Abstract
A spacer for insulating glazing units is presented. The spacer includes a main body having first and second pane contact legs that are parallel, first and second glazing interior legs, an outer leg, first and second hollow chambers extending along an extension direction, and a groove for receiving a pane. Arranged in the groove, there is an extruded pane receiving socket formed from a polymer having a Shore hardness A in a range from 10 to 80 as measured per DIN ISO 7619-1. In a surface of the pane receiving socket, a receiving recess running substantially parallel to the groove and decreasingly tapering viewed in cross-section in a direction of the outer leg is implemented. Also described are a method for producing the spacer and a multiple insulating glazing unit having the spacer.
Claims
1.-13. (canceled)
14. A spacer for insulating glazing units, the spacer comprising an extruded main body, comprising: a first pane contact leg; a second pane contact leg parallel to the first pane contact leg; a first glazing interior leg; a second glazing interior leg; an outer leg; a first hollow chamber extending along an extension direction; a second hollow chamber extending parallel to the extension direction; and a groove comprising a first groove side leg and a second groove side leg for receiving a pane, wherein the groove runs between the first hollow chamber and the second hollow chamber along the extension direction, wherein viewed in cross-section, i) the first hollow chamber is enclosed by the first pane contact leg, the first glazing interior leg, and a first section of the outer leg, and ii) the second hollow chamber is enclosed by the second pane contact leg, the second glazing interior leg, and a second section of the outer leg, wherein arranged in the groove, there is an extruded pane receiving socket that extends at least in sections along the extension direction, wherein the pane receiving socket is formed from a polymer having a Shore hardness A in a range from 10 to 80, measured per DIN ISO 7619-1, and wherein in a surface of the pane receiving socket a receiving recess is implemented, the receiving recess running substantially parallel to the groove and decreasingly tapering viewed in cross-section in a direction of the outer leg.
15. The spacer according to claim 14, wherein the Shore hardness A is in a range from 40 to 60.
16. The spacer according to claim 14, wherein the receiving recess is molded into the surface of the pane receiving socket.
17. The spacer according to claim 14, wherein the polymer is a thermoplastic polymer selected from a group consisting of: TPA, TPC, TPS, TPU, and TPV.
18. The spacer according to claim 17, wherein the polymer is selected as a thermoplastic polymer from a group consisting of: TPU-ARES, TPU-AREE, and aliphatic TPUs.
19. The spacer according to claim 14, wherein the pane receiving socket is arranged in an interior of the groove.
20. The spacer according to claim 14, wherein viewed along the extension direction, the pane receiving socket runs continuously in the groove and has a substantially uniform cross-sectional area.
21. The spacer according to claim 14, wherein the first groove side leg and the second groove side leg are arranged so that the groove tapers decreasingly in the direction of the outer leg.
22. The spacer according to claim 14, wherein the polymer has a color with substantially no contrast relative to a surrounding surface of the extruded main body.
23. A method for producing a spacer for insulating glazing units, the method comprising: A) extruding, in a first step, a polymeric main body comprising a first pane contact leg, a second pane contact leg that is parallel to the first pane contact leg, a first glazing interior leg, a second glazing interior leg, an outer leg, a first hollow chamber that extends along an extension direction, a second hollow chamber that extends along the extension direction, and a groove comprising a first groove side leg and a second groove side leg for receiving a pane, wherein the groove runs between the first hollow chamber and the second hollow chamber along the extension direction, and wherein viewed in cross-section, i) the first hollow chamber is enclosed by the first pane contact leg, the first glazing interior leg, and a first section of the outer leg, and ii) the second hollow chamber is enclosed by the second pane contact leg, the second glazing interior leg, and a second section of the outer leg; and B) introducing into the groove, in a second step that is carried out with a time delay after the first step, a pane receiving socket that extends, at least in sections, along the extension direction, and is formed from a polymer having a Shore hardness A in a range from 10 to 80, measured per DIN ISO 7619-1.
24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the Shore hardness A is in a range from 40 to 60.
25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the polymer is a thermoplastic polymer that is selected from a group consisting of: TPA, TPC, TPS, TPU, and TPV.
