Fire resistant glazing units, processes for the manufacture of such fire resistant glazing units, the use of fire resistant glazing units in construction, and constructions comprising such glazing units. A fire resistant glazing unit may include two panes of glass which are arranged together with a seal to enclose a fire-resistant interlayer. The seal is adapted to breach in the event of a fire causing increased pressure between the panes, releasing pressure before it can build up and cause a pane to break in an unfavourable manner.

A spacer for insulating glass panes has a profile body configured as a closed hollow profile substantially closed in cross section, the profile body having first and second side walls in parallel spaced apart from each other, an inner wall extending between the first and second side walls, and an outer wall extending from the first to the second side wall spaced apart from the inner wall. The outer wall comprises a first wall section aligned substantially parallel to the inner wall, second and third wall sections arranged on both sides of the first wall section, the latter, in cross section to the axial direction of the body, aligned at an obtuse angle to the first wall section and to the respective adjacent side wall, and connect thereon. The spacer includes an integral, reinforcing element, extending from the first side wall over the outer wall to the second side wall.

The glass panel unit includes a first glass panel, a second glass panel, a seal, an evacuated space, and a spacer. The second glass panel is placed opposite the first glass panel. The seal with a frame shape hermetically bonds the first glass panel and the second glass panel to each other. The evacuated space is enclosed by the first glass panel, the second glass panel 30, and the seal. The spacer is placed between the first glass panel and the second glass panel. The spacer contains polyimide having benzoxazole structures.

This disclosure describes insulated glass units (IGUs) that incorporate electrochromic devices. More specifically, this disclosure focuses on different configurations available for providing an electrical connection to the interior region of an IGU. In many cases, an IGU includes two panes separated by a spacer. The spacer defines an interior region of the IGU and an exterior region of the IGU. Often, the electrochromic device positioned on the pane does not extend past the spacer, and some electrical connection must be provided to supply power from the exterior of the IGU to the electrochromic device on the interior of the IGU. In some embodiments, the spacer includes one or more holes (e.g, channels, mouse holes, other holes, etc.) through which an electrical connection (e.g., wires, busbar leads, etc.) may pass to provide power to the electrochromic device.

This invention provides a sealing spacer for spacing apart two window panes to form a window assembly. The spacer has an elongated, flexible strip having opposed edge surfaces and opposed side surfaces. The spacer also has a fiber reinforced polymer layer over the elongated, flexible strip. The opposed edge surfaces undulate with crests and troughs. The spacer has an activatable sealant for directly sealingly securing the flexible strip to each of the two window panes. The activatable sealant is on each of the opposed side surfaces of the fiber reinforced polymer. The invention also provides methods for making the spacer and window assembly.

This disclosure provides spacers for smart windows. In one aspect, a window assembly includes a first substantially transparent substrate having an optically switchable device on a surface of the first substrate. The optically switchable device includes electrodes. A first electrode of the electrodes has a length about the length of a side of the optically switchable device. The window assembly further includes a second substantially transparent substrate a metal spacer between the first and the second substrates. The metal spacer has a substantially rectangular cross section, with one side of the metal spacer including a recess configured to accommodate the length of the first electrode such that there is no contact between the first electrode and the metal spacer. A primary seal material bonds the first substrate to the metal spacer and bonds the second substrate to the metal spacer.

Various embodiments provide a window assembly comprising an insulated glazing unit and a frame. The frame can extend around the perimeter of the insulated glazing unit. The insulated glazing unit can include a first sheet of glass, a second sheet of glass, and a space frame disposed between the two sheets of glass. Various spacer designs are provided herein.

Vacuum insulating glass or other such vacuum insulating material may be provided with a first plate and a second plate that are arranged in mutually opposed fashion so as to straddle therebetween a space of a gap that is a vacuum layer. The first plate may have, in order of lamination from the exterior, a first electrically conductive layer, and a first charged insulator. The second plate may have, in order of lamination from the exterior, a second electrically conductive layer, and a second charged insulator which is charged with charge of the same polarity as the first charged insulator. A repulsive force that is a Coulomb force which acts between the first charged insulator and the second charged insulator may substantially balance and counteract a tendency of ambient atmospheric pressure to reduce the length of the gap between the first plate and the second plate.

The glass panel unit includes a first glass panel, a second glass panel, a seal, an evacuated space, and a spacer. The second glass panel is placed opposite the first glass panel. The seal with a frame shape hermetically bonds the first glass panel and the second glass panel to each other. The evacuated space is enclosed by the first glass panel, the second glass panel, and the seal. The spacer is placed between the first glass panel and the second glass panel. The spacer contains polyimide represented by chemical formula (1): ##STR00001##

This disclosure describes insulated glass units (IGUs) that incorporate electrochromic devices. More specifically, this disclosure focuses on different configurations available for providing an electrical connection to the interior region of an IGU. In many cases, an IGU includes two panes separated by a spacer. The spacer defines an interior region of the IGU and an exterior region of the IGU. Often, the electrochromic device positioned on the pane does not extend past the spacer, and some electrical connection must be provided to supply power from the exterior of the IGU to the electrochromic device on the interior of the IGU. In some embodiments, the spacer includes one or more holes (e.g., channels, mouse holes, other holes, etc.) through which an electrical connection (e.g., wires, busbar leads, etc.) may pass to provide power to the electrochromic device.