Thermal break for curtain wall

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9371646-B2
Application number	US-201214365559-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2012
Priority date	Dec 14, 2011
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

A curtain wall panel includes frame with a first frame member defining a channel, a cover configured to extend over the first frame member, a spacer formed of a thermally insulating material, the spacer including a first end, a body, and a second end, the first end being configured to be secured in the channel of the first frame member in a cammed interference fit by rotating a body of the spacer, and the second end being configured to form a cammed interference fit with the cover. An insert is supported from the first frame member by the spacer with the cover fit onto the spacer to capture and secure the insert relative to the frame.

First claim

We claim:

1. A curtain wall panel including:
a frame configured to be secured to an exterior surface of a building structure, the frame including a first mullion, a second mullion, a sill, and a head;
a first insert having a weight and being secured to the frame;
a first structural spacer having a length, a first end, and a body, the first end and the body extending along the length of the first structural spacer, the first structural spacer securing the first insert to the frame and supporting the weight of the first insert, the first structural spacer being formed of a thermally insulating material, wherein the first end of the first structural spacer is configured to be secured within a channel of the frame by inserting the first end into the channel and rotating the first structural spacer about the first end;
a second insert having a weight, and a second structural spacer formed of a thermally insulating material, wherein the frame further comprises an intermediate member extending between the first and second mullions and positioned intermediate the head and the sill, and further wherein the second structural spacer is secured to the intermediate member and secures the second insert to the frame and supports the weight of the second insert; and
a third structural spacer formed of a thermally insulating material and secured to the intermediate member, the first structural spacer being secured to the sill of the frame below the first insert, the second structural spacer being secured to the intermediate member below the second insert, and the third structural spacer being secured to the intermediate member below the second structural spacer, the curtain wall panel further comprising an intermediate cover defining a channel adapted to form an interference fit with the second and third structural spacers.

2. The curtain wall panel of claim 1 , wherein the thermally insulating material is a fiberglass material including a reinforcing mat.

3. The curtain wall panel of claim 1 , wherein the thermally insulating material includes a plurality of reinforcing mats.

4. The curtain wall panel of claim 1 , wherein the first structural spacer defines a longitudinal axis and a transverse cross-section orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the spacer being substantially L-shaped in transverse cross-section.

5. The curtain wall panel of claim 4 , wherein the first structural spacer is formed as a pultruded part that has been pultruded in a direction of the longitudinal axis.

6. The curtain wall panel of claim 5 , wherein the pultruded part defines an exterior surface that includes a heat set resin coating.

Assignees

• Pella Corp

Inventors

• Magoon Robert D
• Hughes James Alan
• Smith Chris

Classifications

• E04B2/90

  comprising panels directly attached to the structure {(E04B2/885 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E04B2/967

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

• E06B3/5427 Primary

  the panes mounted flush with the surrounding frame or with the surrounding panes (E06B3/5436 takes precedence; supporting structures for curtain walls E04B2/885) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49801

  Shaping fiber or fibered material · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title