FR2653856A1 - Structure with juxtaposed metal frames or with a grid for glass roof construction or facade cladding - Google Patents

Abstract

Structure with juxtaposed metal frames or with a grid for glass roof structure or facade cladding, this structure being self-supporting or supported by a primary structure of the type in which bonded external glazing (5) is utilised, the main sealing being provided by an outer bead of elastomer (1) poured in situ. Secondary sealing, namely that which makes it possible to collect together and drain off various waters which filter in is produced by virtue of a seal (8) made from extruded elastomer mesh joined at a corner, this seal being fixed under the metallic part (7) of the structure and all the way along it.

Description

 Frame structures are used in particular for the construction of curtain walls, the wall structure consisting of a series of juxtaposed frames and associated with each other to meet the requirements of alignment and sealing.

 The technique of juxtaposed frames is never used for canopies, due to the obligations imposed by the control offices, which are to collect and drain the water coming from possible infiltrations, foreseeable at the level of the seals placed upstream or at level of profile sections.

The frame technique known for use in facades also has several major drawbacks for use in a glass roof.
- The number of cuts is twice as high as it is in the grid process, each cut of the profile being considered as a possibility of leakage.

 - the frames adjoining the hip need to adapt only one side of the frame forming the edge, while allowing assembly by cuts at an angle often different from 90 "; this approach is unacceptable.

 - the regulations for the use of glass products impose drainage of rebates.

 For all these reasons, only the grid structures, that is to say the uprights and crosspieces, offer, by a set of rigid pipes, an evacuation towards the outside of the infiltrated water, and therefore offer the required characteristics.

 The main drawback of this technique however lies precisely in the rigidity of these pipes and their discontinuities.

 Indeed, each interruption of the profiles collecting the infiltrated water must be treated with great care. In addition, the collection of infiltrated water by a set of tiles prevents the use of this same principle for facades whose inclination varies from 0 to 90, or for the inclinations of the amounts too far from the lines of greatest slope.

The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks of the prior techniques and to produce a structure with metal frames making it possible to be used both in canopies and in facade claddings and allowing
- to get rid of the sense implied by the steepest lines,
- to avoid the sometimes complex machining required by small variations in angles in a grid system,
- collect without risk of overflow any infiltration at the rebates,
- to remove all mechanical interventions on site,
- to constitute an effective provisional seal from the assembly phase,
- offer a linear transmission coefficient equal to that of products with a thermal break in a traditional system (no aluminum exposed on the outside),
- to produce so-called diamond point compositions ", delicate with traditional systems,
- to build modular roofs without the need to provide expansion joints.

 To this end, the present invention relates to a structure with juxtaposed metal frames or a grid for canopy or facade cladding, this structure being self-supporting or supported by a primary structure, the main sealing being provided by known means, characterized in that the secondary sealing, namely that which ensures the collection and the flow, at the lower level of said structure, of the various agreed or accidental infiltration waters and of condensation, is achieved by means of an elastomeric grid seal yarn assembled at an angle, this joint being fixed under the metal part of the structure and all along the latter, said grid joint being able, moreover, to compensate, by its elasticity, for the relative movements of said frames or of said grids.

 In addition to allowing the problems posed by the prior techniques to be fully resolved, as explained above, this general arrangement of the invention allows the provision of a temporary seal enabling the optimum conditions to be awaited. realization of the upper seal.

 It also makes it possible to make up for all the tolerances of the elements present by the play of an appropriate molding of the corner piece.

 According to an additional characteristic of the present invention, it is provided that said grid seal hides at least almost all of said metallic lower part of the structure.

 Thus, this masking improves the aesthetics of the interior part of the structure, as well as its thermal and sound insulation characteristics.

Different embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing in which
- Figure 1 is a partial sectional view, in a vertical plane, made at the junction between two metal frames of a canopy structure according to the present invention
- Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, in a variant according to which the seal ensuring the secondary seal is produced in cellular form, with double wall
- Figure 3 is another view similar to that of Figures 1 and 2, in a variant in which the primary seal is provided by a safety cover associated with traditional seals
- Figure 4 is yet another variant showing yet another form of section, suitable for also incorporating the strong condensations present on simple glazing
- Figure 5 is a perspective view from below, showing the secondary seal at the location of an intersection
- Figure 6 is a schematic bottom view at a cross of the secondary seal
- Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view, showing a secondary seal established so as to hide the entire metallic lower part of the structure
- Figure 8 is the corresponding perspective view, established very schematically
- Figures 9, 10 and 11 still schematically show different crossings and arrangements of frames to form the modules of a flat or hemispherical sheet
- Figures 12, 13 and 14 are other schematic sectional views (Figures 13b and 14) or in perspective (Figures 12 and 13a), showing other advantages of a structure according to the invention.

