Method for encapsulating glass in silicone for using in civil construction and silicone encapsulated glass obtained with the method

Abstract

 A method for encapsulating glass in silicone for using in civil construction, said method comprising the use of a glass sheet (5) which receives in its periphery (4) a pre-extruded silicone profile (1), said profile being bond to the glass surface (5) through the use of a pasty structural silicone (2) delivered over the cavities (3) of the referred to profile (1), and thus achieving a rigid piece (5) (glass) with its edges (5a) controllably flexible and shaped with a design suitable to its final application.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for encapsulating glass in silicone for using in civil construction, as well as the encapsulated glass obtained with the method, and one of the advantages of said method resides in the possibility of being used in connection with glass pieces having the most varied shapes, dimensions and specifications (ordinary, tempered or laminated).

[0002] As it is of general knowledge, glasses employed in civil construction field are treated through a primitive and nearly manual process.

[0003] In view of its classical nature, glass in general and more particularly the flat glass used as a window closure element, for covering facades and in a wide range of other applications is characterized by being associated with handling, cutting, edge treating, carrying and installation difficulties, particularly as a result of its physical aspects, such as its fragility and weight, among others.

[0004] These factors associated with technical aspects relating to glass utilization, such as the accuracy required to cut it, bring upon as direct outcome a wide possibility of losses, errors of diverse kinds, defects in quality, durability, airtightness or watertightness (as regards mounting), and safety, and these details result in a high additional cost which should be seriously considered when any type of glass is to be handled.

[0005] One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide an encapsulating method capable of being applied to any kind of glass piece, and such piece may comprise sheets, strips, and other shapes, whether ordinary, tempered or laminated glass in the most varied colour, finishing or dimension standards.

[0006] Another objective of the present invention concerns the glass encapsulating method which allows to obtain a glass piece with highly secure handling characteristics, fully protected, nearly unbreakable, and a glass which can be produced with quality standard assured. Furthermore, in view of the simplicity of systems and methods, the results are ease of transportation and storage and installation simplicity.

[0007] Another objective of the present invention resides in providing a glass encapsulating method bringing with it as advantages over the prior art (glass pieces not encapsulated in silicone) a substantial improvement in the aspects relating to the cutting accuracy effectively required to enable the use of the piece. Another advantage is that with the method of the present invention, any edge (on top) lapidation operation is no longer necessary, while the use of vehicles specially prepared for the glass transportation is similarly no longer necessary.

[0008] Another objective of this patent of invention resides in providing an encapsulating method which allows for the production of a glass piece (flat sheet) showing substantially improved characteristics as regards durability and airtightness or watertightness, requirements closely related to and of a great importance in the procedures associated with glass mounting in any kind of structure.

[0009] It is also another objective of this patent of invention to provide an encapsulating method to allow for the production of a glass piece which does not require cleaning and external caulking, and as far as this last aspect is concerned, according to the method of the present invention, the caulking effect, with which the conventional technique aims at reaching airtightness, results from the intrinsic nature of the positive and unprecedented association between glass and silicone.

[0010] It is also another objective of the present invention to provide the end product, that is to say, the silicone encapsulated glass showing highly positive qualities in all respects, if compared to conventional glass pieces regardless of their dimension, shape and type parameters (ordinary, tempered or laminated).

[0011] Thus, according to present invention there is provided a method for encapsulating glass in silicone for use in civil construction characterized in that it includes the steps of firstly delivering a bead or set of beads of structural silicone paste (2) via one or more delivery nozzles (6) into longitudinal cavities formed in a pre-extruded silicone profile; secondly, applying the pre-extruded silicone profile (1) containing the beads of structural silicone paste (2) to the periphery (4) of a glass sheet (5), said profile (1) application over the glass sheet (5) being made by means of templates (G); and thirdly curing the glass sheet (5) and profile (1) for a predetermined period.

[0012] In view of the foregoing, the present method for encapsulating glass in silicone has been developed and will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of the first step of the method of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a view of the second step of the method of the present invention;

Figure 2a shows a section and schematic view of a pre-extruded profile model given as an example and used in the second step of the method;

Figure 3 shows the third step of the method of the present invention comprising the curing period;

Figure 4 shows an example of the end product, that is to say, an encapsulated glass piece achieved according to the precepts of the present method;

Figure 5 shows schematically a sample of the pre-extruded profile representing a specific category, particularly destined to encapsulating glass capable of being applied to conventional sashes and fastened by aluminum sections;

Figure 6 shows a sample of a profile representing a second profile category which is specifically destined to encapsulating glass in structural silicone, without the use of metal exterior elements, according to the technique known as "STRUCTURAL GLAZING" (glued glass). The profile of this category is the same as that shown in Figure 2a where it is used to indicate the fact there are cavities suitable to receive the volume of pasty structural silicone; and

Figure 7 shows a sample of a profile representing the third profile category used to encapsulate special glasses with a protection purpose and specific coupling to a given application, and for this reason it has a broad choice of varieties.

[0013] According to what is shown in the drawings mentioned above, the method object of the present patent of invention is comprises a first step in which the pre-extruded silicone profile 1, with suitable chemical composition and hardness, receives a bead or set of beads of pasty structural silicone 2 by means of special delivering nozzles 6 (Figure 1) which deliver the amount of pasty structural silicone 2 to each of the cavities 3 of profile 1.

