AU2011101215A4 - Secondary Glazing System - Google Patents

Abstract

A secondary glazing element configured to be fitted in a mounting recess adjacent a primary glazing panel in a glazing assembly. The primary glazing 5 panel has a front and rear planar surface. The secondary glazing element includes a secondary glazing panel, and a flexible sealing member associated with an outer edge of the secondary glazing panel. The secondary glazing panel and flexible sealing member are sized to permit location of the secondary glazing element within the mounting recess at a location which is spaced away 10 from the rear planar surface of the primary glazing panel. - 2/3 2-0 /00 30Auz 226 /4L)2E

Description

1 P/00/009A Section 29 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION Invention Title: Secondary Glazing System Applicant: Darren William Lacy The invention is described in the following statement: 7019 2 SECONDARY GLAZING ELEMENT Field of the Invention 5 The present invention generally relates to a secondary glazing element and a window assembly including the secondary glazing element. The invention is particularly applicable to retrofit glazing systems in which a glazing panel is retrofitted behind a primary glass pane or panel to form a double glazing arrangement and it will be convenient to hereinafter disclose the invention in 10 relation to that exemplary application. However, it is to be appreciated that the invention is not limited to that application and could be installed in newly constructed window assemblies or the like. Background of the Invention 15 The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general 20 knowledge as at the priority date of the application. Windows assemblies can be constructed with a double glazing arrangement to optimise sound proofing and thermal insulation performance of the glazed portion of that window assembly. Double glazing works by trapping air between 25 two glazing panes. This trapped air reduces heat loss or gain through the window and increases the acoustic dampening performance of the arrangement. Additionally, the air gap assists reduce condensation on the inner glazing panels which result from a large temperature difference being transmitted through the glazing between a colder outer ambient atmospheric 30 conditions and a warmer internal environment. However, a large number of older buildings are fitted with window assemblies having a single glazing arrangement. It can be desirable to upgrade these single glazing arrangements to double glazing arrangement to obtain the above 3 described benefits. This can be achieved by replacing the window assemblies with double glazed window assemblies. However, replacement can be prohibitively expensive, particularly when multiple windows are replaced. 5 An alternative to replacement is retrofitting a double glazing arrangement to the existing single glazing arrangement. A number of retrofit double glazing systems are available. One example is described in United States Patent 4,409,758. This patent 10 describes a conventional magnetic double glazing system which uses a pair of cooperating magnetic perimeter strips to fit an auxiliary glazing panel within a recess situated behind an existing glazing panel. In this system, the auxiliary glazing panel is sized so that the edges of the glazing panel are fitted in close proximity to the walls of that recess. The sides of the recess behind the existing 15 glazing panel are fitted with magnetic strip a fixed distance behind existing glazing panel. The auxiliary glazing panel is fitted with a cooperating magnetic perimeter strip around the edge of the auxiliary glazing panel. In use, the magnetic perimeter strip around the edge of the auxiliary glazing panel is brought into magnetic connection with the magnetic strip in the recess to 20 releasably mount the auxiliary glazing panel within that recess. When clean, the cooperating magnetic strips provide a reasonable seal to isolate the air gap between the existing glazing panel and auxiliary glazing panel from the internal and external atmospheric conditions. However, 25 moisture, dust, mould, dirt or similar can compromise that magnetic seal. The thermal and acoustic performance of this magnetic system can therefore be compromised. It is therefore desirable to provide an alternative retrofit double glazing system. 30 Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a secondary glazing element configured to be fitted in a mounting recess adjacent a primary glazing 4 panel in a glazing assembly, the primary glazing panel having a front and rear planar surface, the secondary glazing element including: a secondary glazing panel; and at least one flexible sealing member associated with an edge of the 5 secondary glazing panel, wherein the secondary glazing panel and flexible sealing member are configured to permit location of the secondary glazing element within the mounting recess at a location which is spaced away from the rear planar surface of the primary glazing panel. 10 The secondary glazing element of the present invention utilises the flexible and preferably resilient properties of the flexible sealing member to fit, and preferably seal the secondary glazing element within within the mounting recess of the glazing assembly. This forms a double glazing arrangement with the 15 primary glazing panel. The flexible sealing member is preferably not fixedly attached to the walls of the mounting recess. The secondary glazing element can therefore be fully adjustable within that recess to provide a desired spacing away from the rear planar surface of the primary glazing panel to suit a specific thermal and/or acoustic requirement of that glazing assembly. The flexible 20 sealing member can also function as a dampening means, dampening movement, such as vibration, of the secondary glazing element within the mounting recess. The primary glazing panel typically comprises the external glazing panel of the 25 glazing assembly. The front planar surface of the primary glazing panel is therefore subject to the external atmospheric environment. The secondary glazing panel is preferably located behind the rear planar surface of the primary glazing panel, and has a rear planar surface which is subject to the internal environment of the building that the glazing assembly is located. The 30 secondary glazing element is preferably spaced apart and arranged in a coplanar configuration with the primary glazing panel within the glazing assembly.

5 The mounting recess can be any recess, rebate, cavity, alcove or bay in the glazing assembly which allows the secondary glazing element to be installed in a coplanar alignment with the primary glazing panel. The mounting recess can be one of a window reveal, staff bead, casing, frame or the like. The mounting 5 recess may therefore include the primary glazing panel, with the secondary glazing element being fitted directly behind the primary glazing panel in the same recess. In other embodiments, the mounting recess may be larger than the recess in which the primary glazing panel is located in the glazing assembly. For example, the mounting recess may comprise part or the whole of the 10 interior frame of the glazing assembly. The secondary glazing element may therefore be constructed to locate and seal within a mounting recess which locates that secondary glazing element in a coplanar orientation with a plurality of primary glazing panels. 15 One or more flexible sealing members can be attached to the outer edge of the secondary glazing panel. In some forms, a single flexible sealing member is provided. In other forms, two or more flexible sealing members can be used. The plurality of flexible sealing members is preferably spaced apart relative to the width of the secondary glazing panel. 20 Each flexible sealing member can comprise any suitable flexible and preferably resilient member which can be attached directly to an edge or to a body or member attached to and/or around the edge of the secondary glazing panel, such as the frame surrounding a glass panel. Exemplary examples include at 25 least one of an elongate flexible rib, a multitude of aligned bristles, an elongate tube, compressible element or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the flexible sealing member includes a flexible rib including a connection portion and a sealing portion having a substantially S, U, V or W shaped cross sectional shape. The connection portion is configured to connect with a 30 complementary shape feature in a mounting section of the secondary glazing element. The flexible sealing member can comprise one or more of the AQUAMAC window sealing strip range supplied by Astrodraft of Fareham , England. In a preferred embodiment, the flexible sealing member is an Aquamac 21 window sealing strip supplied by Astrodraft of Fareham , England.

