JPS6138084A - Multiple window glass unit covered with heat insulating film - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of insulating glass units for use in windows, doors, freezers, etc.

BACKGROUND ART In a glass unit that incorporates a taut plastic film between a pair of panes and spaced apart from them, the optical properties of the finished glass unit depend on the flatness of the film and thereby whether the film is taut or not. Determined by Wrinkles in the film (and undesirable; if the film is not taut, the observation through the glass unit and the reflection of the film will be distorted; therefore, the film used in practice should always be flat and taut in all conditions of use. It must be stretched.

The plastic film of such a glass unit,
Attempts have been made in the past to keep it sufficiently flat and taut at all times. However, such attempts have not been fully successful for one or other reasons. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,166,
It was applied near the outer peripheral edge of a pair of window glasses of a window unit. Sealants, typically silicone resins, are shown.

However, this sealant does not prevent the plastic film from creeping, so that the film loses its flatness and tension, making the window unsuitable for its intended purpose.

There have been other attempts to use curable epoxy resins in addition to the sealants described above. However, this method is not completely satisfactory because manufacturing window units of the type described herein requires additional assembly steps.

Because of the aforementioned drawbacks, it would be desirable to improve multi-glazing units of the type described having an internal plastic film that must remain flat and taut over the life of the window unit. The present invention satisfies this need.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a glass unit consisting of a pair of panes separated by a spacer, which also holds the plastic film flat and taut between the panes. The outer circumferential edge of the plastic film extends into the circumferential space between the spacers and adjacent the outer surface of the spacers. The improved sealant fills the perimeter space and bridges the distance between the panes, bonding them to each other and to the spacer. The sealant also binds the film to both sides of the perimeter to prevent film peeling and
The film thus maintains its flatness and tension. moreover,
Sealants prevent water vapor from entering the interior space of the glass unit between the two panes.

The sealant serves to bind the adjacent surfaces of the pane, spacer, and film by providing an adhesive that firmly bonds the surfaces together.

Thus, the panes are bonded together, the spacer is bonded to the pane, and the film is prevented from moving relative to the spacer.

The spacer is made of steel, glass fiber reinforced plastic or aluminum. If the spacer is made of steel, the steel may be electrogalvanized and bonderized to enhance adhesion of the sealant to it. Additionally, steel has a low coefficient of thermal expansion (the film is less likely to wrinkle at low temperatures), so it is used for spacers.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION A first object of the present invention is to provide an improved glass unit in which a plastic film is stretched between a pair of spaced window panes, the window panes being spaced apart from each other around the outer periphery of the glass unit. There is an improved polyurethane sealant that bonds to the outer perimeter of the spacer that holds the glass apart.
On the other hand, at some point the sealant bonds to the film and prevents the film from moving relative to the spacer, so that the film remains sufficiently flat and taut at all times, and the sealant prevents water vapor from entering the space between the panes. hinder by. An object of the present invention is to provide the above-mentioned improved glass unit.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The window unit of the present invention is generally designated by the numeral 10 and includes a pair of generally parallel spaced panes 12 and 14 . And from the plastic film or sheet 16 between the window panes 12 and 14, the film 1
6 is generally parallel to the panes 12 and 14, but is spaced internally from each pane. The thickness of the film 16 is slightly exaggerated in FIG. 1 simply to show the position of the film relative to the panes 12 and 14.

An interconnected spacer 18 is located between the window pane 12 and the outer peripheral edge of the plastic film 16. Similarly, the interconnected spacer pads are between the window pane 14 and the outer peripheral edge of the plastic film 16.

In use, the window unit IO is mounted on the outer frame 22 as shown in FIG. 1, so that the frame supports the window unit.

Used as windows, doors, etc. frame 22
may be of any suitable structure known in the art and need not be described in detail here.

Spacers 18 and 20 are each of tubular or angular configuration. The spacer generally has the cross section shown in FIG. The spacer has a hole that receives the sorbent material for drying purposes.

Adsorbent materials are of the type that adsorb water and other hydrocarbon vapors. This material contains silica gel.

Mixtures of molecular sieves, gels and sieves of various porosities (3A and above) are included. Such materials maintain low levels of humidity and chemical vapors within window unit 10.

Spacers 18 and 20 form closed tubes of steel, glass fiber reinforced plastic or aluminum. If each spacer is formed of steel, they are electrogalvanized and bonderized on the surface to enhance the adhesion of the sealant thereto. It is preferable that steel has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than aluminum, since the film will not wrinkle at low temperatures.

Glass fiber reinforced plastic is preferred for use as the spacer material because it has substantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion as film 16. plastic film]
The frame, consisting of 6 spacers on each side, can be assembled using zinc, nylon or aluminum corner keys.

Each spacer tube is generally cold rolled to a predetermined cross-sectional shape [L
The joints of each tube are laser welded to provide high torsional rigidity. Other methods of joining seams may be used if desired.

Each spacer 18 or rib faces the adjacent pane and plastic film 16. It has a pair of parallel flat sides. Preferably, these sides are fixed to the adjacent pane and to the plastic film 16. For this purpose, layers 24 and 26 of a suitable sealant material are placed between the adjacent panes and the plastic film 16 and the sides of the spacer. The sealant is typically polyisobutylene, non-curable hot melt butyl, but may also be a two-sided adhesive tape. This tape aids in assembly but does not improve durability.

