EP0797711A1

EP0797711A1 - A device in a profile-member system

Info

Publication number: EP0797711A1
Application number: EP95940486A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Per-Uno HAFSTRÖM
Original assignee: PK Stalprofil AB
Current assignee: PK Stalprofil AB
Priority date: 1994-12-16
Filing date: 1995-10-26
Publication date: 1997-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 2015-10-26
Also published as: WO1996018778A1; ATE199428T1; AU4191196A; SE9404383D0; SE9404383L; SE503591C2; EP0797711B1; DE69520230D1

Abstract

A profile-member system (1) having thermal break means and intended for glazed facings (2) comprises intersecting interior elongate structural profiled elements (3) and are formed on their outwardly facing side with a longitudinally extending groove (5) for reception of heads (7) of bosses (6) to position and retain windowpanes (10) against the structural profiled elements (3) and exterior elongate covering profiled elements (11) against the windowpanes in front of the structural profiled elements. Strip seals (16, 17) of rubber are arranged intermediate the interior structural profiled elements (3) and the adjacent windowpanes (10). The strip seals (16, 17) have no interruptions and are formed with a web portion (19) mounted in the grooves (5) of the structural profiled elements (3), and with a flange portion (20) on either side of the web portion (19), said flange portions (20) abutting against and being sealingly compressed between the structural elements (3) on either side of the groove (5), and the adjacent windowpanes (10).

Description

A DEVICE IN A PROFILE-MEMBER SYSTEM

The subject invention concerns a device in a profile-member system having thermal break means and intended for such structures as glazed facings, sloping window sections, glazed roofs, rooflights and a like. The system comprises intersecting interior elongate structural profiled elements formed on their outwardly facing side with a longitudinally extending groove, as well as bosses one end of which supports a head arranged to be inserted and anchored in the groove and the opposite end of which is formed with a socket for reception therein of fasteners to position and retain windowpanes against the structural profiled elements and exterior elongate covering profiled elements against the windowpanes in front of the structural profiled elements. In accordance with a prior-art profile-member system of the general type outlined above, window putty or other sealing paste or strip developed for the purpose is used to seal the system components against the effects of wind and weather. In such comparatively large glazed facings and the like rather large movements generate in the system, primarily in response to the effects of temperature variations, and experience has shown that after a couple of years leakage occurs in the system because of fissures in the sealing compound and the like and separation thereof for the reasons indicated above and/or ageing phenomena, such as hardening.

It is a time-consuming as well as expensive task to repair facades of the kind referred to, since it is often necessary to dismantle large sections of the facade cladding in order to make accessible normally from without as well as from within inaccessible areas of the facade that are damaged by weather- and wind-induced leakages, before a fresh sealing compound or the like may be applied.

One of the main purposes of the subject invention is to further develop the prior-art profile-member system and similar systems in such a way that they become perfectly weather-proof and watertight for many years, thus making the maintainance costs comparatively moderate.

A further purpose of the invention is to shorten the mounting and glazing time, as a result of the more rational and convenient handling.

These and other purposes are achieved in accordance with the invention in a simple, yet efficient manner by using strip seals of a special design that are positioned between the outwardly facing side of the interior structural profiled elements and the confronting edges of the adjacent windowpanes so as to extend uninterrupted along said element sides and windowpane edges.

In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention arrangements are made such that each strip seal comprises a web portion mounted in the longitudinally extending groove in the elongate structural profiled elements and having a shape adapted to the configuration of the groove, and a flange portion on either side of the web portion, said flange portions abutting against and being sealingly compressed between the outwardly facing side of the structural elements on either side of the groove, and the edges of the adjacent windowpanes. When the elongate structural and covering profiled elements are directed essentially horizontally and vertically the arrangement is such that the seal strips associated with the essentially horizontal structural profiled elements comprise a lip portion which projects essentially perpendicularly outwardly from the one of the flange portions that is the lower one in the mounted condition of the strip, said lip portion having the same extension as and preferably being formed integrally with the rest of the seal strip, in this case with the lower flange portion thereof.

The invention will be decribed in the following in closer detail with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment thereof that is particularly preferred at present. In the drawings:

Fig 1 is a perspective view as seen obliquely from the exterior, of a portion of a system in accordance with the invention including a horizontally directed structural profiled element and its associated components, some portions having been cut away for the sake of clarity.

