INSULATING GLASS PANELS AND METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ASSEMBLING SAID INSULATING GLASS PANELS

Abstract

A method and device for assembling an insulating glass panel includes: a horizontal conveyor and primer station for applying a strip-like primer along a standing glass sheet edge; a horizontal conveyor and TPS station for applying a paste-like TPS strand, that subsequently solidifies, onto a standing glass sheet edge; a rotation station for rotating glass sheets arranged downstream of the TPS station having a horizontal conveyor rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation; a pressing station for joining the glass sheets together including two parallel horizontal conveyors; and a controller for directing two glass sheets supplied to the rotation station one after another into the pressing station by rotating one of the glass sheets and for joining same in said pressing station to form the insulating glass panel. One glass sheet has a primer strip and TPS strand and the other has a primer strip.

Claims

1. A device for assembling an insulating glass panel containing at least two glass sheets, spaced apart by a TPS spacer, comprising: a primer station which is configured for applying a paste-like primer onto a standing glass sheet along the edge thereof and which has a horizontal conveyor configured for conveying standing glass sheets through the primer station; a TPS station arranged downstream of the primer station, which is configured for applying a paste-like TPS strand, that subsequently solidifies, onto a standing glass sheet along the edge thereof, and which TPS station has a horizontal conveyor configured for conveying standing glass sheets through the TPS station; a rotation station arranged downstream of the TPS station, which has at least one horizontal conveyor that can be rotated about a vertical axis of rotation, which horizontal conveyor is configured for conveying standing glass sheets through the rotation station and for rotating glass sheets standing thereon; a pressing station arranged downstream of the rotation station, which is configured for joining a glass sheet that is provided with a primer strip and a TPS strand applied thereon and a glass sheet that is provided with a primer strip to form the insulating glass panel, and which pressing station has two horizontal conveyors running parallel to one another that are each configured for conveying standing glass sheets; and a controller which is configured for directing two glass sheets that are supplied to the rotation station one after another into the pressing station by rotating one of the glass sheets and for joining same in said pressing station to form the insulating glass panel, wherein one of the two glass sheets being provided with a primer strip and a TPS strand applied thereon and the other glass sheet is provided with a primer strip.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the rotation station has two horizontal conveyors which are parallel to each other.

3. The device according to claim 1, including a glazing bar station, which is configured for placing a glazing bar frame onto a TPS strand running along the edge of a glass sheet, and which has a horizontal conveyor configured for conveying standing glass sheets through the glazing bar station.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the glazing bar station is arranged between the TPS station and the rotation station.

5. A method for assembling an insulating glass panel comprising the following steps: conveying a first glass sheet standing on one of its edges into a primer station; in the primer station, applying a primer onto the first standing glass panel in a strip-like manner along the edge thereof; after applying the primer strip, conveying the standing first glass sheet out of the primer station into a TPS station; conveying a second glass sheet standing on one of its edges into the primer station; in the primer station, applying a primer onto the second standing glass panel in a strip-like manner along the edge thereof; conveying the standing first glass sheet out of the TPS station into a rotation station; conveying the standing second glass panel out of the primer station into the TPS station; in the rotation station, rotating the standing first glass sheet about a vertical axis of rotation; after rotation, conveying the standing first glass sheet out of the rotation station into a pressing station; conveying the standing second glass sheet out of the TPS station via the rotation station into the pressing station, so that both glass sheets stand opposite each other at a distance and their primer strips are facing each other; while the first glass sheet and/or while the second glass sheet is located in the TPS station, applying a paste-like TPS strand that subsequently solidifies onto the primer strip of this standing glass sheet; in the pressing station, joining the two glass sheets together to form the insulating glass panel by reducing the distance between the two glass sheets until the TPS strand forms a spacer between the two glass sheets and holds the two glass sheets at a predefined distance from each other; after the joining operation, conveying the insulating glass panel out of the pressing station.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the standing first glass sheet is conveyed into the pressing station simultaneously with the second glass sheet, in particular out of the rotation station or a buffer station.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein, in the TPS station, applying a paste-like TPS strand that subsequently solidifies onto the primer strip of the standing first glass panel and onto the primer strip of the standing second glass panel.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, before the two glass sheets are joined, placing a glazing bar frame onto the TPS strand of one of the glass sheets and pressing it into the surface of the still soft material of the TPS strand.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein a reactively cross-linking TPS material is used for the TPS strand.

