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
  • E06B3/66309—Section members positioned at the edges of the glazing unit
  • E06B3/66314—Section members positioned at the edges of the glazing unit of tubular shape
  • E06B3/66319—Section members positioned at the edges of the glazing unit of tubular shape of rubber, plastics or similar materials
• • 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
  • E06B3/66309—Section members positioned at the edges of the glazing unit
  • E06B3/66366—Section members positioned at the edges of the glazing unit specially adapted for units comprising more than two panes or for attaching intermediate sheets
• • 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
  • E06B3/673—Assembling the units
  • E06B3/67304—Preparing rigid spacer members before assembly
  • E06B3/67308—Making spacer frames, e.g. by bending or assembling straight sections
• • 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
  • E06B3/673—Assembling the units
  • E06B3/67326—Assembling spacer elements with the panes
• • 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
  • E06B3/673—Assembling the units
  • E06B3/67365—Transporting or handling panes, spacer frames or units during assembly
  • E06B3/67369—Layout of the assembly streets
• • 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
  • E06B3/673—Assembling the units
  • E06B3/67365—Transporting or handling panes, spacer frames or units during assembly
  • E06B3/67382—Transport of panes or units without touching the bottom edge

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an insulating glazing unit having at least three sheets of glass.
• the invention also relates to a subset of insulating glazing comprising a spacer frame and at least one central glass sheet, as well as to an insulating glazing unit and to an installation for manufacturing insulating glass units.
• EP 2 159 366 A2 It is known from EP 2 159 366 A2 to manufacture an insulating glazing spacer frame by cutting and assembling four sections.
• the profiles are mitered at their ends, each corner or corner of the spacer frame being formed by abutting two profiles at their inclined end faces.
• EP 2 159 366 A2 teaches to position an "L" alignment bracket in the housings of the two sections during their assembly, so that the branches of the alignment bracket are each parallel to the longitudinal direction of a profile.
• the alignment bracket aims to keep the inclined faces of the two profiles aligned in the same plane.
• the profiles are then secured to one another by ultrasonic welding at this junction plane.
• Such a spacer frame assembly method with alignment bracket requires manual assembly of the profiles, which is penalizing in terms of productivity and production cost.
• the positioning of the profiles relative to each other can cause geometrical defects for the spacer frame, for example a defect of parallelism of the profiles, or a misalignment resulting in an offset and / or an excess thickness, or still a defect at the corners of the spacer frame. Gas leaks are likely to appear at the level of the defects of the spacer frame, which can impact the durability of the insulating glass.
• the invention intends to remedy more particularly by proposing a method of manufacturing an insulating glazing which guarantees optimal positioning of the spacer frame profile, compared to the others, which is favorable for the durability of the insulating glazing, this method also making it possible to dispense with manual assembly steps.
• the subject of the invention is a method for manufacturing an insulating glazing unit, comprising the assembly of an insulating glazing sub-assembly which comprises a spacer frame and at least one central glass sheet, the spacer frame being formed of four sections assembled angularly at their ends, where each section comprises a groove for receiving an edge of the central glass sheet, characterized in that the assembly of the insulating glazing subassembly comprises successive stages in which :
• the ends of the profiles are assembled by welding at each angle of the spacer frame without an alignment bracket, by using the edges of the central glass sheet inserted in the grooves of the profiles as a reference for guiding the profiles at each angle of the spacer frame in a configuration where their end faces are aligned in superposition in the same plane.
• the method according to the invention ensures precise positioning of the end faces of the profiles resting against each other at each corner of the frame, because the edges of the central glass sheet inserted in the grooves of the profiles provide a function guiding profiles.
• it is precisely the use of the central glass sheet as a reference for the alignment of the profiles that eliminates the use of alignment brackets for assembly at the corners of the frame spacer.
• the insertion of alignment brackets into the profiles is not required, it is possible to implement the method according to the invention in an automated manner, which makes it possible to increase the productivity and to reduce the cost of producing insulating glass units.
• alignment brackets are always put in place before welding, to ensure that the inclined faces of adjacent sections are aligned, as is the case in EP 2 159,366 A2.
• alignment brackets are different from the fastening brackets ("Eckverbinder") as mentioned by example in the document WO 2015/197491 A1: the fastening brackets serve to join together the sections of the spacer frame, while the alignment brackets serve to ensure that the inclined faces of the adjacent sections are aligned in the same plane beforehand. proceed with their assembly by welding.
• glass sheet any type of transparent substrate adapted to its function in an insulating glass. It may be a mineral glass sheet, especially a glass of oxide which may be a silicate, borate, sulfate, phosphate, or other. Alternatively, it may be a sheet of organic glass, for example polycarbonate or polymethylmethacrylate.
• the end faces of the two profiles are maintained in a configuration where they are aligned in superposition in the same plane, by engaging the grooves of the two sections on the two corresponding edges of the central glass sheet so as to frame the corner of the central glass sheet at the junction of the two edges.
• the ends of the profiles are assembled at each corner of the spacer frame by ultrasonic welding.
