EP0765988A1

EP0765988A1 - Window system

Info

Publication number: EP0765988A1
Application number: EP95115117A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Paul Anthony Bristow; John Birchall; Peter Kurt August Wahsner; Joel Thomas Hutt; Roy Gilsing; Herwig Walter Ganzberger
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1995-09-26
Filing date: 1995-09-26
Publication date: 1997-04-02

Abstract

The invention relates to a window system comprising at least two parallel transparent panels (21,22) mounted in a sash profile (8) surrounding said transparent panels (21,22). Frame parts (20) extending along and supporting the edges of said transparent panels (21,22) have central portions (25,27,28,29) positioned between the edges of said transparent panels (21,22). Said central portions (25,27,28,29) of said frame parts (20) have been provided with grooves (24) wherein are accommodated the edges of a third transparent panel (23) arranged between and parallel to said two first cited transparent panels (21,22). Preferably the two outermost transparent panels (21,22) are glass panels and the third transparent panel (23) is a polycarbonate panel.

Description

The invention relates to a window system comprising at least two parallel transparent panels mounted in a sash surrounding said transparant panels and having frame parts extending along and supporting the edges of said transparent panels, whereby said frame parts have central portions positioned between the edges of said transparent panels.
Known window sytems as e.g. disclosed in EP-A-0 029 984 designed for a good thermal efficiency comprise only two transparent panels. However nowadays there is an increasing demand to improved window systems by which a better thermal efficiency can be obtained as with the known window systems.
So it is an object of the invention to obtain a window system having an improved thermal efficiency.
According the invention this can be obtained by a window system of the kind set forth wherein the central portions of said frame parts have been provided with grooves wherein are accommodated the edges of a third transparent panel arranged between and parallel to said two first cited transparent panels.
By using the structure according the invention there could be obtained in a relatively cheap and simple way a window system comprising three parallel transparent panels whereby an improved thermal efficiency is obtained whilst also noise ingress is reduced.
Preferably the two outermost transparent panels are glass panels and the third transparent panel is a polycarbonate panel for increasing security.
The invention will be explained in more detail hereafter with reference to an embodiment of the window system according the invention, diagrammatically shown in the accompaying figures.
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a cut-away corner of an embodiment of a window system according the invention.
Figure 2 shows a cross section of a part of the window system.
Figure 3 shows a cross section of a frame beam of the window system on a greater scale.
Figure 4 shows a cross section of a sash profile.
Figure 5 shows a cross section of a frame part extending along the edges of the transparent panels.
Figure 6 shows a cross section of a covering profile.
Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a part of the window system comprising a pivotable glazing structure.
As especially shown in figures 1 and 2 the window system according the invention comprise frame beams 1 forming a rectangular frame fixed into a hole in a wall 2 or the like.
The frame beam 1 has a substantially L-shaped cross section with a double walled leg 3 with an inclined upper double walled portion 4. The other leg 5 of the frame beam 1 has a more or less rectangular cross section. In the interior of the hollow frame beam 1 there have been provided stiffening ribs 6.
At the side of the leg portion 5 remote from the building structure 2 or the like there have been provided a groove 7, which is open to the exterior.
Between the abutting ends of the frame beams there is a mitre joint in the usual way, whilst the abutting ends are connected by L-shaped connecting pieces accommodated in the hollow frame beam. Such connections are generally known and does not form part of the invention, so that it will not be necessary to show and describe the connection between the frame beams 1.
The window system according the invention comprise further sash profiles 8 which at their abutting ends are connected with each other in a similar way as the frame beams 1. As shown in figure 4 the sash profile has also a more or less L-cross section with two double walled leg portions 9 and 10. In the interior of said leg portions there have been provided stiffening ribs 11.
At its free end the leg portion 9 has been provided with a hollow hook-shaped nose portion 12. At the end of the leg portion 9 remote from the hook-shaped nose portion 12 there have been provided a groove 13 having a triangular cross section. Further the outer side of the leg portion 10 has been provided with protruding noses 14 and 15 extending along the edges of said leg portion 10.
At its lower side, remote from the leg portion 9, the leg portion 10 has been provided with a groove 16.
Further the sash profile has been provided with grooves 17 and 18 for accommodating sealing strips as will be explained below.
Further at the side remote from the hook-shaped nose part 12 the leg 9 of the sash profile 8 has been provided with a wide groove 19 for accommodating locking means or the like, as will be explained below.
As appears from figures 1 and 2 said sash profiles support frame parts 20 extending along the edges of transparent panels 21-23, which extend parallel to each other.
Thereby the abutting edges of said frame parts 20 will be connected to each other in a similar way as the abutting edges of the frame beams 1 and the sash profile 8.
