DE20107908U1 - Clamping device for fastening plates and in particular transparent glass panes - Google Patents

Description

*> * * ^: · PATENT ATTORNEY.

DIPL.-ING. KLAUS-JÜRGEN SCHWARZ

^; EUROPEAN PATENT and TRADEMARK ATTORNEY

PATVOCAT®

Applicant: VNR
108 545 Attorney file
002 486/01 Spelling Be for fixing panels and Dipl.-Kfm. Jürgen Wagner
Hans-Dieter Schmitz
Nenad Heim Clamping device transparent glass panes Date
09 May 2001 in particular &igr;

The invention relates to a clamping device for fastening panels and in particular transparent glass panes according to the preamble of claim 1.

Glass panes and glass partitions on stair railings and balcony parapets have so far mainly served to prevent falls. When attaching the glass panels, it is therefore primarily important that the clamping devices used hold the glass pane or glass partition securely between their clamping jaws without there being a risk of damage to the glass panes as a result of the clamping effect of the clamping jaws.

The clamping devices are therefore equipped with pads made of an elastomer material on the inside of the clamping jaws, which grip both sides of the glass panes and hold them securely.

If the glass panes or partition wall parts are made of single-pane safety glass, this should, if used in traffic zones, be equipped with a splinter-binding film on the attack side as a precautionary measure to prevent the possibility of spontaneous breakage.

In practice, these safety requirements are already being taken into account by prudent experts. A revised version of the glazing regulations is therefore to be expected, which will deal with the problems that arise and need to be taken into account when using safety glass panes to provide fall protection.

However, the possibilities offered by coating the glass surface with electrically conductive materials have so far been ignored in terms of safety.

The invention is based on the object of designing a clamping device according to the preamble of claim 1 for fastening panels and in particular transparent glass panes made of single-pane safety glass or multi-pane laminated glass in such a way that the coating can, on the one hand, take on additional safety functions and, in addition, also enable special electrical functions in the form of optical and/or acoustic signal and alarm devices as well as optically variable luminous and light effects and the like.

This object is achieved in a device according to the preamble of claim 1 according to the invention in that the plate or glass pane has at least one thin, coherent, electrically conductive layer of metal, metal oxide or a conductive plastic doped with foreign atoms, and in that a number of electrical contact surfaces are arranged on at least one pad of the two clamping jaws of the clamping device, which establish a conductive contact with the layer on the glass pane.

Because the plate or glass pane clamped between the clamping jaws has at least one electrically conductive layer, and because electrical contact surfaces are arranged on at least one pad of the clamping devices used, which make conductive contact with the electrically conductive layer(s) on the plate, glass pane, glass partition or the like, there are many possibilities for using the glass panes or glass partitions not only for fall protection functions, but also for further safety measures and for optical and/or acoustic information, signal and alarm devices as well as advertising information carriers. For example, the electrical contact surfaces can be connected to electrical and/or acoustic safety and alarm devices. The coatings of the glass panes with electrically conductive

Materials can be divided into several fields that react to touches, for example, in order to check access authorizations or the like at entrances and barrier gates. Information from data storage devices can also be received and transmitted through the electrically conductive layers, whereby the electrical contact between the conductive layers and the electrical contact surfaces on the clamping devices is particularly important in order to ensure perfect signal transmission without impairing the mechanical properties of the clamping devices.

Particularly advantageous developments of the invention result from claims 2 to

For perfect contact, it is extremely advantageous if the contacts or contact surfaces protrude only slightly above the surface of the pad against the plate, so that when the clamping jaws are tightened, they come into conductive contact with the corresponding electrically conductive layer without impairing the clamping effect of the pad.

The contact surfaces are suitably designed to be spring-loaded and engage with fastening legs angled relative to the contact plane in preferably slot-shaped recesses on the cushion.

The contact surfaces can be round, polygonal or strip-shaped.

The contact can also be improved by curving the contact surfaces against the conductive layer.

The contact surfaces can have a U-shaped cross-section with the angled fastening legs.