• the sonotrode or sonotrodes of the welding device frame the angle of the spacer frame by being pressed against an outer transverse wall of each of two profiles.
• the assembly of the ends of the two sections is achieved by means of two sonotrodes orientated perpendicularly relative to one another, which are configured to frame the angle. spacer frame coming from each apply against the outer transverse wall of one of the two sections.
• the assembly of the ends of the two profiles can be achieved using a single sonotrode having two surfaces of transmission of vibrations oriented perpendicular to each other, which are configured to frame the angle of the spacer frame with each vibration transmission surface which is applied against the outer transverse wall of one of the two sections.
• the pressure force exerted during welding by the sonotrode on the outer transverse wall of the profile is substantially perpendicular to the transverse wall, in order to avoid uncontrolled deformation of the profile.
• the welding device comprises stops adapted to come in the immediate vicinity of the side walls of the profiles at each corner of the spacer frame during welding, so that the profiles are confined in a restricted space between the stops. , the sonotrode (s) and the central glass sheet during welding at each corner of the spacer frame. This makes it possible to limit the deformations of the profiles and the appearance of undesirable thicknesses on the surface, which may cause leakage of the insulating glazing.
• the spacer frame is conventionally secured to the periphery of the two outer glass sheets by means of a peripheral sealing gasket, in the form of a mastic bead generally based on polyisobutylene, or butyl , which is particularly efficient in terms of water vapor and gas tightness.
• a peripheral sealing gasket in the form of a mastic bead generally based on polyisobutylene, or butyl , which is particularly efficient in terms of water vapor and gas tightness.
• Maintaining the glass sheets between them and on the spacer frame is provided by an outer sealing barrier, which is applied to the entire outer periphery of the spacer frame between the two outer glass sheets.
• the outer sealing barrier may be formed, in particular, from a resin selected from polysulfides, polyurethanes, silicones, hot melt butyls, or butyls hotmelt, and combinations or mixtures thereof.
• the central glass sheet has an anvil function opposite the or each sonotrode, which maintains the two profiles in a fixed position during welding.
• the central glass sheet absorbs some of the energy due to vibration during welding.
• the frequency of the ultrasonic vibration for welding at each angle of the spacer frame is of the order of 15 kHz to 40 kHz, preferably of the order of 30 kHz to 35 kHz. This preferred range of frequencies provides sufficient vibration amplitude to allow for far-distance welding, while avoiding surface damage and having a reasonable size of the welding device components.
• the assembly of the ends of the profiles is carried out simultaneously at the four corners of the spacer frame.
• each end face of the profile is inclined relative to the outer transverse wall of the profile at an angle of the order of 45 °, so that the profile is able to be assembled into miter cut with the two adjacent sections of the spacer frame.
• Each profile of the spacer frame may be made of metal and / or polymer material.
• suitable metallic materials include, in particular, aluminum or stainless steel.
• suitable polymer materials include, in particular, polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene, polybutadiene, polyesters, polyurethanes, polymethyl methacrylate, polyacrylates, polyamides , polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN).
• PE polyethylene
• PC polycarbonate
• PP polypropylene
• polystyrene polybutadiene
• polyesters polyurethanes
• polymethyl methacrylate polyacrylates
• polyamides polyethylene terephthalate
• PET polybutylene tere
• each section of the spacer frame may be based on polypropylene comprising a reinforcement constituted by a steel sheet. stainless.
• the profile is advantageously reinforced by fibers, in particular glass or carbon fibers.
• each profile of the spacer frame is based on thermoplastic polymer.
• each profile of the spacer frame comprises at least two tubular parts and the receiving groove of an edge of the central glass sheet is delimited between the two tubular portions.
• Each tubular portion of the profile has two side walls, each intended to be adjacent to a glass sheet of the insulating glazing, and two transverse walls, which are intended to extend transversely relative to the glass sheets of the insulating glazing unit.
• One of the transverse walls, said inner transverse wall is directed towards a cavity of the insulating glazing while the other transverse wall, said outer transverse wall, is directed outwardly of the insulating glazing.
• the outer transverse walls of the various tubular portions are parts of the same outer transverse wall of the profile, which also defines the bottom of each groove.
• Such a profile structure with at least two tubular parts allows the manufacture of multiple glazings having at least three sheets of glass.
• a profile with two tubular parts and a groove is adapted for the manufacture of triple glazing, where two outer glass sheets are positioned on either side of the spacer frame, while a central glass sheet is received in the groove of each profile of the spacer frame.
• a profile with three tubular parts and two grooves is suitable for the manufacture of an insulating glazing unit with four glass sheets, where two external glass sheets are positioned on either side of the spacer frame, while two central glass sheets are each received in a respective groove of each profile of the spacer frame.
• Similar configurations of insulating glass units with more than four glass sheets can of course be obtained by increasing the number of tubular parts of the spacer frame profiles, and therefore the number of grooves adapted to receive a central glass sheet.
• the spacer frame of the insulating glazing unit is formed and assembled around the central glass sheets, inserting the edges of each central glass sheet in the corresponding grooves of the profiles and assembling the sections two by two at their ends at the corners of the spacer frame.
