The present invention relates generally to spacers for use in the construction of insulated glass doors, and more particularly, to spacers for use in the through-glass mounting of handles for insulated glass doors.
Swinging glass doors have been a popular feature of commercial and multi-dwelling residential buildings for several decades. Many such door designs comprise a frameless door featuring a single pane of heavy glass with the door hinges and handles mounted directly to the single glass pane. The door handles are typically of a mutually opposed design, i.e. inner and outer door handles that directly face each other and are mounted to the glass pane via a bolt which passes through a hole in the glass. In these handle arrangements, a nut or nut-plate is incorporated within one of the handles and a cover arrangement for hiding the bolt is incorporated in the other handle. This arrangement also typically incorporates a bushing to prevent the bolt from bearing directly on the door glass. This type of handle arrangement has proven to be aesthetically pleasing and popular because the handles appear to be “floating” on the glass.
In recent years, due to an ongoing need to increase energy efficiency, double pane glass doors, commonly referred to as insulated glass doors have begun to gain in popularity for exterior applications. Insulated glass doors comprise two panes of glass which are separated, or spaced apart, about their perimeter by spacers sandwiched between the panes. Insulated glass doors, with their dual pane configuration having a sealed air space between the panes, have proven to be substantially more energy efficient than single pane glass doors. In some instances, the energy efficiency of insulated glass doors may be farther Improved by filling the interior volume with an insulating gas.
Dual pane glass doors have certain, primarily aesthetic, drawbacks when compared to single pane glass doors. In particular, the exposed edges of the panes and separating spacers are unsightly and therefore must be covered. The coverings typically comprise horizontal rails and vertical stiles, typically of stainless steel. With regard to handles, the individual panes of insulated glass doors are too thin to support through-glass mounted handles. Therefore, handles for insulated glass doors have typically been mounted on the vertical stiles. Mounting the handles on a vertical stile requires that a relatively wide stile be used on the free end of the swinging glass door.
Although the “handle on the stile” mounting configuration used in insulated glass doors is not unattractive, nevertheless, it does not provide the aesthetically pleasing and much sought after “floating on the glass” appearance of through-glass mounted handles. Therefore, there is a need in the art for hardware that will allow through-glass mounting of door handles on insulated glass doors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The mounting spacer of the present invention allows for the through-glass mounting of opposing inner and outer door handles on insulated glass doors such that the handles appear to be “floating” on the glass. The spacer of the present invention is sandwiched between the two, spaced apart, panes of glass which comprise insulated glass doors. The spacer serves to reinforce the panes in the region where a hole or cutout has been made for passage of a through-bolt, which is required for the through-glass mounting of opposing inner and outer door handles.
In one embodiment, the spacer is generally round or donut-shaped and is used for reinforcing circular holes in insulated glass doors. In another embodiment, the spacer has a generally oval region for reinforcing oval cutouts in insulated glass doors. In both embodiments, the spacer features compression lips and sealing surfaces oil each side of the spacer, as well as alignment flanges located about an inner periphery of the spacer and further includes gaps between the alignment flanges.
The compression lips function to prevent excessive compression of the sealing surfaces of the spacer and of a primary sealant applied to the sealing surfaces. The alignment flanges serve in conjunction with an alignment dowel to align the spacer about a hole to be reinforced during assembly of an insulated glass door panel. Once an insulated glass door panel has been assembled, the alignment dowel is removed from the panel and a moisture or water resistant secondary adhesive is applied about the inside periphery of the spacer to seal the spacer/glass panel interface against moisture intrusion. The gaps in the alignment flange of the spacer allow for the secondary adhesive to readily flow to both sides of the spacer, regardless of on which side the adhesive is applied.
One presently preferred material for the spacer is polycarbonate, colored with carbon-black for UV resistance. Polycarbonate is well-suited to the present application because of its ease of manufacture via injection molding and because it is compatible with both polyisobutylene sealant (“PB sealant”) and silicone sealants, both of which are commonly used as primary and secondary sealants, respectively, in the construction of insulated glass doors.
The above and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description.
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
With reference to
With continued reference to
The outside diameter 12 and radial lip diameter 18 of the spacer body 11 define a radial compression lip 22A , therebetween, on the planar side 15. Similarly, the outside diameter 12 and the radial lip diameter 18 define a radial compression lip 22B, therebetween, on the planar side 17. The upper and lower radial compression lips 22A and 22B, each have a thickness 28. The radial compression lip diameter 18 and the sealing surface diameter 20 define a sealing surface 24A, therebetween, on the planar side 15. Similarly, the radial compression lip diameter 18 and the sealing surface diameter 20 define a sealing surface 24B, therebetween, on the planar side 17.
