ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR RETROFITTING GLASS WALL PANEL SYSTEM WITH GLASS WALL PANEL

• US 20150211286A1
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Krueger International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Krueger International Incorporated
• Inventors: Kopish, Andrew J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,657,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7435 Glazing details
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7455 Glazing details
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/28 with additional removable glass panes or the like, framed or unframed
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5418 Permanently fixing of an additional unframed pane compound frames E06B3/2605
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 5/205 windows therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/28 Other arrangements on doors or windows, e.g. door-plates, windows adapted to carry plants, hooks for window cleaners edge protecting devices for door leaves E06B3/88; special glazing; emergency glazing; double glazing E06B3/66

Abstract

A wall panel arrangement is designed for use in retrofitting a wall panel system provided with at least one pair of frame members having inwardly facing flat walls for retaining at least one existing glass panel therebetween. The wall panel arrangement includes an add-on glass wall panel and panel mounting structure configured with at least one receiving strip constructed with a planar body having an outer surface secured to one of the inwardly facing flat walls of the frame members in spaced relationship to the existing glass panel. The body also has an inner surface provided at opposite edges thereof with a pair of flexible resilient wall panel retaining elements extending therefrom and converging towards each other to define spaced apart retainer ends which are frictionally engageable with the opposed faces of the glass wall panel adjacent one of the opposed sidewalls thereof.

Claims

1. A wall panel arrangement used in retrofitting a wall panel system provided with at least one pair of frame members having inwardly facing flat walls for retaining at least one existing glass panel therebetween, the wall panel arrangement comprising:

an add-on glass wall panel having opposed faces and opposed side walls connected to the opposed faces; and

a amounting structure provided on the wall panel system and configured with a pair of receiving strips each being constructed with a planar body having an outer surface secured to one of the inwardly facing flat walls of one of the frame members in spaced relationship to the existing glass panel, and an inner surface provided at opposite edges thereof with a pair of flexible resilient wall panel retaining elements extending therefrom and converging towards each other to define spaced apart retainer ends which are frictionally engageable with the opposed faces of the add-on glass wall panel adjacent one of the opposed sidewalk thereof.

3. The wall panel arrangement of claim 1, wherein the flexible resilient wall panel retaining elements are both formed of planar fins, each fin lying in a plane oriented at an acute angle relative to a plane of the inner surface of the body.

4. The wall panel arrangement of claim 1, wherein one of the flexible resilient, wall panel retaining elements is formed as a separate glazing bead snap fit into the body, and the other of the flexible resilient wall panel retaining elements is formed as a planar fin, a plane of a portion of the glazing bead and a plane of the fin each being oriented at an acute angle relative to the inner surface of the body.

2. (canceled)

5. A wall panel mounting kit adapted for retrofit use in a wall panel system provided with at least one pair of frame members having inwardly facing flat walls for retaining at least one existing wall panel therebetween, the mounting kit comprising:

an add-on wall panel having opposed faces and opposed sidewalls connected to the opposed faces; and

a mounting structure adapted to be provided on the wall panel system and configured with a pair of receiving strips, each being constructed with a planar body adapted to be fixed to one of the inwardly facing flat walls of the frame members and provided with flexible resilient wall panel retaining elements which extend outwardly away from the body and converge towards each other to define spaced apart retainer ends frictionally engageable with the opposed faces of the add-on wall panel adjacent the opposed sidewalls thereof.

6. The wall panel mounting kit of claim 5, wherein the flexible resilient wall panel retaining elements are both formed as planar fins.

7. The wall panel mounting kit of claim 5, wherein one of the flexible resilient wall panel retaining elements is formed as a separate glazing bead snap fit into a portion of the body, and the other of the flexible wall panel retaining elements is formed as a planar fin.

8. The wall panel mounting kit of claim 5, including an adhesive strip having one side affixed to an outer surface of the body, and an opposite side adapted to be secured to one of the inwardly facing flat walls of the frame members.

9. The wall panel mounting kit of claim 5, wherein the add-on wall panel is constructed of a glass material.

10. A wall panel receiving strip adapted to be used in retrofitting an add-on wall panel into a wall panel system provided with at least one pair of frame members having inwardly facing flat walls for retaining at least one existing panel therebetween, the receiving strip comprising:

a planar body having an outer surface adapted to be fixed to one of the inwardly facing flat walls of the frame members, and an inner surface provided, at opposite edges thereof with a pair of flexible resilient wall panel retaining elements extending outwardly therefrom and converging towards each other to define spaced apart wall panel retainer ends adapted to be frictionally engageable with opposed faces of the add-on wall panel.

11. The wall panel receiving strip of claim 10, wherein the inner surface is further provided with a projecting member located between the wall panel retaining elements and adapted to provide one of centering the wall panel and securing one of the retaining elements relative to the body.

12. The wall panel receiving strip of claim 11, wherein the projecting member extends generally perpendicularly from a central portion of the inner surface.

13. The wall panel receiving strip of claim 11, wherein the projecting member includes a curled portion adapted to secure one of the wall panel retaining elements relative to the body.

14. The wall panel receiving strip of claim 10, wherein the wall panel retaining elements are both formed of planar fins.

15. The wall panel receiving strip of claim 13, wherein one of the wall panel retaining elements is formed as a separate glazing bead snap fit into the body and the other of the wall panel retaining elements is formed as a planar fin.

16. The wall panel receiving strip of claim 15, wherein the glazing bead includes a first leg having an outer end, and a second leg connected to the first leg and provided with an outer end.

17. The wall panel receiving strip of claim 16, wherein the outer end of the first leg is engaged in a snap fit with the curled portion, and the outer end of the second leg is engaged with one of the opposed edges of the body.

18-24. -24. (canceled)