Patent Application
20190368262
It is important for a window to form insulation between its inside and outside. This is done by forming a thermal break between the surface of the window that faces the outside and the surface that faces the inside.
Steel windows and doors have conventionally have compromised thermal properties. Windows made of vinyl or wood have become more prevalent because of the improved thermal characteristics of those materials.
Steel windows can improve their insulating capabilities by using a thermal break. A conventional steel window uses a specially formed steel thermal break formed of a steel refractory shape to form a crimped section. This is expensive to form, and requires special tooling to make the window.
The inventor recognized that it is desirable to use standard steel shapes that are common and can be purchased off the shelf, and configuring those materials to form a thermal break between the inside and outside of the fenestration.
The present application describes using standard off-the-shelf steel shapes formed of an outer steel frame, an inner steel frame, and a thermal break in between the outer steel frame and the inner steel frame. In an embodiment, there is a special thermal break formed by an insulating block, reinforced by a structural steel member.
These and other aspects will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Other windows which use steel windows use a special shaped steel frame, and crimp the thermal block between the parts of the steel frame. The inventor recognized that this is an extremely expensive way to form the window, since specially milled and shaped pieces need to be formed and this is very expensive. In addition, because the thermal break is crimped between the frames, any physical trauma, such as an earthquake, can compromise the structural integrity of the window and cause it to break.
As explained herein, the structure of the present application is much more strong and resistant to things like earthquakes. In an earthquake, the thermal break of the window described in the embodiment might crack; however the structural integrity of the window as a whole will remain intact as the thermal break is only in slight compression rather than being crimped in between steel parts.
The thermal break section 220 forms an area that creates a heat break or thermal break between the framing, and the glass. A first structural part of the thermal break is a block 221 of thermal break material such as PVC. In this embodiment, the PVC block is a ⅜ by ¾ inch block that extends all the way along the exterior of the window. The PVC thermal break adjoins against a tube steel member 223 which abuts against the PVC thermal break and forms a structural component using standard tube steel. The tube steel also extends around the complete perimeter of the window.
In one embodiment, the tube steel can be 0.75×1″ by #11 gauge tube steel extending all the way around the window, while the PVC thermal block similarly extends all the way around the window. The overall structure including the steel plate 210, the PVC thermal block 221 and the tube steel structure 223 are held together with a rivet 225 which in one embodiment can be a blind rivet.
The glass section 240 is held a top surface of the thermal break formed by the PVC structure 221 and the tube steel 223, so that the bottom surface 241 of the glass section 240 is seated on a setting block 246 which is directly on the thermal break structure. The window glass 240 is also held between two structural members: the structural plate 210 and a glazing bead 242 which is attached by a screw 243 to the tube steel structure 223, or can be wet-glazed into place utilizing glazing putty.
The tube steel can be attached by a screw 247 into the building framing 250, thus holding the structural tube steel firmly into the framing 250.
Glazing material 244, 245 either glazing putty or glazing tape is located between the window glass 240 and the structural members. Glazing putty 244 is between the window and the structural steel 210; and glazing tape 245 is between the window and the glazing bead 242 which is held to the tube steel, to hold the window glass into place. In this way, there is a complete thermal break between the exterior and interior of the building.
A second thermal break is formed by the muntins that separate panes in the window. A detail of the muntins 105 and 106 is shown along the cross-section along the line 3-3 in
In this way, a very simple structure can be used to form a thermal break which requires only flat and bent steel pieces, and does not require any specialty pieces at all. The glass is held between two flat surfaces by glazing beads or glazing putty, and the two flat surfaces are held to a two part thermal break, one of which is thermally insulating, and the other of which is a piece of tube steel which provides structural integrity for the thermal break.
Even though this is a simple system, applicant has simulated the U factor of 0.287, in spite of the fact that this system provides significant structural integrity factor.
While the preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure, but rather, is intended to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes certain technological solutions to solve the technical problems that are described expressly and inherently in this application. This disclosure describes embodiments, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative or generalization of these embodiments, which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example, other sizes of material could be used, and while this describes use of one certain thermal break material as being PVC, other thermal break materials which are structural could also be used. Other devices can be held between the surfaces.
Also, the inventor(s) intend that only those claims which use the words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims.
