Method for sealingly connecting two panel-shaped elements

Abstract

 The invention relates to a method for sealingly connecting two panel-shaped elements (1,5). such as glass-sheets, wherein on one of said elements an elastic sealing strip (3) and a metal distance strip (4) extending perpendicularly to the plane of said one element are positioned, said elements (1,5) thereafter being pressed together and said sealing strip (3) thereby establishing a connection between said elements (1,5).
According to the invention said distance strip (4) is part of said sealing strip (3) and wherein at least during pressing together said panel-shaped elements (1,5) an electric current is led through said distance strip (4), said distance strip (4) thereby acting as a resistance element. As a result the sealing strip (3) is heatened and a proper bond between the sealing strip (3) and the panel-shaped elements (1,5) is obtained.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for sealingly connecting two panel-shaped elements;° such -as glass-sheets, wherein on one of said elements an elastic sealing strip and a metal distance strip extending perpendicularly to the plane of said one element are positioned,said elements thereafter being pressed together and said sealing strip thereby establishing a connection between said elements.

[0002] In a known method of the type mentioned above an electric resistance wire is provided in said sealing strip, wherein an electric current is led through said wire. This heatens the sealing strip so that a proper sealing connection is obtained between said sealing strip and the panel-shaped elements positioned at both sides thereof. The distance strip, that has to ensure a correct distance between the panel-shaped elements when these are connected, is positioned between said panel-shaped elements before pressing them together.

[0003] This known method has several disadvantages, such as the fact that positioning the resistance wire on one hand and positioning the sealing strip on the other hand is very time consuming and complicated.

[0004] It is an object of this invention to provide a method of the type mentioned above not having said disadvantages.

[0005] Therefore the method according to the invention is characterized in that said distance strip is part of said sealing strip and in that at least during pressing together said panel-shaped elements an electric current is led through said distance strip, said distance strip thereby acting as a resistance element.

[0006] With the method according to the invention the distance strip is a part of the sealing strip so that positioning said two strips can be managed quicker. Moreover the distance strip is used in an advantageous way to heaten the sealing strip for obtaining a proper seal between said sealing strip and the panel-shaped elements. Therefore with the method according to the invention the extremely time- consuming and complicated operation of providing an additional resistance wire is superfluous. Because the distance strip, according to its primary function, extends practically along the entire width of the sealing strip the heatening of the sealing strip will take place very effectively, whereas in case of a seperate resistance wire this often is not so.

[0007] It is noticed, that principally a method is known having the sealing strip integrally formed with the distance strip. However, in this case the panel-shaped elements themselves are heatened for obtaining a proper bond. As a result carrying out this known method is only possible with extensive devices in a factory and not in situ, for example when a single glass-sheet has to be changed into a double glass-sheet by adding a glass-panel. This is without further objections possible with the method according to the invention, because it needs no extensive devices but only a proper transformer or the like for providing the current that has to be led through the distance strip.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention the sealing strip is positioned by means of a gauge defining the distance of said sealing strip towards the edge of said one element.

[0009] In this way the sealing strip can be positioned onto the element quickly and accurately.

[0010] In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention the distance strip is positioned at the surface of one side of said sealing strip, wherein said sealing strip is provided between two panel-shaped elements pointing outwardly with said distance strip.

[0011] As a result the power source can very easily be connected to the distance strip, because it is accessible form the outside.

[0012] Hereby it is possible that a connection member is connected with each end of said distance strip, said connecting members being coupled with a power source. When moreover a suction device is mounted on said one element wherein the connecting members are attached to said suction device, or when the connecting members are part of a suction device that can be mounted on said one element, connecting the distance strip, that acts as a resistance wire, to a power source can be accomplished extremely easy and quick.

[0013] The invention will be explained further with reference to the drawing in which several embodiments are shown of the method according to the invention.

[0014] Fig. 1-5 show succesive steps of an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

[0015] Fig. 6 shows a step of another embodiment of the method according to the invention.

[0016] Fig. 1 shows a section of a glass sheet 1 being positioned in a notch 2. This shown single glass is hereafter changed into a double glass by means of the method according to the invention. For this reason a second glass sheet is secured sealingly to said first glass sheet 1, wherein for executing the method it does not make any difference whether the second glass sheet is secured at the inside or the outside of the first glass sheet 1.

[0017] As appears from fig. 2 an elastic sealing strip 3 is positioned at the inside of the first glass sheet. As will be clear later on, it is advantageous, when the sealing strip 3 does not contact the notch 2, but that there remains a small space between the notch 2 and the sealing strip 3. To take care of this a gauge can be applied defining the distance between the sealing strip 3 and the edge of the glass sheet 1, and therefore the notch 2. The sealing strip 3 contains at its side directed towards the notch 2 a metal distance strip 4 being positioned at the surface of said side of the sealing strip 3. This distance strip 4 for example exists of corrugated or zig zag shaped aluminium strips. Due to this and as a result of the elasticity of the sealing strip 3 this combination can be bent easily so that the course of the edge of said glass sheet 1 can be followed exactly without having to use additional corner pieces or the like.

