EP1036912A2

EP1036912A2 - Improvement to double-glazing unit with internal blind

Info

Publication number: EP1036912A2
Application number: EP00105320A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mauro Rossini
Original assignee: Finvetro Srl
Current assignee: Finvetro Srl
Priority date: 1999-03-17
Filing date: 2000-03-16
Publication date: 2000-09-20
Also published as: EP1036912A3; ITPD990027U1; IT247721Y1

Abstract

A double-glazing unit with internal blind, comprising a perimetric frame which supports two parallel glass panes so as to form a sealed air space. Inside the air space, the blind is suitable to be moved from a packed condition to an opened-out condition. The double-glazing unit has, at each one of the uprights of the frame, a longitudinal channel inside which the lateral ends of the blind slide during its opening/packing.

Description

The present invention relates to an improved double-glazing unit internally provided with a blind.
In recent years, demand has been increasing for double-glazing units of the type comprising a perimetric frame which supports two parallel glass panes so as to form, between them, a sealed air space which is capable of ensuring excellent sound and heat insulation characteristics.
In many embodiments, a double-glazing unit is internally provided with a blind; very often it is a shade of the Venetian-blind type, constituted by a set of mutually parallel slats which are suitable to be tilted and opened out/packed by means of appropriate cords.
Double-glazing units internally provided with a blackout blind, for example a pleated blind, have also recently begun to be commercially available.
In all these applications, however, it has been observed that during the operations for opening and packing the blind there is interference caused by the flapping of the lateral ends of said blind against the internal profile of the uprights of the frame and against the two glass panes.
The technical solution that has been necessarily adopted has been to use additional guiding cords applied at the lateral ends of the blind, but this solution, which cannot guarantee fully satisfactory results, severely penalizes the double-glazing unit from the aesthetic point of view.
It is also interesting to note that in double-glazing units with blackout blinds, cracks form between the lateral ends of the blind and the corresponding edges and light rays enter through them, with the result of failing to achieve complete blackout.
The aim of the present invention is to provide an improved double-glazing unit with internal blind which satisfactorily solves all the drawbacks noted above of conventional double-glazing units.
Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a double-glazing unit in which the operations for opening/packing the blind are easier than in conventional ones.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a double-glazing unit which is capable of ensuring complete blackout.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a double-glazing unit whose structure is simple and can be manufactured with known equipment and methods.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a double-glazing unit which can be obtained at costs which are fully comparable to those of currently commercially available double-glazing units.
This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a double-glazing unit with internal blind, comprising a perimetric frame which supports two parallel glass panes so as to form a sealed air space inside which said blind is suitable to be moved from a packed condition to an opened-out condition, said double-glazing unit being characterized in that it has, at each one of the uprights of said frame, a longitudinal channel inside which the lateral ends of said blind slide during its opening/packing.
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description of a preferred embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a sectional view, taken along a transverse plane, of an improved double-glazing unit with internal blind according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the double-glazing unit of Figure 1.
With reference to the above-cited figures, an improved double-glazing unit with internal blind, according to the present invention, is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a perimetric frame 11 which supports two parallel glass panes 12 which are suitable to form a sealed air space 13 between them.
A layer of sealant is spread along the entire border of the frame 11 so as to seal the air space 13 hermetically with respect to the outside.
A molecular sieve, of the per se known type and not shown for the sake of simplicity, is present inside the air space 13.
In detail, the frame 11 comprises, at the vertical sides 14, an external cladding 15 which is supported by a post 16.
The post has a substantially box-like vertical structure, one face 17 of which is in direct contact with the inside of the air space 13.
A longitudinal channel 18 is formed in said face 17 of the post 16, in the central part, while a protrusion 20 protrudes monolithically at each edge 19 of said post and is substantially perpendicular to the face 17.
Each one of said protrusions 20 is adapted to be coupled against the corresponding edge of the glass pane 12, as better described hereinafter.
The double-glazing unit 10 is internally provided with a blind, which is not shown for the sake of simplicity in the above figures and is adapted to be moved inside the air space 13 from an opened-out position to a packed position by way of the presence of an actuation device, also not shown for the sake of simplicity.
In particular, the dimensions of said longitudinal channel 18 formed in each post 16 are such as to allow the sliding therein of the lateral ends of the blind fitted inside said double-glazing unit 10.
Accordingly, depending on the type of blind (Venetian blind constituted by parallel slats held together by adjustment cords, or blackout blind, for example a pleated one), it is possible to install inside each channel 18 longitudinal guides which are constituted for example by rod-like elements or cords which pass through holes formed in the lateral ends of the blind and facilitate the packing/opening thereof, avoiding any flapping.
The presence of the two protrusions 20 combined with the longitudinal channel 18 is extremely effective since in practice it prevents, when the blind is lowered, any ray of light from filtering through, thus ensuring complete blackout, particularly if the blind is of the blackout type.
In practice it has been observed that the present invention has achieved more than satisfactorily the aim and all the intended objects.
A considerable advantage has certainly been achieved owing to the fact that a double-glazing unit internally provided with a blind has been provided wherein all the operations for opening out/packing said blind are highly functional and are easier with respect to conventional units.
Another important advantage has been guaranteed to the present invention in view of the fact that a double-glazing unit has been provided which is capable of ensuring complete blackout.
Another advantage is that a double-glazing unit has been provided which is structurally very simple and can be manufactured by resorting to known equipment and methods.
Another important advantage is achieved by the present invention in view of the fact that a double-glazing unit has been provided which can be obtained with costs which are fully comparable with those of currently commercially available double-glazing units.
All the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.
In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the contingent use, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements.
The disclosures of Italian Utility Model Application No. PD99U000027, from which this application claims priority, are incorporated herein by reference.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

A double-glazing unit with internal blind, comprising a perimetric frame which supports two parallel glass panes so as to form a sealed air space inside which said blind is suitable to be moved from a packed condition to an opened-out condition, said double-glazing unit being characterized in that it has, at each one of the uprights of said frame, a longitudinal channel inside which the lateral ends of said blind slide during its opening/packing.
The double-glazing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that on each post said longitudinal channel is formed in the central part of the face that is directed toward the inside of said air space.
The double-glazing unit according to claim 2, characterized in that a protrusion protrudes at each one of the edges of said face of each post and is adapted to be coupled against the corresponding edge of the glass pane.
The double-glazing unit according to claim 3, characterized in that each protrusion is perpendicular to the face of the post from which it protrudes.