Glazing element

Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Window or window sash – sill – mullion – or glazing – Ornamental type; e.g. – stained glass or mosaic type

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C052S204590, C052S204593, C052S314000, C052S786110, C052S786130, C052S789100, C052S745210

Reexamination Certificate

active

06250027

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally concerns a glazing element comprising a sheet of transparent or translucent material intended in particular to be fitted in an architectural opening.
More specifically, the invention concerns glazing elements which imitate the appearance of stained or cut glass, and which may be incorporated in, for example, double glazed panels of doors or windows. The primary purpose of such elements is to make the doors or windows in which they are fitted more attractive, but they may equally be used to match new or replacement doors or windows with existing decorative panels.
Glazing elements are known which comprise a solid resin element occupying the entirety of the volume between the two layers of a double glazed cell.
Such known glazing elements have a number of disadvantages including the relatively large volume of material used in their manufacture, which increases the associated manufacturing costs, such costs being inevitably borne by the ultimate consumer.
In addition, the resin material used is light sensitive, with a marked tendency to deteriorate and become discoloured on prolonged exposure to light. This causes a deterioration in the quality of the glazing element manifested by way of a generally cloudy appearance and loss of clarity of the design. This is displeasing and is, in effect, a failure by the glazing element to fulfil its specific function as, once such deterioration has developed to any significant extent, the panel must be replaced if the desired appearance and attractiveness of the door or window is to be maintained. The need to replace panels for this reason leads to yet further unwelcome cost for the consumer, as well as the associated inconvenience.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to overcome at least the majority of the above disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a glazing element for an architectural opening, comprising:
a transparent or translucent laminar element having a major, generally planar portion, and
at least one secondary portion inclined thereto which meets the said major portion at a surface discontinuity, wherein said at least one surface discontinuity simulates the appearance of a glazing feature and wherein said laminar element is adapted to be fitted between two sheets of a double glazed cell.
Preferably, the laminar element is in the form of a sheet of plastically deformable material.
Using a single sheet of material instead of a solid resin insert, as used in the known glazing elements, allows manufacturing costs to be reduced as a direct result of the reduced material costs. Such savings may be passed on to the purchaser which is an undeniable advantage.
A further aspect of the glazing element according to the invention is that the at least one surface discontinuity may be obtained by application of the known and widely used technique of vacuum forming which, being so well known, is not described in the present description. The technique is sufficiently flexible to allow a wide range of designs of varying complexity to be produced.
The at least one surface discontinuity obtained in this way may be such as to simulate the appearance of cut glass. Depending on the complexity of the design, different glazing elements will have different numbers of secondary portions inclined to the major portion of the laminar element, and the angle of inclination will itself depend on the desired appearance. A greater angle of inclination will be obtained where “sharper” cuts are intended to be represented, and vice versa. Having cut glass panels in doors, windows and the like is desirable, but genuine cut glass panels tend to be very expensive. Fitting the glazing element according to the invention into such doors, windows and the like can greatly enhance their appearance without the expense of fitting genuine cut glass panels.
Alternatively, the said at least one surface discontinuity may be such as to imitate glazing bars such as those found in, for example, Georgian-style windows and the like, in order to simulate the appearance of such windows. If desired, the surface discontinuity or discontinuities may be painted or filled so as further to enhance the appearance of the insert.
According to a yet further aspect of the present invention, the laminar element used may be a material which is resistant to deterioration upon exposure to ultra-violet light. By using such a material, the glazing element is not susceptible to, or is at least better able to withstand the structural and therefore visual deterioration experienced by many plastics and many other materials, in particular the resins used to make known glazing elements.
This lack of or reduced sensitivity to ultra-violet light overcomes one of the major disadvantages associated with the known glazing inserts, namely, the loss of both the clarity of the design and its pleasing decorative appearance caused by the light-induced discolouration described above of the resin insert.
Using the film resistant to ultra-violet light-caused deterioration therefore means that the glazing element according to the invention retains its original appearance and is thus able to fulfil its specific function for longer. This is obviously beneficial to the consumer particularly in economic terms as it will not be necessary to replace the panel for reasons relating to ultra-violet light-induced deterioration in quality, as well as in terms simply of the longer period of enjoyment of the decorative insert.
Of course, it is not essential that such film is used for the glazing elements if, for example, the anticipated life span of the panels in which the elements are fitted is not important, or where it is not necessary that their appearance remains unaltered. Similarly, where the decorative inserts are to be used where exposure to light is unlikely to be a problem such as, for example, in artificially (or dimly) lit environments, there would be no particular need or benefit in using an ultra-violet light-insensitive material.
A yet further aspect of the glazing element according to the present invention is the possibility of using different coloured materials in the form of pigments or pigmented materials. The use of colour simulates the appearance of stained glass, and may be used either alone in the glazing element or in combination with the aforesaid vacuum forming technique, which can further enhance the attractiveness of the glazing elements. Furthermore, a wider variation in the designs which may be produced will consequently be available, which is beneficial in offering greater customer choice.
Where the appearance of stained glass is desired, the pigments or pigmented materials may be incorporated in or applied to the insert after it has been vacuum formed to obtain the desired shape.
Alternatively, the desired pigments or pigmented materials and designs material used for the glazing insert may be incorporated in or applied to the insert before it is vacuum formed.
It is furthermore possible to use a genuine stained glass window as a mold in the vacuum forming of the laminar element. This will allow an accurate reproduction of the design on the original window to be obtained, to which pigment or pigmented material is then applied, or in which it is incorporated, by means of painting, staining and the like so as to match the colours of the original window. Different coloured pigments or pigmented materials may, of course, be used if it is not desired to match the colours of the original window.
Glazing inserts formed in this way have a number of applications. For example, they may be used to support the existing stained glass window used to form the glazing insert, or they may replace the original window if, for example, it is fragile and would be better preserved elsewhere.
Further advantages of the glazing elements according to the invention arise from the use of a single layer of material, including the resulting lightness of the glazing element. Its light

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