26. The method according to claim 23, wherein a calibration step is carried out after the first step and before the second step in order to fix structure and dimensioning of the spacer after the extrusion.
27. The method according to claim 23, wherein after the second step, a profiling step is carried out, comprising molding into the polymer of the pane receiving socket, a receiving recess that, viewed in cross-section in a direction of the outer leg, is decreasingly tapered.
28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the profiling step is carried out using a profiling tool while the polymer of pane receiving socket has not cooled.
29. A multiple insulating glazing unit, comprising: a first pane; a second pane; a third pane; and a spacer according to claim 14 that is arranged circumferentially on respective edges of the first pane, the second pane and the third pane, wherein the spacer separates the first pane, the second pane and the third pane apart from each other, wherein the first pane rests against the first pane contact leg of the spacer, wherein the second pane rests against the second pane contact leg of the spacer, and wherein the third pane is inserted into the groove with the pane receiving socket of the spacer.
Description
[0075] In the following, the invention is explained in detail with reference to drawings. The drawings are purely schematic representations and are not true to scale. They in no way limit the invention. They depict:
[0076] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a possible embodiment of the spacer according to the invention,
[0077] FIG. 2 a cross-section of a possible embodiment of the multiple insulating glazing unit according to the invention,
[0078] FIG. 3 a flowchart of a possible embodiment of a method according to the invention for producing a spacer, and
[0079] FIGS. 4a to 4d a method according to the invention for producing a spacer in accordance with another possible embodiment of the spacer.
[0080] FIG. 1 depicts a view of a possible embodiment of the spacer I according to the invention. The spacer I has a polymeric main body 1 that can be glass-fiber-reinforced. The polymeric main body 1 comprises a first pane contact leg 2.1, a second pane contact leg 2.2 running parallel thereto, a first glazing interior leg 3.1, a second glazing interior leg 3.2, and an outer leg 4. Situated between the outer leg 4 and the first glazing interior leg 3.1 is a first hollow chamber 5.1, which extends in an extension direction E, whereas a second hollow chamber 5.2 is arranged between the outer leg 4 and the second glazing interior leg 3.2 and extends parallel to the first hollow chamber 5.1 parallel to the extension direction E. Situated between the two hollow chambers 5.1, 5.2 is a groove 6, which also runs parallel to the extension direction E. A first groove side leg 6.1 and a second groove side leg 6.2 are formed by the walls of the two hollow chambers 5.1, 5.2, while a bottom surface 6.3 of the groove 6 is directly adjacent the outer leg 4. Thus, a maximum depth of the groove 6 is achieved. The two groove side legs 6.1, 6.2 of the groove 6 are inclined inward in the direction of an inner pane (not shown) to be received in the groove 6 such that the groove 6 is implemented as a recess decreasingly tapering in the direction toward the outer leg 4. A wall thickness d of the polymeric main body is 1 mm, while a reduced wall thickness d in the region of the groove side legs 6.1, 6.2 is 0.8 mm. The outer leg 4 runs for the most part perpendicular to the pane contact legs 2.1, 2.2 and parallel to the glazing interior legs 3.1, 3.2. The sections of the outer leg 4 nearest the pane contact legs 2.1, 2.2 are, however, inclined at an angle of preferably 30 to 60 relative to the outer leg 4 in the direction of the pane contact legs 2.1, 2.2. This angled geometry improves the stability of the polymeric main body 1 and enables improved adhesion of the spacer I according to the invention to an insulating film (not shown). The glazing interior legs 3.1, 3.2 have, at regularly spaced intervals, openings 8 that connect the hollow chambers 5.1, 5.2 to the air space located above the glazing interior legs 3.1, 3.2. The spacer I has a height of 6.5 mm and a total width of 34 mm. The groove 6 has a depth of 3 mm, while the first glazing interior leg 3.1 and the second glazing interior leg 3.2 are, in each case, 16 mm wide. The first hollow chamber 5.1 and the second hollow space 5.2 are filled, at least in sections, with a desiccant 11. A pane receiving socket 7, which is extended, at least in sections, parallel to the extension direction E and which is formed from a polymer with Shore hardness A in the range from 40 to 60, measured per DIN ISO 7619-1, is arranged in the groove 6. The pane receiving socket 7 has a receiving recess 7.1 decreasingly tapering in the direction of the outer leg 4. This spacer I can be further processed without problemsin particular, sawed and milledin order to be provided with dimensions required for a multiple insulating glazing unit.