Fig. 2 illustrates in a perspective view corresponding to Fig. 1, a vertically directed elongate structural profiled element with associated components.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate in a perspective view seal strips pertaining to the system to be used in the portions according to Figs. 1 and 2 respectively. Fig. 5 illustrates in a front view the principle of construction of the system in accordance with the invention, the right-hand portion illustrating seal strips associated with the horizontally orientated structural profiled elements and at the bottom of the drawing seal strips associated with vertically directed structural profiled elements.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along line VI-VI in Fig. 5 and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view along line VII-VII of Fig. 5.

The profile-member system in accordance with the invention, designated generally in the drawing figures by numeral reference 1, is formed with thermal break means and is constructed and developed for use in connection with such structures as glazed facings, sloping window sections, glazed roofs, rooflights and the like. The preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawing figures refers in a non-restricted manner to a glazed facing, generally designated by numeral 2. In constructions of this type, the requirements on efficient insulation, architectural design, stability, and safety are very high.

The profile-member system is developed for adaptation to Scandinavian climate conditions and often is the ideal solution for erection of office buildings, hotels, shopping centers, cultural premises, sportshalls, industrial and administration buildings, glazing-covered indoor squares and interior arcades and rooflights.

The profile-member system 1 is constructed on the basis of interior elongate structural profiled elements 3 of a special design of preferably steel or a similar material having excellent strength properties, allowing the structural profiled elements 3 to be part of the load-carrying structure of the profile-member system 1. In accordance with the embodiment .illustrated the structural profile members 3 have a width of 60 mm and several alternative depth measurements, providing considerable flexibility and adaptability in the architectonical design. The structural profiled elements 3 intersect or abut essentially at right angles, as appears from Fig. 5, and their outwardly facing side 4, i.e. the side turned towards the exterior face of the glazed facing 2, is formed with a groove 5 to be decribed in further detail in the following.

Several thermal breaking means in the form of bosses 6 of e.g. plastics or similar material having excellent thermal-bridge breaking properties are provided and as appears from the drawing figures, particularly Figs. 6 and 7, they are formed at one of their ends with a head 7 which is insertable into the groove 5 and arranged to be anchored therein in a manner to be decribed further on. At the opposite end the bosses 6 are formed with a socket 8, in this case preferably in the shape of a round smooth boring for reception therein of fasteners 9, such as screws, nails and the like, to position and retain windowpanes 10 against the structural profile elements 3, and external elongate covering profiled elements 11 against the windowpane 10 in front of the structural profiled elements.

The thickness of the windowpanes 10 may vary and in order to achieve the desired satisfactory insulating effect they preferably are of double-glazing type as illustrated or of triple-glazing insulating type. The external covering profiled elements 11 may be standard aluminium sections but could also be made from steel, aluminium-zinc, stainless steel, glass or copper. In accordance with the embodiment illustrated the covering profiled elements 11 comprise on the one hand an elongate inner rail member 12 which by means of rubber seals 13 attached thereto sealingly abut against the external edges 14 of the adjacent windowpanes 10 in front of the structural profiled elements 3, and also of a likewise elongate cap rail 15 which may be snap-fitted onto the inner rail 12 in order to cover the latter. The cap rail 15 has a smooth external face, thus imparting to the entire profile-member system 1 an attractive appearance, especially from without.

Elongate strip seals 16 and 17, preferably made from rubber, plastics or similar material possessing excellent sealing properties, are disposed, as illustrated in the drawings, intermediate the outwardly facing side 4 of the interior structural profiled elements 3 and the facing edges 18 of the adjacent windowpanes 10. The seal strips 16, 17 extend in a continuos condition, i.e. without interruptions and/or break-troughs, alongside the outwardly facing sides 4 and the edges 18.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment described and illustrated in the drawings each seal strip 16, 17 is formed with a web portion 19 which is located in the lenghtwise groove 5 formed as described above in the elongate a structure profiled elements 3, and with one flange portion 20 on either side of the web portion 19. These flange portions 20 abut against and are sealingly compressed between the outwardly facing side 4 of the structural profiled elements 3 on either side of the groove 5 and the edges 18 of the adjacent windowpane 10, see Figs. 1, 2, 6, and 7.

Usually, the elongate structural and covering profiled elements 3 and 11 have an essentially horizontal and vertical orientation, and the seal strips 17 associated with the essentially horizontal structural profiled elements 3 comprise a lip portion 21 which projects essentially perpendicularly outwardly from the lower flange portion 20. Said lip portion 21 essentially have the same extension lenghtwise as and preferably is formed integrally with the rest of the seal strip 17, in this case the lower flange portion 20.

