HK1024941A - Integrated multipane window unit and sash - Google Patents

Description

Integrated multi-layer window unit and window frame

no marking

A window unit having a sash and two or more substantially parallel spaced glass panes, wherein the sash has an integral spacing member for maintaining the glass panes in a substantially parallel spaced configuration.

Insulating glass units (IG units) are used in windows and doors to reduce heat loss in buildings in winter and to reduce heat inflow into air-conditioned buildings in summer. The insulating glass is typically formed separately from the window frame and then attached to the window frame in a separate process. The insulating glass unit and the window frame of the present invention are made as a single unit, so that it is not necessary to separately produce the insulating glass unit.

Insulating glass units are typically comprised of two or more parallel glass sheets spaced apart from each other with a space between the panes sealed along their peripheries to enclose air therebetween. And a division bar is arranged along the periphery of the space between the two panes. The division bars are generally long hollow metal profiles, usually of aluminum alloy, either produced in extruded form or rolled from a flat strip. The hollow interior of the division bar contains a desiccant for absorbing any residual moisture in the enclosed air and any moisture that enters the enclosed unit over time. The division bars are mounted in a generally rectangular frame either by a bending machine or by an angle wrench.

The insulating glass unit is constructed with a single seal or a double seal. For a single seal unit, the structural seal, the gas seal, and the water and gas seal form one seal. The closure materials used in the single seal design include butyl-based thermoplastic sealants and polysulfide and polyurethane-based thermoset sealants. Generally, a thermoset sealant is more permeable to moisture than a thermoplastic sealant.

For a dual seal unit, there is an inner seal and a primary outer seal, which generally acts as an additional water-gas seal. Typically, for a dual seal unit, the inner seal is a thermoplastic material such as polyisobutylene rubber and a polyisobutylene rubber gasket is attached to the side of the spacer adjacent the glass sheets. The spacers are then placed between the empty windows and heated and/or compressed to ensure that the polyisobutylene rubber is compressed and fully spread onto the glass surface. For the second outer seal, a thermoset sealing material, such as silicone, polyurethane, or polysulfide, is typically applied to the outward periphery between the two glass panes.

The components of such insulated glass units are well known in the art and are described in Bowser et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,023, Reichert et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,994,309, Dawson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,988, Leopold, U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,761, and Peterson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,714, among others. Methods for producing such insulating glass units are also known and described in U.S. patent 5,295,292 to Leopold. The insulating glass units described above are formed into various units and then assembled into window frames. The window frame in which the insulating glass unit is incorporated can be installed as an insulating panel for windows, doors, or buildings, freezers, vehicles, and the like.

The present inventors have invented and describe herein a window unit having an integral sash member, where the sash comprises an integral spacing member, with two or more glass panes mounted directly on the sash member in a substantially parallel spaced configuration. The integrated sash member enables the production of a window unit having a sash and an insulating pane as an integrated unit, thereby eliminating the cost and processing steps of producing a separate insulating glass unit and then installing the insulating glass unit in the sash.

A window unit having a sash and two or more substantially parallel spaced apart glass panes, wherein the sash has an integral spacing member for maintaining the glass panes in a substantially parallel spaced apart configuration.

Fig. 1 shows a window unit having a sash with two substantially parallel spaced apart glass panes therebetween.

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a window frame having two parallel spaced glass panes held in a substantially parallel spaced configuration by an integral spacing member of the window frame.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a window frame having an integral spacing member.

The present invention is a window unit having a sash and two or more substantially parallel spaced glass panes, where the sash has an integral spacing member for maintaining the glass panes in a substantially parallel spaced configuration.

The invention will now be described with reference to figures 1 to 3. Fig. 1 shows a window unit within the scope of the invention. The window unit shown in fig. 1 has a window frame 1 with two substantially parallel spaced apart glass panes 2 in between. Also shown in figure 1 is a pseudo-muntin bar assembly 3 located between the glass panes 2 and attached to the window frame 1. The sash 1 contains sealed ducts 4 for evacuating the space between the glass panes 2 and, if necessary, injecting an insulating gas between the glass panes.

