Spacer assembly for multiple glazed unit
AssigneeIndal Limited
InventorGunter Berdan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spacer tube design is arranged to receive a snap-on cap which may be of any desired color thereby to match the surrounding structure. The spacer tube can be bent into a rectangular outline shape without the use of separate corner inserts. The snap-on cap may be capable of holding a deisiccant material. The cap may be also designed as to provide thermal and/or sound insulation between the glazing panels and/or to securely hold a decorative grill or the like in place between the glazing panels. The spacer unit may be capable of flexing in such a manner as to accommodate relative movement between the glazing units in response to fluctuations in the forces acting on the glazing panels thereby to reduce the possibility of damage occurring to the glazing unit.
Claims25
An elongated spacer adapted to be positioned between a pair of glazing panels adjacent the perimeter thereof, said spacer including a tubular body having an inner web which, in use, faces inwardly toward the space between the panels and an outer web spaced from said inner web and which, in use, faces outwardly in the opposite direction away from the space between the panels, said spacer including first and second elongated flanges disposed at opposing sides of said tubular body in flanking relation to said inner web and each said flange having an inner and an outer wall, with a groove-like region being defined and bounded by said inner web and said inner flange walls, each said flange having a distal portion remote from said inner web and a proximal portion adjacent said inner web, and said inner web extending fully across from said first flange to said second flange, said inner and outer walls of at least said first flange being directly connected together only at said distal portion thereof, and, adjacent the proximal portion of said first flange, said inner wall of said first flange being connected only to said inner web, said tubular body further including a pair of oppposed body side walls each of which extends between an associated flange outer wall and said outer web, said outer flange walls being generally parallel to one another and adapted to be positioned in proximity to or to abut the inner surfaces of the glazing panels when in use, and wherein the inner flange walls have a configuration such that the distance between said inner flange walls becomes smaller away from said inner web whereby said groove-like region bounded by said inner flange walls and said inner web has a re-entrant shape to facilitate the securement to said flanges and over said inner web of a snap-on cap.
The spacer of claim 21 wherein said inner and outer walls of both of said flanges are connected together only at said distal portions thereof.
A combination of a glazing unit including a spaced pair of glazing panels and a spacer extending around the perimeter thereof between said panels and sealingly engaged therewith, said spacer including a tubular body having an inner web which faces inwardly toward the space between the panels and an outer web spaced from said inner web and which faces outwardly in the opposite direction away from the space between the panels, said spacer including first and second elongated flanges disposed at opposing sides of said tubular body in flanking relation to said inner web and each said flange having an inner and an outer wall, with a groove-like region being defined and bounded by said inner web and said inner flange walls, each said flange having a distal portion remote from said inner web and a proximal portion adjacent said inner web and said inner web extending fully across from said first flange to said second flange, said inner and outer walls of said flanges being connected together only at said distal portions thereof, and, at said proximal portion of said first flange, said inner wall of said first flange being connected only to said inner web, said tubular body further including a pair of opposed body side walls each of which extends between an associated flange outer wall and said outer web, and said body side walls being stepped inwardly of said flange outer walls, said outer flange walls being generally parallel to one another and adapted to be positioned in proximity to or to abut the inner surfaces of the glazing panels when in use, said spacer having a smoothly contoured right angle bend at each of the corners of the glazing unit and a snap-on cap overlying said inner web, said cap having resilient portions engaged with portions of said inner flange walls to secure said cap to the spacer body.
An elongated spacer adapted to be positioned between a pair of glazing panels adjacent the perimeter thereof, said spacer including a tubular body having an inner web which, in use, faces inwardly toward the space between the panels and an outer web spaced from said inner web and which, in use, faces outwardly in the panels, said spacer including first and second elongated flanges disposed at opposing sides of said tubular body in flanking relation to said inner web and each said flange having an inner and an outerwall, with a groove-like region being defined and bounded by said inner web and said and said inner flange walls, each said flange having a distal portion remote from said inner web and a proximal portion adjacent said inner web, and said inner web extending fully across from said first flange to said second flange, said inner and outer walls of at least said first flange being directly connected together only at said distal portion thereof, and, adjacent the proximal portion of said first flange, said inner wall of said first flange being connected only to said inner web, said tubular body further including a pair of opposed body side walls each of which extends between an associated flange outer wall and said outer web, said outer flange walls being generally parallel to one another and adapted to be positioned in proximity to or to abut the inner surfaces of the glazing panels when in use, and a snap-on cap overlying said inner web, said cap having first portions engaged with portions of said inner flange walls to releasably secure said cap to said spacer body.
An elongated spacer adpated to be positioned between a pair of glazing panels adjacent the perimeter thereof, said spacer including a tubular body having an inner web which, in use, faces inwardly toward the space between the panels and an outer web spaced from said inner web and which, in use, faces outwardly in the opposite direction away from the space between the panels, said spacer including first and second elongated flanges disposed at opposing sides of said tubular body in flanking relation to said inner web and each said flange having an inner and an outer wall, said outer flange walls adapted to be positioned in proximity to or to abut the inner surfaces of the glazing panels when in use, with a groove-like region being defined and bounded by said inner web and said inner flange walls, each said flange having a distal portion remote from said inner web and a proximal portion adjacent said inner web, and said inner web extending fully across from one said flange to the other said flange, said inner and outer walls of at least said first flange being directly connected together only at said distal portion thereof, and, generally at said proximal portion of the first flange, said inner wall of said first flange being connected only to said inner web, said inner and outer walls of at least said first flange being capable of separating apart from one another except where they are connected together at said distal portion to permit movement of said outer wall of at least said first flange relative to said tubular body in response to movement or flexure of a glazing panel associated therewith, said tubular body further including a pair of opposed body side walls each of which extends between an associated flange outer wall and said outer web, and said body side walls being stepped inwardly of said flange outer walls and a snap-on cap secured to said flanges and over said groove.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.