6 The flexible sealing member can be formed from any suitable material, including plastics, foams, rubber, vinyl, or combinations thereof. Each flexible sealing member can extend at any orientation relative to the 5 glazing panel. The flexible sealing member extends outwardly from the secondary glazing panel in the plane of the secondary glazing panel or may extends outwardly from the secondary glazing panel perpendicular to the plane of the secondary glazing panel. In some embodiments, each flexible sealing member extends substantially perpendicularly outwardly from the edges of the 10 secondary glazing panel. The mounting recess is typically framed by at least one mounting surface, for example a surface of a wall. Where the flexible sealing member extends outwardly from the secondary glazing panel in the plane of the secondary 15 glazing panel, the secondary glazing element can be configured to place at least a portion, and more preferably a substantial length of the flexible sealing member in abutting contact with the mounting surface of the mounting recess when in use. This forms a friction fit and/or substantially seals the secondary glazing element within the mounting recess. More preferably, the flexible 20 sealing member forms a substantially continuous abutting seal with the mounting surface(s) of the mounting recess. The flexible sealing member can even be configured to extend around the periphery of the secondary glazing panel in order to form a substantially air tight seal with abutting surfaces of the recess when installed in the mounting recess. 25 The secondary glazing element can further include an edge member substantially framing the secondary glazing panel, the flexible sealing member being fixed to an outer surface of the edge member. The edge member may comprise one of a wooden frame, metallic frame (such as steel or aluminium), 30 plastic frame or the like. The edge member is generally selected to match the material and/or style of the glazing assembly that the secondary glazing element is to be installed. For example, where the glazing assembly comprises a wooden window, the edge member can be configured as a matching wooden 7 member. Where the glazing assembly is an aluminium door, the edge member can be configured as a matching aluminium member. The edge member can include an elongate groove configured to receive a 5 complementary shaped rib of the flexible sealing member, to releasable secure the flexible sealing member to the edge member. Similarly, the edge member can include an elongate groove in which an edge of the glazing panel can be received and seated. That groove may also receive and house a grommet or other glazing mounting element. 10 In one embodiment, the secondary glazing element comprises a square or rectangular glass pane and a frame connected to and extending about the full periphery of the pane. The flexible sealing member is connected to the frame and extends outwardly from the frame substantially in the plane of the pane. 15 The flexible sealing member is compressible against surfaces of the mounting recess to locate the secondary glazing element within the mounting recess. This forms a double glazing arrangement within the mounting recess. In another embodiment, the secondary glazing element comprises a square or 20 rectangular glass pane and a frame connected to and extending about the full periphery of the pane, the flexible sealing member being connected to the frame and extending outwardly from the frame substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pane, the flexible sealing member being compressible against at least one of surfaces of at least one of the mounting recess, an inner window frame 25 or surfaces associated with the primary glazing panel, to form a double glazing arrangement with the primary glazing panel. This embodiment allows the secondary glazing element to be face mounted against an existing sash, inner window frame or other suitable surface of a glazing assembly to form a double glazing arrangement with the primary glazing panel. 30 The thermal and acoustic performance of the overall glazing assembly is dependent on the materials that the primary and secondary glazing panels are constructed from and the spacing between the primary and secondary glazing panels. At minimum, it is preferred for the secondary glazing element to be 8 spaced apart from the primary glazing panel by at least 5mm. For thermal performance the secondary glazing element is preferably spaced apart behind the primary glazing panel by at least at least 20mm. It should be appreciated that acoustic performance or sound proofing is improved with a maximum 5 spacing between the secondary glazing element and the primary glazing panel. Preferably, for acoustic performance the secondary glazing element is spaced apart behind the primary glazing panel by at least 20mm, more preferably 100mm. 10 It should be appreciated that two or more secondary glazing elements could be fitted within the glazing assembly in substantially coplanar relationship to each other to provide a desired thermal and/or acoustic performance to the overall glazing assembly. 15 The secondary glazing panel can be constructed from any suitable glazing material including, but not limited to Perspex, glass, ceramics, metal (for example a perforated metal), netting, laminated glass, or the like. Preferably, the glazing material is substantially transparent. 20 The glazing assembly can be one of a window, door, or skylight. The secondary glazing element can comprise a sash. According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a glazing assembly including: 25 a primary glazing panel located in a glazing assembly; and a secondary glazing element according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the secondary glazing element is fitted within a mounting recess within the glazing assembly at a location which is spaced away from the rear 30 planar surface of the primary glazing panel. The glazing assembly may further include a spacing element fixed within the mounting recess behind the primary glazing panel at a desired spacing away from a rear surface of the primary glazing panel. The spacing element can 9 comprise any suitable body, such as an elongate rod, rib, channel, one or more rods, lugs, teeth, screws, poles, spigots or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the spacing element comprises one or more adjustable lugs which are fixedly attached to the walls of the mounting recess. 5 The glazing assembly may further include an anchor and/or stop in the glazing assembly to anchor the secondary glazing element within the mounting recess, and substantially prevent the secondary glazing element moving out from the mounting recess. The anchor or stop can comprise any suitable component 10 such as lugs, rods, screws, rods, spigots, nails or the like. An anchor or stop is preferably used with large secondary glazing elements. Brief Description of the Drawings 15 The present invention will now be described with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, which illustrate particular preferred embodiments of the present invention, wherein: Figure 1 an exploded view of one window assembly including a secondary 20 glazing assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The secondary glazing assembly includes an existing window and a secondary glazing element. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the window assembly shown in Figure 1 25 with the secondary glazing element installed within the existing window. Figure 3 is a more detailed view of the interface between the secondary glazing element and the existing window shown in Figure 2. 30 Figure 4 illustrate a variety of flexible seal configurations that can be used in the secondary glazing element shown in Figures 1 to 3. Figure 5 illustrate a cross-section of an alternate secondary glazing element which can be used with the window assembly shown in Figure 1.

