Methods and equipment for assembling triple-pane insulating glass units
First Claim
1. A method of constructing triple-pane insulating glass units, the method comprising:
- (a) conveying a first glass pane into a position between two opposed side panels of an assembly apparatus, a first-pane spacer being coupled to one major surface of the first glass pane;
(b) securing the first glass pane on an opposite major surface of the first glass pane with the assembly apparatus;
(c) rotating at least part of the assembly apparatus 180°
, thereby causing the first glass pane to rotate 180°
,(d) conveying second and third glass panes into the position between the two opposed side panels of the assembly apparatus, a third-pane spacer being coupled to one major surface of the third glass pane, one edge of the second glass pane being pressed together with one edge of the third glass pane such that the third-pane spacer contacts the second glass pane;
(e) pressing one edge of the first glass pane together with the one edge of the second glass pane and the one edge of the third glass pane such that the first-pane spacer contacts the second glass pane;
(f) releasing the first glass pane; and
(g) conveying the first, second, and third glass panes out of the position between the opposed side panels of the assembly apparatus.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and equipment for automatically assembling three panes of glass and corresponding spacers so that air or other gas can be injected into the two between-pane spaces. The equipment can receive two glass panes that each have spacers coupled to one of their major surfaces, along with a third glass pane having no spacer coupled to its major surfaces, and can assemble the three glass panes into a “teepee” configuration in which the two spacers each contact two of the glass panes along a common edge of the glass panes. Preferred equipment can receive a glass pane in a first orientation and rotate the glass pane 180° to a second orientation in which the glass pane'"'"'s two major surfaces face opposite directions from the first orientation. Such preferred equipment can then receive a two-pane teepee from a previous piece of equipment and can add the “flipped” single glass pane to the teepee to create a three-pane teepee.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of constructing triple-pane insulating glass units, the method comprising:
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(a) conveying a first glass pane into a position between two opposed side panels of an assembly apparatus, a first-pane spacer being coupled to one major surface of the first glass pane; (b) securing the first glass pane on an opposite major surface of the first glass pane with the assembly apparatus; (c) rotating at least part of the assembly apparatus 180°
, thereby causing the first glass pane to rotate 180°
,(d) conveying second and third glass panes into the position between the two opposed side panels of the assembly apparatus, a third-pane spacer being coupled to one major surface of the third glass pane, one edge of the second glass pane being pressed together with one edge of the third glass pane such that the third-pane spacer contacts the second glass pane; (e) pressing one edge of the first glass pane together with the one edge of the second glass pane and the one edge of the third glass pane such that the first-pane spacer contacts the second glass pane; (f) releasing the first glass pane; and (g) conveying the first, second, and third glass panes out of the position between the opposed side panels of the assembly apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification