WO2022179965A1

WO2022179965A1 - Cold-bendable spacer having improved stiffness

Info

Publication number: WO2022179965A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/054190
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marie GUIN; Jonas BOUSMAT; Rémi DELEURENCE; Christopher MARJAN; Florian CARRE; Walter Schreiber
Original assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
Priority date: 2021-02-25
Filing date: 2022-02-21
Publication date: 2022-09-01

Abstract

Spacer (I) for insulating-glass units, at least comprising - a polymeric hollow profile (1) extending in a longitudinal direction (X), comprising - a first lateral wall (2.1) and a second lateral wall (2.2) arranged parallel thereto, - a glazing interior wall (3) which extends in a transverse direction (Y) between the lateral walls (2.1, 2.2) and interconnects the latter; - an outer wall (4) which is arranged at least partially parallel to the glazing interior wall (3) and perpendicular to the lateral walls (2.1, 2.2) and interconnects the lateral walls (2.1, 2.2); - a cavity (5) which is enclosed by the lateral walls (2.1, 2.2), the glazing interior wall (3) and the outer wall (4), - a first metallic reinforcing element (6.1) which is arranged within the first lateral wall (2.1), within the glazing interior wall (3) and optionally within the outer wall (4), - a second metallic reinforcing element (6.2) which is arranged within the second lateral wall (2.2), within the glazing interior wall (3) and optionally within the outer wall (4), - wherein the metallic reinforcing elements (6.1, 6.2) are not in contact with one another and the metallic reinforcing elements (6.1, 6.2) are arranged completely within the walls (2.1, 2.2, 3.4) of the hollow profile (1), and - a diffusion barrier (12) is applied to the first lateral wall (2.1), to the outer wall (4) and to the second lateral wall (2.2) of the polymeric hollow profile (1).

Description

Cold bend spacer with improved rigidity

The invention relates to a spacer for insulating glass units, an insulating glass unit, a method for producing an insulating glass unit and its use.

Insulating glazing usually contains at least two panes made of glass or polymeric materials. The discs are separated from one another by a gas or vacuum space defined by the spacer. The thermal insulation capacity of insulating glass is significantly higher than that of single glass and can be further increased and improved in triple glazing or with special coatings. For example, coatings containing silver enable reduced transmission of infrared radiation and thus reduce the cooling of a building in winter.

In addition to the nature and structure of the glass, the other components of insulating glazing are also of great importance. The seal and especially the spacer have a major impact on the quality of the

double glazing. In particular, the contact points between the spacer and the glass pane are very susceptible to temperature and climate fluctuations. The connection between pane and spacer is created by an adhesive bond made of organic polymer, for example polyisobutylene. In addition to the direct effects of temperature fluctuations on the physical properties of the bonded joint, the glass itself has a particular effect on the bonded joint. The glass and the spacers have different thermal linear expansion coefficients, i.e. they expand

Temperature changes to different extents. Due to temperature changes, for example due to solar radiation, the glass expands or contracts again when it cools down. The spacer does not follow these movements to the same extent. This mechanical movement therefore stretches or compresses the adhesive bond, which can only compensate for these movements to a limited extent through its own elasticity. In the course of the service life of the insulating glazing, the mechanical stress described can mean that the adhesive connection detaches over part or all of the surface. This detachment of the adhesive bond can then allow air moisture to penetrate inside the insulating glazing. These climatic loads can lead to fogging in the area of the panes and a reduction in the insulating effect. It is thus desirable to match the linear expansion coefficients of glass and spacers as much as possible.

The thermal insulation properties of insulating glazing are significantly influenced by the thermal conductivity in the area of the edge seal, in particular the spacer. With metal spacers, the high thermal conductivity of the metal causes a thermal bridge to form at the edge of the glass. On the one hand, this thermal bridge leads to heat loss in the edge area of the insulating glazing and, on the other hand, to the formation of condensate on the inner pane in the area of the spacer in the event of high humidity and low outside temperatures. In order to solve these problems, thermally optimized, so-called "warm edge" systems are increasingly being used, in which the spacers are made of materials with lower thermal conductivity, in particular plastics.

From the aspect of thermal conductivity, polymer spacers are preferable to metal spacers. However, polymeric spacers have several disadvantages. On the one hand, the tightness of the polymeric spacers against moisture and gas loss is not sufficient. There are various solutions here, in particular by applying a barrier film as a diffusion barrier to the outside of the spacer (see, for example, WO2013/104507A1 and WO2 016/046081 A1).

On the other hand, the linear expansion coefficients of plastics are much larger than those of glass. Glass fibers or glass beads, for example, can be added to adjust the linear expansion coefficients (see, for example, EP0852280A1). However, an increased proportion of glass fibers impairs the thermally conductive properties of the spacer, so that precise optimization must be carried out here. Glass fibers and similar fillers also improve the longitudinal rigidity of the spacer.

Spacer frames for an insulating glass unit can be made by connecting several pieces of spacer via connectors and then gluing or welding. Each connection point must be carefully sealed. It is therefore advantageous to produce a spacer frame by bending, since in this case a connection point only has to be sealed at one point. In particular, bending without additional heating is for easy machinability desirable. One approach to increasing flexibility without heating is to integrate a metallic strip into the polymer base body. For example, DE19807454A1, ITUA20163892A1 and WO2015/043848A1 describe the integration of a metal reinforcement element exclusively in the side walls. This improves the cold bendability of the hollow profile, but the longitudinal rigidity is low. The processing of the hollow profile to form a spacer frame is thus made more difficult, since the hollow profiles sag considerably. W09941481A1, W02016150705A1 and EP3241972A1 disclose the arrangement of reinforcement elements in the area of the side walls and partly also in the area of other walls.

Longitudinal stiffness (refers to longitudinal deflection) is important for machinability. An improvement in the longitudinal rigidity can be achieved by integrating metallic strips, as just described, or by applying metallic elements externally to the body (see, for example, WO2012055553A1 and WO2019201530). A particular difficulty when applying individual metallic elements externally is the perfect sealing of the edge seal against the ingress of moisture and the long-term stable attachment to the base body.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved spacer which does not have the disadvantages mentioned above, as well as to provide an improved insulating glass unit and a simplified method for its production. The improved spacer should have improved longitudinal rigidity with improved thermal conductivity at the same time, so that it effectively seals an edge bond of an insulating glass unit against the ingress of moisture.

The object of the present invention is achieved according to the invention by a spacer for insulating glass units according to independent claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims.