As appears from Figs. 1 and 7, the above-mentioned lip portion 21 sealingly abuts against the upper edge face 22 of the subjacent windowpane 10 and, as also apparent from the same drawing figures, the lip portion is folded over on the external face of the windowpane about the upper edge of the windowpane so as to extend some distant downwards alongside said edge. The folded- over part of the lip portion 21 and consequently the entire lip portion, thus is fixed with respect to its position with the aid of the associated horizontal covering profiled elements 11, more precisely the lower rubber seal 13 on the inner rail 12, see Figs. 1 and 7. The lengthwise grooves 5 described earlier and formed in the elongate structural profiled elements 3 have a cross-sectional configuration, see particularly Figs. 6 and 7, comprising an essentially V-shaped bottom portion 23 and two upper, outwardly converging or undercut lateral portions 24. The web portion 19 of the strip seals 16, 17 may be fitted into the grooves 5 thus configured because it has an essentially identical external profile as the cross-sectional shape of the grooves 5 described above. In addition, the web portion of the strip seals is formed with a channel-like furrow 25 the purpose of which is to receive a number of bosses 6 by securing the boss heads 7 in position therein. In this manner, the profile-member system is made entirely moisture-proof because the strip seals are uninterrupted, i.e. without apertures or recesses allowing passage- through of moisture, such as rain.

In order to safely achieve the above-mentioned fixation of the head 7 of the boss 6 in position in the channel-like furrow 25 in the web portion 15 of the stripseal 16, 17, the head 7 of the bosses 6 is, in accordance with the embodiment shown and illustrated, see particularly Figs. 6 and 7, undercut on the external face and slit in order to form two halves 26, 27 of essentially identical dimensions. Owing to the properties of the plastic material or the like from which the bosses 6 are made, these half parts are yieldingly compressible when the heads 7 are inserted in to the furrow 25 and expand therein, once the head is in position.

More precisely, each boss 6 is formed with a shank 28 formed integrally with the head 7 and the length of which is optional for adaptation to the thickness of the windowpane 10 described earlier. At its end opposite from that of the head 7 the shank 28 is formed with the earlier described socket 8 for reception therein of suitable fasteners 9. On either side of the shank 28 the head 7 is formed with a recess 29 extending essentially in parallel with the shank 28 through the head, from the outwardly facing side thereof to the slit between the halves 26, 27 on its inwardly facing side. Each recess 29 receives a pin 30 introduced into the recess with preferably at least a frictional fit. By means of a suitably tool, for instance a mandrel in combination with a hammer, the pins may be inserted separately in the slits in order to expand the two halves 26, 27 of the head 7 and thus safely position the associated boss 6 in the groove 5 of the corresponding strip seal 16, 17 and thus in the associated structural profiled elements 3.

For improved guidance of the pins 30 in the recesses 29 of the head 7 sleave-like prolongations may be provided on the head 7 about the pins 30 in accordance with an embodiment not illustrated, these prolongations then projecting from the outwardly facing side of the head.

When the profile-member system is to be mounted in situ one generally uses intersecting structural profiled elements 3 that are already welded together and of the design illustrated for instance in Fig. 5. The vertical and horizontal strip seals 16, 17 are then applied, the web portions 19 being inserted in the outwardly facing grooves 5 in the structural profiled elements 3. At least in two places along each windowpane 10 a glazing carrier 31 is provided, the head of which, not shown in detail but which may be designed in a similar manner to the head 7 of the bosses 6, is insertable in the channel-like furrows 25 in the web portions 9 of the strip seals 16, 17 and which are formed with a support face 32 to carry the windowpane 10 above. The windowpanes underneath or those disposed to the side are retained in position by means of windowpane holding plates 32 which, with the aid of the fasteners 9 referred to earlier, are secured to the associated boss 6 by means of the shank 28 thereof incorporating the socket 8. The windowpane holding plate rests against the external face of the windowpane 10, more precisely against a part of the folded-over lip portion 21 on the horizontally directed strip seal 17, see Fig. 1. In accordance with Fig. 2 the windowpane holding plate abuts directly against the external face of the windowpane 10.

When the windowpanes 10 are mounted in the manner described above, with their inwardly facing outer edges sealingly engaging the flange portions 20 of the strip seals 16, 17, the inner rails 12 are initially mounted on the associated bosses 6 by means of the fasteners 9 with the aid of the socket 8 in the shank 28, the rubber seals 13 abutting against the external face of the windowpanes 10. Finally, the cap rail 15 is applied on top of the inner rail 20 to cover the fasteners 9 thus giving an attractive exterior appearance to the entire profile- member system. The folded-over part of the lip portion 20 on the horizontally directed strip seal 17 is cut or stripped off, preferably level with the lower rubber seal 13 on the inner rail so as not to be visible. For this purpose tear-off of notches 34 may be formed on the lip portions 21, see Fig. 3.

