GB2149445A

GB2149445A - Corner connectors for spacers for multiple glazing units

Info

Publication number: GB2149445A
Application number: GB08427166A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wolf-Dietrich Chmieleck; Dieter Ulbrych
Original assignee: Flachglas Wernberg GmbH
Current assignee: Flachglas Wernberg GmbH
Priority date: 1983-10-28
Filing date: 1984-10-26
Publication date: 1985-06-12
Also published as: ATA341484A; GB8427166D0; AT386455B; GB2149445B

Abstract

A corner piece (1) for connecting two lengths of spacer (4) in the assembly of a spacer frame for a multiple glazing unit (3) has a hole (6) therethrough between the area (11) enclosed by the spacer frame and the exterior, and a stopper (7) for the hole carrying at least one electrical conductor (10) to provide electrical connection between the interspace and the exterior, the stopper and hole having conforming sealing surfaces whereby the stopper may be sealed into the hole. The same corner piece can be used with an alternative conductor-free stopper to facilitate exchanging the gas in the interspace or adjusting its pressure if electrical connections are not required. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Corner piecesfor multiple glazing units The invention relates to corner pieces for spacer frames used in the construction of sealed multiple glazing units, and in particularto corner pieces having a hole therethrough to provide communication between the exterior and the area enclosed bytheframe, and a stopperforthat hole, and to kits for assembling such spacerframes.

In a known corner piece of the type referred to above (DE-GM 76 08 020), the stopper is a sealing component with a mechanically operated seal. The corner piece has a circumferential sealing surface around the hole and a corresponding sealing surface is provided on the stopper. The corner piece and the stopper are provided with locking parts which engage when the stopper is inserted into the hole and turned. The locking parts include tensioning elements which, when the locking parts are engaged, brace the sealing surface of the stopper againstthe sealing surface on the corner piece. This form of corner piece and stopper is provided so that the stopper can be removed, and the hole used to exchange the gas in the interspace of the unitand/orto adjustthe pressure ofthe gas, and the stopper replaced and locked in position to seal the hole.

However, it is frequently necessary to provide an electrical supplyto an electrical device in the interspace of a multiple glazing unit. The electrical device may be used for heating or other purposes, e.g. as a burglar alarm. It may comprise wire conductors, conductive layers or a combination thereof. To supply the device, and/or detect signalsfrom it, at least one electrical conductor is introduced into the interspace and connected to the device. In the past, special means e.g. as described below, have been provided for introduction of electrical conductors and their design has not been influenced by corner pieces of the type described above.

Corner pieces of a special design have been constructed for supplying electricity to electrical devices in multiple glazing units. DE-GM 8028055 describes a corner piece incorporating electrical conductors which connectsto lengths of spacer to make up a spacer frame. A cable enters the corner piece from outside the area enclosed by the spacer frame and is embedded and sealed in the corner piece to be integral therewith. By using a cable with a thermoplastic sheath, and forming the corner piece from thermoplastics material, a union between the cable and the corner piece sufficient to prevent moisture diffusing through the completed corner piece is achieved.

However, this corner piece is only suitable for use when an electrical connection is required, and separate stocks of electrically connecting corner pieces and stoppered corner pieces for gas exchange as referred to above must be maintained, and the appropriate corner piece selected when the spacer frame is assembled.

According to the present invention,there is provided a corner pieceforconnecting two lengths of spacer in the assembly of a spacerframe for a multiple glazing unit, the corner piece having a hole therethrough between the area enclosed by the spacer frame and the exterior, and a stopperforthe hole carrying at least one electrical conductor to provide electrical connection between the interspace of the multiple glazing unit and the exterior, the stopper and hole having conforming sealing surfaces whereby the stopper may be sealed into the hole.

Preferably the conforming sealing surfaces of the stopper and hole are conical.

The stopper may be of, for example, glass or ceramic or plastics. Preferably a plastics stopper is used, especially an epoxide resin stopper. Preferably the stopper carries at least two electrical conductors to provide electrical connections between the interspace ofthe multiple glazing unit and the exterior. The electrical conductors may be in a cable with plastics insulation which is embedded in the head ofthe stopper, with separate conductors, which may be exposed or insulated, extending from the foot ofthe stopper. The cable insulation may terminate partway through the stopper, in which case the conductors are preferably embedded in the material ofthe stopper where they extend beyond the cable insulation.It is advisable for the cable to have a plastic insulation of polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, polyester or polyethylene, and forthe cable to be a flat cable which is embedded in the stopper, disposed symmetrically aboutthe longitudinal axis of the stopper and with its majorfaces parallel too the plane ofthe spacerframe.

In use, the stopper may be sealed in the hole with an adhesive, or example, a polysulphide-based adhesive used in the production ofmutlipleglazing units.

The electrical conductor or conductors in the stopper preferably lie parallel to the longitudinal axis ofthe stopper, or, in the case of a tapering, for example conical, stopper, carrying at least two conductors, converge with the taper.

The invention providesforasecureand sealed cable introduction. By embedding the cable in the stopper, diffusion ofwatervapouralong the cable is prevented.

When the stopper is of epoxide resin, and the resin cured afterthe introduction of the cable, the epoxide resin shrinks during curing, virtually gripping the cable and maintaining the grip overthe full range of operational temperatures.