An insulating glass unit according to the invention, a method for producing the insulating glass unit according to the invention and its use according to the invention emerge from further independent claims. The spacer according to the invention for insulating glass units comprises at least one polymeric hollow profile with a first side wall, a second side wall arranged parallel thereto, a glazing interior wall, an exterior wall and a cavity. The cavity is enclosed by the side walls, the glazing cavity wall and the outer wall. The polymeric hollow profile extends in the longitudinal direction X. The glazing interior wall extends in the transverse direction Y between the two side walls. The glazing interior wall is arranged essentially perpendicular to the side walls and connects the first side wall to the second side wall. The side walls are the walls of the hollow profile to which the outer panes of the insulating glass unit are attached. The interior glazing wall is the wall of the hollow profile that faces the interior cavity after installation in the finished insulating glass unit. The outer wall is at least partially parallel to the glazing cavity wall and connects the first side wall to the second side wall. The outer wall thus comprises at least one section running parallel to the glazing interior wall. After installation in the finished insulating glass unit, the outer wall points to the outer space between the panes.

The spacer further comprises two metallic reinforcing elements which are arranged entirely within the walls of the polymeric hollow section. This means that the metallic reinforcement elements are not glued to the outside of the hollow profile and are also not partially located on the outer surface of the hollow profile. This is particularly advantageous for the stability of the spacer. The metallic reinforcement elements improve the longitudinal rigidity of the spacer. The walls of the polymeric hollow section are the glazing interior wall, the outer wall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The first reinforcement member is disposed within the first sidewall, within the glazing interior wall, and optionally also within the outer wall. The second reinforcement member is disposed within the second sidewall, within the glazing interior wall, and optionally also within the outer wall. The first reinforcement element and the second reinforcement element extend continuously in the longitudinal direction X along the entire spacer. Since the reinforcement elements are arranged completely within the walls of the hollow profile, there is a uniform flat surface for bonding with a diffusion barrier, for example in the form of a foil, and a flat surface for arranging the glass panes in the insulating glass unit. this leads to an improved tightness compared to spacers with reinforcement elements that are applied to the outside of a flat profile and lead there to an edge at the transition between the polymer hollow profile and the reinforcement element. Thanks to a single type of material, a uniform bonding surface is obtained on the outside of the spacer, on which a diffusion barrier can be applied, for example in the form of a gas-tight and moisture-tight barrier film. The type of attachment used, such as an adhesive, can thus be optimized for the connection between the diffusion barrier and the hollow profile and does not have to be additionally adapted for attachment to a metallic material.

The first metal reinforcement member and the second metal reinforcement member are not in contact with each other, that is, they do not touch. By providing the reinforcement in the form of two separate metallic reinforcement elements, the heat insulating properties of the spacer are improved compared to a spacer with a continuous metallic foil/strip. Since the metallic reinforcement elements are not connected to one another, a continuous, thermally conductive metallic connection from the first side wall to the second side wall is prevented, a so-called thermal bridge.

A diffusion barrier is applied to the first side wall, the outer wall and the second side wall of the polymeric hollow body. The diffusion barrier seals the inner space between the panes against the ingress of moisture and prevents the loss of a gas contained in the inner space between the panes.

The spacer according to the invention offers the possibility of manufacturing a spacer frame by bending at room temperature due to the metallic reinforcing elements. The reinforcement members prevent buckling during flexing in the corners of a spacer frame. The arrangement within the walls is particularly advantageous for the stability of the spacer, since there can be problems with long-term stability if there are metal reinforcement elements that are completely or partially on the outside. Due to the different material properties, the large temperature fluctuations in the edge seal of insulating glazing can lead to a weakening of the connection between the polymer hollow profile and the metal reinforcement elements. This can then Detachment of a barrier film, which affects the tightness of the spacer.

The cavity of the spacer according to the invention leads to a weight reduction compared to a solidly formed spacer and is available for accommodating other components, such as a desiccant.

The first side wall and the second side wall represent the sides of the spacer on which the outer panes of an insulating glass unit are installed when the spacer is installed. The first side wall and the second side wall are parallel to each other.

The outer wall of the hollow profile is the wall opposite the glazing interior wall, which points away from the interior of the insulating glass unit (inner space between the panes) in the direction of the outer space between the panes.

The outer wall preferably runs essentially perpendicular to the side walls. A flat outer wall that is perpendicular to the side walls (parallel to the glazing interior wall) over its entire course has the advantage that the sealing surface between the spacer and the side walls is maximized and a simpler shape facilitates the production process.

In a preferred embodiment of the spacer according to the invention, the sections of the outer wall closest to the side walls are inclined at an angle α (alpha) of 30° to 60° to the outer wall in the direction of the side walls. This design improves the stability of the polymer hollow profile. The sections closest to the side walls are preferably inclined at an angle α (alpha) of 45°. In this case, the stability of the spacer is further improved.

Preferably, the first metal reinforcing member and the second metal reinforcing member are arranged in these inclined portions of the outer wall. This further improves the longitudinal rigidity of the spacer over an embodiment in which the metal reinforcing members are located only in the glazing cavity wall and sidewalls.

In a preferred embodiment of the spacer according to the invention, the first reinforcement element and the second reinforcement element are each in one piece executed; that is, they extend uninterruptedly from the glazing cavity wall into the first side wall and second side wall, respectively, and then optionally into the outer wall. Accordingly, they are bent at least once at an angle of approximately 90° at the points where they merge from the interior glazing wall into the side wall. This design as a continuous first reinforcement element or second reinforcement element is of particular advantage for the bending of the spacer, since the formation of folds during bending to form a spacer frame is reduced in this way.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, the first and second reinforcement elements are designed in multiple pieces. This means that they do not extend continuously from the glazing interior wall into the first side wall or into the second side wall and from there optionally into the outer wall. For example, the first reinforcing element can be divided into three separate pieces, which extend in the longitudinal direction (X) continuously along the entire hollow profile: a piece in the glazing interior wall, a piece in the side wall and a piece in the outer wall. This is easier to manufacture in the manufacturing process because the reinforcement elements do not have to be bent. Preferably, the first reinforcement member and the second reinforcement member each consist of two, three or four separate pieces.

In a preferred embodiment, the first and the second reinforcement element are angled at least once, preferably angled twice, particularly preferably angled three times. The metallic reinforcement elements are preferably angled at the transitions from one wall section to the next: at the transition between the glazing interior wall and a side wall and/or at the transition from a side wall to the outer wall and/or at the transition from an inclined section of the outer wall to the one running parallel to the glazing interior wall section of the outer wall. This further increases the longitudinal rigidity of the spacer, since the metal reinforcement elements are particularly stable thanks to the angled design. It is thus possible to reduce the wall thickness d of the polymeric hollow profile compared to a shape without angled sections. A reduction in wall thickness in turn leads to improved bendability and lower material costs. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second reinforcement elements are symmetrical to one another with respect to the plane of symmetry S. The plane of symmetry S is arranged centrally with respect to the transverse direction Y between the side walls and runs parallel to the side walls in the X and Z directions. Both reinforcement elements preferably have the same structure in terms of thickness and material. This is beneficial for the stability of the spacer during processing. Alternatively, preferably, the reinforcement elements can differ in terms of their dimensions and/or materials and/or can be arranged asymmetrically.

