Abstract:
A panel railing has a dimensionally stable U-shaped profile. Between the two limbs of the U-shaped profile, the base region of a glass pane is held in a clamped manner. A spacer body and a rod body are arranged in the opening region of the U-shaped profile between the glass pane and one limb. The rod body is provided in an upper, free edge region of at least one of the two limbs. The rod body is placed in a pressing manner with its one outer face against the limb and with its other outer face, which lies opposite the former, against the glass pane. On the inner side of the limb, there is at least one projection which protrudes from said limb in the direction of the glass pane and is present below the maximum width extent of the rod body.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a U.S. National Phase Application under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Patent Application No. PCT/DE2011/002065, filed Dec. 1, 2011, and claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. 20 2010 016 188.6, filed Dec. 6, 2010, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entity. The International Application was published in German on Jun. 14, 2012 as International Publication No. WO/2012/075997 under PCT Article 21(2). 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a panel railing, by means of which panels are held in a clamped manner in their base region, with the result that railing posts can be dispensed with. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Corresponding glass-pane railings are known, for example, from DE 20 2007 009 239 U1 or WO 2009/003452 A1. In railings of this type, it is provided to insert the glass panel, which can also consist, for example, of two individual panes which are connected to one another, such as, in particular, adhesively bonded to one another, into a U-shaped profile which holds the glass pane in a clamped manner. The inner walls of said U-shaped profile are of planar configuration. The base region of the glass pane is enclosed by way of a U-shaped profile body made from plastic which is inserted into the U-shaped profile before the mounting of the glass pane. An exact and tilt-resistant alignment of the glass pane takes place subsequently by means of wedge-like inserts. Here, the U-shaped profile body which encloses the base region of the glass pane reaches on both sides of the glass pane as far as into the opening region of the U-shaped profile. Before the glass pane is inserted into the U-shaped profile, said U-shaped profile has already been screwed or welded to a fastening profile which is arranged fixedly on a building. To this end, one of the two limbs of the U-shaped profile can have a bent-over portion, by means of which the U-shaped profile can be hooked onto the fastening profile. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Proceeding from this previously known prior art, the invention is based on the object of specifying an improved panel railing which can be produced in an economically favorable manner and makes mounting possible which is as simple and rapid as possible. 
     The panel railing according to the invention is produced by the features of the main claim. Appropriate developments of the invention are the subject matter of further claims which follow the main claim. 
     It is provided according to the invention to use a rod body as spacer body in the upper, free edge region of at least one of the two limbs of the U-shaped profile. Said rod body bears in a pressing manner with its one outer face against the limb of the U-shaped profile, whereas it bears in a pressing manner with its other outer face which lies opposite the former against the panel. A projection which is directed away from the limb and protrudes in the direction of the panel is situated on the inner side of the limb, against which inner side the rod body is placed in a pressing manner. Said projection is present below the maximum width extent of the rod body, with the result that the rod body can be inserted to a certain extent into the U-shaped profile. At the same time, said projection prevents the rod body from sliding down too far, since the rod body rests on the projection of the limb in its state in which it is seated to the maximum extent in the U-shaped profile. 
     The inner side of the limb, against which inner side the rod body can be placed in a pressing manner, can have a plurality of projections which are arranged at a mutual spacing from one another. In particular, said inner side can be of wedge-like configuration, with the result that a lower projection protrudes further than an upper projection into the interior of the U-shaped profile in the direction transversely with respect to the panel plane. In this way, a rod body can be placed with different depths in the interior of the U-shaped profile, as a result of which an orientation of the panel in the U-shaped profile becomes possible. It would also be possible to place in each case rod bodies with a different maximum width extent on the different projections; the rod body with the smallest maximum width extent should be arranged at the very bottom. 
