Fire-resistant glazing assembly

• US 6,340,508 B1
• Filed: 06/22/1999
• Issued: 01/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vetrotech Saint-Gobain (International) AG (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Vetrotech Saint-Gobain (International) AG (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Plum, Guido, Gelderie, Udo, Frommelt, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Loney, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US09/337,551
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 428/34, 428/409, 428/410, 428/913, 428/920, 428/921, 527/861.3, 522/32
• US Class Current: 428/34
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10302 Edge sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10311 Intumescent layers for fire protection
• 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 3/66342 characterised by their sealed connection to the panes
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 5/165 Fireproof windows layered glass panes with expansion layers for fire protection B32B17/10311
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/92 Fire or heat protection feature

Abstract

A fire-resistant glazing assembly comprises two glass sheets (1, 2) connected together along their edges by a spacer (3) and a water-containing interlayer (4) between the two panes (1, 2). The spacer (3) is made of silicone rubber. A bead (6) of a heat-activated foaming material is advantageously placed between the spacer (3) and the adhesive sealing material (7) serving to provide the peripheral seal.

Claims

1. Fire-resistant glazing assembly comprising at least two glass sheets having peripheral edges and spaced from each other to define an intermediate space, said sheets being connected together by a spacer along a peripheral region adjacent said peripheral edge and a water-containing interlayer filling said intermediate space between the glass sheets, the spacer being adhesively bonded to the two glass sheets and a peripheral seal is disposed between the spacer and said peripheral edge, wherein the spacer is made of silicone rubber.

2. Fire-resistant glazing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is made of a high-temperature crosslinkable silicone rubber having a Shore A hardness of about 40 to 60.

3. Fire-resistant glazing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is made of a silicone rubber having a decomposition temperature of greater than 400°

C.

4. Fire-resistant glazing assembly according to claim 3, wherein the spacer is made of a high-temperature crosslinkable polydimethyl-siloxane.

5. Fire-resistant glazing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is adhesively bonded to the glass sheets by means of an acrylate-based adhesive.

6. Fire-resistant glazing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the water-containing interlayer is formed from a cured alkali metal polysilicate and advantageously contains 30 to 55% by weight of silicon dioxide, at most 16% by weight of an alkali metal oxide and up to 60% by weight of water.

7. Fire-resistant glazing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive material serving of said peripheral seal is a polysulphide-based adhesive.

8. Fire-resistant glazing assembly according to claim 1, wherein a bead composed of a heat-activated foaming material that releases gas when heated is placed between the spacer and the adhesive sealing material.

9. Fire-resistant glazing assembly according to claim 8, wherein the bead of heat-activated foaming material, when heated, releases a gas selected from water vapour, ammonia or sulphur dioxide, and/or boric acid.

10. Fire-resistant glazing assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the glass sheets is made of toughened glass.

11. Fire-resistant glazing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the glass sheets are bent into a substantially cylindrical or spherical shape.

12. Fire-resistant glazing assembly comprising at least two glass sheets having peripheral edges and spaced from each other to define an intermediate space, said sheets being connected together by a spacer adjacent said peripheral edge, and a water-containing interlayer filling said intermediate space between the glass sheets, the spacer being adhesively bonded to the two glass sheets, and a peripheral seal is disposed between the spacer and said peripheral edge, wherein the spacer is made of elastic material.

13. Fire-resistant glazing assembly according to claim 12, wherein the spacer is made of a high-temperature crosslinkable silicone rubber having a Shore A hardness of about 40 to 60.

14. Fire-resistant glazing assembly according to claim 12, wherein said peripheral seal is composed of an adhesive sealing material and a bead, composed of heat-activated foaming material, is disposed between the spacer and said adhesive sealing material.

15. Fire-resistant glazing assembly comprising at least two glass sheets having peripheral edges and spaced from each other by a spacer to define an intermediate space, said spacer being disposed along a peripheral region adjacent said peripheral edge, and a water-containing interlayer filling said intermediate space between the glass sheets, wherein a removable peripheral seal is disposed between the spacer and said peripheral edge, and a bead of heat-activated foaming material is disposed between said spacer and said peripheral seal for expelling said peripheral seal upon heating of said peripheral region of said assembly.