In a preferred embodiment, the first reinforcement element and/or the second reinforcement element comprise a profiled section in the glazing interior wall or at the transition from side wall to glazing interior wall. That is, the reinforcement members do not run linearly parallel to the glazing cavity wall in the transverse direction, but rather have a cross-section with a two-dimensional profile. The reinforcement elements are preferably folded/bent several times in the profiled section, preferably folded/bent twice. This improves the longitudinal rigidity.

In a preferred embodiment, the first reinforcement element and/or the second reinforcement element in the glazing interior wall extends in the transverse direction over a length l of 0.05 v to 0.30 v, where v is the width of the polymeric hollow profile. The width v of the polymeric hollow profile is the distance between the surfaces of the side walls facing the panes of an insulating glass unit. The width v thus determines the distance between two panes of an insulating glass unit. The length I designates the length over which a reinforcement element extends in the Y-direction, measured between its two ends in the glazing interior wall. For example, if a reinforcement element is curved or corrugated, the stretched length is not determined, only the distance between the two ends measured in the corrugated / curved shape. The area in which the side wall and the glazing interior wall come together is also taken into account, so that the glazing interior wall is taken into account over the entire width v of the hollow profile. The length l is preferably between 0.07 v and 0.25 v, particularly preferably between 0.10 v and 0.20 v. The length I determines the rigidity of the spacer. In the specified areas, the deflection of the spacer is effectively decreased without increasing the heat conduction through the spacer too much.

In a preferred embodiment, the second metallic reinforcing element is arranged in the glazing interior wall in the transverse direction (X) at a distance i of at least 3 mm from the first metallic reinforcing element. This results in a metal-free area in the glazing interior wall, which contributes to improving the heat-insulating properties of the spacer.

In a preferred embodiment, the second metal reinforcement element is arranged in the outer wall in the transverse direction (X) at a distance a of at least 3 mm from the first metal reinforcement element. This results in a metal-free area in the outer wall, which contributes to improving the heat-insulating properties of the spacer.

In a preferred embodiment, the diffusion barrier is applied in such a way that the areas of the two side walls bordering on the interior wall of the glazing are free of a diffusion barrier. A particularly good sealing of the spacer is achieved by attaching it to the entire outer wall up to the side walls. The advantage of the areas on the side walls that remain free of diffusion barriers is, on the one hand, an improvement in the visual appearance when installed. If there is a barrier that borders on the interior glazing wall or is even part of the interior glazing wall, this will be visible in the finished insulating glass unit. This should be avoided for aesthetic reasons. Another advantage of the exposed areas on the sidewalls is that when installed in the finished IG unit, the primary sealant can be applied to extend over the diffusion barrier and over a length of the polymeric sidewall. In this way, a uniform sealing level is achieved and a particularly good seal is achieved. The height of the area remaining free from the diffusion barrier is preferably between 1 mm and 3 mm. In this embodiment, the diffusion barrier is not visible in the finished insulating glass unit and the visual impression is therefore advantageous. In addition, the primary sealant can be applied in the finished insulating glazing in such a way that the primary sealant is applied to the plastic of the side walls and the diffusion barrier. In this way, interfacial diffusion at the transition from diffusion barrier to plastic is significantly reduced. In a preferred embodiment, the polymeric hollow profile contains fillers. The fillers can be used to adjust material properties such as mechanical strength, stiffness and dimensional stability. For this purpose, a wide variety of fibrous, powdery or platelet-like materials are available to the person skilled in the art

Reinforcing agents known. To the powdery and/or flaky ones

Strengthening agents include, for example, mica, chalk and talc. Reinforcement fibers, which include glass fibers, aramid fibers, ceramic fibers or natural fibers, are particularly preferred with regard to mechanical properties. Alternatives to this are ground glass fibers or hollow glass spheres. These hollow glass spheres have a diameter of 10 μm to 20 μm and improve the stability of the polymeric hollow profile. Suitable hollow glass spheres are commercially available under the name “3M™ Glass Bubbles”. In one possible embodiment, the polymeric hollow profile contains both glass fibers and hollow glass spheres. One

Adding hollow glass spheres leads to a further improvement in the thermal properties of the hollow profile. The polymeric hollow profile particularly preferably contains talc and/or glass beads as fillers. The polymeric hollow profile preferably contains up to 15 percent by volume of glass beads. The polymeric hollow profile preferably contains up to 20 percent by weight of talc.

In a preferred embodiment of the spacer according to the invention, the polymeric hollow profile has an essentially uniform wall thickness d. This leads to an improvement in the bendability compared to hollow profiles with areas of different wall thicknesses. It has been shown that with a uniform wall thickness, fewer fractures of the spacer occur during cold bending than with different wall thicknesses.

In a preferred embodiment, the wall thickness d is from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. In this area, the spacer is stable and at the same time flexible enough to be cold bendable. The wall thickness d is particularly preferably from 0.6 mm to 1.2 mm, particularly preferably from 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm. The best results are achieved with these wall thicknesses. Deviations of 0.1 mm above and below are possible due to the manufacturing process.

In a preferred embodiment, the metallic reinforcing elements contain or consist of aluminum, stainless steel or steel. This Materials are easy to process and deliver particularly good results when adjusting the coefficient of linear expansion. The reinforcement elements are particularly preferably made of steel, preferably of coated steel, which is particularly preferably coated with an adhesion promoter. Compared to aluminium, steel has lower thermal conductivity and good linear expansion. In addition, steel is very stable and cheaper than stainless steel. Both reinforcement elements are preferably made of the same material.

In a preferred embodiment of the spacer according to the invention, the metallic reinforcement elements are introduced in the form of a metallic foil or a metallic sheet. These have the advantage that they can be fed in during the extrusion of the polymeric hollow profile and can thus be incorporated directly into the polymeric hollow profile. With a tool for roll forming, the foils or sheets can be bent to suit and fed into the extrusion process. It is preferably continuous metallic foils or sheets. Perforated foils, perforated sheets, nets or grids, on the other hand, are more difficult to roll form, but have the advantage that less material is required for production.

In a preferred embodiment, the thickness b of the first and second metallic reinforcement elements is between 0.05 mm and 0.40 mm, preferably between 0.10 mm and 0.30 mm. In this area, a good stiffening of the polymeric hollow profile is achieved by the reinforcing elements and at the same time the thermal conductivity in the edge area of the later insulating glass unit is increased only to a small extent. A thickness of 0.20 mm has proven particularly advantageous.

In a preferred embodiment, the metallic reinforcing elements are arranged approximately centrally in the glazing interior wall in relation to the thickness d of the wall. This can be achieved particularly well during the extrusion of the hollow profile and leads to very stable spacers.

In a further preferred embodiment, the metallic reinforcing elements in the glazing cavity wall are arranged closer to the outboard side of the glazing cavity wall than to the side facing the cavity. This improves the properties when bending the hollow profile and at the same time increases the rigidity of the spacer profile. Already one Reducing the distance to the outer side by 0.1 mm leads to a measurable improvement in rigidity. The minimum distance of a metallic reinforcement element is preferably 0.15 mm from the outer side of the glazing interior wall. This ensures that the reinforcement element is arranged completely within the hollow profile and is not visible in the insulating glass unit.

In a preferred embodiment, the metallic reinforcement elements in the side walls and/or the outer wall are arranged approximately centrally with respect to the thickness of the respective side wall or outer wall. This can be implemented particularly well in production and leads to very stable spacers.

In a preferred embodiment of the spacer according to the invention, the hollow profile contains polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PET-G), crosslinked polyethylene terephthalate (PET-X), polyoxymethylene (POM ), polyamides, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), PET/PC, PBT/PC and/or copolymers thereof. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the hollow profile essentially consists of one of the listed polymers. These materials provide particularly good results in terms of the necessary flexibility that is required for the spacer to be bendable without additional heating.

In a preferred embodiment, the polymeric hollow profile consists of a foamed polymer. The inclusion of air-filled pores in the hollow profile reduces the thermal conductivity and thus improves the heat-insulating properties of the hollow profile. The use of foaming agents in the production of spacers is described, for example, in EP 2930296 A1.

In a preferred embodiment, the glazing interior wall has at least one perforation. A plurality of perforations are preferably made in the glazing interior wall. The total number of perforations depends on the size of the insulating glass unit. The perforations in the glazing interior wall connect the cavity with the interior space between the panes, allowing gas exchange between them. This allows the moisture in the air to be absorbed by a desiccant in the cavity, thus preventing the windows from fogging up. the Perforations are preferably designed as slits, particularly preferably as slits with a width of 0.2 mm and a length of 2 mm. The slits ensure an optimal exchange of air without desiccant penetrating from the hollow space into the inner space between the panes. After the hollow profile has been produced, the perforations can simply be punched or drilled into the glazing interior wall. Preferably, the perforations are hot stamped into the glazing cavity wall.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, the material of the interior wall of the glazing is porous or made of a plastic that is open to diffusion, so that no perforations are required.

The diffusion barrier is preferably a barrier film and prevents moisture from penetrating into the cavity of the spacer. The barrier foil can be a metal foil or polymer foil or a multilayer foil with polymeric and metallic layers or with polymeric and ceramic layers or with polymeric, metallic and ceramic layers. The barrier film is preferably a gas-tight and moisture-tight barrier film.

The terms gas-tight and moisture-tight refer to gas diffusion tightness and vapor diffusion tightness for the relevant gases (e.g. nitrogen, oxygen, water and argon). The materials used are impervious to gas or vapor diffusion if, preferably, no more than 1% of the gases in the space between the panes can escape within a year. Diffusion-tight is also to be equated with low-diffusion in the sense that the corresponding test standard EN 1279 parts 2 + 3 is preferably fulfilled, i.e. the finished spacer preferably fulfills the test standard EN 1279 parts 2 + 3.

The diffusion barrier is preferably a barrier film. The barrier film is preferably a multilayer film with polymeric layers and metallic layers or with polymeric and ceramic layers or with polymeric, metallic and ceramic layers. The barrier film preferably contains at least one polymeric layer and a metallic layer or a ceramic layer.

The layer thickness of the polymeric layers is preferably between 5 μm and 80 μm, preferably from 5 μm to 24 μm, particularly preferably from 10 μm to 15 μm. Polymer layers with these layer thicknesses can be coated and laminated well. The barrier film preferably contains one, two, three, four or more polymeric layers.

Ceramic layers are characterized by low heat conduction, which further improves the heat-insulating properties of the spacer. The ceramic layers preferably contain or consist of a silicon oxide and/or a silicon nitride.

The barrier film preferably comprises at least one thin ceramic layer with a thickness between 10 nm and 300 nm, particularly preferably from 20 nm to 200 nm. These layer thicknesses result in a particularly good barrier effect. To improve the barrier effect and to avoid a loss of tightness when the spacer is bent, the ceramic layers are preferably used in combination with other ceramic and/or metallic layers.

Metallic layers are characterized by excellent barrier properties against moisture penetration and sealing against gas leakage. According to the invention, a metallic layer can comprise both pure metals and their oxides and their alloys. The metallic layers preferably comprise or consist of aluminum, silver, copper, gold or alloys or oxides thereof. These are characterized by a particularly high level of tightness.

The barrier film preferably comprises at least one thin metallic layer with a thickness between 10 nm and 300 nm, particularly preferably from 20 nm to 200 nm. These thin metallic layers contribute only slightly to increasing the thermal conductivity of the barrier film, but are more susceptible to leaks, that can occur when bending. Therefore, thin metallic layers are preferably used in combination with other metallic layers and/or ceramic layers.

The barrier film preferably comprises at least one, preferably exactly one, thick metallic layer with a thickness between 2 μm and 8 μm, particularly preferably between 4 μm and 7 μm. It has been shown that thick metallic layers do not lose their tightness when bent. Thus, there are fewer individual layers necessary than with a structure with many thin metallic layers, which is easier to manufacture. Most preferably, the barrier film comprises a thick metallic layer of elemental aluminum. Aluminum has proven to be particularly suitable in bending tests. Alternatively, the barrier film comprises at least one, preferably precisely one, thick ceramic layer with a thickness between 2 μm and 8 μm, particularly preferably between 4 μm and 7 μm. Thick ceramic layers also do not lose their tightness when bent and are usually cheaper than metallic layers in terms of material costs.

The barrier film preferably contains at least one polymeric layer and precisely one thick metallic layer with a thickness of between 2 μm and 8 μm. The barrier film particularly preferably comprises precisely one thick metallic layer, at least one polymeric layer and at least one thin ceramic layer and/or at least one thin metallic layer. The layer sequence is preferred: polymeric layer—thin metallic layer or thin ceramic layer—thick metallic layer. This construction has proven to be extremely ductile, which is of great importance at the corners of a cold bent spacer frame. The layer sequence is particularly preferred: polymeric layer—thin ceramic layer—thick metallic layer.

Alternatively, the barrier film preferably contains at least two thin metallic layers and/or at least two thin ceramic layers, which are arranged alternately with at least one polymeric layer. The outer layers are preferably formed by the polymeric layer. In this way, the thin metallic and ceramic layers are particularly well protected against mechanical damage. Alternatively, the outer layers are preferably formed by metallic or ceramic layers. These improve the adhesion properties to the secondary sealant. The use of a barrier film with an alternating sequence of layers is particularly advantageous with regard to the tightness of the system. A defect in one of the layers does not lead to a loss of function of the barrier film. In comparison, even a small defect in a single layer can lead to complete failure. Furthermore, the application of several thin layers is advantageous compared to one thick layer, since the risk of internal adhesion problems increases with increasing layer thickness. Furthermore, thicker layers have a higher conductivity, so that such a film is thermodynamically less suitable. The barrier film particularly preferably contains at least three, in particular precisely three, thin metallic layers and/or at least three, in particular precisely three, thin ceramic layers which are arranged alternately with at least three, in particular precisely three, polymeric layers. The preferred order of the individual layers is polymeric layer,

- thin metallic or thin ceramic layer, polymeric layer,

- thin metallic or thin ceramic layer, polymeric layer and

- Thin metallic or thin ceramic layer.

