Abstract
A curtain wall includes one or more mullions and one or more transoms and panels that are fitted with their edges at least in the mullions and optionally in the transoms. The mullion is assembled from at least an inner profile and an outer profile joined together by means of one or more plastic profiles, wherein at least the inner profile consists substantially of steel.
Claims
1-8. (canceled)
9. A curtain wall that comprises one or more mullions and one or more transoms and panels that are fitted with their edges at least in the mullions and optionally in the transoms, wherein the one or more mullions extend vertically and are provided on two opposite sides with a groove with an access opening, said grooves forming a rebate in which a lateral edge of an aforementioned panel is fitted, wherein the ends of the one or more transoms are provided with compressible head pieces, wherein the one or more transoms extend horizontally between two mullions and their ends are fitted with the head pieces in the grooves of these two mullions, wherein the one or more transoms are fastened to two mullions without the use of screws by fitting the ends of the one or more transoms with the head pieces in a recess in the aforementioned grooves of these two mullions, wherein the mullion is assembled from at least an inner profile and an outer profile joined together by means of one or more plastic profiles, wherein the inner profile, the outer profile and the one or more plastic profiles are fastened to each other and are not dismountable from one another, and wherein at least the inner profile consists substantially of steel.
10. The curtain wall as claimed in claim 9, wherein the inner profile comprises a steel tube.
11. The curtain wall as claimed in claim 9, wherein the inner profile comprises a roll formed profile.
12. The curtain wall as claimed in claim 9, wherein the outer profile consists substantially of steel or aluminum.
13. The curtain wall as claimed in claim 12, wherein the outer profile consists substantially of steel and comprises a roll formed profile.
14. The curtain wall as claimed in claim 9, wherein the inner profile at least partially forms an undercut of the groove, wherein, preferably, at least one fastening attachment is mounted in the undercut for fixing one or more glazing beads thereon.
15. The curtain wall as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plastic profile is fire-resistant and/or consists of a fiber-reinforced composite.
16. The curtain wall as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transom is also assembled from at least an inner profile and an outer profile joined together by means of one or more plastic profiles, wherein at least the inner profile consists substantially of steel.
17. A curtain wall comprising one or more mullions and one or more transoms and one or more panels that are fitted with their edges at least in the mullions, wherein the one or more mullions extend vertically and are provided on two opposite sides with a groove with an access opening, said grooves forming a rebate in which a lateral edge of said one or more panels is fitted, wherein the ends of the one or more transoms are provided with compressible head pieces, wherein the one or more transoms extend horizontally between two mullions and their ends are fitted with the head pieces in the grooves of these two mullions, wherein the one or more transoms are fastened to two mullions without the use of screws by fitting the ends of the one or more transoms with the head pieces in a recess in the grooves of these two mullions, wherein the mullion is assembled from at least an inner profile and an outer profile joined together by means of one or more plastic profiles, wherein the inner profile, the outer profile and the one or more plastic profiles are fastened to each other and are not dismountable from one another, and wherein at least the inner profile consists substantially of steel.
18. The curtain wall as claimed in claim 17, wherein said one or more mullions and said one or more transoms and said one or more panels are fitted with their edges in the mullions and in the transoms.
Description
[0051] For better illustration of the features of the invention, some preferred embodiments are described hereunder, as examples without any limiting character, referring to the appended drawings, in which:
[0052] FIG. 1 shows a curtain wall, which illustrates some features of the invention, but does not form part thereof;
[0053] FIGS. 2 and 3 show, on a larger scale, a cross section according to the section lines II-II and III-III, respectively, shown in FIG. 1;
[0054] FIGS. 4 and 5 show head pieces in perspective, which according to the invention can be fitted on the ends of the transoms;
[0055] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate, in a cross section according to line VI-VI shown in FIG. 1, how the transom with the head pieces can be fitted in the undercut groove;
[0056] FIG. 8 shows, in a view similar to that in FIG. 3, a curtain wall with the features of the invention;
[0057] FIG. 9 shows an alternative in one and the same view;
[0058] FIG. 10 shows, on a larger scale, a cross section according to the line X-X shown in FIG. 1, for a curtain wall with the features of the invention; and
[0059] FIGS. 11 and 12 show, in a view similar to that in FIGS. 8 and 10 respectively, a variant with the features of the invention.
[0060] FIG. 1 shows a curtain wall 1 under construction. The curtain wall 1 comprises mullions 2 and transoms 3. Panels 4, such as glazing, are secured with their edges 5 in the mullions 2 and in the transoms 3. The mullions 2 extend vertically, and the transoms 3 extend horizontally. In the example, they are profiles 2-3 that are delivered prefabricated to the site. The complete curtain wall 1, including panels 4, can be installed from inside.