The spacer 18 and the addition are as shown in FIG.

It is placed a little distance inward from the outer periphery of the window glasses 12 and 14. This results in a peripheral space filled with a sealant 30 that is of a specific material and serves at least three defined functions.

This sealant is made from a two-component liquid polyurethane that reacts to form a resilient sealant/adhesive when mixed in the proper proportions. The sealant 30 is the second
When applied between the window glasses 12 and 14 as shown in the figure,
It serves the following functions: 1. Becomes a resilient structural adhesive 9 that binds the panes 12 and 14 together and connects the two spacers 18 and nods together.

2. A structural adhesive is bonded to both sides of the outer peripheral edge 230 of the plastic film 16, and the plastic film is
(
Figure 2).

3. Serves as a sealant material that prevents the movement of water vapor into the space between the window panes 12 and 14 inside the window unit IO.

Suitable materials to which the above-described systems may be adhered and secured are manufactured by Woodmont Products, Inc./Emhart Chemical Group, PO Box 8, Huntingdon Valley Kalanti Line and New Road, Pennsylvania 19006. 3180H
The product name is M.

The sealant 30 is applied to the spacer 1 as shown in FIG.
8 and a central recess formed by a specific cross section and an outer recess f widening. The sealant has adhesive properties so that it adheres to the adjacent surfaces of the window panes I2 and 14 and the spacer 18 and the sill, as well as the plastic film 1.
It is adhesively bonded to both sides of the outer peripheral end 23 of 6. Thus, once the film is stretched over the bottle, for example by placing the window unit 10 in a heated atmosphere and causing the film to shrink, a good mechanical bond between the sealant and such surface is achieved. to maintain tension in the plastic film.

The plastic film 16 can be a polyester film with high visible transmission, creating a low emissivity surface. The film may also include other types of transparent plastics, such as polycarbonate, polypropylene, etc., as well as other metal films that do not have high visible transmission.

Panes 12 and 14 include all available types and sizes of glass, including: float drawn, annealed.

Heat strengthened, tempered, laminated 1 colored and reflective glass.

K, who assembles the glass unit 1υ, places spacers 18 and 20 on both sides of the outer peripheral edge of the film 16.

Next, Nizilant 30 is applied to the space adjacent the spacer 18 and the outer perimeter of the ribs and between the panes 12 and 140. Next, when the window unit cover 0 is placed in a heated atmosphere and heated, the film 16 shrinks and the assembly of the window unit 100 is completed.

It can then be placed in the frame 22 and then immediately ready for use.

The heating atmosphere can be obtained by hot air or thermal radiation methods.

What is the time and temperature required for shrinking the film 16?

It can be determined by the curing state of sealan) 30. Sealants are generally applied before the film shrinking process.
The glass unit 10 is heated to 38-71°C (Zo.

-160°F) for 1 to 12 hours. Generally, shrinking the film at 99°C (2xoT) for 1 hour will provide adequate film tension for the window unit IOK.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a partially broken section of a window unit of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view of a window unit of the present invention. 10...Window unit, 12.14...Window glass, 16...Plastic film, 18
．． 20... Spacer, 22... Frame, 24.
26...Sealant i, 30...Sealant (5 other people)

Claims (8)

[Claims] (1) a pair of window panes; a pair of spacers between the window panes for creating an internal space between the window panes; an outer peripheral edge of the plastic film is between the spacers and extends to an external area of the spacer; The spacer maintains a certain distance from the outer periphery of the window glass and is close to the outer periphery of the window glass, so that a periphery space exists.
taut plastic film within the internal space;
and a polyurethane material bonded to the adjacent surfaces of the panes, the spacer and the outer peripheral edge of the film to interconnect the panes, bonded the panes to the spacers and kept the film tightly taut, and water vapor on the panes. The glass unit consists of a sealant of polyurethane material in the outer peripheral space, which prevents it from entering the space between the glass units. (2) A glass unit according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is tubular and filled with adsorbent material. (3) The spacer has a pair of opposed flat surfaces mating with an adjacent surface portion of each pane and with each surface portion of the film.
) The glass unit described in section 2. (4) Each spacer has a pair of opposed generally planar surfaces, with a first layer of sealant between one surface of each spacer and the adjacent surface portion of each pane and a layer of plastic between the other surface of each spacer and the adjacent surface portion of each pane. A glass unit according to claim 1, wherein there is a second sealant layer between the adjacent surface portions of the film. (5) Each spacer includes a pair of outer sloping surfaces bordering the spacer's outer periphery, these surfaces being defined by other spacers and by the window pane, with several recesses communicating with said outer periphery space. A glass unit according to claim 1, wherein the sealant is in each recess and is bonded to the inclined surface of the spacer. (6) The glass unit according to claim (1), wherein the spacer is made of steel. (7) The steel is electrogalvanized and has a bonderized surface.
Glass unit as described in section. (8) The glass unit according to claim (1), wherein the spacer is formed from a glass fiber reinforced plastic material.