Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
  • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
  • E06B3/00—Window sashes, door leaves, or like elements for closing wall or like openings; Layout of fixed or moving closures, e.g. windows in wall or like openings; Features of rigidly-mounted outer frames relating to the mounting of wing frames
  • E06B3/66—Units comprising two or more parallel glass or like panes permanently secured together
  • E06B3/663—Elements for spacing panes
  • E06B3/667—Connectors therefor

Definitions

• the invention relates to a connector for connecting two hollow profile ends, the connector being intended to be inserted between the internal walls of the profile ends, and comprising a body which has two opposite faces and two side walls.
• a connector is for example used to connect the ends of the profile in order to form a frame which constitutes the interlayer of an insulating glazing.
• the invention will be more particularly described with regard to such an application, which is however in no way limiting and can be addressed to other non-glass applications.
• a well-known type of insulating glazing comprises two sheets of glass which are spaced apart by a blade of gas such as air and which are separated and joined by means of a spacer frame constituted by folded hollow metal profiles or by profiles assembled by middle and / or corner pieces called connectors.
• the profiles are lined with a molecular sieve which in particular has the role of absorbing the water molecules trapped in the interlayer of air during the production of the glazing and which would be liable to condense in cold weather, causing the appearance of fogging.
• the spacer frame is glued to the glass sheets by an elastomeric cord of the butyl rubber type applied directly to the profiles forming the spacer frame by extrusion through a nozzle. Once the glazing is assembled, the elastomeric sealing bead acts as a temporary mechanical support for the glass sheets.
• a crosslinkable sealing mastic of the polysulfide or polyurethane type is injected into the peripheral groove delimited by the two glass sheets and the spacer frame, which completes the mechanical assembly of the glass sheets.
• the main role of butyl rubber is to seal the interior water vapor glazing, while the sealant seals with liquid water or solvents.
• the connector for insulating glazing spacer profiles is known as that described for example in patent application EP 0 283 689. This connector is force-fitted into the hollow ends of the profile and held firmly by lateral retaining projections which are oriented in the opposite direction to the direction of traction according to which the profile ends should be pulled in the event of disassembly.
• the connector is characterized in that it comprises gas sealing means which are arranged integrally on one of the faces of the body and which are adapted to undergo compression.
• the sealing means are intrinsic to the connector. Once the connection is made, sealing is also ensured. No additional sealing operation, unlike the prior art, needs to be carried out.
• the connector is produced by molding and is produced in one piece.
• the sealing means consist of an elastic material with a hardness of between 20 and 50 Shore A. This is for example a material based on polyethylene, and / or polypropylene, and or PMMA, and / or polyamide .
• the body of the connector is longitudinal and comprises the sealing means in its middle part.
• the connector body comprises two wings forming an angle, the sealing means extending continuously over at least part of each of the wings and over the angle.
• the connector comprises at least one support piece on which the sealing means are attached by clipping or by bonding.
• the support part is a movable element relative to the body of the connector.
• the support piece is made removable by means of a hinge.
• the connector comprises at least one pusher system which is adapted, to protrude relative to the face opposite to that provided with the sealing means, or to be retracted into the body of the connector.
• the pusher system consists of a lug arranged on the support piece and in a recess arranged in the body of the connector and passing through the two opposite faces of the connector, the lug cooperating with the obvious.
• the sealing means are in the form of a flat pellet.
• the sealing means may have ribs on the face opposite to that opposite the body of the connector which are perpendicular to the side walls.
• the sealing means have, opposite the face opposite the body of the connector, a suitable concave shape or a suitable conical shape with a flat top to exert the compressive force necessary for sealing.
• the side walls of the body of the connector have stops in the middle of the body or of the body's wings.
• the sealing means being compressed against the internal walls of the hollow ends of profile at the junction of the two profile ends or at their abutment angle.
• the lug of the support part of the sealing means is then housed in the opening of the connector when the connector comprises at least one pusher system.
• the connector is inserted at one of its ends into the hollow part of one of the profile ends, the second end profile is then reported around the opposite free end of the connector by establishing a pushing force on each of the profile ends until their abutment.
• Figure 1 is a side view of the connector of the invention according to an exemplary embodiment
• Figure 2 is another side view of the connector according to Figure 1
• Figure 3 is a sectional view of the connection of two profile ends using the connector along line A- A of Figure 1
• Figure 4 is a sectional view of the connector associated with a profile end
• Figures 5a and 5b are sectional views of the connector according to two other embodiments
• Figures 6a and 6b schematically illustrate a corner connector to assemble two profile ends at an angle
• Figure 7 illustrates points of measurement of the percentage of gas escaped after durability tests on insulating glazing.
• Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a connector 1 according to the invention intended to connect, in accordance with Figure 3, two hollow ends 2 and 3 of profile.
• the connector 1 integrates sealing means 15, described below, which are arranged at the junction 4 of the two profile ends and against on the one hand a face 20a and its lateral edges, and on the other hand a face 30a and its lateral edges, respectively of the internal walls 20 and 30 of the profile ends.
• the connector 1 comprises a longitudinal body 10 which has two opposite faces 11 and 12, and two opposite side walls 13 and 14.
• the body 10 is preferably formed by molding with the injection of a plastic material without or with little plasticizer . Alternatively, it can be metallic.
