Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Sheet including cover or casing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-23
2002-03-12
Loney, Donald J. (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Sheet including cover or casing
C428S034000, C428S076000, C428S344000, C052S172000, C052S786130, C049S475100, C049S480100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06355328
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a composite structure containing a preformed flexible laminate advantageously used between at least two transparent or translucent panel members. The preformed flexible laminate can serve to adhere the panel s, space the panels, as well as to seal off a gas space between the panels. More specifically, the preformed laminate contains an undulating spacer element therein, a core material partially or totally embedding the spacer element and at least one polymeric film different than the core material which coats at least a surface of the core material.
The present invention further relates to a multi-cavity extrusion die for forming the flexible laminate wherein in a core cavity having a converging wall and a downstream land the core material is applied to a spacer element without disfiguring the same. The die also sequentially applies at least one or more polymeric materials which can be the same as or different than the core material whereby the configuration of the undulating spacer element and the core material is maintained.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Multiple pane windows (thermally insulating) are desirable because they reduce the heat and/or cooling loss therethrough. The spacer-sealant strip used in multiple pane windows has several functions. Structurally it can serve as a spacer (preventing multiple panes from approaching each other) and as an adhesive (keeping the panes from separating). The strip also can seal the inner gas space between the panes and often desiccates the gas space so that the dew point of the inner gas is not reached (resulting in condensed water on the pane) when exposed to cold temperatures.
Visco-elastic sealants have been observed to deform to allow the multiple pane assemblies some relative movement. Relative movement is beneficial when one or more panes take a physical impact or thermally expands or shrinks to a different extent than the one or more other panes.
A variety of spacer sealant strips have been developed. Extruded rectangular cross-sectional tubing filled with a desiccant that faces the inner gas space has been popular in combination with a sealant to seal and/or adhere the multiple panes to the rigid plastic or metal rectangular cross-sectional tubing. The extruded tubing generally has to be cut and spliced at the corners. Such splices are generally weak spots in the seal. Further, separate spacers and sealers increase the complexity and difficulty of accurately positioning the spacer and/or sealant at the inner periphery of the fragile glass panes.
A unitary spacer/sealant is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,691. It used a spacer strip embedded in a ribbon of deformable sealant. The spacer strip and sealant can be bent around corners without a splice joint.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A unitary seal (flexible laminate) is utilized in a multi-pane window composite to define the spacing between two panes, to adhere said two panes, and to seal and desiccate the insulating gas space between said at least two panes. An additional pane(s) and unitary seal(s) can be used to make a multi-pane window with three or more panes. The unitary seal comprises a longitudinal spacing element (desirably undulating with a metal moisture barrier), a core material, and at least one adhesive material or film adhering said core material to said at least two panes. The core material is desirably compositionally different than the adhesive material or film. The spacing element can bend to conform to the periphery of the two panes without forming discontinuities in the spacing element.
A multi-cavity extrusion die is utilized to partially or totally embed an undulating spacer element in a core material and to apply at least one adhesive material or film to a surface of the core material. The die contains a core cavity and an extrusion aperture for receiving the undulating spacer element as well as the core material. The convergence angle of the core cavity is important as is the land length of the extrusion aperture in order to prevent the spacer element (desirably undulating) from being crushed or flattened and the formed core material extrudate from ballooning or changing its shape after egressing from the core extrusion aperture. Subsequent to the application of the core material, one or more polymeric feed cavities generally apply polymeric material (e.g., adhesive film) to one or more surfaces of the core material. A downstream coating aperture having a desired land length forms the final shape of the flexible laminate and yet maintains the shape of the spacer element. The plurality of polymer feed cavities are separate from one another but can be fed from a single distribution block which in turn can be supplied by a single source. Alternatively, each polymer feed cavity can be supplied by a different polymer material.
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CAN/CGSB—12.8-M90 published Apr. 1990 by Canadian General Standards Board, Ottawa Canada.
Baratuci James Lynn
Buchanan Ronald Ellsworth
Ferri Louis Anthony
Ritz Lanny Dean
Arter & Hadden LLP
Loney Donald J.
TruSeal Technologies, Inc.
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