Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SASH BAR SUITABLE FOR INSULATING WINDOW UNITS
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to sash bars, and more particularly to sash bars
that are disposed
5. in the interspace between window panes of insulating glass units, e.g.,
double glazings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
In insulating glass units providing warm edge conditions (e.g., US 6,339,909),
maintenance of
the warm edge coriditions is important.
Furthermore, in some applications such as the renovation of old buildings or
other
applications where the optical appearance of windows divided by so-called sash
bars is
important, sash bars are used. If the insulating glass unit is manufactured by
assembling a
plurality of smaller insulating glass units, the resulting insulating glass
unit is very expensive.
Another approach is the use of one full size insulating glass unit with
adhered sash bars,
which are glued onto the outer surfaces of the window panes. However, the
optical
appearance is not appealing.
A further approach is the use of such window units with sash bars adhered to
the outside of
the windows in which additional sash bars are inserted into the interspace
between the
window panes. Such insulating glass units are known as insulating glass units
with "Vienna
sash bars" (Wiener Sprosse).
A further approach is to provide the sash bars only in the interspace between
the window
panes without providing the sash bars adhered to the outside of window panes.
Such
insulating window units are called insulating window units with "Swiss sash
bars" (Schweizer
Sprosse or Kreuz) or with "window interspace sash bars" (SZR-Sprosse).
A hollow profile for a Swiss sash bar is known, for example, from EP 1 119 681
B 1. Other
approaches for Swiss sash bars are known from DE 196 44 544 Cl and DE 201 11
221 Ul.
To maintain the warm edge conditions with such Swiss or Vienna sash bars, it
is important
that the sash bars inserted into the interspace between the window panes do
not contact the
CA 02595775 2007-07-24
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window panes. Furthermore; if the material used for the sash bars inserted
into the interspace
is aluminum or any other material having high heat conductivity, the
insulating characteristics
or property of the double glazing are significantly reduced. Therefore, the
above indicated
documents propose to use sash bars made of thermoplastic materials having a
low thermal
5.. conductivity. However, these materials have a high thermal expansion. EP 1
119 681 B 1
proposes to use an inner layer made of glass reinforced ABS and an outer layer
made of
PMMA. DE 201 11 221 U1 proposes to use a coextruded profile with an inner
layer made of
ASA or ABS having a lower thermal expansion coefficient and an outer layer
made of
PMMA.
None of the above known approaches enable the provision of different colors or
appearances
for the two different sides of the sash bar facing the two window panes, such
as, e.g., one
color or appearance for the side facing the inside of the building and another
color or
appearance for the side facing the outside of the building. Furthermore, the
corresponding
materials tend to release gases that may result in deterioration of the
insulating characteristics
or properties of the insulating glass unit and/or cause fogging of the inside
of the window
panes. In addition, the thermal expansion coefficient is still so high that,
at high temperatures,
bending of the sash bars may be visible to the human eye even at greater
distances.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to overcome one or more of
the above-noted
problems of known double glazings.
This object is achieved by sash bars according to the independent claims.
Further developments of the invention are given in the dependent claims.
Further advantages and features of the present teachings will be readily
understood from the
following description of representative embodiments with reference to the
figures and the
3o appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 schematically shows a Vienna sash bar,
Fig. 2 schematically shows a Swiss sash bar, and
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Fig. 3 schematically shows 'an assembled sash bar according to one embodiment
of the
present teachings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Fig 1 shows an insulating glass unit with a "Vienna sash bar". An insulating
glass unit formed
as a double glazing comprises a first window pane 1 and a second window pane 2
enclosing
an interspace 3 formed therebetween. The interspace 3 may be sealed, for
example, by spacer
profiles, sealing material, window frame, etc., none of which are shown. The
interspace 3 is
usually filled with an inert gas, such as argon, before being sealed.
The window panes 1, 2 extend in the x-z plane shown in Fig. 1. A first sash
bar 11 is adhered
to the outside surface of the first window pane 1. A second sash bar 12 is
adhered to the outer
surface of the second window pane 2. The first and second sash bars 11, 12 can
be made of
wood or any other suitable material such as metal, plastic, composite
materials, etc. The first
and second sash bars 11, 12 extend iri the z-direction (longitudinal
direction). Naturally, if the
sash bars are connected to form sash bar grids, or other sash bar
combinations, the sash bars
11, 12 can also extend in other directions. However, for purpose of explaining
the present
teaching, it is only necessary to consider sash bars that extend in the
longitudinal direction.