 In FIG. 1, the reference 7 designates the profile of the frames, which are made of extruded aluminum. Reference 5 designates the glass sheets constituting the insulating double glazing of the canopy, these two sheets being separated from each other by a bonding sealant 6 forming a spacer and executed by the manufacturer of the double glazing. References 3 and 4 denote other adhesive sealants, executed in the factory by the canopy manufacturer and intended to ensure the fixing of the double glazing on corresponding shoulders of the metal frame 7. The reference 1 denotes a gasket silicone seal, cast in place and supported by a seal base 2.

 The flexible seal which is more particularly the subject of the invention has been referenced in 8. It is advantageously made of neoprene or of extruded silicone.

 We see that it is clipped by ribs 9 forcibly engaging in the grooves 10 provided at the base of the frame profile on the face opposite to the junction. This joint thus forms all along the base of the frames a collector capable of collecting the various flows mentioned above.

 In this FIG. 1, we have in particular designated in A the possible infiltrations by the seals 1 and 2, in B the drainage of the condensations which can be done by drilling the profile, in C the collection of the condensations on the inner face of the glazing , which are intended to evaporate, and in D the condensations on the inner wall of the profile, which are fully drained.

 It can be seen in FIG. 1 that the seal 8 only partially covers the aluminum profiles 7.

However, it acts as a heat shield but can be made more specifically for this purpose, in the form of a double-walled cellular seal, as shown in FIG. 2, a figure in which the same references have been used as in FIG. 1 to designate the same parts of the structure.

 It should also be noted that the profiles constituting the frames can be self-supporting and be assembled together in a modular fashion on the site.

 As already apparent from the above, this principle can be used in the same way with a grid structure, although with loss of a number of its advantages.

 For example too, the primary seal produced by seals 1 and 2 could be different, and be ensured by means of a safety cover 11 associated with traditional seals 12, whether or not combined with a thermal break 13 at the frame , as shown in Figure 3.

 It should also be noted that the frames in accordance with the invention could be fitted with opening parts.

 The sealing principle in accordance with the invention also opens the way to self-supporting modular canopies pre-equipped with their fillings, by the play of punctual assemblies between the frames placed upstream of the sealing barrier with respect to the external face. .

 In FIG. 6, the possibility of longitudinal deformation of the secondary seal has been shown at the level of the crossings of the frame, which allows the pipe to absorb the manufacturing tolerances and the relative movements of frame to frame.

 Profiles in elastic materials, connected at their intersections by a molded piece of the same material, assembled in the factory in a sealed manner to the base profile, are suitable for this type of application.

 All this makes it possible to manufacture continuous grids in the factory which can exceed 20 m per side.

 These are connected to each other on the site by means of an overmolding (molded part of another type allowing a sealed connection by simple bonding).

 The molded connecting piece, part welded during manufacture, is also designed to absorb all displacements at the right of the assembly.

 It should be noted that the assembly shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in which the seal completely surrounds the metal structure, makes it possible to be able to dry the rebate of the glazing (which is required by the regulations) without risk of leakage on the interior of the building.

 This process makes it possible to get rid of the sense involved by the lines of greatest slope.

 I1 therefore offers all the possibilities of shape or design of the structures on an inclined plane without the concern of the continuity of the amounts that one would have in the grid process.

 Intersections can also have a number of departures less than or greater than four, allowing the juxtaposition of triangles or other polygons constituting the modules of a flat or hemispherical sheet (figs. 9, 10 and 11).

 In the latter case, the method also allows angle deviations on the two axes (see fig. 12), which is very difficult to achieve with a grid structure (fig. 13 and 14).

 Another advantage of the process is that one no longer has to carry out specific expansion joints on the facade, whatever the surface covered.

 This process also provides sufficient temporary sealing which allows waiting for the optimal conditions for the implementation of the primary external seals.

In conclusion, a structural joint according to the invention, by enveloping the metal structure from below, makes it possible not only to collect the seepage water occurring at the level of the first sealing barrier, but also
- seepage water at the miter cuts for the slightly sloping parts
- seepage water present in the rebates; and
- the self-drainage of the sleepers or uprights, thus allowing all the slopes in the roof plane.

 The secondary seal also makes it possible to produce the airtightness inside, this reinforcing the watertightness of the primary seal (s).

He thus ensures
- the collection of infiltrations at the level of the first external sealing barrier;
- evacuation of infiltrations in the glazing rebates
- the collection of condensation water; and
- peripheral drainage.

Claims (3)

 1. Structure with juxtaposed metal frames or grid for canopy or facade cladding, this structure being self-supporting or supported by a primary structure, the primary sealing being provided by known means, characterized in that the secondary sealing, namely that which ensures the collection and the flow, at the lower level of said structure, of the various consented or accidental infiltration waters and of condensation, is carried out by means of a grated elastomer grid joint assembled at an angle, this joint being fixed under the metal part of the structure, all along the latter, and covering it at least partially, said grid joint being able, moreover, to compensate, by its elasticity, for the relative movements of said frames or said grids.  2. Structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said grid seal hides at least almost all of said metallic lower part of the structure.  3. Structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said grid seal is produced in double-walled honeycomb form, to increase its heat shield effect or its linear rigidity.