[0081] FIG. 2 depicts a cross-section of a possible embodiment of the multiple insulating glazing unit using the spacer described in FIG. 1. The multiple insulating glazing unit is implemented as a triple insulating glazing unit. Consequently, for describing the spacer I, reference is made to the statements made in reference to FIG. 1. A first pane 13 of the triple insulating glazing unit is connected to the first pane contact leg 2.1 of the spacer I via a seal 10, while a second pane 14 is connected to the second pane contact leg 2.2 via another seal 10. The seals 10 are made in each case of butyl rubber. In the groove 6 of the spacer I, a third pane 15 arranged as an inner pane is inserted into the pane receiving socket 7. The pane receiving socket 7 encloses one edge of the third pane 15. The pane receiving socket 7 is made of a thermoplastic polymer. It fixes the third pane 15 without stress and compensates thermal expansion of the third pane 15. Moreover, the pane receiving socket 7 prevents noise development due to mechanical movement (in sections) of the third pane 15. A first interpane space 16.1 is defined between the first pane 13 and the third pane 15, and a second interpane space 16.2 is defined between the third pane 15 and the second pane 14. A surface of the first glazing interior leg 3.1 of the spacer I is adjacent the first interpane space 16.1, while a surface of the second glazing interior leg 3.2 is adjacent the second interpane space 16.2. The interpane spaces 16.1, 16.2 and are connected to the respective hollow chamber 5.1, 5.2 respectively located therebelow via the openings 8 in the glazing interior legs 3.1, 3.2. The desiccant 11 consisting of molar sieve is situated in the hollow chambers 5.1, 5.2. A gas exchange between the hollow chambers 5.1, 5.2 and the interpane spaces 16.1, 16.2 occurs through the openings 8, by which means the desiccant 11 can withdraw atmospheric moisture from the interpane spaces 16.1, 16.2. Also, an insulating film 12 that gastightly blocks the passage of external moisture to the polymeric main body 1 is applied on the outer leg 4 of the spacer I. The insulating film 12 can be secured on the polymeric main body 1, for example, by a polyurethane hotmelt adhesive. The insulating film 12 includes four polymeric layers made of polyethylene terephthalate with a thickness of 12 m and three metallic layers made of aluminum with a thickness of 50 nm. The metallic layers and the polymeric layers are, in each case, alternatingly applied, with the two outer plies formed by polymeric layers. The first pane 13 and the second pane 14 protrude beyond the spacer I creating a circumferential edge region that is filled with outer insulation 9. This outer insulation 9 is formed by an organic polysulfide. The first pane 13 and the second pane 14 are made of soda lime glass with a thickness of 3 mm, while the inner pane 15 is made of soda lime glass with a thickness of 2 mm. In place of the spacer I depicted in FIG. 1, the multiple insulating glazing unit depicted in FIG. 2 can include the spacer I.I depicted below in FIG. 4d and described with reference to FIG. 4d.
