Structure, in particular for thermochromic glazing, comprising a substance contained between two glass substrates

• US 20040081775A1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain), Saint-Gobain France
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Bonnet, Jean-Louis, Marandon, Frank, Martin, Dorothee, Messere, Rino, Lehmann, Yves
• Granted Patent: US 7,306,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/34
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6612 Evacuated glazing units
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66304 Discrete spacing elements, e.g. for evacuated glazing units
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66328 of rubber, plastics or similar materials E06B3/66314, E06B3/66323 and E06B3/66342 take precedence; transparent materials E06B3/66333
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6722 with adjustable passage of light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/249 Glazing, e.g. vacuum glazing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 80/22 Glazing, e.g. vaccum glazing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature

Abstract

Structure comprising at least two glass substrates (10, 11) separated by a distance (i), at least one substance (12) at least partly filling the space between the two substrates, and spacers (13) placed between the two substrates in order to maintain their spacing, characterized in that the spacers (13) are fastened to at least one of the substrates.

Claims

1. A structure comprising at least two glass substrates (10, 11) separated by a distance (i), at least one substance (12) at least partly filling the space between the two substrates, and spacers (13) placed between the two substrates in order to maintain their separation, the substance (12) being liquid and/or solid, and containing no gaseous element characterized in that the spacers (13) are fastened to at least one of the substrates.

2. The structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the substance (12) consists of a polymeric solution.

3. The structure as claimed in either of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spacers (13) constitute elements attached to the glazing, which are fastened by adhesive bonding.

4. The structure as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the adhesive bonding is achieved by an adhesive or an enamel.

5. The structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spacers (13) are steel balls.

6. The structure as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the spacers (13) are made of glass.

7. The structure as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the spacers (13) are in the form of balls or cylinders.

8. The structure as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the spacers (13) are cruciform.

9. The structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spacers (13) are distributed nonrandomly over the fastening surface of the structure.

10. The structure as claimed in claim 9, having a substantially parallelepipedal shape, characterized in that a homogeneous distribution of the spacers is given by the formula

11. The structure as claimed in claim 9, having an approximately parallelepipedal shape, characterized in that an inhomogeneous distribution of the spacers is given by the formula

12. The structure as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the height h of the structure is between 0 and 4 m.

13. The structure as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the safety factor f is between 1.3 and 2.3.

14. The structure as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the spacers together form two approximately trapezoidal geometries symmetrical with respect to the middle of the structure, the larger bases of which lie respectively toward the upper and lower ends of the structure when the latter is positioned vertically.

15. The structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the structure is sealed by a triple seal (2) which comprises, on the inside of the structure, a butyl rubber seal (20) and a rigid acrylic bead (21) and, brought into contact with the outside of the glazing, a silicone seal (22).

16. The use of a structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims for thermochromic glazing.

17. A glazing comprising at least one thermochromic pane having a structure as claimed in claim 1 and at least one laminated glass pane and/or at least one insulating glass pane.