GB2535631A

GB2535631A - Seals for glass

Info

Publication number: GB2535631A
Application number: GB1600716.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terry Martyn
Original assignee: Reddiplex Ltd
Current assignee: Reddiplex Ltd
Priority date: 2015-01-16
Filing date: 2016-01-14
Publication date: 2016-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 2036-01-14
Also published as: GB201600716D0; GB201500744D0; GB2535631B

Abstract

A strip (Figure 1, item 1) for sealing a gap between an edge (Figure 3, item 2) of a glass door (Figure 3, item 3) and an edge (Figure 5, item 4) of an adjacent glass panel (Figure 5, item 5). The strip is formed from clear and internal UV stable plastics materials. It comprises a base portion 6 of rigid material to be secured to the edge of the door or panel, and a fin projecting from each longitudinal edge 8 of the base portion, a first fin 7 made of flexible material and a second fin 9 having a flexible part 13 adjacent the base portion and a rigid part 14 at its free edge. The fins may include short legs 15 of flexible plastics material opposite the fins from the base portion.

Description

SEALS FOR GLASS

This invention relates to seals for glass doors and panels.

Using glass for partitions and doors, especially in offices, has become increasingly common in recent years. The appearance of such installations has also become more important, with the result that connectors and seals used are required to he optically (glass) clear and internal UV stable, to provide a consistent seamless appearance. Further, seals in particular need to combine an aesthetic appearance with the appropriate draught exclusion and acoustic properties. It is known for seals between adjacent stationary glass panels to be provided by mastic or plastics strips, but these may not he optically clear. It is also advantageous to seal the gap between the edge of a glass door and the edge of an adjacent glass panel, which may be stationary or movable. Evidently mastic cannot be used for such a purpose, so a plastics strip is the only viable alternative. A plastics scaling strip must be sufficiently flexible to provide a seal across the gap, and also allow opening and closing of the door. Sealing strips used currently have the correct physical properties, but are not optically clear, so do not provide the required appearance. There is therefore a need to provide a seal for the gap between the edge of a glass door and the edge of an adjacent glass panel which has the necessary draught exclusion and acoustic properties and which is also optically clear and internal UV stable. It is of course known that various plastics can he formulated to he optically clear and internal UV stable. For example, there arc various rigid polymers, but these arc too rigid to provide a proper seal. There are other polymers which do have sufficient flexibility for sealing, but have a high coefficient of friction, which can restrict the smooth opening and closing of a glass door.

According to the present invention there is provided a strip for sealing the gap 30 between an edge of a glass door and an edge of an adjacent glass panel, the strip being formed from optically clear and internal UV stable plastics materials, and comprising a base portion of relatively rigid material adapted to be secured to the edge of the door or panel, and a fin projecting from each longitudinal edge of the base portion, a first fin being of flexible material and a second fin having a flexible part adjacent the base portion and a rigid part at its free edge.

The relatively rigid base portion ensures that the strip can be securely engaged with the edge of the panel or the door. The first fin engages with the side of the leading edge of the door panel when the door is shut to provide the seal. The second fin is accommodated in the gap when the door is closed. The flexible part allows the second fin to fold to fill the gap, while the rigid part has a lower coefficient of friction than the flexible part, to ensure that the door opens and doses easily and smoothly.

Conveniently the base portion and the rigid part of the second fin are of a glass dear rigid polymer. The first fin and the flexible part of the second fin may be of glass clear flexible polymer.

The strip may be extruded from the optically clear and internal UV stable plastics materials. The strip is preferably formed by co-extrusion of the rigid and flexible materials.

The first and second fins preferably project in the same direction from the base portion. The base portion may be flat. Each fin may he substantially perpendicular to the base portion at its junction with the base portion. The first fin may be wider than the second fin, having a profile that is substantially straight adjacent the base portion and with its free edge curving towards the second fin. Alternatively the first fin may be curved across its whole width. The flexible part of the second fin curves towards the first fin, and the rigid part is directed towards the first fin. The rigid part may be wider than the flexible part.

