Abstract
A spacer for insulating glass units, includes a polymeric hollow profile extending in the longitudinal direction and including a first and second side wall, a glazing interior wall connecting connects the side walls to one another; an outer wall arranged substantially parallel to the glazing interior wall and connects the side walls to one another; a cavity surrounded by the side walls, the glazing interior wall, and the outer wall, a moisture barrier on the first side wall, the outer wall, and the second side wall of the polymeric hollow body, wherein the moisture barrier include a multi-layer system having a barrier function including a polymeric layer and an inorganic barrier layer, a metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness d of at least 5 nm, the adhesive layer is interrupted in the transverse direction by uncoated regions.
Claims
1. A spacer for insulating glass units, comprising: a polymeric hollow profile extending in a longitudinal direction and comprising a first side wall and a second side wall arranged parallel thereto, a glazing interior wall, which connects the first and second side walls to one another; an outer wall, which is arranged substantially parallel to the glazing interior wall and connects the first and second side walls to one another; a cavity, which is surrounded by the first and second side walls, the glazing interior wall, and the outer wall, a moisture barrier on the first side wall, the outer wall, and the second side wall of the polymeric hollow profile, wherein the moisture barrier comprises a multi-layer system having a barrier function comprising at least one polymeric layer and an inorganic barrier layer, a metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer, wherein the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer has a thickness d of at least 5 nm, the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer is interrupted in a transverse direction by uncoated regions.
2. The spacer according to claim 1, wherein the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer covers an area of 30% to 95% of the moisture barrier.
3. The spacer according to claim 1, wherein the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer has a thickness d between 10 nm and 1000 nm.
4. The spacer according to claim 1, wherein the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer is arranged in the form of a regular pattern.
5. The spacer according to claim 1, wherein the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer is arranged in the form of lines.
6. The spacer according to claim 1, wherein the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer is arranged in the form of flakes with a diameter between 5 nm and 50 mm.
7. The spacer according to claim 6, wherein the flakes are arranged irregularly.
8. The spacer according to claim 1, wherein the uncoated regions have a thickness of 0 nm.
9. The spacer according to claim 1, wherein the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer is a ceramic adhesive layer and includes or is made of SiOx.
10. The spacer according to claim 1, wherein the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer is a metallic adhesive layer and includes or is made of aluminum, titanium, nickel, chromium, iron, alloys thereof, and/or oxides thereof.
11. The spacer according to claim 10, wherein the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer is made substantially of a metal oxide.
12. The spacer according to claim 1, wherein the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer is applied by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD).
13. An insulating glass unit, comprising a first pane, a second pane, a spacer according to claim 1 arranged circumferentially between the first pane and the second pane, wherein the first pane is attached to the first side wall via a primary sealant, the second pane is attached to the second side wall via a primary sealant, an inner interpane space is delimited by the glazing interior wall, the first pane, and the second pane, an outer interpane space is delimited by the moisture barrier attached on the outer wall and the first pane and the second pane, a secondary sealant is arranged in the outer interpane space wherein the secondary sealant is in contact with the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer.
14. A method comprising manufacturing a building interior glazing, building exterior glazing, and/or façade glazing with an insulating glazing according to claim 13.
15. The spacer according to claim 2, wherein the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer covers an area of 40% to 55% of the moisture barrier.
16. The spacer according to claim 3, wherein the thickness d is between 15 nm and 100 nm.
17. The spacer according to claim 4, wherein the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer is arranged in the form of a regular pattern of lines and/or dots.
18. The spacer according to claim 5, wherein the metallic or ceramic outer adhesive layer is arranged in the form of lines that run parallel to the side walls.
19. The spacer according to claim 6, wherein the diameter is between 0.5 nm and 40 mm.
20. The spacer according to claim 11, wherein the metal oxide is aluminum oxide, chromium oxide, or titanium oxide.
Description
[0080] In the following, the invention is explained in detail with reference to drawings. The drawings are purely schematic representations and are not to scale. They in no way restrict the invention. They depict:
[0081] FIG. 1 a cross-section of a possible embodiment of a spacer according to the invention,
[0082] FIG. 2a,b in each case, a plan view of the moisture barrier of a possible embodiment of a spacer according to the invention,
[0083] FIG. 3 a cross-section along the line A-A′ through the moisture barrier depicted in FIG. 2a,
[0084] FIG. 4a, b a plan view of the moisture barrier of a possible embodiment of a spacer according to the invention (a) and a cross-section along the line B-B′ through the moisture barrier depicted in FIG. 4a,
[0085] FIG. 5a, b a plan view of the moisture barrier of a possible embodiment of a spacer according to the invention (a) and a cross-section along the line C-C′ through the moisture barrier depicted in FIG. 5a,
[0086] FIG. 6 a cross-section of a possible embodiment of an insulating glass unit according to the invention.