As especially shown in figure 5 a frame part 20 comprises a groove 24 defined by two parallel wall portions 25 and a wall portion 26 connecting the ends of said wall portions 25 remote from the open end of the groove 24.
The frame part 20 comprises further wall portions 27 extending parallel to the wall portions 25. The ends of the wall portions 25 remote from the wall portion 26 are connected with ends of the wall portions 27 by means of wall portions 28 extending perpendicular to the wall portions 25 and 27.
Between the edges of the wall portion 26 and the wall portions 27 there extends inclined wall portions 29.
The frame part 20 comprises further a wall portion 30 extending parallel to and at some distance from the wall portion 26. From the edges of said wall portion 30 there extend inclined wall portion 31 which are arranged substantially parallel to the wall portions 29. Seen in figure 5 the upper parts of said wall portions 31 join the lower parts of the wall portions 27. Near the junction between the wall portions 27 and 31 the frame part 20 has been provided with supporting ledges 32 extending substantially perpendicular to the wall portions 27, as shown in figure 5.
On the outer sides of the wall portions 31 there have been provided more or less U-shaped protrusions 33 which are only connected with the remainder of the frame part 20 by one leg.
As further shown in figure 5 in the wall portions 26 and 29 there could be accommodated a reinforcement member 34.
As especially will be clear from figures 1 and 2 the edges of the middlemost transparent panel 23, which preferably has been made from polycarbonate, have been arranged in the grooves 24 of the frame parts 20 surrounding said panel 23. Thereby the arrangement could be such, that between the circumference of the panel 23 and the wall portions 26 there is some space 35 in view of change of dimensions of the panel 23 due to temperature fluctuations.
As further shown in figures 1 and 2 the two outermost glass panels 21 and 22 are supported by the supporting ledges 32 of the frame parts 20. Thereby the glass panels 21 and 22 are kept at the required distance from each other by means of the central portion of the frame parts 20 formed by the wall portions 25, 27 and 28.
By using butile rubber the glass panels 21 and 22 have been fixed to the frame parts 20 and along the outer edges of the glass panels 21 and 22 there have been fixed by adhesive hollow sealing profiles 36 which could be made of rubber or the like.
Profile 36 fixed to panel 21 is covered by inclined portion 4 of the frame beam 1 in the position shown in figures 1 and 2.
As also shown in figure 2 the hook-shaped nose part 12 of a sash profile 8 hooks about a more or less U-shaped protruding part 33 of a frame part 20 resting on said sash profile 8 by means of the two protruding parts 33.
The frame parts 20 are locked on the sash profiles 8 by means of covering profiles 37. As shown in figure 6 a covering profile comprises a double walled plate shaped member 38. On one side said plate shaped member has been provided a hollow protuding part 39 having a more or less rectangular cross section with two nose portions 40 and 41, which are rotated with respect to each other over an angle of about 90°.
At some distance from the protruding part 39 there have been provided on the plate shaped part 38 a protruding strip shaped part 42, which at its free edge has been provided with a hook-shaped part 43.
As shown in figure 2 the covering profile 37 is mounted on a sash profile 8 in such a way, that the plate shaped part 38 abuts the noses 14 and 15 of said sash profile 8 the hook-shaped part 41 engages in groove 13 of the sash profile 8 and hook-shaped part 43 engages in groove 16 of sahs profile 8. Thereby hook-shaped part 40 abuts a leg of a more or less U-shaped protruding part 33 of the frame part 20. So it will be clear, that the frame part 20 is locked in position on the sash profile 8 by means of the hook-shaped nose part 12 of the sash profile 8 and the hook-shaped part 40 of the covering profile 37.
Thereby, when seen in figure 2, the upper part of the plate shaped part 38 covers the sealing strip 36 fixed to panel 22 and the lowermost part of plate shaped part extends below sash profile 8.
As further shown in figure 7 one of the frame beams 1 there could be fixed hinge parts 44 by means of screws 45. Said hinge parts 44 will be cooperate with hinge parts 46 fixed to a sash profile 8 by means of screws 47. Further on said frame beam 1 there could be fixed locking pieces 48 cooperating with slidable locking pieces 49 arranged in the groove 19 of the sash profile 8 for locking the window in the closed position. Such hinges and locking pieces are known per se and so there will not be given a further description of said pieces as said pieces do not form part of the invention. In the closed position of the window the hinges and the locking means are not accesible and can also not be seen from the exterior of the building or the like wherein the window system has been mounted.
It will be clear, that it is also possible to fix the sash profiles to the frame beams 1, so that the glazing system comprising the panels 21-23 has a fixed position in the window system.
As further shown in figure 1 there can be provided sealing strips 50 in the grooves 7 of the frame beams 1 and the grooves 17 and 18 of the sash profiles 8.
Between the panels 21, 22 and 23 there could be a vacuum or the space between said panels could be filled with an inert gas to increase thermal efficiency and reduce noise ingress.
The spaces defined by the wall portions 25, 27, 28 and 29 of the frame profiles could be filled with a decissant material whilst holes in the wall portions 28 (not shown) allow moisture to transfer into said cavities filled with decissant material in order to be absorbed by said decissant material.
The various profiles 1, 8, 20 and 37 can be manufactured by extrusion from e.g. plastic or aluminium.
The mounting of the above described window system will be so that the covering profiles 37 will be arranged in the interior of the building.

Claims

Window system comprising at least two parallel transparent panels (21, 22) mounted in a sash profile (8) surrounding said transparent panels (21, 22) and having frame parts (20) extending along and supporting the edges of said transparent panels (21, 22), whereby said frame parts (20) have central portions (25, 27, 28, 29) positioned between the edges of said transparent panels (21, 22), characterised in, that said central portions (25, 27, 28, 29) of said frame parts (20) have been provided with grooves (24) wherein are accommodated the edges of a third transparent panel (23) arranged between and parallel to said two first cited transparent panels (21, 22).
Window system according claim 1, characterised in, that the two outermost transparent panels (21, 22) are glass panels and the third transparent panel (23) is a polycarbonate panel.
Window system according claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said frame parts (20) comprise protruding ledges (32) on both sides of said central portions (25, 27, 28, 29) for supporting the two outermost transparent panels (21, 22).
Window system according claim 3, characterised in that at the edges of the outermost transparent panels (21, 22) at the sides of said panels remote from the central portions (25, 27, 28, 29) of the frame parts there are fixed sealing strips (36).
Window system according any preceding claim, characterised in that said frame parts (20) are supported by sash profiles (8) and fixed with respect to said sash profiles by locking means (12, 40).
Window system according claim 5, characterised in that a sash profile (8) comprises a hook shaped part (12) cooperating with a protusion (33) of a frame part (20).
Window system according claim 6, characterised in that at the side of said sash profile remote from said hook shaped part (12) there has been fixed a covering profile (37) to said sash profile, said covering profile (37) having a protruding nose (40) co-operating with a protrusion (33) of a frame part (20).
Window system according claim 7, characterised in that said covering profile (37) has been provided with hook-shaped parts (41, 43) engaging grooves (13, 16) provided in the sash profile (8).
Window system according claim 7 or 8, characterised in that an edge of the covering profile (37) extends in front of an edge of a transparent panel (22), the covering panel (37) covers the sash profile (8) wehereon said covering panel (37) has been fixed and the covering panel (37) extends beyond said sash profile (8) at the side remote from the transparent panels (21-23).
Window system according any preceding claim, characterised in that the window system comprises frame beams (1) for mounting the window system in a hole in a wall of a building or the like, said frame beam (1) having leg portions (3) extending in front of the sash profiles (8) and the edges of an outermost transparent panel.