INSULATED GLAZING UNITS

Abstract

The present invention relates to an insulated glazing unit (1) comprising a support frame (2); a pair of at least partially transparent panes (3) sealingly fixed to the frame (2) to define a gap (4); a screening element (5) that is adapted to be deployed within said gap (4) to be switched between an open configuration, and at least one closure configuration; a control unit (9) comprising an actuator module (10) associated with the screening element (5) to control deployment of the screening element (5); a pressure sensor (11) configured to send a signal representative of an internal pressure value (Pi) in said gap (4) to the control unit (9).

Claims

1. An insulated glazing unit, comprising: a support frame; a pair of at least partially transparent panes sealingly attached to the support frame to define a gap therebetween; a screening element that is adapted to be deployed in the gap to switch between an open configuration, in which light radiation may pass through the gap, and at least one closing configuration, in which the screening element at least partially blocks the light radiation in the gap; a control unit comprising an actuator module associated with the screening element to control deployment of the screening element; a box integrated in the support frame, wherein the control unit is housed in the box; and a pressure sensor, which is configured to send a first signal representative of an internal pressure value in the gap to the control unit; wherein the panes and the support frame are configured to hermetically seal the gap in compliance with European Standard EN 1279, wherein the pressure sensor is in the box, wherein no channels for access to the gap are provided through the panes, the support frame, or the panes and the support frame for passage of air, wherein the box defines a chamber that is permanently sealed with respect to an outside environment by the support frame, and wherein the pressure sensor is housed in the chamber.

2-3. (canceled)

4. The insulated glazing unit of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of cables for supplying power to the control unit and the pressure sensor; wherein the support frame has one or more hermetically sealed cable raceways for passage of the cables.

5. The insulated glazing unit of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is integrated with the control unit.

6. The insulated glazing unit of claim 1, further comprising: drive means for driving the screening element; wherein the drive means is associated with the actuator module to be controlled by the control unit.

7. The insulated glazing unit of claim 6, wherein the drive means is housed in the box.

8. The insulated glazing unit of claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises a comparison module which is configured to compare the internal pressure value and an ideal minimum reference pressure value.

9. The insulated glazing unit of claim 8, wherein the actuator module is configured to prevent the deployment of the screening element if the internal pressure value is less than the ideal minimum reference pressure value.

10. The insulated glazing unit of claim 8, wherein the comparison module is configured to compare the internal pressure value and a maximum reference pressure value.

11. The insulated glazing unit of claim 10, wherein the actuator module is configured to prevent the deployment of the screening element if the internal pressure value is greater than the maximum reference pressure value.

12. The insulated glazing unit of claim 1, further comprising: an additional pressure sensor which is placed outside the gap and is configured to send a second signal representative of an external pressure value to the control unit.

13. The insulated glazing unit of claim 12, wherein the control unit further comprises a computing module which is configured to compute the reference minimum pressure value according to the external pressure value.

14. The insulated glazing unit of claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises a memory module for storing a reference maximum pressure value and/or a reference minimum pressure value and/or a plurality of external pressure values and/or a plurality of internal pressure values.

15. The insulated glazing unit of claim 9, wherein the comparison module is configured to compare the internal pressure value and a maximum reference pressure value.

16. The insulated glazing unit of claim 15, wherein the actuator module is configured to prevent the deployment of the screening element if the internal pressure value is greater than the maximum reference pressure value.

Description

LIST OF DRAWINGS

[0026] Further features and advantages of the present invention will result more clearly from the illustrative, non-limiting description of a preferred, non-exclusive embodiment of an insulated glazing unit as shown in the annexed drawings, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of an insulated glazing unit of the present invention; and

[0028] FIG. 2 is a block diagram that shows the operation of the insulated glazing unit of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Even when this is not expressly stated, the individual features as described with reference to the particular embodiments shall be intended as auxiliary to and/or interchangeable with other features described with reference to other exemplary embodiments.

[0030] Referring to the annexed figures, numeral 1 generally designates an insulated glazing unit of the present invention. The insulated glazing unit 1 comprises a support frame 2. Two at least partially transparent panes 3, preferably made of glass, are sealingly fixed to the frame 2. Thus, the panes 3 define a gap 4.

[0031] The panes 3 and the frame 2 are configured to permanently seal the gap 4, i.e. to prevent air from flowing between the gap 4 and the outside environment while preventing any inert gases other than air, introduced into the gap to improve heat insulation properties, from escaping from the gap. In other words, no channels for access to the gap 4 are provided through the panes 3 and/or the frame 2 for the passage of air. Since the panes 3 are sealingly installed on the frame 2, the gap 4 is insulated relative to the outside environment.