[0087] FIG. 1 depicts a cross-section through a possible spacer I according to the invention. The spacer comprises a polymeric hollow profile 1 extending in the longitudinal direction (X) and having a first side wall 2.1, a side wall 2.2 running parallel thereto, a glazing interior wall 3, and an outer wall 5. The glazing interior wall 3 is perpendicular to the side walls 2.1 and 2.2 and connects the two side walls. The outer wall 5 is opposite the glazing interior wall 3 and connects the two side walls 2.1 and 2.2. The outer wall 5 is substantially perpendicular to the side walls 2.1 and 2.2. However, the sections 5.1 and 5.2 of the outer wall 5 nearest side walls 2.1 and 2.2 are inclined at an angle α (alpha) of approx. 45° relative to the outer wall 5 in the direction of the side walls 2.1 and 2.2. The angled geometry improves the stability of the hollow profile 1 and enables better bonding with a moisture barrier 30. The hollow profile 1 is a polymeric hollow profile, made substantially of polypropylene with 20 wt.-% glass fibers. The wall thickness of the hollow profile is 1 mm. The wall thickness is substantially the same everywhere. This improves the stability of the hollow profile and simplifies its manufacture. The hollow profile 1 has, for example, a height h of 6.5 mm and a width of 15.5 mm. The width extends in the Y direction from the first side wall 2.1 to the second side wall 2.2. The outer wall 5, the glazing interior wall 3, and the two side walls 2.1 and 2.2 enclose the cavity 8. A gas-tight and moisture-tight moisture barrier 30 is arranged on the outer wall 5 and on part of the first side wall 2.1 and part of the second side wall 2.2. The regions of the first side wall 2.1 and the second side wall 2.2 adjacent the glazing interior wall 3 remain free of moisture barrier 30. Measured from the glazing interior wall 3, this is a 1.9-mm-wide strip that remains free. The moisture barrier 30 can, for example, be attached to the polymeric hollow profile 1 with a polymethacrylate adhesive. The embodiments depicted in the following figures are suitable as a moisture barrier 30. The cavity 8 can accommodate a desiccant 11. Perforations 24 that establish a connection to the inner interpane space in the insulating glass unit are made in the glazing interior wall 3. The desiccant 11 can then absorb moisture from the inner interpane space 15 via the perforations 24 in the glazing interior wall 3.
[0088] FIG. 2a depicts a plan view of the side of a moisture barrier 30 facing outward toward the outer interpane space, as it can be applied on the spacer I in FIG. 1. The moisture barrier 30 has an outer adhesive layer 31 that is interrupted by multiple uncoated regions 36 in which the material of the underlying polymeric layer 35 is exposed. In this case, the polymeric layer 35 is made of PET. FIG. 3 depicts a cross-section along the line A-A′. The outer adhesive layer 31 has a thickness d of 30 nm and consists of an SiOx layer that was applied in a PVD process using a mask. The adhesive layer 31 of thickness d is interrupted by uncoated regions 36. No adhesive layer is arranged in the uncoated regions. The mask is preferably adhered during the process such that no coating material can penetrate between the mask and the polymeric layer. Since the adhesive layer 31 was produced by a PVD process with a mask, the thickness of the adhesive layer 31 is substantially equal to the thickness d over the entire area of the moisture barrier. The adhesive layer 31 is interrupted in the transverse direction (Y) by the uncoated regions 36. As is depicted in FIG. 2a, the adhesive layer 31 is in the form of a regular dot pattern. The regular arrangement of the adhesive layer 31 ensures particularly uniform adhesion to the secondary sealant. The dots have a diameter of about 4 mm.
[0089] FIG. 2b depicts a plan view, as in FIG. 2a, of another embodiment of a moisture barrier 30. Here, instead of a regular dot pattern, the adhesive layer 31 is in the form of an irregular dot pattern. In this case, the uncoated regions 36 have the form of dots with a diameter of 3 mm, which are irregularly distributed. In the uncoated regions 36, the adhesive layer has a thickness of 0 nm. It is produced by applying a washable ink to a PET layer 35 at the locations where the uncoated regions 36 are provided. The PET layer provided with the ink was then sputtered with a 10-nm-thick aluminum oxide layer. After the sputtering process, the washable ink was washed off again to create an adhesive layer 31 with uncoated regions 36. Since no aluminum oxide layer is arranged in the uncoated regions due to the production method used, the heat conduction from the first side wall 2.1 to the second side wall 2.2 is interrupted, which contributes to the improvement of the thermal insulating properties of the spacer. Despite the irregular distribution of the uncoated regions, it is ensured that the adhesive layer 31 is interrupted in the transverse direction (Y direction) by the uncoated regions. This interruption is realized by uncoated regions along the entire hollow profile in the longitudinal direction.
