Patent Publication Number: US-2016222653-A1

Title: Mullion-Transom Structure

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a mullion-transom structure, especially for facades or glass roofs, comprising a supporting profile to which at least one infill element is fastened, wherein an insulating strip is arranged at an end face of the infill element, which insulating strip is held on the supporting profile and comprises at least one hollow chamber. 
     EP 1 352 134 discloses a mullion-transom structure, in which a screw groove is formed on the mullion profile between two glass panes. An insulating profile, which comprises a hollow chamber, is inserted into the screw groove. Several screws can be mounted in the insulating profile and the screw groove for fixing the glass panes via a pressure strip. The arrangement of such an insulating profile on the screw groove has proven its worth. However, heat insulation is limited because the insulating profile mostly consists of a harder plastic material which comes with comparatively high heat conduction. Furthermore, heat insulation cannot be adjusted due to the closed configuration of the hollow chamber of the insulating profile. 
     It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a mullion-transom structure which has improved heat insulation and allows flexible adjustment of the insulation properties. 
     This object is achieved by a mullion-transom structure in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
     In accordance with the invention, the insulating strip comprises a hollow chamber at a face end of an infill element, which hollow chamber can be closed via at least one mobile cover, so that access to the hollow chamber is enabled via the cover. Heat-insulating strips or other elements can be inserted into the hollow chamber as required, which allows a flexible adjustment of the insulating strip. The term “cover” shall comprise any element which can enable access to the hollow chamber, irrespective of whether the cover is pivotable or closable, or creates access in any other manner. 
     The cover is preferably detachably fixed to the insulating strip. Multiple opening and closing actions can thus be performed. The cover can be latched onto the insulating strip. 
     The insulating strip preferably comprises at least one film hinge, on which a cover is pivotably mounted. It is possible that the insulating strip is formed from two parts, wherein in this case one part forms the cover and is pivotably held via the film hinge. It is also possible to pivotably hold the cover via two or more adjacently arranged film hinges, so that especially wide opening angles can be realized. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, a material which has higher heat insulation than a shaped body of the insulating strip is inserted at least partly into the hollow chamber. The materials can especially be formed from insulating foam or any other insulating material which is formed for example from polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, polystyrene, phenolic resin and/or mineral wool. All materials can be used as insulating materials which have an effect with respect to thermal insulation, noise insulation, fire protection or a combination of these functions. 
     It is additionally possible that the insulating strip comprises a shaped body in which an insulating strip of higher heat insulation than the shaped body is fixed to its exterior side at least in sections. The aforementioned insulating materials, especially such from an insulating foam, can also be used for the heat-insulating strips arranged on the exterior side on the insulating strips. 
     The insulating strip can comprise a shaped body for especially high heat insulation, which shaped body comprises a plurality of breakthroughs in the longitudinal direction. The shaped body of the insulation strip mostly consists of a dimensionally stable plastic body which has a comparatively high thermal conductivity. The heat flow is reduced by reducing the cross-sectional surface of the shaped body by the breakthroughs, wherein the breakthroughs can be arranged for this purpose in at least one strip in the longitudinal direction. The area of the breakthroughs can be more than 50%, especially more than 70%, on this strip. 
     The shaped body of the insulating strip which is made of plastic can preferably be formed with thin walls in order to ensure good thermal insulation. The wall thickness of the shaped body can lie in a range of between 0.3 mm to 1.6 mm, especially 0.5 mm to 1.3 mm. 
     The hollow chamber of the insulating strip can be subdivided by at least one separating wall for a further increase in the insulation. The stability of the shaped body can also be increased by the separating wall. 
     An insulating element in form of a shaped body is preferably inserted into the hollow chamber. The insulating element can be inserted as a loose strip. It is also possible to foam an insulating strip into the hollow chamber, e.g. by co-extrusion. 
