Curtain wall system accommodating wiring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12371903-B2
Application number	US-202118250151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2021
Priority date	Dec 18, 2020
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A system includes a structural member providing front and back faces, and first and second webs extending between the front and back faces and laterally offset from each other to define a hollow space therebetween. A wire transfer channel is defined at an end of the first web adjacent the front face and extends into the hollow space. A shear block provides a base, a connector portion extending from the base in a first direction, and first and second legs extending from the base in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein the first and second legs are attachable to the first web to couple the shear block to the structural member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A curtain wall system, comprising:
a structural member providing front and back faces, and first and second webs extending between the front and back faces and laterally offset from each other to define a hollow space therebetween;
a wire transfer channel defined at an end of the first web adjacent the front face and extending into the hollow space; and
a shear block providing a base, a connector portion extending from the base in a first direction, and first and second legs extending from the base in a second direction opposite the first direction,
wherein the first and second legs are attachable to the first web to couple the shear block to the structural member,
wherein, when the shear block is attached to the structural member, a wire is traversable past the shear block through the wire transfer channel,
wherein the first web includes a first surface extending in a first web direction and a second surface extending from the first surface away from the second web in a second web direction different than the first web direction, and
wherein the first surface, the second surface, and the first face define the wire transfer channel.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first web defines raised ribs protruding outward from the first web, and wherein each leg defines a location channel alignable with a corresponding one of the raised ribs.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the legs extend from the base and thereby define a wire channel between the base and the first web when the shear block is attached to the structural member, the system further including a wire extending through the wire channel and along the first web.

4. A curtain wall system, comprising:
a structural member providing front and back faces, and first and second webs extending between the front and back faces, the front and back faces being laterally offset from each other and thereby defining a hollow space therebetween;
a wire transfer channel defined at an end of the first web adjacent the front face and extending into the hollow space; and
a shear block providing a base, a connector portion extending from the base in a first direction, and first and second legs extending from the base in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein the first and second legs are attachable to the first web to couple the shear block to the structural member, and wherein each leg includes:
a flange extending from the base in the second direction;
a support surface extending from the flange, wherein a location channel is defined in the support surface; and
a return member extending from the support surface in the first direction.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the connector portion includes opposing sidewalls extending from the base in the first direction and terminating at an end wall extending between the sidewalls, and
wherein the return member of each head extends parallel to and laterally offset from a corresponding one of the sidewalls, thereby defining a relief between each laterally adjacent return member and sidewall.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein a distal end of the return member tapers laterally inward toward an adjacent sidewall.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a wiring hole defined in the front face to accommodate a wire extending into the wire transfer channel from an exterior.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein a lateral end of each face provides a cover engagement feature, the system further including:
a wire extending along the first web; and
a raceway cover removably coupled to the cover engagement features and extending across the first web and thereby occluding the wire.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the structural member is a first structural member, the system further comprising:
a second structural member providing front and back faces, and first and second webs extending between the front and back faces of the second structural member, the first and second webs of the second structural member being laterally offset from each other to define a hollow space therebetween,
wherein the connector portion is matingly received within the hollow space of the second structural member.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein each leg includes a flange extending from the base in the second direction, a support surface extending from the flange, and a return member extending from the support surface in the first direction, and wherein raised shoulders are defined within the hollow space and engageable with the return member of each leg.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the connector portion includes opposing sidewalls extending from the base in the first direction and terminating at an end wall extending between the sidewalls, and wherein the return member of each leg extends parallel to and is laterally offset from a corresponding one of the sidewalls, thereby defining a relief between each laterally adjacent return member and sidewall, the system further comprising a wire router mounted to the shear block at the reliefs.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the wire router includes:
first and second heads;
one or more cross bars extending between the first and second heads; and
an attachment mechanism provided on each head and at least partially receivable within the reliefs to removably couple the wire router to the shear block.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the legs extend from the base and thereby define a wire channel between the base and the first web when the shear block is attached to the first structural member, the system further including a wire extending through the wire channel along the first web of the first structural member and turning to extend along the first web of the second structural member.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a raceway cover removably coupled to one of the first and second structural members and extending across the first web of the one of the first and second structural members and thereby occluding the wire.

15. A curtain wall system, comprising:
a first structural member providing front and back faces, and first and second webs extending between the front and back faces, the first and second webs defining a first hollow space therebetween, wherein a wire transfer channel is defined at an end of the first web adjacent the front face and extending into the first hollow space;
a shear block attached to the first web and providing a base, a connector portion extending from the base in a first direction, and first and second legs extending from the base in a second direction opposite the first direction; and
a second structural member defining a second hollow space that matingly receives the connector portion,
wherein, when the shear block is attached to the first web and the second structural member matingly receives the connector portion, a wire is traversable past the shear block through the wire transfer channel,
wherein the first web includes a first surface extending in a first web direction and a second surface extending from the first surface away from the second web in a second web direction different than the first web direction, and
wherein the first surface, the second surface, and the first face define the wire transfer channel.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first web defines raised ribs protruding outward from the first web, and wherein each leg defines a location channel aligned with a corresponding one of the raised ribs.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein each leg includes a flange extending from the base in the second direction, a su

Assignees

• Arconic Tech Llc

Inventors

• Barbulescu Ion-Horatiu
• Mckenna Gregory B

Classifications

• E04B2/965 Primary

  Connections of mullions and transoms · CPC title

• H02G3/388

  in modular walls, e.g. wall panels · CPC title

• E04B2/967 Primary

  Details of the cross-section of the mullions or transoms (E04B2/965 takes precedence) · CPC title