• each spacer frame profile includes a liner positioned in the groove for receiving the edge of the central glass sheet.
• the groove may have a width greater than the thickness of the central glass sheet.
• the liner serves to fix the central glass sheet in the groove, while compensating for any variations in thermal expansion of the central glass sheet. Unrestrained fixation of the central glass sheet in the groove is thus ensured.
• the reduction of the stresses applied to the central glass sheet makes it possible to reduce the thickness and the weight of this glass sheet, compared with those used in insulating glass units where the central glass sheet is fixed on the periphery.
• a spacer frame instead of being received in a groove. Putting a lining in the groove also makes it possible to adapt the profiles to different possible thicknesses of the central glass sheet.
• the lining is configured to allow gas flow balancing between the cavities of the insulating glazing located on either side of the central glass sheet.
• the lining positioned in the groove of each profile acts as a mechanical and acoustic damper, in particular during the insertion of the edges of the central glass sheet into the grooves of the profiles to form the spacer frame around of the central glass sheet.
• the filling can be supplied continuously according to the length of the groove or discontinuously.
• the lining is based on elastomeric material, in particular ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM).
• EPDM ethylene-propylene-diene rubber
• the lining can be obtained in one piece with the body of the profile by coextrusion.
• the assembly comprising the profile and the lining positioned in the groove can be obtained in one piece by injection molding two polymeric materials.
• each of the tubular portions of the profile defines a desiccant receiving housing.
• the spacer frame comprises desiccant material in the tubular portions of at least two of its constituent sections, in order to ensure dehydration of each cavity formed between the glass sheets of the insulating glazing unit.
• the inner transverse wall of each tubular portion having desiccant material in its interior volume is provided with a plurality of perforations, so as to put the desiccant material in communication with the air or the inner gas of the corresponding cavity.
• the desiccant material can thus absorb the moisture contained in the cavity and prevent fogging between the glass sheets of the insulating glass.
• the desiccant material may be any material capable of ensuring dehydration of the air or the gas layer present in the cavities of the insulating glazing, in particular chosen from molecular sieves, silica gel, CaC, Na 2 S0 4 , activated carbon, zeolites, and / or a mixture thereof.
• the desiccant material is molecular sieve or silica gel.
• the absorption capacity of these desiccant materials is greater than 20% of their weight.
• each cavity of the insulating glazing between the glass sheets can be filled with air.
• each cavity of the insulating glazing unit comprises a blade of an insulating gas, which is substituted for the air between the glass sheets.
• gases used to form the insulating gas plate in each cavity of the insulating glazing include, in particular, argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe).
• the insulating gas blade in each cavity of the insulating glazing unit comprises at least 85% of a gas having a lower thermal conductivity than that of air. Suitable gases are preferably colorless, non-toxic, non-corrosive, non-flammable, insensitive to ultraviolet radiation exposure.
• each of the tubular parts of the profile comprises a through orifice for the passage of gas between the corresponding cavity of the insulating glass and the outside of the insulating glazing for filling. and / or evacuation of gas from the cavity.
• the through orifice opens into the two transverse walls of the tubular portion, intended to extend transversely relative to the glass sheets of the insulating glazing.
• at least two sections of the spacer frame have through orifices, so that, in at least one configuration where the spacer frame is substantially vertical, the through orifice of a profile of these two sections is in the lower position then that the through hole of the other profile among these two sections is in the up position.
• Such an arrangement of two through-holes of the spacer frame is advantageous for filling each cavity of the insulating glazing unit with an insulating gas that is denser than air, by injecting the insulating gas into the cavity through the through-orifice located in position. low and evacuation of the air present in the cavity through the through hole located in the upper position.
• each of the four profiles is positioned on mobile supports of an assembly device, where the mobile supports are in an initial loading configuration which is such that the four profiles on their mobile supports in the initial configuration of loading define a frame, open at the corners, able to frame a parallelepiped of the same thickness as the central glass sheet but of length and width greater than those of the central glass sheet, for example the difference in length and width is of the order of 1 cm to 10 cm;
• the central glass sheet is positioned in the assembly device so that each of its edges faces the groove of a profile when it is positioned on its mobile support (s) in the initial configuration of loading;
• the four edges of the central glass sheet are inserted into the grooves of the four sections by moving the four sections using the movable supports of the assembly device.
• the assembly of the spacer frame is made around the central glass sheet.
• the central glass sheet serves as a reference for the assembly, which greatly limits the risk of occurrence of geometrical defects of the spacer frame, in particular in comparison with assembly methods of the prior art where the profiles of the spacer frame are positioned successively relative to each other, without reference other than the profiles themselves, which can lead to an accumulation of misalignment as assembly.
• the assembly method of the insulating glazing subassembly comprising the spacer frame and at least one central glass sheet can be completely automated.
• the step of positioning the profiles on the movable supports of the assembly device and the step of positioning the central glass sheet in the assembly device can be carried out by one or more gripping robots, while the step of inserting the edges of the central glass sheet into the grooves of the profiles using the movable supports and the step of welding the ends of the profiles at each angle of the spacer frame can be implemented automatically by the device once it has detected that the profiles and the central glass sheet have been correctly positioned.