     In a preferred embodiment, a base of a groove of the insulating strip comprises a film hinge, by means of which the insulating strip is pivotable in two halves. As a result, the insulating strip is formed in a closed way in the mounted state on the exterior side, so that the insulating strip is not inadvertently opened when a screw is twisted into the groove and a screw groove arranged behind said groove. Latching means for fixing the shaped body in the closed position to an insert part are therefore preferably formed, which insert part is inserted into a screw groove. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be explained below in closer detail by reference to several embodiments shown in the enclosed drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a sectional view through a mullion-transom structure in accordance with the invention with an insulating strip; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  show two views of an insulating strip for a mullion-transom structure in accordance with the invention; 
         FIGS. 3A to 3C  show several views of a second insulating strip; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  show two views of a third insulating strip; 
         FIGS. 5A to 5C  show several embodiments of a latching mechanism for an insulating strip; 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  show two views of a further insulating strip; 
         FIGS. 7  A and  7 B show two views of a further insulating strip; 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  show two views of a further insulating strip; 
         FIGS. 9A to 9D  show several views of a further insulating strip with a foam-embedded insulating element during production; 
         FIGS. 10A and 10B  show two further embodiments of an insulating strip; 
         FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of an insulating strip; 
         FIGS. 12A and 12B  show two views of the insulating strip of  FIG. 11  with different breakthroughs; 
         FIGS. 13A to 13D  show different views of breakthroughs with different geometries, and 
         FIG. 14A and 14B  show two views of a further embodiment of an insulating strip. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A mullion-transom structure comprises a supporting profile  1 , which can be formed as a mullion or transom, wherein a screw groove  2  is provided on an exterior side. Retainers  3  for sealing strips  4  are formed on both sides of the screw groove  2 , which sealing strips rest at the edge on an infill element  5 , especially an insulating glass pane. A pressure strip  7  is provided to fix the infill element  5 , which pressure strip is arranged with seals  8  on an exterior side of the infill elements  5 . The infill elements  5  are respectively clamped at the edge between the seals  8  and the sealing strips  4 . The pressure strip  7  is fixed via several screws  11 , which are arranged in an intermediate space  6  between the face ends of the infill elements  5  and engage in the screw groove  2 . 
     An insulating strip  10  is further provided at the face end of an infill element  5 , which insulating strip  10  is penetrated by the screw  11  and comprises a shaped body  12 , on the exterior side of which a heat-insulating strip  13  made of a material with high heat insulation such as a foam-embedded heat-insulating strip is arranged. The heat-insulating strip  13  comprises several sealing lips  14  which rest on a face end of the infill elements  5 . 
     Different embodiments of such an insulating strip  10  will be described below, wherein the same components are provided with the same reference numerals. 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  show an insulating profile  20  which comprises a shaped body  21  which is made of a hard plastic material such as PVC and surrounds a hollow chamber  22 . A groove  23  is formed on one side of the insulating profile  20 , which groove is surrounded by lateral webs  24  and is used for example for fixing a seal or any other component. The base of the groove  23  is formed as a V-shaped film hinge  25 , so that the two halves of the shaped body  21  can be pivoted around the film hinge  25  in order to provide access to the hollow chamber  22 . 
     Heat-insulating strips  28  are provided on two opposite side surfaces of the shaped body  21 , which heat-insulating strips comprise several outwardly protruding sealing projections  29  or sealing lips. The material of the heat-insulating strips  28  consists of a material of higher heat insulation than the shaped body  21 , such as insulating foam. 
     An insert element  26  is formed on the shaped body  21  on the side opposite of the groove  23 , on which a latching device  27  is provided. As is shown in  FIG. 2B , the two halves of the shaped body  21  can be pivoted about the film hinge  25 , so that the hollow chamber  22  can be opened on the insert element  26 . A shaped part  15  of high thermal insulation, e.g. one that is made of a foamed material, especially an insulating material made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, polystyrene, phenolic resin or mineral wool, can be inserted in this position into the hollow chamber  22 . Said shaped part  15  made of an insulating material can assume functions concerning heat insulation, noise insulation and fire protection. The shaped part  15  comprises two grooves  16  in the middle region, into which the webs  32  on the shaped part  21  engage so that the shaped part is fixed within the hollow chamber  22 . 
