GB2083120A - Spacer for double glazing panes - Google Patents

Abstract

A spacer for glass pane or like insulation comprising an extruded light metal hollow profile or section, the interior of which is charged or capable of being charged with a drying agent and the wall of which facing the space between the insulating glass panes has apertures formed therein, characterised by the feature that the spacer consists of an extruded hollow profile or section and the cross-web wall 9 facing inwardly between the panes defines the inner wall of a chamber for the drying agent and forms with ribs 13, 14 a substantially U-shaped portion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A spacer for doubleglazing panes The present invention relates to a spacer for double-glazing or other insulating panes which is comprised of an extruded, light metal, hollow section whose interior contains a drying agent or desiccant and the wall facing the interior of the doubleglazing pane has apertures formed therein.

Spacers of this type generally have a rectangular cross-section, but may have any shape as long as they are suitable as spacers between flat surfaces, such as glass panes. It is a purpose of spacers in double or multiple glazing -depending upon the requirement from a thermal or acoustic point of view - to retain the panes spaced relative one another.

Spacers of this type also have widths between say 4 and 40mm. It has further been found that with increasing width ofthe spacer the hollow chamber inside is increased and that a corresponding greater amount of relatively costly drying agent has to be charged into this cavity. It has further been found that on the completed insulation glass panes the weak point is the location at which the spacers abut, which is generally at the four corners.

To assist in reducing weakness at corner connections manufacturers insert in the corner regions angles in the cavities of the abutting spacer members, the spine of which is bevelled towards the edge of the pane in order to obtain an as thick as possible layer of Thiokol conventionally inserted to prevent as far as possible infiltration of air from the outside into the space between the panes.

Other measures are intended to render the corner as such liquid-and gastight e.g. by solder. Such methods, however, are technically involved and costly. It has now been found that spacers made from an extruded profile or section may be so deformed by bending that an endless frame corresponding to the required dimensions is formed, which frame has only one butt point which is relatively easy to seal. The bending of spacers of a conventional kind, however, entailed the difficulty that, in the bending region, the wall of the spacer facing the interior of the pane folded-up or even cracked.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a spacerwhich is so fashioned that the bending operation may be effected without the above-described disadvantages occurring, and that the cavity is so dimensioned that the drying agent can be charged in economically tenable quantities, especially with spacers of large dimensions.

The object is attained in that the spacer comprises an extruded hollow profile or section wherein a cross web thereof facing the inner space between the panes delimits to the inward region of the panes, a side of a chamber provided for a drying agent and forms a base of a U-shaped profile member or portion. The development of the spacer in accordance with the invention provides the surprising effects that the spacer has at one side or end only a limited capacity for the drying agent, whilst it may be deformed by bending the set-back cross-web without the latter exhibiting undesired deformations by folding up or cracking and the like.

Thus, according to the present invention a spacer for glass pane or like insulation comprises an extruded light metal hollow profile or section, the interior of which is charged or capable of being charged with a drying agent and the wall of which facing the space between the insulating glass panes has apertures formed therein, characterised by the feature that the spacer consists of an extruded hollow profile or section and the cross-web wall facing inwardly between the panes defines towards the inner space between the panes a chamber for the drying agent and forms a substantially U-shaped portion.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an elevation of an double-glazing pane or panel; Fig. 2 is a cross-section through a double-glazing pane having a spacer in accordance with the invention; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a bent spacer.

An insulating glass pane or panel 1 as shown in Fig. 1 comprises two individual panes 2 and 3 which are kept spaced apart by a spacer 4, whereby the width of the spacer 4 determines the size of the space 5 between panes. The spacer 4 comprises an extruded section which, for example, may be made of aluminium. Lower outwardly facing wall 6 of the spacer 4 together with flanks 7 and 8 and cross-web 9 form a cavity 10 which serves to receive a drying agent or desiccant 11 which is intended to dry the gas trapped between the panes and whereby the drying exchange occurs through bores 12. In accordance with the invention the flanks 7 and 8 are extended towards the interior or centre of the panes by ribs 13 and 14, which together with the cross-web 9 form a U-shaped profile portion.The arrangement of the cross-web 9 in the middle region of the spacer 4 permits the spacer 4 in accordance with the invention to be kept flexible, whereby even with narrow radii in the region of the bend 15 no folds, buckles or other undesired effects occur. If as usual, the spacer 4 is bent from an extruded profile length into a frame and inserted as an endless unit between the two insulating panes to be inter connected, only one butt point results over the whole circumference whereat the converging ends of the spacer profile are connected or sealed by means of a insert member 16.

The section in accordance with the invention permits a flexible spacer having a limited capacity for the drying agent.