[0061] FIG. 2 shows that the mullions 2 are provided on two opposite sides 6 with an undercut groove 7 with an access opening 8. The groove 7 forms a rebate into which the lateral edge 5 of the aforementioned panels 4 can be fitted. The transoms 3 extend horizontally between the two mullions 2. The mullions 2 shown comprise several part-profiles 2A-2B-2C fastened to each other, and not dismountable from each other, including a part-profile 2B that forms a thermal break.
[0062] FIG. 3 shows that the ends of the transoms 3 are secured in the aforementioned grooves 7 of the mullions 2. For this purpose, head pieces 9 are fitted over the ends of the transoms 3.
[0063] The aforementioned undercut groove 7 has an oblong cross section, which is configured with a rounded section at one or more of the transverse ends 10, and, in this case, at the transverse ends 10 is free from rounding with a radius less than 2 millimeters. FIGS. 2 and 3 clearly show that the aforementioned oblong cross section is oriented with its long axis 11 transverse, or even perpendicular, to the aforementioned panels 4.
[0064] As shown in FIG. 2, the aforementioned panels 4 are fixed along the inside 12 of the curtain wall 1 by means of glazing beads 13, which are fastened to the aforementioned mullion 2, for example, as here by means of fastening attachments 14 to which the respective glazing beads 13 can be secured by means of mechanical locking means 15, more particularly clicked or snapped, preferably as explained in more detail in WO 2017/201587. In the example, the fastening attachments 14 are glued to the mullion 2 at the location of the transverse end 10 of the undercut groove 7 that is located on the inside 12 of the curtain wall 1. For this purpose, in the example the fastening attachments 14 are provided with a surface with ribs 16, the tops of which come into contact with the surface of the respective transverse end 10, while between two adjacent ribs there is space for receiving glue or some other cured fastening means. The transverse ends 10 of the undercut groove 7 are free per se from irregularities such as ribs.
[0065] It is to be noted that the fastening attachments 14 may be made as long or almost as long as the glazing beads 13 for which they are intended. Preferably, however, a glazing bead 13 is secured by means of several fastening attachments 14 located at a distance one above another, for example three per glazing bead 13. This kind of configuration forms an example of the second independent aspect mentioned in the introduction. For example, the fastening attachments 14 may extend in each case over a distance of 2 to 20 cm, for example about 5 cm, in the mullion 2, with a distance between two adjacent fastening attachments 14 of 10 to 50 cm, for example 20 to 30 centimeters.
[0066] FIG. 3 clearly shows that the aforementioned head pieces 9 have a geometry that is complementary to the cross section of the undercut groove 7, and in the example comes into contact with both transverse ends 10 thereof. As mentioned above, owing to said contact, a water-tight and/or air-tight joint is formed between the transom 3 and the mullion 2. Preferably, contact between head piece 9 and undercut groove 7, such as here, is formed over the complete perimeter of the walls of the undercut groove 7.
[0067] FIGS. 4 and 5 show a perspective view of the head pieces 9 used in FIG. 3. Said head pieces 9 comprise several openings 17, along which a sealing fastening means may be applied or injected. The fastening means is intended to provide a barrier to moisture that is located on the transom 3, and that otherwise would find its way between the transom 3 and the head piece 9.
[0068] FIG. 6 shows that the transom 3 with the head piece 9 fitted thereon can initially be represented from the upper side and/or at an angle between two mullions 2, namely with the head piece 9 in the undercut groove 7. Then the transom 3 and the head piece 9 are rolled, at the location of a recess 18 in the mullion 2, into the final position, shown in FIG. 7, for example in a manner similar to that described in more detail in WO 2017/201589. During this rolling motion W, compression, preferably of the material of the head piece 9, may occur at the contacts between the respective head piece 9 and the undercut groove 7, so that the sealing effect at the connecting or fastening point between transom 3 and mullion 2 can be increased.
[0069] FIGS. 6 and 7 clearly show that the undercut groove 7 has an access opening 8, which in the horizontal direction H has a width B1 that is less than width B2 of the transoms 3 measured in the horizontal direction H and at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the transom 3. In a nonhorizontal direction, for example in the vertical direction V, at right angles to the longitudinal direction, the transom 3 has a dimension A that is less than the width B1 of the access opening 8 of the undercut groove 7, so that the ends of the transoms 3, in a rotated state, for example the state in FIG. 6, pass through the access opening 8. Preferably the transom 3, and/or the mullion 2 further comprise means for locking the rotation of the transom 3 in the final position, for example that shown in FIG. 7. Although not shown here, it may be configured similarly to that explained in more detail in WO 2017/201589.