10 Detailed Description 5 Figures 1 to 3 illustrates the components of a secondary glazing assembly 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated secondary glazing assembly generally includes a window assembly 12 and a secondary glazing panel 14. 10 The window assembly 12 can comprise an existing window, a newly fabricated window or similar. The illustrated window assembly 12 is a single wooden sash window which includes an architrave 16, framing 18 which includes reveal 20, and a primary glazing panel or pane 22 set into framing 18 using a standard glazing attachment arrangement. In this case, the glazing panel 22 is a glass 15 pane. However, any other material such as Perspex, ceramic or similar could equally be used. It should also be appreciated that the window can have any number of other configurations including any number of window sashes and/or glazing panels and be made from any material (for example plastic, metal or similar) without departing from the scope of the present invention. 20 The secondary glazing element 14 comprises a rectangular sash configured to be fitted adjacent and behind the primary glazing panel 22 in the window assembly 12. The illustrated secondary glazing element 14 includes a secondary glazing panel 24, comprising a glass pane. Again, it should be 25 appreciated that the secondary glazing panel 24 may be constructed of other materials including, but not limited to, Perspex, glass, ceramics, perforated metal, netting, laminated glass, or the like. The secondary glazing panel 24 is framed around its edges by a 30 complementary shaped rectangular edge frame 26. As best shown in Figures 3 and 4, the edge frame 26 includes two recesses 28, 30. A glazing recess 28 is provided to seat the secondary glazing panel 24. The glazing recess 28 may also house a grommet 29 (Figure 4(C)), a compressed foam seal 29A (Figure 4(E)) or other glazing mounting element or seal. A sealing recess 30 is 11 provided to receive a complementary configured attachment portion 32 of a flexible sealing member 34. The edge frame 26 is selected to match the material and/or style of the window assembly 12 that the secondary glazing element 14 is to be installed. In this illustrated embodiment, the edge frame 26 5 comprises wooden members to match the wooden frame of the window assembly 12. The secondary glazing element 14 also includes a flexible sealing member 34 attached to edge frame 26 as described above and extending around the outer 10 edge of the secondary glazing panel 14. The flexible sealing member 34 illustrated in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3 comprises an Aquamac 21 window sealing strip supplied by Astrodraft of Fareham, England. As best shown in Figure 4(b), this strip 34 includes a connection portion 44 which is seated in the sealing recess 30 of the edge frame 26 and a V-shaped flexible 15 sealing portion 46. As shown in Figure 3, the V-shaped flexible sealing portion 46 is compressed and abuts against the walls 40 of the recess 38 forming a friction fit seal with those walls 40. Other types of flexible sealing members 34 can be used. For example, Figure 20 4(A) shows an alternate flexible sealing member 34A which has tubular shaped flexible sealing portion 46A. The sealing portion 46A has a compressible foam center which is enclosed in an outer plastic cover. Figure 4(C) shows a further alternate flexible sealing member 34B which has square shaped flexible sealing portion 46A. The sealing portion 46A comprises either a multitude of aligned 25 bristles or a shaped section of rubber. It would be readily appreciated that other embodiments are possible which fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. It should be appreciated that two, three or more flexible sealing members 34 30 could be used if desired. Figure 4 provides an example of an edge frame 26A which includes two flexible sealing members 34 seated in two spaced apart sealing recesses 30. The use of two flexible sealing members 34 provides a better seal and friction fit. In this embodiment, silicon seal 50 has been applied 12 within the glazing recess 28A to seal the edge of the secondary glazing panel 24 within in that recess 28A. As best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the secondary glazing panel 14 is configured 5 to be fitted within a mounting recess 38 within the glazing assembly at a location which is spaced away from the rear planar surface of the primary glazing panel. In the illustrated embodiment, the secondary glazing panel 14 is illustrated as fitting within the mounting recess 38 framed by the window reveal 20 of the window assembly 12. However, it should be appreciated that the 10 secondary glazing panel 14 could also be configured to fit within a mounting recess framed a staff bead, casing, frame or the like of the window assembly 12. Figure 3 provides an illustrated example where a secondary glazing panel 14A is configured to fit within a recess framed by the staff bead 40 of a sash which includes the primary glazing panel 22. 