Structure for thermochromic glazing having a substance contained between two glass substrates

• US 7,306,833 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2002
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain), Saint-Gobain France
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Martin, Dorothee, Marandon, Frank, Lehmann, Yves, Bonnet, Jean-Louis, Messere, Rino
• Primary Examiner(s): Loney, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US10/433,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20040081775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• Field of Search: 428/34, 428/192, 428/913, 428/65, 527/861.3, 359/265, 359/272, 359/275, 345/49
• US Class Current: 428/34
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6612 Evacuated glazing units
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66304 Discrete spacing elements, e.g. for evacuated glazing units
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66328 of rubber, plastics or similar materials E06B3/66314, E06B3/66323 and E06B3/66342 take precedence; transparent materials E06B3/66333
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6722 with adjustable passage of light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/249 Glazing, e.g. vacuum glazing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 80/22 Glazing, e.g. vaccum glazing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature

Abstract

Structure comprising at least two glass substrates (10, 11) separated by a distance (i), at least one substance (12) at least partly filling the space between the two substrates, and spacers (13) placed between the two substrates in order to maintain their spacing, characterized in that the spacers (13) are fastened to at least one of the substrates.

Claims

1. A glazing comprising:

(i) a first glass sheet having a first surface and a second glass sheet having a second surface, wherein the first surface and the second surface face each other;

(ii) spacers between the first glass sheet and a second glass sheet to separate the first surface of the first glass sheet and the second surface of the second glass sheet by a distance to provide a space wherein the space contains substantially no gas; and

(iii) a liquid or solid containing substance containing substantially no gases at least partially filling the space;

wherein the spacers are fastened to at least one of the first glass sheet or the second glass sheet;

wherein the glazing has an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge, a second side edge, a width c, a height h, and a midline parallel to the lower edge and midway between the upper edge and the lower edge,

wherein the spacers are non-randomly distributed on the first surface or the second surface without forming a peripheral rectangular shape, and

wherein n spacers are distributed on the first surface or the second surface in a parallelepipedal shape in a homogenous distribution, wherein

n=[h/d−

1]×

[c/d−

1]

and d is

d=f×

[6−

h=(1/h)]×

√

{square root over (e/4)}

wherein d is the distance between two spacers along a row parallel to a lower edge of the glazing, e is the thickness of the thinnest glass sheet, h is the height of the glazing, and f is the safety factor.

2. The glazing of claim 1, wherein the substance comprises a polymeric solution.

3. The glazing of claim 1, wherein the spacers are fastened to the first glass sheet or the second glass sheet by adhesive bonding.

4. The glazing of claim 3, wherein the spacers are fastened with an adhesive or an enamel.

5. The glazing of claim 1, wherein the spacers are steel balls.

6. The glazing of claim 1, wherein the spacers are made of glass.

7. The glazing of claim 1, wherein the spacers have the shape of a ball or a cylinder.

8. The glazing of claim 1, wherein the spacers have the shape of a cruciform.

9. The glazing of claim 1, wherein h ranges from 0 to 4 m.

10. The glazing of claim 1, wherein f ranges from 1.3 to 2.3.

11. The glazing of claim 1, wherein the spacers are distributed on the first surface or the second surface in the shape of a first trapezoidal geometry and a second trapezoidal geometry, wherein the first trapezoidal geometry and the second trapezoidal geometry are distributed symmetrical with respect to a midline of the glazing, the first trapezoidal geometry is above the midline of the glazing and the widest part of the first trapezoidal geometry is closest to the upper edge, and the second trapezoidal geometry is below the midline of the glazing and the widest part of the second trapezoidal geometry is closest to the lower edge.

12. The glazing of claim 1, further comprising a seal around the upper edge, first side edge, lower edge, and second side edge, wherein the seal comprises a butyl rubber seal between the first face and the second face, a rigid acrylic bead, and a silicon seal.

13. The glazing of claim 1, wherein the glazing is a thermochromic glazing.

14. The glazing of claim 13, further comprising at least one laminated glass pane or at least one insulating glass pane.

15. A glazing comprising:

(i) a first glass sheet having a first surface and a second glass sheet having a second surface, wherein the first surface and the second surface face each other;

(ii) spacers between the first glass sheet and a second glass sheet to separate the first surface of the first glass sheet and the second surface of the second glass sheet by a distance to provide a space wherein the space contains substantially no gas; and

(iii) a liquid or solid containing substance containing substantially no gases at least partially filling the space;

wherein the spacers are fastened to at least one of the first glass sheet or the second glass sheet;

wherein the glazing has an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge, a second side edge, a width c, a height h, and a midline parallel to the lower edge and midway between the upper edge and the lower edge,

wherein the spacers are non-randomly distributed on the first surface or the second surface without forming a peripheral rectangular shape, and

wherein n spacers are distributed on the first surface or the second surface in a parallelepipedal shape in an inhomogenous distribution, wherein

n=c/d−

1

wherein d is

d=f×

[6−

g+(1/g)]×

√

{square root over (e/4)}

wherein d is the distance between two spacers along a row parallel to a lower edge of the glazing at a height g above a bottom edge of the glazing, e is the thickness of the thinnest glass sheet, and f is the safety factor.

16. The glazing of claim 15, wherein h ranges from 0 to 4 m.

17. The glazing of claim 15, wherein f ranges from 1.3 to 2.3.

18. The glazing of claim 15, wherein the substance comprises a polymeric solution.

19. The glazing of claim 15, wherein the spacers are fastened to the first glass sheet or the second glass sheet by adhesive bonding.

20. The glazing of claim 19, wherein the spacers are fastened with an adhesive or an enamel.

21. The glazing of claim 15, wherein the spacers are steel balls.

22. The glazing of claim 15, wherein the spacers are made of glass.

23. The glazing of claim 15, wherein the spacers have the shape of a ball or a cylinder.

24. The glazing of claim 15, wherein the spacers have the shape of a cruciform.

25. The glazing of claim 15, wherein the glazing is a thermochromic glazing.

26. The glazing of claim 25, further comprising at least one laminated glass pane or at least one insulating glass pane.