Patent Application
20100281812
The invention relates to a connecting device for a panel-form separation element, in particular a glass panel, and to a separation element provided with the connecting device.
In order to separate or form areas or to close off room or window openings, walls, sliding elements, doors or blinds provided with a panel (hereinafter referred to as separation elements) are often used, which are fixedly mounted or fixed to carriages displaceable along a rail and optionally pivotally mounted.
For the purpose of assembly, handling, aesthetic design or protection of such separation elements it is often necessary for them to be provided peripherally with profile elements.
With profile strips a frame can be formed for example that supports or carries the glass panel.
It is known from [1], DE 35 09 187 A1, that a wing frame formed by profile strips can form the supporting element of a separation element such as a glass panel. In order to mount profile strips these have been clamped for example to the glass panel and subsequently closed with a sealant. It has thereby been ascertained that composite glass is not suitable for this type of connections, because the edge of such composite glass does not withstand the clamping.
In order to avoid disruptive stresses when connecting profile elements with composite glass, it is proposed in [1] to provide the profile strips with at least one mounting channel, which serves to receive the edge of the glass panel, which edge is fixed within the mounting channel by means of an adhesive.
Disadvantageous with this solution is that various problems can arise when handling the adhesive. On the one hand it is to be ensured that the adhesive is evenly distributed in the mounting channel and in all holding grooves provided therein. When placing the profile strip on the edge of the glass panel it is scarcely possible to avoid the adhesive from escaping and contaminating the free lying surface of the glass panel. Contamination that arises must be removed, which requires correspondingly high efforts. Typically, also irregular edge terminations result from the use of the adhesive, which should be avoided in particular for aesthetic reasons. Furthermore it is not only to be ensured that a bead of adhesive is incorporated with an even cross-section into the mounting channel, but also that the bead of adhesive runs with high precision centrally within the mounting channel. This is scarcely achievable in practice.
Furthermore the profile strip is to be secured after connection to the glass edge until the adhesive has hardened. Furthermore the edge of the glass panel is to be positioned within the mounting channel of the profile strip by auxiliary means in such a way that the glass panel is held in a desired position and cannot come into direct contact with the metal profile element under any circumstances.
Furthermore it is scarcely unavoidable for the profile strips to vary slightly in their positioning from separation element to separation element, in particular assuming different positions in relation to the front face of the glass panel. In addition profile elements can assume an undesirable inclination in relation to the glass panel or extend transversely within the mounting channel. This erroneous positioning is disadvantageous particularly if further profile elements or covering elements are mounted or if adjacent separation elements are provided, of which the profile elements are mounted differently. In such cases the device parts are not arranged in a plane and/or parallel to a straight line, whereby this leaves a disadvantageous aesthetic impression in multi-part glass fronts.
A device for connecting a glass panel to a guide device guided in a rail is further known from [2], U.S. 60/520,867. For this connection, a first and a second fixing part are provided, which fixing parts project into a cut-out in the glass panel and are connected by means of a connecting screw to the guide device. This type of connection of the glass panel to the guide device necessitates processing of the glass panel using a relatively high level of resources. Furthermore said fixing parts project into the glass panel and are perceived as distracting under certain circumstances.
It is thus an object of the present invention to create an improved connecting device for panel-form separation elements, in particular glass panels, which is not encumbered with the disadvantages described.
In particular a connecting device comprising at least one profile strip is to be created, which can be quickly and easily mounted and ensures a constantly precise positioning of the glass panel within the profile strip. In addition it is to be guaranteed that even with different thicknesses of the glass panel the distance from a side of the glass panel to the profile element is constantly the same. Furthermore direct contact between the metal profile strip and the glass panel is to be excluded through the connecting device.
In addition subsequent processing such as cleaning or sealing work is to be avoided when using the connecting device.
Furthermore a fixedly or displaceably mounted separation element is to be created, which is provided with at least one such connecting device.
With the use of the connecting device, it should further be advantageously possible to connect the separation element to further devices or device parts, in particular to a hand grip and/or, on the lower side and/or the upper side, to a guide device, and for the separation element thereby to be displaceably mounted.
This object is achieved with a connecting device and with a separation element having the features indicated in claims 1 and 12. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are indicated in further claims.
The connecting device, which is provided for a separation element with a panel, particularly a glass panel, includes at least one profile strip, which comprises a back element and a first and a second side element, which define a mounting channel, within which the edge of the panel is held by means of an adhesive.
According to the invention the profile strip comprises an anchor channel, which is connected to the mounting channel by a through slot. Within the mounting channel a separation profile is provided, which comprises window openings, through which the incorporated adhesive can penetrate into the anchor channel. Said separation profile separates with a middle part the back element from the panel and with a first side part the first side element of the profile strip from the panel and with a second side part the second side element of the profile strip from the panel.
