Ribbed tube continuous flexible spacer assembly

Description of the invention

The invention relates to a composite spacer with gasket which finds application in particular in the production of thermally insulating laminates such as windows.

In general, assembling the insulated window structure includes placing one glass or other pane on top of the other such that they are permanently connected at a distance from each other, and then introducing the sealing composition into the space between the panes along their perimeter so as to form a "type" structure. sandwich with a tight air chamber between the panes. In order to maintain an adequate spacing between the panes, a spacer bar is often inserted between the panes, which maintains the appropriate spacing during the application of the sealing composition. The spacer bar and the seal can also be prefabricated as one piece and inserted as such between the panes during installation of the window.

As a result of the manufacturing process of the window element, moisture and organic substances are often trapped in a sealed air chamber. Desiccants that absorb them can be used to minimize the effects of moisture and organic substances trapped in the sealed air chamber. In general, however, at least some moisture enters and remains in the sealed air chamber during the operation of the window. The use of desiccant prevents moisture condensation and fogging of the inner surface of the glass while the window is in use. The desiccants can be inserted into the spacer, into the gasket, or into the entire element if the gasket-spacer assembly is one element. In order to absorb any additional moisture that may enter the window during operation, an additional amount of desiccant is introduced into the spacer seal assembly in an amount greater than is needed to absorb the moisture contained in the window initially.

The heat conduction at the edge of the window members is generally higher than at the center portion, since the heat energy is more difficult to transfer from the pane to the pane through the air contained in the sealed air chamber than through the materials contained in the known seal and spacer assemblies.

The numerous known methods of manufacturing window elements are cumbersome, labor-intensive or require expensive equipment. US Patent No. 4,431,691 to Greenlee discloses a solution that overcomes the above-mentioned limitations. In this solution, the sealing and spacer strip has a bent or profiled spacer that maintains a relative distance when the glass panes are pressed, the strip comprising a bent profiled spacer embedded in or surrounded by a deformable seal. The spacer strip has the advantage of being flexible along its longitudinal axis, which allows it to be rolled up for storage. The Greenlee assembly is thus one component in which the seal includes a desiccant.

The Greenlee team, although solving the above-mentioned problems, does not give the impression of a flat bar after the glazing is assembled, because the spacer is wavy when pressed. The visible strip in the window is part of the spacer assembly with a gasket that can be seen through the glass but not in contact with it. It is desirable that such a lath is flat, as this improves the appearance of the installed windows. The Greenlee solution also recommends the use of large amounts of sealant material which must surround the spacer, and the bent assembly stretches during assembly and bends along the axis. This stretching can also lead to problems with maintaining the flatness of the strip.

There is a need for an improved continuous spacer assembly in which longitudinal stretching is eliminated, which facilitates the manufacture of a window element having a smooth lath. It would also be beneficial for such a continuous spacer to be a less expensive product while providing structural stability and maintaining the advantages of the Greenlee solution. It would also be desirable for the assembly to be able to be bent into a sharper angle at the corners.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a spacer that can be rolled up for storage, shipping and application to laminated structures such as insulated glass elements.

A spacer unit according to the invention comprising a spacer with a cross-section that varies repetitively along its longitudinal axis, an adhesive seal which at least partially covers said spacer, characterized in that the spacer is a flexible hollow spacer.

The spacer preferably has a cross-sectional area that varies repeatedly along its longitudinal axis.

PL 209 386 B1

The spacer also preferably has a cross-sectional area whose orientation changes along its longitudinal axis.

Preferably, the spacer having a cross-sectional area that varies repetitively along its longitudinal axis is a tube.

The spacer assembly preferably further comprises a moisture-proof vapor barrier, at least one surface of which is adjacent to the adhesive seal.

The tube preferably has at least two opposite walls.

The spacer unit is preferably foldable.

The adhesive seal preferably further comprises a desiccant.

The spacer assembly preferably further comprises a desiccant-containing top coat connected to the surface of the adhesive seal which contacts the adhesive seal.

Also preferably, the spacer unit further comprises a desiccant-containing top coat connected to the surface of the adhesive seal which contacts the adhesive seal.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a spacer unit comprising a ribbed tube, an adhesive seal that at least partially covers the tube, a moisture-proof vapor barrier, the surface of which is connected to the adhesive seal, characterized in that the ribbed tube is flexible, hollow. tube.

The finned tube preferably has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional area.

The ribbed tube is preferably ribbed along at least the first seal surface, the second seal surface, and the outer surface.

