IES980355A2

IES980355A2 - Panel assembly

Info

Publication number: IES980355A2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Patrick Doyle
Original assignee: Naimon Investments Limited
Priority date: 1998-05-11
Filing date: 1998-05-11
Publication date: 1998-09-09
Also published as: IES80547B2

Abstract

A panel assembly comprises a pair of panels, such as glazing panels (16), whose adjacent edges overlap opposite longitudinal edges of a frame member (10) and are held in place by a retaining member (22) which overlaps such edges on the opposite side thereof to the frame member. The retaining member (22) is snap-fitted to the frame member (10) through a gap between the panel edges so that the retaining member (22) exerts pressure on the edges of the pan. <Fig. 3>

Description

This invention relates to a panel assembly, for example in the construction of a curtain wall. The panels may be glazing panels, such as double glazed sealed units, or they may be opaque or translucent panels.

According to the present invention there is provided a panel assembly in which the adjacent edges of a pair of panels overlap opposite longitudinal edges of an elongate frame member and are there held in place by an elongate retaining member which overlaps such edges on the opposite side thereof to the frame member and which is fixed to the frame member through a gap between the adjacent edges of the panels so that the retaining member exerts pressure on the edges of the panels, wherein the frame member and retaining member are snap-fitted together.

In a preferred embodiment one of the frame member and retaining member has a pair of longitudinally extending jaws opening towards the other of the frame member and retaining member, and the other of the frame member and retaining member has a longitudinally extending member for insertion between the jaws, at least one of the insertion member and jaws being resiliently deformed as the insertion member is inserted between the jaws, and the insertion member and jaws having cooperating members which snap-engage one behind the other upon sufficient insertion of the insertion member between the jaws so that the retaining member is locked to 0 the frame member. j ΐϋτ ....................... .. « ·· - j -T II 1; A IE 980355 Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective cutaway view of part of a double glazed curtain wall embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is of Fig. 1 mullion; Fig. 3 is of Fig. 1 a cross-sectional view showing the retaining member at an initial stage of being snap-fitted to the a cross-sectional view showing the retaining member after it has been snap-fitted to the mullion; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the retaining member at an initial stage of being snap-fitted to the mullion in a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is of Fig. 4 a cross-sectional view showing the retaining member after it has been snap-fitted to the mullion; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view through the retaining member and mullion in a third embodiment of the invention; Figs. 7A and 7B show a modification of the third embodiment.

In the various embodiments the same reference numerals have been used for the same or equivalent components.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, a curtain wall comprises a rectangular grid of elongate frame members, i.e. vertical mullions 10 and horizontal transoms 12, although in Fig. 1 IE 980355 only the intersection of one mullion with one transom is shown. Each rectangular opening 14 defined by the grid is occupied by a respective rectangular double glazed sealed unit 16, the units 16 being fixed to the frame members 10 and 12 in the following manner (the following description will describe the fixing of the vertical edges of the units 16 to the mullions 10, but essentially the same arrangement applies to the fixing of the horizontal edges of the units 16 the transoms 12).

The adjacent vertical edges 18 of each pair of adjacent units 16 overlap the opposite longitudinal edges 20 of a mullion 10, and are there held in place by an elongate retaining member 22 which overlaps the edges 18 on the opposite side thereof to the mullion 10 and which is fixed to the mullion 10 through a gap 24 between the adjacent edges 18 of the units 16 so as to exert pressure on the edges 18 of the units. To avoid damage to the units 16 the retaining member 22 does not directly bear against the edges 18 of the unit 16, nor does the latter directly bear against the edges 20 of the mullion 10. Rather, the pressure is transmitted via pairs of gaskets 26 and 28 carried by the retaining member 22 and mullion 10 respectively. The method of fixing the retaining member 22 to the mullion 10 uses a snap-fitting, as will now be described.

The mullion 10 has a pair of longitudinally extending jaws 30 opening towards the retaining member 22, and the retaining member has a longitudinally extending tongue 32 for insertion between the jaws. The tongue 32 has in cross-section an enlarged arrow-shaped head 34 and each jaw 30 has, on its internal surface adjacent its free end, a respective wedge 36 IE 980355 pointing in the opposite direction to the arrow-shaped head 34. To fix the retaining member 22 to the muliion 10, the head 34 is inserted between the jaws 30 and the retaining member 22 pushed towards the muliion 10. This initially causes the head 34 to resiliently force the jaws 30 apart, Fig. 2, to allow the head 34 to pass between the wedges 36. However, upon further insertion the head 34 clears the wedges 36 so that the jaws 30 can close, by relaxation of the resilient deformation, such that the wedges 36 snap-engage behind the head 34 and lock the retaining member 22 to the muliion 10, Fig. 3.

It will be noted that the retaining member 22 is fixed to the muliion 10, as described above, before the gaskets 26 are are fitted to the retaining member. This provides for easier assembly. The gaskets 26 are so-called wedge gaskets which are pushed into place from the side of the retaining member 22 afterwards.

