METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FILLING A SPACER FRAME FOR PRODUCING AN INSULATION GLAZING

Abstract

A method and a device for filling a spacer frame with a filler for producing an insulating glazing unit and a spacer frame produced in accordance with the method is disclosed. A fill time of the spacer frame for filling to a fill level of 100% is calculated and the spacer frame is inserted into a filling device with scales and a frame holder. The spacer frame is suspended in suspension devices, the spacer frame is filled for the calculated fill time, and the spacer frame is weighed, and the fill level is determined. If the fill level is larger than 90%, then the filling of the spacer frame is terminated.

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. A method for filling a spacer frame with a filler for producing an insulating glazing unit, comprising: a) calculating a fill time for filling the spacer frame to a fill level of 100%; b) inserting the spacer frame into a filling device with scales and a frame holder, such that the spacer frame is suspended in suspension devices; c) filling the spacer frame for the fill time calculated in step a); d) weighing the spacer frame and determining the fill level; and e) terminating filling of the spacer frame if the fill level is larger than 90%.

13. The method for filling a spacer frame according to claim 12, wherein the fill time of the spacer frame is calculated based on an input frame size and an input frame width.

14. The method for filling a spacer frame according to claim 12, further comprising: providing a distance of holes from a corner of the spacer frame as input; providing a fill rate as input and as a function of a profile type and a profile size of the spacer frame; providing a fill amount as input and as a function of the profile type and the profile size of the spacer frame; and providing as input, a spacer frame size and a spacer frame width.

15. The method for filling a spacer frame according to claim 12, further comprising: weighing the spacer when empty to generate a measured empty spacer frame weight; and comparing the measured empty spacer frame weight with a calculated empty weight.

16. The method for filling a spacer frame according to claim 12, further comprising, after the step of comparing the measured empty spacer frame weight with a calculated empty weight, continuing filling operation if the measured empty spacer frame weight matches the calculated empty weight.

17. The method for filling a spacer frame according to claim 12, further comprising terminating step c) if the fill level is from 90% to 110%.

18. The method for filling a spacer frame according to claim 12, further comprising terminating step c) and calculating a new fill rate if the fill level is larger than 110%.

19. The method for filling a spacer frame according to claim 12, further comprising determining a fill time and topping up the spacer frame if the fill level is smaller than 90%.

20. The method for filling a spacer frame according to claim 19, further comprising aborting step c) if three times the fill level is less than 90%.

21. A device for filling a spacer frame, comprising: a filling device for conveying a filler to fill the spacer frame with the filler, including a frame holder and suspension devices for suspending a spacer frame, and upwardly movable scales for weighing the spacer frame.

22. A method of using an insulating glazing unit, comprising: providing a spacer produced in accordance with the method according to claim 12; and using the spacer in construction, in architecture indoors or in architecture outdoors.

Description

[0040] The invention is explained in detail in the following with reference to drawings and examples. The drawings are purely schematic representations and are not true to scale. They in no way restrict the invention. They depict:

[0041] FIG. 1 a plan view of the device according to the invention with scales and a frame holder for filling the spacer frame,

[0042] FIG. 2 a plan view of the device according to the invention with scales and a frame holder for filling the spacer frame,

[0043] FIG. 3 a plan view of a spacer frame for an insulating glazing unit, and

[0044] FIG. 4 a flowchart of a possible embodiment of the method according to the invention.

[0045] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 depict a plan view of the device or filler mentioned with scales 2 and a frame holder 3 for filling the spacer frame 1. FIGS. 1 and 2 depict details of the spacer frame 1, namely, a corner 9. The spacer frame 1 is suspended in the device by one of the four corners 9. The frame holder 3 includes three suspension devices 4, 5, and 6, on which the spacer frame 1 is suspended. The suspension devices 4 and 5 serve for suspending the spacer frame 1 on two legs 7 and 8, respectively. The suspension device 6 serves for suspending the spacer frame 1 in the corner 9. The spacer frame 1 is suspended on the suspension devices 6, 7, and 8 for filling with molecular sieve.

