Spacer for insulated windows having a lengthened thermal path

• US 6,351,923 B1
• Filed: 07/21/1999
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alumet Manufacturing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wallace H. Peterson
• Inventors: Peterson, Wallace H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Callo, Laura A.
• Application Number:
  US09/359,341
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 521/713, 527/861.3, 527/861, 527/451.6, 428/34
• US Class Current: 52/786.13
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2003/6639 sinuous
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66314 of tubular shape E06B3/66323 and E06B3/66333 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66323 comprising an interruption of the heat flow in a direction perpendicular to the unit

Abstract

A spacer frame bar for insulated windows or other insulated glass panels. The bar includes a tubular spacer member having first and second side webs for engaging the spaced apart glass panes, and upper and lower webs spanning between the side webs. The upper web is provided with a series of vertical corrugations, which serve to increase the length of the thermal conductive path across the upper web. The corrugations are also arranged so that only the upper edges thereof are exposed to sunlight passing through the window, thereby minimizing thermal gain due to absorption of solar radiation. Staggered rows of slits may be formed in the channels of the corrugations to as to further increase the length of the conductive path. The channels may also be filled with an insulating material, such as a resilient foam material. The invention also provides a two-piece construction in which the top web clips onto the upper edges of the side webs.

Claims

1. A spacer frame bar comprising:

an elongate tubular spacer member having first and second side webs for engaging first and second glass panes of a window assembly in spaced relationship, and an upper web for facing inwardly towards an interpane space between said panes and a lower web for facing outwardly from a perimeter of said window assembly;

said lower web of said spacer member being substantially free of openings; and

said upper web of said spacer member having a plurality of openings for passage of air therethrough and comprising;

at least first and second corrugations formed in said upper web, each said corrugation defining an upwardly extending ridge portion and a downwardly extending channel portion, so that said corrugations form an elongate thermal energy conductive path across said upper web which is greater in length than said spacer width between said side webs;

said corrugations further being oriented so that only an upper edge of each said ridge portion is exposed to solar radiation in said interpane space between said glass panes and said channel portions of said corrugations are substantially shaded from solar radiation by adjacent corrugations, so that said upper web of said spacer member forms said elongate conductive path without causing increased thermal gain of said spacer member when said window assembly is exposed to said solar radiation.

2. The spacer frame bar of claim 1, wherein said at least first and second corrugations comprise:

a plurality of generally parallel, longitudinally extending corrugations arranged across a width of said upper web of said spacer member.

3. The spacer frame bar of claim 2, wherein said ridge portions and said channel portions of said corrugations are oriented in a substantially vertical direction.

4. The spacer frame bar of claim 2, wherein said upper edges of said ridge portions each comprise:

a curved outer surface for scattering solar radiation which strikes said upper edge of said ridge portion.

5. The spacer frame bar of claim 2, wherein said upper web of said spacer member further comprises:

at least one spaced sequence of longitudinally oriented slits formed through said upper web in each of said corrugations, so that said slits form a series of thermal breaks across said upper web of said spacer member.

6. The spacer frame bar of claim 5, wherein said spaced sequence of slits in each corrugation is staggered longitudinally relative to said spaced sequences of slits in adjacent corrugations.

7. The spacer frame bar of claim 6, wherein said spaced sequences of slits are formed in side walls of said corrugations intermediate said upper edges of said ridge portions and lower ends of said channel portions.

8. The spacer frame bar of claim 7, wherein each said corrugation comprises:

at least two said spaced sequences of slits formed on opposite sides of said corrugation.

9. The spacer frame bar of claim 5, wherein each slit in said spaced sequences of slits comprise:

a first longitudinal edge portion which is displaced relative to a second longitudinal edge portion by an amount which is sufficient to open an air gap between said edge portions of said slit, so that said slits form said plurality of openings in said upper web of said spacer member.

10. The spacer frame bar of claim 9, wherein said upper web of spacer member is formed of malleable metal sheet material.

11. The spacer frame bar of claim 10, wherein said first edge portion of each slit is displaced relative to said second edge portion of said slit by an amount which is sufficient to form first and second transverse breaks in said metal material which extend generally laterally from first and second ends of said slits so as to interrupt conduction of thermal energy across said breaks.

12. The spacer frame bar of claim 11, wherein said transverse breaks at said ends of said slits extend laterally from a first sequence of slits towards a second sequence of slits.

13. The spacer frame bar of claim 2, wherein each said upper web of said spacer member further comprises:

at least one insulating member mounted in said corrugations in said upper web of said spacer member.

14. The spacer frame bar of claim 13, wherein said at least one insulating member comprises:

a plurality of insulating strips formed of insulating material, each said insulating strip being mounted in said channel portion of one of said corrugations in said upper web member.

15. The spacer frame bar of claim 14, wherein said insulating strips substantially fill said channel portions of said corrugations, so that only an upper crown of each said ridge portion is exposed above said insulating material.

