Abstract:
A decorative structure comprises a frame completely surrounding a space and a front and rear barrier material applied to front and rear surfaces of the frame enclosing the space to form a three dimensional structure. The space located between the front and rear barrier material and the frame, is filled with pieces of waste glass, or other recycled material, which has been processed to have smoothened surfaces and provide a decorative appearance. At least the front barrier material has sufficient transparency so that the decorative appearance of the waste material held behind the barrier is visible.

Description:
Disclosed herein is a new structural and decorative panel for use in both interior and exterior architectural design and construction applications. The panel includes a decorative display of recycled glass and allows an enormous amount of waste architectural glass to be diverted from disposal in landfill. Applications include, but are not limited to, barriers, wall decorations, lighting or furniture components, artistic displays, water features and entry ways. 
     BACKGROUND 
     While a system has been established for the collection and recycle of glass bottles and containers from domestic waste, a cost effective and useful arrangement has not been established for the recovery and reuse of structural glass typically used in construction. In particular, to recycle waste glass from window, door and shower enclosure manufacturers and local glass fabricators the glass is typically transported great distances to be re-melted (with huge energy consumption) and then redistributed, again requiring transportation for great distances to a new end user for incorporation in glass sheet fabrication or land fill applications. This is a different type of glass than bottle and container glass, the latter is already being widely recycled. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     Described herein is a method of addressing this costly waste recovery issue and at the same time providing both structural and decorative products using this waste material. In particular, the industrial or commercial waste glass is collected, for local processing by breaking and tumbling or other polishing techniques to produce suitably sized pieces of glass with the sharp edges removed and an enhanced surface appearance. This processed glass is then used as a loose filler in an interior space within a suitable retaining structure such as a three dimensional panel arrangement composed of two substantially parallel transparent or translucent barriers, preferably comprising a mesh structure, held within a frame. As an alternative embodiment, a binding agent can be added to the loose filler to form a more cohesive or substantially solid space filler. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring to the drawings forming an integral part of this specification: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a product incorporating features of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is and enlarged front view of the circled portion of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an upper portion of  FIG. 1  including a hinge. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view showing multiple structures as shown in  FIG. 1  joined together. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  shows a variation of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  including a barrier comprising a mesh pattern with six-sided polygonal openings. 
         FIG. 7  shows a variation of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  including a barrier comprising a mesh pattern with the wires in the mesh running diagonally. 
         FIG. 8  shows a variation of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  including a barrier with circular openings therein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the Figures,  FIG. 1  shows a decorative panel  10 , which can be used as a structural element, incorporating features of the invention which comprises a frame  12  with a mesh or other suitable barrier  14  on the front and rear of the frame capable of retaining in a space  16  therebetween a filler  18  as described herein below. A typical panel comprises a box approximately 4 foot by 4 foot with a thickness of about 2 inches to about 4 inches. However, the dimension are not critical to the invention and smaller (for example 1 foot by 2 foot or 2 foot by 2 foot) or larger (for example 8 foot by 8 foot) panels with a smaller or larger interior space  16  incorporating features of the invention can be constructed. The dimensions of the panel  10  and the barrier  14  openings are typically selected based on the end application of the structure, the weight of the assembled panel and the size of the filler material  18 .  FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment having a structural steel frame  12  with a barrier  14 , comprising a wire mesh, forming the front and rear surfaces of the panel  10 . The internal space  16 , i.e., the area between front and rear barriers  14 , is filled with randomly distributed tumble polished waste glass as best shown in  FIG. 5 , which is a cross sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 . The frame  12  provides the strength necessary for use as a structural component. The tumbled glass filler  18  provides a decorative means of using recycled glass. The glass filler material  18  is loose within the frame and preferably not adhesively attached, melted to attach adjacent pieces, or secured by any liquid or molten plastic filler.  FIG. 2  is an enlarged image of the circled portion of  FIG. 1 . While not shown, other filler materials may also be added. 