[0032] Preferably, the panes 3 and the frame 2 are configured to hermetically seal the gap 4 in compliance with the European Standard EN 1279. More in detail, the panes 3 and the frame 2 define an insulating glass unit (IGU) according to such standard.

[0033] Namely, the hermetic seal of the insulated glazing unit is permanent and is not subjected to any fluid exchange with the outside environment.

[0034] The structure of the frame 2 and the panes 3 is known in the art and will not be further described herein.

[0035] A screening element 5 is adapted to be deployed in the gap 4 to change the amount of light that passes through the insulated glazing unit 1. Such screening element 5 may comprise, for example, a Venetian blind, that is designed to have gathering slats or other.

[0036] Namely, the screening element 5 may be switched between an open configuration and at least one closed configuration. In the open configuration, the blind 6 is entirely lifted to allow light radiation to pass through the gap 4 without being hindered. In the possible closed configurations, the screening element 5 at least partially blocks light radiation in the gap 4. Here, the blind 6 is partially or entirely lowered.

[0037] The insulated glazing unit 1 comprises drive means 7 for lifting and lowering the blind 6. These drive means 7 may comprise, for instance, a roller and an electric motor (not shown).

[0038] The insulated glazing unit 1 comprises a box 8 for housing the aforementioned drive means 7 for the screening element 5. Particularly, the box 8 defines a chamber that houses the drive unit 7. Such box 8 is preferably integrated in the upper portion of the frame 2, to form a single environment with the gap 4.

[0039] In other words, the pressure of the box 8 and particularly in the chamber is the same as the pressure in the gap 4. This is because the chamber is permanently sealed with respect to the outside environment by the frame 2.

[0040] The insulated glazing unit 1 also comprises a control unit 9. Such control unit 9 is particularly configured to communicate with the drive means 7 of the blind 6 to control them. Preferably, the control unit 9 is housed in the box 8 and particularly in its chamber.

[0041] In order to control the drive means 7 for driving the blind 6, the control unit 9 comprises a plurality of functional modules, as described below. This depiction of the control unit 9 is given for the sake of a better description of its operation. The actual implementation of the control unit 9 shall not be intended to be limited by this description but may be provided in any manner that is known to the skilled person and may comprise hardware and/or software means.

[0042] The control unit 9 may be provided as a single device or may be divided into distinct functional parts, each comprising one or more of the aforementioned modules. The parts that compose the control unit 9 may be integrated into a single circuit or may communicate with each other through wired and/or wireless connections and/or via a local area network and/or via the Internet.

[0043] The control unit 9 comprises an actuator module 10 associated with the screening element 5 to control deployment thereof. Namely, the control unit is operable on the drive means 7. In normal operating conditions, the user sends an appropriately encoded actuation signal “AS” to the control unit 9 through a controller (not shown) and, in response to such signal, the control unit 9 controls the drive means 7 to deploy or retract the screening element 5.

[0044] The insulated glazing unit also comprises a plurality of cables to supply power to the control unit 9 and/or the drive means 7.

[0045] It shall be noted that the frame 2 has one or more hermetically sealed cable raceways (also known as corner raceways) for the passage of such cables (not shown). The power cables extend from the box 8 and more in detail from its chamber, to the outside environment, through respective cable raceways. Each cable raceway may house one or more cables, e.g. In the case of multipolar cables.

[0046] Each cable raceway may be implemented, for example, as disclosed in EP2551437 by the Applicant hereof, whose teachings are intended to be incorporated herein in their entirety.

[0047] The insulated glazing unit 1 also comprises a pressure sensor 11. The pressure sensor 11 is particularly placed within the gap 4 or, preferably, in the box 8 and particularly in its chamber.

[0048] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pressure sensor 11 is integrated in the circuit of the control unit 9.

[0049] Since the pressure sensor 11 is accommodated in the box 8, it may be advantageously powered through the power cables. Advantageously, one sealed cable raceway may be sufficient for cables that simultaneously power the pressure sensor 11, the control unit 9 and the drive means 7, whereby the number of openings for the passage of the cables may be restricted, and the insulated glazing unit may be ensured, in compliance with EN1279.

[0050] The pressure sensor 11 has the purpose of sensing the internal pressure “Pi”. Therefore, the pressure sensor 11 is configured to send 9 a signal representative of an internal pressure value “Pi” to the control unit 9.