• the central glass sheet is passed through a washing station of an insulating glass production plant.
• the insulating glazing subassembly comprising the spacer frame and at least one central glass sheet received in an inner peripheral groove of the spacer frame is moved to successive stations of an insulating glazing unit using a gripping device comprising both gripping members of the spacer frame and gripping members of the central glass sheet.
• the insulating glazing subassembly comprising the spacer frame and at least one central glass sheet received in an inner peripheral groove of the spacer frame can successively pass:
• At least one profile of the spacer frame is a profile which has been pre-filled with desiccant material before the assembly of the insulating glazing subassembly comprising the spacer frame and at least one central glass sheet.
• the filling desiccant material or profiles of the spacer frame can be achieved online, in a dedicated profile preparation facility located upstream of the assembly station of the spacer frame around the central glass sheet.
• This profiling preparation facility can for example feed a profile magazine, in which an operator or gripper robot takes profiles to position them on the mobile supports of the assembly device.
• the preparation of the profiles upstream of the assembly station of the spacer frame around the central glass sheet comprises cutting the profile to the desired length, filling the profile with a desiccant material, and possibly drilling the profile. to create a through hole of gas passage.
• the invention also relates to a subset of insulating glazing comprising a spacer frame formed of four profiles and at least one sheet of central glass whose edges are received in internal peripheral grooves of the profiles of the spacer frame, in which, at each angle of the spacer frame, the end faces of the two profiles forming the angle are aligned in superposition in the same plane of the makes the cooperation of the edges of the central glass sheet in the grooves of the profiles and the spacer frame comprises a weld without alignment bracket at the junction between the two profiles forming the angle.
• the invention also relates to an insulating glazing unit comprising a subset of insulating glazing as described above and two external glass sheets fixed on either side of the spacer frame being substantially parallel to the central glass sheet. .
• Another object of the invention is an installation for manufacturing insulating glass units, comprising an assembly station of an insulating glazing subassembly comprising a spacer frame and at least one central glass sheet, where the spacer frame is formed.
• the assembly station comprising an assembly device which comprises, on the one hand, a plurality of supports movable to receive four spacer frame profiles to position with their grooves engaged on the edges of the central glass sheet and, secondly, a device for welding the ends of the profiles at each corner of the spacer frame while the Spacer frame profiles are positioned with their grooves engaged on the edges of the central glass sheet.
• each welding device comprises one or two sonotrodes configured to frame the angle of the spacer frame by being pressed against an outer transverse wall of each of the two sections.
• An installation according to the invention may also include, without limitation:
• a glass sheet washing station for depositing a seal at the periphery of the spacer frame on the two side walls of the frame intended to be each adjacent to an outer glass sheet of the insulating glazing unit;
• the assembly station of a subset of insulating glazing and the station for depositing a seal are stations located in parallel with a main line comprising the sheet-washing station. of glass, the mounting station of external glass sheets on the spacer frame and the insulating glazing sealing station.
• the installation comprises, to hold the subset of insulating glazing in the assembly station and to move it from one station to another of the installation, a gripping device comprising at the same time organs for gripping the spacer frame and the gripping members of the central glass sheet.
• each gripping member of the spacer frame is mounted on a retractable arm so as to release access to the entire periphery of the spacer frame, in particular for the seal deposit. sealing on the spacer frame.
• each gripping member of the central glass sheet is mounted on an actuator, with the possibility of elastic unlocking of the actuator rod so that the actuator member gripping of the central glass sheet allows the central glass sheet to accompany the displacement of the spacer frame when the latter is mechanically stressed, especially during pressing steps.
• steps of pressing of the spacer frame take place, in particular, in the assembly station of a subset of insulating glazing, during the welding of the ends of the profiles at each corner of the spacer frame, and in the mounting station of external glass sheets on the frame spacer, when applying each outer glass sheet against the corresponding side wall of the spacer frame.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spacer frame profile that can be used for the manufacture of an insulating glazing according to the invention
• Figure 2 is a partial section of an insulating glazing whose spacer frame comprises the profile of Figure 1;
• FIGS. 3 to 9 are schematic views of successive steps of a method of manufacturing insulating glass similar to that shown in Figure 2;
• FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an assembly device used in the process
• FIG. 11 is a view on a larger scale of the detail XI of FIG.
• FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a robot provided with a gripping device used in the context of the method
• FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of detail XIII of FIG.
• FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of detail XIV of FIG.
• FIG. 15 is a cross-section along plane XV of FIG.
• FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a seal deposition device (or butylator) used in the process.
• FIG. 17 is a front view of a positioning station and measuring glass sheets may be used for the manufacture of an insulating glass according to the invention.
• the figures illustrate a method and an installation for manufacturing triple glazings 10, which comprise two outer glass sheets 12 and 14 positioned on either side of a spacer frame 20 and a central glass sheet 16 received in a peripheral groove internal spacer frame.
