Curtain-wall system for buildings

• US 9,212,481 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2014
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tip Top Fenster Srl
• Original Assignee: Tip Top Fenster Srl
• Inventors: Stramandinoli, Giovanni
• Primary Examiner(s): WENDELL, MARK R
• Application Number:
  US14/247,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20150284950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 522/35
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/90 comprising panels directly attached to the structure E04B2/885 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/965 Connections of mullions and transoms

Abstract

A curtain-wall system for a building comprises a plurality of prefabricated cells (2), wherein each cell (2) includes:

• • a structural frame (10) with at least two uprights (11) and two end cross members (12), coupled together to form a perimetral structure that delimits an opening (V);
  • one or more infill elements (14-16) associated to the structural frame (10) at a front thereof, for closing the opening (V) delimited by the perimetral structure; and
  • interface sectional elements (20, 21; 70-72) for coupling the one or more infill elements (14-16) to the front of the structural frame (10).

The uprights (11) and the cross members (12) of the structural frame (10) are uprights and cross members made of wood, the wooden uprights (11) having at least one first longitudinal groove (22) on a corresponding outer face, and the wooden cross members (12) having at least one second longitudinal groove (23) on a corresponding outer face.

Between the first grooves (22) of adjacent wooden uprights (11) of two cells (2) set aligned with one another in a horizontal direction there can be housed a first weatherstrip (45) and in the second groove (23) of a wooden cross member (12) of each cell (2) there can at least partially be housed a second weatherstrip (46).

Claims

1. A curtain-wall system for a building, comprising a plurality of prefabricated cells, wherein each cell includes:

a structural frame with at least two uprights and two end cross members, coupled together to form a perimetral structure that delimits a compartment;

one or more infill elements associated to the structural frame at a front thereof, for closing the compartment delimited by the perimetral structure; and

interface sectional elements for coupling the one or more infill elements to the front of the structural frame,

wherein the uprights and the cross members of the structural frame are wooden uprights and cross members, the wooden uprights having at least one first longitudinal groove on a corresponding outer face and the wooden cross members having at least one second longitudinal groove on a corresponding outer face,

wherein the structural frame is pre-arranged in such a way that a number of cells are set aligned with one another in at least one direction between a horizontal direction, at respective adjacent wooden uprights, and a vertical direction, at respective adjacent wooden cross members,

wherein between the first grooves of adjacent wooden uprights of two cells set aligned with one another in a horizontal direction a first weatherstrip is housed and in the second groove of a wooden cross member of each cell a second weatherstrip is at least partially housed,

wherein the wooden uprights have, at a first end, a respective coupling member having an engagement portion that projects axially from the structural frame and has, at a second end, a receiving seat substantially having a shape corresponding to that of the engagement portion of the coupling member, in such a way that the engagement portions of the coupling members at the first end of the wooden uprights of a first cell are received in the receiving seats at the second ends of the wooden uprights of a second cell that is aligned in a vertical direction on top of the first cell.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second weatherstrip is housed between the second grooves of adjacent wooden cross members of two cells set aligned with one another in a vertical direction.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second weatherstrip has a length greater than the length of the wooden cross members of the structural frame, in such a way that the second weatherstrip extends in the second grooves of wooden cross members of two or more cells set aligned with one another in a horizontal direction.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the wooden uprights have longitudinal end faces that have at least one third groove, the at least one third groove being axially aligned with the second groove of a wooden cross member, the second weatherstrip extending also through the third groove.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a suspension member designed for fixing to a floor of the building, wherein the wooden uprights have, in a respective upper end region, an engagement device pre-arranged for coupling with said suspension member.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the engagement device and the suspension member has an adjustment element, which is operable for height adjustment of a position of the cell relative to the floor to which the suspension member is fixed.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the engagement device is fixed to an inner face of a corresponding wooden upright of the structural frame.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the wooden uprights have at least two first parallel grooves for respective first weatherstrips and the wooden cross members have at least two second parallel grooves for respective second weatherstrips, the two first parallel grooves being spaced apart from one another by a spacing distance and the two second parallel grooves being spaced apart from each other by a spacing distance, the spacing distance between the two first parallel grooves being substantially the same as the spacing distance between the two second parallel grooves.

9. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the wooden uprights have at least two first parallel grooves for respective first weatherstrips and the wooden cross members have at least two second parallel grooves for respective second weatherstrips,

and wherein the distance between the first grooves and the distance between the second grooves are greater than a dimension of width of one said coupling member or of the corresponding engagement portion.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the wooden uprights and the wooden cross members of the structural frame have at least one front longitudinal groove, for coupling of a corresponding portion of a respective interface sectional element.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising threaded members for securing the interface sectional elements to a front of the wooden uprights and of the wooden cross members, the threaded members being operable from a front of the cell.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interface sectional elements each comprise at least two sectional elements parts secured to each other and wherein

a first sectional element part is secured by means of first threaded members to a front of a corresponding wooden upright or of a corresponding wooden cross member, and

a second sectional element part, to which a corresponding infill element is secured, is fastened by means of second threaded members to the first sectional element part, the second threaded members being operable from an inner side of the cell.

13. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the interface sectional elements have a back with a longitudinal groove and a side with a plurality of through seats that extend transverse to the longitudinal groove and open thereinto,

wherein in the longitudinal grooves there extend at least partially one or more retention members secured by means of first threaded members to a front of a corresponding wooden upright or of a corresponding wooded cross member, the retention member or members having a longitudinal recess facing the through seats of the corresponding interface sectional elements, and

wherein the interface sectional elements are fixed to the retention member or members by means of second threaded members tightened in the through seats to engage the longitudinal recess of the retention member or members.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one first infill element is set between a base portion and a generally parallel front portion of corresponding interface sectional elements.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the wooden cross members comprise a lower cross member, to which a corresponding lower interface sectional element is fixed, to the latter there being fixed at least one lower supporting element for one said infill element, the lower supporting element projecting at the front with respect to the lower interface sectional element.