Each fin preferably also includes a short leg of flexible plastics material projecting from the base portion in the opposite direction. This helps in locating the base portion on the edge of the glass door or panel. Each leg can seal with a chamfer on the corner of the edge of the door or panel. The legs thus also allow the strip to he retrofitted to existing glass doors and panels with a range of corner chamfers and still maintain a seal with the chamfers.

The base portion may be provided with an adhesive tape, by which the strip can be secured to the edge of the panel or the door. The adhesive tape is also optically glass clear and internal UV stable, and is protected by a peel-off strip.

The tape is provided on the base portion between the short legs.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sealing strip according to the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section through the strip of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the strip attached to a panel, with a door open; Figure 4 is similar to Figure 3, but shows the door closed; and Figure 5 is an end view of the strip in use.

The strip 1 shown in the drawings is designed to seal a gap between an edge 2 of a glass door 3 and a parallel edge 4 of an adjacent glass panel 5. The panel 5 may he stationary or movable. The strip 1 is designed to provide both draught exclusion and acoustic noise reduction when the door 3 is closed. The strip 1 may be secured to either the door 3 or the panel 5; the drawings show it secured to the panel 5, which in this case is stationary. The strip 1 is co-extruded from two different plastics materials, each of which is optically (glass) clear and internal UV stable. One of the materials is a relatively rigid plastics polymer material and the other is a more flexible and resilient plastics polymer material.

The flexible polymer has a relatively high coefficient of friction: that of the rigid polymer is lower.

The strip 1 comprises a flat base portion 6 of the rigid material, whose width is chosen to be slightly more than the thickness of the glass. A first fin 7 projects from a first longitudinal edge 8 of the base portion 6, and a second fin 9 projects from a second longitudinal edge 10. Both fins 7, 9 project in the same direction to one side 1 1 of the base portion 6.

The first fin 7 is designed to seal with the door 3, and is wholly of the flexible material. The first fin 7 is perpendicular to the base portion 6 at its junction with the base portion 6 and curves across its width towards the second fin 9. The curvature is greater at its free edge 12. It will be appreciated that because of the resilience and dynamic recovery of the flexible material the free edge 12 is in effect resiliently biased towards the second fin 9.

The second fin 9 is designed to engage and seal against the edge 2 of the door 3 when the door 3 is closed. The second fin 9 is perpendicular to the base portion 6 at its junction with the base portion 6, and has a flexible part 13 of the flexible material adjacent the base portion 6. The flexible part 13 curves towards the first fin 7. The free edge of the second fin 9 is formed of a rigid part 14 of the rigid material, which is directed towards the first fin 7, and as shown in Figure 2 is at an angle of approximately 45° to the base portion 6. The free end of the rigid part is rounded.

Each fin 7, 9 has a short leg 15 of the flexible material projecting to the other side 16 of the base portion 6. The side 16 also carries an adhesive tape 17 for securing the strip 1 to the edge 4 of the panel 5. The legs 15 assist in locating the strip 1 on the edge 4. The adhesive tape 17 is also optically (glass) clear and internal UV stable. The inner adhesive face 18 of the tape 17 is attached to the side 16 of the base portion 6, and the outer adhesive face 19 is protected by a peel-off strip 20.

The strip 1 is manufactured by co-extrusion of the rigid and flexible plastics polymer materials. The tape 17 with the peel-off strip 20 is applied to the base portion 6 as part of the extrusion process. Although it would be possible for the base portion 6 to be formed from the flexible material, as it is not required to be rigid in use, in practice it is preferable to form it from the rigid material, so that it is easy to apply the adhesive tape 17, and easier to handle for fitting.

For use, the strip 1 is cut to the appropriate length. The peel-off strip 20 is then removed from the adhesive tape 17, enabling the outer adhesive face 19 of the tape 17 to he applied to the edge 4 of the panel 5. The spacing between the legs 15 is chosen such that the edge 4 fits between them. The legs 15 therefore assist in locating the strip 1 on the edge 4. Figure 5 shows the sealing of the short flexible legs 15 against chamfers 21 on the corners of the panel edge 5. The legs 15 also allow the strip 1 to he retrofitted to existing glass doors and panels with a range of corner chamfers and still maintain a seal with the chamfers.