     In order to make mounting of the panel possible which is as uniform as possible, each rod body can have identical maximum width cross sections along its rod axis. A rod body of this type should be inserted into the U-shaped profile with its longitudinal axis approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of said U-shaped profile. In particular, each rod body can have identical cross sections along its rod axis. In one particularly preferred embodiment, the rod body can be configured as a round rod or oval rod. It would also be possible to provide the rod body in a droplet shape or with a polygonal cross section, for example a hexagonal cross section. 
     A rod body of this type can be present on both sides of the panel. In one preferred embodiment, the panel can be held on its one side by a rod body and on its other side by a spacer body such that it is pressed in between the two limbs of the U-shaped profile. In this way, the mounting can take place in a particularly simple manner by virtue of the fact that first of all the spacer body is positioned between the one limb of the U-shaped profile and the panel. Subsequently, the rod body can be placed in the opening region between the other limb and the panel. If the panel is now pressed somewhat against the spacer body, the rod body can automatically slide or fall downward into the U-shaped profile until the panel is held in a clamped manner. As a result of the projections which are present on the inner side of the limb of the U-shaped profile, the rod body can slide into the U-shaped profile only as far as a predetermined point, with the result that excessively deep seating or falling down of the rod body can be prevented. 
     The spacer body can be clipped into a groove on the inner side of the limb of the U-shaped profile. In this case, the spacer body could have a corresponding tongue which can be inserted or pushed into the groove of the U-shaped profile, in order to fasten the spacer body to the limb of the U-shaped profile in a positionally secure manner. Here, the groove of the U-shaped profile does not have to be filled completely by the tongue of the spacer body, but rather it can be sufficient to configure the tongue to be somewhat shorter than the groove. As an alternative or in addition to this, the tongue could be of somewhat wider configuration than the groove at least in some regions, with the result that the tongue would have to be compressed, in order for it to be possible to insert it into the groove. In order to facilitate compression of this type of the tongue, the tongue could have an approximately horizontal slot, as a result of which the tongue would spread open slightly within the groove. 
     As an alternative or in addition to this, the spacer body can be supported in terms of load on a profile body which is present in the base region of the U-shaped profile. This can be realized, for example, by virtue of the fact that the profile body is present in an integral form with the spacer body. The spacer body could also be present in a separate form from the profile body and could reach into the U-shaped profile to such a depth that it rests on one of the walls of the profile body. 
     The upper opening region of the U-shaped profile can be covered laterally of the panel on both sides in each case by a covering profile. Said covering profile can prevent the ingress of moisture, for example as a result of rain, and can ensure a visually pleasing termination of the U-shaped profile. In one particularly preferred embodiment, the covering profile can be connected integrally to the spacer body. The covering profile and spacer body can therefore be mounted in a single work step; subsequent post-treatment of the upper opening region of the U-shaped profile is therefore not required. 
     The covering profile can have a longitudinal groove which can be clamped into a rib-like projection of the limb of the U-shaped profile. An embodiment of this type can also be used in an integrated configuration of covering profile and spacer body. 
     Both rod bodies and spacer bodies do not have to be present over the entire length of the U-shaped profile. Rather, it can be sufficient to provide spacer bodies and rod bodies merely in sections. It would also be possible, for example, to configure the spacer body as a continuous spacer element, whereas the rod body is present only at certain intervals. 
     Further advantages and features of the invention can be gathered from the features which are specified further in the claims and from the following exemplary embodiment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       In the following text, the invention will be described and explained in greater detail using the exemplary embodiment which is shown in the drawing, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a cross section through the base region of a glass-pane railing according to the invention, 
         FIG. 2  shows a cross section through the base region of the glass-pane railing according to  FIG. 1  during mounting, and 
         FIG. 3  shows a cross section of the opening region of the U-shaped profile with inserted panels (indicated by dash-dotted lines) of different thickness. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows details of a glass-pane railing  10  with its base region in cross section. The glass pane  18  which consists in the present exemplary case of two panels  14 ,  16  which are adhesively bonded fixedly to one another via an adhesive layer  12  is seated with its base region  20  in a U-shaped profile  22  such that it is held in a clamped manner. 
