Claims
- 1. A spacer frame for an insulating unit having at least one continuous bend, comprising:
- an elongated piece having a generally U-shaped cross section formed by a first elongated member spaced from a second elongated member, said first and second elongated members interconnected by a base;
- said base having a first major surface defined as an outer surface facing away from said first and second elongated members and an opposed second major surface defined as an inner surface, at least one of the major surfaces of said base at the at least one continuous bend being continuous, said base having a portion of said outer surface on one side of the at least one bend lying in a first plane and a portion of said outer surface on the other side of the at least one bend lying in a second plane with the first and second planes intersecting one another adjacent the at least one bend;
- said first elongated member having an edge, a portion of the edge of said first elongated member at the at least one corner having a notch, with the portion of said first elongated member having the notch depressed over the inner surface of said base with a majority of the remaining portion of said first elongated member defining a first sidewall lying in a third plane;
- said second elongated member having an edge, a portion of the edge of said second elongated member at the at least one corner having a notch, with the portion of said second elongated member having the notch depressed over said inner surface of said base with a majority of the remaining portion of said second elongated member defining a second sidewall lying in a fourth plane substantially parallel to the third plane and generally perpendicular to the first and second planes to provide the piece with the generally U-shaped cross section; wherein
- said base at the at least one continuous bend and depressed portions of said first and second elongated members form the at least one continuous bend and the spaced distance between the depressed portions of said first and second elongated members extending over the inner surface of said base being greater than the spaced distance provided by depressed portions of said first and second elongated members without the notches.
- 2. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 1 wherein said elongated piece is shaped from an elongated continuous metal strip.
- 3. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 1 wherein a moisture pervious bead having a desiccant is adhered to the inner surface of said base.
- 4. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 1 wherein a moisture and gas impervious sealant is on outer surfaces of said first and second sidewalls.
- 5. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frame has four corners and the continuous bend is a first continuous corner and further includes second and third continuous corners wherein
- said first elongated member has a notch in its edge at each of the second and third continuous corners with portions of said first elongated member having the notches depressed over the inner surface of said base;
- said second elongated member has a notch in its edge at each of the second and third continuous corners with portions of said second elongated member having the notches depressed over the inner surface of said base; and
- said base at the first, second and third corners and depressed portions of said first and second elongated members at the first, second and third corners provides the first, second and third continuous corners, respectively.
- 6. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 5 further including a moisture pervious bead having a desiccant adhered to the inner surface of said base.
- 7. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 6 further including a gas impervious sealant on outer surface portions of said first and second sidewalls.
- 8. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 7 wherein said elongated piece is shaped from an elongated continuous metal strip.
- 9. A spacer frame for an insulating unit having at least one continuous bend, comprising:
- an elongated piece having a generally U-shaped cross section formed by a first elongated member spaced from a second elongated member, said first and second elongated members interconnected by a base;
- said base having a first major surface defined as an outer surface facing away from said first and second elongated members and an opposed second major surface defined as an inner surface, at least one of the major surfaces of said base at the at least one continuous bend being continuous, said base having portions of said outer surface on one side of the at least one bend lying in a first plane and portions of said outer surface on the other side of the at least one bend lying in a second plane with the first and second planes intersecting one another adjacent the at least one bend;
- a portion of said first elongated member at the at least one bend depressed over the inner surface of said base with a majority of the remaining portion of said first elongated member defining a first sidewall lying in a third plane;
- a portion of said second elongated member at said at least one bend depressed over the inner surface of said base and offset from the depressed portion of said first elongated member with a majority of the remaining portion of the second elongated member defining a second sidewall lying in a fourth plane substantially parallel to the third plane and generally perpendicular to the first and second planes to provide the piece with the generally U-shaped cross section; wherein
- said base at the at least one continuous bend and depressed portions of said first and second elongated members provide the at least one continuous bend.
- 10. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 9 wherein said elongated piece is shaped from an elongated continuous metal strip.
- 11. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 9 wherein a moisture pervious bead having a desiccant is adhered to the inner surface of said base.
- 12. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 9 wherein a moisture and gas impervious sealant is on outer surfaces of said first and second sidewalls.
- 13. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 9 wherein the frame has four corners and the continuous bend is a first continuous corner and further including second and third continuous corners wherein
- portions of said first elongated member at the second and third corners are depressed over the inner surface of said base at the second and third corners respectively;
- portions of said second elongated member at the second and third corners are depressed over the inner surface of said base and offset from the depressed portions of the first elongated member at the second and third corners respectively; and
- said base at the first, second and third corners and depressed portions of said first and second members at the first, second and third corners provide the first, second and third continuous corners, respectively.
- 14. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 13 further including a moisture pervious bead having a desiccant adhered to the inner surface of said base.
- 15. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 14 further including a gas impervious sealant on an outer surface portions of said first and second sidewalls.
- 16. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 15 wherein said elongated piece is shaped from an elongated continuous metal strip.
- 17. A spacer frame for an insulating unit having at least one continuous bend, comprising:
- an elongated piece having a generally U-shaped cross section formed by a first elongated member spaced from a second elongated member, said first and second elongated members interconnected by a base;
- said base having a first major surface defined as an outer surface facing away from said first and second elongated members, and an opposed second major surface defined as an inner surface, at least one of the major surfaces of said base at the at least one continuous bend being continuous, said base having portions of said outer surface of said base on one side of the at least one bend lying in a first plane and portions of said outer surface of said base on the other side of the at least one bend lying in a second plane with the first and second planes intersecting one another adjacent the at least one bend;
- a portion of said first elongated member at the at least one bend depressed over the inner surface of said base with a majority of the remaining portions of said first elongated member defining a first sidewall lying in a third plane;
- a portion of said second elongated member at the at least one bend depressed over the inner surface of said base with a majority of the remaining portions of said second elongated member defining a second sidewall lying in a fourth plane substantially parallel to the third plane and generally perpendicular to the first and second planes to provide the piece with the generally U-shaped cross section; wherein
- said base at the at least one continuous bend and depressed portions of said first and second elongated members provide the at least one continuous bend.
- 18. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 17 wherein said elongated piece is shaped from an elongated strip.
- 19. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 17 wherein a moisture pervious bead having a desiccant is adhered to the inner surfaces of said base.
- 20. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 17 wherein a moisture and gas impervious sealant is on outer surfaces of said first and second sidewalls.
- 21. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 17 wherein the frame has four corners and the continuous bend is a first continuous corner and further including second and third continuous corners wherein
- portions of said first elongated member at the second and third corners are depressed over the inner surface of said base at the second and third corners respectively;
- portions of said second member at the second and third corners are depressed over the inner surface of said base at the second and third corners respectively; and
- said base at the first, second and third corners and depressed portions of said first and second elongated members at the first, second and third corners provide the first, second and third continuous corners, respectively.
- 22. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 21 further including a moisture pervious bead having a desiccant adhered to the inner surface of said base.
- 23. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 22 further including a gas impervious sealant on outer surface portions of said first and second sidewalls.
- 24. The spacer frame as set forth in claim 23 wherein said elongated piece is shaped from an elongated continuous metal strip.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 07/578,697, filed Sep. 4, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,916.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3280523 |
Stroud et al. |
Oct 1986 |
|
3478483 |
Baker |
Apr 1967 |
|
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin. |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
578697 |
Sep 1990 |
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