Insulating glass unit pressure equalization valve

A pressure equalization valve mountable to a glass pane of an insulating glass unit about an aperture formed in the pane for equalizing the pressure between the inside of the insulating glass unit and an ambient temperature atmosphere, comprising:

• a valve body having a stem, a cavity therein and opposed, open ends, said cavity including an internally threaded bore;
• a washer assembly comprising a washer including an inner face adapted to snugly position against said glass pane and wherein said washer is dimensioned so as to be securely press-fitted over said stem that passes therethrough;
• and
• an elongated valve plug received in said valve body and securably shiftable along its length between plugged and unplugged configurations, said valve plug having a shaft, said shaft including a first threaded portion threadingly engaging the internally threaded bore and enabling said valve plug by rotation thereof to be shifted axially of said valve body between plugged and unplugged positions, a second portion dimensioned to prevent said plug from escaping through said threaded bore in the absence of rotation of the plug to thereby secure said plug against accidental escape from said valve body, and a third portion intermediate said first and second portions and dimensioned so as to form a gas passageway whereby gas flows between said third portion of said shaft and the internally threaded bore when said first threaded portion is unscrewed from said internally threaded bore.

A pressure equalization valve mountable to a glass pane of an insulating glass unit about an aperture formed in the pane for equalizing the pressure between the inside of the insulating glass unit and an ambient atmosphere, comprising:

• a valve body having a cavity therein and opposed, open ends, said body having a shoulder at one end to engage one side of the pane about its aperture;
• an elongated valve plug received in said valve body and securably shiftable along its length between plugged and unplugged configurations;
• and
• a washer receivable over and securable to the other end of said valve body to engage the other side of the pane about its aperture to thereby sandwich the pane between said shoulder and washer.

A distortion reducing insulating glass unit comprising:

• a pair of generally parallel panes separated peripherally by a spacer and defining a sealed between-pane space, one of said panes having an aperture therethrough;
• a valve body extending through said aperture, the valve body having a stem, a cavity therein and opposed, open ends;
• a washer assembly comprising a washer dimensioned to receive said stem therethrough;
• and
• an elongated valve plug received in said valve body and securably shiftable along its length between plugged and unplugged configurations, wherein gas can flow through a pathway between said valve body and said valve plug when said valve plus is in an unplugged position.

A method of administering a pressure equalization valve to an insulating glass unit comprising the steps of:

• providing an aperture in a first glass sheet, said first glass sheet comprising an inner surface exposed to a between-pane space of an insulating glass unit and an outer surface exposed to atmosphere;
• inserting a valve body into said aperture in said first glass sheet, said valve body comprising a threaded opening, a stem, and a shoulder, said shoulder including an annular surface which faces and confronts said outer surface of said first glass sheet;
• applying a washer over said stem until said washer is positioned against said inner surface of said first glass sheet and said stem is received therethrough;
• threading a valve plug into said threaded opening of said valve body, said valve plug including a first and second threaded portion and an intermediate unthreaded portion therebetween;
• and
• assembling said first glass sheet, a second glass sheet and a spacer into said insulating glass unit.

A method of equalizing the pressure inside an insulating glass unit and the exterior ambient atmosphere comprising the steps of:

• positioning a pressure equalization valve on the insulating glass unit, said pressure equalization valve comprising (i) a valve body including a stem, an internal cavity and opposed open ends, (ii) a washer assembly including a washer having an inner face adapted to snugly position against a glass pane and an aperture sized to receive said stem therethrough and (iii) an elongated valve plug received in said internal cavity of said valve body and securably shiftable axially along its length between plugged and unplugged position;
• rotating said valve plug until a first threaded portion is threadably disengaged from said internal cavity;
• moving said valve plug axially away from said internal cavity until at least a portion of an intermediate unthreaded portion of said valve plug is disposed outside of said valve body;
• and
• permitting said gas to flow through said internal cavity of said valve body between a between-pane space of the insulated glass unit and an exterior gas source or ambient atmosphere until pressure in said between-pane space is equal to ambient pressure.