• the manufacture of the insulating glazing unit 10 involves the assembly of the spacer frame 20 around the central glass sheet 16, by inserting the edges of the central glass sheet 16 into grooves 3 of the constituent sections 1 of the spacer frame 20, then welding the ends 1A, 1B of the profiles 1 at each corner of the spacer frame without alignment bracket.
• the spacer frame 20 is formed of four sections 1, which are mitered at their ends. As shown in Figure 1, each section 1 is formed by a body 2 having two tubular portions 4 juxtaposed. In this example, the body 2 is styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN), reinforced with about 35% glass fiber. The two tubular portions 4 delimit between them a groove 3 intended to receive an edge of the central glass sheet 16. Each tubular portion 4 of the profile 1 comprises two side walls, respectively 41, 43 and 45, 47. The walls 41 and 47 laterally delimit the groove 3 for receiving the central glass sheet 16, while the walls 43 and 45 are intended, in the insulating glazing unit 10, to be respectively adjacent to the outer glass sheet 12 and to the outer glass sheet 14 .
• SAN styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer
• Each tubular portion 4 also comprises two transverse walls which, in the insulating glazing unit 10, extend transversely with respect to the glass sheets 12, 14 and 16, comprising an inner transverse wall 42 or 44 directed towards an internal cavity 17 or 19 of the insulating glass and an outer transverse wall facing outwardly of the insulating glass.
• the outer transverse walls of the two tubular portions 4 are parts of an outer transverse wall 8 of the profile 1, which also defines the bottom of the groove 3.
• the body 2 comprises a thermal insulating coating 22 on the outer surface of the transverse wall 8.
• the connection between each sheet of glass 12 or 14 and the adjacent wall 43 or 45 of the section 1 is provided by a respective sealing bead 13 or 15 butyl.
• the insulating glazing unit 10 also comprises an outer sealing barrier 18 made of polysulphide resin, which is applied to the entire outer periphery of the spacer frame between the two sheets of glass 12 and 14, so as to hold the glass sheets 12 and 14 together. and on the spacer frame.
• the profile 1 comprises a liner 1 1 positioned in the groove 3 to receive the edge of the central glass sheet 16.
• This lining 1 1 is made of EPDM and ensures a fixation without stress of the central glass sheet 16 in the groove 3.
• the lining 1 1 also acts as a mechanical and acoustic damper, in particular when inserting the edges of the central glass sheet 16 in the grooves of the profiles 1 to form the spacer frame 20 around the central glass sheet.
• Each tubular portion 4 of the profile 1 defines a housing 5, defined by the side and transverse walls of the tubular portion, wherein there is a desiccant material 6 which may be, for example, molecular sieve or silica gel.
• the inner transverse walls 42 and 44 of the tubular portions 4 are provided with a plurality of perforations 49, so that the desiccant material 6 is able to absorb the moisture included in each cavity 17 and 19 of the insulating glazing, which allows avoid fogging between the glass sheets 12 and 16 and between the glass sheets 14 and 16.
• the section 1 also has two through-holes 9 for gas passage, which are formed in the one and the other parts tubular 4 in the vicinity of the end 1 B of the profile.
• Each through orifice 9 opens into the two transverse walls of the corresponding tubular portion 4. Once the profile 1 integrated in an insulating glass, the through holes 9 can be used to fill the cavities 17 and 19 with an insulating gas and / or an air outlet from the cavities 17 and 19.
• each end face S 1 of the section 1 is inclined relative to the outer transverse wall 8 of the profile at an angle ⁇ of the order of 45 °, so that the section 1 can be assembled. in a mitered section with other similar sections 1 to form the spacer frame 20.
• the assembly between the ends of the profiles 1 at each corner of the spacer frame 20 is obtained, in this example, by ultrasonic welding at the end faces S1 of the profiles.
• FIGS. 3 to 9 show successive steps of a method of manufacturing triple glazing 10 similar to that of FIG. 2.
• the triple glazing manufacturing installation 10 comprises:
• a butylation station 60 of the subassembly 7 comprising the spacer frame 20 assembled around the central glass sheet 16, in which the butyl sealing beads 13 and 15 are deposited at the periphery of the spacer frame 20, on the side walls 43 and 45 of the spacer frame against which will be reported the external glass sheets 12 or 14 of the insulating glass, the butylation station 60 comprising a butylation head 61 movable in translation on a rail 69;
• a sealing station not shown in the figures, which is located at the outlet of the press 73 and wherein the outer sealing barrier 18 polysulfide resin is applied on the outer periphery of the spacer frame 20 between the two sheets of glass 12 and 14, so as to hold the glass sheets 12 and 14 together and on the spacer frame.
• the installation also comprises a conveyor 38, which passes through the washing station 40, the inspection station 48, the assembly station 70 and the sealing station.
• a conveyor 38 which passes through the washing station 40, the inspection station 48, the assembly station 70 and the sealing station.
• the installation comprises two robots R2 and R3.
• the robots R2 and R3 are each provided with a gripping device 90 comprising both holders 93 for gripping the spacer frame 20 and suction cups 92 for gripping the central glass sheet 16.
