Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~rhis irlvf~ ;.O~l r(~ e~; I,o ~ .r~ J1,1~,e~ tI:it ar1~'l to a
spacer b~r for sl)acir1~ apart the g1clss panes of such a, unit.
In Iml]tip1e g1aze~c1 unlts two or rnore panes o~ glass
are ncrmally ~space(-1 one Erom another by m;lrginal edye .spacers
and adhered thereto by a sealin~ composltion applied be-tween
each pane and the spacer~ ~le spacer is often a 'hollow
vented profiLe section and may contaln dessicant to avoid
condensa-tion between the sealed glass panes.
When -the spacer is a profile sectionI e.g. a tube,
it is frequently roll-formed or extrucled. It may have a pair
of side walls, an outer wall and an inner wall. The inner
wall may define the greatest span between the side walls and
the glass panes. ~he outer wall which lies flush with the
edges of the glass panes may have a sornewhat narrower span.
Thus the side walls extencling be-tween the inner and outer
walls do no-t define maximuIn span over t'heir whole heiyht.
Sealing compound is located in wha-tever space is available
between the glass panes and the side walls.
When more than two panes of glass are used in a
multiple glazing unit it is quite coImnon lnerel~ to a'but a
second spacer -to one pane of a c1Ouble glaz,ed unl-t and provide
another pane of glass to the free side o~ the secor1d spacer.
When Inuntin bars are used betweel1 t,he panes for
decorative or reinforcement purposes lt 'has been a problem -to
2S fix them securely to the spacers so thc~-t there is no danger
of them slipping out oE position due, for example, -to
vibration.
I-t is therefore an object of -the invention to
provide an improved spacer for a multiple glazed unit.
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5~
Accordi.ng to the invention there is provided a spacer
suitable for ~use in a window unit having at least first and
second parallel and spaced-apart panes of glass, the spacer
being a hollow tubular member positionable between the firsk
and second panes of glass and comprising:
a pair of side walls;
an outer wall interconnectin~ the inner walls; and
a pair of inner walls substantially parallel to said
outer wall, one of said inner walls extending ~ver the length
of the tubular member and the other of said inner walls being
wrapped over said one inner wall and ex-tending over the len~th
of the tubular member and between the side walls.
The wrapped over other inner wall privides a support
from which can be cut or stamped mounting means, for e~ample, I
upstanding tabs, indentations, ridges, bumps, or apertures.
These mounting means may be used for mounting any desired
material between the window panes, notably, a further glass
pane or muntin bars. The tubular member may be made :erom
metal, for example aluminum, or may be made from a -thermo-
plastic material.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described,by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings
of which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of ~ par-t of a con-
ventional spacer sandwiched between two glass panes,
Figure 2 is a perspective view of part of a spaceraccording to the invention;
Figure 3 is a perspeGtive view of part of a spacer
similar to that of Figure 2 having mounting means for muntin
bars and a third glass pane;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a par-t of a spacer
similar to that of Figure 2 having some alternative mountinq
means to those shown i.n Figure 3;
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F iCJ. 5 :ic; ,n l~C-~I'Sp(~'l i V(` vi.ew 0~ ~)a rl o~ m.l:l.t;pLe
gLazed urlit ..~cco.r-~:i.n(J l.o ~;he i~vent.iorl;
Fi~. 6 is a perspective view of part oE another
multiple glazed urli.t accordinc3 to the i.nventi.on;
Fig. 7 is a per.spective view of part of another
multiple glazed un:it accordirlg to the invention i.11ustrating
a modified spacer bar accordirlg to -the invention;
E'ig. 8 is a perspec-t:ive view of par-t of another
mu].tiple glazeA Ull;.t according to the ;.nvention illustrating
o another modircied spacer bar accordinc3 to the invention; and
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 show stages in one manner of
production oE the spacer bar of Fig. 8.
Fig. 1 of the drawings il.lustrates a conven-tional
hollow vented s~acer 11 comprising a rol.1 formed metal tube
located between i.rst and second glclss panes 12 and 13 as in
a conventional sealed uni-t. The inner wall 14 spans the gap
between the glass panes 12, 13, and is forrlled as two
interlocking parts with an air gap therebetween as shown.
The outer wall 15 has a span less than the lnner wall. The
side walls each have two parallel port.ions 16, 17 joi.ned
through a shoul.der 18. Near the outer rnaryins o:E the glass
pa.nes 12, 13, .æpaces 19 are~ def.itlecl betweerl khe g].ass, sid~
wall portions 16 and shoulcler 19 for fil.l:irlcJ with sealing
~ ~2s;CC~ ~ t
compound. ~esshsT~t~ is usually placed within the hollow
interior of the spacer 11.
In the remalning Eigures il].us-trating -the
invention, the same reference nurnerals as those of Fig.
are used to desigrlate similar parts. A spacer 20 is made by
roll-forming longit.udinally a longitudinal strip into the
shape illustrated as, for example, in Figs. 9, 10 and 11.