It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention is not limited to the window unit shown in fig. 1, but may include window units suitable for use in double-leaf windows, single-leaf windows, permanent-position windows, and insulation panels for residential and commercial buildings. The window unit containing the present invention can be used for windows and doors in refrigerators, refrigerated display cases and the like. Window units incorporating the present invention may be used for windows in vehicles including automobiles, trucks, heavy construction equipment, and boats.

The window frame of the present invention may constitute a standard material for window frames of window units. The term "window frame" means: a component for closing the perimeter of two or more glass panes to form a window unit suitable for positioning and securing to a support member, examples of which are: window frames, building components, freezer compartments, transportation vehicles, etc. The material constituting the window frame may be, for example, wood, metal such as aluminum, or plastic such as ABS, styrene, glass fiber, plastic composite, and composite material containing wood and plastic. The structural material of the window frame is selected with consideration to extrusion strength, hardness, brittleness, modulus of elasticity, thermal conductivity, processability, ability to maintain ruggedness, appearance, cost, and the like. The method of producing the window frame is not critical to the present invention and varies depending on the material produced. The window frame may be produced by methods or combinations of methods such as milling, rolling, punching, extruding, die casting.

A preferred window frame of the present invention is made of plastic containing polyvinyl chloride as a main component. Polyvinyl chloride may contain small amounts of additives such as processing aids (process aids), processing modifiers (processes), solid fillers, reinforcing materials, lubricants to facilitate extrusion processing, and curing agents. In addition, polyvinyl chloride may also contain other polymeric components as a mixture to modify the properties of polyvinyl chloride. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the window frame is formed by extrusion of polyvinyl chloride.

The window frame is used to enclose the perimeter of two or more glass panes. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the window frame is formed in a rectangular, or square, shape. However, the shape of the sash is immaterial as long as the sash sufficiently conforms to the shape of the glass pane. For example, the window frame may be formed as a multi-piece assembly that is joined together at the attachment ends by screws, rivets, pegs, clip inserts, welding, or the like, or combinations thereof. The window frame may be formed as a single linear member by stamping or extrusion, etc., and the linear member bent into the appropriate configuration and then joined end-to-end by the methods described above.

The sash of the present invention has an integral spacing member for maintaining two or more glass panes in a substantially parallel spaced configuration. The term "integral" means that the spacing member is part of the window frame and that the glass panes are separately fixed to the spacing member being part of the window frame. Figure 2 schematically shows a sectional view of a window frame 1 with an integrated distance element. Figure 2 shows an example of a window frame with an integrated distance element 5 within the scope of the invention. Fig. 2 is not intended to limit the scope of such components in the claims of the present invention. The particular shape of the integral spacing member is immaterial so long as it is capable of maintaining two or more glass panes in a substantially parallel spaced configuration. The particular shape will depend to some extent on the material of the sash combination. While the integral spacing member is preferably prepared as part of the process, such as in milling, extruding, or stamping the window frame, the integral spacing member may be separately manufactured and then affixed to the window frame by gluing, welding, pegs, screws, and similar attachment methods. The sash and the integral spacing member may be made of the same material or of different materials. For example, the window frame and the integral spacing member may be made of different polymeric materials, and the window frame may be formed as a co-extrusion. For example. In some applications, it is desirable to employ a coextrusion process to provide a window frame with suitable physical properties, such as strength, and an integral spacing member with acceptable swelling characteristics and adhesive properties that can be adapted to the glass pane. For example, the integral spacing member may be in the form of a solid rim, a hollow rim, or a groove. The shape of the integral spacing member is not critical so long as it provides sufficient area and strength to maintain two or more glass panes in a substantially parallel spaced configuration, preferably by being adhesively disposed between the walls of the integral spacing member and the inner surface edges of the glass panes. Fig. 2 shows a preferred configuration of the integral spacing structure, where the structure defines a channel in which desiccant can be placed, or in which the muntin bar assembly can be secured, such as by clips or friction fits.

The window unit of the present invention has two or more substantially parallel spaced apart glass panes. By "substantially parallel" it is meant that the glass pane forms an internal cavity when placed in the sash adjacent the integral spacing member and in any bonding and blocking material. The glass pane may be made of, for example, simple glass, tempered glass, glass-thermoplastic laminate, thermoplastic sheet, and the like. The glass pane may be transparent or light-transmitting. The glass panes can be coated with standard coatings to reduce transparency to ultraviolet and visible light. The glass panes can be tinted using methods known in the art. Preferred glass panes for use in the window units of the present invention are glass and glass laminates.