[0051] The control unit 9 also comprises an acquisition module 12 which is interfaced with the pressure sensor 11 to receive the signal “Pi”.

[0052] The control unit 9 further comprises a comparison module 13, which is namely interfaced with the acquisition module 12. Such comparison module 13 is configured to compare the internal pressure value “Pi” as sensed, and a minimum reference pressure value “Pmin”.

[0053] In accordance with the result of such comparison, the actuation module 10 allows or prevents the action of the drive means 7 and, as a result, the deployment for the screening element 5. Particularly, the comparison module 13 is configured to actuator module (13 is configured to prevent deployment of the screening element 5 if the internal pressure value “Pi” is smaller than the minimum reference pressure value “Pmin”.

[0054] The comparison module 13 is configured to compare the internal pressure value “Pi” with a maximum reference pressure value “Pmax”.

[0055] Here, the actuation module 10 is configured to prevent deployment of the screening element 5 if the internal pressure value “Pi” is greater than the maximum reference pressure value “Pmin”. In other words, if the control unit 9 detects that the pressure conditions do not allow deployment of the screening element 5, it does not perform this operation even once it has received the signal “Sa” as mentioned above.

[0056] In a first embodiment of the invention, the reference values “Pmax” and “Pmin” are preset in a memory module 14 and are retrieved into the comparison module 13 as needed.

[0057] Particularly, these reference pressure values “Pmax” and “Pmin” represent the maximum and minimum internal pressure values that the manufacturer has determined for that type of insulated glazing unit according to the thicknesses of the pans of sheet 3, the width and height dimensions of the insulated glazing unit, environmental conditions of productions (pressure, temperature and humidity of the establishment of production), as well as the assumed values or the average of the environmental conditions in which it will be installed the insulated glazing unit 1.

[0058] The comparison of the internal pressure P1 as sensed with the ideal internal pressure values “Pmin” and “Pmax” provides great advantages because, since the insulated glazing unit is sealed, the amount of air in the gap is decided during assembly, and hence represents a sort of historical memory of pressure.

[0059] Thus, considering the problem of preventing jamming of the screening element 5 if the panes 3 bend inwards, the value of the internal pressure as measured Pi may be compared with the only stored value of the ideal internal minimum pressure P1, as the latter is the pressure that is found when the insulated glazing unit has been sealed, i.e. when the panes were necessarily parallel.

[0060] Therefore, if the control unit 9 detects a negative differential pressure (between the internal pressure as measured Pi and the ideal Pmin) this implies there is most likely bending toward the interior of the glass.

[0061] Here, the insulating glazing unit will not necessarily include a pressure sensor dedicated to sensing of the pressure outside the insulated glazing unit, which will reduce the number of sensors and especially limit the number of cables that must be led to the control unit.

[0062] In a second embodiment of the invention, the insulated glazing unit 1 comprises an additional pressure sensor 15.

[0063] The additional pressure sensor 15 is placed outside the gap 4, to sense a pressure outside the insulated glazing unit 1.

[0064] Therefore, the additional pressure sensor 15 is configured to send 9 a signal representative of an external pressure value “Pe” to the control unit 9. Particularly, the external pressure value “Pe” represents the value of the pressure of the environment in which the insulated glazing unit 1 is installed.

[0065] In this case, the insulated glazing unit 9 comprises a computing module 16 which is configured to compute the reference minimum pressure value “Pmin” according to the external pressure value “Pe”. The computing module 16 may calculate the maximum reference pressure value “Pmax” according to the external pressure value “Pe”. By way of mere example, the minimum and maximum reference pressure values “Pmin” and “Pmax” may be obtained by summing and subtracting a predetermined tolerance value “T”, saved in the memory module “T” to and from the external pressure “Pe”. The computed “Pmax” and “Pmin” may be saved in the memory module 14.

[0066] It shall further noted that the computing module 9 can save a plurality of measured external and internal values, “Pe” and “Pi”, in the aforementioned memory module 14.

[0067] Advantageously, these values are useful in troubleshooting step of glazing unit 1 both as regards the operation of the drive means 7 that for the screening element 5. Additionally, since pressure may be used to calculate the internal temperature of the insulated glazing unit 1, the save values are also useful to assess the thermal insulation performance of the insulated glazing unit 1, as well as its behavior in response to solar radiation.

[0068] Those skilled in the art will obviously appreciate that a number of changes and variants as described above may be made to fulfill particular requirements, without departure from the scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims.