Frameless glass door or window arrangement with drip groove

Abstract

The present invention relates to a frameless glass door or window arrangement comprising a static frame and a movably mounted or stationary casement, wherein the casement further comprises a multiple glazing and at least one drip groove provided on the glazing, and wherein that at least one drip groove is provided between the plan defined by the external surface of the external glass plate and the plan defined by the internal surface of the internal glass plate of the glazing.

Claims

1. A frameless glass door or window arrangement comprising: a static frame; a movably mounted or stationary casement; and a weather sealing means, wherein said casement comprises a multiple glazing with at least an external glass plate and an internal glass plate spaced apart from each other at least by a spacer, wherein the internal and external glass plates are fastened together by a sealing means, wherein the weather sealing means is provided between the static frame and the external glass plate, wherein at least one drip groove is provided on the glazing, and wherein said at least one drip groove is provided within a downward facing edge of the casement between a plane defined by an external surface of the external glass plate and a plane defined by an internal surface of the internal glass plate.

2. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said at least one drip groove is provided between the plane defined by the external surface of the external glass plate and a hardware means for actuating the arrangement.

3. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said at least one drip groove is located at an edge of the glazing, and fully inside the glazing.

4. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said at least one drip groove is provided on an edge-terminating element.

5. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said at least one drip groove is provided on an edge-terminating element and is adjacent to at least one glass surface.

6. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said at least one drip groove is provided by digging an edge of either the external glass plate or a central glass plate of the glazing.

7. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the casement is a double glazing comprising the external glass plate and the internal glass plate, wherein the drip groove is provided on an edge-terminating element.

8. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the drip groove is provided on an edge-terminating element and between the external plate and a hardware means for actuating the arrangement.

9. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the casement is a double glazing comprising the external glass plate and the internal glass plate, wherein the drip groove is provided by digging an edge of the external glass plate of the glazing.

10. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the casement is a triple glazing comprising the external glass plate, a central glass plate and the internal glass plate, wherein the drip groove is provided on an edge-terminating element located between the external Mass plate and the central glass plate.

11. The frameless door or window arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the casement is a triple glazing comprising the external glass plate, a central glass plate, and the internal glass plate, wherein the drip groove is provided on an edge-terminating element located between the central glass plate and a hardware means for actuating the arrangement.

12. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said at least one drip groove has a height of at least 1 mm.

13. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said at least one drip groove has a width of at least 1 mm.

14. The frameless glass door or window casement arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said at least one drip groove extends at least along a bottom edge of the glazing.

15. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the static frame comprises at least one draining duct.

16. The frameless glass door or window casement arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drip groove has an opening facing a bottom of the glazing.

17. A frameless glass door or window arrangement comprising: a static frame; a movably mounted or stationary casement, the casement further comprising a multiple glazing, the multiple glazing including an external glass plate, an internal glass plate, and at least one drip groove provided on the glazing; and a weather sealing means between the static frame and the external glass plate, wherein the external glass plate and the internal glass plate are spaced apart from each other at least by a spacer, wherein said at least one drip groove is provided within a downward facing edge of the casement between a plane defined by an external surface of the external glass plate and a plane defined by an internal surface of the internal glass plate.

18. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said at least one drip groove is located at an edge of the glazing, and fully inside the glazing.

19. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said at least one drip groove is provided on an edge-terminating element.

20. The frameless glass door or window arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said at least one drip groove is provided by digging an edge of either the exterior glass plate or a central glass plate of the glazing.

21. The frameless glass door or window casement arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said at least one drip groove extends at least along a bottom edge of the glazing, and wherein the static frame comprises at least one draining duct.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and further aspects of the invention will be explained in greater detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings that in no way are limiting the scope of the present invention and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a cross-section view of a first embodiment of the frameless arrangement of the invention with a glazing with two glass plates;

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of a second embodiment of the frameless arrangement of the invention with a glazing with two glass plates;

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of a third embodiment of the frameless arrangement of the invention with a glazing with three glass plates;

(5) FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of a fourth embodiment of the frameless arrangement of the invention with a glazing with three glass plates;

(6) FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of a fifth embodiment of the frameless arrangement of the invention with a glazing with three glass plates;

(7) FIG. 6 is a cross-section view of a sixth embodiment of the frameless arrangement of the invention with a glazing with three glass plates;

(8) FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of a seventh embodiment of the frameless arrangement of the invention with a glazing with two glass plates;

(9) The figures are not drawn to scale. Generally, identical elements or analogous elements are referenced by the same numbers in the figures. In the claims, the reference numbers are only used in view of a better understanding of the invention and will in no way limit the scope of the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) In reference to FIG. 1, the frameless window or door arrangement comprises a casement 1 and a static frame 2. The static frame 2 is provided with a shoulder 16 for receiving the casement 1 located internally of the static frame 2.

(11) In this embodiment, the casement 1 comprises a double glazing with an internal glass plate 3 and an external glass plate 5. The glass plates are spaced apart by a spacer 6. There is also a sealing means 8 which encompasses the spacer to seal the glazing.

(12) A weather sealing means 13 is provided between the static frame 2 and the external glass plate 5 of the glazing, in the shoulder 16, to obstruct the space between the casement 1 and the static part 2 when the window is closed. Another sealing means 11 is provided between the static frame 2 and the internal glass plate 3, which is longer than the external plate 5. The cavity defined between the two weather sealing means is the decompression chamber. As the edge 17 of the glazing is directly exposed to the decompression chamber, it is a frameless arrangement.

(13) There is a profile 9 for anchoring the hardware means 22 for actuating the window or door arrangement, extending between the two glass plates 5 and 3, and which is fastened, generally glued. The profile 9 illustrated is U-shaped, but is in any way not limited to that specific shape. Any shape that can fulfil the function of receiving the actuating means is suitable.

(14) The drip groove 10 is provided at the edge 17 of the glazing, fully inside the glazing. Located inside the glazing has the meaning detailed above. Accordingly, the volume beyond the level of the edge 17 of the external glass plate 5 is not inside the glazing as it is not surrounded by two glass plates.

(15) In reference to FIG. 1, a drip groove 10 is provided by digging the bottom edge 17 of the external plate 5 of the glazing all along the bottom edge 17. The drip groove 10 is a concave groove open towards the ground. In case of water or condensate flowing between seal 13 and the outer face 18 of the external glass plate, the water reaching the drip groove 10 will be converted into droplets falling into the shoulder 16 of the static frame 2. A draining duct 12 is provided in the static frame 2, from the shoulder 16 to evacuate the water.

(16) The frameless window or door arrangement of FIG. 2 comprises the same technical elements as FIG. 1. But in this embodiment, the drip groove 20 is provided on an edge-terminating element 21, between the external glass plate 5 and the profile 9. In case of water or condensate flowing between seal 13 and the outer face 18 of the external glass plate and elapsing by capillarity along the bottom edge 17 of the external glass plate, the water reaching the drip groove 10 will be transformed into droplets. These droplets will fall into the draining duct 12 provided in the static frame 2, from the shoulder 16, to evacuate the water.

(17) In reference to FIG. 3, the frameless window or door arrangement comprises a casement 1 and a static frame 2.

(18) In this embodiment, the casement 1 comprises a triple glazing: an external glass plate 5, an internal glass plate 3 and a central glass plate 4 between the external glass plate 5 and the internal glass plate 3. The static frame 2 is provided with two shoulders 24 and 25 for receiving the casement 1 located internally of the static frame 2.

(19) The glass plates are spaced apart by spacers 6 and 7 and are fastened to each other by sealing means 8 and 14.

(20) The frameless window comprises, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, a first weather sealing means 13 and a second weather sealing means 11. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, there is a third weather sealing means 15 which is provided between the static frame 2 and the central glass plate 4, which is longer than the external plate and smaller than the internal plate. The third weather sealing means also aims at obstructing the space between the casement 1 and the static part 2 when the window is closed.

(21) There is a profile element 9 for anchoring the hardware means 22 for actuating the window, extending between the two glass plates 4 and 3, and which is fastened, generally glued, by encompassing the spacer 6 and the seal 8.

(22) The drip groove 10 is provided at the edge of the glazing, fully inside the glazing. Located inside the glazing has again the meaning detailed above. Accordingly, when the drip groove is between the external glass plate 5 and the central glass plate 4, the volume beyond the level of the edge 17 of the external glass plate 5 is not inside the glazing as it is not surrounded by the glass plates 4 and 5. When the drip groove is between the central glass plate 4 and the internal glass plate 3, the volume beyond the level of the edge 27 of the central glass plate 4 is not inside the glazing as it is similarly not surrounded by the glass plates 3 and 4.

(23) In FIG. 3, a drip groove 10 is provided on the lower edge 17 of the most external plate 5 of the glazing. The drip groove 10 is a concave groove open towards the ground. In case of water or condensate flowing between seal 13 and the outer face 18 of the external glass plate, the water reaching the drip groove 10 will be transformed into droplets falling into the shoulder 24 of the static frame 2. A draining duct 12 is provided in the static frame 2, from the shoulder 24, to evacuate the water.

(24) The frameless window or door arrangement of FIG. 4 comprises the same technical elements as FIG. 3. But in this embodiment, the drip groove 10 is provided on the bottom edge 27 of the central glass plate 4. In case of water or condensate flowing between seal 13 and the outer face 18 of the most external glass plate 5, often, water elapses by capillarity along the lower face 17 of the most external glass plate 5. The water tends to keep flowing its way further along the lower face 26 of the central glass plate 4 and to flow between the seal 15 and the central glass plate 4. After, the water reaches the drip groove 10 provided on the lower edge 27 of the central glass plate 4 and will be transformed into droplets. These droplets will fall into the draining duct 12 provided in the static frame 2, from the shoulder 25, to evacuate the water.

(25) In reference to FIG. 5, the frameless window or door arrangement comprises the same technical elements as FIG. 3. However, in this embodiment, the drip groove 30 is provided on the sealing means 14 comprised between the most external glass plate 5 and central glass plate 4. It is worth to mention that in case that the sealing means 14 would have been combined with another component to give an edge-terminating element, the drip groove would have been provided on the edge-terminating element. In case of water or condensate flowing between seal 13 and the outer face 18 of the most external glass plate 5, and elapsing by capillarity along the lower face 17 of the most external glass plate 5, the water reaching the drip groove 30 will be transformed into droplets. These droplets will fall into the draining duct 12 provided in the static frame 2, from the shoulder 24, to evacuate the water.

(26) In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the frameless window or door arrangement comprises the same technical elements as FIG. 3. But in this embodiment, the drip groove 20 is provided on an edge-terminating element 21, between the central glass plate 4 and the profile 9. In case of water or condensate flowing between seal 13 and the outer face 18 of the most external glass plate 5, often, water elapses by capillarity along the lower face 17 of the most external glass plate 5. The water tends to keep flowing its way further to reach the central glass plate 4 and to flow between the fifth seal 15 and the central glass plate 4. Afterwards, the water elapses by capillarity along the lower face 27 of the central glass plate 4, reaching the drip groove 20 which transforms it into droplets. These droplets will fall into the draining duct 12 provided in the static frame 2, from the shoulder 25, to evacuate the water.

(27) FIG. 7 shows an alternative frameless window or door arrangement according to the invention. The arrangement comprises a casement 1 and a static frame 2. The static frame 2 is provided with two shoulders 24 and 25 for receiving the casement 1 located internally of the static frame 2.

(28) In this embodiment, the casement 1 comprises a double glazing with an internal glass plate 3 and an external glass plate 5, and a profile element 19 which is glued to the internal glass plate 3 with a sealing means 31. The profile element 19 is used to anchor the hardware means 22 for actuating the window or door arrangement.

(29) The glass plates are spaced apart by a spacer 6. There is also a sealing means 8 which encompasses the spacer to seal the glazing.

(30) A weather sealing means 13 is provided between the static frame 2 and the external glass plate 5 of the glazing, in the shoulder 16, to obstruct the space between the mobile part 1 and the static part 2 when the window is closed. Two other sealing means 11 are provided between the static frame 2 and the profile element 19. The cavity defined between the weather sealing means 13 and 11 is the decompression chamber.

(31) The drip groove 30 is provided at the edge of the glazing, fully inside the glazing. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the drip groove 30 is provided on the sealing means 14 comprised between the most external glass plate 5 and internal glass plate 3. It is worth to mention that in case that the sealing means 14 would have been combined with another component to give an edge-terminating element, the drip groove would have been provided on the edge-terminating element. In case of water or condensate flowing between seal 13 and the outer face 18 of the external glass plate, the water reaching the drip groove 30 will be converted into droplets falling into the shoulder 24 of the static frame 2. A draining duct 12 is provided in the static frame 2, from the shoulder 24 to evacuate the water.