However, they can also have a T- or L-shaped or other shaped cross-section with an angled fastening leg and also have a contact tongue that springs against the conductive layer.

A particularly advantageous embodiment also results from the fact that the contact surfaces are glued to the pad on the clamping jaw.

The contact surfaces can also be partially embedded in a recess on the pad and pressed against the conductive layer on the glass pane or plate by the elasticity of the pad.

In a first advantageous embodiment, the contact surfaces can consist of a thin self-adhesive conductor track made of copper or another suitable contact material, wherein it is further advantageous for the connection to a connecting line if the conductor track is angled downwards as a soldering lug at the connection-side end of the pad.

In a modified, further advantageous embodiment, the contacts or contact surfaces on the cushion can also be made of an electrically conductive plastic and formed as one piece with the cushion. This not only simplifies production and assembly, but also significantly increases functional reliability.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of such clamping devices is also obtained in that the conductive layer on the glass pane or plate is divided by dividing slots into several independent conductive surfaces, and in that clamping devices with an electrical contact surface corresponding to the number of conductive surfaces are arranged at the ends of the conductive surfaces, which are connected to an electrical power source via an electrical connecting line and a switching device for a controlled, selective connection of the individual conductive surfaces in such a way that the individual conductive surfaces can be switched on and off independently of one another. The conductive layer is preferably transparent, but can also be tinted or designed in another suitable manner if required, provided that the safety requirements of the connected consumers are sufficiently taken into account.

In the case of plates made of an electrically conductive material, such as sheet steel or the like, the plate can expediently be coated with an electrically non-conductive material, such as in particular plastic, as a carrier for the conductive layer.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown schematically in the drawing.

Fig. 1 a glass pane made of toughened safety glass, laminated safety glass or laminated glass with an electrically conductive layer clamped between two clamping jaws, the two clamping devices being mounted for fastening the glass pane to the posts of, for example, a parapet construction,

Fig. 2 an enlarged partial section through one of the two clamping jaws of a clamping device with the clamped glass pane,

Fig. 3 is a partial section, enlarged compared to Fig. 2, through a first embodiment of a contact part with an electrical contact surface on the pad of the clamping jaw,

Fig. 4 shows a modified second embodiment of the contact part,
Fig. 5 shows a further modified embodiment of the contact part,

Fig. 6 another contact part with a curved contact surface and a lateral fastening leg,

Fig. 7 a U-shaped contact part in cross-section with a flat contact surface and two lateral fastening legs,

Fig. 8 a contact part corresponding to Fig. 6 with a flat contact surface,

Fig. 9 a T-shaped contact part in cross-section with a central fastening leg and a flat contact surface,

Fig. 10 a contact part with a one-sided fastening leg and a spring contact surface angled away from it,

Fig. 11 a contact part consisting of two contact parts according to Fig. 10 with a central fastening leg and two of these T-shaped resilient contact surfaces directed to the side,

Fig. 12 a contact part with a U-shaped cross section with two parallel fastening legs and a flat contact surface protruding laterally from the fastening legs,

Fig. 13 a contact part with a T-shaped cross-section and a flat contact surface and a central fastening leg with a thickened end,

Fig. 14 a partial section through a self-adhesive copper conductor track attached to the pad of the clamping jaw with a flat contact surface,

Fig. 15 a longitudinal section through the self-adhesive conductor track, which is angled at the rear end of the pad as a soldering lug for connection to a connecting cable,

Fig. 16 a plan view of a cushion with several differently shaped contact surfaces and

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a clamping jaw of a clamping device with several electrical contact surfaces and cable connection, wherein the cable is secured to the base of the clamping device by a strain relief,

The clamping device 1 shown in the drawing serves for fastening plates and in particular transparent glass panes 2 with two pairs of clamping jaws 3 which can be attached to the lateral edge of the glass pane 2 and which have on their inner sides pads 4 made of elastomeric material which rest against the glass pane and can be clamped against one another by at least one clamping screw while enclosing the glass pane 2.