10. A method for assembling an insulating glass panel comprising the following steps: conveying a first glass sheet standing on one of its edges into a primer station; in the primer station, applying a primer onto the first standing glass panel in a strip-like manner along the edge thereof; after applying the primer strip, conveying the standing first glass sheet out of the primer station into a TPS station; conveying a second glass sheet standing on one of its edges into the primer station; in the primer station, applying a primer onto the second standing glass panel in a strip-like manner along the edge thereof; conveying the standing first glass sheet out of the TPS station via a rotation station into a pressing station; conveying the standing second glass panel out of the primer station into the TPS station; conveying the standing second glass panel out of the TPS station into the rotation station; in the rotation station, rotating the standing second glass sheet about a vertical axis of rotation; after rotation, conveying the standing second glass sheet out of the rotation station into the pressing station, so that both glass sheets stand opposite each other at a distance and their primer strips are facing each other; while the first glass sheet and/or while the second glass sheet is located in the TPS station, applying a paste-like TPS strand that subsequently solidifies onto the primer strip of this standing glass sheet; in the pressing station, joining the two glass sheets together to form the insulating glass panel by reducing the distance between the two glass sheets until the TPS strand forms a spacer between the two glass sheets and holds the two glass sheets (at a predefined distance from each other; after the joining operation, conveying the insulating glass panel out of the pressing station.

11. An insulating glass panel, comprising: at least two glass sheets and an intermediate spacer, which, due to its height, holds the at least two glass sheets at a predefined distance from each other; wherein the intermediate spacer is formed by at least one paste-like TPS strand that subsequently solidifies; and wherein the TPS strand is rigidly connected to one of the at least two glass sheets by a primer strip applied onto the surface of said glass sheet of the at least two glass sheets.

12. The insulating glass panel according to claim 11, wherein the intermediate spacer is formed by exactly one TPS strand, which is rigidly connected to both of the at least two glass sheets by a primer strip applied onto a surface of a respective glass sheet of the at least two glass sheets.

13. The insulating glass panel according to claim 11, wherein the intermediate spacer is formed by placing two paste-like TPS strands, which subsequently solidify, on top of each other, the combined height of both resulting in the height of the intermediate spacer.

14. The insulating glass panel according to claim 13, including a glazing bar frame arranged between the at least two glass sheets, which is held at a distance from both glass sheets by the two TPS strands of the intermediate spacer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Further advantages and features of the invention can be found in the following description of some exemplary embodiments in connection with the drawings. Shown are:

[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic structure of a device according to the invention for assembling an insulating glass panel,

[0025] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of an edge region of a first glass sheet during application according to the invention of a primer strip,

[0026] FIG. 3 is a side view similar to FIG. 2 of a second glass sheet during application according to the invention of a primer strip and a TPS strand,

[0027] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of an edge region of a fully assembled insulating glass panel according to the present invention,

[0028] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of an edge region of a variant of an insulating glass panel according to the invention during insertion of a glazing bar frame, and

[0029] FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of the edge region of the assembled insulating glass panel of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0030] FIG. 1 schematically shows a device 1, which is often also designated as a production line, for assembling an insulating glass panel 2, which is shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. The insulating glass panel 2 contains two glass sheets 3 and 4. On the first glass sheet 3, a primer is applied in the form of a primer strip 13 along the edge of the glass sheet 3. In the same way, a primer 14 is applied in a strip-like manner along the edge of the glass sheet 4. Then, a paste-like TPS strand 6 that subsequently solidifies is applied along the edge thereof. When the glass sheets 3 and 4 are joined together, the TPS strand 6 is placed on the primer strip 13 and forms a spacer 7 between the two glass sheets 3 and 4, which, due to its height, holds the two glass sheets 3 and 4 at a predefined distance from each other. The height of the TPS strand 6 essentially results in the height of the spacer 7, as the primer strips 13 and 14 are not shown to scale in FIGS. 2 to 4 for clarity. A reactively cross-linking TPS material is used, which together with the primer 13, 14 ensures a rigid connection to the surfaces of the glass sheets 3 and 4, so that no additional edge sealing is required.

[0031] In the variant of an insulating glass panel 2 according to the invention, see FIGS. 5 and 6, a glazing bar frame 8 is placed on the TPS strand 6 of the second glass sheet 4 before the two glass sheets 3 and 4 are joined together. The glazing bar frame 8 contains at least one glazing bar 9 which has a retaining element 10 at both ends, with only one end of the glazing bar 9 being shown. The retaining element 10 is T-shaped as viewed from the side and, for example, circular as viewed from above. When putting the glazing bar frame 8 in place, the retaining element 10 is pressed into the surface of the still soft material of the TPS strand 6. In this variant, a paste-like TPS strand 5 that subsequently solidifies is also applied onto the primer strip 13 of the first glass sheet 3 along its edge. The height of the TPS strands 5 and 6 is slightly higher during application than in the finished insulating glass panel 2, since the TPS strands 5 and 6 are slightly compressed when the glass sheets 3 and 4 are joined together, which slightly reduces their height. In the finished insulating glass panel 2, each of the TPS strands 5 and 6 can be half the height of the spacer 7. For example, for an insulating glass panel 2 with an inter-sheet gap of 16 mm, the two TPS strands 5 and 6 can be applied at a height of 8.7 mm. When applying the TPS strands 5 and 6, any sagging or tilting in relation to the standing glass sheet 3, 4 is prevented due to their reduced height. Then, during the joining process, the retaining element 10 is also pressed into the still soft material of the TPS strand 5 of the first glass sheet 3. The glazing bar frame 8 is then seated exactly centrally between the glass sheets 3 and 4 in the finished insulating glass panel 2, see FIG. 6, and is held by the two TPS strands 5 and 6. The glazing bar frame 8 is therefore spaced apart from both glass sheets 3 and 4 and does not touch either of them. This can prevent the glazing bar frame 8 from damaging any coating that might be applied to an inner side of the glass sheet 3, 4.

[0032] The device 1 according to the invention contains a plurality of stations for carrying out the various steps during the assembly of the insulating glass panel 2, wherein additional horizontal conveyors 18 may be arranged between the individual stations as required. The device 1 contains a washing station 20, a visual inspection station 30, a primer station 40, a TPS station 50, a glazing bar station 60, a rotation station 70, a buffer station 80, and a pressing station 90. In particular, the glazing bar station 60 can be omitted if necessary. The washing station 20 contains a horizontal conveyor 22, the visual inspection station 30 contains a horizontal conveyor 32, the primer station 40 contains a horizontal conveyor 42, the TPS station 50 contains a horizontal conveyor 52, and the glazing bar station 60 contains a horizontal conveyor 62. The horizontal conveyors 18, 22, 32, 42, 52 and 62 are arranged in a line and are configured for conveying standing glass sheets through the individual stations. They can be driven separately for this purpose. The device 1 contains, in a known manner and not illustrated, support means to support glass sheets standing on its horizontal conveyors at a slight incline to the vertical. The rotation station 70 has two horizontal conveyors 72 and 74, which can each be rotated about a vertical axis of rotation 76. The buffer station 80 also has two parallel horizontal conveyors 82 and 84. The pressing station 90 is configured in a manner known per se for joining the two glass sheets 3, 4 to form the insulating glass panel 2 and has two horizontal conveyors 92 and 94 running in parallel. The device 1 also contains a controller 100, which is configured for controlling the components of the device 1 in the manner described in more detail below. The controller 100 is configured in particular for directing two glass sheets 3, 4 that are supplied to the rotation station 70 one after another into the pressing station 90 by rotating one of the glass sheets 3 or 4 and for joining same in said pressing station to form the insulating glass panel 2, wherein the glass sheet 3 is provided with a primer strip 13 and the other glass sheet 4 is provided with a primer strip 14 and a TPS strand 6 located thereon. The device 1 may contain a scanner 110 for monitoring the quality of the applied TPS strands, which can be arranged, for example, between the TPS station 50 and the glazing bar station 60. The functioning and structure of each of the individual stations is already known, in particular from the prior art mentioned above, so that a description of the details is not necessary.

[0033] The two horizontal conveyors 72 and 74 of the rotation station 70 are arranged at the same distance from each other as the horizontal conveyors 92 and 94 of the pressing station 90 and the horizontal conveyors 82 and 84 of the buffer station 80. The axis of rotation 76 is located centrally between the two horizontal conveyors 72 and 74, so that after a rotation through 180°, the horizontal conveyor 72 is aligned with the horizontal conveyor 94 and the horizontal conveyor 74 is aligned with the horizontal conveyor 92. This ensures a smooth transport of the glass sheets 3, 4 from the rotation station 70 into the pressing station 90.

[0034] In the method for assembling the insulating glass panel 2, the device 1 is controlled by the controller 100 in such a way that the first glass sheet 3, which stands with one of its edges on the horizontal conveyor 18, is conveyed into the washing station 20 by means of the horizontal conveyors 18, 22. In the washing station 20, the glass sheet 3 is cleaned, especially on its surface which will later form the inner side of the insulating glass panel 2. Subsequently, the glass sheet 3 is conveyed into the visual inspection station 30 by the horizontal conveyors 22, 18 and 32. The glass sheet 3 can be inspected here to detect any faults. Subsequently, the insulating glass panel 3 is conveyed into the primer station 40 by the horizontal conveyors 32, 18 and 42. In the primer station 40, a primer 13 is applied in a strip-like manner along the edge of the glass sheet 3 onto the surface thereof, which later forms the inner side of the insulating glass panel 2. After applying the primer 13, the glass sheet 3 is conveyed to the TPS station 50 by means of the horizontal conveyors 42, 18 and 52. Here, if applicable, the paste-like TPS material that subsequently solidifies is applied onto the glass sheet 3 as a strand 5. Subsequently, the glass sheet 3 is conveyed into the glazing bar station 60 by the horizontal conveyors 52, 18 and 62. When the glass sheet 3 is conveyed out of the TPS station 50, it can be scanned by the scanner 110 and inspected for faults. If a fault is detected, the insulating glass panel 2 containing the glass sheet 3 can be screened out later. The glass sheet 3 is conveyed through the glazing bar station 60 by the horizontal conveyor 62 without a glazing bar frame 8 being placed thereon. The glass sheet 3 is conveyed into the rotation station 70 by the horizontal conveyor 72. Subsequently, the horizontal conveyors 72 and 74 of the rotation station and the glass sheet 3, which is standing on the horizontal conveyor 72, are rotated through 180°. The horizontal conveyor 72 is then aligned with the horizontal conveyor 84 and the horizontal conveyor 74 is aligned with the horizontal conveyors 62 and 82. The glass sheet 3 initially remains on the horizontal conveyor 72, but can also be conveyed onward directly into the buffer station 80 or the pressing station 90.

[0035] Temporally overlapping with the preceding processing of the first glass sheet 3, the second glass sheet 4 is fed to the washing station 20 by means of the horizontal conveyors 18 and 22 as soon as the first glass sheet 3 has left the washing station 20. To achieve the shortest possible cycle time, the second glass sheet 4 follows as closely as possible behind the first glass sheet 3. A third glass sheet can follow behind the second glass sheet 4 if the insulating glass panel is designed to consist of three glass sheets. Otherwise, glass sheets for further insulating glass panels will follow. The second glass sheet 4 is conveyed in the manner described above to the glazing bar station 60 and processed accordingly in the stations 20, 30, 40 and 50. In particular, the TPS strand 6 is applied in the TPS station 50. If the insulating glass panel 2 is to have a glazing bar frame 8, this is placed on the second glass sheet 4 standing in the glazing bar station 60 and pressed a short way into the surface of the still soft material of the TPS strand 6, see FIG. 5. The second glass sheet 4 is then conveyed into the rotation station 70 with the horizontal conveyors 62 and 74, so that the two glass sheets 3 and 4 stand opposite each other in a V-shape at a distance and their primer strips 13 and 14 are facing each other. They are then conveyed together via the buffer station 80 into the pressing station 90. In case the pressing station 90 is not yet free, because the joining of another insulating glass panel has not yet been completed, the horizontal conveyors 82, 84 can be stopped and the two glass sheets 3 and 4 can be temporarily stored in the buffer station 80 so that the rotation station 70 is now free again to receive glass sheets for a following insulating glass panel.