[0070] It is clear that the fitting of mullions 2 and transoms 3, and the installation of the panels 4, can be carried out completely without screws, and from the inside 12 of the building, yet obtaining an airtight and/or watertight joint of mullions 2 and transoms 3. In this way, a field effect for water drainage, as stated in the introduction, is obtained.
[0071] FIGS. 6 and 7 further show that the transoms 3 also comprise several part-profiles 3A-3B-3C that are fastened to each other, and are not dismountable from one another, including a part-profile 3B that forms a thermal break. Preferably the transoms 3 are prefabricated, or in other words they are delivered to the site in the assembled state.
[0072] It is also clear from the example that the undercut grooves 7 on the opposite edges 6 of the mullions 2 preferably have a different depth. This configuration allows the panels 4, such as panels 4 for glazing, to be brought into the curtain wall 1 by means of a so-called shuffle technique, wherein one edge of the panel 4 is fitted in the deepest undercut groove 7, the panel is rotated in the plane of the glazing, and is then pushed into the shallower undercut groove 7. The glazing is preferably fixed in its final position at least by means of the aforementioned glazing beads 13.
[0073] FIGS. 6 and 7 clearly show that the transoms 3 may be configured with at least a first leg 19 that projects upward and that is located on the inside of the transom 3, and preferably with a second leg 20 that projects downwards and that is located on the outside of the transom 3. The one or more legs 19-20 provide additional bending strength of the profile. The first leg 19 preferably has a height H1 of 20 millimeters or more, so that it is only at a hydrodynamic pressure difference of 200 Pa that there is a risk of the water on the transom 3 moving inwards.
[0074] FIG. 8 shows a curtain wall 1 with the features of the invention. In this case the inner profile 2C of the mullion 2 is made of steel. More particularly, in this case the inner profile 2C consists of a roll-formed steel profile. The inner profile 2C is connected via two plastic profiles 2B, which form a thermal break, to the outer profile 2A, which in this example also consists of steel, more particularly a roll-formed steel profile. Otherwise the figure shows similar components and features as FIG. 2. The practical configuration of the fastening attachments 14 and the glazing beads 13 may be identical or similar to those from the example in FIG. 2. Just as in the preceding examples, the panels 4 are fixed with their edges in the groove 7 by means of glazing beads with seals 21, more especially rubber seals, for example seals made of EPDM.
[0075] FIG. 9 shows another example, wherein the inner profile 2C is assembled per se from a steel tube 22 and a roll formed profile 2D fastened thereon. A tube 22 means a hollow profile with a closed perimeter. Assembling profiles 2C and 2D gives a similar geometry as profile 2C in FIG. 8.
[0076] FIG. 9 further shows that the fastening attachments 14 may extend over the full distance between the two opposite transverse edges 10 of the groove 7. At the location of the two opposite transverse edges 10, the fastening attachments 14 may be glued or may be fastened in some other way, for example by means of a mechanical hooking or clicking connection. The practical configuration of the glazing beads 13 may be identical or similar to that of the example in FIG. 2.
[0077] FIG. 10 shows an example of a transom 3 which, according to a preferred embodiment, as shown here, may be assembled from at least one steel inner profile 3C, at least one plastic profile 2B and an outer profile 2A. Otherwise the transom 3 has similar features as the transom 3 shown in the context of FIGS. 6 and 7.
[0078] It should further be noted that the transom 3 may be covered along the outer side of the curtain wall 1 by means of a separate profile 23. This separate profile 23 may also be constructed from steel, or may be made from some other material such as aluminum. In the example in FIG. 10, the separate profile 23 also comprises a rubber seal 21, which on the underside of the panel 4 comes into contact with the edge thereof. This need not necessarily be so, and the separate profile 23 may fulfill a merely aesthetic function, while the rubber seal 21 on the underside of the panel 4 may then be fastened for example on the outer profile 2A.
[0079] FIG. 11 shows a variant for a mullion 2, which has substantially identical features as described on the basis of FIG. 8, but wherein the inner profile 2C, consisting of a roll-formed steel profile, is connected via only one plastic profile 2B, which forms a thermal break, to the outer profile 2A, which in this case also consists of a roll-formed steel profile.
[0080] FIG. 12 shows a variant for a transom 3, which has substantially identical features as described on the basis of FIG. 10.
[0081] It should further be noted that mention in the foregoing of an inside 12 of a curtain wall 1 means the portion of the curtain wall 1, namely of the transoms 3 and the mullions 2, that is directed toward the inside of the building. This inside 12 does not necessarily begin at the innermost surface of the curtain wall 1, but begins behind the plane of the glazing.
[0082] The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described above, but curtain walls of this kind may be produced while remaining within the scope of the present invention.