[0082] FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart of a possible embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing a spacer, for example, the spacer I depicted in FIG. 1. First, a first extrusion step 30 is carried out. After the first extrusion step 30, the polymeric main body 1 of the spacer I depicted in FIG. 1, as it is described in FIG. 1, is obtained. The extension direction E mentioned in FIG. 1 corresponds to the extrusion direction. A calibration step 31 follows the first extrusion step 30, in which the polymeric main body 1 is subjected to vacuuming and cooling operations for fixing its structure and, thereafter, perforated to form the openings 8 depicted in FIG. 1. After the calibration step 31, a second extrusion step 32 is carried out, in which a material for the pane receiving socket 7 depicted in FIG. 1 that is formed from a polymer with Shore hardness A in the range from 40 to 60, measured per DIN ISO 7619-1, extending at least in sections along the extension direction E, is injected into the groove 6 of the polymeric main body 1 depicted in FIG. 1. After the second extrusion extrusion step 32, a profiling step 33 is carried out such that a receiving recess 7.1, which is depicted in FIG. 1, decreasingly tapered viewed in cross-section in the direction of the outer leg 4, is molded in the polymer of the pane receiving socket 7. Downstream from that, the hollow chambers 5.1 and 5.2 are filled with desiccant 11. However, this regularly occurs only after completion of the cutting of the spacer to form a spacer strut for the assembly of an insulating glazing unit. Before the spacer strut is installed the insulating glazing unit, it must be filled with desiccant to the extent desired.
[0083] FIG. 4a through 4d depict a method according to the invention for producing another spacer in accordance with another possible embodiment. The method depicts the steps 30 through 33 previously mentioned in conjunction with FIG. 3. Statements made there thus apply accordingly. FIG. 4a depicts the polymeric main body 1 for the spacer, as it is obtained after the first extrusion step 30 from a starting material (not shown). The polymeric main body 1 depicted in FIG. 4a corresponds to the polymeric main body 1 depicted in FIG. 1; consequently, reference is made for the description of this polymeric main body 1 to the statements concerning FIG. 1. After a subsequent calibration step 31, the polymeric main body 1 depicted in FIG. 4b is obtained, which, in contrast to the polymeric main body 1 depicted in FIG. 4a is structurally fixed and has hollow chambers 5.1 and 5.2 together with openings 8 arranged therein.
[0084] The polymeric main body 1 depicted in FIG. 4b is subjected to a second extrusion step 32, as a result of which the polymeric main body 1 depicted in FIG. 4c is obtained, in whose groove 6 a polymer for the pane receiving socket 7 is arranged, in sections, such that it extends along the groove 6 in the extension direction E. The pane receiving socket 7 is introduced into the group 6 in segments such that a plurality of segments, three are depicted by way of example, extend, spaced apart from one another, in the groove 6 parallel to the extension direction E. The segments cover at least a bottom (not shown) of the groove 6 together with the first groove side leg 6.1 and the second groove side leg 6.2 in a predefined thickness or, alternatively, completely fill the groove 6 in sections, whereas regions of the groove 6 not covered by the segments of the pane receiving socket 7 represent regions free or substantially free of the polymer of the pane receiving socket 7. The spacer depicted in FIG. 4c is subjected in a profiling step 33 with the use of a profiling tool 40, which is pulled along parallel to the extension direction E along the polymer of the pane receiving socket 7 such that a receiving recess 7.1 decreasingly tapered viewed in cross-section in the direction of the outer leg 4 is introduced into the pane receiving socket 7. FIG. 4d depicts a spacer I.I according to the invention. This spacer I.I can be further processed without problemsin particular, sawed and milledin order to be provided with necessary dimensions for a multiple insulating glazing unit.
LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS
[0085] d wall thickness [0086] d reduced wall thickness [0087] E extension direction [0088] I spacer [0089] I.I spacer [0090] 1 polymeric main body [0091] 2.1 first pane contact leg [0092] 2.2 second pane contact leg [0093] 3.1 first glazing interior leg [0094] 3.2 second glazing interior leg [0095] 4 outer leg [0096] 5.1 first hollow chamber [0097] 5.2 second hollow chamber [0098] 6 groove [0099] 6.1 first groove side leg [0100] 6.2 second groove side leg [0101] 6.3 bottom surface [0102] 7 pane receiving socket [0103] 7.1 decreasingly tapering receiving recess [0104] 8 openings [0105] 9 outer insulation [0106] 10 seal [0107] 11 desiccant [0108] 12 insulating film [0109] 13 first pane [0110] 14 second pane [0111] 15 third pane [0112] 16.1 first interpane space [0113] 16.2 second interpane space [0114] 30 first extrusion step [0115] 31 calibration step [0116] 32 second extrusion step [0117] 33 profiling step [0118] 40 profiling tool