     It can be decided during mounting whether a shaped part  15  is inserted into the hollow chamber  22  for higher heat insulation and which material is selected for the shaped part  15 . This leads to a high degree of flexibility concerning the purpose of the insulating strip  20 . After inserting the shaped part  15  into the hollow chamber  22 , the shaped body  21  of the insulating strip  20  can be pivoted about the film hinge  25  until the latching device  27  latches and the insulating strip  20  can now be mounted on the mullion-transom structure, as shown in  FIG. 1  for example. 
       FIGS. 3A to 3C  show a modified embodiment of an insulating strip, in which not only one single shaped part  15  can be inserted into the hollow chamber  22  of the shaped body  21  but two shaped parts  17  and  18 . The shaped parts  17  and  18  can be made of the same or a different material. Each shaped part  17  or  18  can be inserted loosely into the hollow chamber  22  or be glued therein. Webs  32  can be utilised as spacers between the shaped parts  17  and  18 . Apart from that, the insulating strip is formed as in the preceding embodiment of  FIG. 2 . 
     A modified insulating strip is shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , in which a shaped body  21  comprises a film hinge  30  which is no longer provided on the base of the groove  23 , but on the opposite side on the insert element  26 . The shaped body  21  of the insulating strip can thus be pivoted about the film hinge  30 , as shown in  FIG. 4B . The groove  23  respectively comprises webs  24  on the sides and a base which is formed by two webs  31  which are arranged in a V-shaped manner and touch each other in the middle region. The webs  31  are formed in an inclined manner in relation to the insert element  26  and can be easily pivoted when a screw  11  is twisted into the insulating profile. 
     In  FIGS. 5A to 5C , the insulating strip of  FIG. 2  is shown with modified latching mechanisms. In  FIG. 5A , a pushbutton  34  is formed on the insert element  26 , which latches together when the pushbutton parts are pressed together. 
     A latching device with latching receivers  35  and latching webs  36  is provided in  FIG. 5B  on the insert element  26 , which receivers and webs are respectively arranged on the inner side of the insert element  26  and latch onto each other when the insert element is pressed together. Three latching receivers  35  and three latching webs  36  are provided, so that in case of damage to one latching connection the other latching connections hold the shaped body  21  in the latched position. 
     A latching device with a latching receiver  37  and a latching web  38  is formed in  FIG. 5C . 
     Integrally formed latching devices can be provided for latching the shaped body  21 , which latching devices can be formed as pushbuttons, undercut contours, latching webs, snap-on connections or other kinds of snap-on connections. 
     A further embodiment of an insulating strip is shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , which comprises a shaped body  45  on which a plate-shaped cover  40  is pivotably mounted. For this purpose, the plate-shaped cover  40  is connected via a film hinge  41  to the shaped body  45 , wherein the film hinge is formed on the shaped body  45  on a side wall  24  of the groove  23 . An insert element  26  is provided on the side opposite the groove  23 , which is formed of two mutually connected webs as in the preceding embodiment, which webs surround a hollow chamber so that the insert element  26  is elastically formed. 
     The cover  40  is shown in an open position in  FIG. 6B , in which the hollow chamber  22  is accessible. The hollow chamber is divided by a separating wall  33  into two individual chambers, wherein a respective shaped part  17  made of a material with high thermal insulation is arranged in both chambers. An angular spring bar  42  is provided on the cover  40 , which spring bar can be inserted into a latching recess  43  adjacent to the insert element  26  in order to latch the cover  40  on the shaped body  45 , as shown in  FIG. 6A . In this position, the separating wall  33  rests with one face edge on the cover  40 . 
