GB2213859A

GB2213859A - Double glazing

Info

Publication number: GB2213859A
Application number: GB8729533A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Han-Seng Lee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-12-18
Filing date: 1987-12-18
Publication date: 1989-08-23
Also published as: GB8729533D0

Abstract

An in situ double glazing system comprises a spacer frame (25) assembled from one or more aluminium extrusions (10). The or each extrusion (10) has first and second longitudinally extending grooves (15 and 16) in opposite elongate sides (11 and 12). Strips (28 and 29) of non-hardening sealant are pressed into the grooves (15 and 16) sealing the spacer frame to an existing pane of glass (26) and sealing a second pane of glass (30) to the spacer frame. A hardenable sealant (31, 35) is provided between the spacer frame and the frame of the existing pane of glass and preferably this hardenable sealant extends into a bevel (18) in the extrusion and covers a flange (19) and extends to the edge of the second pane of glass. The cavity (24) between the two panes of glass is evacuated of air and filled with an inert gas. <IMAGE>

Description

Double Glazing This invention relates in general to in situ double glazing and more particularly to an extrusion for use in in situ double glazing, an in situ double glazing system, and a method of in situ double glazing.

Present day double glazing systems usually involve replacement windows and doors although in some cases secondary glazing is carried out in which a second window is installed on the inside of an existing window. Replacement windows are expensive and sometimes detract from the character of a building.

Known secondary glazing systems do not allow the cavity between the two windows to be evacuated of air and replaced by an inert gas.

In seeking to mitigate these drawbacks, the present invention in a first aspect provides an extrusion for use in in situ double glazing, comprising a first elongate side having therein a first longitudinally extending groove for locating a first strip of non-hardening sealant for sealing the extrusion to an existing pane of glass, and a second elongate side opposite said first elongate side and having therein a second longitudinally extending groove for locating a second strip of non-hardening sealant for sealing a -second pane of glass to the extrusion in spaced relationship to said existing pane of glass.

Preferred and/or optional features of the first aspect of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 7, inclusive.

In a second aspect, the invention provides an in situ double glazing system comprising a spacer frame assembled from one or more extrusions according to the first aspect of the invention, non-hardening sealant in said first and second grooves of the extrusion(s) sealing the spacer frame to an existing pane of glass and sealing a second pane of glass to the spacer frame, respectively.

Preferred and/or optional features of the second aspect of the invention are set forth in claims 10 to 14, inclusive.

In a third aspect, the invention provides a method of in situ double glazing, comprising the steps of: (a) assembling a spacer frame from one or more extrusions according to the first aspect of the invention; (b) locating non-hardening sealant in said first grooves of the extrusion(s) and applying the spacer frame to an existing pane of glass; (c) applying hardenable sealant between spacer frame and a frame of the existing pane of glass, (d) allowing hardenable sealant to harden, (e) locating non-hardening sealant in said second grooves of the extrusion(s) and applying a second pane of glass to the spacer frame, (f) applying further hardenable sealant between the edge of the second pane of glass and the frame of existing pane of glass, (g) allowing the further hardenable sealant to harden, (h) replacing air in cavity between the two panes of glass by inert gas.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view of one embodiment of an extrusion according to the first aspect of the invention, and Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view through a double glazing system according to a second aspect of the invention, on a smaller scale.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, the extrusion 10 shown therein is of generally rectangular cross-section having first, second, third and fourth elongate sides 11, 12, 13 and 14 respectively. The extrusion 10 is preferably formed of anodised aluminium.

The extrusion 10 has a first longitudinally extending groove 15 of generally arcuate cross-section in the first side 11 for locating a first strip of non-hardening sealant and a second longitudinally extending groove 16 also of generally arcuate cross-section in the second side 12 for locating a second strip of non-hardening sealant.

The extrusion 10 also has an internal passage 17, conveniently of generally cross-shaped cross-section, extending longitudinally thereof.

A bevel 18 is provided between the first and third sides 11 and 13, respectively, and a flange 19 extends away from the second side 12 at or adjacent to the third side 13.

Minute longitudinally extending grooves 20 and 21 are provided in the second and fourth sides 12 and 14, respectively, to facilitate drill location when drilling holes through the extrusion to communicate with the passage 17.

Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings, the double glazing system shown therein comprises a spacer frame 25 assembled from one or more extrusions 10, an existing pane of glass 26 mounted in a frame 27, non-hardening sealant 28 and 29 in the grooves 15 and 16, respectively, of the extrusion(s), a second pane of glass 30, hardenable sealant 31, and a packer 32.

The spacer frame 25 is assembled off site from parts cut to appropriate size from the extrusion(s) 10, mitered at the corners, and joined together. Angled spigots (not shown) are located in adjacent ends of the passages 17 of each pair of adjoining parts to align the parts together and the parts are joined together by screws. Appropriate holes 33, 34 (see Figure 1) are drilled in the spacer frame 25 between the second side 12 and the passage 17 and between the fourth side 14 and the passage 17 for air/gas exchange in the cavity 24 between the two panes of glass.

