Glazing utilizing rim process to produce sealed and framed insulating glass unit

• US 5,061,531 A
• Filed: 12/15/1989
• Issued: 10/29/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ML Burke Company A Proprietorship of California
• Original Assignee: M L Burke Company
• Inventors: Catalano, Gennaro J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Seidleck, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/451,269
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 428/34, 428/192, 428/423.1, 156/107, 156/109, 156/304, 52/176, 52/122, 52/788-790, 264/252, 264/271.1, 264/279.1, 264/314, 264/241, 264/328.1, 425/542, 425/543, 425/110, 425/116, 425/112, 425/121
• US Class Current: 428/34
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/20 of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/24 specially adapted for double glazing separable parts for securing panes E06B3/64
• 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: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31551 Of polyamidoester [polyurethane, polyisocyanate, polycarbamate, etc.]

Abstract

An insulating architectual glass unit for residential, nonresidential and commercial applications having at least two panes of glass plate separated by an encapsulated air space is constructed with an injection molded frame of relatively low thermal conductivity material wherein a secondary seal between the individual glass plates and a frame structure surrounding the glass plates are molded as a single piece continuous structure in a single step operation.

Claims

1. An architectural glazing unit having its own architecturally and structurally independent frame consisting of:

a first glass plate;

a second glass plate spaced from said first glass plate;

a moisture impervious spacer member inserted between said first and second glass plates and separating said first glass plate from said second glass plate, said spacer member having opposite edges adjacent said respective first and glass plates and extending completely about the periphery of said plates;

a primary seal member positioned as an interface member between each opposite edge of said spacer member, which is adjacent each of said first and second glass plates and said respective glass plate, thereby sealing said spacer member to each of said plates; and

a frame member having a first portion extending between the juxtaposed faces of said first and second glass plates to cover said juxtaposed plates said spacer member and said primary seal member, whereby a secondary seal member is created as a continuous part of said frame member, said frame member also having a second portion extending outwardly about the periphery of said glass plates to frame said glass plates and thereafter extending outwardly to form an architectural structural member being of sufficient strength and hardness to function as an architectural structural frame nature;

wherein said frame member first and second portions are RIM process material having been formed in situ through a RIM process and wherein there exists a molecular bonding of said frame RIM process material to said glass plates through a single coupling agent, said RIM process material forming said second seal member as well as said frame member and wherein said RIM process material is a polyurethane elastomer having a Shore D scale hardness of at least 30.

2. An insulating architectural glazing assembly having an integral architectural structural frame which reduces the sound transmission/vibration of the glazing, consisting of:

a first glazing plate;

a second glazing plate spaced from said first glazing plate;

a moisture impervious spacer member between said first glazing plate and said second glazing plate, said spacer member establishing the separation distance between said plates and forming a peripheral wall between said plates; and

an architectural structural frame member of low thermal transmission formed in situ through a RIM process and surrounding the edges of said first and second glazing plates wherein there exists a molecular bonding of said frame member to said first and second glazing plates through a single coupling agent applied thereto, said frame member having as a part thereof a peripheral wall extending laterally outwardly therefrom, and wherein said frame peripheral wall extends beyond the edges of the glass plates for a length substantially greater than the length of the faces of the glazing plates covered by the frame member, said frame forming to form an architectural structural member establishing the rigid integrity for the assembly which reduces sound transmission/vibration of the glazing and also forming a gas and fluid seal at the edges of said first and second glazing plates and between thereof and at said peripheral wall, said architectural structural frame member being a polyurethane elastomer having a Shore D scale hardness of at least 30.

4. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said spacer member has a first continuous face interfacing said first glazing plate and a second continuous face interfacing said second glazing plate;

and also including a first seal joining said spacer first continuous face to said first glazing plate and said second continuous face to said second glazing plate, said first seal providing a gas and fluid seal.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said gas and fluid seal formed by said frame member is a secondary seal.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said frame wraps around the edge and onto the outer face of said first and second glazing plates a short distance to form a lip thereon, said lip being in adherence with said glazing.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said coupling agent is an organosilane ester.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said frame member also includes a flange portion extending outwardly completely thereabout.

3. An insulating and reduced sound transmission architectural glazing assembly having an integral architectural structural frame, consisting of:

a first glazing plate;

a second glazing plate spaced from said first glazing plate;

a spacer member between said first glazing plate and said second glazing plate, said spacer member establishing the separation distance between said plates and forming a peripheral wall adjacent the edges of said plates; and

a molded polyurethane elastomeric frame member, of low thermal transmission and having a Shore D scale hardness of at least 30, surrounding the edges of said first and second glazing plates and said peripheral wall and extending outwardly therefrom, said frame member being formed through a RIM process and having a flange portion extending in alignment in a plane projecting outwardly from the plane of one of said glazing plates and being suitable for attachment directly to an architectural structure, said frame member and flange portion forming an architectural structural frame, said frame being molecularly bonded to said plate edges and walls through a single coupling agent to form a primary and secondary seal function and being of a different harmonic capacity therefrom to dampen vibrations set up in said first and second glazing plates.

9. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said spacer member has a first continuous face interfacing said first glazing plate and a second continuous face interfacing said second glazing plate;

and also including a first seal joining said spacer first continuous face to said first glazing plate and said second continuous face to said second glazing plate said first seal providing a gas and fluid seal.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said frame member bonding to said first and second glazing plates in combination with its surrounding said peripheral wall of said spacer member forms a secondary seal for said assembly being a gas and fluid seal.

11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein said organosilane ester coupling agent is applied to all of the surfaces of said first and second glazing plates which interface with said polyurethane material.

12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said coupling agent is applied as a solution of two percent organosilane ester and 98 percent water by volume.