windows sealed with argon or nitrogen in between. How much they flex and what shape they take depends on atmospheric pressure and temperature of the gas (and how much it expands or contracts relative to outside air). They are sealed TIGHT to prevent moisture from getting inside as well.

I agree that this is not Toyota's fault. If they made high temperature plastics you know what happens? They become brittle when temperatures are low. And if you put softer plastics that are more flexible in lower temperatures without shattering, they melt in the Phoneix sun.

RE: Umm
By MrTeal on 1/26/2012 3:50:39 PM , Rating: 3
Here's a fun fact that applies more for a circular piece of glass but should be similar for a square: if a 48" glass flat is ground to a saggita (depth of arc) of 1/8", it would have a focal point about 100' away. It wouldn't be a perfect focus for a couple reasons, but you could get a lot of light concentrated into a very small area even with a fairly small curvature. The plate glass would probably never distort by 1/8", but I could a lot of energy being dumped into a black mirror.

