Method and apparatus for creating design insulated glass

A decorative window array for a multi-story building comprising:

• a custom, random asymmetrical display spanning over a plurality of vertically and horizontally sequentially located multilithic exterior decorative lites of IG units arranged generally in edge-to-edge relation, each said exterior decorative lite being exposed to the atmosphere and comprising part of an IG unit comprising an interior lite and a sealed dead air space between the exterior and interior lites;
• each said IG unit also comprising peripheral dead air space seal;
• each said exterior decorative lite comprising at least one one-piece H-shaped aluminum structural connecting strip and a plurality of aligned, spaced glass pieces comprising edges disposed remote from the periphery, each remote edge extending into an associated recess of one H-shaped aluminum structural connecting strip and sealant interposed between each glass piece abutting edge and the associated recess of the one H-shaped aluminum structural connecting strip which adhesively joins, bonds, and hermetically seals the edge and recess together against air leakage due to wind loads and other deleterious effects of weather, each end of at least some of the H-shaped structural connecting strips of one IG unit abutting a window framework in visual alignment with one framework abutting one end of another H-shaped structural connecting strip of another IG unit.

In combination, a building defining an array of openings and a plurality of IG units and/or spandrel units collective presenting a decorative image, each unit being secured in at least some of the openings;

• each unit comprising:
• a periphery;
• an exterior lite;
• an interior lite spaced from the exterior lite;
• an isolated dead air space between the exterior and interior lites, the dead air space bordering directly against both lites and comprising a perimeter;
• seal structure between the exterior and interior lites at the periphery bordering against and sealing the perimeter of the dead air space against influent and effluent fluid flow;
• at least one lite of several juxtaposed units comprising a plurality of glass sections collectively comprising a continuous asymmetrical pattern comprising said decorative image and substantially disposed in a common plane in spaced edge-to-edge orientation and one-piece preformed H-shaped connectors bridging between and receiving in opposed recesses said spaced glass section edges, at least a plurality of ends of the connectors abutting building structure at the openings;
• resilient hinge-forming material interposed between said spaced edges and said recesses, said material comprising a deflectable elastic bonding and sealing interface which resiliently creates and preserves a hermetic seal between the connectors and the associated glass edges continuously preventing influent and effluent fluid flow between the connectors and the associated glass section edges notwithstanding periodic imposition on the glass sections of wind loads and other environment stresses.

A design-carrying IG and/or spandrel unit comprising:

• a periphery;
• an exterior lite;
• an interior lite spaced from the exterior lite;
• an isolated dead air space between the exterior and interior lites, the dead air space comprising a perimeter;
• frame structure between the exterior and interior lites at the periphery sealing the perimeter of the dead air space against influent and effluent fluid flow;
• at least one of the lites comprising a plurality of glass sections comprising an asymmetrical pattern substantially disposed in a common plane in spaced edge-to-edge orientation and at least one one-piece H-shaped connector bridging between and receiving in opposed recesses said spaced glass section edges, the at least one connector comprising two ends, each end extending to the periphery and adapted to abut a building framework upon installation;
• resilient hinge-forming material interposed between said spaced edges and said recesses, said material comprising a deflectable elastic U-shaped bonding and sealing interface which resiliently creates and continuously preserves a hermetic seal between the connectors and the associated glass edges thereby preventing at all times influent and effluent fluid flow between the connectors and the associated glass section edges notwithstanding periodic imposition on the glass sections for deflecting wind loads and other environment stresses.

A method for providing a custom collective design exposed at an exterior of a building formed of units of insulated glass comprising the steps of:

• forming a first lite of at least some of the insulated glass units by providing a plurality of glass sections collectively comprising an asymmetrical pattern, disposing the glass section in said asymmetrical pattern in a common plane in spaced opposed edge-to-edge orientation, forming H-shaped connectors to correspond to the shape of the opposed edge-to-edge orientation of the glass sections, placing said opposed edges into opposed recesses of the connectors, interposing a resilient material interposed between said spaced opposed edges and said recesses whereby the material bonds to and seal against the glass sections and the connectors to create and preserve a hermetic closure between the connector and the associated glass section edges to continuously prevent fluid flow therebetween notwithstanding periodic imposition on the glass sections of deflecting wind loads and other environment stresses;
• connecting peripheral regions of the first and second lites of the at least some insulated glass units with perimeter sealing and frame structure to create a dead air space between the lites;
• placing and securing the at least some insulating glass units in window openings in a framework of the building so that ends of H-shaped connectors of one insulated glass unit abut the framework in alignment with ends of other H-shaped connectors of other insulated glass units thereby defining said custom collective design.

A method of making a window lite comprising the steps of:

• cutting a plurality of asymmetrical sections of glass into a pattern having interior edges;
• shaping one or more H-shaped connectors into a configuration corresponding to at least part of the interior edge pattern of cut glass sections;
• adhering tape on the glass sections at each interior edge;
• placing the taped interior edges into opposed U-shaped recesses of the H-shaped connector;
• interposing a moldable sealant in each U-shaped recess;
• removing any tape and sealant exposed beyond the recess.