With the separation profile the profile strip is thus reliably separated from the glass panel. The metal profile strip, preferably an extruded aluminium profile, is prevented from coming into contact with the glass panel and damaging it.
The bead of adhesive, e.g. a silicone adhesive sealant, introduced into the mounting channel or applied on the narrow side edge of the glass panel, can be evenly distributed when the glass panel is introduced into the mounting channel.
Excess adhesive is thereby displaced into the anchor channel and evenly distributed there. At points with excess adhesive the latter is thus pressed into the anchor channel and not outwardly over the glass panel.
After hardening the adhesive within the anchor channel is held there in a shape-locking way, meaning that detachment of the adhesive from the inner profile of the profile strip is prevented even under great loads. For this, it is provided that the anchor channel has a larger diameter than the through slot, so that a T-shaped profile for example is formed.
A good connection between the glass panel and the profile strip can already be achieved with the separation profile. The connection of the separation profile to the inner profile of the profile strip can be carried out in a shape-locking or force-locking way. Preferably, each of the side elements of the profile strip comprises at least one anchor groove open towards the mounting channel. Said anchor groove serves in particular to receive a preferably provided anchor element, which is provided on the side of the separation profile facing the profile strip. Insofar as anchor elements are provided on the separation profile and are introduced into the associated anchor groove in the profile strip, the separation profile is held sufficiently within the mounting channel during the installation even if the adhesive has not yet hardened. By using the inventive separation profile the installation process is therefore considerably simplified.
Additionally or alternatively, anchor grooves can also serve to receive adhesive, which is held in a shape-locking way by the anchor channel and the anchor grooves after hardening. For example a first anchor groove serves to receive an anchor element of the separation profile and a second anchor groove serves to receive adhesive. In preferred embodiments the separation profile comprises additional openings, through which the adhesive can be pressed for example into an anchor groove. In this way it can be ensured that the separation profile is held in a shape-locking way at several points by the hardened adhesive.
The separation profile is preferably produced from elastic or non-elastic plastic using an extrusion process. The separation profile can thereby already be made into a form adapted to the mounting channel provided in the profile strip. The separation profile can thus already have a U-shaped or C-shaped profile after manufacture.
However, the separation profile is preferably formed as an elastic strip that is given its end shape by the user. This occurs when placing the separation profile in the mounting channel in that the side parts of the separation profile are bent towards each other by 90° in relation to the middle part. In order to ensure that this is possible and that it does not lead to any further deformations of the separation profile the two side parts are integrally connected via hinge zones, e.g. film hinges with reduced diameter, to the middle part. The separation profile produced in a strip-form can thus be stored in layers or rolled up on rollers.
In a preferred embodiment at least one of the side parts of the separation profile is provided on the side facing the mounting channel or panel with at least one fin or with at least one sealing rib. A sealing rib is preferably arranged on the first side part and the at least one fin is arranged on the second side part. Alternatively either fins or sealing ribs can be provided on both side parts.
The fins or sealing lips, of which for example three are guided in parallel along the separation profile, thereby serve on the one hand as sealing elements that prevent the escape of the adhesive from the mounting channel. On the other hand the fins push against the glass panel, whereby the latter is thus positioned. Insofar as fins are provided on both side elements the glass panel is centred within the mounting channel. Insofar as, however, only the first side element is provided with fins, the glass panel is pushed against the second side element, on which preferably a sealing rib is provided. The side of the glass panel lying against the sealing rib thus constantly has the same position regardless of the diameter of the glass panel. It is thus ensured, even with different diameters of glass panels, that the device parts lie flush against each other and that there are no projections causing aesthetic or functional interference.
The window openings provided in the separation profile overlap at least partially the middle part or also partially the side parts. It is thereby ensured that a major part of the adhesive is pushed by the glass panel directly against the profile strip and can penetrate there into the anchor channel, possibly also into anchor grooves.
The profile strip comprises an inner profile adapted to the separation profile and preferably an outer profile, which can be connected to an auxiliary profile such as a holding grip or a further frame element, and/or which can be connected to a guide device. For example the connecting device is connected via a coupling device to a carriage guided in a rail. The carriage can thereby slide or roll within the running or guide rail.
The outer profile of the profile strip can be completely included by the auxiliary profile or by the coupling device. Alternatively the outer profile can comprise at least one mounting groove or a holding groove, into which the auxiliary profile or the coupling device can engage in a shape-locking way. Furthermore alternative mounting possibilities can be realised.
Using the inventive connecting device it is thus possible to securely hold glass panels on a relatively narrow edge on the upper side and/or lower side of a glass panel and to connect them with conventional guide devices.