If there are more than three polymeric layers and more than three thin metallic or thin ceramic layers, the additional layers are continued in the same way. Each polymeric layer is followed by a thin metallic or ceramic layer and each thin metallic or ceramic layer is followed by a polymeric layer. In this way, the thin metallic and ceramic layers are particularly well protected against mechanical damage. The use of a barrier film with an alternating sequence of layers is particularly advantageous with regard to the tightness of the system. One or even two defects in one of the layers does not lead to a loss of function of the barrier film. With a total of three thin metallic layers or three thin ceramic layers, there is a very advantageous relationship between the tightness and stability of the system and the material costs. This advantage surprised the inventor.

In a very particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the barrier film comprises a polymeric layer, a thin ceramic layer or a thin metallic layer and a thick ceramic or thick metallic layer. The barrier film preferably consists of precisely one polymer layer, precisely one thin ceramic layer or precisely one thin metallic layer and precisely one thick ceramic layer or precisely one thick metallic layer. The layer sequence is preferred: polymeric layer—thin metallic layer or thin ceramic layer—thick metallic layer. This construction has proven to be extremely ductile, which is of great importance at the corners of a cold bent spacer frame. By using ceramic layers instead of metal layers, the bending properties are hardly affected, but material costs can be saved. A thick or thin ceramic or a thick or thin metallic layer is preferably the first layer which is applied to the outer wall, the first side wall and the second side wall of the polymeric hollow profile, preferably by means of an adhesive (for example with a polyurethane hot-melt adhesive). Alternatively, a polymer layer can also be applied to the outer wall, the first side wall and the second side wall of the polymer hollow profile. The individual layers (polymeric, ceramic and/or metallic layers) of the barrier film can be connected to one another via an adhesive layer, preferably with a thickness of 500 to 4000 nm. It is also possible that only individual layers are connected to one another by means of an adhesive layer. The layers can also be applied by means of physical vapor deposition, so that no adhesive layer is necessary for the connection.

The thin metallic and ceramic layers are preferably deposited using a PVD process (physical vapor deposition). Coating processes for films with thin layers in the nanometer range are known and are used, for example, in the packaging industry. A metallic thin layer can be applied to a polymeric foil, for example by sputtering, in the required thickness between 10 nm and 300 nm. Subsequently, this coated foil can be laminated with a thick metallic layer in a thickness in the μm range and the barrier foil can thus be obtained. Such a coating can be done on one side or on both sides.

The polymeric layers of the barrier film preferably comprise polyethylene terephthalate, ethylene vinyl alcohol, polyvinylidene chloride, polyamides, polyethylene, polypropylene, silicones, acrylonitriles, polyacrylates, polymethyl acrylates and/or copolymers or mixtures thereof.

In a preferred embodiment, the barrier film contains an adhesion promoter layer, which serves to improve the adhesion of the secondary sealant in the finished insulating glazing. This adhesion promoter layer is arranged as the outermost layer of the barrier film so that it is in contact with the secondary sealant in the finished insulating glazing. A chemical pretreatment, a ceramic adhesion layer or a metallic adhesion layer can be used as the adhesion promoter layer. The metallic adhesion layer preferably has a thickness between 5 nm and 30 nm. According to the invention, a metallic bonding layer can comprise both pure metals and their oxides and their alloys. The metallic bonding layer preferably comprises or consists of aluminum, titanium, nickel, chromium, iron or alloys or oxides thereof. These have good adhesion to the adjacent sealant. Preferred alloys are stainless steel and TiNiCr.

The hollow profile preferably has a width v of 5 mm to 55 mm, preferably 10 mm to 20 mm, along the interior wall of the glazing. In the context of the invention, the width v is the dimension extending between the side walls. The width is the distance between the opposite surfaces of the two side walls. The distance between the panes of the insulating glass unit is determined by the selection of the width of the glazing interior wall. The exact dimensions of the glazing interior wall depend on the dimensions of the insulating glass unit and the desired size of the space between the panes.

The hollow profile preferably has a height of 5 mm to 15 mm, particularly preferably 5 mm to 10 mm, along the side walls. In this height range, the spacer has an advantageous stability, but on the other hand it is advantageously inconspicuous in the insulating glass unit. In addition, the cavity of the spacer is of an advantageous size for accommodating a suitable amount of desiccant. The height of the spacer is the distance between the opposite surfaces of the outer wall and the glazing cavity wall.

A desiccant is preferably contained in the cavity, preferably silica gels, molecular sieves, CaCL, Na ₂ SO ₄ , activated carbon, silicates, bentonites, zeolites and/or mixtures thereof.

The invention also includes an insulating glass unit with at least a first pane, a second pane, a circumferential spacer according to the invention arranged between the first and second panes, an inner space between the panes and an outer space between the panes. The spacer according to the invention is arranged to form a circumferential spacer frame. The first disc is attached to the first side wall of the spacer with a primary sealant and the second disc is attached to the second side wall with a primary sealant. That means between the A primary sealant is positioned between the first side wall and the first pane and between the second side wall and the second pane. The primary sealant is in contact with the diffusion barrier, which is attached to the side walls and the outer wall. The first pane and the second pane are arranged in parallel and preferably congruently. The edges of the two panes are therefore arranged flush in the edge area, i.e. they are at the same height. The interior space between the panes is defined by the first and second panes and the interior glazing wall. The outer pane gap is defined as the space bounded by the first pane, the second pane and the diffusion barrier on the outer wall of the spacer. The outer space between the panes is at least partially sealed with a secondary sealant. The secondary sealant contributes to the mechanical stability of the insulating glass unit and absorbs some of the climatic loads that affect the edge seal.

In a preferred embodiment of the insulating glass unit according to the invention, the primary sealing means extends to the areas of the first and second side wall adjoining the interior wall of the glazing, which are preferably free of the diffusion barrier. The primary sealant thus covers the transition between the polymeric hollow profile and the diffusion barrier, so that a particularly good seal of the insulating glass unit is achieved. In this way, the diffusion of moisture into the cavity of the spacer at the point where the diffusion barrier meets the plastic is reduced (less interfacial diffusion).

The primary sealant preferably contains a polyisobutylene. The polyisobutylene can be crosslinking or non-crosslinking polyisobutylene. The sealant is preferably introduced into the gap between the spacer and panes in a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm, particularly preferably in a thickness of 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm.

In a preferred embodiment, the secondary sealant is applied such that the entire outer space between the panes is completely filled with secondary sealant. This leads to maximum stabilization of the insulating glass unit. The secondary sealant preferably contains polymers or silane-modified polymers, particularly preferably organic polysulfides, silicones, room-temperature-vulcanizing (RTV) silicone rubber, peroxide-vulcanized silicone rubber and/or addition-vulcanized silicone rubber, polyurethanes and/or hotmelt. These sealants have a particularly good stabilizing effect.