     The right-hand and the left-hand limbs  24 ,  26  of the U-shaped profile  22  protrude upward at right angles from a web which forms the base  28  of the U-shaped profile  22 , with the formation of a respective rounded portion. In the present exemplary case, said base  28  of the U-shaped profile  22  protrudes in the form of a fastening web  30  beyond the right-hand, inner limb  24 . By means of the fastening web  30 , the U-shaped profile  22  can be fastened to a building or to a structural connecting element. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, other fastening possibilities of the U-shaped profile are also possible. 
     The two limbs  24 ,  26  of the U-shaped profile  22  can be of different lengths. For instance, the inner, right-hand limb  24  can be of lower configuration than the outer, left-hand limb  26 , in particular for visual reasons, in a glass-pane railing which is mounted on the end side of a floor or ceiling panel. 
     In the present exemplary case, the two limbs  24 ,  26  in each case have a kink  32 ,  34 . Between said kinks  32 ,  34  and the base of the U-shaped profile  22 , the wall thickness of the two limbs  24 ,  26  tapers in each case upward, away from the base  28  and toward the two kinks  32 ,  34 . The wall thickness of the two limbs  24 ,  26  no longer tapers to such an extent above the kinks  32 ,  34  as below them. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, the wall thickness of the two limbs  24 ,  26  above the two kinks  32 ,  34  could also be of approximately constant configuration. It would also be possible to dispense with the kinks  32 ,  34  and to configure the two limbs  24 ,  26  completely with a wall thickness which tapers upward constantly or completely. 
     The glass pane  18  is held with its base region  20  in the U-shaped profile  22  in a clamped manner. To this end, the glass pane  18  is enclosed in its lower edge region in a tightly bearing manner by a U-shaped profile body  40  which is of one piece in the present exemplary case. Said U-shaped profile body  40  has a base  42  with two upwardly protruding walls  44 ,  46 . As long as no glass pane  18  has been inserted into the U-shaped profile  22  and the U-shaped profile body  40 , the base  42  has the shape of a gable roof (see  FIG. 2 ). When the base  42  with the shape of a gable roof is pressed down by an inserted glass pane  18 , the lower wall regions of the two walls  44 ,  46  are pressed outward against the two limbs  24 ,  26  of the U-shaped profile  22 . In this way, play-free bearing of the base region  20  of the glass pane  18  is possible in the base region of the U-shaped profile  22 . 
     The walls  44 ,  46  of the U-shaped profile body  40  can be of comparatively short configuration in comparison with the two limbs  24 ,  26  of the U-shaped profile  22 . In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, the walls  44 ,  46  of the U-shaped profile body  40  could also, however, protrude as far as almost into the opening region of the U-shaped profile  22 . 
     The U-shaped profile body  40  is composed of a lightweight plastic material which has sufficient compressive strength. The weight of the glass pane  18  becomes greater only to an insubstantial extent as a result of the U-shaped profile body  40  which is pushed onto it. 
     A groove  50  is provided on the inner side of the outer limb  26  in the opening region of the U-shaped profile  22 . The tongue  52  of a spacer body  54  can be pushed into said groove  50 , with the result that said spacer body  54  can be positioned on the outer limb  26  in a positionally secure manner at a predefined spacing from the base  28  of the U-shaped profile  22 . A covering profile  56  is formed integrally on the spacer body  54 . The covering profile  56  ensures a visually pleasant termination of the upper opening region of the U-shaped profile  22  and can prevent the ingress of moisture, for example as a result of rain, into the U-shaped profile  22 . The covering profile  56  has a groove  58 , by way of which the covering profile  56  can be fastened to a rib-like projection  60  of the outer limb  26 . In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, the spacer body  54  and covering profile  56  could also be two separate components. 