The spacer unit is preferably foldable.

The adhesive seal preferably further comprises a desiccant.

The spacer assembly preferably further comprises a desiccant-containing top coat connected to the surface of the adhesive seal which contacts the adhesive seal.

A window element according to the invention comprising a spacer with a cross-section repetitively varying along its longitudinal axis, an adhesive seal which at least partially covers said spacer and has a surface in contact with the first pane and a surface in contact with the second pane opposite the contacting surface with the first glass, the first pane in contact with the surface of the adhesive seal contacting the first pane and the second pane in contact with the surface of the adhesive seal in contact with the second pane are characterized in that the spacer is a flexible hollow spacer.

The spacer preferably has a cross-sectional area that varies repeatedly along its longitudinal axis.

The spacer preferably has a cross-sectional area whose orientation varies along its longitudinal axis.

The spacer, preferably having a cross-sectional area that varies repetitively along its longitudinal axis, is a tube.

The window element preferably further comprises a vapor barrier, at least one surface of which is adjacent to the adhesive seal.

The cross-sectional area of ​​the tube is preferably substantially rectangular.

The spacer is preferably foldable.

The adhesive seal preferably further comprises a desiccant.

The window element preferably further comprises a desiccant-containing top coat connected to the surface of the adhesive seal which contacts the adhesive seal.

The top coat preferably comprising a desiccant is also bonded to that surface of the moisture barrier of the vapor barrier which is in contact with the top coat.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a window element comprising a ribbed tube, an adhesive seal which at least partially covers said tube and has a surface contacting the first pane and a surface contacting a second pane opposite the surface contacting the first pane, anti-damp. a vapor barrier whose surface adjacent to the adhesive seal is connected to the adhesive seal, a top coat comprising desiccant bonded to an adhesive seal, a first pane in contact with the surface of the adhesive seal contacting the first pane, and a second pane (14) in contact with the surface of the adhesive seal

Contacting the second pane is characterized in that the ribbed tube (22) is a flexible hollow ribbed tube.

The finned tube preferably has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional area.

The ribbed tube is ribbed at least along a first pane engaging surface, along a second pane engaging surface opposite the first pane engaging surface, and along an outer surface between said first and second bonding surfaces.

The finned tube preferably further comprises an inner surface substantially free of fins.

The adhesive seal preferably adheres to the first pane contacting surface and to the second pane engaging surface.

The spacer is preferably foldable.

The continuous spacer unit of the present invention has the advantage of requiring less sealing material while maintaining the effective operation of the seal and spacer. Expensive and complicated spacer bar and the tendency of the material to stretch along the longitudinal axis are eliminated, and the thermal conductivity of the window element is reduced by reducing the thermal conductivity of the spacer and allowing for sharper corners to be formed.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a flexible, crush-resistant sealing strip and spacer or composite strip structure is provided, including a longitudinally extending spacer that includes a ribbed or corrugated tube of flexible material. The tube contacts at least partially an adhesive seal having desiccant properties. In one embodiment of the invention, a damp-proof vapor barrier is incorporated into the adhesive layer. In another example, a topcoat containing a desiccant was used.

The subject of the invention is shown in an embodiment in the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows a partial perspective view in which some parts are sectioned of an embodiment of a window made according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a view of a ribbed or corrugated tube in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2A is a view of a corner bent ribbed or corrugated tube in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; fig. 3 shows a cross section of a spacer according to the embodiment of the invention in Fig. 1; Figure 4 shows a fragmentary perspective view in which some parts are in section of another embodiment of a window made according to the invention; Figure 5 is a view of a ribbed or corrugated tube according to the embodiment of Figure 4; Fig. 5A is a view of a ribbed or corrugated tube according to another variant of the embodiment of Fig. 4; fig. 6 shows a cross section of a spacer according to the embodiment of Fig. 4.

Fig. 1 shows a composite structure such as, but not limited to, a window element 10 comprising a flat backing element 12 and a second backing element 14, the facing surfaces of which are substantially parallel. The first and second backing elements 12, 14 are generally panes, e.g. glass sheets. The backing elements 12, 14 are connected to each other and form a closed space 16 which is hermetically sealed with a composite tape, i.e. a spacer-sealing unit 18 which includes a seal 22 which at least partially covers the spacer 22. The panes 12, 14 are, in the illustrated example, made of glass. It should be noted that the invention may be used in conjunction with an unlimited variety of constructional and structural materials, including, for example, cement, concrete, bricks, stone, metals, plastics, and wood.

