Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Visible translucent block or embedded component – With preform of nontranslucent material
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-05
2004-02-24
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Visible translucent block or embedded component
With preform of nontranslucent material
C052S235000, C052S506050, C052S509000, C403S367000, C403S368000, C403S369000, C403S370000, C403S374100, C403S374300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06694687
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in one aspect to a building glass facade and a clamp fitting for mounting a glass plate in a glass facade of a building.
2. Background Information
Federal Republic of Germany Patent No. 195 19 527 A, filed on May 27, 1995, and issued on Nov. 18, 1999, describes a device in which a carrier which is connected with the building-side mounting is supported on a clamp element on the inside of the building. The support is provided by means of a bearing head of the carrier, which bearing head is elastically mounted in a bearing chamber of the clamp element which is flexible in the axial direction of the carrier, whereby the bearing head is also mounted with lateral clearance in the bearing chamber, to make possible a displacement of the carrier or of its bearing head parallel to the plane of the glass plate when wind pressure is exerted. The elastic flexibility of the bearing head is effected by belleville spring washers or a substantially permanently elastic material, the location of which in the bearing chamber continuously exerts a restoring force on the carrier or the glass pane in the sense of positioning the carrier orthogonally with respect to the glass pane, which ultimately results in the introduction of stresses into the glass pane. In addition, large tolerances between the boring in the glass pane and the connection point on the building-side mounting cannot be compensated.
Federal Republic of Germany DE-OS No. 44 00 979 A1, filed on Jan. 14, 1994, corresponding to EP 0663 507 B1 of Sep. 2, 1998, likewise discloses a device in which the clamp element on the inside of the building (receptacle bearing) has a spherical surface on the lateral surface that faces the mounting, against which spherical surface an equalizing part is in contact with a complementary surface of a universal ball joint. The clamp element has a through-hole to receive the clamp screw that connects the clamp elements and a retaining screw that runs through the equalizing part and is inserted into the clamp element. With this device of the prior art, manufacturing tolerances between the boring in a glass pane and a sub-structure (mounting) can be equalized. There is no elastic support of the pane on the mounting after assembly and installation.
A similar device is described in Federal Republic of Germany DE-OS No. 44 45 724 A1, filed on Dec. 21, 1994, corresponding to GB published patent application No. 2 296 264 A published on Jun. 26, 1996, in which the clamp element on the inside of the building has, on its lateral surface facing the mounting, a spherical surface against which a pivot bearing of a fastening part is in contact by means of its complementary surface, whereby the pivot bearing is held in a union nut with lateral clearance. After assembly and installation, the pane can no longer move relative to the fastening part.
European Patent Specification EP 0 784 129 A1 of Sep. 6, 2000, also describes a support of a fastening bolt on a mounting, in which a plate of a mounting is fastened between two plano-convex lenses which are in contact by means of their plane surfaces directly against the plate, whereby one lens is in contact with its convex surface against a clamp element on the inside of the building and the other lens is in contact indirectly with a nut that holds the fastening bolt.
The fastening devices of the prior art do not meet the requirements for the fastening of highly sensitive glass plates, such as silicon plates for the photovoltaic generation of electricity. Even at low wind pressure or in the event of relatively small deformations that are caused by the introduction of heat, the silicon elements break and the glass plate no longer performs the desired function. A rather large tolerance equalization is also necessary if, for example, a plurality of glass wall segments that are adjacent to one another essentially orthogonally or at an angle to one another are to be connected to one another by means of connecting bridges. In this case, in addition to the capability of equalizing rather large tolerances, the connection should introduce the lowest possible level of stresses into the individual glass wall segments via the clamp fittings which are connected to one another via the connecting bridge.
All of the aforementioned patent applications cited above are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety herein.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to improve a clamp fitting of the type described above so that on one hand, a stress-free adjustment of the clamp fitting is possible during assembly and installation, even if there are relatively large manufacturing tolerances, and so that on the other hand, after assembly and installation, sufficient elasticity remains between the clamp fitting and the glass plate to absorb wind pressure, thermal stresses or mechanical loads without introducing stresses into the glass plate from the clamp fittings and thus from the fastening device.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a clamp fitting for a glass plate that has at least two adjustable pivots to accommodate manufacturing and assembly tolerances.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a clamp fitting for a glass plate that, after assembly, has resiliency to accommodate thermal stresses and wind loads without stressing the glass plate.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a clamp fitting for a glass plate that has a compact configuration.
It is yet an additional object of the present invention to provide a clamp fitting for a glass plate that provides angular adjustment through large angles, in order to accommodate large manufacturing and construction tolerances.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a clamp fitting for a glass plate that includes a substantially permanently elastic spring member to protect the glass plate from stresses due to wind loads and thermal effects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention in one aspect teaches that these objects can be achieved by a building glass facade of a building comprising a plurality of glass elements covering at least a portion of the building, at least one of said elements comprising a glass pane, said facade comprising: at least one glass pane; said at least one glass pane comprising a first surface, a second surface opposite from said first surface, and a hole connecting said first and second surfaces; and a clamp fitting configured and disposed to secure said glass pane to protect said glass pane from thermal stresses, mechanical loads, and wind pressure; said clamp fitting comprising: a clamp assembly comprising a first clamp element and a second clamp element; said first clamp element comprising a portion passing through said hole of said at least one glass pane; said second clamp element comprising a surface facing away from said glass pane; said first clamp element and said second clamp element being configured to secure said glass pane in a clamped attitude; a bell-shaped structure comprising an interior surface; an elastic element disposed between said bell-shaped structure and said second clamp element; said elastic element comprising a surface of one of: a conical surface or a spherical surface; said interior surface of said bell-shaped structure operatively contacting said surface of said elastic element to permit adjustable biasing of said bell-shaped structure; a pivot arrangement comprising a nut member, a bolt member, a first disc element and a second disc element; said nut member operatively connecting said pivot arrangement to said bell-shaped structure; said nut member comprising a base, and a passage in said base; said bolt member comprising a shaft portion extending through said passage; said first disc element comprising a first, planar, surface and a second, concave, surface opposite said first, planar, surface of said first disc element; said first, planar, surface of said first disc element contacting said
DORMA GmbH + Co. KG
Nils H. Ljungman & Associates
Varner Steve
LandOfFree
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