1. A spacer for glass pane or like insulation comprising an extruded light metal hollow profile or section, the interior of which is charged or capable of being charged with a drying agent and the wall of which facing the space between the insulating glass panes has apertures formed therein, characterised by the feature that the spacer consists of an extruded hollow profile or section and the cross-web wall facing inwardly between the panes defines towards the inner space between the panes a chamber for the drying agent and forms a substantially U-shaped

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A spacer for doubleglazing panes The present invention relates to a spacer for double-glazing or other insulating panes which is comprised of an extruded, light metal, hollow section whose interior contains a drying agent or desiccant and the wall facing the interior of the doubleglazing pane has apertures formed therein. Spacers of this type generally have a rectangular cross-section, but may have any shape as long as they are suitable as spacers between flat surfaces, such as glass panes. It is a purpose of spacers in double or multiple glazing -depending upon the requirement from a thermal or acoustic point of view - to retain the panes spaced relative one another. Spacers of this type also have widths between say 4 and 40mm. It has further been found that with increasing width ofthe spacer the hollow chamber inside is increased and that a corresponding greater amount of relatively costly drying agent has to be charged into this cavity. It has further been found that on the completed insulation glass panes the weak point is the location at which the spacers abut, which is generally at the four corners. To assist in reducing weakness at corner connections manufacturers insert in the corner regions angles in the cavities of the abutting spacer members, the spine of which is bevelled towards the edge of the pane in order to obtain an as thick as possible layer of Thiokol conventionally inserted to prevent as far as possible infiltration of air from the outside into the space between the panes. Other measures are intended to render the corner as such liquid-and gastight e.g. by solder. Such methods, however, are technically involved and costly. It has now been found that spacers made from an extruded profile or section may be so deformed by bending that an endless frame corresponding to the required dimensions is formed, which frame has only one butt point which is relatively easy to seal. The bending of spacers of a conventional kind, however, entailed the difficulty that, in the bending region, the wall of the spacer facing the interior of the pane folded-up or even cracked. It is an object of the present invention to provide a spacerwhich is so fashioned that the bending operation may be effected without the above-described disadvantages occurring, and that the cavity is so dimensioned that the drying agent can be charged in economically tenable quantities, especially with spacers of large dimensions. The object is attained in that the spacer comprises an extruded hollow profile or section wherein a cross web thereof facing the inner space between the panes delimits to the inward region of the panes, a side of a chamber provided for a drying agent and forms a base of a U-shaped profile member or portion. The development of the spacer in accordance with the invention provides the surprising effects that the spacer has at one side or end only a limited capacity for the drying agent, whilst it may be deformed by bending the set-back cross-web without the latter exhibiting undesired deformations by folding up or cracking and the like. Thus, according to the present invention a spacer for glass pane or like insulation comprises an extruded light metal hollow profile or section, the interior of which is charged or capable of being charged with a drying agent and the wall of which facing the space between the insulating glass panes has apertures formed therein, characterised by the feature that the spacer consists of an extruded hollow profile or section and the cross-web wall facing inwardly between the panes defines towards the inner space between the panes a chamber for the drying agent and forms a substantially U-shaped portion. The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an elevation of an double-glazing pane or panel; Fig. 2 is a cross-section through a double-glazing pane having a spacer in accordance with the invention; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a bent spacer. An insulating glass pane or panel 1 as shown in Fig. 1 comprises two individual panes 2 and 3 which are kept spaced apart by a spacer 4, whereby the width of the spacer 4 determines the size of the space 5 between panes. The spacer 4 comprises an extruded section which, for example, may be made of aluminium. Lower outwardly facing wall 6 of the spacer 4 together with flanks 7 and 8 and cross-web 9 form a cavity 10 which serves to receive a drying agent or desiccant 11 which is intended to dry the gas trapped between the panes and whereby the drying exchange occurs through bores 12. In accordance with the invention the flanks 7 and 8 are extended towards the interior or centre of the panes by ribs 13 and 14, which together with the cross-web 9 form a U-shaped profile portion.The arrangement of the cross-web 9 in the middle region of the spacer 4 permits the spacer 4 in accordance with the invention to be kept flexible, whereby even with narrow radii in the region of the bend 15 no folds, buckles or other undesired effects occur. If as usual, the spacer 4 is bent from an extruded profile length into a frame and inserted as an endless unit between the two insulating panes to be inter connected, only one butt point results over the whole circumference whereat the converging ends of the spacer profile are connected or sealed by means of a insert member 16. The section in accordance with the invention permits a flexible spacer having a limited capacity for the drying agent. CLAIMS

1. A spacer for glass pane or like insulation comprising an extruded light metal hollow profile or section, the interior of which is charged or capable of being charged with a drying agent and the wall of which facing the space between the insulating glass panes has apertures formed therein, characterised by the feature that the spacer consists of an extruded hollow profile or section and the cross-web wall facing inwardly between the panes defines towards the inner space between the panes a chamber for the drying agent and forms a substantially U-shaped portion.

2. A spacer as claimed in claim 1, in which the spacer is flexible or bendable without any undesired deformations in the region of the cross-web.

3. A spacer as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the extruded hollow section for receiving drying agent is shaped and formed to be bent without undue deformation and has a chamberforsaid agent of economic proportions and comprises a wall which in position of use is the outward facing wall, a generally parallel cross-web wall which in position of use is inwardly facing with respect to the bent spacer, and two flanks or side walls together defining a chamberforthe drying agent; said two side walls extending inwardly away from the outwardly facing wall and beyond the cross-web wall which forms the base of a U-shaped portion formed thereby and the said cross-web wall has apertures formed therein leading to said chamber.

4. A spacer as claimed in claim 3 in which the outer wall has inclined or sloping shoulder portions leading to the side walls.

5. A spacer for window insulation panes substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.