[0090] FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b depict an example of a moisture barrier 30 that was coated with an aluminum oxide layer 31 with a thickness d of 30 nm in a CVD process. In this process, a mask with a regular line pattern of 1-mm-wide lines of adhesive layer and uncoated regions was adhered on the polymeric layer made of PET and the PET layer 35 provided with the mask was coated. After the coating process, the mask was removed again such that a uniform line pattern was obtained, which has substantially the same thickness of the adhesive layer d over the entire moisture barrier. This is advantageous for uniform adhesion to the secondary sealant. Various barrier films from the prior art are suitable as the multi-layer system 33, as described, for example, in WO 2013/104507 A1, wherein the polymeric layer 35 adjacent the adhesive layer is a PET layer.
[0091] FIGS. 5a and 5b depict a moisture barrier 30 of a spacer I according to the invention. As an outer adhesive layer 31, a nonuniformly thick aluminum layer 31 is applied via a sputtering process. The thickness d of the adhesive layer varies between 5 nm and 10 nm. In between, there are uncoated regions 36. The individual flakes have different geometries, as indicated by different geometric areas. Adjacent this, a multi-layer system having a barrier function 33 and consisting of four polymeric layers 35.1, 35.2, 35.3, and 35.4 and three inorganic barrier layers 34.1, 34.2, and 34.3 is arranged. The inorganic barrier layers are, in each case, 50-nm-thick aluminum layers. The polymeric layers 35.1, 35.2, 35.3, and 35.4 are, in each case, 12-μm-thick PET layers. The polymeric layers 35.2, 35.3, and 35.4 are, in each case, directly bonded to an aluminum layer. A 3-μm-thick bonding layer of a polyurethane adhesive is arranged between the first polymeric layer 35.1 and the first aluminum layer 34.1. Likewise, a bonding layer is arranged between the second aluminum layer 34.2 and the second polymeric layer 35.2. Between the third aluminum layer 34.3 and the third polymeric layer 35.3, a bonding layer is likewise arranged. Thus, three binding layers are arranged in the entire stack of the moisture barrier 30. The moisture barrier can thus be produced by laminating four polymer films coated on one side: one PET film having a patterned coating on one side and three PET films coated flat on one side. By orienting the third aluminum layer 34.3 to face the layer stack, the third aluminum layer 34.3 is protected against mechanical damage. The three thin aluminum layers ensure a high moisture density of the moisture barrier and thus of the spacer.
[0092] FIG. 6 depicts a cross-section of the edge region of an insulating glass unit II according to the invention with the spacer I shown in FIG. 1. The first pane 13 is connected to the first side wall 2.1 of the spacer I via a primary sealant 17, and the second pane 14 is attached to the second side wall 2.2 via the primary sealant 17. The primary sealant 17 is substantially a cross-linking polyisobutylene. The inner interpane space 15 is situated between the first pane 13 and the second pane 14 and is delimited by the glazing interior wall 3 of the spacer I according to the invention. The inner interpane space 15 is filled with air or with an inert gas such as argon. The cavity 8 is filled with a desiccant 11, for example, molecular sieve. The cavity 8 is connected to the inner interpane space 15 via perforations 24 in the glazing interior wall 3. A gas exchange between the cavity 8 and the inner interpane space 15 takes place through the perforations 24 in the glazing interior wall 3, with the desiccant 11 absorbing the atmospheric humidity out of the inner interpane space 15. The first pane 13 and the second pane 14 protrude beyond the side walls 2.1 and 2.2 creating an outer interpane space 16 that is situated between the first pane 13 and the second pane 14 and is delimited by the outer wall 5 with the moisture barrier 30 of the spacer. The edge of the first pane 13 and the edge of the second pane 14 are arranged at the same level. The outer interpane space 16 is filled with a secondary sealant 18. In the example, the secondary sealant 18 is a polysulfide. Polysulfides absorb the forces acting on the edge seal particularly well and thus contribute to high stability of the insulating glass unit II. The adhesion of polysulfides to the adhesive layer of the spacer according to the invention is excellent. The first pane 13 and the second pane 14 are made of soda lime glass having a thickness of 3 mm.
TABLE-US-00001 List of Reference Characters I spacer II insulating glass unit, insulating glazing 1 hollow profile 2.1 first side wall 2.2 second side wall 3 glazing interior wall 5 outer wall 5.1, 5.2 the sections of the outer wall nearest the side walls 8 cavity 11 desiccant 13 first pane 14 second pane 15 inner interpane space 16 outer interpane space 17 primary sealant 18 secondary sealant 24 perforation in the glazing interior wall 30 moisture barrier 31 adhesive layer 33 multi-layer system having a barrier function 34 inorganic barrier layer 35 polymeric layer 36 uncoated regions of the moisture barrier d thickness of the adhesive layer X longitudinal direction, direction of extension of the hollow profile Y transverse direction