If desired, the retaining member 22 can additionally be fixed by a series of auxilliary screws 38 which penetrate the jaws at intervals along the length of the muliion 10. Finally, a cover 40 is snapped into place on the retaining member 22.

In a second embodiment of the invention, Figs. 4 and 5, the tongue 32 on the retaining member 22 is replaced by a further pair of jaws 42 each having, on its external surface adjacent its free end, a respective wedge 44 pointing in the opposite direction to the internal wedges 36 on the jaws 30. In this case, as the jaws 42 are inserted between the jaws 30, Fig. , they are initially resiliently squeezed together by the wedges 36 on the jaws 30 (in this case, the jaws 30 are IE 980355 connected together by a crosstie 46 near to their free ends, making them substantially less resilient than in the first embodiment).

However, upon further insertion the wedges 44 clear the wedges 36 so that the jaws 42 can open, by relaxation of the resilient deformation, such that the wedges 44 snap-engage behind the wedges 36 and lock the retaining member 22 to the mullion 10, Fig. 4.

In a third embodiment of the invention, Fig. 6, the tongue 32 of Fig. 1 is replaced by a channel member 48 which has in cross-section an arrow-shaped base 50 and whose opposite sides 52 are integral with the opposite edges 54 of the retaining member 22. In use the channel member 48 is inserted base first between the jaws 30, and initially the opposite sides 52 of the channel member 48 are resiliently squeezed together by the jaws 30 as the arrow-shaped base 50 passes between the wedges 36.

However, upon further insertion the arrow-shaped base 50 clears the wedges 36 so that the opposite sides 52 of the channel member 48 can open, by relaxation of the resilient deformation, such that the arrow-shaped base 50 snap-engages behind the wedges 36 and locks the retaining member 22 to the mullion 10.

The advantage of this third embodiment is that the opposite sides 52 of the channel member 48 can be manually compressed together by squeezing the opposite longitudinal edges 54 of the retaining member 22 such that the arrow-shaped base 50 can be disengaged from the wedges 36 and the channel member IE 980355 withdrawn from the jaws 30. This allows the retaining member 22 to be readily removed from the mullion 10 if necessary, for example to replace a broken or defective unit 16 .

In a modification of the third embodiment, Fig. 7A, an elongate wedge member 56 is forced into the mouth 58 of the channel member 48 so as to maintain the opposite sides 52 apart and prevent inadvertent removal of the retaining member 22 from the mullion 10, especially before the cover 40 is snapped into place. As shown, the member 56 has rearwardly directed resilient barbs 60 which, when the member 56 is fully engaged in the channel member 48, Fig. 7B, engage behind stepped portions 62 in the interior of the channel member 48 to retain the wedge member 56 in place. If necessary, the wedge member 56 can be prised out of the channel member 48 to allow removal of the retaining member 22. To this end the wedge member 56 is made of a relatively deformable plastics material.

In the foregoing embodiments the various components can be made from extruded aluminium or moulded in plastics material.

Various modifications to the above embodiments are possible. For example, the jaws 30 could be on the retaining member 22 and the tongue 32, jaws 42 or channel member 48 could be on the mullion 10. Also, although the embodiments have described the use of the invention in the construction of a multi-light curtain wall, the invention is useful in many other situations where it is desired to assemble a plurality cf panels to a frame.

IE 980355 The invention is herein which may the scope of the not limited to the embodiment described be modified or varied without departing from invention.

IE 980355

Claims

1. A panel assembly in which the adjacent edges of a pair of panels overlap opposite longitudinal edges of an elongate frame member and are there held in place by an elongate retaining member which overlaps such edges on the opposite side thereof to the frame member and which is fixed to the frame member through a gap between the adjacent edges of the panels so that the retaining member exerts pressure on the * edges of the panels, wherein the frame member and retaining member are snap-fitted together.

2. A panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the frame member and retaining member has a pair of longitudinally extending jaws opening towards the other of the frame member and retaining member, and the other of the frame member and retaining member has a longitudinally extending member for insertion between the jaws, at least one of the insertion member and jaws being resiliently deformed as the insertion member is inserted between the jaws, and the insertion member and jaws having cooperating members which snap-engage one behind the other upon sufficient insertion of the insertion member between the jaws so that the retaining member is locked to the frame member.

3. A panel assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the insertion member comprises a tongue with an enlarged head, and wherein the jaws are resiliently deformed away from one another upon insertion of the head of the insertion member between the jaws. IE 980355

4. A panel assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the insertion member also comprises a pair of jaws, and wherein such jaws are resiliently deformed towards one another upon insertion of the insertion member.

5. A panel assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the insertion member comprises a channel member which is inserted base first into the jaws, the opposite sides of the channel member being resiliently compressible together by squeezing

6. 10 the opposite longitudinal edges of the retaining member such that the cooperating members can be disengaged and the insertion member withdrawn from the jaws.