It is essential to make sure that the strip 1 is mounted such that the second fin 9 is on the side of the installation where the movement occurs, so that the strip 1 can function correctly as a seal.

Figures 3 and 4 show the strip 1 in use. In Figure 3 the door 3 is open and the strip 1 is in its initial configuration, as in Figures 1 and 2. In Figure 4 the door 3 is closed. As it closes, the door edge 2 engages with the second fin 9, and in particular with the rigid free edge part 14. The door edge 2 slides easily and smoothly over the rigid part 14, due to its relatively low coefficient of friction and the rounded end, and moves the rigid part 14 towards the base portion 6. This movement is accommodated by compression of the flexible part 13. The second fin 9 thus folds towards the base portion 6 and fills and seals the gap between the door edge 2 and the panel edge 4, since the rigid part 14 engages with the edge of the door. The flexible part 13 accommodates varying gaps between the door edge 2 and the panel edge 4, and in particular any gap that tapers from the top to the bottom of the door. When the door is closed the first fin 7 engages with the side 22 of the door 3 to provide a secondary seal. The width of the first fin 7 also accommodates varying gaps, and any taper as described above. With the door 3 in the closed position the first fin 7 will be slightly resiliently deformed by its engagement with the door.

The strip 1 provides both draught exclusion and acoustic noise reduction when the door 3 is closed. Draught exclusion is provided principally by the first fin 7, and noise reduction by the seal provided by both fins 7, 9. The use of two fins 7, 9 provides an air pocket 23 formed between the fins 7, 9, the base portion 6 and the door edge 2 when the door is closed, as shown in Figure 4. This air pocket 23 provides further insulation and thus enhances both the acoustic and sealing properties of the strip.

It will be appreciated that when the door 3 is opened again the strip 1 will return to its initial configuration, due to the resilience and dynamic recovery of the flexible material, and in particular the first fin 7 and the flexible part 13 of the second fin 9. The door edge 2 again slides easily and smoothly over the rigid part 14 as the door opens.

It will also he appreciated that the strip I could be formed from other materials, provided that they have the necessary mechanical, optical and dynamic resilience properties.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A strip for sealing a gap between an edge of a glass door and an edge of an adjacent glass panel, the strip being formed from optically clear and internal UV stable plastics materials, and comprising a base portion of relatively rigid material adapted to be secured to the edge of the door or panel, and a fin projecting from each longitudinal edge of the base portion, a first fin being of flexible material and a second fin having a flexible part adjacent the base portion and a rigid part at its free edge.
2. The strip as claimed in claim 1, in which the base portion and the rigid part of the second fin are of a glass clear rigid polymer.
3. The strip as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the first fin and the flexible part of the second fin are of glass clear flexible polymer.
4. The strip as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the strip is extruded from the optically clear and internal UV stable plastics materials.
5. The strip as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the strip is formed by co-extrusion of the rigid and flexible materials.
6. The strip as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the first and second fins project in the same direction from the base portion.
7. The strip as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the base portion is flat.
8. The strip as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each fin is substantially perpendicular to the base portion at its junction with the base portion.
9. The strip as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the first fin is wider than the second fin, having a profile that is substantially straight adjacent the base portion and with its free edge curving towards the second fin.
10. The strip as claimed in preceding claim,in which the first fin is curved across its whole width.
11. The strip as chimed in any preceding claim, in which the flexible part of the second fin curves towards the first fin, and the rigid part is directed towards the first fin.
12. The strip as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the rigid part is wider than the flexible part.
13. The strip as chimed in any preceding claim, in which each fin includes a short leg of flexible plastics material projecting from the base portion in the opposite direction.
14. The strip as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the base portion is provided with an adhesive tape, by which the strip can be secured to the edge of the panel or the door.
15. The strip as claimed in claim 14, in which the adhesive tape is also optically glass clear and internal UV stable, and is protected by a peel-off strip.
16. The strip as claimed in claim 13, and claim 14 or claim 15, in which the tape is provided on the base portion between the short legs.
17. A strip for sealing a gap between an edge of a glass door and an edge of an adjacent glass panel as substantially described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.