[0046] The spacer frame 1 is inserted into the filling device with scales 2 and the frame holder 3. The scales 2 move upward relative to the suspension devices 4, 5, 6 and weigh the empty spacer frame 1. The fill time for a filling to 100% is calculated in seconds and the spacer frame 1 is filled for the specified fill time. If the fill level is <90%, the remaining fill time is determined and the spacer frame 1 is topped up. If the fill level is >90% to 110%, the filling is terminated. If the fill level is >110%, the filling is terminated and the new fill rate is calculated and entered in the database. If the fill level is <90%, the remaining fill time is determined and the spacer frame 1 is, optionally, topped up.

[0047] FIG. 3 depicts a plan view of a spacer frame 1. The spacer frame 1 is shaped to form a rectangle. A spacer frame 1 made of one straight part is bent at four corners and the free end pieces welded. The spacer frame 1 can also be assembled from four straight parts plugged together by so-called corner connectors. In cross-section, the spacer can be implemented such that it is suitable to hold two panes at a prescribed distance and to join them to form an insulating glazing unit from two panes. The spacer can be implemented such that it holds three panes at a prescribed distance and joins them to form an insulating glazing unit from three panes. The geometry of a spacer 1 for joining two panes for producing a double insulating glazing unit is known from WO 2013/104507 A1, among others. The geometry of a spacer 1 for joining three panes for producing a triple insulating glazing unit is known from WO 2014/198429 A1 and WO 2014/198431 A1, among others. The disclosures of WO 2013/104507 A1, WO 2014/198429 A1, and WO 2014/198431 A1 are incorporated in this patent application by reference.

[0048] FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart of a possible embodiment of the method according to the invention.

EXAMPLE

[0049] 100 spacers (frames) were filled in accordance with the method according to the invention. For this, the following parameters were stored in the software:

[0050] the distance of the holes from the corner,

[0051] the size of the corner connectors, fill rate in g/s as a function of the profile type and profile size,

[0052] the fill amount in g/m as a function of the profile type and profile size.

[0053] The fill time was calculated using the input frame size and frame width.

[0054] The frame was inserted into the filler (the filling device).

[0055] The scales were moved upward and the empty frame was weighed.

[0056] The fill time of filling to 100% (fill level) was calculated at 5 sec.

[0057] The frame was filled for 5 sec.

[0058] The scales were moved upward and the filled frame was weighed.

[0059] The fill level of the frame was determined.

[0060] The filling of 100 frames yielded the following result.

[0061] 85 frames had a fill level between 90% and 100%. These frames could be further processed immediately.

[0062] 5 frames had a fill level between 100% and 110%. These frames could be further processed immediately.

[0063] 10 frames had a fill level of <90%. The remaining fill time was determined and the frames were topped up.

[0064] 8 frames had a fill level between 90% and 100%. These frames could be further processed.

[0065] 2 frames had a fill level of <90% auf. These frames were separated out.

[0066] The results are clearly presented in the following Table 1.

TABLE-US-00001 Number Fill level Filling operation 85 90% to 100% 1 5 100% to 110% 1 8 90% to 100% 2 2 <90% 2

[0067] This means that 98% of the frames could be further processed.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE

[0068] 100 spacers (frames) were filled in accordance with the method according to the invention. The filling device (the filler) was outfitted with an integrated through-flow measurement. The 100 frames were weighed after filling. The through-flow measurement is resistance sensitive. If the mass flow stops, the system stops and indicates that the frame is filled.

[0069] The results are clearly presented in the following Table 2.

TABLE-US-00002 Number Fill level Filling operation 85 90% to 100% 1 15 <90% 1

[0070] This means that 85% of the frames could be further processed.

[0071] The result was unexpected and surprising. With the method according to the invention, the number of frames that can be further processed was successfully increased from 85 to 98, and, thus, the yield was increased by 13%.

[0072] The significant advantage of the method according to the invention resides in the fact that defective frames are identified in a timely manner and separated out and do not make it into further processing.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0073] 1 spacer, spacer frame, frame [0074] 2 scales [0075] 3 frame holder [0076] 4 suspension devices [0077] 5 suspension devices [0078] 6 suspension devices [0079] 7 leg [0080] 8 leg [0081] 9 corner