As can be seen from Figures 1 and 4, herein "interior means the closed air space 16 of the window element 10, while" exterior means the outer environment of the closed air space 16 of the window element 10. Figures 3 and 6 show the spatial orientation of the respective x-axes. , y, z.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, it can be seen that the assembly of the invention comprises a spacer tube 22 and an adhesive seal 22. In another embodiment, a moisture-proof vapor barrier 24 is provided within the adhesive seal 22. In a preferred embodiment, the tube 22 is at least partially surrounded by an adhesive seal 20, and inside the adhesive seal 20 there is a moisture vapor barrier 24. The adhesive seal 20 may also include a desiccant. The assembly of the invention may also have a topsheet 26 attached to the inwardly facing surface of the adhesive seal 20. The topsheet 26 extends substantially along the visible lath and often serves to enhance the appearance of the window member 10 and further includes a desiccant.

The spacer 22 is an elongated element that can be bent to form a corner and has a cross section that repeatedly varies along the longitudinal axis of the element. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, spacer 22 is a tube. As can be seen in Figures 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, spacer tube 22 is preferably ribbed or corrugated, i.e. has alternating grooves and ribs, at least on the outer surface. In this specification, the terms "ribbed or" undulating are used interchangeably. One skilled in the art will also understand that the inner surface of the finned tube can be smooth, ribbed, or alternating smooth and ribbed.

The ribs 28 of the tube 22 assist in shaping the corners by imparting greater flexibility to the bending of the tube 22 and eliminating kinking of the tube. In this way, the outer dimension of the cross-sectional area of ​​the tube 22 and its inner dimension remain substantially the same when forming the corner. The ribs 28 of the corrugated tube 22 help maintain the corner shape after the tube is bent

22. It is clear to the skilled person, however, that other types of tubes can also be used in the invention.

In one embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​spacer 22 repeatedly varies along the longitudinal axis. An example of such spacer 22 is an annular shape. The annular spacer also typically has single, at least partially circumferential ribs 28. Figures 2 and 2A show an embodiment in which the sizes of the ribs and the portion of tube 30 without ribs vary. It is clear to the skilled person that different fin arrangements can be used to obtain a tube that is easier to bend at the corners. In addition, different shapes of locking ribs can be used.

In yet another embodiment, the orientation of the section repeatedly changes along the longitudinal axis. An example is the helical shape of spacer 22. In a helical arrangement, generally one and the same rib extends through the spacer over substantially its entire length. It is clear to the skilled person that other fin shapes can also provide the helical shape.

Figures 4-6 show embodiments of the invention in which the spacer 22 has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape. However, one skilled in the art will recognize that it may actually be the shape of any polygon, regular or irregular, or it may be any combination of arcs and straight lines together giving a closed figure. As can be seen in Fig. 4, although the section is substantially rectangular, it will be seen in this example that the corners are slightly bevelled which gives the section an octagonal shape which is substantially rectangular.

The ribbed tube 22 may have any closed cross-sectional shape, including, but not limited to, round, rounded, oval, elliptical, rectangular, or polygonal. Fig. 3 shows an example in which the section is substantially circular. The example of Fig. 3 also has, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 2A, individual ribs 28 extending over the entire section. In this example, the ribs 28 are preferably annular.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the ribs 28 of the corrugated tube 22 extend partially around the tube 2. As can be seen in Fig. 5A, the fins 28 generally extend only around three sides of the substantially rectangular corrugated tube 22. In Fig. 5A, the finless surface being the visible strip 32 is preferably a surface that faces the interior of the window element. Moreover, a seal and / or a topcoat can be dispensed with on this surface. Thereby, the smooth surface of the rectangular tube 22 provides the desired smooth visible bar. In the event that the adhesive seal 20 and the top coat 26 are eliminated, it is preferable that the desiccant is included in the material of the tube 22.

The finned tube 22 may be made of any suitable material including plastic, elastomer, metal, pulp, or a laminate of any combination of the foregoing. The ribbed tube 22 may be made by any known technique, e.g., by a continuous molding or blow molding process. The finned tube 22 may also include rebar.

Due to the ribbed structure, the tube 22 is crush resistant, which means that it can withstand forces tending to reduce the gap between the panes during use.

The moisture barrier 24 may be made of aluminum foil, plastic, plastic laminate, paper foil, metallized plastic, or any other suitable combination of the above materials, with a plastic-aluminum laminate being the best. For other applications, the anti-moisture vapor barrier 24 can be selected according to its vapor barrier properties, in accordance with the particulars.