Although the sash member shown in fig. 1 to 3 may accommodate two glass panes, the present invention is not limited to only two glass panes. The window frames of the present invention may be designed to accommodate additional glass panes or films between substantially parallel glass panes.

The invention will now be further illustrated with reference to fig. 3. Figure 3 shows a cross-section of a window unit within the scope of the invention. In fig. 3, the sash 1 has an integral spacing member 5. The glass pane 2 is placed in the frame element with its edges adjacent to the integral spacing element 5 and fixed with glue 6. Placed in the cavity formed between the glass panes 2 is a muntin bar assembly 3 which is held in place by a clip inserted into a slot extending along the long axis of the integral spacer. Placed in the integral spacing member 5 is a moisture absorbing agent 7. The sash 1 also has a groove 8 in which a glazing gasket 9 can be placed and fixed, thus forming a weather seal adjacent to the outer surface of the pane 2.

In a preferred embodiment of the window unit of the invention, two or more substantially parallel spaced apart glass panes are attached to the integral spacing member by an adhesive such as a member sealant. It is further preferred that the adhesive is capable of forming a gas and water tight seal between the integral spacing member and the glass pane. The particular adhesive required depends on the materials of the frame and glass pane components and the conditions of use of the window unit. A number of materials are contemplated for use as the adhesive. For example, the adhesive may be a natural or synthetic thermoplastic resin such as polysulfide, polyurethane, polyisobutylene, epoxy polysulfide mixtures, and polysulfide and polyurethane mixtures. The adhesive may be a heat-cured platinum-catalyzed silicone rubber as described in U.S. patent 5,364,921 to Gray et al, incorporated herein by reference as an exemplary adhesive composition useful in the present invention. The adhesive may be a component of a room temperature-curable acrylic-containing functional isobutylene polymer as described in U.S. patent 5,665,823 to Saxena et al, which is incorporated herein by reference as an illustrative example of an adhesive useful in the present invention. Preferably the binder is a room temperature curing component such as described above by Saxena et al. The adhesive may be a preformed glass tape comprising butyl rubber, polyethylene, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, and the like.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an adsorbent is placed in the space created between the glass panes to prevent moisture from collecting between the panes and, if necessary, to absorb chemicals that may enter the space between the glass panes causing fogging of the glass panes. In this context, a sorbent generally refers to a sorbent capable of retaining moisture, or chemicals, or both, by absorption. In a preferred embodiment, the adsorbent is placed in a conduit formed by the integral spacing member. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the channels formed by the integral spacing members can have various configurations, such as rectangular, square, and oval, and need not be completely open to the space created between the glass panes. The ducts formed by or in the integral spacing member can communicate with the space created between the glass panes, for example by means of slots as shown in fig. 3, or by means of holes made at a distance along the integral spacing member, connecting the space created between the ducts formed by the integral spacing member and the glass panes.

The adsorbents that can be used in the window unit of the present invention can be natural or synthetic adsorbents capable of absorbing moisture and preferably all chemicals that cause fogging of the pane that enter the space created by the glass pane. Preferred adsorbents are molecular sieve adsorbent a, molecular sieve adsorbent B, and mixtures thereof. The physical shape of the adsorbent used depends on the conduits formed within the integral spacing member. The adsorbent may be in powder form, in which case the ducts formed in the integral spacing member must be substantially closed by appropriately sized holes connecting the ducts to the glass pane. For example, U.S. patent 3,868,299 to Ulisch discloses the use of an adsorbent designed for use in multiple layer insulated glazing, the adsorbent having a narrow pore molecular sieve adsorbent in combination with a wide pore adsorbent, and optionally a clay. The Ulisch references cited herein are exemplary of desiccants that may be used in the present invention. U.S. patent 5,493,821 to Cohen et al claims that hollow, low density agglomerates may be used to absorb moisture and may be useful in the present invention, and is hereby incorporated herein by reference for exemplary purposes.