• the supports 93 and the suction cups 92 are carried by a frame 91 of the device 90.
• the supports 93 and the suction cups 92 ensure an independent gripping of each of the two elements of the subassembly 7 which are the spacer frame 20 and the central glass sheet 16, allowing in particular a relative movement of these two elements that may be necessary in some manufacturing steps of the insulating glass.
• each of the supports 93.1 to 93.18 for gripping the spacer frame 20 is fixed on an arm 94, which is itself mounted on a jack 95.
• each of the cylinders 95 is a pneumatic cylinder.
• Each cylinder 95 allows a retraction of the arm 94 corresponding, and therefore the or supports 93 carried by the arm 94, when it is desirable to release the access to the periphery of the spacer frame 20.
• Steps requiring access to the periphery of the spacer frame 20 include, in particular, the step of ultrasonically welding the ends of the profiles 1 at each corner of the spacer frame in the assembly station 50, and the step of depositing the cords 13 and 15 on the side walls 43 and 45 of the spacer frame in the butylation station 60.
• each of the four suction pads 92 for gripping the central glass sheet 16 is connected to the rod 96 of a jack 97.
• each of the cylinders 97 is a pneumatic cylinder.
• This arrangement of the suction cups 92 offers the possibility of a rigid grip of the central glass sheet 16, by blocking the rod of each cylinder 97 in translation, or the possibility of a flexible grip of the central glass sheet. 16, leaving the rod of each cylinder 97 slidably movable against an elastic load which is appropriately selected so that the central glass sheet 16 can smoothly accompany the displacement of the spacer frame 20 when it is stressed. mechanically.
• Steps involving an effort pressure exerted on the spacer frame 20 include, in particular, the step of ultrasonically welding the ends of the profiles 1 at each corner of the spacer frame in the assembly station 50, and the step of pressing the outer glass sheet 14 against the spacer frame in the station 71 of the mounting station 70.
• the spacer frame 20 tends to move towards the frame 91 of the device 90, as shown by the arrow F of FIG. 15.
• a needle 98 is provided in the vicinity of each support 93 for creating a plurality of bearing points on the also butylated side wall 43 of the spacer frame opposite the wall 45, and thus limiting the displacement of the spacer frame 20 in the direction of the arrow F.
• the method of manufacturing a triple glazing 10 comprises steps as described below, which are illustrated in Figures 3 to 9.
• the sections 1 constituting the spacer frame 20 are prepared in a profile preparation installation, not shown, which is located upstream of the store 30 and which supplies the store 30 with profiles 1.
• the preparation of the profiles 1 comprises the cutting of the profile to the desired length, the shaping of its ends 1A and 1B in a beveled shape at 45 °, the filling of the two tubular parts 4 of the profile with a desiccant material 6 such as molecular sieve or silica gel, drilling the profile to create a through-orifice 9 for gas passage in each of the two tubular portions 4.
• a desiccant material 6 such as molecular sieve or silica gel
• the robot R1 manipulates the profiles 1 successively, to position them one by one on the movable supports 53 of the device 51 which are in the initial configuration of loading.
• the robot R1 can of course be designed to handle several profiles 1 at a time.
• the collection of the profiles 1 in the magazine 30 and their positioning on the movable supports 53 of the assembly device 51 can be carried out manually by an operator.
• the robot R2 fetches a central glass sheet 16 in the inspection station 48, which is previously passed through the washing station 40.
• the robot R2 holds the central glass sheet 16 by means of the suction cups 92 of its gripping device 90.
• the robot R2 moves the central glass sheet 16 from the inspection station 48 to the assembly station 50, where it positions it so that each of its edges is opposite the position which is or will be occupied by the groove 3 of a section 1 positioned on the movable supports 53 in the initial configuration of loading.
• FIG 8 shows a configuration of the assembly station 50 in which the robot R1 has positioned the four sections 1 on their movable supports 53 in the initial loading configuration and the robot R2 holds the central glass sheet 16 correctly positioned in the volume defined between the profiles 1, with its edges facing the grooves 3 of the profiles.
• the assembly device 51 is programmed to detect this configuration and trigger a simultaneous displacement of the movable supports 53 carrying the profiles 1, so as to simultaneously insert the four edges of the central glass sheet 16 in the grooves 3 of the four sections 1.
• the spacer frame 20 of the insulating glazing unit is thus formed around the central glass sheet 16.
• the central glass sheet 16 serves as a reference frame for assembling the frame 20, which greatly limits the appearance of defects. geometric framework.
• the movable supports 53 hold the profiles 1 in engagement with the edges of the central glass sheet 16.
• the movable supports 53 hold the end faces S1 of the profiles in a configuration where they are aligned in superposition in the same plane.
• each welding head 55 comprises two sonotrodes 52 oriented perpendicularly relative to each other, which are configured to fit the angle of the spacer frame 20, each coming against the transverse outer wall 8 of one two profiles 1 forming the angle.
• the pressure force exerted during the welding by each sonotrode 52 on the wall 8 of the corresponding section is perpendicular to the transverse wall 8.