For the sake of simplicity, only one of the two clamping jaws 3 is shown in Fig. 2 with a base part 5 which is at right angles to this clamping jaw and which can be fastened to a vertical wall or to a post 7 or the like by means of a fastening screw 6.

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The pads 4 attached to the inner sides of the two clamping jaws 3 rest against the edge of the glass pane 2 to be fastened from the outside.

As can also be seen in the drawing, the glass pane 2 has at least one thin, coherent, electrically conductive outer layer 8 made of metal, metal oxide or a conductive plastic doped with foreign atoms, which, according to the illustrations in Fig. 1 and 2, is divided by at least one longitudinal separation 9 into at least two separate conductor tracks 10 and 11. The separations can be designed in a variety of geometric forms, so that depending on the variety of separations and contacts applied, maximum actions are possible in or on the glass pane 2.

As shown in particular in Fig. 1 and 2, contact parts with electrical contact surfaces 12, 12a and 13, 13a are arranged on at least one pad 4 of the clamping jaws 3, which establish a conductive contact with the electrically conductive layer or layers 8 on the glass pane 2.

The contact surfaces 12, 12a and 13, 13a protrude only slightly above the surface of the cushion 4 against the glass pane 2, as can be seen in detail in Fig. 3 to 17, so that when the clamping jaws 3 are tightened, they come into conductive contact with the associated conductive layer 8 without impairing the clamping effect of the cushion 4.

The contact parts with the contact surfaces 12, 12a and 13, 13a are arranged in recesses 14 on the cushion 4 and, according to Fig. 3 to 6 and Fig. 10 and 11, are designed to be resilient in one possible embodiment, so that they come into surface contact with the layer 8 when the two clamping jaws 3 are tightened.

In order to ensure perfect and permanent contact with the layer 8, the contact parts are also embedded in hole- or slot-shaped recesses 16, 17 on the pad 4 with legs 15, 15a angled relative to the contact surfaces 12, 12a, 13, 13a.

The contact surfaces 12, 12a, 13, 13a are preferably strip-shaped, but can also be designed in any other shape as required and can be curved against the layer 8 in such a way that when the clamping jaws 3 are tightened, on the one hand they are pressed with their legs 15, 15a into the recesses 16, 17 on the pad 4, but are also flattened in order to further improve the electrical contact with the layer 8.

The contact parts with the contact surfaces 12, 12a, 13, 13a have, as shown in Fig. 3 and 17, suitably a U-, T-, L-shaped or other suitable shaped cross-section.

However, the contact parts can also have a contact tongue 18 according to Fig. 4 which rests resiliently against the conductive layer 8 and can be expediently designed such that they have at least one leg 15 which engages in the slotted cushion 4 and has a longitudinal web 19 which is angled away from it parallel to the clamping surface of the cushion 4 and which rests on the cushion 4 in a recess 14 laterally next to the slot-shaped recess 16 for the leg 15, the resilient contact tongue 18 preferably being bent back at an angle of approximately 170 to 180° against the longitudinal web 19 in the direction of the leg 15.

The conductive layer 8 can be divided into several independent conductive surfaces 10, 11 on the glass pane 2 by means of separating slots 9, whereby clamping devices 1 with an electrical contact surface 12, 12a, 13, 13a corresponding to the number of conductive surfaces are arranged at the ends of the conductive surfaces, which can be connected to an electrical power source via an insulated connecting line 20 and a switching device for a controlled, selective connection of the individual conductive surfaces in such a way that the individual conductive surfaces 10, 11 can be switched on and off independently of one another. This is only mentioned as a particularly advantageous embodiment, whereby a wide variety of practical designs are of course conceivable.

As can also be seen in Fig. 2, each clamping device 1 has at least one passage 21 for at least one fastening screw 6 on a base part 5 on a clamping jaw 3 and, offset to the side, another passage 22 for a connecting line 20 for the power supply to the contact parts arranged on the pad 4 of the relevant clamping jaw 3. Here too, a wide variety of cable passages are possible, whereby the main thing is that the

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Cable feedthrough does not hinder the installation of the clamping device on a post or the like and does not appear visually disturbing.