The adsorbent is in a matrix wherein the particular adsorbent is incorporated into a carrier material that is affixed within a channel formed within the monolithic spacing member. For example, the carrier material may be silicone rubber, butyl rubber, hot melt, or polyurethane. The adsorbent may be incorporated into the curable liquid silicone rubber composition or sealant that is extruded into the channels formed in the integral spacing member and cured to adhere thereto.

To improve the thermal insulation properties of the window unit of the present invention, it may be desirable to evacuate air from the space created between the glass panes, or to replace the air with an inert gas such as nitrogen, argon, krypton, or the like. As shown in fig. 1, a sealed duct 4 may be provided in the window frame to function as a vacuum or to replace air with some gas.

In fig. 3, the sash 1 has a groove 8 in which a glazing gasket 9 can be placed and secured, thus forming a weather seal adjacent to the outer surface of the pane 2. The shape of the slot 8 is not critical to the present invention and the shape shown in figure 3 is only one of many possible shapes. Preferably, the slot 8 is shaped so that the glass mounting pad 9 can be snapped into place and retained. The glass mounting pad 9 may also be press fit into the slot 8 or glued in place.

A glazing gasket 9 is secured to the sash 1 adjacent the outer surface of the pane 2. The material of the components of the glazing gasket 9 is not critical and may be any material known in the art for this purpose. For example, the glass mounting pad 9 may be made of natural and synthetic rubber, or plastic. For example, the glass mounting pad 9 may be made of silicone rubber. The glass mounting pad 9 may also function as a decoration and for this purpose may be produced by extrusion into the shape and form of the decoration and may be coloured as desired.

Also shown in fig. 1 and 3 are slots placed between the glass panes 2 and secured with integral spacing members 5. For the present invention, the muntin bar assembly 3 is optional and may be of conventional design and manufactured materials well known in the art. Preferably, the simulated muntin assembly 3 is made of aluminum or plastic that does not emit chemicals into the space between the glass panes that can cause fogging of the glass panes. The simulated muntin bar assembly 3 can be made to easily snap onto a window frame, one of its designs is shown in fig. 3.

Claims (18)

1. A window unit having a sash and two or more substantially parallel spaced glass panes, wherein the sash has an integral spacing member for maintaining the glass panes in a substantially parallel spaced configuration.

2. A window unit according to claim 1, wherein the sash and the integral spacing structure are made of aluminum.

3. A window unit according to claim 1, wherein the sash and the integral spacing structure are made of polyvinyl chloride.

4. The window unit of claim 1, wherein the glass panes are independently selected from the group consisting of simple glass panes, tempered glass panes, safety glass panes, glass-thermoplastic laminate panes, and thermoplastic panes.

5. A window unit according to claim 1, wherein the glass pane is of glass or glass laminate.

6. A window unit according to claim 1, wherein the glass pane is glass.

7. A window unit according to claim 1, wherein the glass pane is secured to the integral spacing member by an adhesive.

8. The window unit of claim 7, wherein the adhesive is a thermosetting platinum-catalyzed silicone rubber composition.

9. The window unit of claim 7, wherein the adhesive is a propylene-isobutylene polymer.

10. A window unit according to claim 1, characterized in that an adsorbent or a mixture of several adsorbents is placed in the space created between the essentially parallel spaced glass panes.

11. A window unit according to claim 10, wherein the integral spacing member forms a trough in communication with the space between two or more substantially parallel spaced apart glass panes, and the trough contains an adsorbent or mixture of adsorbents.

12. A window unit according to claim 1 wherein the space between the substantially parallel spaced apart glass panes is filled with an inert gas.

13. A window unit according to claim 12, wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, krypton, argon and the like.

14. A window unit according to claim 1 wherein a pseudo-muntin bar assembly is also disposed between the substantially parallel spaced glass panes.

15. A window unit according to claim 14, wherein the pseudo-muntin bar assembly is secured to the integral spacing member.

16. A window unit having a sash and two or more substantially parallel spaced apart glass panes, wherein the sash has an integral spacing structure for maintaining the glass panes in a substantially parallel spaced apart configuration, and the sash and integral spacing structure are made of a plastic material based on polyvinyl chloride.

17. A window unit according to claim 1, wherein the sash and the integral spacing structure are made of plastic.

18. A window unit according to claim 1, wherein the sash and the integral spacing structure are made of a material selected from the group consisting of fiberglass, plastic composites, composites containing wood and plastic.