The first pane and the second pane of the insulating glass unit preferably contain glass, ceramic and/or polymers, particularly preferably quartz glass, borosilicate glass, soda-lime glass, polymethyl methacrylate or polycarbonate.

The first pane and the second pane have a thickness of 2 mm to 50 mm, preferably 3 mm to 16 mm, it also being possible for the two panes to have different thicknesses.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the insulating glass unit comprises at least three panes, with a further spacer frame being attached to the first pane and/or the second pane, to which the at least third pane is attached.

In principle, the most diverse geometries of the insulating glass unit are possible, for example rectangular, trapezoidal and rounded shapes. The spacer can be bent to produce round geometries.

The first pane, the second pane and other panes can be made of toughened safety glass, thermally or chemically toughened glass, float glass, extra-clear low-iron float glass, colored glass, or laminated safety glass containing one or more of these components. The panes can have any other components or coatings, for example low-E layers or other sun protection coatings.

In a preferred embodiment of the insulating glass unit according to the invention, the spacer frame consists of one or more spacers according to the invention. A spacer according to the invention is preferably bent to form a complete frame and connected or welded at one point via a plug connector. It can also be several inventive Act as spacers that are linked to one another via one or more connectors. The connectors can be designed as longitudinal connectors or corner connectors. Such corner connectors can be designed, for example, as a plastic molded part with a seal, in which two spacers provided with a miter cut collide.

In a further embodiment, the insulating glazing comprises more than two panes. The spacer can contain grooves, for example, in which at least one further disk is arranged. Several panes could also be designed as a laminated glass pane.

The invention also includes a method for producing an insulating glass unit according to the invention, comprising the steps:

providing a spacer according to the invention,

Bending the spacer into a spacer frame that is closed at one point

providing a first disc and a second disc,

Fixing the spacer via a primary sealant between the first pane and the second pane,

Pressing the disc assembly from the two discs and the spacer and

Filling the outer space between the panes with a secondary sealant.

The insulating glass unit is manufactured mechanically on double glazing systems known to those skilled in the art. First, a spacer frame comprising the spacer according to the invention is provided. The spacer frame is preferably produced by bending the spacer according to the invention into a frame which is closed at one point by welding, gluing and/or using a plug connector. A first pane and a second pane are provided and the spacer frame is fixed via a primary sealant between the first and second panes. The spacer frame is placed on the first pane with the first side wall of the spacer and fixed using the primary sealant. The second pane is then placed congruently with the first pane on the second side wall of the spacer and also fixed using the primary sealant and the pane arrangement is pressed. The outer space between the panes is filled with a secondary sealant at least partially filled. The method according to the invention thus makes it possible to produce an insulating glass unit in a simple and cost-effective manner. No special new machines are required since, thanks to the structure of the spacer according to the invention, conventional bending machines can be used, such as are already available for metal cold-bendable spacers.

In a preferred embodiment of the method, the spacer is bent at room temperature, ie at temperatures below 40°C, preferably at 15°C to 30°C. This means that no external heat source is required to preheat the spacer in the corners. This procedure saves energy and time.

The invention also includes the use of the insulating glass unit according to the invention as building interior glazing, building exterior glazing and/or facade glazing.

The various configurations of the invention can be implemented individually or in any combination. In particular, the features mentioned above and to be explained below can be used not only in the specified combinations, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to drawings. The drawings are purely schematic representations and are not true to scale. They do not restrict the invention in any way. Show it:

FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a possible embodiment of a polymer

hollow section,

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a further possible embodiment of a spacer according to the invention,

FIG. 3 shows a cross section of a further possible embodiment of a spacer according to the invention,

FIG. 4 shows a cross section of a further possible embodiment of a spacer according to the invention,

FIG. 5 shows a cross section of a further possible embodiment of a spacer according to the invention, FIG. 6 shows a cross section of a further possible embodiment of a spacer according to the invention,

FIG. 7 shows a cross section of a possible embodiment of the insulating glass unit according to the invention,

Figure 8 shows a cross section of a possible embodiment of a diffusion barrier and

FIG. 9 shows a cross section of a further possible embodiment of a diffusion barrier.

FIG. 1 shows a cross section through a spacer I according to the invention. The spacer comprises a polymeric hollow profile 1 which extends in the longitudinal direction X. The hollow profile consists, for example, of polypropylene with 10% by weight of talc and 5% by volume of hollow glass spheres. The hollow profile 1 comprises a first side wall 2.1, a side wall 2.2 running parallel thereto, a glazing interior wall 3 and an outer wall 4. The glazing interior wall 3 extends in the transverse direction Y and runs perpendicular to the side walls 2.1 and 2.2 and connects the two side walls. The outer wall 4 is opposite the glazing interior wall 3 and connects the two side walls 2.1 and 2.2. The outer wall runs partially parallel to the glazing interior wall 3. The sections 4.1 of the outer wall 4 closest to the side walls 2.1 and 2.2 are inclined at an angle a (alpha) of about 45° to the outer wall 4 in the direction of the side walls 2.1 and 2.2. Between these inclined sections 4.1 there is a parallel section 4.2, which runs parallel to the interior wall 3 of the glazing. The angled geometry of the inclined sections 4.1 improves the stability of the polymeric hollow profile 1. In addition, this enables a more stable arrangement of the first and second reinforcement elements 6.1 and 6.2, since they are also arranged at an angle there. In addition, the bonding with a diffusion barrier 12 in the form of a barrier film is improved. The wall thickness d of the hollow profile is 0.8 mm. The wall thickness d is essentially the same everywhere. This improves the stability of the hollow profile and simplifies production. The polymeric hollow profile 1 has, for example, a height h of 6.5 mm and a width v of 16 mm. The outer wall 4, the glazing interior wall 3 and the two side walls 2.1 and 2.2 enclose the cavity 5. The cavity 5 can accommodate a desiccant 11. Perforations 24 are provided in the glazing interior wall 3 (not shown in this figure), which create a connection to the inner space between the panes in the insulating glass unit. About the perforations 24 in the In the glazing interior wall 3, the desiccant 11 can then absorb moisture from the inner space 15 between the panes (see FIG. 7).

The first and second reinforcement elements 6.1 and 6.2 are each stainless steel foils with a thickness of b = 0.20 mm, which are introduced into the glazing interior wall 3, the first and second side wall 2.1, 2.2 and the outer wall 4 during the extrusion of the polymer hollow profile 1 have been. The reinforcing elements 6.1 and 6.2 are located approximately centrally in the walls of the hollow profile in relation to the wall thickness. The reinforcement elements primarily contribute to the longitudinal rigidity and flexibility of the spacer. The first and second metallic reinforcement elements 6.1 and 6.2 have the same structure and the same dimensions. The first metal reinforcement member and the second metal reinforcement member are not in contact with each other, that is, they do not touch. In the glazing interior wall 3 there is a metal-free area with a length i of about 12 mm between the first and the second reinforcement element. Also in the outer wall 4, between the reinforcement elements 6.1 and 6.2, a region of length a is free of metal reinforcement elements. This improves the heat insulating properties of the spacer compared to a spacer with a continuous strip. The first metallic reinforcement element 6.1 extends over the length l of approximately 1.8 mm into the glazing interior wall 3, as a result of which a deflection of the spacer profile is effectively reduced. The first reinforcement element is bent at an angle of approximately 90° at the connection point to the first side wall 2.1 and then runs over the entire height of the side wall 2.1 approximately in the middle of the side wall. At the transition to the inclined section of the outer wall 4.1, the first reinforcement element 6.1 is angled and runs in the entire angled section of the outer wall 4.1. The first reinforcement element 6.1 is therefore designed in one piece and angled twice. Accordingly, the second metallic reinforcement element 6.2 is constructed symmetrically. This symmetrical structure is particularly advantageous for the stability of the spacer during bending.