In the further embodiments shown in Fig. 6 to 13, the contact parts with the contact surfaces 12 are designed similarly to Fig. 3 and 5. Fig. 6 shows a contact part with a curved contact surface 12 and a lateral fastening leg 15 in a recess 14 on the cushion 4. In Fig. 7, the contact part is U-shaped in cross section with two parallel fastening legs 15, 15a and a flat contact surface 12 also in a recess 14 on the cushion 4. In Fig. 8 and 9, both contact parts with flat contact surfaces 12 are arranged in recesses 14 and secured with angled fastening legs 15 in hole- or slot-shaped recesses on the cushion 4.

In Fig. 10 and 11, the contact parts each have resilient contact surfaces 12 in recesses 14 on the cushion 4, while the contact parts in Fig. 12 and 13 again have flat contact surfaces 12, namely on the one hand with fastening legs 15, 15a that are angled in a U-shape in cross-section and on the other hand with only one central fastening leg 15, which is secured with an end-side thickening 15b in a holding slot on the cushion 4.

In the further embodiments of Fig. 14 and 15, the contact surface 12 is glued to the pad 4. It consists of a thin self-adhesive conductive surface or conductor track made of copper or another suitable contact material and is angled downwards at the connection-side end of the pad 4 as a soldering lug for a connecting cable 20.

Fig. 16 shows a pad 4 with several contact surfaces 12 and 13 of different sizes, of which the two larger contact surfaces 12 can be used, for example, as load contacts for lamps and the smaller contact surfaces 13 for data transmission. The number and size of the conductive and contact surfaces always depends on the application. The larger the switched load, the larger the contact surfaces. The shape of the contact surfaces can then be selected accordingly.

/H

In a particularly advantageous embodiment according to Fig. 16, the contact surfaces 12, 13 on the cushion 4 can also consist of an electrically conductive plastic and can be conveniently integrated into the cushion 4 and formed in one piece with it.

Finally, Fig. 17 shows a clamping jaw 3 of a clamping device 1 with several narrow contact surfaces 13 which are connected to a connecting line 20, which is secured in a passage 22 on the base part 5 by a strain relief 22a which consists of a rubber sleeve clamping the connecting line.

List of reference symbols

ATTORNEY FILE

002 486/01

1 clamping device

2 Plate or glass pane

3 clamping jaws

4 cushions

5 Base part

6 Fixing screw

7 Wall, post or similar

8 electrically conductive layer

9 Longitudinal or separating slot

10 Conductive surface (transparent)

11 Conductive surface (transparent)

12 electrical contact surface 12a electrical contact surface

13 electrical contact surface 13a electrical contact surface

14 Deepening

15 Fastening leg 15a Fastening leg 15b End thickening

16 slot-shaped recess

17 s slot-shaped recess

18 Contact tongue

19 Longitudinal web

20 insulated connecting cable, cable

21 Implementation

22 Feedthrough 22a Strain relief

23 Solder lug

Claims (24)

