Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Window or window sash – sill – mullion – or glazing – Having a drain or vent
Reexamination Certificate
2003-05-29
2004-10-26
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Window or window sash, sill, mullion, or glazing
Having a drain or vent
C052S204570, C052S204530, C052S204710
Reexamination Certificate
active
06807779
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a facade and/or roof and a sealing strip.
In spite of improved thermal insulation of glass panes and panels for facades constructed from cross members and vertical members and well as for roof window structures and verandas, the collection and diversion of condensate in the marginal regions of the panes is still of particular importance.
In particular, when the sloped roof areas or facades are inclined towards the horizontal, the condensate must be collected and drained in the lower region of the inclined area. The horizontal and sloped cross member profiles are primarily affected by the draining and/or dripping condensate.
The German patent DE 34 19 538 describes a facade and a roof embodied in a metal-glass structure, wherein the vertical and cross member profiles each have condensate water channels arranged on both sides of the marginal edges.
The planes of the condensate water channels are arranged such that, when the cross member profile is connected to the vertical member profile, the channel bottom of the condensate channel of the cross member profile is supported on the boundary wall of the condensate channel of the vertical member, whereby the condensate is transferred from the cross member profile to the vertical member profile and then discharged at a suitable location by the condensate channel of the vertical member. As a result of the overlap, the condensate channel of the vertical member profile extends unrestricted to the bottom area or to a drainage region of a roof.
This construction has proven to be non-optimal, because the cross member and vertical member profiles have to be designed with a greater width than technically required for the glass support, since the corresponding condensate channels also have to form a partially open channel beyond the glass support region, as viewed in the vertical direction.
This represents a increased material consumption for the profile and a more visible surface, which then increases the coating costs. In addition, wider profiles are inconsistent with the architectural quest for smaller profiles.
Moreover, the cross member profile has to be notched in order to overlap the condensate water channel of the cross member on the vertical member, which places a particular burden on the processor and significantly adds to the cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a structurally simple and reliable condensate collection and discharge system, so that the overall widths of the metallic vertical member profile and of the metallic cross member profile are identical.
The invention solves this object by a facade and/or roof with a metal framework having frame areas which can preferably be provided with insulating class panes, wherein the framework has vertical member profiles and cross member profiles which are oriented perpendicular to the vertical member profiles, the vertical member profiles and cross member profiles include sealing grooves for sealing strips on which the insulating glass panes can be supported, the vertical member profiles and cross member profiles further include receiving channels for leakage water, the bottoms of the sealing grooves for the sealing strips and preferably the bottoms of the receiving channels for the leakage water of the cross member profiles are positioned on the sealing grooves of the sealing strips of the vertical member profiles, and the one-part or multi-part sealing strips of the vertical member profiles have a greater overall height than the sealing strips of the cross member profiles, so that the sealing strips of the cross member and vertical member profiles terminate in a common plane, wherein at least one or more sealing strips of the cross member profiles and/or of the vertical member profiles has/have at least one drainage channel, preferably a condensate channel.
Unlike the state-of-the-art, at least one of the sealing strips of the cross member profiles and/or the vertical member profiles includes at least one drainage channel, preferably a condensate channel.
Preferably, the condensate channel is formed as one piece of the sealing strip in a cost-effective manner without adversely affecting the installation. This embodiment of the invention thus obviates the need for, installing an additional element, although the invention can be modified by adding useful elements recited in the dependent claims.
It has proven to be particularly advantageous, if the condensate channel of the cross member profile extends directly or indirectly to the glass support area of the vertical member profile and is designed to drain into channels of the vertical member profile. This arrangement advantageously retains the conventional drainage techniques, while at the same time reducing the number of components.
According to a separate modified embodiment, the invention solves the object also by a sealing strip for cross member and vertical member profiles, in particular glass support sealing strip for a facade and/or a roof, wherein at least one or several sealing strips of the cross member profile and/or the vertical member profile have a drainage channel which is formed as one piece on the glass support area of the seal, in particular for condensate, and preferably has a substantially rectangular U-shaped cross-section.
Since the condensate channels are now unexpectedly no longer associated with a metal profiles, but in a simple and cost-effective manner with the sealing strips, it is possible to flexibly adapt to different installation situations, in particular where the facade transitions into inclined and horizontal regions—i.e., transitions info roof window regions or where excessive generation of condensate is expected. The shape of the sealing strip according to the invention makes it possible to reliably discharge large quantities of condensate.
The condensate channel of the sealing strip is constructed at right angles, which is visually pleasing and functional, and preferably dimensioned according to the subject matter of the additional dependent claims, so that it has a particular advantageous relationship to the other sealing strips of the vertical member profiles.
With the sealing strip of the invention, the same profile combination can be used in the vertical section of the facade and in the horizontal roof window section.
The seal which consists of elastic material can be easily processed using a knife and scissors and ensure a high degree of leak tightness, without placing an excessive burden on the installer.
The condensate channel on the sealing strip of the cross member compensates optically the height differences of the seals relative to the vertical member.
The finished length of the seals need not be overly exact, since a small excess length of the seals is elastically compensated by compression over the entire length. The joints between seals and between the corner and/or end pieces are elastically sealed even more robustly by a slight excess length of the seals of preferably 1-2%.
In particular, only one sealing strip may be required for a cross member with a condensate channel of horizontal cross member profiles with straight sloped surfaces. This seal has to be installed on the surface of the cross member profile towards the upwardly sloped area and is typically sufficient for collecting and diverting the condensate. Glass panes with a low R-value and fill plates and/or roof constructions with a relatively small slope may require that the frame areas along the circumference or at least on three sides are provided with condensate collecting channels.
The sealing strip with the condensate channel can be applied wherever condensate generation is expected, in particular on the underside of inclined glass planes and fill plates, where the condensate drains towards the cross member profile.
Additional components, which form the subject matter of additional dependent claims, can be used to provide a tight sealing plane and glass support in a simple manner.
Additional embodiments of the invent
Höcker Eitel-Friedrich
Steege Dieter
Feiereisen Henry M.
Schüco International KG
Slack Naoko
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