Insulated glass assembly with an internal lighting system

• US 7,043,881 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tem-Pace LLC (Cypress Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tem-pace, Inc. (Cypress Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Krause, Richard J. Jr., Krause, Richard J. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): A, Phi Dieu Tran
• Application Number:
  US10/173,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20030230045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 527/861.3, 527/861.1, 521/711, 521/712, 521/713, 527/831.2, 527/831.9, 527/841.2, 527/881, 527/921.1, 522/045.93, 527/841.6, 362/145, 362/31, 362/151, 362/235, 405/78, 405/72, 405/64, 156/109, 156/292, 428/34, 277/318, 277/319, 277/320, 277/321
• US Class Current: 52/171.3
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 1/006 of curvilinear outline
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66 Units comprising two or more parallel glass or like panes permanently secured together reforming and uniting glass sheets by fusing C03B23/00; joining glass to glass or to other materials C03C27/00; laminated glass B32B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/28 Other arrangements on doors or windows, e.g. door-plates, windows adapted to carry plants, hooks for window cleaners edge protecting devices for door leaves E06B3/88; special glazing; emergency glazing; double glazing E06B3/66
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 27/02 Cable inlets
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An insulated glass (IG) assembly for windows which includes an internal lighting system is disclosed. The IG assembly includes two or more panes of glass, a spacer and a strip of light emitting diodes (LEDs). The spacer separates glass panes and provides the hermetic seal for the IG assembly. The spacer extends around the periphery of the glass panes with a portion of its ends overlapping to form a sealed corner joint. The LED light strip includes a plurality of LED lamps connected in series by thin electrical contact wires fixed in a flexible nonconductive substrate. The LED strip is fixed to the spacer and extends around the periphery of the insulated glass unit. The lead wires from the LED light strip pass through the corner joint between the overlapped ends of the spacer. The LED light systems provide dependable illumination but emit relatively little thermal energy. Consequently, the LED light system maintains the thermal insulating properties of an insulated glass unit. The IG assembly can be incorporated into top and side lite windows or incorporated directly into doors themselves.

Claims

1. An insulated glass assembly for use in a window comprising:

first and second glass panes having facing generally parallel surfaces spaced a finite distance from each other,

spacer means adhered to and extending around the periphery of the first and second glass panes for effecting a hermetically sealed air space between the first and second glass panes, and

lighting means connectable to an electrical power source and disposed within the sealed air space for radiating light through at least one of the first and second glass panes with low thermal energy emission so as to prevent thermal expansion of the spacer means thereby maintaining the integrity of the hermetically sealed air space when connected to an electrical power source,

the spacer means includes an elongated ribbon of sealant material having a first sealant end and a second sealant end, the ribbon of sealant adhering to the facing surface of the first and second glass panes with the first sealant end overlapping the second sealant end in adhering contact so as to hermetically seal the sealed air space between the first and second glass panes,

the lighting means includes at least one light emitting diode lamp and wires for connecting the light emitting diode lamp to the electrical power source, the wires include a first end connected to the light emitting diode lamp within the sealed air space and a second end extending through the spacer means and interposed in adhesive engagement between the first end of the spacer means and second end of the spacer means.

2. The insulated glass assembly of claim 1 wherein the spacer means includes an elongated spacer strip enveloped and embedded in the ribbon of sealant,

the spacer strip being in approximate contact with the facing surface of the first and second glass panes to separate the first and second glass panes at a finite distance.

3. A combination comprising a doorway and an insulated glass assembly having an internal lighting system,

the doorway includes a frame defining an entryway, a door having an opening therein, a hinge pivotally connecting the door to the frame to allow the door to move between an open position and a closed position, the hinge includes means for electrically connecting the insulated glass assembly to an electrical power supply,

the insulated glass assembly is disposed within the opening in the door and includes first and second glass panes having facing generally parallel surfaces spaced a finite distance from each other, spacer means adhered to and extending around the periphery of the first and second glass panes for effecting a hermetically sealed air space between the first and second glass panes, and lighting means connectable to an electrical power source and disposed within the sealed air space for radiating light through at least one of the first and second glass panes with low thermal energy emission so as to prevent thermal expansion of the spacer means thereby maintaining the integrity of the hermetically sealed air space when connected to an electrical power source, the spacer means includes an elongated ribbon of sealant material having a first sealant end and a second sealant end, the ribbon of sealant adhering to the facing surface of the first and second glass panes with the first sealant end overlapping the second sealant end in adhering contact so as to hermetically seal the sealed air space between the first and second glass panes, the lighting means includes at least one light emitting diode lamp and wires for connecting the light emitting diode lamp to the electrical power source, the wires include a first end connected to the light emitting diode lamp within the sealed air space and a second end extending through the spacer means and interposed in adhesive engagement between the first end of the spacer means and second end of the spacer means.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the spacer means includes an elongated spacer strip enveloped and embedded in the ribbon of sealant,

the spacer strip being in approximate contact with the facing surface of the first and second glass panes to separate the first and second glass panes at a finite distance.