A diffusion barrier in the form of a gas-tight and moisture-tight barrier film 12 is arranged on the outer wall 4 and part of the first side wall 2.1 and part of the first side wall 2.2 and completely covers the outer wall. Since the reinforcing elements 6.1 and 6.2 are arranged completely within the walls of the hollow profile, there is a uniform surface for bonding to the barrier film 12. The areas of the first side wall 2.1 and the second side wall 2.2 bordering on the glazing interior wall 3 remain free of barrier film 12. The barrier film 12 can be attached to the hollow profile 1 with a polyurethane hot-melt adhesive, for example. The barrier films shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, for example, are suitable as barrier film 12 .

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a further spacer according to the invention without a diffusion barrier. The films shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, for example, are suitable as a diffusion barrier. The basic features of the spacer are as described for FIG. 1 and it differs, for example, in the shape and arrangement of the first and second reinforcement elements 6.1 and 6.2. The plane of symmetry S is drawn in as an example in FIG. The plane of symmetry S is arranged centrally with respect to the transverse direction Y between the side walls and runs parallel to the side walls in the X and Z directions. The corners of the hollow profile 1 are rounded on the side facing the cavity 5 . The reinforcing elements 6.1 and 6.2 are not arranged in the middle in relation to the wall thickness d, but are arranged somewhat further to the outside in the side walls 2.1 and 2.2 and the outer wall 4. The reinforcement elements 6.1 and 6.2 are made in one piece and run in the entire inclined sections 4.1 of the outer wall and protrude somewhat into the parallel section 4.2 of the outer wall. The reinforcement elements 6.1 and 6.2 extend over the length I=1.5 mm in the transverse direction (Y). The length is measured from the free end of a reinforcement element to the end that is still in the glazing cavity wall. The area where the side wall and the interior glazing wall meet is also taken into account.

FIG. 3 shows a cross section of a further spacer according to the invention. The spacer has the same structure as that shown in FIG. 1 and differs only in the design of the first and second reinforcement elements 6.1 and 6.2. The reinforcing elements 6.1 and 6.2 each consist of three pieces located in the glazing interior wall, the first and second side walls, respectively, and the outer wall. This means that the reinforcement elements do not have to be angled and heat conduction is reduced because less metal is used. The length I of the reinforcement elements in the glazing interior wall is 2.5 mm each, which leads to an improvement in rigidity. Figure 4 shows a cross section of another spacer I according to the invention. The spacer differs from that shown in Figure 1 essentially by the different shape of the hollow profile 1. The outer wall 4 runs completely parallel to the glazing interior wall 3. The reinforcing elements are only in the glazing interior wall 3 and arranged on the side walls 2.1 and 2.2. This means that the first reinforcement element 6.1 and the second reinforcement element 6.2 are only angled once, since the hollow profile is essentially rectangular. This leads to a somewhat lower stability of the reinforcement elements 6.1 and 6.2. However, the manufacture of the spacer shown is simpler since the reinforcing elements are angled only once and the substantially rectangular shape is easier to manufacture. In addition, the area to which the glass panes are attached in the finished insulating glazing is larger than in the embodiment shown in FIGS.

FIG. 5 shows a cross section of a further spacer I according to the invention. The spacer differs from that shown in FIG. 4 by the different reinforcing elements 6.1. and 6.2. These are arranged in the glazing interior wall 3, the outer wall 4 and the side walls 2.1 and 2.2. This means that the first reinforcement element 6.1 and the second reinforcement element 6.2 are angled twice, since the hollow profile is essentially rectangular. This leads to improved stability of the reinforcement elements 6.1 and 6.2, which in turn leads to an improvement in the bendability, since the formation of folds during bending is reduced.

FIG. 6 shows a cross section of a further spacer I according to the invention. The spacer differs from that shown in FIG. 4 by the different design of the reinforcing elements 6.1 and 6.2. The first reinforcement element 6.1 and the second reinforcement element 6.2 each have a profiled section 7 in the glazing interior wall 3 . That is, the reinforcement elements 6.1 and 6.2 have a cross section with a two-dimensional profile. The reinforcing elements 6.1 and 6.2 are folded twice in the profiled section 7. This improves the longitudinal rigidity.

FIG. 7 shows a cross section of the edge area of an insulating glass unit II according to the invention with the spacer I shown in FIG. 2. For the sake of clarity, the diffusion barrier 12 is not shown. The first disk 13 is connected via a primary sealing means 17 to the first side wall 2.1 of the spacer I, and the second disc 14 is attached via the primary sealing means 17 to the second side wall 2.2. The primary sealant 17 contains a crosslinking polyisobutylene. The inner space 15 between the panes is located between the first pane 13 and the second pane 14 and is delimited by the glazing inner space wall 3 of the spacer I according to the invention. The cavity 5 is filled with a desiccant 11, for example a molecular sieve. The cavity 5 is connected to the inner space 15 between the panes via perforations 24 in the inner glazing space wall 3 . Through the perforations 24 in the glazing interior wall 3, a gas exchange takes place between the cavity 5 and the inner space 15 between the panes, with the desiccant 11 absorbing the humidity from the inner space 15 between the panes. The first pane 13 and the second pane 14 protrude beyond the side walls 2.1 and 2.2, so that an outer pane gap 16 is created, which is located between the first pane 13 and the second pane 14 and is delimited by the outer wall 4 with the diffusion barrier 12 of the spacer. The edge 21 of the first disc 13 and the edge 22 of the second disc 14 are arranged at the same height. The outer space between the panes 16 is sealed with a secondary sealant 18 . The secondary sealant 18 is a silicone, for example. Silicones absorb the forces acting on the edge seal particularly well and thus contribute to the high stability of the insulating glass unit II. The first pane 13 and the second pane 14 consist of soda-lime glass with a thickness of 3 mm.

