Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Multiroom or level – Curtain-wall; i.e. – panel attached outside floor or beam
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-21
2004-09-28
Yip, Winnie (Department: 3637)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Multiroom or level
Curtain-wall; i.e., panel attached outside floor or beam
C052S506050, C052S512000, C411S373000, C411S366200, C403S388000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06796091
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to glass facades for building structures and the like. Glass facades are commonly made of glass plates that are mounted to a mounting structure using clamping arrangements and are joined together to form large-area glass facades. However, because the glass panes and clamping arrangements are subject to certain manufacturing tolerances, bringing the clamping element attached to the glass plate into flush alignment with the axis of a mounting hole in a mounting structure is a common problem. If the connection between the glass plate and the clamping arrangement permits, these tolerances can be compensated for with the clamping arrangement.
This invention further relates to a clamp fitting for fastening glass panes with two clamping elements that clamp the glass pane between them, whereby one clamping element is realized in the form of a conical nut or taper nut that is set or inserted into a boring of the glass pane and has a cover, which conical nut is covered on the outside of the glass pane by a cover that is flush with the outside of the glass pane, which cover is detachably connected with the conical nut by means of a clip connector that is located on the cover.
2. Background Information
A device that represents the essential features of the prior art is described in DE 299 19 333 U1, although in that device, the conical clamping element is not realized in the form of a conical nut, but is replaced by an elastic ring, whereby between the elastic ring and the glass pane there is an elastic layer that protects the glass. A nut that forms the inner clamping element, i.e. the second clamping element, is clamped onto the threaded bolt that is connected to the substructure. The head of the threaded bolt and thus the above-mentioned conical ring are covered by a cover disc that is flush with the outside of the glass pane, is detachable, and by means of which the layer that runs through to the outside of the plane and forms the glass protection is held in place elastically.
The prior art also recites that the cover plate can be held in place by a leaf spring which is attached to it, can be flexibly engaged in a boring of the undercut recess of the ring. The prior art therefore recites a clip connector, which must additionally be attached to a flat side of the cover in the form of a leaf spring, which is engaged in a suitable manner in a boring of the undercut recess of the ring. Because for aesthetic reasons, the spring can only be located on the side of the cover facing the glass pane, it is necessary in this case to provide a corresponding open space, which is therefore unavailable for the design of the screw head of the fastening screw. This lack of space is even more restricting because in the device of the prior art, the ring itself does not—as is the case with commercially available conical nuts—fit flush with its external flange against the outside of the glass panel.
On clamp fittings of the type described in DE 197 13 038 C2, the second clamping element essentially consists of a backplate, preferably in the form of an adjusting nut, that can be gripped with the conical nut, whereby the backplate can be bolted, for example, in the form of an adjusting nut, directly to the conical nut. For L-bar or angular connections and similar connections, the backplate can be formed by a pivoting clamp part which is bolted with the conical nut. Both on the above mentioned adjusting nut and on the above mentioned pivot clamp part, there can be additional fastening means, in particular fastening means used for adjustments.
In other words, a glass pane, plate, or panel can be clamped or held by a clamping element that has basically two parts. The first part of the clamping element is a hollow nut with a tapered or conical end that fits snugly in a bore or hole in the glass pane. The conical or tapered end forms a friction fit to hold the glass pane. The second part of the clamping element can be essentially any type of plate that has an opening in the center that is essentially aligned with the opening in the first part and a flange portion to clamp the glass pane. The second part is connected, fastened, bolted, or attached to the first part such that the glass pane is effectively clamped and held between the first and second parts. The second part of the clamping element could be a pivotable connection.
German Patent 197 13 038 C2 discloses a clamp fitting of the prior art in which the first clamping element is a conical nut and the second clamping element is an adjusting nut that forms the backplate. The conical nut has a cover that is connected to and forms one piece or is integral with the hollow cylindrical portion of the conical nut, whereby the hollow cylindrical portion is provided with a female thread for the connection with the adjusting nut. The adjusting nut has a slot to support the retaining flange of a fastening bolt. The installation of the conical nut and thus the connection between the conical nut and the adjusting nut is created only after the fastening bolt is tightened, in which case there is no guarantee that the adjusting nut is oriented centrally with respect to the boring of the glass pane. That necessarily results in the introduction of stresses in the glass pane when the conical nut is installed on account of the axial offset between the conical nut and the adjusting nut that forms the backplate.
DE 197 13 038 C2 discloses a clamp fitting of the prior art in which, in contrast to the device disclosed in DE 299 19 333 U1, because the cover of the conical nut is detachable, the glass pane can first be clamped free of stresses between the conical nut and the backplate, whereby a fastening screw can be tightened by means of a suitable tool through the conical nut, and if necessary through an axial passage opening of a backplate. For that purpose, the backplate can thereby have a slot or—in an angular connection, for example can be provided with a threaded hole that receives the fastening bolt.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide an opportunity for the connection of a fastening bolt to a substructure, a masonry structure, an L-bar or angular connection etc. in a manner that can resist both tension and compression stresses, in which the glass pane is clamped independently by the two clamping elements, i.e. without essentially any influence by the fastening bolt.
The object of the invention is also to realize a clamp fitting of the type described above so that when a conical nut is used, the cover that covers the head of the fastening screw is optimally located detachably on the conical nut. In particular, the space available under the cover is not restricted by the means used to achieve the detachability of the cover.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention teaches that this object can be accomplished by the solution disclosed in a clamp fitting for fastening glass panes with two clamping elements that clamp the glass pane between them, whereby one clamping element is realized in the form of a conical nut or taper nut that is set into a boring of the glass pane and has a cover, characterized by the fact that the cover is detachably fastened to the conical nut.
Because the cover of the conical nut is detachable, the glass pane can first be clamped between the conical nut and the backplate so that it is free of stresses, whereby, the backplate can then be tightened by means of a suitable tool through the conical nut, and if necessary through an axial passage opening of a backplate. For that purpose, the backplate can thereby have a slot or, in an angular connection, for example, can be provided with a threaded hole that accepts the fastening bolt.
The invention also teaches that the object can be accomplished in a clamp fitting for fastening glass panes with two clamping elements that clamp the glass pane between them, whereby one clamping element is realized in the form of a conical nut or taper nut that is set into a boring of the glass pane, which nut is covered on
Dorma GmbH + Co. KG
Nils H. Ljungman & Associates
Yip Winnie
LandOfFree
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