15 The secondary glazing assembly 10 also includes a number of spacing lugs 48 fixed to the walls 40 of the recess 38, fixed at a desired spacing away from a rear surface of the primary glazing panel 22. The use of these lugs 48 is optional. When used, the spacing lugs 48 ensure the secondary glazing 20 element is located at the desired distance away from the primary glazing panel 22. The spacing lugs 48 can be fixed to the walls 40 of the mounting recess 38 using any desired means, including adhesives such as glue or resin, adhesive tape, fasteners such as nails or screws or the like. 25 While not illustrated, the secondary glazing assembly 10 may include a stop or anchor, such as a lug, screw or rod, placed behind the secondary glazing element 14 to prevent that element 14 moving out from the mounting recess 38. The secondary glazing panel 14, edge frame 26 and flexible sealing member 34 30 are sized to locate the secondary glazing element 14 within that mounting recess 38 of the window assembly 12 at a location which is spaced away from the rear planar surface of the primary glazing panel 22. The secondary glazing element 14 is therefore friction fitted within that recess 38 and sealed into that position through abutting contact of the flexible sealing member 34 with the 13 walls 40 of the recess 38. The flexible sealing element 34 preferably compresses against the walls 40 of the recess 38 when the element is friction fitted therein to hold the secondary glazing element in place within the recess 38. This arrangement forms a substantially continuous abutting seal with the 5 walls 40 of the mounting recess 38. The flexible sealing member 34 is preferably not fixedly attached to the walls of the recess 38. The secondary glazing element 14 can therefore be fully adjustable within that recess 38 to provide a desired spacing away from the rear planar surface of the primary glazing panel 22 to suit a specific thermal and/or acoustic requirement. 10 Figure 5 illustrate a cross-section of an alternate secondary glazing element 114 which can be used with the window assembly 12 shown in Figure 1. The secondary glazing element 114 comprises a square or rectangular glass pane 124 and an edge frame 126 connected to and extending about the full periphery 15 of the pane 124. Again, the edge frame 126 includes two recesses 128, 130. A glazing recess 218 is provided to seat the secondary glazing panel 124. Again, the glazing recess 128 may also house a grommet, a compressed foam seal or other glazing mounting element or seal. A sealing recess 130 is provided to receive a complementary configured attachment portion 132 of a flexible sealing 20 member 134. The edge frame 126 is selected to match the material and/or style of the window assembly 12 that the secondary glazing element 114 is to be installed. In contrast to the previously described embodiment, the flexible sealing member 25 134 is connected to the edge frame 126 substantially perpendicular to the plane of the secondary glazing panel 124. This provides a face sealing embodiment, where the flexible sealing member 134 is compressible against a surface associate with the primary glazing panel 22, such as an edge frame (not illustrated) of the primary glazing panel 22 to form a double glazing 30 arrangement with the primary glazing panel 22. This embodiment allows the secondary glazing element 124 to be face mounted against an existing sash to form a double glazing arrangement. That sash can therefore be opened or otherwise moved with the secondary glazing element 124 in situ. This embodiment allows the secondary glazing element 124 to be face mounted 14 against an inside surface of a window frame to form a double glazing arrangement. Other face mounting arrangement are also possible and should be understood as falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 5 The flexible sealing member 134 can have any configuration described in relation to the flexible sealing member 34 previous embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the flexible sealing member is an Aquamac 21 window sealing strip supplied by Astrodraft of Fareham, England 10 Again, while not illustrated, the secondary glazing assembly 110 may include a stop or anchor, such as a lug, screw or rod, placed behind the secondary glazing element 114 to prevent that element 114 moving out from the mounting recess 38. 15 It should be appreciated that the thermal and acoustic performance of the overall secondary glazing assembly 10 is dependent on the materials that the primary 22 and secondary 24 glazing panels are constructed from and the spacing between the primary 22 and secondary 24 glazing panels. For thermal performance, the secondary glazing element 24 is preferably spaced apart 20 behind the primary glazing panel 22 by at least at least 20mm. It should be appreciated that acoustic performance or sound proofing is improved with a maximum spacing between the secondary glazing element and the primary glazing panel. It should also be appreciated that the flexible sealing member 34 can also acts as a dampening means, dampening movement, such as vibration, 25 of the secondary glazing element 14 within the mounting recess 38. While the above embodiment has been illustrated and described in relation to a window assembly, it should be appreciated that the secondary glazing assembly 10 can equally be configured for use with a glazed door, skylight of or 30 the like. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically 15 described. It is understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Where the terms "comprise", "comprises", "comprised" or "comprising" are used 5 in this specification (including the claims) they are to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components, but not precluding the presence of one or more other feature, integer, step, component or group thereof.