• Each welding head 55 also comprises a stop 56, which confines during welding the side walls of the two profiles 1 forming the angle, so as to limit the deformation of the profiles.
• the central glass sheet 16 acts as the anvil for each of the two sonotrodes 52, maintaining the two sections 1 in a fixed position during welding.
• the frequency of the ultrasonic vibration for welding is 35 kHz.
• the robot R3 then moves the subassembly 7 by rotating it on itself opposite the butylation head 61, which moves itself in translation in the direction of the rail 69 by moving back and forth on this rail, so as to deposit the sealing beads 13 and 15 at the periphery of the spacer frame 20 on the two side walls 43 and 45 of the frame.
• the structure of the butylation head 61 is adapted to allow simultaneous butylation of the two walls 43 and 45, thanks to the presence of two injection nozzles 62 and 64, each connected to a butyl reservoir. 63 or 65.
• the two injection nozzles 62 and 64 are disposed on either side of a carriage 67 provided with two rollers 68, which are provided to circulate along the outer transverse wall 8 of the frame 20 while that the two injection nozzles 62 and 64 deposit the butyl beads 13 and 15 on the walls 43 and 45.
• the robot R3 moves the subassembly 7 to the station 71 of the mounting station 70, where a first outer glass sheet 14 is waiting.
• the outer glass sheet 14 is then pressed against the butyl side wall 45 of the spacer frame which is still held, as well as the glass sheet 16, by the robot R3 using its gripping device 90.
• the assembly comprising the glass sheet 14 and the subassembly 7 secured to the butyl bead 15 is then conveyed on the conveyor 38 in the press 73, where a second outer glass sheet 12 is applied to the subassembly 7 at the
• the insulating gas filling of the two cavities 17 and 19 delimited between the glass sheets 12, 14, 16 can also take place in the press 73, before the assembly is transferred to a sealing station, not visible in the figures, which is located at the outlet of the press 73 and in which the external resin sealing barrier 18 polysulfide is applied to the outer periphery of the spacer frame 20 between the outer glass sheets 12 and 14.
• the assembly station 50 and the butylation station 60 are stations located in parallel with a main line comprising the conveyor 38 which passes through the washing station 40 , the inspection station 48, the assembly station 70 and the sealing station.
• the butylation station 60 may involve a conveyor parallel to the conveyor 38 of the main line instead of a gripper robot.
• a single station 80 for positioning and measuring glass sheets such as shown for example in Figure 17, which is located on the main line comprising the conveyor 38 and which is associated with a single robot similar to the robot R2 described above instead of two robots R2 and R3.
• the positioning and measuring station 80 makes it possible to position a glass sheet 12, 14, 16 in a reference position (shown in dashed lines in FIG. 17) and to measure the dimensions of the glass sheet 12, 14, 16 according to two orthogonal directions X and Y, which are in particular a horizontal direction X and a vertical direction Y, as well as possibly in the direction Z of thickness of the glass sheet.
• the positioning and measurement station 80 comprises a frame having a horizontal portion 81, which supports a horizontal setting device 83 making it possible to define the reference position in the vertical direction Y, and a vertical portion 82, which supports a vertical clamping device 86 for defining the reference position in the horizontal direction X.
• the horizontal wedging device 83 comprises a plurality of wedges 85 arranged between the rollers of the conveyor 38 and integral with the same support which is movable between a low position, visible in full lines in FIG. 17, in which the wedges 85 are in position. shrinkage relative to the roll surface of the conveyor 38 so that a glass sheet 12, 14, 16 can be brought by the conveyor 38 into the station 80, and a high position, visible in dashed lines in FIG. 17, in which the wedges 85 project according to the Y direction relative to the surface of the rollers of the conveyor 38.
• a glass sheet 12, 14, 16 received in the station 80 and supported by its lower edge on the shims 85 is moved vertically towards the reference position.
• the vertical wedging device 86 comprises a single wedge, which is movable between a retracted position, in which the wedge 86 is recessed with respect to the glass sheet passage area on the rollers of the conveyor 38 so that a sheet of glass 12, 14, 16 can be brought by the conveyor 38 in the station 80, and an extended position, visible in dashed lines in FIG. 17, in which the shim 86 projects in the X and Z directions with respect to the part 83 of the chassis.
• a glass sheet 12, 14, 16 received in the station 80 can be moved horizontally towards the reference position to bear by its left lateral edge on the shim 86.
• the station 80 also comprises measuring heads of the dimensions of a glass sheet 12, 14, 16 received in the station 80 in the reference position, comprising a head 87 for measuring the dimension in the horizontal direction X and a head 88 measurement of the dimension in the vertical direction Y.
• the measurement of the dimensions in the X, Y, Z directions of a glass sheet received in the station 80 can be carried out on the fly, by mobile sensor, etc.
• the precise measurement of the dimensions along the X, Y, Z directions of each sheet of glass used for the manufacture of an insulating glazing unit 10, starting from the reference position, allows in particular:
• each glass sheet 12, 14, 16 of the insulating glazing unit 10 to have a precise focusing of each glass sheet 12, 14, 16 of the insulating glazing unit 10; to take into account any differences that may be measured in order to correct the manufacturing parameters in the preparation plant for the sections 1 upstream of the store 30 and / or in the butylation station 60 and / or in the station where the first sheet of glass external 14 is pressed against the butyl side wall 45 of the spacer frame.