The non-hardening sealant 28 and 29 is, preferably, an inherently adhesive permanently elastic extruded butyl sealant strip, such as Butyl Hex 303 as sold by Perennator (Far East) Pte Ltd, of Jurong Industrial Estate, Singapore and the hardenable sealant 31 is, preferably, a structural silicone sealant. The packer 32 is, for example, expanded polystyrene.

The assembly sequence is as follows. First, the non-hardening sealant 28 is pressed into the groove 15 and the spacer frame 25 is pressed firmly and evenly against the inside surface of the existing pane of glass 26. Silicone sealant 31 is then applied, such as from a tube, between the spacer frame 25 and frame 27 of the existing pane of glass 26, the sealant 31 extending into the bevel 18 to improve the bite between the spacer frame 25 and the sealant 31. The sealant 31 is then left to harden for several days.

Non-hardening sealant 29 is then pressed into the groove 16 and setting blocks in the form of tubes are inserted into the holes 33 in the second side 12 of the spacer frame 25. The second pane of glass 30 is then pressed firmly and evenly against the sealant 29 in the groove 16. After inserting the packer 32 around the spacer frame 25 further hardenable sealant 35 is applied between the edge of the second pane of glass 30 and the frame 27, the sealant 35 covering or substantially covering the flange 19.

The sealant 35 is then allowed to harden for several days and during this hardening process the flange 19 indirectly supports the weight of the glass 30.

The air in the cavity 24 is then replaced by an inert gas, such as nitrogen, introduced at low pressure through holes 33, passage 17 and holes 34 at say the upper part of the spacer frame 25 and allowing air to escape through holes 34, passage 17 and holes 33 in say in lower part of the spacer frame 25. The holes 33 are then blocked off with hardenable silicone sealant.

Should the seals ever fail it is a relatively simple task to disassemble the system in situ and re-assemble it again after curing the defect, the second pane of glass 26 being removed by drilling out holes 33, cutting through the silicone sealant 35 and pumping air under pressure into the cavity 24.

The above embodiment is given by way of example only and various modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An extrusion for use in in situ double glazing, comprising a first elongate side having therein a first longitudinally extending groove for locating a first strip of non-hardening sealant for sealing the extrusion to an existing pane of glass, and a second elongate side opposite said first elongate side and having therein a second longitudinally extending groove for locating a second strip of non-hardening sealant for sealing a second pane of glass to the extrusion in spaced relationship to said existing pane of glass.

2. An extrusion as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an internal passage extending longitudinally of the extrusion for allowing evacuation of the cavity between the two panes of glass by the provision of appropriate holes communicating the passage with the exterior of the extrusion.

3. An extrusion as claimed in claim 2, wherein the passage is of generally cross-shaped cross-section.

4. An extrusion as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a bevel is provided at the edge of the first elongate side, in use, remote from the cavity between the two panes of glass.

5. An extrusion as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a flange extends away from the second elongate side at or adjacent to the edge thereof which is, in use, remote from the cavity between the two panes of glass.

6. An extrusion as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, formed of aluminium.

7. An extrusion as claimed in claim 6, wherein the aluminium is anodised.

8. An extrusion for use in in situ double glazing, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

9. An in situ double glazing system comprising a spacer frame assembled from one or more extrusions as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, strips of non-hardening sealant in said first and second grooves of the extrusion(s) sealing the spacer frame to an existing pane of glass and sealing a second pane of glass to the spacer frame, respectively.

10. A double glazing system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the cavity between the two panes of glass is evacuated of air and filled with an inert gas.

11. A double glazing system as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein a hardenable sealant is provided between the spacer frame and a frame of the existing pane of glass.

12. A double glazing system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the hardenable sealant encloses a packer.

13. A double glazing system as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the extrusion(s) is/are as claimed in claim 4, and wherein the hardenable sealant extends into the bevel.

14. A double glazing system as claimed in claim 11, claim 12, or claim 13, wherein the extrusion(s) is/are as claimed in claim 5, and wherein the hardenable sealant covers or substantially covers the flange and extends to the edge of the second pane of glass.

15. An in situ double glazing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A method of in situ double glazing, comprising the steps of: (a) assembling a spacer frame from one or more extrusions as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, (b) locating non-hardening sealant in said first grooves of the extrusion(s) and applying the spacer frame to an existing pane of glass, (c) applying hardenable sealant between spacer frame and a frame of the existing pane of glass, (d) allowing hardenable sealant to harden, (e) locating non-hardening sealant in said second grooves of the extrusion(s) and applying a second pane of glass to the spacer frame, (f) applying further hardenable sealant between the edge of the second pane of glass and the frame of existing pane of glass, (g) allowing the further hardenable sealant to harden, (h) replacing air in cavity between the two panes of glass by inert gas.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein a packer is interposed between the first-mentioned hardenable sealant and the further hardenable sealant.

18. A method of in situ double glazing, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.