16. The spacer frame bar of claim 14, wherein said insulating material comprises a resilient foam material.

17. The spacer frame bar of claim 14, wherein each said channel portion of said corrugations comprises:

means for engaging and retaining said strip of insulating material in said channel portion.

18. The spacer frame bar of claim 17, wherein said means for retaining said strip comprises at least one inwardly-bent tab portion of a slit formed in a wall of said channel portion.

19. The spacer frame bar of claim 17, wherein said means for retaining said strip comprises at least one inwardly-protruding point formed in a wall of said channel portion.

20. The spacer frame bar of claim 1, wherein said spacer member is formed of inner and outer halves, said halves being joined along upper and lower longitudinally extending seams.

21. The spacer frame bar of claim 20, wherein said upper and lower longitudinally extending seams each comprise interleaved rows of tabs formed along edges of said inner and outer halves of said spacer member.

22. The spacer frame bar of claim 21, wherein said interleaved rows of tabs of said lower longitudinally extending seam are bent upwardly in a generally inverted “

V”

configuration so as to increase a length of a thermal conductive path across said lower web of said spacer member.

23. The spacer frame bar of claim 1, wherein said spacer member is formed of a lower channel member which incorporates said lower and side webs of said spacer member, and an upper cap member which incorporates said upper web of said spacer member, first and second outer edges of said cap member cooperating with first and second upper edges of said channel member to form connection joints by which said cap member is mounted to said channel member.

24. The spacer frame bar of claim 23, wherein said connection joints each comprise:

a generally “

V”

shaped receiving channel formed along said upper edge of said channel member; and

a flange portion formed along said outer edge of said cap member and extending downwardly therefrom into engagement with said receiving channel.

25. The spacer frame bar of claim 24, wherein each said receiving channel comprises:

a lip portion which extends downwardly from an edge of said receiving channel to a position above a lower edge of said flange portion, so as to retain said flange portion against being withdrawn upwardly out of said receiving channel.

26. The spacer frame bar of claim 25, wherein each said flange portion comprises:

a lip portion which extends upwardly from said lower edge of said flange portion so as to engage said lip portion of said receiving channel in substantially vertical abutment therewith.

27. A two-piece spacer frame bar comprising:

an elongate, generally “

U”

shaped lower channel member having a lower web and first and second side webs for engaging first and second glass panes of a window assembly in spaced relationship;

an elongate upper cap member having an upper web for spanning from said first side web to said second side web; and

means for attaching first and second outer edges of said cap member to first and second upper edges of said channel member so as to form an elongate, tubular spacer member which defines a substantially enclosed interior space, said means for attaching said outer edges of said cap member to said upper edges of said channel member comprising;

a generally “

V”

shaped receiving channel formed along each said upper edge of said channel member; and

a downwardly extending flange portion formed along each said outer edge of said upper cap member for being inserted in interlocking engagement with a corresponding one of said receiving channels.

28. The spacer frame bar of claim 27, wherein each said generally “

V”

shaped receiving channel comprises;

an upper edge portion of a side web of said channel member which extends inwardly and downwardly and then inwardly and upwardly so as to follow a generally “

V”

shaped contour.

29. The spacer frame bar of claim 28, wherein each said flange portion on said cap member comprises:

a lower edge portion which extends inwardly and downwardly generally parallel to said inwardly and downwardly extending upper edge of said side web.

30. The spacer frame bar of claim 29, wherein each said generally “

V”

shaped receiving channel further comprises;

a lip portion which extends outwardly and downwardly from an inner edge of said receiving channel to a position above said lower edge portion of said flange portion, so as to retain said flange portion against being withdrawn upwardly out of said receiving channel.

31. The spacer frame bar of claim 30, wherein each said flange portion comprises:

a lip portion which extends inwardly and upwardly from a lower edge of said flange portion so as to engage said lip portion of said receiving channel in substantially vertical abutment therewith.

32. A method for constructing a window assembly, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an elongate tubular spacer member having first and second side webs and upper and lower webs spanning from said first side web to said second side web and defining a spacer width between said side web, said upper web of said spacer member comprising;

at least first and second corrugations formed in said upper web, each said corrugation defining an upwardly extending ridge portion and a downwardly extending channel portion, so that said corrugations form an elongate thermal energy conductive path across said upper web which is greater in length than said spacer width between said side webs; and

mounting said elongate tubular spacer member between first and second glass panes in said window assembly so that said panes are supported in a spaced relationship and so that said upper web faces inwardly towards an interpane spacer between said panes and said lower web faces outwardly from a perimeter of said window assembly;

so that said corrugations are oriented so that only an upper edge of each said ridge portion is exposed to solar radiation in said interpane space between said glass panes and said channel portions of said corrugations are substantially shaded from solar radiation by adjacent corrugations, whereby said upper web of said spacer member forms said elongate conductive path without causing increased thermal gain of said spacer member when said window assembly is exposed to said solar radiation.