     The various embodiments provide means to recycle, repackage, re-use, and redistribute waste glass as both interior and exterior architectural design features. A significant quantity of waste architectural glass is thus diverted from disposal in a landfill. The filler is typically glass having a thickness greater than container glass which is discarded during the manufacture of large glass products as well as during the fabrication of windows, doors, shower enclosures or other structural/architectural glass products. It is preferably a type of glass which is different from bottle and container glass that is already being widely recycled. Virtually all types and thicknesses of architectural glass may be acquired, mostly from various sources listed above, and fractured or broken into chunks of various sizes. These chunks are then frosted, typically by tumbling or sand blasting. The glass can then be further polished or otherwise treated such as by application of a coating to provide a smooth, reflective, multicolor, etc. surface or colorants may be added to produce an enhanced surface appearance. The processed glass is then used to fill prefabricated panel container structures specifically designed to hold the glass filler material. As an alternative, if larger chunks are desired, some of the fractured pieces may be adhesively or melt attached to create larger chunks. The processed waste glass filler  18  is intended to be the primary visual element while the frame  12  provides the structural integrity. The barrier  14  or mesh can provide both structural integrity and a visual element but it is intended primarily to retain the recycled glass filler  14  within the frame  12 . The panels can be manufactured using wire mesh, examples of which are shown in the attached figures, or a wide variety of other types of materials, designed to contain the glass components in such a way as to permit the glass itself to be the primary visual element when viewed from the front and/or rear of the panel  10 . Various standard and custom building component sizes and configurations are possible and intended. For example, while the figures show flat square panels, one skilled in the art will recognize that the panels can be fabricated with a wide range of geometric shapes as well as being curved or otherwise contoured. 
       FIG. 3  shows an embodiment comprising a panel  10  such as shown in  FIG. 1  with a hinge  20  attached to the frame  12  so that the panel  10  can be used as a gate or door. As a further embodiment, added structural integrity can be obtained by assembling multiple panels as shown for example in  FIG. 4 . One skilled in the art based on the teachings herein will understand that the multiple panels can be welded together, attached to each other by clamps and/or bolts (not shown) or set within a separate frame (not shown) designed to hold a panel together in its finished form or to mount multiple panels to together to form a larger structure. 
     Many applications are possible, including (but not limited to) architectural dividers, structural building components, signage, fences, gates, screens, barriers, walls, lighting, sculpture, art and water features, etc. For example, barriers incorporating features of the invention may be used to hide from view or camouflage other structures such as piping, waste collection areas, electrical panels, etc. While the figures show a wire mesh barrier  14  with approximately 1-2 inch openings, smaller or larger mesh sizes can be used, depending on the size of the glass filler material. Also, while a steel mesh is preferred, other metals or materials such as a plastic mesh or barrier can also be used. While the Figures show barriers with openings therein, it is also contemplated that the barrier may be a solid but transparent or translucent material which provides visualization of the filer material  18 . The panels  10  may also include imaging enhancing components, such as lighting or flowing water sources, built into or applied to an exterior surface of the panel  10 . Still further, the figures show both the front and rear barriers  14  to be an open mesh or otherwise transparent. However, it is further contemplated that one barrier  14 , for example the rear barrier, may be solid or translucent while the other barrier may be an open mesh or different mesh patterns can comprise the front and rear barriers  14 . 
     Still further as shown in  FIGS. 6-8  the barrier  14  may be formed of a wide variety of mesh patterns or have various shaped openings.  FIG. 6  shows a panel  110  with a mesh  114  having hexagonal openings in a pattern usually referred to as chicken wire. However, other geometric shaped openings can be used. Where  FIG. 1  shows the wires comprising the mesh positioned horizontal and vertical to the frame  10 ,  FIG. 7  shows a panel  210  with the a mesh  214  having the wires positioned diagonally within the frame  10 , i.e., at an angle to the frame edge.  FIG. 8  shows a panel  310  having a barrier  314  with a uniform distribution of multiple circular openings  324 . Based on the teachings herein, one skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of barrier materials, openings and mesh designs can be used without straying from the intent of the invention disclosed herein. 
     One skilled in the art will recognize that the glass filled frames can be assembled using a variety of standard assembly techniques. For example, front and rear halves of the frame with attached barrier material can be fabricated. One half is then placed on a horizontal surface, the processed glass is placed within that half and the other side is attached sandwiching the glass between the front and rear frames. The interior edges of the frames can then be welded together along the seam  22  between the two halves, as shown in  FIG. 1 . Alternatively the front and rear halves can be bolted together or a edge piece (not shown) can be added to aid in attachment. 
     Alternatively the front and rear halves of the frame can be assembled with one mesh or one edge being left open. In either instance the glass filler is added and then the missing edge or mesh is attached using standard assembly techniques. 
     Accordingly, a decorative panel arrangement, which also can be used as a structural component, and examples of the assembly thereof have been described. The panel comprises a frame and front and rear transparent, translucent or opaque barriers attached thereto, the barriers allowing a filler material placed within the frame to be visualized. Waste glass that has been tumble polished or otherwise processed to enhance the exterior appearance thereof is used to fill the interior space within the panel. However, while the primary intent, as described herein is to use recovered glass material, it is also contemplated that other manufacturing waste materials could also be used as a filler in place of or added thereto, for example, recycled plastic products, waste construction material, wood pieces, scrap metal, stone aggregate or concrete. Additionally, a binding agent may be added to form a more cohesive filler material. Examples of the binding agent include, but are not limited to, adhesives, recycled plastics, which can be heated to adhere to the filler surfaces, resins, etc.