Glazing unit having three or more spaced sheets and a single spacer frame and method of making same
First Claim
1. A sheet retaining member comprising:
- a support platform;
a pair of fingers, each finger having a first side and an opposite side designated as a second side with the first side of one finger mounted adjacent a side of the support platform and the first side of the other finger mounted adjacent the other side of the support platform with the fingers extending above an upper surface of the support platform toward one another, each of the fingers bendable adjacent their respective first side and the fingers in an unbiased position spaced from the upper surface of the support platform with the second side of each finger in a fixed relationship to one another, and securing arrangement on the support platform wherein the support platform is to be mounted on a spacer frame having at least a base lying in a plane defined as a first plane and a pair of spaced upright legs extending away from the base and terminating at a plane defined as a second plane generally parallel to the first plane and the securing arrangement is to secure the support platform on the spacer frame with the support platform in the second plane and spaced from the base.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-sheet glazing unit includes a spacer frame having a pair of legs joined to a base to provide a U-shaped cross-section. A sheet e.g. glass sheet is secured by a moisture-impervious adhesive to the outer surface of each of the legs of the spacer frame. A plurality of sheet retaining members in a spaced relationship to one another is maintained on the legs of the spacer frame between the glass sheets and spaced from the base. The sheet retaining members each have a pair of flexible fingers mounted on a platform member, angled away from the platform member toward one another and spaced above the platform member. A sheet mounted between the fingers is maintained spaced from the outer sheets. A method for making the unit is also disclosed.
90 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A sheet retaining member comprising:
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a support platform;
a pair of fingers, each finger having a first side and an opposite side designated as a second side with the first side of one finger mounted adjacent a side of the support platform and the first side of the other finger mounted adjacent the other side of the support platform with the fingers extending above an upper surface of the support platform toward one another, each of the fingers bendable adjacent their respective first side and the fingers in an unbiased position spaced from the upper surface of the support platform with the second side of each finger in a fixed relationship to one another, and securing arrangement on the support platform wherein the support platform is to be mounted on a spacer frame having at least a base lying in a plane defined as a first plane and a pair of spaced upright legs extending away from the base and terminating at a plane defined as a second plane generally parallel to the first plane and the securing arrangement is to secure the support platform on the spacer frame with the support platform in the second plane and spaced from the base. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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2. A multi-sheet glazing unit comprising:
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a spacer frame having at least a base and opposed legs connected to one another such that the base and legs have a generally “
U”
shape wherein the legs provide the spacer frame with opposed sides;
a sheet secured on each side of the spacer frame;
a sheet retaining member comprising;
a support platform mounted on the spacer frame spaced from the base of the spacer frame and between the sheets and a pair of fingers, each finger having a first side and an opposite side designated as a second side with the first side of each finger mounted to the support spaced from one another with the fingers extending over the support platform with the second side of each finger facing one another and each finger bendable adjacent its first side, and a third sheet mounted between the second end of the fingers, the third sheet mounted within the spacer frame and between the outer sheets. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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7. A multi-sheet glazing unit comprising:
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a spacer frame having a base and opposed legs connected to one another to have a generally “
U”
shape;
a sheet secured on outer surface of each of the opposed legs;
support platform mounted on the spacer frame spaced from the base and between the sheets;
a sheet engaging member mounted on the support platform between the sheets to provide a sheet retaining member, the sheet retaining member having a pair of flexible fingers, each finger having a first side and an opposite side designated as a second side with the first side of each finger mounted to the sheet engaging member spaced from one another with the fingers extending over the support platform with the second side of each finger facing one another, wherein each elongated side of the spacer frame has at least one sheet retaining member and a third sheet mounted between the second end of the fingers between the outer sheets. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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22. A method of making a multi-sheet glazing unit comprising the steps of:
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providing a spacer frame having at least a base and opposed legs connected to one another such that the base and legs have a generally “
U”
shape wherein the legs provide the spacer frame with opposed sides;
providing at least two sheet retaining members on the spacer frame spaced from and opposite to the base of the spacer frame with the sheet retaining members opposite one another on the spacer frame, at least one of the sheet retaining members comprising;
a support platform mounted on the spacer frame spaced from the base of the spacer frame and between the sheets and a pair of fingers, each finger having a first side and an opposite side designated as a second side with the first side of each finger mounted to the support spaced from one another with the fingers extending over the support platform with the second side of each finger facing one another with each finger bendable adjacent its first side;
mounting an inner sheet between the second end of the fingers of the sheet retaining member, the third sheet mounted within the spacer frame and the sides of the spacer frame, and securing a sheet on each side of the spacer frame. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
biasing the inner sheet against one of the fingers of the at least one of the sheet members to move the finger toward the support platform;
continuing the practice of the biasing step until the sheet has passed the second end of the finger moved toward the platform, and discontinuing the biasing step.
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24. The method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the multi-sheet glazing unit has two compartments between the three sheets and further comprising the step of providing a layer of a moisture-pervious adhesive having a desiccant therein communicating with each compartment.
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25. The method as set forth in claim 24 wherein the spacer frame has a rectangular shape, said mounting stop includes the step of mounting at least one sheet retaining member on each side of the spacer frame.
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26. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein the sheet on each side of the spacer frame is a first sheet and a second sheet and the inner sheet is a third sheet further comprising the steps of
after the practice of the biasing step, positioning a sheet separator on the platform; -
providing a fourth sheet;
practicing the biasing step, the continuing step and the discontinuing step using the fourth sheet, and practicing the securing step.
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Specification