1. Field of Invention
This invention is generally related to the building trades and more specifically to the building envelope system design applicable to an exterior wall design in an airloop wall system.
2. Description of the Background
An exterior wall is formed by multiple wall units joined and sealed between two adjacent wall units in both horizontal and vertical directions. The major functions of an exterior wall include the aesthetic design provided by the project architect and the interior environmental protection design provided by the exterior wall system designer or supplier. It is well recognized in the industry that wind load resistance and water-tightness performance are the two most important functions in the interior environmental protection design. The airloop wall system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,001,738 by Ting, which is hereby incorporated by reference, provides superior water-tightness performance as well as construction tolerance adjustment. However, the disclosed system has limited construction applications and is best suited for an exposed frame panel unit. Since a hidden frame system is preferred by most architects, it is desirable to provide a hidden frame airloop wall unit with the ability to accommodate both vision glass and spandrel pane within the same unit.
One objective of the present invention is to provide a hidden frame vision glass airloop window wall unit compatible with the base track and the ceiling track system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,001,738.
A second objective of the invention is to provide a hidden frame airloop wall unit having a vision glass and a spandrel pane within the same unit and compatible with the base track and the ceiling track system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,001,738.
The present invention provides an airloop wall system that includes a plurality of perimeter frame members that define a space into which a glass panel will be placed. The space is commonly a rectangular space, though other geometries may be used as dictated by the architectural problem at hand. Each of the perimeter frame members is secured to one another through miter-matched connections. The perimeter frame members may possess an L-shaped cross-sectional geometry that is able to accommodate a glass panel having a support component that is parallel to the face of the glass panel, on which the glass panel may rest, and a perimeter component that extends perpendicularly from the support component towards the exterior of the airloop wall system. That perimeter component may also include a water-repelling gasket. The perimeter frame member at the top of the window wall system is the head frame member, and the perimeter frame member at the bottom of the window wall system is a sill frame member. The head and sill frame members include an interior component adapted to permit the airloop wall system to be secured to a building. The sill frame member may also include air holes to equalize the pressure in the airloop with the exterior pressure.
The glass panel may be secured to the support component through an adhesive. On its exterior face, the glass panel may be sealed in place with a water seal that is located between the glass panel and the perimeter component, such that an airloop is formed between the perimeter frame unit and the glass panel. The present invention thus provides a window wall unit where the perimeter frame members are hidden from view from the exterior of the airloop wall system when the glass panel is secured in place.
The present invention further provides an airloop wall system where the glass panel may be vision glass or spandrel glass. When spandrel glass is employed, the airloop wall system may also include a spacer member (e.g., tube or structural block) that is located between the spandrel glass and the support component of the perimeter frame. That allows the external face of the airloop wall system to maintain constant and smooth dimensions even if multiple types of glass are employed.
The glass panel may be treated with a glaze over its exterior surface to provide it with desired physical attributes.
The present invention also provides an airloop wall system capable of accommodating multiple panels in a single wall unit. For example, the panels may be fabricated from different types of glass. For example, one panel may be vision glass, while the other may be spandrel glass. In these embodiments, the airloop wall system is similar to the single-panel system, but additionally includes a stack member that divides the rectangular space in which the panels will be placed into two spaces—one for each of the two panels. The stack member spans between perimeter frame members on opposite sides of the space. For example, the stack member may run horizontally from the left perimeter member to the right perimeter member, dividing the space into upper and lower panels. Like the sill frame member and the head frame member, the stack member also includes a cross-sectional profile that allows glass panels to be attached to the stack unit with adhesive and forms an airloop around each of the glass panels. The dimensions of the stack member are set by the relative thickness of the first and second glass panels. Preferably, the exterior surface of the airloop wall system is at the same height, even though different types of glass are used in each panel.
To be clearly understood and readily practiced, the present invention will be described in conjunction with the following figures, wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar elements, which figures are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, wherein:
It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the invention, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, other elements that may be well known. The detailed description will be provided herein below with reference to the attached drawings.
The present invention addresses the limitations currently existing within the art and provides a hidden frame airloop wall unit. The present invention also provides airloop wall units that are capable of accommodating both vision glass and spandrel pane within the same unit, while at the same time having a smooth exterior surface.
Once the perimeter frame members 13, 14, and 15 have been profiled for the vision glass panel 11, the perimeter frame members may be supplemented to accommodate a thinner spandrel pane 11a. This can be accomplished by inserting an additional spacer member 13a into the gap between the spandrel pane 11a and the panel frame member 13 and structurally secure 13a with adhesive 24a. The spacer member 13a may be a structural block or tube, the dimensions of which are chosen to accommodate the varied thickness of the glass employed. The same details apply to the jamb frames 14 and 15 on the area of the spandrel pane 11a. The introduction of the spacer member 13a allows an exterior of a building to present with a consistent surface, even with the use of glass of varying thicknesses. The other features are the same as explained for
The present invention thus permits a single frame to accommodate both vision glass and spandrel glass. As a result, the airloop wall system may be employed in diverse architectural conditions. This dramatically increases the utility of the airloop wall system by increasing the situations in which they may be employed.
Nothing in the above description is meant to limit the present invention to any specific materials, geometry, or orientation of elements. Various changes could be made in the construction and methods disclosed above without departing from the scope of the invention are contemplated within the scope of the present invention and will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, facing materials other than glass may be used. The embodiments described herein were presented by way of example only and should not be used to limit the scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of the earlier filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/858,705 filed on Jul. 26, 2013.
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2179391 | Mar 1987 | GB |
Entry |
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Notification of Transmittal of the International Search Report and the Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority, or the Declaration, Nov. 13, 2014, for PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US2014/048504. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20150027072 A1 | Jan 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61858705 | Jul 2013 | US |