[0018] After the combined sealing and distance strip 3 and 4, respectively, being positioned on the first glass sheet 1 in this way, securing a second glass sheet 5 will start. During providing this second glass sheet 5 an electric current is led through the distance strip 4. For this reason this distance strip 4 is connected to a power source, for example a variable transformer (not shown). Due to said electric current the distance strip will act as a resistance element and will develop heat warming up said sealing strip. As a result pressing together the two glass sheets 1 and 5 is made easier in an advantageous way, so that a good bond as well as a good seal is obtained between the sealing strip 3 and the glass sheets 1 and 5, respectively.

[0019] Although the connection between the two glass sheets 1 and 5, respectively, obtained like that is characterized by a good bond and seal, the bond generally will be insufficient to carry the entire weight of the second glass sheet 5 when this sheet, as is shown in fig. 3, just as the sealing strip does not contact the notch 2. Therefore between the notch 2 and the lower side of the second glass sheet 5 support blocks 6 are placed that together with the sealing strip 3 carry the weight of the second glass sheet 5.

[0020] As can be seen in fig. 4, next the space between the notch 2 and the sealing strip 3 or the second glass sheet 5, respectively, is filled with a sealing material, such as silicone paste or the like. As a result in addition to the first barrier against moisture or the like formed by the sealing strip 3 a second barrier is formed. Moreover this silicone paste or the like constitutes an additional support for the second glass sheet 5.

[0021] Finally fig. 5 shows the step of applying a decorative frame 8 that covers the sealing strip 3, the support blocks 6 and the sealing material 7. Of course it is possible to provide a decorative frame against glass sheet 1 as well.

[0022] Fig. 6 shows the way in which in a very simple way a connection can be made between a power source and the distance strip 4. For this reason the sealing strip 3 at a corner of the glass sheets 1 and 5 is positioned with its ends contacting in such a way, that the ends of the distance strip 4 do not contact. Next the connection elements 9, that each with a conduit 10 are connected with a not-shown power source, are placed against the two ends of the distance strip 4. For this reason these connecting elements 9 comprise a connecting face adapted to the shown zig zag shaped surface of the distance strip 4, for example having indentations fitting into the zig zags.

[0023] The connecting elements 9 are secured to a suction device 11 that by operating a lever 12 can be easily fixed to or released from the glass sheet 1. In this way the connecting elements 9 can be connected to the distance strip 4 in a very quick and reliable way, said distance strip then being connected with the power source.

[0024] When transparent glass or plastic sheets have to be secured together using the method according to the invention it can be desirable to use a siccative. This siccative can for this reason be part of the distance strip 4, the sealing strip 3 or the sealing material 7.

[0025] Because according to the described method the sealing strip 3 is heatened it is possible to attach a second glass sheet 5 to an already existing first glass sheet 1 in cold weather too.

[0026] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described before, but can be varied widely within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Method for sealingly connecting two panel-shaped elements, such as glass-sheets, wherein on one of said elements an elastic sealing strip and a metal distance strip extending perpendicularly to the plane of said one element are positioned, said elements thereafter being pressed together and said sealing strip thereby establishing a connection between said elements, characterized in that said distance strip is part of said sealing strip and in that at least during pressing together said panel-shaped elements an electric current is led through said distance strip, said distance strip thereby acting as a resistance element.

2. Method as set forth in claim 1,
characterized in that the sealing strip is positioned by means of a gauge defining the distance of said sealing strip towards the edge of said one element.

3. Method as set forth in claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that the distance strip is positioned at the surface of one side of said sealing strip, wherein said sealing strip is provided between two panel-shaped elements pointing outwardly with said distance strip.

4. Method as set forth in claim 3,
characterized in that a connecting member is connected with each end of said distance strip, said connecting members being coupled with a power source.

5. Method as set forth in claim 4,
characterized in that said connecting members, after being connected to said distance strip, are fixed relative to said one element .

6. Method as set forth in claim 5,
characterized in that a suction device is mounted on said one element, wherein the connecting members are attached to said suction device.

7. Method as set forth in claim 5,
characterized in that the connecting members are part of a suction device that can be mounted on said one element.

8. Method as set forth in any of claims 1-7, characterized in that the current intensity is variable.

9. Method as set forth in any of claims 1-8, characterized in that after pressing together said two panel-shaped elements a sealing material, such as silicone paste, is provided at the outside of the sealing strip between said two elements.

Drawing