16. A curtain-wall system for a building, comprising a plurality of prefabricated cells, wherein each cell includes:

a structural frame with at least two uprights and two end cross members, coupled together to form a perimetral structure that delimits a compartment;

one or more infill elements associated to the structural frame at a front thereof, for closing the compartment delimited by the perimetral structure; and

interface sectional elements for coupling the one or more infill elements to the front of the structural frame,

wherein the uprights and the cross members of the structural frame are wooden uprights and cross members, the wooden uprights having at least one first longitudinal groove on a corresponding outer face and the wooden cross members having at least one second longitudinal groove on a corresponding outer face,

wherein the structural frame is pre-arranged in such a way that a number of cells are set aligned with one another in at least one direction between a horizontal direction, at respective adjacent wooden uprights, and a vertical direction, at respective adjacent wooden cross members,

wherein between the first grooves of adjacent wooden uprights of two cells set aligned with one another in a horizontal direction a first weatherstrip is housed and in the second groove of a wooden cross member of each cell a second weatherstrip is at least partially housed,

wherein the infill elements include at least one first infill element that comprises at least two panel elements set parallel to one another,

and wherein at least one of

the infill elements are fixed to corresponding interface sectional elements by means of a structural adhesive, the interface sectional elements being in a position where they are set behind the corresponding infill element, and

engaged between two panel elements of the at least one first infill element is a perimetral weatherstrip, the perimetral weatherstrip having a plurality of sealing lips projecting laterally with respect to a peripheral edge of the panel elements, the sealing lips of the perimetral weatherstrip of a first cell being designed to co-operate in a sealed way with the sealing lips of the perimetral weatherstrip of a second cell, which is set aligned, in a horizontal direction or in a vertical direction, with the first cell.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the perimetral weatherstrip is moreover engaged to the interface sectional elements of the at least one first infill element.

18. A curtain-wall system for a building, comprising a plurality of prefabricated cells, wherein each cell includes:

a structural frame with at least two uprights and two end cross members, coupled together to form a perimetral structure that delimits a compartment;

one or more infill elements associated to the structural frame at a front thereof, for closing the compartment delimited by the perimetral structure; and

interface sectional elements for coupling the one or more infill elements to the front of the structural frame,

wherein the uprights and the cross members of the structural frame are wooden uprights and cross members, the wooden uprights having at least one first longitudinal groove on a corresponding outer face and the wooden cross members having at least one second longitudinal groove on a corresponding outer face,

wherein the structural frame is pre-arranged in such a way that a number of cells are set aligned with one another in at least one direction between a horizontal direction, at respective adjacent wooden uprights, and a vertical direction, at respective adjacent wooden cross members,

wherein between the first grooves of adjacent wooden uprights of two cells set aligned with one another in a horizontal direction a first weatherstrip is housed and in the second groove of a wooden cross member of each cell a second weatherstrip is at least partially housed,

and wherein;

at least one infill element is an openable infill element; and

the openable infill element is coupled to corresponding wooden uprights and wooden cross members of the structural frame via interface sectional elements that comprise fixed sectional elements and displaceable sectional elements.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein at least one of

the displaceable sectional elements each include at least two sectional element parts coupled together by means of one or more thermal-cut elements,

the openable infill element has at least one perimetral weatherstrip supported between the two sectional element parts of corresponding displaceable sectional elements, and

the wooden uprights and wooden cross members of the structural frame are machined at the front for fixing at least the aforesaid fixed sectional elements in a set-in position.

20. A prefabricated cells for a curtain-wall system for a building, the cell including:

a structural frame with at least two uprights and two end cross members, coupled together to form a perimetral structure that delimits a compartment;

one or more infill elements associated to the structural frame at a front thereof, for closing the compartment delimited by the perimetral structure; and

interface sectional elements for coupling the one or more infill elements to the front of the structural frame,

wherein the uprights and the cross members of the structural frame are wooden uprights and cross members, the wooden uprights having at least one first longitudinal groove on a corresponding outer face and the wooden cross members having at least one second longitudinal groove on a corresponding outer face,

wherein in the at least one first groove is receivable part of a first weatherstrip and in the at least one second groove is receivable part of a second weatherstrip,

wherein the second weatherstrip has a length greater than the length of the wooden cross members of the structural frame, in such a way that the second weatherstrip can extends in the second grooves of wooden cross members of two or more cells set aligned with one another in a horizontal direction,

wherein the wooden uprights have longitudinal end faces that have at least one third groove, the at least one third groove being axially aligned with the second groove of a wooden cross member, the second weatherstrip extending also through the third groove, and

wherein the wooden uprights and the wooden cross members of the structural frame have at least one front longitudinal groove, for coupling of a corresponding portion of a respective interface sectional element,

wherein the wooden uprights have, at a first end, a respective coupling member having an engagement portion that projects axially from the structural frame and has, at a second end, a receiving seat substantially having a shape corresponding to that of the engagement portion of the coupling member, in such a way that the engagement portions of the coupling members at the first end of the wooden uprights of a first cell are received in the receiving seats at the second ends of the wooden uprights of a second cell that is aligned in a vertical direction on top of the first cell.