• the gas sealing means 15 are arranged on the middle part 11a of one of the faces 11 of the body 10.
• These sealing means are adapted to undergo compression. They are thus made of an elastic material with a hardness of between 20 and 50 Shore A. This material does not need to have bonding properties, it must simply have the adequate elasticity in order to be able to deform during its compression against the internal walls of the profile ends, while absorbing the variations in shape of the profile and while keeping a shape substantially equal to that of the original before compression to ensure its mechanical strength over time.
• a material which is also gas-tight, is for example a material of the "hot melt” type such as crosslinkable polyurethane or a material based on polyethylene, polypropylene, PM A, polyamide. Mention may be made of the Vitaprene brand material sold by the company VTC.
• the connector 1 advantageously comprises a support part 16 on which the sealing means 15 rest.
• the support part has an area equivalent to the surface of the sealing means.
• the sealing means 15 are secured to the support part 16 by gluing, or by clipping in cooperating forms of the part and sealing means not illustrated here.
• the connector 1 also includes a pusher system 18, as illustrated in FIG. 3, which is adapted to be housed in the body 10 of the connector, and to protrude relative to the face 12 opposite the face provided with the means sealing 15.
• the pusher system 18 is composed of a lug 18a integrated into the face 16a of the support part 16, opposite the sealing means 15, and of an obviously 18b passing through the faces 11 and 12 of the body of the connector in its middle part.
• the lug 18a is of a shape adapted to the recess 18b to cooperate with the latter in a tight fit.
• the support part 16 is made movable relative to the body 10 of the connector. It consists either of a removable element, or of a mobile element by means of a hinge 17 as illustrated in FIG. 2.
• the second solution will be preferred for reasons of simplicity of manufacture of the connector.
• the connector being formed by molding, the hinge 17 connecting the support piece and the connector body makes it possible to have to unmold only one combined part.
• the sealing means 15 has the form of a flat pellet.
• This patch has on its external face opposite the support part 16, ribs 15a which make it possible to compensate for the flatness defects of the internal walls 20, 30 of the profile ends and to compensate for the shape tolerances of the section of the profile ends. , and thus ensure perfect compression of the patch against the walls in the joined position of the profile ends.
• ribs 15a are not necessarily useful when the material of the sealing means has a hardness close to 50 Shore A.
• the connector 1 is therefore used to connect two ends 2 and 3 of profile. These profile ends can be made of stainless steel, aluminum, plastic or any other material depending on the destination of the profile.
• the abutment of two profile ends can be used to form a frame for example, intended in particular for the manufacture of insulating glazing.
• the hollow ends 2 and 3 of the profile can be closed over their entire periphery, or not.
• the profile end, 2 for example, is at least suitable for holding the connector 1 in the inserted position, that is to say against the side walls 2a of the profile end and against returns 2b of said side walls, the face 12 of the connector resting on these returns.
• the faces of the internal walls 20b and 30b of the profile ends come into contact with the lug 18a projecting relative to the face 12 of the connector, which exerts a pushing force against the protruding lug and then compresses the sealing means 15, disposed opposite the lug, against the opposite face 20a, 30a of the internal walls 20, and 30 of the profile ends.
• the junction 4 is thus sealed at at least one of the faces and the corresponding lateral edges of the internal walls of each of the ends 2 and 3 of the profile.
• the exemplary embodiment given above of the connector comprises, as already explained, a flat patch of sealing material combined with a pusher system to exert a compressive force when the connector is inserted into the ends of the profile.
• a suitable form of the sealing means in order to exert such a compressive force, a suitable form of the sealing means.
• a suitable form of the sealing means For a form of concave section (FIG. 5a), or a form of conical section with a flat top (FIG. 5b), the width of the curvature or of the flat top being at least substantially greater than the width of the junction gap. 4, would be suitable.
• the height of the sealing means is adapted so as to obtain an easy insertion of the connector into the profile ends and to allow the abutment of the two profile ends while ensuring compression of said means against the walls of the profile ends when those -these are abutted.
• the support part 16 is an integral part of the body of the connector, it does not need to be made mobile.
• the above description was made for a connection of two profile ends positioned in the same plane.
• a corner connector can be made to connect two profile ends positioned at an abutment angle.
• Figure 6a schematically illustrates the connector 1 before mounting. It has two wings 10a and 10b making an angle equivalent to the angle with which one wishes to connect the ends of profile 2 and 3 (here an angle of
• the face 11a of the wings comprises the sealing means 15 which are also arranged at the angle 10c of the connector. And on the opposite face 12 of the respective wings 10a and 10b as well as through the said wings are arranged two respective push-button systems 18. After assembly, as illustrated in FIG. 6b, only are visible at the angle sealing means 15. Comparative tests of gas-tightness durability of insulating glazing according to standard NFP 78451 were carried out on profile ends connected respectively with a conventional connector of the type described in application EP 0 283 689 ( named C1), with this same connector associated with an additional butyl gasket (named C2), and with the connector of the invention (named C3), these connectors serving to make the frames of insulating glazing. The measurements illustrated in FIG.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Securing Of Glass Panes Or The Like (AREA)
• Mutual Connection Of Rods And Tubes (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=35045195

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 2004
  • 2004-04-21 FR FR0404202A patent/FR2869387B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2005
  • 2005-04-18 EP EP05746651A patent/EP1738047A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-04-18 WO PCT/FR2005/050255 patent/WO2005106177A2/fr not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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