Instead of mounting elements that project relatively far into the glass panel, narrow profile strips are used, which can scarcely be seen. It is particularly advantageous that machining of the glass panel, with the incorporation of bores and recesses, is completely unnecessary. The connecting elements can be designed in any form and connected to the profile strip and locked in any manner.
The inventive profile strips can be used to fully frame the glass panel. It is further possible for profile strips to be provided only on one side or on opposite sides. The mounting of the connecting device on the sides of the glass panel takes place for example in order to protect the glass panel.
The ends of the profile strips are preferably provided with termination parts that comprise an opening for receiving a corner of the glass panel. For the purpose of fixing, the termination parts preferably comprise a screw channel, into which a mounting screw can be introduced. The mounting screw is preferably received by the anchor channel, which comprises a plurality of thread ribs, between which the mounting screw can be turned.
The termination part can preferably be connected to two profile strips. Alternatively the termination part can be connected to only one profile strip and adapted to a cover profile, extending perpendicular to the profile strip, and can possibly hold said cover profile. It is preferably provided that all device parts are adapted so as to be flush with each other so that irregular projections causing visual distraction are avoided.
The invention is explained below by reference to drawings, in which:
a an end element of the profile strip 2 of
b an end element of the separation profile 1 of
a the connecting device 100 connected to the glass panel 4 and seen from the side;
a-c the asymmetrically formed separation profile 1 of
a-c a symmetrically formed separation profile 1′, which is provided on both side parts 12, 13 with fins 15;
a the separation profile 1′ of
b the separation profile 1′ of
a a termination part 5 for the profile strip 2 of the connecting device 100 of
The profile strip 2, of which the end element is shown enlarged in
The outer profile 200 of the profile strip 2 comprises on the side elements 22, 23 a respective mounting groove 222 and 232 respectively, which serve for the mounting of auxiliary profiles 70, such as holding grips, covers, bezels, further frames, mounting elements or coupling devices 71 (see
Furthermore the profile strip 2 comprises in this preferred embodiment a profile arm 25 with a sealing groove 251, which serves to receive a plastic seal or brush seal.
However, with regard to the connection of the profile strip 2 to the glass panel 4, the inner profile 20 of the profile strip 2 and the separation profile 1 are significant, the profile strip 2 being reliably separated from the glass panel by the separation profile 1.
The separation profile 1, which is shown in a first preferred embodiment in
The separation profile 1, which is shown enlarged in
The differently formed side parts 12, 13 of the separation profile of
The first side part 12 additionally comprises on the side facing the mounting channel 24 a sealing rib 16, which lies against the glass panel 4 after assembly and prevents the adhesive 3 from coming out of the mounting channel 24 on this side. The second side part 13 comprises on the side facing the mounting channel 24 three fins 15, which also prevent the adhesive 3 from coming out of the mounting channel 24. Said fins 15 simultaneously press the glass panel 4 towards the other side of the mounting channel 24 against the sealing rib 16, as shown in
In
The inventive connecting device 100 can be assembled extremely easily in that preferably:
By pressing the profile strip 2 against the glass panel 4 the adhesive 3 advances on the one hand along the edge of the glass panel 4 as far as the fins 15 and the sealing rib 16. On the other hand the adhesive 3 goes through the window openings into direct contact with the profile strip 2 and is partially displaced through the through slot 2111 into the anchor channel 211, as shown in
As shown in
a shows a cross-section through the strip-form separation profile 1, which has an asymmetrical form in the first embodiment.
b shows the side of the separation profile 1 of
c shows the side of the separation profile 1 of
The window opening 14 is shown relatively small and preferably extends in practice beyond the hinge zones 11.
a shows a cross-section of a further strip-form separation profile 1′, which has a symmetrical form/identical side parts 12, 13. On the first side part 12, instead of the sealing rib 16, three fins 15 are provided, which likewise push towards the glass panel 4 after installation. In this embodiment of the separation profile 1′ therefore three fins 15 are provided on each of the two side parts 12, 13. The glass panel 4 is automatically centred within the mounting channel 24 by the fins 15 provided on each side.
b shows the side of the separation profile 1′ of
c shows the side of the separation profile 1′ of
a shows one of the termination parts 5 of
The coupling device 71 can be a connecting screw, of which the screw head can be introduced into the holding groove 212, which is T-profile-shaped for example. The threaded shank of said connecting screw can be turned into the body 611 of the carriage 61. The connecting screw is fixed after adjustment for example by means of at least one nut 713. Correspondingly designed connecting screws are known for example from [3], U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,588.
In a further preferred embodiment the body 611 of the carriage can also comprise a profile element, which can engage directly in the holding groove 212.
[3] U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,588
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09159952.2 | May 2009 | EP | regional |
