Glazing system with thermal break

• US 9,683,402 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2014
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: City Glass & Glazing P Ltd.
• Original Assignee: City Glass & Glazing P Ltd.
• Inventors: Abdul Lathief, Arakkal Abdul Khader
• Primary Examiner(s): KWIECINSKI, RYAN D
• Application Number:
  US14/327,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20140318050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/1812 Details of anchoring to the wall or floor
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/1846 Balusters with means for fixing to the floor
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/1853 Glass panels
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2011/1895 mainly of glass
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2003/5472 in an at least partly preassembled frame by introducing it through a slot in one of the frame members or inserting the pane before completing the frame
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/24 specially adapted for double glazing separable parts for securing panes E06B3/64
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/549 by clamping the pane between two subframes
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5821 hooked on or in the frame member, fixed by clips or otherwise elastically fixed E06B3/585 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66304 Discrete spacing elements, e.g. for evacuated glazing units
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49959 Nonresilient fastener

Abstract

A self-locking glazing system includes a female profile having a first locking extension and a first leg extending therefrom, the first leg having a first tip. The system includes a male profile having a second locking extension and a second leg extending therefrom, the second leg having a second tip that is approximately opposite the first tip, and a thermal break material positioned between the female and male profiles. When a panel is positioned between the first and second tips, the female profile and the male profile are caused to engage against the thermal break material.

Claims

1. A self-locking glazing system, comprising:

a female profile having a first locking extension that includes a first engagement tip, and a first vertically extending leg extending from the first locking extension, the first vertically extending leg having a first vertical tip, the female profile including a base structure having an upper surface and a lower surface, such that a gap is formed between the upper surface and the first locking extension;

a male profile having a second locking extension that includes a second engagement tip, the second locking extension extending into the gap, and a second vertically extending leg extending from the second locking extension, the second vertically extending leg having a second vertical tip that is approximately opposite the first vertical tip; and

a thermal break material positioned between the female and male profiles, the thermal break material attached to the second locking extension of the male profile on a first surface and on a second surface that is opposite the first surface;

wherein a fulcrum is formed in the male profile where the second locking extension extends from the second vertically extending leg, and the fulcrum engages the female profile at a first contact location of the first surface with the upper surface of the base structure, and the thermal break material is positioned at the first contact location;

wherein the first locking extension and the second locking extension engage at a second contact location between the first locking extension and the second locking extension where the thermal break material is positioned; and

a panel positioned between the first and second vertical tips, the female profile and the male profile engaged against the thermal break material at the first contact location and against the thermal break material at the second contact location.

2. The self-locking glazing system of claim 1, wherein the thermal break material is a plastic.

3. The self-locking glazing system of claim 1, wherein the thermal break material has a thermal conductivity that is less than that of the female and male profiles.

4. The self-locking glazing system of claim 1, wherein the thermal break material is a material having a thermal conductivity that is less than 2 W/m-K.

5. The self-locking glazing system of claim 1, the panel positioned between the first vertical tip and the second vertical tip, causing outward forces that cause the female and male profiles to engage by tilting the second vertically extending leg outward from the panel and about the fulcrum.

6. The self-locking glazing system of claim 1, wherein the female profile, the male profile, and the thermal break material form a first assembly of the glazing system, the glazing system further comprising:

a second assembly comprising;

a second female profile;

a second male profile; and

a second thermal break material positioned between the second female and the second male profiles.

7. The self-locking glazing system of claim 6, wherein the first female profile and the second female profile are connected to one another through a common base.

8. A method of fabricating a self-locking glazing system, the method comprising:

providing a female profile having a first locking extension that includes a first engagement tip, and a vertically extending leg extending from the first locking extension, the first vertically extending leg having a first vertical tip, the female profile including a base structure having an upper surface and a lower surface, such that a gap is formed between the upper surface and the lower surface;

providing a male profile having a second locking extension that includes a second engagement tip, the second locking extension extending into the gap, the male profile having a second vertically extending leg having a second vertical tip;

engaging the first locking extension of the female profile with the second locking extension of the male profile;

positioning a thermal break material between the male and female profiles; and

positioning a panel between the first vertical tip of the female profile and the second vertical tip of the male profile, the first vertical tip and the second vertical tip positioned approximately opposite one another, engaging the male and female profiles about a fulcrum of the male profile and against the thermal break material that is at a first contact location that is the fulcrum, and against the thermal break material at a second contact location that is between the first engagement tip of the first locking extension and the second engagement tip of the second locking extension.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein positioning the thermal break material further comprises covering the male profile with the thermal break material.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein covering the male profile comprises attaching the thermal break material to the male profile.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein

engaging the male and female profiles comprises engaging the fulcrum that is formed in the male profile where the first locking extension extends from the second vertically extending leg, and extending the first locking extension into the gap, such that the fulcrum forms the first contact location with the upper surface of the base structure where the thermal break material is positioned between the female profile and the male profile.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising attaching the thermal break material to upper and lower surfaces of the second locking extension.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein:

engaging the male and female profiles further comprises engaging the first engagement tip of the first locking extension of the female profile with the second engagement tip of the second locking extension of the male profile;

wherein the second locking extension and the first locking extension engage at the second contact location between the first engagement tip and the second engagement tip where the thermal break material is positioned.

14. A self-locking glazing system, comprising:

a first assembly comprising;

a first female profile having a first locking extension and a first vertically extending leg extending from the first locking extension, the first vertically extending leg having a first vertical tip;

a first male profile having a second locking extension and a second vertically extending leg extending from the second locking extension, the second vertically extending leg having a second vertical tip;

a first thermal break material positioned between the first female and the first male profiles; and

a first panel

positioned between the first vertical tip and the second vertical tip of the first assembly, the first vertical tip and the second vertical tip engaged toward one another and against the first thermal break material; and

a second assembly comprising;

a second female profile having a third locking extension and a third vertically extending leg extending from the third locking extension, the third vertically extending leg having a third vertical tip;

a second male profile having a fourth locking extension and a fourth vertically extending leg extending from the fourth locking extension, the fourth vertically extending leg having a fourth vertical tip;

a second thermal break material positioned between the second female and the second male profiles; and

a second panel;

wherein the first and second female profiles each further comprise a base structure having an upper surface and a lower surface, and respectively the first locking extension and the third locking extension, such that a gap is formed between each upper surface and the respective first and third locking extension;

wherein a first and second fulcrum are formed in each of the first and second male profiles where each of the second and fourth locking extensions extend from the respective second and fourth vertically extending leg, each of the second and fourth locking extensions extending into a respective gap of the respective female profile;

wherein each of the first and second fulcrums form a respective first contact location and second contact location with the upper surface of the respective base structure where the respective thermal break material is positioned between the respective female profile and the male profile;

and

the second panel positioned between the third vertical tip and the fourth vertical tip of the second assembly, the third and fourth vertical tips engaged toward one another and against the second thermal break.

15. The self-locking glazing system of claim 14, wherein:

wherein the first and second thermal break materials cover at least a portion of the respective first and second male profiles.

16. The self-locking glazing system of claim 14, wherein the first and second thermal break materials are plastic and have a thermal conductivity that is less than 2 W/m-K.