Method of making a multiple glazed unit having a thermoplastic,spacer-dehydrator element

Abstract

Abstract IN ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION, MULTIPLE GLAZED UNITS ARE FABRICATED BY HEATING A THERMOPLASTIC, SPACER DEHYDRATOR ELEMENT. THE ELEMENT IS HEATED TO A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO MAKE THE ELEMENT PLASTIC AND RENDER THE ELEMENT SURFACES VISCID. A PAIR OF GLASS SHEETS ARE POSITIONED ABOUT THE HEATED ELEMENT AND URGED TOWARD EACH OTHER AGAINST THE ELEMENT TO FORM A HERMETIC SEAL. IN ANOTHER EMBODIMET, A COMPOSTE STRIP COMPOSED OF A STRIP OF PRECURED, MASTIC SEALANT MATERIAL HAVING A BENDABLE CARRIER TAPE ADHERED TO ONE SURFACE AND A THERMOPLASTIC, SPACER-DEHYDRATOR ELEMENT ADHERED TO THE OPPOSITE SURFACE IS HEATED. THE COMPOSITE STRIP IS HEATED TO A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO MAKE THE ELEMENT PLASTIC A SEGMENT OF THE COMPOSITE STRIP IS APPLIED TO A PARI OF GLASS SHEETS HELD IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER THE SEGMENT IS APPLIED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE ELEMENT IS INSERTED BETWEEN OPPOSED, MARGINAL EDGES OF THE GLASS SHEETS WITH THE SEALANT MATERIAL FACING THE PERIPHERAL EDGES OF THE GLASS SHEETS. THEREAFTER, THE CARRIER TAPE IS PRESSED SO AS TO FLOW PORTIONS OF THE SEALANT MATERIAL INTO HEREMETICALLY SEALING CONTACT WITH THE EDGES OF THE GLASS SHEETS TO PRODUCE A FINISHED UNIT. IN STILL ANOTHER EMBODIMENT, THE COMPOSITE STRIP, INSTEAD OF INCLUDING A PRECURED, MASTIC SEALANT MATERIAL, INCLUDES A CURABLE MASTIC SEALANT MATERIAL. THE COMPOSITE STRIP IS HEATED TO A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO MAKE THE ELEMENT PLASTIC. BEFORE THE SEALANT MATERIAL CURES, THE COMPOSITE STRIP IS APPLIED AS BEFORE TO THE PAIR OF GLASS SHEETS. THEREAFTER, THE PRESSING STEP IS PERFORMED TO PRODUCE A FINISHED UNIT.

Inventors

• 👤 G Bowser
• 👤 R Mazzoni

Bibliographic Details