In the interspace 3 between the window panes 1, 2 and in the interspace
between the first, and
second sash bars 11, 12, a third sash bar 10 is provided. This third sash bar
10 extends
between and in parallel to the first and second sash bars 11, 12. The width
(in the x-direction)
of the third sash bar 10 is preferably selected. so as to be equal to or less
than the
corresponding width of the first and second sash bars 11, 12.
The third sash bar 10 of the "Vienna sash bar" system is one subject of the
present teachings.
In Fig. 2, a "Swiss sash bar" is shown. As already described above, Swiss sash
bars are sash
bars that are provided only in the interspace between the window panes 1, 2.
The sash bar 10
of Fig. 2 is also one subject of the present teachings.
The sash bar 10 according to one embodiment of the present teachings is shown
in Fig. 3 in a
cross sectional view, which is an assembled sash bar comprising two profiles
20, 30.
Considering the geometry of the insulating window unit into which the sash bar
10 will be
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inserted, there is a first (outer) profile 20 and a second (inner) profile 30.
Herein, the terms
"outer" and "inner" are selected corresponding to the arrangement in the Y-
direction, wherein
the first window pane 1 is the outer window pane and the second window pane 2
is the inner
window pane.
The cross sectional shapes of the first and second profiles 20, 30 of the
representative
embodiment shown in Fig. 3 are basically identical, except for details of the
connecting
portions 22 and 32, respectively, which will be described below. In
particular, the widths in
the x-direction are identical such that the edges 26, 36 of the two profiles
20, 30 can be and
1o are aligned when the two profiles 20, 30 are connected. It is not necessary
for the cross-
sectional shapes of the two profiles 20, 30 to be identical, but such
arrangement is preferred.
The first profile 20 comprises two legs (walls) 21 that protrude or project in
the y-direction
towards the inside of the assembled sash bar 10. Connecting portions 22 are
respectively
provided at the ends of the legs 21. In a similar manner, the second sash bar
profile 30
comprises two legs (walls) 31 that protrude or project towards the inside of
the assembled
sash bar 10 and have matching or corresponding connecting portions 32 at their
tip ends. The
positions of the legs 21, 31, which are formed as longitudinally extending
walls in the profile,
are selected in the x-direction such that the legs 21, 31 oppose each other in
the assembled
state. As a result, the corresponding connecting portions 22, 32 can be
engaged in the state
where the edges 26, 36 are aligned.
While the solution shown in Fig. 3 provides clipping or snap-fitting
connection portions, it is
also possible to adhere the profiles 20, 30 using glue, an epoxy, etc.
Furthermore, it is additionally or alternatively possible to weld or fusion
bond the two profiles
20, 30, e.g., preferably along the edges 26, 36.
The profiles 20, 30 are preferably manufactured as intermediate products.
Further, the profiles
20, 30 can be made of colored materials or they can be laminated with foils,
coatings, etc.
Preferably, as shown in Fig. 3, the separation plane of the two profiles 20,
30 extends in the x-
z plane, i.e., in the plane of the interspace 3 of the insulating glass unit
into which the sash bar
will be mounted.
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By manufacturing and subsequently attaching two profiles (partial profiles) to
form the sash
bar, sash bars can be advantageously produced that have different colors when
viewed from
the outside and the inside. In addition, laminated profiles can be produced
that present a
specific structure or appearance, such as a wood structure or appearance, only
on one side.
Because the colors/appearances of the respective profiles 20, 30 can be freely
combined, the
separate partial profiles 20, 30 can be manufactured in advance and then
combined according
to the customer's desire.
Furthermore, although Fig. 3 shows an embodiment with a symmetrical separation
of the two
profiles 20, 30, a non-symmetrical separation and/or the use of connecting
segments is
possible in order to use the same partial profiles for assembled sash bars of
different widths
(x-direction) or different heights (y-direction). Consequently, the number of
partial profiles or
parts forming the assembled sash bar according to the present teachings is not
limited to two.
Further, although the assembled sash bar shown in Fig. 3 is composed of two
partial profiles,
each made of one material, the present invention is not limited to such
partial profiles.