Application. For example, the anti-moisture vapor barrier 24 can be selected to retain the existing concentration of gas contained in the airtight composite structure airspace.

Damp proof barrier 24 may be connected to the ribbed tube 22, but may also contact adhesive seal 20 and / or outer skin 26, may be embedded in adhesive seal 20 and not contact rib tube 22, alternatively may be attached to that face of the seal 20 facing inwards, with the top shell 26 joined to the inner face of the moisture barrier 24. The moisture barrier 24 may be connected to the ribbed tube 22 by any suitable means such as welding, welding, gluing.

The seal 20 can then be applied to the finned tube 22, whether or not a moisture barrier 24 is provided, by dipping, painting, injecting, pressing the seal onto the contact surfaces of the fin tube. The desiccant is preferably included in the seal and the desiccant seal is applied in a single step to the contact surfaces and the inner surface of spacer 22.

The seal 20 closes the gap between the tube 22 and the panes 12, 14. The bond formed between the spacer-seal and the pane is referred to as the seam line. Thus, at least two surfaces in contact with the seal of the ribbed tube 22 include longitudinal strips of seal that contact the glass pane to form a seam line.

The actual dimensions of the spacer-seal unit 18 depend on the design of the window, the length essentially corresponding to the circumference of the window. The width, i.e. the z-direction dimension, essentially corresponds to the space between the elements plus the adhesive seal 20. The ribbed tube 22 is often slightly smaller than the required spacing between the panes 12, 14. When the seal 20 is applied to the ribbed tube 22, a slightly larger width is obtained than required space. The required spacing is achieved during production when the panes 12, 14 are pressed together. However, it should be understood that the assembly according to the invention can be manufactured in continuous lengths of any length, which allows freedom of use.

The term "deformable" as used herein characterizes a seal 20, whether thermoplastic, thermosetting, or thermoplastic-thermosetting, which when used in the manufacture of composite structures such as the window members 10 contemplated herein is at least initially unable to withstand the deformation forces applied thereto. Thus, the term "deformable" is intended to characterize a material that resists deformation or flow under the action of small forces applied to the window element 10 throughout its lifetime, but is readily deformable under the greater forces that occur during the manufacture of the window element 10.

A wide variety of materials can be used as the basis for the adhesive sealant, including polysulfide polymers, urethane polymers, acrylic polymers, silicones, and styrene butadiene polymers. The latter include the class of thermoplastic resins which, below their pour point, have elastic properties of vulcanized polymers. Such resins are sold by Shell Chemical Co. as "Kraton. Butyl rubbers are a preferred class of seals. However, the adhesive seal 20 should preferably be pressure-tight. If the topcoat 26 is applied, it should be a deformable material that includes a desiccant.

As mentioned above, insulated window elements 10 often require a desiccant to minimize the effects of moisture and the effects of organic matter trapped in the airspace between the two panes 12, 14 of the window element 10.

Advantageously, according to the invention, the desiccant can be contained in a deformable layer of adhesive seal 20 which can be applied to the surface of the visible strip 32 of the spacer. A particularly suitable class of materials for this purpose is synthetic crystalline zeolite sold by UOP Corporation under the name "Molecular Sieves." Another desiccant that can be used is silica gel. Combinations of different desiccants can also be considered.

A preferred method of producing a spacer-seal 18 system according to the invention is co-extrusion. They can be made with commercially available extrusion equipment which may require little modification in some cases. Generally, the ribbed tube 22 is inserted through the center of the extruder nozzle and the deformable seal is squeezed around the tube 22. The seal-spacer system is then inserted into a shaping nozzle to provide a spacer seal strip having the required outer dimensions and the correct thickness of the seal that extends beyond spacer 22. The seal-spacer system 18 of the invention can be rolled up for ease of storage and deployment. during use. On the inside or outside of the seal-spacer system 18, a removable cover or paper may be applied along the visible strip to facilitate winding. In the course of applying the seal-spacer system to the installation of the window element 10, the removable cover is removed and discarded.

In one embodiment of the invention, the ribbed tube 22 is manufactured and covered with a fully or partially adhesive seal 20. The top coat 26 may be applied simultaneously with the adhesive seal 20 or later as selected.

The present specification describes the most preferred embodiments of the invention, but the scope of the invention is not limited to the examples provided, but is defined by the appended claims.