Method of making an encapsulated multiple glazed unit

• US 4,951,927 A
• Filed: 02/15/1989
• Issued: 08/28/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Libbey-Owens-Ford Co. (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Libbey-Owens-Ford Co. (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Johnston, Norman W., Curtze, Edward W.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, EDMUND H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Durkin, II, Jeremiah F.
• Application Number:
  US07/311,420
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 264/40.3, 264/40.5, 264/252, 264/261, 264/263, 264/277, 264/129, 264/135, 425/387.1, 425/390, 425/395, 425/400
• US Class Current: 264/129
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2003/6639 sinuous
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/20 of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6621 with special provisions for fitting in window frames or to adjacent units; Separate edge protecting strips E06B3/66347 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6625 molded on the edges
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66342 characterised by their sealed connection to the panes
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/67343 Filling or covering the edges with synthetic hardenable substances
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/67352 by forming techniques

Abstract

An encapsulated multiple glazed structure is formed by positioning at least two spaced apart substantially coextensive sheets of glazing material wherein the sheets are maintained in aligned spaced relation by a suitable spacer element adjacent the peripheral portions of the facing surfaces of the glazing sheets. The above assemblage is then typically placed within a mold cavity of a suitable molding apparatus and a charge of an elastomeric gasket forming material is injected therein to form an encapsulating gasket around the peripheral edge portions of the assemblage to produce a multiple glazed structure.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an encapsulated multiple sheet insulating glazing unit comprising the steps of:

(a) cleaning the peripheral marginal surfaces and peripheral edges of at least two glass sheets;

(b) applying at least one layer of a primer to the cleaned marginal surfaces and edges of said sheets;

(c) placing a first one of said sheets into a first mold element having a first cavity surrounding said first sheet;

(d) disposing spacer strip means on a surface of said first sheet continuously around the peripheral margin of said first sheet and spaced inwardly from the edges thereof;

(e) placing the second one of said sheets opposite said first sheet in superposed aligned relationship therewith and with its facing surface in engagement with said spacer strip means, whereby said spacer strip means functions to space the facing surfaces of said first and second sheets at a predetermined distance from one another and define an enclosed space between said sheets;

(f) disposing a second mold element over said second sheet in mating relationship with said first mold element, said second mold element including a second cavity cooperating with said first cavity to define, with said spacer strip means and the included surfaces and edges of said sheets, an enclosed mold cavity in surrounding and overlapping relation to the peripheral marginal edges of said spaced first and second sheets;

(g) injecting into the mold cavity a composition which is capable of polymerization and cure to form a polymerized frame encasing the marginal edges of said sheets to hermetically seal said enclosed space between said sheets, said composition, incident to curing, intimately contacting and thereby tightly adhering directly to the exposed primed peripheral marginal surfaces and edges of said sheets and to the spacer means as a result of the autogenous pressure generated incident to polymerization within the enclosed mold cavity;

(h) regulating the pressure at which said composition is injected into the mold cavity to maintain a pressure within the mold cavity below that at which said glass sheets and spacer means would be damaged;

(i) controlling the temperature of the mold cavity, the injection of the composition, and the amount of the composition injected so that as the composition polymerizes following its injection, it is urged into direct intimate contact with the mold cavity, spacer strip means and exposed, primed marginal surfaces and edges of said sheets by the autogenous pressure generated during the polymerization and cures while in such contact into an architectural frame; and

(j) removing the glass sheets and integral frame from the mold elements as an assembly.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(k) applying a protective coating to an outer surface of the architectural frame.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of:

(l) baking the coating after the coating is applied to the frame.