     In the present exemplary case, the fastening of the spacer body  54  to the outer limb  26  takes place by means of a tongue and groove connection. In contrast to this, other types of fastening would also be possible; for example, the spacer body could have a hook formation which could be hooked into a corresponding undercut in the outer limb. 
     In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, the U-shaped profile body  40  and the spacer body  54  could also be connected integrally to one another. This could take place, for example, by way of a spacer projection  62  which is indicated by dash-dotted lines in  FIG. 1  and connects the outer, left-hand wall  46  of the U-shaped profile body  40  to the spacer body  54 . In this case, the spacer body  54  could be supported in terms of load at least partially on the U-shaped profile body  40 . 
     A wedge-shaped shoulder projection  70  is formed integrally on the inner side of the inner limb  24  in the upper region. The wedge-shaped shoulder projection  70  has a plurality of projections  72 . The individual projections  72  are arranged in each case in such a way that a lower projection protrudes further than an upper projection into the interior of the U-shaped profile  22 . The surface of the wedge-shaped shoulder projection  70  is in each case of concave configuration between adjacent projections  72 , with the result that a rod body  74  which, in the present exemplary case, has a circular cross section with a constant diameter can be positioned reliably between two projections  72 , in order to hold the glass pane  18  in a clamped manner. 
     In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, the surface of the wedge-shaped shoulder projection  70  could also be of corrugated or serrated configuration. As an alternative or in addition to this, the rod body  74  could also have a corrugated or serrated surface. 
     A groove  80  is present on the inner side of the inner limb above the wedge-shaped shoulder projection  70 . A separate covering profile  84  can be fastened to said groove  80  and the rib-like projection  82  which is situated above it. To this end, the covering profile  84  has a tongue  86  which can be pushed into the groove  80 . Moreover, the covering profile  84  has a groove  88 , into which the rib-like projection  82  of the limb  24  can be pushed. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, other fastening possibilities of the covering profile could also be suitable. For example, the covering profile could have a hook formation which could be hooked into a corresponding undercut on the limb of the U-shaped profile. 
     During the mounting of the glass-pane railing  10 , first of all the U-shaped profile body  40  is inserted from above into the U-shaped profile  22  and the spacer body  54  is fastened to the outer limb  26 . The glass pane  18  is possibly inserted from above slightly obliquely into the U-shaped profile body  40 . The rod body  74  is subsequently inserted into the opening region of the U-shaped profile  22  between the inner limb  24  and the glass pane  18 . The glass pane  18  can now be pressed somewhat against the spacer body  54 . Here, the rod body  74  slides or falls at least to a certain extent between the glass pane  18  and the wedge-shaped shoulder projection  70  of the inner limb  24 . Should a further alignment of the glass pane  18  be desired, the rod body  74  can be pushed by means of a suitable tool more deeply into the gap which is present between the glass pane  18  and the wedge-shaped shoulder projection  70 . This could also be achieved by way of increased pressure on the panel  18 . In the final step, the covering profile  84  is attached in the opening region of the inner limb  24  of the U-shaped profile  22 , in order to ensure a visually pleasant termination. 
     As can be gathered, in particular, from  FIG. 3 , the installation of various glass panes  18  with different thicknesses can take place in identical U-shaped profiles  22  by way of the use of rod bodies  74  with a uniform diameter. Irrespectively of the desired glass thickness of the glass pane to be installed, no different U-shaped profiles therefore have to be kept in store. Merely U-shaped profile bodies of different thickness and possibly spacer bodies  54  of different thickness, if the glass pane is to be present in the center of the U-shaped profile, have to be kept in store. As a result, the required warehouse costs are reduced considerably. 
     In contrast to the exemplary embodiments which are shown in the drawing, the rod body could be shrunk in its longitudinal axis to produce a body, in which the longitudinal extent is not greater than the transverse extent. As a result, for example, a round rod could also assume the shape of a ball.