The material from which the spacer is formed is conveniently
metal, e.g. alumi.num, or rigid thermoplast:;.c, for example
polycarbonate. Tlle inner wall :is formed by a ~irst
substantia].ly flat portion 21 subs-tantialLy spanning the
de~ire(l ~ l,e~ r~ (~L,~ r.ZL~p~ ver ~ rld
ortiorl 22 l.:i.es over E;.:rst ~?o~tion 2.1.
IE no mllnt;.~ ar.s or ext.rcl patles o.~ glass or any
other item is to be Located betweell the fi.rst and second
5 glass pan~s located on eacll sicle oE the spacer, then the
second wrapped ~ver intler wa~l portion 22 oE the spacer may
be free from addit.ional. mounting means.
Inner wall por-t,ion 22 is advantageously provided,
as seen in Figs. 3 and 6, with a pair of paralleL ridges 23
running longitudi.nal.l.y al.ong its length and projecting
inwardly. The ridges 23 are spaced apar-t -to accept the edge
of a further pane or glass therebetweenO
In Fig. 6, a third glass pane 26 is shown mounted
between ridges 23. ~le ri.dges may be formed on the por-tion
22 before the strip is roll-forme~ .in-to the form of -the
spacer 20 or afterwards, or as part o~ the spacer forming
operation.
Inner wall por-tion 22 may be easil.y provided with
mounting means for muntin bars or r~i.rl.Eorc.i.ng bars or other
material lt is desired to :I.ocate between the panes. Wrapped
over port.ion 22 ,is ava:iLable t,o simple cutting and tooling
devices after forrnat.].on of the s-trip into the spacer 20.
Tabs 24 may be cu-t or stamped from the portion 22 and bent
into an upstanding position to act as latches with the
interior of ends of hollow muntin bars 25. Alt:erna-tively, a
series of four tabs can be cut or stamped from portion 22 and
bent to be upstanding thererom and to .Eorm a box 27 -to hold
-t~e end of a so1id or hollow mun-tin or reinforcing bar. The
tabs may be of any convenient shape and pattern.
Al.ternatively to stamping or cutting tabs from the
portion 22, indentations or raised portions can be provided.
t
rt~ ce~: ;'0, wi~ r ~ 'icJr~ ;In('l/o~ ~ah~
are assernblec'l:in convetlt:;orl<ll Inanrler~ ~traL(3ht :Ierlgths of
spacer 20 are asselnbled with corner mc-ltlbers 2~.
Figs. 7 an-l 8 show other instances oE a third pane
of glass 26 mounted between panes 12 ancl 13 u~sinc3 alternative
embodiments of ~he inventive spacer bar. The spacer bar of
Fig. 7 has, in place of ridges 23, a trough 40 which is
formed in overlapping wall portion 22. Trough 40 receives
the edge of third glass pane 26. Wall portion 22'has a
portion 44 bent back underneath trough 40 providing some
support for trougll 40. In the spacer bar :illustra-ted, still
further support i5 provided by a leg 38 bent at right angles
from inner wal.l. portion 21 extendlng towards outer wall 15.
The spacer bar oE Fig. 8 is similar to that oE
Fig. 7 in that it is provided with tro~lgh 40. Uowever, in
this case, wall portion 21 is sim:ilarly formed so that trough
portions of wall portions 21, 22 coincide to form -trough 40.
Dessicant 42 Eills the space within the spacer bar and 'has a
drying effect on the region betweerl panes 12, 13 throug'h the
crack between wall por-tions 21 ancl 22 and through t'he 'ho'l.es
G/e S 1~ C ~ r,,~ ~
left by stamped out tabs 2~. Al-thoucJh not shown, ~t
is normally used in the other sE);lcer bars i'LI~Istrated.
Other manners of mountinc3 ~-hir('l sheet oE glass 26
are within the scope of -the invention. For example, two
series of aligned tabs 2~ may be used.
The third sheet of glass 26 is located in position
during assemhly. First and second panes of glass 12 and 13
are positioned one to each side oE the spacer 20 and sealing
compound 29 is compressed in-to spaces 19 and on the outer
wall 15 of the spacer between glass panes 12 and 13.
The fina]ly assernbled unit can be mounted
conventionally in a frame.
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5~
1'he spclcer ~)Cl~" Lts(~ n.ly T)e IEOI:ITIe~ y r:ol,.l.~Eorrrlinc3
through the se~luer~ l stAyes showrl i.n FLgs. '3, :IO and 11.
The metal. sheet i.s :ELrst Eormed i.nto the c;hape .qhown in Fiy.
9. At this stage clessi.cant may be added. I'hen one leg is
bent over and provlded ~lth trough part, :iE desired, as shown
in Fig. lO. Finally the other leg i.s bent over ancl provided
with a correspondincJ tro~lgh part as shown in Fig. ll. The
two trough parts correspond to Eorm trough 40. Other
embodiments of -the spacer bar may be .Eormed .in a sim.ilar
manner.
Other el-nbodiments of the invention wlll be readily
apparent to a person skilled in the art, the scope of the
invention being de:Eined in the appended cla.ims.
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