Claims (5)

1. A secondary glazing element configured to be fitted in a mounting recess adjacent a primary glazing panel in a glazing assembly, the primary 5 glazing panel having a front and rear planar surface, the secondary glazing element including: a secondary glazing panel; and at least one flexible sealing member associated with an edge of the secondary glazing panel, 10 wherein the secondary glazing panel and flexible sealing member are configured to permit location of the secondary glazing element within the mounting recess at a location which is spaced away from the rear planar surface of the primary glazing panel. 15

2. A secondary glazing element according to claim 1 configured to be fitted in a mounting recess which is framed by at least one mounting surface, wherein the secondary glazing element is configured to place the flexible sealing member in abutting contact with the mounting surface of the mounting recess when in use and thereby result in a friction fit and/or substantially seal the 20 secondary glazing element within the mounting recess.

3. A secondary glazing element according to claims 1 or 2, including a square or rectangular glass pane and a frame connected to and extending about the full periphery of the pane, the flexible sealing member being 25 connected to the frame and extending outwardly from the frame substantially in the plane of the pane, the flexible sealing member being compressible against surfaces of the mounting recess to locate the secondary glazing element within the mounting recess. 30

4. A secondary glazing element according to claim 1, including a square or rectangular glass pane and a frame connected to and extending about the full periphery of the pane, the flexible sealing member being connected to the frame and extending outwardly from the frame substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pane, the flexible sealing member being compressible against at least 17 one of surfaces of at least one of the mounting recess, an inner window frame or surfaces associated with the primary glazing panel, to form a double glazing arrangement with the primary glazing panel.

5 5. A glazing assembly including: a primary glazing panel located in a glazing assembly; and a secondary glazing element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the secondary glazing element is fitted within a mounting recess 10 within the glazing assembly at a location which is spaced away from the rear planar surface of the primary glazing panel.