IES20080185A2

IES20080185A2 - A glazing unit and a method of manufacturing same

Info

Publication number: IES20080185A2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Fred Trenaman
Original assignee: Thermal Profiles & Accessories
Priority date: 2008-03-12
Filing date: 2008-03-12
Publication date: 2009-02-18

Abstract

The present invention is concerned with a glazing assembly for a curtain walling system, and a method of manufacturing the glazing assembly, the assembly comprising a rectangular array of outer frame members which, at an offsite manufacturing location, are wrapped around the edge of a glazing panel with abutting corners of adjacent outer frame members being mitred and crimped together, and an array of inner frame members than being fastened to the outer frame members in order to clamp the glazing panel therebetween, thus avoiding the requirement for the on-site fitting of conventional applied mitred glazing beads from the external face of the glazing assembly.

Description

This present invention relates to a glazing unit for a curtain walling system, and a method of manufacturing the glazing unit, which enables a semi-unitised manufacture of the curtain walling system.

Background of the invention A curtain walling system is one in which the outer non-load bearing facade of a building is constructed of an array of glazing panels supported on a back bone of mullion and transoms, which arc generally formed from aluminium extrusions. The traditional approach to fitting a curtain walling system involves securing the array of mullions and transoms to the exposed lace of a building, and then securing aluminium inner frame members to the mullions and transoms. The inner frame members then define an array of rectangular openings, each of which will be filled by a glazing panel. Rubber gaskets are generally mounted to the inner frame members, and a glazing panel is then positioned to seal the opening defined by the inner frame members. It is then necessary to apply a rectangular outer frame around each glazing panel and connect it to the inner frame members, in order to clamp the glazing panel in position. This outer frame is generally formed from four glazing beads which are snap filled from the external face onto the inner frame members, with the edges of adjacent glazing beads being mitred in order to provide a snug fit with one another. While this method of construction is perfectly acceptable, it does require significant on-site construction.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of constructing a glazing unit for a curtain wall, and improved glazing unit as manufactured according to the method of the invention.

P88688IE00/February 28, 2008 1Εθ«Φΐή5 2 'fl>8»>S5 Summary of the invention According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of 5 manufacturing a curtain wall glazing unit, the method comprising the steps of: arranging lour outer frame members in a rectangular array; securing the ends of adjacent outer frame members to one another; positioning a glazing panel within the array of outer frame members; and securing inner frame members to the outer frame members in order to clamp the glazing IO panel therebetween.

Preferably, the method comprises, in the step of securing the ends of adjacent outer frame members to one another, crimping the ends of the adjacent outer frame members to one another.

Preferably, the method comprises the step of securing a thermally insulating spacer element to each outer frame member prior to securing the ends of adjacent outer frame members to one another, to which element the respective inner frame member is then secured.

Preferably, the method comprises the step of positioning a gasket on each outer frame member prior to positioning the glazing panel within the array of outer frame members.

Preferably, the method comprises the step of positioning a gasket between each inner frame member and an inner face of the glazing panel.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a glazing assembly for a curtain wall, the glazing assembly comprising a glazing panel; and a rectangular array of outer frame members circumscribing the glazing unit, wherein the ends of adjacent outer frame members are secured to one another.

Preferably, the ends of adjacent outer frame members are crimped to one another.

P88688IE00/February 28, 2008 «Ο 80 1 35 Preferably, the glazing assembly comprises an inner frame member fixed to each outer frame member such as to clamp the glazing panel therebetween.

Preferably, the glazing assembly comprises a gasket positioned between each outer frame member and an outer face of the glazing panel.

Preferably, the glazing assembly comprises a gasket positioned between each inner frame member and an inner face of the glazing panel.

Preferably, each inner frame member is mechanically fastened to the respective outer frame member.

Brief description of the drawings Figure I illustrates a cross section of a curtain walling system manufactured according to the method of the present invention; and Figure 2 illustrates a partially exploded front elevation of the curtain wall illustrated in Figure 1, showing one corner of a glazing assembly according to the present invention and forming pai l of the curtain wall.

Detailed description of the drawings Referring now to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a curtain wall W which is constructed using an array of glazing assemblies 10, which themselves are manufactured according to the method of the present invention. The curtain wall W is comprised of the traditional support grid of transoms T and mullions M onto which the glazing assemblies 10 are mounted as described hereinafter. Each glazing assembly 10 comprises a conventional glazing panel 12 which may for example be double or triple glazed, and which is framed between a rectangular array of outer frame members 14 and a corresponding array of inner P88688IE00/February 28, 2008 Ho 8 0 1 85 frame members 16 which together circumscribe the edge of the glazing panel 12. Both the outer and inner frame members 14, 16 may be formed from any suitable material, but are generally formed from extruded aluminium profiles. However, the outer frame members 14 are preferably formed of a front portion 18 and a rear portion 20, with an insulating portion 22 disposed therebetween. The insulating portion 22 may be formed from any suitable material, preferably a plastic, and most preferably polyamide. The insulating portion 22 signi licantly reduces thermal conductivity between the outer and inner frame members 14, 16, thereby improving the thermal performance properties of the curtain wall W, in particular by preventing heat loss from within a building through the curtain wall W.

It) The inner frame members 16 are mechanically fastened to the respective outer frame members 14 via screws 24, which extend through the inner frame member 16 and into the rear portion 20 of the outer frame member 14.