FIG. 8 shows a cross section of a diffusion barrier 12 suitable for a spacer according to the invention. The diffusion barrier 12 is a multi-layer barrier film comprising a polymeric layer 25 of 12 μm thick polyethylene terephthalate (PET), adjoining a thin metallic layer 26 in the form of a sputtered 300 nm thick aluminum layer. The barrier foil also includes a thick metallic layer 27 of 4 µm thick elemental aluminum. The thin metallic layer 26 of sputtered aluminum is bonded to the elemental aluminum layer by an adhesive layer. The two film components can be connected by lining or laminating. The thick aluminum layer 27 ensures excellent tightness even after bending. This means that the seal of the spacer is still very good even in the corners where the foil is stretched considerably. The thin aluminum layer 26 further improves the tightness of the spacer. FIG. 9 shows a cross section of a further diffusion barrier 12 suitable for a spacer according to the invention. The diffusion barrier 12 has a total of four thin metallic layers 26 with a thickness of 50 nm each and two polymer layers 25 with a thickness of 12 μm each. The diffusion barrier 12 consists of two double-sided sputtered PET films, which are connected to one another via a thin 2 μm thick adhesive layer (not shown). Thus, the PET layers 25 are arranged alternately with two thin metallic layers 26 each. The use of a barrier film with an alternating sequence of layers is particularly advantageous with regard to the tightness of the system. A defect in one of the layers does not lead to a loss of function of the barrier film. The outer layers are each thin metallic layers. These improve the adhesion properties to the secondary sealant. The use of several thin layers also has the advantage that the heat conduction through the metallic layers increases very little. Thus, the heat insulating properties of the spacer are further improved.

Reference List

I spacers

II insulating glass unit

I hollow profile

2.1 first side wall

2.2 second side wall

3 glazing interior wall

4 outer wall

4.1 inclined section of the outer wall

4.2 parallel section of the outer wall

5 cavity

6.1 first metallic reinforcement element

6.2 second metallic reinforcement element

7 profiled section of a reinforcing element

8 spacer frames

9 connector, weld

II Desiccant

12 diffusion barrier, barrier film

13 first disc

14 second disc

15 inner space between panes

16 outer space between the panes

17 primary sealant

18 secondary sealant

21 edge of the first disc

22 edge of the second disc

24 Perforation in the glazing interior wall

25 polymeric layer

26 thick metallic layer

27 thin metallic or ceramic layer

Claims

patent claims

1. Spacers (I) for insulating glass units, at least comprising

- A polymeric hollow profile (1) extending in the longitudinal direction (X), comprising a first side wall (2.1) and a second side wall (2.2) arranged parallel thereto, a glazing interior wall (3) extending in the transverse direction (Y) between the side walls ( 2.1, 2.2) and connects them together; an outer wall (4) at least partially parallel to the glazing cavity wall (3) and perpendicular to the side walls (2.1, 2.2) and interconnecting the side walls (2.1, 2.2); a cavity (5) enclosed by the sidewalls (2.1, 2.2), the interior glazing wall (3) and the exterior wall (4), a first metallic reinforcing member (6.1) located within the first sidewall (2.1), within the interior glazing wall (3) and optionally arranged inside the outer wall (4), a second metallic reinforcement element (6.2) arranged inside the second side wall (2.2), inside the glazing interior wall (3) and optionally inside the outer wall (4),

- wherein the metal reinforcement elements (6.1, 6.2) are not in contact with each other and the metal reinforcement elements (6.1, 6.2) are arranged entirely inside the walls (2.1, 2.2, 3, 4) of the hollow profile (1) and

- A diffusion barrier (12) is applied to the first side wall (2.1), to the outer wall (4) and to the second side wall (2.2) of the polymeric hollow profile (1).

2. Spacer (I) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first reinforcing element (6.1) and the second reinforcing element (6.2) are angled at least once, preferably twice, particularly preferably three times

3. Spacer (I) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the first reinforcement element (6.1) and the second metallic reinforcement element (6.2) in the glazing interior wall (3) in the transverse direction (X) each over a length I of 0.05 v to 0.30 v, preferably from 0.07 v to 0.25 v, where v is a width of the polymeric hollow profile.

4. Spacer (I) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first reinforcing element (6.1) is made in one piece and the second reinforcing element (6.2) is made in one piece.

5. Spacer (I) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the side walls (2.1, 2.2) closest sections of the outer wall (4.1, 4.2) at an angle a (alpha) of 30 ° to 60 °, preferably 45 °, to the outer wall are inclined towards the side walls (2.1, 2.2) and the first metallic reinforcing element (6.1) and the second metallic reinforcing element (6.2) are arranged in these inclined portions of the outer wall (4.1, 4.2).

6. Spacer (I) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the polymeric hollow profile (1) has a substantially uniform wall thickness d and the wall thickness d is 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm, preferably 0.6 mm is up to 1.2 mm.

7. Spacer (I) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first and second metallic reinforcing elements (6.1, 6.2) contain or consist of aluminum, stainless steel or steel.

8. Spacer (I) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first and second metallic reinforcing elements (6.1, 6.2) are a metallic foil or a metallic sheet.

9. Spacer (I) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the diffusion barrier (12) is a multilayer film and in this order at least one polymeric layer (25), contains at least one thin metallic layer (27) with a thickness between 10 nm and 300 nm and exactly one thick metallic layer (26) with a thickness between 2 μm and 8 μm.

10. spacer (I) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the

Diffusion barrier (12) is a multi-layer film and in this order at least one polymer layer (25), at least one thin ceramic layer (27) with a thickness between 10 nm and 300 nm and exactly one thick metallic layer (26) with a thickness between 2 pm and 8 pm contains.

11. Spacer (I) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the

Diffusion barrier (12) is a multi-layer film and contains at least three thin metallic layers (27) or at least three thin ceramic layers (27) with a thickness between 10 nm and 300 nm, which are arranged alternately with at least three polymer layers (25).

12. Insulating glass unit (II), at least comprising a first pane (13), a second pane (14), a spacer (I) arranged circumferentially between the first pane (13) and the second pane (14) according to one of claims 1 to 11, whereby

- the first disc (13) is attached to the first side wall (2.1) via a primary sealing means (17),

- the second disc (14) is attached to the second side wall (2.2) via a primary sealing means (17),

- an inner space between the panes (15) is delimited by the glazing inner space wall (3), the first pane (13) and the second pane (14),

- an outer space (16) between the panes, which is delimited by the diffusion barrier (12) attached to the outer wall (4) and the first pane (13) and the second pane (14),

- A secondary sealing means (18) is arranged in the outer space (16) between the panes.

13. A method for producing an insulating glass unit (II) according to claim 12, wherein at least

- a spacer (I) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 is provided

- the spacer (I) is bent into a spacer frame which is closed at one point,

- a first disk (13) and a second disk (14) are provided,

- the spacer (I) is fixed via a primary sealant (17) between the first pane (13) and the second pane (14),

- the disk arrangement from the disks (13, 14) and the spacer (I) is pressed and

- the outer space between the panes (16) is filled with a secondary sealant (18).

14. The method for producing an insulating glass unit (II) according to claim 13, wherein the spacer is bent at temperatures below 40° C. to form a spacer frame.

15. Use of the insulating glass unit (II) according to claim 12 as building interior glazing, building exterior glazing and/or facade glazing.