REINFORCED INSULATING GLASS UNIT

Abstract

Insulating glass unit (IGU) comprising at least two glass plates and at least one reinforcing element that increases the bending stiffness of at least a part of the IGU, and glass doors or windows comprising said IGU.

Claims

1. An insulating glass unit (IGU) comprising: at least two glass plates connected by a structural sealant and, at least one reinforcing element at least partially embedded between the glass plates and connected to said glass plates through the structural sealant, wherein said reinforcing element is such that it increases a bending stiffness of at least a part of the IGU and, said reinforcing element is separated from at least one of the glass plates by a space filled up with a non-structural element.

2. The insulating glass unit (IGU) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element has a Young modulus greater or equal to a Young modulus of the structural sealant.

3. The insulating glass unit (IGU) according to claim 1, wherein an edge of the reinforcing element in a vicinity of a contact zone between the reinforcing element, the structural sealant and the space between said element and one of the glass plates is beveled or rounded.

4. The insulating glass unit (IGU) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element is totally embedded between the glass plates.

5. The insulating glass unit (IGU) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element protrudes over at least one of the glass plates.

6. The insulating glass unit (IGU) according to claim 1, wherein the non-structural element filling the space comprises air and/or a non-structural material and/or a non-adhesive piece.

7. The insulating glass unit (IGU) according to claim 6, wherein the non-structural element filling the space comprises air in a sub-space in contact with an exterior of the glazing.

8. The insulating glass unit (IGU) according to claim 7, wherein the sub-space comprises at least one preformed gasket.

9. The insulating glass unit (IGU) according to claim 1, wherein a space filled up with a non-structural element is present on both sides of the reinforcing element.

10. The insulating glass unit (IGU) according to claim 1, wherein the IGU is a double or triple glazing.

11. A glass door or window comprising at least one insulating glass unit (IGU) according to claim 1.

12. The glass door or window according to claim 11, wherein the glass door or window is a frameless glass door or window.

13. A frameless glass door or window according to claim 12, wherein the frameless glass door or window is a multiple sashes glass door or window comprising at least two contiguous sashes having no mullion between the contiguous sashes.

14. A frameless glass door or window according to claim 12, wherein the frameless glass door or window is a ribbon window comprising at least two contiguous IGUs and having no mullion between the contiguous IGUs.

Description

[0049] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description in view of the attached figures, wherein:

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the IGU of the invention, with two glass plates;

[0051] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the IGU of the invention, with two glass plates;

[0052] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the IGU of the invention, with two glass plates;

[0053] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of another configuration of the embodiment of FIG. 3 of the IGU of the invention, with two glass plates;

[0054] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a fifth embodiment of the IGU of the invention, with three glass plates;

[0055] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a sixth embodiment of the IGU of the invention, with three glass plates.

[0056] In reference to FIG. 1, which represents one edge of the insulating glass unit, the IGU is a double glazing with two glass plates 1 and 1. The glass plates 1 and 1 are connected to each other by a structural sealant 2. The two glass plates 1 and 1 are spaced apart by a spacer 5 fastened to the glass plates by two sealants 6 as in any conventional IGU. A reinforcing element 3 is here totally embedded between the two neighbouring glass plates 1 and 1 and connected to them through the structural sealant 2. It has a beveled edge 7 in the vicinity of the contact area between the reinforcing element 3, the structural sealant 2 and the space 4 and a second beveled edge facing the first one. A space 4 filled with a double sided foam adhesive is provided between the reinforcing element 3 and glass plate 1.

[0057] The embodiment of FIG. 2 of the IGU of the invention comprises almost all the same technical elements as the embodiment of FIG. 1, with the same reference numbers. In this embodiment, the space 4 comprises a sub-space 4 filled with a double sided foam adhesive and a sub-space 4 filled with air.

[0058] The embodiment of FIG. 3 of the IGU of the invention comprises also almost the same technical elements as the embodiment of FIG. 1, with the same reference numbers. In this embodiment, a space 4 filled with air is present on both sides of the reinforcing element 3, which has a large width, thereby providing a significant bending stiffness improvement.

[0059] FIG. 4 illustrates another configuration of the embodiment of FIG. 3 where the space 4 present on both sides of the reinforcing element 3 is larger and the reinforcing element 3 narrower thereby providing a lower bending stiffness improvement compared to the configuration of FIG. 3.

[0060] The embodiment of FIG. 5 represents a triple glazing, with two external glass plates 1 and 1 and a shorter internal glass plate 1. The glass plates are spaced apart by two spacers 5 fastened to the glass plates by sealants 6. Each external glass plate 1, 1 is connected to the internal glass plate 1 by a structural sealant 2. A large single reinforcing element 3 is located between the glass plates 1 and 1 and is connected to them by the structural sealant 2. A space 4 filled with air is provided between the reinforcing element 3 and the glass plate 1.

[0061] The embodiment of FIG. 6 represents another triple glazing comprising almost all the same technical elements as the embodiment of FIG. 5, with the same reference numbers. The two external glass plates 1 and 1 and internal glass plate 1 have the same dimensions. They are spaced apart by two spacers 5 fastened to the glass plates by sealants 6. Each external glass plate 1, 1 is connected to the internal glass plate 1 by a structural sealant 2. The reinforcing element 3 located between the glass plates 1 and 1 is hollow and protrudes over the glass plate 1. It is separated from the glass plate 1 by a space 4 filled with a double sided foam adhesive. The reinforcing element 3 located between the glass plates 1 and 1 is plain and totally embedded between the glass plates. It is separated from the glass plate 1 by a space 4 filled with a double sided foam adhesive.

[0062] The table below gives values of the deflection of the edge of three IGUs having different reinforcement configurations, when this edge is submitted to a linear load.

[0063] Each of the three IGUs comprises two glass plates with a thickness of 6 mm, a spacer with a thickness of 18 mm, and a structural sealant, namely DC 3362 silicone from Dow Corning, with a height of 6 mm. The first IGU is a conventional IGU without reinforcing element. The second IGU corresponds to the configuration illustrated in FIG. 4. Compared to first IGU, it comprises a reinforcing element all along the loaded edge, and this reinforcing element has a height of 6 mm, a width of 6 mm and a Young modulus equivalent to glass. The reinforcing element is separated from both glass plates by a space with a width of 6 mm filled with air. The third IGU corresponds to the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3. It also comprises a reinforcing element all along the loaded edge, and this reinforcing element has a height of 6 mm, a width of 12 mm and a Young modulus equivalent to glass. Compared to the second IGU, the reinforcing element is separated from both glass plates by a space with a width of 3 mm filled with air.

[0064] For the three IGUs, the loaded edge is 2 m long and the linear load is 9.6 N/mm. The deflection is measured at the centre of the loaded edge, perpendicularly to the glass plate plan.

TABLE-US-00001 Deflection of Distance between the Width of the the edge of reinforcing element and reinforcing the glazing the glass plates element Double glazing 9.94 mm without reinforcing element Double glazing of 8.66 mm 6 mm 6 mm FIG. 4 with reinforcing element Double glazing of 5.27 mm 3 mm 12 mm FIG. 3 with reinforcing element

[0065] This table shows that the reinforced IGUs according to the invention have a higher bending stiffness than an IGU without reinforcing element as demonstrated by lower deflection values. In addition, the third IGU comprising a reinforcing element with a larger width provides a higher stiffness increase.