Frame solution for laminated VIG unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12320184-B2
Application number	US-202017422780-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2020
Priority date	Jan 14, 2019
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a vacuum insulated glass (VIG) unit frame assembly ( 10 ), wherein said vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly ( 1 ) comprises: a frame ( 20 ) comprising elongated frame profile arrangements ( 20 a - 20 d, 70 ) which frames a vacuum insulated glass unit ( 1 ) in a frame opening ( 21 ), wherein said vacuum insulated glass unit ( 1 ) comprises at least two glass sheets ( 2 a, 2 b ) separated by a gap ( 11 ) between said glass sheets ( 2 a, 2 b ), wherein a plurality of support structures ( 12 ) are distributed in said gap ( 11 ), and wherein said gap ( 11 ) is sealed by means of a sealing system ( 1 b, 1 c ) which seals an evacuation hole ( 1 a ) arranged in a first ( 2 a ) of said glass sheets and extending to the gap ( 11 ). A lamination glass sheet ( 14 ) is attached to an outer major surface ( 4 a ) of said first glass sheet ( 2 a ) by means of a lamination layer ( 16 ), and wherein said sealing system ( 1 c ) extends into a hole ( 14 a ) in the lamination glass sheet ( 14 ), and the edge ( 8 a - 8 c ) of the vacuum insulated glass unit ( 1 ) proximate the hole ( 14 a ) in the lamination glass sheet ( 14 ), said sealing system ( 1 c ) and said hole in the lamination glass sheet ( 14 ) into which the sealing system ( 1 c ) extends are covered by the frame ( 20 ). The disclosure additionally relates to a retrofitting frame system ( 100 ) and a laminated vacuum insulated glass unit ( 1 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly, wherein said vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly comprises:
a frame comprising elongated frame profile arrangements which frames said vacuum insulated glass unit in a frame opening,
wherein said vacuum insulated glass unit comprises at least two glass sheets separated by a gap between said glass sheets, wherein a plurality of support structures are distributed in said gap,
wherein said gap is sealed by means of a sealing system which seals an evacuation hole arranged in a first of said glass sheets and extending to the gap,
wherein a lamination glass sheet is attached to an outer major surface of said first glass sheet by means of a lamination layer, and wherein said sealing system extends into a hole in the lamination glass sheet, and
wherein the edge of the vacuum insulated glass unit proximate the hole in the lamination glass sheet, said sealing system and said hole in the lamination glass sheet into which the sealing system extends are covered by the frame.

2. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a fixation system provides fixation of the vacuum insulated glass unit at opposite, outer surfaces of the vacuum insulated glass unit along and opposite to an edge seal of the vacuum insulated glass unit which seals the evacuated gap between the glass sheets of the vacuum insulated glass unit.

3. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 2 , wherein said frame assembly comprises substantially parallel, elongated top and bottom frame profile arrangements, and substantially parallel, elongated side frame profile arrangements, wherein two, three or all of said top, bottom and side frame profile arrangements at least partly encloses the edges of the vacuum insulated glass unit, where one of said elongated frame profile arrangements covers the sealing system, and wherein all edges of the vacuum insulated glass unit are allowed to provide a thermal edge deflection relative to and/or together with one or more parts of said frame profile arrangements so that the magnitude of the thermal edge deflection varies between corners of the respective edge when the temperature difference between the glass sheets of the vacuum insulated glass unit is 65° C., wherein said fixation system is arranged so as to allow a shift in the direction of the thermal deflection of the corners and/or centre parts of the edges of the vacuum insulated glass unit in response to a change in the temperature difference between the two glass sheets of the vacuum insulated glass unit.

4. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 2 , wherein said fixation system is configured to restrict the thermal deflection of the vacuum insulated glass unit edges compared to free, un-constricted thermal deflection of the respective edge.

5. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said frame comprises a recessed portion which is provided between holding members arranged at opposite outwardly facing surfaces of the vacuum insulated glass unit, and wherein an edge of the vacuum insulated glass unit extends into the recessed portion so that said sealing system and said hole in the lamination glass sheet are covered by the frame.

6. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 5 , wherein one or more flexible connection arrangements connects a holding part comprising said holding members to elongated frame profile arrangements of the frame, wherein said flexible connection arrangements are configured to flex when said vacuum insulated glass unit exerts a bending moment on the holding part, so that the holding part will move relative to the elongated frame profile arrangements to which the individual holding part is connected, wherein said flexible connection arrangements comprises one or more wall members configured to provide said flexing, wherein a flexing space is provided between an outwardly facing major surface of the vacuum insulated glass unit and said elongated frame profile arrangements to which the individual holding part is connected, and wherein said vacuum insulated glass unit is configured to flex towards and away from said flexing space in response to said bending moment.

7. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 6 , wherein said flexible connection arrangement is configured to restrict the thermal deflection of the vacuum insulated glass unit edges compared to free, un-constricted thermal deflection of the respective edge.

8. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 5 , wherein said holding members comprises walls of the frame, wherein a minimum distance is provided between an outer major surface of the vacuum insulated glass unit and said walls of the frame, wherein said minimum distance is at least 4 mm at a temperature difference between the two glass sheets of the vacuum insulated glass unit of substantially 0° C.

9. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said vacuum insulated glass unit is fixed between holding members by means a fixation system, wherein said fixation system comprises fixation arrangements arranged between the respective holding member and an outwardly facing surface of the vacuum insulated glass unit.

10. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 9 , wherein said fixation arrangements comprises one or more resilient suspension elements compressed between a first of said holding members and one of said opposite outwardly facing surfaces, and one or more resilient suspension elements compressed between a second of said holding members and the other of said opposite outwardly facing surfaces, wherein said compressed, resilient suspension elements provides a holding force towards said opposite outwardly facing surfaces of the vacuum insulated glass unit so as to suspend the vacuum insulated glass unit between said first and second holding members, and wherein each of said compressed, resilient suspension elements are configured to be further compressed or expand in response to said thermal deflection of the edge of the VIG unit due to a temperature difference between the two glass sheets.

11. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 9 , wherein one or both of said fixation arrangements are elongated gasket strips arranged to extend in a direction parallel to an edge of the vacuum insulated glass unit.

12. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the hole in the lamination glass sheet receiving the sealing system is positioned between one of said fixation arrangements and an elongated, resilient tightening gasket or sealing.

13. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the magnitude of the thermal deflection of the vacuum insulated glass unit edges held by said frame is configured to vary along the respective vacuum insulated glass unit edge between corners where the respective edge terminates, due to a temperature difference between the two glass sheets.

14. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the largest total edge deflection of any of the edges of the vacuum insulated glass unit at a temperature difference between the two glass sheets of 65° C. as compared to the vacuum insulated glass unit at a temperature difference of 0° C. is at least 0.3% of the length of the deflecting edge.

15. A vacuum insulated glass unit frame assembly according to claim 14 , wherein said largest total edge deflection is in the range

Assignees

• Vkr Holding As

Inventors

• Özden Utku Ahmet
• Molbo Jacob Christian
• Kristensen Jens Troels Plesner

Classifications

• E04D13/0351

  the parts pivoting about a fixed axis · CPC title

• E04D13/035

  characterised by having movable parts {(preventing the spread of fire A62C3/00; roof structures with movable roof parts E04B7/16; operating mechanisms for sky-lights E05F11/00; automatically acting closers E05F17/00)} · CPC title

• E04D13/031

  characterised by a frame for connection to an inclined roof · CPC title

• E04D13/03

  Sky-lights; Domes; Ventilating sky-lights (E04D13/14 takes precedence; structures therefor, {e.g. dormer windows} E04B7/18; {saw-tooth roofs with light-transmission E04B7/12}) · CPC title

• Y02A30/249

  Glazing, e.g. vacuum glazing · CPC title