A process for the construction and application of a rigid spacer frame for insulating glass involves preparing segments of the rigid spacer frame, applying a butyl sealant to sides of the segments facing in use glass sheets, storing the segments at a warehouse, assembling the segments to form the rigid spacer frame at an apparatus for the construction and application of the spacer frame, the apparatus having a support movable in vertical direction between a lowered assembly start position and a raised assembly end position and arranged with references for the segments. The process further involves positioning the movable support at a height so as to allow positioning of the rigid spacer frame at a surface of a glass sheet arranged on a support surface of the apparatus, and positioning the rigid spacer frame at the surface of the glass sheet.

Method and Apparatus for fabricating a spacer frame for use in an insulating glass unit. One of a multiple number of possible spacer frame materials is chosen for the spacer frame. An elongated strip of the material is moved to a notching station where notches are formed at corner locations. The character of the notches is adjusted based on the selection of the metal strip material and more particularly to achieve bending of the material in an repeatable, straightforward manner. Downstream from the notching station the metal strip is bent into a channel shaped elongated frame member having side walls. Further downstream a leading strip of channel shaped material is severed or separated from succeeding material still passing through the notching and bending station.

A spacer, window assembly, method of manufacturing a window assembly, and method of manufacturing a spacer is described herein involving window assemblies having three sheets of material, which will be referred to as a triple pane assembly. Two interior spaces are defined within the window assembly: a first air space between the first sheet and intermediary sheet and a second air space between the second sheet and the intermediary sheet.

An apparatus and method is provided for forming a spacer frame assembly used in the construction of insulating glass unit windows. The apparatus comprises a head arrangement having a body with first and second ends, the first end for coupling to a cylinder that advances and retracts the head arrangement in a reciprocating motion during operation. The second end includes an annular wedge-shaped ridge for coupling to a second annular wedge-shaped ridge of a die support, collectively the wedge-shaped ridge and second wedge-shaped ridge form a contact region to form a torus surface. The die support has at least one die for engaging a spacer frame assembly during operation. The apparatus further comprises a collar having a torus-shaped recess corresponding with the torus surface to nest and couple the body to the die support.

The present invention deals with integrating methods for manufacturing and applying a spacer frame to a glass plate, particularly in the circumstance of increased sizes thereof, of the rigid type, i.e. which profiles essentially are formed by a hollow body having cross section close to the rectangular, micro-perforated in the wall facing the chamber of the insulating glass, where at least the wall facing the outer cavity intended for the secondary sealant is made of solid metal material or with a metal liner, the remaining walls or all the walls being capable of being made of plastic or metal, e.g. aluminum or stainless steel. Certain innovative elements of the devices implementing such methods are also claimed.

An assembly and method of drawing differing types of sheet stock through one or more assembly stations to make a spacer frame that is used in an insulating glass unit is disclosed. The assembly and method include fabrication of a spacer frame having a recess formation in a portion of a peripheral wall of a connecting structure that allows two ends of the spacer frame to form a lateral connection. The assembly and method further include feeding along a process axis formed by a path of travel of the material an elongated length of sheet stock into a feeder press and a roll former, both having translating rollers that move transversely to the process axis to accommodate different materials used in the sheet stock. The assembly and method also include a swaging assembly for forming a recess formation in a portion of the peripheral wall of the spacer frame.