[0036] Since the rotation station 70 has two horizontal conveyors 72 and 74, the rotation station 70 does not need to be turned back after the pair of glass sheets 3, 4 has left the rotation station 70. Instead, the first glass sheet of a following insulating glass panel can be taken over by the horizontal conveyor 74, which is aligned with the horizontal conveyor 62, and then turned back. Only then is the rotation station again located in the position shown in FIG. 1. When the glass sheet pair 3, 4 is conveyed into the pressing station 90, the first glass sheet 3 is conveyed by the horizontal conveyors 84 and 94 and the second glass sheet 4 (possibly with a glazing bar frame 8) is conveyed on the horizontal conveyors 82 and 92. If the two glass sheets 3, 4 in the pressing station 90 stand opposite each other at a distance, with their primer strips 13, 14 facing each other, their distance from each other is reduced in the known manner until the two glass sheets 3, 4 are held by the spacer 7 at a predefined distance from each other. Before the edge region of the insulating glass panel 2 is completely closed or the two TPS strands 5, 6 are completely touching each other, the space between the two glass sheets 3, 4 can be filled with a gas other than air in a manner known per se. The glass panels 3, 4 are then pressed together to a predefined distance, so that the still soft material of the TPS strand 6 connects to the primer 13, compare FIGS. 2 to 4, or the still soft material of the two TPS strands 5, 6 connects, compare FIGS. 5 and 6. In doing so, the retaining elements 10 of a possibly previously put in place glazing bar frame 8 are embedded in the TPS strands 5 and 6, compare FIG. 6, so that the glazing bar frame 8 is positioned and held precisely and securely in the insulating glass panel 2. After the joining operation, the insulating glass panel 2 is conveyed on the horizontal conveyor 92 out of the pressing station 90.

[0037] The invention is also very suitable for the production of a triple insulating glass panel. In such a case, the device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is supplemented, in a manner not illustrated, by additional stations after the pressing station 90, namely a primer station, a rotation station, a buffer station and a pressing station. These are configured in the same way as the stations 40, 70, 80 and 90. With the additional primer station, a primer can be applied on the outer side of the glass sheet 3 of the prefabricated double insulating glass panel 2, see FIGS. 4 and 6, in a strip-like manner along its edge. The double insulating glass panel 2, which is provided with a primer strip, is conveyed to the additional pressing station via the additional rotation station without rotation. The third glass panel required for the triple insulating glass panel is prepared in stations 20, 30, 40 and 50 in the same way as the second glass panel 4, see FIG. 3, and conveyed through stations 60, 70, 80 and 90 without further processing. This is done before or after the joining of the double insulating glass panel 2, in particular before it. In the additional rotation station, which is arranged downstream of the pressing station 90, the prepared third glass sheet is turned and conveyed onward so that the TPS strand located on the third glass sheet and the primer strip on the double insulating glass panel are opposite each other. They are then joined together in the pressing station. If another TPS strand is also to be applied to the outer side of the prefabricated double insulating glass panel 2, compare FIGS. 4 and 6, which together with the TPS strand applied to the third glass sheet then forms a spacer like that of FIG. 6, composed of two TPS strands, for the third glass sheet, the device 1, in particular before the additional rotation station, can also have an additional TPS station.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0038] 1 device [0039] 2 insulating glass panel [0040] 3 glass sheet [0041] 4 glass sheet [0042] 5 TPS strand [0043] 6 TPS strand [0044] 7 spacer [0045] 8 glazing bar frame [0046] 9 glazing bar [0047] 10 retaining element [0048] 11 sealing compound [0049] 13 primer [0050] 14 primer [0051] 18 horizontal conveyor [0052] 20 washing station [0053] 22 horizontal conveyor [0054] 30 visual inspection station [0055] 32 horizontal conveyor [0056] 40 primer station [0057] 42 horizontal conveyor [0058] 50 TPS station [0059] 52 horizontal conveyor [0060] 60 glazing bar station [0061] 62 horizontal conveyor [0062] 70 rotation station [0063] 72 horizontal conveyor [0064] 74 horizontal conveyor [0065] 76 rotational axis [0066] 80 buffer station [0067] 82 horizontal conveyor [0068] 84 horizontal conveyor [0069] 90 pressing station [0070] 92 horizontal conveyor [0071] 94 horizontal conveyor [0072] 100 controller [0073] 110 scanner