Obviously, the invention should not be considered limited to the embodiment described above and illustrated in the drawing figures but could be modified in various ways within the scope of the claimed protection.

Claims

1. A device in a profile-member system (1) having thermal break means, intended for such structures as glazed facings (2), sloping windows sections, glazed roofes, rooflights and the like, said system (1) comprising intersecting interior elongate structural profiled elements (3) formed on their outwardly facing side (4) with a longitudinally extending groove (5), as well as bosses (6), one end of which supports a head (7) arranged to be inserted and anchored in the groove (5) and the opposite end of which is formed with a socket (8) for reception therein of a fastener (9) to position and retain windowpanes (10) against the structural profiled elements (3) and exterior elongate covering profiled elements (11) against the windowpanes in front of the structural profiled elements (3), c h a r a c t e r ¬ i e d in that strip seal (16,17) are arranged intermediate the outwardly facing side (4) of the interior structural profiled elements (3) and the confronting edges (18) of the adjacent windowpanes (10) so as to extend uninterrupted along said element side and windowpane edges.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that each strip seal (16, 17) comprises a web portion (19) mounted in the longitudinally extending grooves (5) of the elongate structural profiled elements and having a shape adapted to that of the groove, and a flange portion (20) on either side of the web portion (19) , said flange portions (20) abutting against and being sealingly compressed between the outwardly facing side (4) of the structural elements (3) on either side of the groove (5), and the edges (18) of the adjacent windowpanes (10) .

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 and 2, c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the elongate structural and covering profiled elements (3, 11) have an essentially horizontally and vertically orientation and in that the strip seal (17) associated with the essentially horizontal structural profiled elements (3) comprises a lip portion (21) which projects essentially perpendicularly outwardly from the one of the flange portions (20) that is the lower one in the mounted condition of the seal, said lip portion (21) having essentially the same extension as and being formed integrally with said lower flange portion.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in that the lip portion (21) sealingly abuts against the upper edge face (22) of the subjacent windowpane (10) and is folded over on the external face (14) of the windowpane about the upper edge of the windowpane so as to extend a certain distant downwards alongside said edge, the lip portion being maintained in position with the aid of the associated, essentially horizontal covering profiled element (11) .

5. A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the longitudinally extending grooves (5) formed in the elongate structural profiled elements (3) have a cross- sectional shape comprising an essentially V-shaped bottom portion (23) and two upper, outwardly converging or undercut lateral portions (24), and in that the web portion (19) of the strip seals (16, 17), in the mounted condition of the seals, have an outer profile that is essentially identical to the cross-sectional configuration of the grooves (5) and also a longitudinally extending channel-like furrow (25) in which the head (7) of the bosses (6) may be secured in position to make the profile-member system entirely liquid-tight.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, c h a r a c- t e r i z e d in that the head (7) of the bosses (6) is undercut on the external face and slit so as to form two halves (26, 27) of essentially identical dimensions which are compressible when the head is inserted in to the furrow (25) and expansible therein, once the head is m position, whereby the head will be essentially immovably secured in position in said furrow.

7. A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that each boss (6) is formed with a shank (28) formed integrally with the head (7) and the length of which may be chosen in function of the thickness of the windowpane (10) , said shank formed at its end turned away from the head (7) with the socket (8) which is in the form of a bore for reception therein of fasteners (9) such as screws, nails and the like.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, c h a r a c- t e r i z e d in that on either side of the shank (28) the head (7) s formed with a recess (29) each one of which extends essentially in parallel with the shank and through the head, from the outwardly facing side thereof to the slit on the inwardly facing side, and which recess also receives therein at least one pin (30) applied at least with a frictional fit, said pins arranged to be separately msertable into the slit with the aid of a tool, from the exterior, in order to expand the two halves (26, 27) of said head (7), thus securing the boss (6) in position in the furrow (25) of the associated strip seal (16, 17) and thus in the associated structural profiled element (3) .

9. A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the structural profiled elements (3) are made from e.g. steel or similar material possessing excellent strength characteristics so as to be able to constitute tne weight-carrying structure of the profile-members system (1) , and in that the covering profileα elements '11) are maαe for instance from aluminium or the like and comprise an inner rail (12) m sealing engagement against the edges (14) of the adjacent windowpanes (10) in front of the structural profiled elements (3) as well as a cap rail (15) which covers the inner rail and imparts an attractive external appearance to the profile-member system (1) 10. A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the strip seals (16, 17) are made from e.g. rubber or similar materials having excellent sealing properties and in that the bosses are made for instance from plastics or a similar material possessing excellent thermal-bridge breaking properties.