The spacer body 11 of the present invention spacer 10 also includes a plurality of radially inwardly facing alignment flanges 30. The alignment flanges 30 are centered about a midpoint plane 34 (see
In the exemplary embodiment, the spacer 10 is made from polycarbonate material. Polycarbonate is well suited to this application because it is compatible with polyisobutylene sealant (“PB sealant”), as well as with silicone sealants, both of which are commonly used in insulated glass door construction. PB sealant is an extrudable (hot melt application) thermoplastic material which adheres well to both polycarbonate and glass, and is moisture resistant. Silicone sealant is a barrier sealant featuring excellent resistance to moisture penetration, PB sealant and several types of suitable silicone sealants are commercially available from multiple sources.
In the exemplary embodiment, the polycarbonate material of the spacer 10 is colored with carbon-black, a colorant material, which enhances the UV resistance of the polycarbonate material. Polycarbonate and carbon-black are well-known materials, readily available from a number of commercial sources. While polycarbonate is the presently preferred material, a variety of other plastic based materials are also suitable. The spacer 10 of the present invention is not limited to any particular type of material.
Referring now to
Prior to insertion and alignment of the spacer 10 with the holes 50 in the glass panes 38, a circular bead 40 of sealant (PB Sealant) is placed about the sealing surfaces 24A and 24B of the planar sides 15 and 17 of the spacer 10. Thereafter, the glass panes 38 are compressed against the spacer 10 for a predetermined period of time until the sealant 40 has cured. (It is to be understood that contemporaneously with the insertion of the spacer 10, an interior perimeter frame composed of spacers (not shown) is also inserted between the glass panes 38, with suitable adhesive.)
The radial lips 22A and 22B of the planar sides 15 and 17 of the spacer 10 serve to prevent excessive compression of the sealing surfaces 24A and 24B. Excessive compression of the sealing surfaces 24A and 24B may cause the sealant 40 to squeeze out between the sealing surfaces 24A and 24B and the glass panes 38, leaving too little sealant at the interface between the sealing surfaces and glass panes to form a sufficiently strong bond at the spacer/glass interface.
With reference to
Referring now to
The inner and outer door handles 56 and 58 are secured to the panes 38 of the insulated glass door 36, as follows. A cylindrical bushing 62, typically of plastic and configured to be a slip fit with the holes 50 in the glass panes 38, is inserted through the panes 38 via the axially aligned holes 50. Next, the inner and outer door handles 56 and 58 are positioned about the axially aligned holes 50 wherein washers 68, typically of plastic, serve as a non-marring interface between the mounting flanges 64 and 66 of the inner and outer door handles 56 and 58, respectively. Subsequently, the bolt 60 is inserted through one of the door handles and engages with an internally threaded engaging portion 70 of the opposed door handle. Tightening of the bolt 60 secures the inner and outer door handles 56 and 58 to the insulated glass door 36. In typical handle designs, the attachment bolt 60 will be hidden from view. The completed assembly gives the appearance of the door handles “floating on the glass,” which is presently a much desired aesthetic appearance.
Referring now to
The rectangular spacer body 73 also includes a generally oval or race-track-like compression lip 78 disposed on each of the planar sides 94 and 96, each compression lip 78 having a width 88. The rectangular spacer body 73 additionally includes a generally oval or race-track-like sealing surface 80, also disposed on each of the planar sides 94 and 96, each sealing surface 80 having a width 90. The rectangular spacer body 73 farther includes a plurality of alignment flanges 82, each alignment flange 82 extending inwardly from the inner periphery 98 and having a thickness 92 and a depth 94. Disposed between each adjacent alignment flange 82 is one of plurality of gaps 84.
In the exemplary embodiment of
The rectangular spacer 72 functions similarly to spacer 10, i.e. the compression lips 78 prevent over-compression of the sealing surfaces 80 and sealant 40 (see
Like the spacer 10, the preferred material for the rectangular spacer 72 is polycarbonate colored with carbon-black. A variety of other plastic materials are also suitable.
The foregoing detailed description and appended drawings are intended as a description of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and are not intended to represent the only forms In which the present invention may be constructed and/or utilized. Those skilled in the art will understand that modifications and alternative embodiments of the present invention which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the foregoing specification and drawings, and of the claims appended below are possible and practical. It is intended that the claims cover ail such modifications and alternative embodiments.