Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Light transmissive sheets – with gas space therebetween and...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-12
2004-05-18
Loney, Donald J. (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Light transmissive sheets, with gas space therebetween and...
C052S786130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06737129
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to an insulating glass pane with individual plates and with a space profile as defined in the preamble to Patent claim
1
.
An insulating glass pane of this kind is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,263, FIG. 7, and the corresponding description. When the individual plates are pressed together, and when the spacer profile is pressed into position, as well as when the pane is acted upon by wind forces, the sealing compound can be expressed into the interior of the insulating glass pane. This results in edges that are visually unappealing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,523 discloses another type of insulating glass pane, in which the outer transverse pad overlaps the face end edges of the individual panes and no transverse pad is available as a spacer. The inside edges of continuation pads form bearing points for the individual plates, so that under lateral pressure some of the sealing compound is intended to be pressed between the face end edges of the individual plates and the transverse pad that overlaps these. However, in the event that this is prevented by a U-profile that overlaps on the outside it is impossible to preclude expression into the interior of the pane.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,090 discloses an insulating glass pane with individual plates and a spacer profile that has no continuation pads. Thus, the benefits that result from such continuation pads are eliminated. The area of the seal is correspondingly narrow, which can then be insufficient if the insulating glass pane is to be filled with gases that are made up of relatively small molecules, for example, noble gases that are desirable for their good insulating properties for the insulating glass pane.
Thus, it is the objective of the present invention to create an insulating glass pane of the type described in the introduction hereto, in which sealing is improved without the need to increase the dimensions of the profile and without the sealant being squeezed out to any notable extent, particularly into the interior of the pane, it being possible to limit excessive movement of the individual plates towards each other in the transverse direction.
SUMMARY
This objective has been achieved by providing an insulating glass pane with individual plates and with a spacer profile, which is formed of a hollow profile that closes off the interior space of the plates along its edges, and which is defined by two transverse pads that are spaced apart and transverse to the planes of the plates. The two side pads are more or less parallel to the planes of the plates and serve, at least in some areas, as supports for the individual plates and are filled with a plastic-elastic sealant. The area that has the sealant is at a different level relative to the individual plates, and there is an inclined transition pad between each outermost transverse pad and the side plates. Each side pad has a continuation pad above the innermost transverse pad that extends towards the interior of the insulating glass pane, which lies against the inner side of the particular individual plate when in its functional position. The continuation pads and the individual plates in the installed position have a space that is filled with sealant, wherein spaced apart from their edge area that is connected to the hollow profile, the continuation pads have a first bearing point for the individual plate, and in that in the area of the side pads or of the edge area that is proximate to the side pad, the spacer profile has a second bearing point for the individual plates which, when the continuation pad pivots elastically comes into contact with the individual plate and which, relative to the side pad or the continuation pad that extends from there to the individual plate, projects less than the first bearing point when the continuation pad (
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) is not deformed.
In this way, too, the continuation pads are used so that sealant can be applied to them at least over a part of their width, so that the total width of the area of the spacer profile that is provided with such sealant can be enlarged accordingly. Furthermore, for all practical purposes, none of the sealant could be squeezed out into the interior of the pane if the individual plates move, since this is prevented, at least to a very great extent, by the first bearing point. In the event of extreme deformation of the individual plates and thus of the continuation pads, the sealant that is located on the continuation pads can be cut off from the other sealant that is located on the side pieces and thus be enclosed, which, in the event of excess pressure could, under certain circumstances, lead to a slight although not troublesome displacement through of the first bearing point.
Because of the enlarged area this provided by the arrangement with a sealant according to the present invention, it is also possible to seal insulating glass panes that are filled with a gas other than air, without such gas being able to seep out through of the area of the seal. In particular, gas fillings that are of noble gases, for example, argon, krypton, or xenon, can be used even though they are made up of smaller molecules than air and can thus diffuse more readily.
Because of the second bearing point on the spacer profile, it has been possible to ensure that in the event of pressure that acts in the transverse direction on the insulating glass pane, the continuation pads which are initially the sole direct bearing point of the spacer profile on the individual points—because in the undeformed state the first bearing points form the greatest width of the spacer profile—will be the first to yield, and can pivot towards each other until the individual plates come to rest on the second bearing point in the area of the transverse pad. Thus, any excessive movement of the individual plates towards each other in the transverse direction will be restricted by the transverse pad, or else the transverse forces that are generated will be introduced-at least for the most part-into the transverse pad of the spacer profile.
It is also expedient that the spacer profile be an extruded, hollow profile, in particular of aluminum or of an aluminum alloy, or a rolled hollow profile, in particular of stainless steel sheet, and that the continuation pads be connected thereto so as to form one piece. In the case of both an excluded and of a rolled hollow profile, the continuation pads can be integral parts and be provided with appropriate thickened areas and/or sloping areas, and possess a specific intrinsic elasticity.
Another configuration of the insulating glass pane according to the present invention, in particular, of the spacer profile, can be such that the cross sectional thickness of the continuation pads increases towards their unattached edges or to the thickened area, at least in some areas. By this means, the elastic flexibility of the continuation pads can be enhanced, since the cross section thickness from the first bearing point decreases towards the transverse pad of the spacer profile, where the actual axis of pivot is arranged.
At the same time, it can be expedient that the transverse pad that extends in the area of the second bearing point with its cross section transversely to the individual plates incorporate at least one predetermined buckling point. Under extreme pressure loads, the transverse pad can then also yield to some extent in order to avoid breakage of the individual plate, when the pressure forces can then additionally be distributed onto the outer transverse pad of the spacer profile.
The predetermined buckling point of the transverse pad can be formed by a reduction of its cross sectional thickness and/or by a channel, groove or similar weakening of the material that runs between the transverse pads. In this connection, it is useful if the predetermined of buckling point of the transverse pad be configured and arranged in such a way that this can be deformed or deflected into the interior of the hollow space within the hollow profile. In this connection, the buckling or yielding of the tra
Bayer Isolierglas- und Maschinentechnik GmbH
Loney Donald J.
Volpe and Koenig P.C.
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