US 2014/0208669 A1Published application

Panelized Shadow Box

AssigneeHOK Product Design, LLC

InventorsStephen Weinryb, Neil McClelland

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Abstract

In a method of supplying an element for covering a non-vision area in a curtain wall on an architectural structure, a plurality of shadow boxes is prefabricated at a location remote from both a unitized curtain wall assembly shop and the architectural structure. The shadow boxes are prefabricated by sealing an interior spacer between a vision glass panel and a back structure. The back structure includes an insulating material surrounded by a rigid envelope. The vision glass panel, the back structure and the interior spacer define a hermetically sealed void therein. A structural seal is applied about the interior spacer and is affixed to the peripheral edge of the vision glass, the interior spacer and the back structure. The plurality of shadow boxes is then delivered to a selected one of the unitized curtain wall assembly shop and the architectural site.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method of supplying an element for covering a non-vision area in a curtain wall on an architectural structure, comprising the steps of:

(a) at a location remote from both a unitized curtain wall assembly shop and the architectural structure, prefabricating a plurality of shadow boxes by performing the following steps to assemble each of the plurality of shadow boxes:
(i) sealing, with a first airtight and moisture resistant hermetic seal and a second airtight and moisture resistant hermetic seal, an interior spacer between a vision glass panel and a back structure, the spacer having a length so that the vision glass panel is spaced apart from the back structure, the back structure including a first insulating material and a rigid envelope disposed around the first insulating material, the spacer disposed along a peripheral edge of the vision glass panel and along a peripheral edge of the back structure so as to hold the vision glass panel in a spaced apart relationship from the back structure, so that the first hermetic seal seals the interior spacer to the vision glass panel and so that the second hermetic seal seals the interior spacer to the back structure and so that the vision glass panel, the back structure and the interior spacer define a hermetically sealed void therein;
and
(ii) applying a structural seal about the interior spacer and so as to be affixed to the peripheral edge of the vision glass, the interior spacer and the back structure;
and
(b) delivering the plurality of shadow boxes, after being prefabricated, to a selected one of the unitized curtain wall assembly shop and the architectural site.

3 more elements

A curtain wall system for covering an architectural structure, comprising:

(a) a frame structure configured to be affixed to an outer surface of the architectural structure;
(b) a plurality of vision glass panels supported by the frame structure;
and
(c) a plurality of shadow boxes, prefabricated prior to delivery to both a unitized curtain wall assembly shop and the architectural structure, each of the plurality of shadow boxes configured to be affixed to the frame structure and configured to cover a non-vision area of the architectural structure, each of the plurality of shadow boxes including:
(i) a vision glass panel having a peripheral edge;
(ii) a back structure, having a peripheral edge, the back structure including an insulating material and a rigid envelope disposed around the insulating material;
(iii) an interior spacer disposed along the peripheral edge of the vision glass panel and along the peripheral edge of the back structure so as to hold the vision glass panel in a spaced apart relationship from the back structure, the interior spacer defining at least one chamber therein into which a desiccant is disposed;
(iv) a first hermetic seal that seals the interior spacer to the vision glass panel and a second hermetic seal that seals the interior spacer to the back structure so that he vision glass panel, the back structure and the interior spacer define a hermetically sealed void therein;
(v) a structural seal disposed about the interior spacer and affixed to the peripheral edge of the vision glass, the interior spacer and the back structure;
and
(vi) a back panel disposed within the hermetically sealed void and against the back structure, the back panel including an aesthetic treatment configured to present a desired visual effect to viewers looking through the vision glass panel.

8 more elements

A shadow box for use with an architectural curtain wall system, comprising:

(a) a vision glass panel having an outside #1 surface, an opposite inside #2 surface and a peripheral edge;
(b) a back structure, having a peripheral edge, the back structure including a first insulating material and a rigid envelope disposed around the first insulating material;
(c) an interior spacer, defining a plurality of chambers therein in which a desiccant is placed, disposed along the peripheral edge of the inside #2 surface of the vision glass panel and along the peripheral edge of the back structure so as to hold the vision glass panel in a spaced apart relationship from the back structure;
(d) a first polyisobutylene seal that seals the interior spacer to the vision glass panel and a second polyisobutylene seal that seals the interior spacer to the back structure so that the vision glass panel, the back structure and the interior spacer define a hermetically sealed void therein, the spacer having a length so that the vision glass panel is spaced apart from the back structure by more than 1 inch;
and
(e) a silicone seal disposed about the interior spacer and affixed to the peripheral edge of the vision glass, the interior spacer and the back structure so as to provide structural support thereto,
wherein the shadow box has been prefabricated prior to insertion into a pre-assembled frame structure.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/162,984Filed 24 Jan 2014
Priority: 28 Jan 2013
Published: 31 Jul 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

E06B 3/67326
Assembling the units: assembling spacer elements with the panes
E04B 2/88
Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildings; Wall construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted to walls: curtain walls
E04B 2/92
Comprising panels directly attached to the structure: sandwich-type panels
E04B 2/96
Curtain walls: comprising panels attached to the structure through mullions or transoms