Using a corner piece having a hole and stopper with conical sealing surfaces, and adequate seal may in some cases be achieved by machining or grinding the conical surfacesto give an exact fit. However, such an exactfit is unnecessary if stopper is stuck in the hole with an adhesive such as the polysulphide adhesive referred to above. Use of materials as recommended aboveforthe cable, body of the corner piece and stopper has an optimising effect.

The conductor carrying stopper used in the invention may be replaced by a conductor-free stopper when electrical connections are not required. Such a stopper may be useful when exchanging the gas in the interspace of the multiple glazing unit or adjusting the pressure of gas in the interspace. Thus the invention permits the same corner piece, but with a different stopper, to be used alternatively for either introducing an electrical supply into the interspace of a multiple glazing unit orfor exchanging, or adjusting the pressure of, gas in the interspace. Moreover, it becomes unnecessaryto identify the function of the corner piece when assembling the spacerframe; the same corner piece can be usedforanyofthefunctions referred to above and the appropriate stopper selected when required.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a kit for assembling spacerframes for multiple glazing units, the kitcomprising lengths of spacer and corner pieces adaptedtoconnect lengths of spacer at right angles, a proportion of the corner pieces having holestherethrough between the area enclosed bythe spacerframe and the exteriorand stoppersforsaid holes, some stoppers carrying electrical conductors to provide electrical connection between the interspace of the multiple glazing unit andtheexteriorandsomestoppers notcarrying electrical conductors, the stoppers and holes having conforming sealing surfaces whereby the stoppers may be sealed in the holes so that the conductorcarrying and conductor4ree stoppers may be used interchangeably in the corner pieces as required.

The invention is illustrated but not limited bythe following description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section through a corner piece according to the invention with a cable-carrying stopper in position.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the centre part of the corner piece of Figure 1.

Figure3 is a section on the line B-B in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line C-C in Figure 2.

The body ofthe corner piece 1 shown in the drawings consists for example of polyamide and serves, in the known way, to connect parts of hollow section spacer2toform a spacerframefora double glazing unit 3. The corner piece 1 has arms 4, extending at right angles to each other, and a channel or hole 6 located in the top5 ofthe corner piece and running in the direction ofthe bisectrix ofthe corner piece, with an inserted epoxide resin stopper 7 for sealing the hole 6. The sealing surfaces of hole 6 and the plasticsstopper7which matetogetherare conical in shape.

The plastics stopper carries an electrical cable 8with plastics insulation 9 embedded in the head ofthe stopper. The insulation 9 terminates in the stopper as indicated by the dotted line in Figures 1 and 2. At least two exposed cable wires 10 also embedded in the stopper (Figure3) extend from the foot of stopper7 into the interspace 11. When the interspace is to be sealed, the stopper can be stuck with an adhesive, for example a polysulphide-based multiple glazing adhesive, 12 into the conical bored hole 6.

Alternatively, the corner piece can be used with a conical stopperwhich does not carry an electrical conductor, to permit gas exchange or adjustment of gas pressure in the interspace.

Claims

1. Acornerpieceforconnectingtwo lengths of spacer in the assembly of a spacerframe for a multiple glazing unit,th corner piece having a holetherethrough between the area enclosed by the spacer frame and the exterior, and astopperforthehole carrying at least one electrical conductorto provide electrical connection between the interspace of the multiple glazing unit and the exterior, the stopper and hole having conforming sealing surfaceswherebythe stopper may be sealed into the hole.

2. A corner piece as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the conforming sealing surfaces of the stopper and hole are conical.

3. A corner piece as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, the body ofthe corner piece being of polyamide.

4. A corner piece as claimed in any ofthe preceding claims, the stopper being of epoxide resin.

5. Acorner piece according to any of the preceding claims wherein the stoppercarries at least two electrical conductors in a cable with plastics insulation which is embedded in the stopper.

6. A corner piece according to Claim 5 wherein at least two separate wires extend from the stopper in the direction ofthe interspace ofthe multiple glazing unit.

7. A corner piece as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the plastics insulation ofthe cable is of polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, polyester or polyethylene.

8. Acornerpieceforthespacerframeofa multiple glazing unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

9. Akitforassembling spacerframesformultiple glazing units, the kit comprising lengths of spacer and corner pieces adapted to connect lengths of spacer at right angles, a proportion of the corner pieces having holes therethrough between the area enclosed by the spacerframe and the exterior and stoppers for said holes, some stoppers carrying electrical conductors to provide electrical connection between the interspace ofthe multiple glazing unit and the exterior and some stoppers not carrying electrical conductors, the stoppers and holes having conforming sealing surfaces whereby he stoppers may be sealed in the holes so that the conductor-carrying and conductor-free stoppers may be used interchangeably in the corner pieces as required.

10. A kit as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the conforming sealing surfaces of the stoppers and holes are conical.

11. Corner pieceforconnecting together hollow spaced sections of spacer in the assembly of a spacer frame for a multiple glazing unit, the corner piece having two arms at right angles, a hole through the top ofthe corner piece running in the direction of the bisector of the corner piece and a stopper, constructed as a cable carrying component in which a cable is embedded, for sealing the hole, the hole and stopper having conical sealing surfaces whereby the stopper may be sealed in the hole with an adhesive.

12. Corner piece according to Claim 11 wherein the body of the corner piece is of polyamide and the stopper is of epoxide resin, a cable with plastics insulation being embedded in the stopper atthe head thereof and at least 2 exposed cable strands extending from the foot of the stopper.