Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Multiroom or level – Curtain-wall; i.e. – panel attached outside floor or beam
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-18
2001-05-08
Hansen, James O. (Department: 3636)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Multiroom or level
Curtain-wall; i.e., panel attached outside floor or beam
Reexamination Certificate
active
06226940
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a mullion connection system for use in a window wall or curtain wall system. Specifically disclosed is a system for connecting those mullions having a unique shape or configuration, one to another.
BACKGROUND
A conventional window wall or curtain wall system
100
is shown in FIG.
1
. Typically such conventional window wall or curtain wall systems include a plurality of support mullions
102
oriented generally along horizontal and vertical lines. The mullions, when connected one to another provide a structure for supporting substantially rigid wall or window panels
104
. Each supported, substantially rigid wall or window panel typically has a rectangular shape characterized by two sets of parallel edges. Such window wall or curtain wall systems may include just a single wall or window panel or multiple wall or window panels as shown in FIG.
1
. Window wall or curtain wall systems have been used both in interior spaces and as external walls in buildings. Additionally, window wall or curtain wall systems
100
have been used in vehicles such as buses, airplanes, trains, or boats.
Shown in
FIG. 2
is a simplified example of a system
200
for connecting a horizontal mullion
202
to a vertical mullion
204
. While the mullions shown in
FIG. 2
are simple box beams, most present day mullions used in window wall or curtain wall systems are usually complex extruded forms. In the exemplary diagram shown in
FIG. 2
, the shear block
206
is attached to the vertical mullion
204
using fasteners
208
. The fasteners
208
typically enter the mullion at an angle which is substantially perpendicular to an exterior surface of the mullion. Once the shear block
206
is attached to the mullion
204
, the substantially hollow horizontal mullion
202
is then slid over the shear block
206
.
FIG. 3
illustrates two types of shear blocks
302
,
304
used in actual practice. As shown in
FIG. 2
, fasteners
306
, which typically pass through the shear blocks at an angle which is substantially perpendicular to the exterior surface of the mullion block, are used to attach the shear blocks shown in
FIG. 3
to the vertical mullion
308
.
In window wall or curtain wall installations employing mullions with more complex non-orthogonal shapes, because of either construction or aesthetic considerations, it is necessary to use a shear block having a more complex shape to both fit within the mullion and to assure that the fasteners pass into the mullion at an angle which is substantially perpendicular to an exterior surface. For example, in the system
400
illustrated in
FIG. 4
, a specially manufactured diamond-shaped vertical mullion
402
is used instead of the box beam
204
shown in FIG.
2
. Because of the use of a diamond-shaped mullion
402
, the shear block
404
must be formed such that a top and bottom plan view of the shear block
404
would have the shape of a non-rectangular parallelogram having two short minor edges
406
and two longer major edges
408
. The use of a non-rectangular parallelogram enables the compound fastening of non-orthogonal surfaces. Additionally, the fastener holes
410
must be re-oriented in the shear block
404
so that their long axis is substantially perpendicular to the external surface of the mullion. This assures proper attachment of the shear block
410
to the mullion
402
. Typically, prior art specially created shear blocks
404
enable the use of non-orthogonal mullions in custom window wall or curtain wall installations and are specially produced in small volumes by making special molds or castings. If the specially designed and specially manufactured shear block further requires the inclusion of channels, ears, fingers, legs, spines, etc., as shown in shear blocks
302
and
304
in
FIG. 3
, to accommodate and properly orient fasteners with respect to the outer surface of the mullion, the design and manufacture of such specially made shear blocks is expensive. And, because such specially designed and specially made shear blocks are produced in relatively small quantities, their unit cost is high. As the design of specially made shear blocks depends on the shape of the mullions and the design of the particular window wall or curtain wall system, unused specially designed shear blocks have little use on other installations and are usually discarded as scrap.
As the complexity of shear block design increases with the complexity of the design of window wall or curtain wall systems, so too does the chance for error when designing and manufacturing the required specially made shear blocks. There is therefore a need in the art to create a shear block system for use in connecting mullions, one to another, that is inexpensive, easy to manufacture and reduces the possibility for errors or rework.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The mullion connection system of the present invention includes an improved shear block that is inexpensive, easy to manufacture, and reduces the possibility for errors or rework.
The mullion connection system described herein provides for the joinder of two mullions together in a window wall or curtain wall system by using an angulated shear block which is cut from a section of extruded material (metallic or non-metallic). By cutting the shear block from a section of extruded material rather than using a special mold or casting to manufacture an individual shear block, the opportunity is created for a variety of different mounting hole orientations and positions in the central portion of the shear block. By cutting an extruded shear block which already includes a substantially solid central portion, the needed channels, ears, fingers, legs, and splines that enable the receipt and orientation of fasteners, the prior art requirement to specially form channels, ears, fingers, legs and spines in shear blocks has been eliminated.
The present invention eliminates the need for special molds or multiple castings or dies to manufacture a shear block that has angled side walls, a unique shape which is specially formed to fit in the intersection of interengaging structural support mullions and precisely oriented channels, ears, fingers, legs and splines. The shear block of the present invention is particularly useful when connecting unusual angular configurations of support mullions or with specially shaped decorative mullions.
The inventors herein have recognized that the cost of a single block of extruded material, from which the shear blocks of the present invention may be cut, is much cheaper and faster than the prior art practice of casting or specially machining multiple extruded parts or a limited number of specially designed and manufactured shear blocks.
The inventors herein have also realized that the section of extruded material, from which the shear blocks used in the mullion connection system of the present invention are cut, can also be used to manufacture a wide array of other shear blocks which are usable with multiple curtain wall or window wall installations. Since the shape of the mullions in a particular window wall or curtain wall system will generally be fixed throughout a portion thereof, the same extrusion can be used for different applications within the same window wall or curtain wall system by simply cutting the shear block out of extruded bar stock at different angles to create the needed variations in the angle necessary to attach one mullion to another.
The essence of the instant invention is the utilization of a single extruded bar of material which may or may not be solid to form different angulated shear blocks, each having a unique configuration which describes the appropriate angles for interconnecting support mullions, one to another.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3293813 (1966-12-01), Emmons et al.
patent: 3526071 (1970-09-01), Watanabe
patent: 3842554 (1974-10-01), Swick
patent: 3940897 (1976-03-01), Stoakes
patent: 4008552 (1977-02-01), Biebuyck
patent: 4141188 (1979-02-01), Sukolics
patent: 4275533 (1981-06-01), Wright
patent: 4453355 (1984-06-01), Stoak
Biebuyck Lawrence F.
Clark James P.
Gibson Jarett B.
Hansen James O.
Jenkens & Gilchrist P.C.
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