For example, the sash bars may be made of composite profiles, such as metal
plastic
composite profiles, which are manufactured similar to composite profiles
known, for
example, from US 6,339,909. In this case, the composite profile comprises a
profile body
made of a first material. The first material is preferably a plastic material,
more preferably a
polyurethane, and more preferably a polypropylene, polyethylene terephtalate,
polyamide or
polycarbonate. One representative polypropylene example is Novolen 1040K.
In addition, the first material preferably has a heat conductivity value of
less than 0.3
W/(mK), more preferably equal to or less than 0,2 W/(mK).
3o The composite profile rnay additionally comprise a reinforcement layer made
of a second
material, which may be a plastically deformable material,. preferably metal,
and more
preferably steel having a corrosion protection or stainless steel. It is
preferred that the second
material has a heat conductivity value equal to or less that 50 W/(mK), more
preferably less
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than 15 Wl(rrK), The thickness of the reinforcemerit ia yer is prcf'erably
less than 0.5 mrn,
more preferably less than 0.2 mnn, or euual or ltsa than 0.1 mrn.
The corresponding profile can be manufactured, for exazr3ple, by coe,xtmding
the profile body
s and the reinforcement layer. One example for a stainless steel foil is a
steel foil 1.4301 or
1.4016 according to DIN EN 10 088 12 with a thickness. of 0.05 mm. Further
teachings
carrceming the selection of appropriate materials can be obtained from US
6,339;949:
1o The reinforcerment layer may be provided within the, profile body, such
that the color can be
selected by coloring ot dying the firsi material. in addition or in the
altenaative, the
rein:f`ttrcement layer may be provided on the visible surface of the composite
pro~i~le and can
be colored or dyed, for example by coating or varni", g the sam:e;
Furthetrmere, the
reinforcement layer also m.ay be laminated with one or more foils, etc. in the
same way as was
15 described above.
Testing of insulating glass units is rather tirne consuming and expensive,
because the test
window units have to be tested for several motsths or cm years. 'i'Itercfore,
th#: use of the
composite sash bars is very advantageous, because it is atreedy known that
they 4io not cliangis
20 the charactecistics of the insulating window units due to the fact that the
corresponding
materiais and production tectuniques have already been used for
spacerprafiles.
Therefore, no separate testing of the materials for [3V resistivity, fogging,
etc. is necessary. In
addition, the expansiott ccietTcient of ttxcse composite sash bars corresponds
to the {low}
25 txpansion coefficient vf the spacer profiles, such that visible bending of
the sash bars can be
avoided. Moreover, the mechanical strength is far superior to the tnechanical
stretVih o#'sassh
bars produced from plastic materials only. Furthexrnore, although it is
usually not necessary,
the sash bars could be used toaccotnrnodate (eontain) hygroscopic materiat
(desiccant) in the
same way as spacer profilts,
It is also possible to produce the sash bars as one profile (without the
separation in partiai
profiles) when using the metal plastic composite pro:hles. Ift this caw, the
different colors cari
be provided, for example, by providing the reinforcesne:nt layer (metal layer)
on amc, side only,
which is coated or laminatr.d with a different color or strndture than the
profile body.
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Each of the above-described features and. teachings may be utilized separately
or in
conjunction with other features and teachings to provide improved insulating
window units
and methods for designing and using the same. Representative examples of the
present
invention, which examples utilize many of these additional features and
teachings both
separately and in combination, were described in further detail with reference
to the attached
drawings. This detailed description is merely intended to teach a person of
skill in the art
further details for practicing preferred aspects of the present teachings and
is not intended to
limit the scope of the invention. Therefore, combiriations of features and
steps disclosed in the
detailed description may not be necessary to practice the invention in the
broadest sense, and
are instead taught merely to particularly describe representative examples of
the present
teachings.
Moreover, the various features of the representative examples and the
dependent claims may
be combined in ways that are not specifically and explicitly enumerated in
order to provide
additional useful embodiments of the present teachings. In addition, it is
expressly noted that
all features disclosed in the description and/or the claims are intended to be
disclosed
separately and independently from each other for the purpose of original
disclosure, as well as
for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter independent of the
compositions of
the features in the embodiments and/or the claims. It is also expressly noted
that all value
ranges or indications of groups of entities disclose every possible
intermediate value or
intermediate entity for the purpose of original disclosure, as well as for the
purpose of
restricting the claimed subject matter.
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