The glazing assembly 10 on the right hand side of Figure 1 is a fixed glazing assembly, and is secured to the mullion M via a fixing toggle 26 which is retained within the rear portion 20 of the outer frame member 14, and through which passes a screw 28 into a mounting bracket 30, which is itself screwed into the mullion M. The glazing panel 10 on the left hand side of Figure 1 is a sash type glazing panel, and is therefore slidably mounted to the mullion M via a track 32 fixed to the left hand side of the mounting bracket 30. The other side of the track 32 is captured within a recess formed within the inner frame member 16. Other than these slight design alterations to allow for the different mounting of the fixed and sash type glazing assemblies 10, the configuration and operation of both types of glazing assembly 10 are identical, as is the method of manufacturing same according to the present invention.

In order to prevent the ingress of moisture and the transfer of heat, the glazing assemblies 10 are provided with a number of seals between the various components thereof, as described hereinafter, and are also sealed from the mullion M. In particular, an outer gasket 34 is provided between each outer frame member and a front face of the glazing panel 12, while an inner gasket 36 is provided between each inner frame member 16 and an inner face of the respective glazing panel 12. An insulating gasket 38 is also provided between the inner and P88688IE00/February 28, 2008 ΙΕο 80 1 85 outer frame members 16, 14. A pair of external seals 40 form a barrier between adjacent glazing assemblies 10, a single external seal 40 being captured within a recess formed in the front portion 18 of each outer frame member 14. Finally, an internal seal 42 is provided between Ihe inner frame member 16 of each glazing assembly 10 and the mullion M, and is retained within a recess or channel formed in the transom T. Each of the above mentioned seals may be formed from any suitable material, but are preferably formed from EPDM rubber.

Turning then to the manufacture of the glazing assembly 10, unlike a traditional curtain walling system, the glazing panel 12 is mounted into the glazing assembly 10 offsite, and thus once shipped on site need only be mounted as an entire unit onto the curtain wall, or in particular the support grid of transoms T and mullions M. The manufacturing process involves initially preparing each outer frame member 14 by connecting the insulating portion 22 between the front and rear portions 18, 20. The completed outer frame member 14 may then undergo a painting or other treatment process. Each free end of each outer frame member 14 is formed with a mitre, as is illustrated in Figure 2. Four of the outer frame members 14 are then arranged in a rectangular array with the mitred ends of adjacent outer Irame members 14 abutting one another. The mitred ends of adjacent outer frame members 14 are then mechanically secured to one another, preferably by means of crimping, although it will be appreciated that any other suitable process may be used, for example, welding or the like. This results in a unified rectangular frame being formed.

This frame is then laid face down, and the outer gasket 34 is then fitted to each outer frame member in preparation for receiving the glazing panel 12 thereon. The glazing panel 12 is then lowered into the rectangular frame, to rest on the four outer gaskets 34. Four inner frame members 16 are then prepared by securing the insulation gasket 38 thereto. The inner frame members 16 are then screwed onto the rear portion 20 of each of the outer frame members 14, such as to enclose the glazing panel 12 between the outer and inner frame members 14, 16. The inner gaskets 36 are then applied between the inner frame members 16 and ihe inner face of the glazing panel 12, which secures the glazing panel 12 firmly in position within the glazing assembly 10. The finished glazing assembly 10 can then be transported on site and mounted directly to the support grid of the curtain wall W, thereby P88688IE00/February 28, 2008 ΙΕο 80 1 85 yielding η semi-unitised construction. This significantly reduces the on-site construction time. Conventional curtain walling systems require the rear frame members to be secured to the mill lions and transoms, the glazing panel then raised and held in position against the rear frame members, and the front frame members in the form of glazing beads then individually snap fitted into position on the inner frame members in order to trap and clamp the glazing panel in position. Not only does this method of fitting add significantly to the time taken lo assemble the curtain wall, the glazing panels have to be fitted which being suspended in a vertical orientation, thereby making it very difficult to achieve accurate positioning of the glazing panel within the frame. The method of manufacturing the glazing assembly of the IO present invention avoids the above mentioned problems.

Testing of the glazing assembly 10, in particular when mounted on a curtain wall, has shown that the overall thermal performance is significantly improved over conventional curtain walling systems.

Claims

I. A method of manufacturing a curtain wall glazing unit comprising the steps of: arranging four outer frame members in a rectangular array; 5 securing the ends of adjacent outer frame members to one another; positioning a glazing panel within the array of outer frame members; and securing inner frame members to the outer frame members in order to clamp the glazing panel therebetween. IO
2. A method according to claim 1 comprising, in the step of securing the ends of adjacent outer frame members to one another, crimping the ends of the adjacent outer frame members to one another.
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2 comprising the step of securing a thermally 15 insulating spacer element to each outer frame member prior to securing the ends of adjacent outer frame members to one another, to which element the respective inner frame member is then secured.
4. Λ glazing assembly for a curtain wall, the glazing assembly comprising a glazing 20 panel; and a rectangular array of outer frame members circumscribing the glazing unit, wherein the ends of adjacent outer frame members are secured to one another.
5. A glazing assembly according to claim 6 in which the ends of adjacent outer frame members are crimped to one another, the assembly further comprising an inner frame 25 member fixed to each outer frame member such as to clamp the glazing panel therebetween.