Spacer for triple-insulated glazing units

• US 9,739,085 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Kuster, Hans-Werner, Maurer, Marc, Schreiber, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Mintz, Rodney
• Assistant Examiner(s): KENNY, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US14/781,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20160138326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 5278613, 52204593, 52204595
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2003/6638 with coatings
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5454 inside U-shaped section members
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66304 Discrete spacing elements, e.g. for evacuated glazing units
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66319 of rubber, plastics or similar materials
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66366 specially adapted for units comprising more than two panes or for attaching intermediate sheets
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/67 characterised by additional arrangements or devices for heat or sound insulation or for controlled passage of light
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/67326 Assembling spacer elements with the panes
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6775 Evacuating or filling the gap during assembly

Abstract

A spacer for insulated glazing units having at least one polymeric main body with a wall thickness d having a first pane contact surface and a second pane contact surface running parallel thereto, one first glazing interior surface, one second glazing interior surface, one outer surface, one first hollow chamber, and one second hollow chamber. A groove for receiving a pane runs parallel to the first pane contact surface and the second pane contact surface between the first glazing interior surface and the second glazing interior surface. The first hollow chamber adjoins the first glazing interior surface and the second hollow chamber adjoins the second glazing interior surface. The lateral flanks of the groove are formed by the walls of the first hollow chamber and the second hollow chamber, and the wall thickness d′ in the region of the lateral flanks is less than the wall thickness d of the polymeric main body.

Claims

1. A spacer for insulated glazing units, the spacer comprising at least one polymeric main body comprising a first pane contact surface and a second pane contact surface running parallel thereto, a first glazing interior surface, a second glazing interior surface, an outer surface, a first hollow chamber, and a second hollow chamber,

wherein

a groove configured for receiving a pane runs parallel to the first pane contact surface and the second pane contact surface between the first glazing interior surface and the second glazing interior surface,

the first hollow chamber adjoins the first glazing interior surface and the second hollow chamber adjoins the second glazing interior surface,

lateral flanks of the groove are formed by walls of the first hollow chamber and the second hollow chamber,

a wall thickness d′

of the lateral flanks is less than 85% of a wall thickness d of all other portions of the polymeric main body; and

the lateral flanks of the groove are flexible, such that the groove is configured to affix the pane without adhesive bonding.

2. The spacer for insulated glazing units according to claim 1, wherein the lateral flanks of the groove include an insert.

3. The spacer according to claim 2, wherein the insert comprises an elastomer.

4. The spacer according to claim 3, wherein the elastomer comprises ethylene propylene diene rubber.

5. A method of using the spacer according to claim 1 in multipane glazing units.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the multipane glazing units are insulated glazing units.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the insulated glazing units are triple insulated glazing units.

8. The spacer for insulated glazing units according to claim 1, wherein for the wall thickness d′

in the region of the lateral flanks d′

is <

0.7 d.

9. The spacer according to claim 8, wherein d′

is <

0.5 d.

10. The spacer for insulated glazing units according to claim 1, wherein an insulating foil is applied on the outer surface of the polymeric main body, the insulating foil comprises at least one polymeric layer as well as at least one metallic or ceramic layer which is alternatingly arranged with the at least one polymeric layer.

11. The spacer according to claim 10, wherein the at least one metallic or ceramic layer comprises at least two metallic or ceramic layers.

12. The spacer for insulated glazing units according to claim 1, wherein the polymeric main body contains a desiccant.

13. The spacer according to claim 12, wherein the desiccant is silica gels, molecular sieves, CaCl2, Na2SO4, activated carbon, silicates, bentonites, zeolites, or mixtures thereof.

14. The spacer for insulated glazing units according to claim 1, wherein the first glazing interior surface or the second glazing interior surface has at least one opening that connects the corresponding first or second hollow to an interpane space.

15. The spacer according to claim 14, wherein the at least one opening is a plurality of openings.

16. An insulated glazing unit comprising at least one first pane, one second pane, and one third pane, and one peripheral spacer surrounding the panes, the peripheral spacer being the spacer according to claim 1, wherein

the first pane contacts the first pane contact surface,

the second pane contacts the second pane contact surface, and

the third pane is inserted into the groove of the spacer.

17. The insulated glazing unit according to claim 16, wherein a gasket is mounted between the first pane and the first pane contact surface or the second pane and the second pane contact surface.

18. The insulated glazing unit according to claim 17, wherein the gasket comprises a polymer.

19. The insulated glazing unit according to claim 18, wherein the polymer is a silane-modified polymer.

20. The insulated glazing unit according to claim 17, wherein the gasket comprises organic polysulfides, silicones, room temperature vulcanizing silicone rubber, high temperature vulcanizing silicone rubber, peroxide vulcanizing silicone rubber, addition vulcanizing silicone rubber, polyurethanes, butyl rubber, polyacrylates, or a combination thereof.

21. The insulated glazing unit according to claim 16, wherein the first pane, the second pane, or the third pane contain glass or polymers or a combination of glass and polymers.

22. The insulated glass unit according to claim 21, wherein the glass or polymers or a combination of glass and polymers comprises quartz glass, borosilicate glass, soda lime glass, polymethyl methacrylate, or mixtures thereof.

23. The spacer for insulated glazing units according to claim 1, wherein the polymeric main body contains polyethylene, polycarbonates, polypropylene, polystyrene, polybutadiene, polynitriles, polyesters, polyurethanes, polymethyl methacrylates, polyacrylates, polyamides, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, preferably acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, acrylonitrile styrene acrylester, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene/polycarbonate, styrene acrylonitrile, PET/PC, PBT/PC, or copolymers or mixtures thereof.

24. A method for producing an insulated glazing unit comprising at least one first pane, one second pane, and one third pane, and one peripheral spacer surrounding the panes, the peripheral spacer comprising at least one polymeric main body comprising a first pane contact surface and a second pane contact surface running parallel thereto, a first glazing interior surface, a second glazing interior surface, an outer surface, a first hollow chamber, and a second hollow chamber,

wherein

a groove configured for receiving a pane runs parallel to the first pane contact surface and the second pane contact surface between the first glazing interior surface and the second glazing interior surface,

the first hollow chamber adjoins the first glazing interior surface and the second hollow chamber adjoins the second glazing interior surface,

lateral flanks of the groove are formed by walls of the first hollow chamber and the second hollow chamber, and

a wall thickness d′

in the region of the lateral flanks is less than 85% of a wall thickness d of all other portions of the polymeric main body;

wherein

the first pane contacts the first pane contact surface,

the second pane contacts the second pane contact surface, and

the third pane is inserted into the groove of the spacer, wherein at least

the third pane is inserted into the groove of the spacer,

the first pane is abutted against the first pane contact surface of the spacer,

the second pane is abutted against the second pane contact surface of the spacer, and

the pane arrangement of the panes and the spacer is pressed together.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein, first, the spacer is preformed into a rectangle open on one side, the third pane is pushed into the groove of the spacer, and the remaining edge of the pane is closed with a spacer.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the interpane spaces between the first pane and the third pane as well as between the second pane and the third pane are filled with a protective gas.