Threat-resistant glass block panel

• US 9,874,424 B1
• Filed: 10/22/2015
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitrablok, S.R.O. (Seves Holding SpA)
• Original Assignee: Vitrablok, S.R.O. (Seves Holding SpA)
• Inventors: Atherton, Peter Rist, Loomis, Nicholas Theodore, Harris, Larell
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hijaz, Omar
• Application Number:
  US14/919,781
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 1/00 Layered products having a non-planar shape
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/06 comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2419/00 Buildings or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2571/02 defensive, e.g. armour plates or anti-ballistic clothing
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 1/42 of glass or other transparent material panels made of glass bricks E04C2/546
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/546 made of glass bricks
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 9/04 against air-raid or other war-like actions
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 9/14 against other dangerous influences, e.g. tornadoes, floods
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/02 Plate construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4998 Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material

Abstract

A glass block panel assembled, framed and attached to a substrate such that it resists threats from forced entry, prisoner escape, bullets from guns, bomb blasts, and tornados.

Claims

1. A glass block assembly, comprising:

a plurality of laminated glass blocks, wherein each laminated glass block has a laminated glass block depth and comprises two faces, four sides and an exterior perimeter formed around the four sides, wherein each of said plurality of laminated glass blocks comprises two solid halves of a glass block with a laminate layer in between said solid halves, wherein there is a gap between said two solid halves, wherein said laminate layer comprises a liquid modified urethane filling said gap between said two solid halves, wherein each of said plurality of laminated glass blocks includes a groove around the exterior perimeter of the laminated glass block, and wherein the groove is formed in the liquid modified urethane of said laminate layer;

a unitized frame, wherein said unitized frame has exterior walls that define a perimeter and a depth that is greater than the laminated glass block depth, further wherein said unitized frame includes interior dividers that are spaced to form interior cells wherein said interior dividers are formed from walls of said interior cells, each said interior cell having an interior perimeter that receives a shock-absorbing border into which a respective one of said plurality of laminated glass blocks fits to form a collar surrounding the four sides and contacting one of said two faces thereof;

a self-leveling sealant surrounding each of said plurality of laminated glass blocks and received in the grooves formed in said laminate layer of the laminated glass blocks; and

a plurality of flow holes in said walls of said interior cells of said unitized frame;

wherein the self-leveling sealant is received into said flow holes to stabilize the unitized frame.

2. The glass block assembly of claim 1 wherein said unitized frame has grooves in said exterior walls and said interior dividers are adapted to receive said self-leveling sealant.

3. The glass block assembly of claim 1, wherein said unitized frame is fabricated from stainless steel.

4. The glass block assembly of claim 1, wherein said shock-absorbing border is fabricated from a rubber-like material.

5. The glass block assembly of claim 4, wherein said rubber-like material is SANTOPRENE.

6. The glass block assembly of claim 1, further comprising anchor bolts, wherein said anchor bolts are adapted to secure said unitized frame to a building substrate.