[0014] In a second step of the present encapsulating method, the pre-extruded silicone profile 1 already containing the structural duly homogenized silicone beads 2 is applied over the periphery 4 of a glass sheet 5 (ordinary, tempered or laminated) by using measurement templates G, set square or angle brackets. A sample of the mentioned template G is schematically shown in Figure 2.

[0015] Glass piece 5 may show the most varied shapes, dimensions and other aspects, and such a fact leaves fully clear the versatility of the method in question.

[0016] According to its third step, the encapsulating method proposed comprises storing the glass piece 5 for a curing period which may be within a time frame ranging between 24 and 48 hours.

[0017] Figure 3 shows in a schematic way the mentioned third step of the method, where each glass piece 5, after having received profile 1 is stored for curing of the pasty structural silicone 2.

[0018] The curing period allows, on one hand, the chemical welding between the amount of material of the mentioned pasty structural silicone beads 2 and the periphery 4 of a glass sheet 5, and on the other, the same chemical welding between the same material of structural silicone beads 2 and the pre-extruded silicone profile 1, thus forming one combined piece defined by the sequence glass/structural silicone/pre-extruded silicone indicated by the reference 5' particularly illustrated in figure 4.

[0019] The chemical welding or binding between the three primary elements forming part of the encapsulating method of the present invention is accomplished in a perfect way because all materials used are compatible with each other, and have the same basis: SILICA.

[0020] As a result of the method of the present invention, a combined piece 5' is obtained showing to feature characteristics of rigidity typical to the glass substantially improved by the addition of a new effect associated with its edges 5a which are then controllably flexible, and featuring a design suitable to the glass final application.

[0021] The positive consequences of the method herein discussed, further to the aspects previously mentioned, are to cause an increase in the general perfection of the glass pieces obtained, a fact which generates an overall cost reduction and thus causes a significant output gain.

[0022] Figure 2a shows in a schematic way a transversal section taken in the pre-extruded profile sample 1 where its configuration may be seen. The model comprises cavities or ridges 3 studied and dimensioned so as the amount of material delivered through the bead or beads of pasty structural silicone 2 is homogenized, thereby assuring the maximum efficiency in the glass-profile adhesion to be obtained.

[0023] In view of the particular destinations the glass piece may have, the combined piece 5' may be obtained through the encapsulation of a glass piece with pre-extruded profile having specific configurations.

[0024] Figures 5, 6 and 7 show in a non-limiting way three examples of a pre-extruded profile 1, each one representing one of the three basic categories.

[0025] Therefore, the first profile category such as that shown by Figure 5 is good for producing a combined piece 5' suitable to be mounted where conventional sashes and those fastened by aluminum sections are employed.

[0026] The second category shown in Figure 6 refers to a modality of combined piece 5' specially prepared to allow for its mounting without the need of using metal elements, and in this case the combined piece 5' is fastened by the direct use of the pasty structural silicone too, according to a technique called "STRUCTURAL GLAZING" which conventionally comprises "gluing" the glass piece.

[0027] The third profile category (Figure 7) involves the whole glass piece edge and is employed to encapsulate glasses intended to special applications, and so it can cover a broad choice of varieties.

[0028] It should be emphasized that from the present method various designs and measures of different profiles may be originated, which if carried out will cause the content originally claimed, as well as the scope of the protection intended herewith to be deemed as a patent of invention.

Claims

1. A method for encapsulating glass in silicone for using in civil construction is characterized in that it comprises a first step in which a pre-extruded silicone profile (1) having suitable chemical composition and hardness receives a bead or set of beads of pasty structural silicone (2) by using delivering nozzles (6) which deliver the amount of pasty structural silicone (2) over each of the cavities (3) of the profile (1); and in a second step, the pre-extruded silicone profile (1) already containing the pasty structural silicone beads (2), duly homogenized, is applied to the periphery (4) of a glass sheet (5) which may be of the ordinary, tempered or laminated type, said profile (1) application over the glass sheet (5) being made by means of templates (G); and in a third step the glass sheet (5), upon receiving the profile (1) is kept stored for a curing period.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the curing period of the third step of the method corresponds to a time frame ranging between 24 and 48 hours.

3. A method as claimed in Claims 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that the curing period determines the chemical welding between the periphery (4) of the glass sheet (5) and the pre-extruded silicone profile (91).

4. A method as claimed in any preceding Claim, characterized in that the end product, in other words, the silicone encapsulated glass is configured as a combined piece (5') defined by the sequence glass/structural silicone/pre-extruded silicone.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding Claim, characterized in that it allows for the preparation of a combined piece (5'), specially intended to be used or applied to sashes.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding Claim, characterized in that it allows for the preparation of a combined piece (5') specially intended to be used or installed without the use of exterior metal elements, and its mounting being achieved with the appropriate application of a pasty structural silicone.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding Claim, characterized in that it allows for the preparation of a combined piece (5') based upon the use of glass pieces (5) intended to special applications.

8. A method as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the pasty silicone is delivered as a plurality of separate beads whose separation is defined by the geometry of the delivery nozzles.

9. A silicone encapsulated glass for using in civil construction, characterized in that it is obtained by a combined piece (5') formed by chemical welding between a glass piece (5) and a pre-extruded silicone profile (1), and such welding being achieved by an amount of pasty structural silicone (2) delivered over cavities (3) arranged along the profile (1).

10. A silicone encapsulate glass as claimed in Claim 9, characterized in that the edge (5a) of the combined piece (5') shows controlled flexibility and hardness features and configuration suitable to its final application.

Drawing