1. Clamping device for fastening plates and in particular transparent glass panes ( 2 ) with two pairs of clamping jaws ( 3 ) which can be attached to the side edge of the glass panes and which have pads ( 4 ) made of elastomeric material on their inner sides which rest against the glass pane ( 2 ) and can be clamped against one another by at least one clamping screw while enclosing the glass pane ( 2 ), characterized in that the plate or glass pane ( 2 ) has at least one thin, coherent, electrically conductive layer ( 8 ) made of metal, metal oxide or a conductive plastic doped with foreign atoms, and that a number of electrical contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) are arranged on at least one of the two clamping jaws ( 3 ) of the clamping device ( 1 ), which establish a conductive contact with the layer ( 8 ) on the glass pane ( 2 ). 2. Clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) are located on at least one pad ( 4 ) of the two clamping jaws ( 3 ). 3. Clamping device according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) protrude only slightly above the surface of the cushion ( 4 ) against the glass pane ( 2 ), so that when the clamping jaws ( 3 ) are tightened they come into conductive contact with the conductive layer ( 8 ) without impairing the clamping effect of the cushion ( 4 ). 4. Clamping device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) are resilient. 5. Clamping device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) engage with fastening legs ( 15 or 15a ) angled relative to the contact plane in preferably slot-shaped recesses ( 16 or 17 ) on the cushion ( 4 ). 6. Clamping device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) are round, polygonal or strip-shaped. 7. Clamping device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) are curved against the conductive layer ( 8 ). 8. Clamping device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) with the angled fastening legs ( 15 , 15a ) have a U-shaped cross-section. 9. Clamping device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) each have an angled fastening leg ( 15 ) with a U-, T-, L-shaped or otherwise shaped cross-section. 10. Clamping device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) have a contact tongue ( 18 ) which rests resiliently on the conductive layer ( 8 ). 11. Clamping device according to claim 10, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) have at least one fastening leg ( 15 ) engaging in the slotted cushion ( 4 ) with a longitudinal web ( 19 ) angled therefrom parallel to the clamping surface of the cushion ( 4 ), which rests on the cushion ( 4 ) laterally next to the slot-shaped recess ( 16 or 17 ) for the fastening leg ( 15 ), and that the resilient contact tongue ( 18 ) is bent back at an angle of approximately 170 to 180° against the longitudinal web in the direction of the fastening leg. 12. Clamping device according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the resilient contact tongue ( 18 ) is curved against the conductive layer ( 8 ). 13. Clamping device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) are glued to the pad ( 4 ) on the clamping jaw. 14. Clamping device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) are partially embedded in a recess ( 14 ) on the cushion ( 4 ). 15. Clamping device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) are pressed against the conductive layer ( 8 ) on the plate ( 2 ) by the elasticity of the pad ( 4 ). 16. Clamping device according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) consist of a thin self-adhesive conductor track made of copper or another suitable contact material. 17. Clamping device according to claim 16, characterized in that the conductor track at the connection-side end of the pad ( 4 ) is angled downwards as a soldering lug ( 23 ). 18. Clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 13 ) on the cushion ( 4 ) consist of an electrically conductive plastic and are integrated into the cushion ( 4 ). 19. Clamping device according to claim 18, characterized in that the contact surfaces ( 12 , 13 ) are formed integrally with the cushion. 20. Clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that the conductive layer ( 8 ) on the glass pane ( 2 ) is divided by separating slots ( 9 ) into a plurality of mutually independent conducting surfaces (10, 11), and that clamping devices ( 1 ) with a number of electrical contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) corresponding to the number of conducting surfaces ( 10 , 11 ) are arranged at the ends of the conducting surfaces, which are connected to an electrical power source via an electrical connecting line ( 20 ) and a switching device for a controlled, selective wiring of the individual conducting surfaces ( 10 , 11 ) in such a way that the individual conducting surfaces can each be switched on and off independently of one another. 21. Clamping device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conductive layer ( 8 ) is transparent, tinted or designed in another suitable manner. 22. Clamping device according to claim 1, wherein the plate to be held ( 2 ) consists of an electrically conductive material, such as sheet steel or the like, characterized in that the plate is coated with an electrically non-conductive material, such as in particular plastic, as a carrier for the conductive layer ( 8 ). 23. Clamping device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that each clamping device ( 1 ) has on a base part ( 5 ) on one of the two clamping jaws ( 3 ) laterally next to at least one passage ( 21 ) for at least one fastening screw ( 6 ) a further passage ( 22 ) for a connecting line ( 20 ) for the power supply to the contact surfaces ( 12 , 12a , 13 , 13a ) arranged on the pad ( 4 ) of the respective clamping jaw ( 3 ). 24. Clamping device according to claim 23, characterized in that the connecting line or the cable ( 20 ) is secured in the bushing ( 22 ) by a strain relief ( 22a ).