• the method of manufacturing triple glazing using station 80 shown in FIG. 17, instead of inspection station 48 and station 71 of assembly station 70, and a single Robot analog robot R2 described above, instead of two robots R2 and R3, includes steps as described below.
• the central glass sheet 16 is then in the reference position, and the measuring heads 87, 88 measure the dimensions along the X, Y, Z directions of the a central glass sheet 16 in the reference position.
• the data resulting from the measurements in the X, Y, Z directions of the central glass sheet 16 in the reference position are sent to the profiling preparation plant 1 upstream of the magazine 30 in order to verify and / or adjust the dimensions of the profiles 1.
• the robot R1 positions the profiles 1 in the assembly device 51
• the robot R2 fetches the central glass sheet 16 in the reference position in the station 80, by means of the suction cups 92 of its gripping device 90.
• the robot R2 then positions the central glass sheet 16 in the assembly station 50, and the method in the station assembly 50 continues in a manner similar to that described above with reference to Figures 3 to 9.
• the robot R2 extracts the subassembly 7 comprising the spacer frame 20 assembled around the central glass sheet 16 out of the assembly station 50 and positions it in the station. butylage 60, where it moves it opposite the butylation head 61, so as to deposit the sealing beads 13 and 15 at the periphery of the spacer frame 20 on the two side walls 43 and 45 of each of the four sides of the frame .
• the robot R2 returns the subassembly 7 to the station 80, where a first external glass sheet 14 is waiting in the reference position.
• the station 80 measurement of the dimensions in the X, Y, Z directions of the outer glass sheet 14 in the reference position has taken place, which makes it possible to adapt the parameters for the pressing of the outer glass sheet. 14 against the butyl side wall 45 of the spacer frame of the subassembly 7 held by the robot R2.
• the outer glass sheet 14 is then pressed against the butyl side wall 45 of the spacer frame which is still held, as well as the glass sheet 16, by the robot R2 by means of its gripping device 90.
• the assembly comprising the glass sheet 14 and the subassembly 7 secured to the level of the butyl cord 15 is then conveyed on the conveyor 38 in the press 73, where a second outer glass sheet 12 is applied to the subassembly 7 at the butyl bead 13, as previously described with reference to Figures 3 to 9.
• the method according to the invention can be implemented in a completely automated manner, which makes it possible to increase the productivity and to reduce the production costs of insulating glass units with at least three sheets of glass.
• the method according to the invention also has the advantage of guaranteeing precise positioning of the end faces of the profiles of the spacer frame, thanks to the assembly of the frame around at least one central sheet of glass, which makes it possible to limit the appearance of geometrical defects of the spacer frame and thus to ensure good durability of the insulating glass units.
• the invention is not limited to the examples described and shown.
• the method according to the invention has been described in the case where it is completely automated, but it is of course possible to implement the invention with partial automation, or even without automation.
• the invention has been described with an assembly of the profiles of the spacer frame at their ends by ultrasonic welding. Other assembly techniques are however also possible, as long as they are compatible with the fact that the spacer frame is assembled around at least one central glass sheet.
• the number of tubular portions of the spacer frame profiles can also be greater than two, with a groove defined by each pair of adjacent tubular portions, which allows the manufacture of insulating glass units comprising four or more glass sheets.
• the manufacturing process of the insulating glazing may be similar to that described above for the manufacture of triple glazing, with the difference that the assembly of the spacer frame is no longer made around a single central glass sheet, but several central glass sheets juxtaposed.

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• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Securing Of Glass Panes Or The Like (AREA)
• Joining Of Glass To Other Materials (AREA)

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• 2015
  • 2015-12-31 FR FR1563509A patent/FR3046415A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 2016
  • 2016-12-31 CA CA3007407A patent/CA3007407A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 2016-12-31 RU RU2018127768A patent/RU2018127768A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2016-12-31 KR KR1020187018252A patent/KR20180099697A/ko unknown
  • 2016-12-31 WO PCT/FR2016/053692 patent/WO2017115062A1/fr unknown
  • 2016-12-31 EP EP16829302.5A patent/EP3405637A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2016-12-31 US US16/067,292 patent/US20190024441A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2016-12-31 CN CN201680077288.XA patent/CN108431358A/zh active Pending
  • 2016-12-31 EP EP16829303.3A patent/EP3402957A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2016-12-31 CN CN201680077206.1A patent/CN108541290A/zh active Pending
  • 2016-12-31 US US16/067,282 patent/US20180355657A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2016-12-31 KR KR1020187018251A patent/KR20180099696A/ko unknown
  • 2016-12-31 CA CA3007405A patent/CA3007405A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 2016-12-31 RU RU2018127762A patent/RU2018127762A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2016-12-31 WO PCT/FR2016/053693 patent/WO2017115063A1/fr unknown

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