     A further embodiment of an insulating strip is shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , in which a shaped body with a bottom part  50  and an upper part  52  is provided. The bottom part  50  comprises a U-shaped hollow chamber  22 , at the end of which an insert element  26  is formed. A shaped part  15  made of a material with high thermal insulation is inserted into the hollow chamber  22 , wherein latching projections  51  are formed on the bottom part  50  on a side facing the hollow chamber  22 . The latching projections  51  interact with latching webs  53  which are formed integrally with the upper part  52 . The upper part  52  comprises a groove  23  which is surrounded by a lateral webs or side walls  24 . The upper part  52  can be removed as a cover from the bottom part  50  in order to fill the hollow chamber  22  and insert the shaped part  15  and subsequently place the upper part  52  on the bottom part  50 , as shown in  FIG. 7B . 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  show an embodiment which is modified over that of  FIG. 7 , in which an integral shaped body with the bottom part  50  and the upper part  52  is provided instead of a bottom part and an upper part, which bottom part  50  and upper part  52  are connected to each other via a film hinge  54 . Apart from that, the insulating strip is formed as in  FIG. 7 . 
       FIGS. 9A to 9D  shows a further embodiment of an insulating strip, which according to  FIG. 9A  is shown at first in an open position. The insulating strip corresponds to the embodiment of  FIG. 2B . However, no loose shaped part made of an insulating material is inserted into the hollow chamber  22 , but a foaming material  61  is injected into the hollow chamber  22  via a nozzle  60 . The insulating strip is closed after inserting the foaming material  61 , as shown in  FIG. 9B , wherein the latching device  27  on the insert element  26  ensures fixing of the insulating element in the closed position. In this position, the foamed material  62  can fully or partly fill the hollow chamber  22  as required, wherein only a slight expansion of the foaming material  62  is present in  FIG. 9B . The material can expand even further and assume a greater volume, as shown in  FIG. 9C , in which the material  62 ′ already extends over more than 2/3 of the volume of the hollow chamber  22 . It is further possible to add the foaming material with a volume which fully fills the hollow chamber  22 , as shown in  FIG. 9D . 
       FIGS. 10A and 10B  show a further embodiment of an insulating strip, wherein a shaped body  70  made of a hard plastic material is provided which surrounds two hollow chambers. A shaped part  75  made of a material with high thermal insulation is inserted into each hollow chamber. The shaped body  70  comprises a cover  71  in form of a side wall which is connected via a film hinge  72  to the shaped body  70 . The film hinge  72  is formed in the region of the side wall and allows pivoting of the cover  71  in order to fill the hollow chambers. The formed body  70  further comprises integrally formed latching devices, wherein two mutually spaced latching webs  73  are provided for this purpose which engage in an undercut latching receiver  74  on the cover  71 . Stable fixing of the insulating strip in the closed position is thus obtained. 
     Two shaped parts  75  which are substantially rectangular in their cross-section are provided in  FIG. 10A , which shaped parts are each inserted into one hollow chamber. Instead of these rectangular shaped parts  75 , it is also possible to insert shaped parts  76  into the hollow chambers which are formed in different ways and are made of a material with high thermal insulation. The shaped parts  76  comprise an obliquely extending side which is inserted with a tip into a V-shaped receiver of the hollow chamber, so that the formed parts  76  are substantially fixed in an interlocking manner in the region of the V-shaped tip. The upper shaped part  76  further has a V-shaped contour on the bottom side which is inserted into a V-shaped receiver of the latching web  73 . 
       FIG. 11  shows a further embodiment of an insulating strip, which corresponds to the insulating strip shown in  FIG. 2  with respect to its configuration. However, two strips with circular breakthroughs  80  are additionally provided in the side walls of the insulating strip. The breakthroughs  80  can also be provided with a different geometry than the circular one, e.g. square, rectangular, triangular or any other contour. The breakthroughs  80  are arranged in strips in the longitudinal direction of the insulating strip, wherein the area of the breakthroughs  80  assumes at least 50%, preferably approximately 70%, especially more than 80%, of the area of the strip, wherein the respective geometric strip has a width which corresponds to the width of the breakthroughs  80 . Two strips with breakthroughs  80  are provided in  FIG. 11 , which are arranged on opposite sides of the insulating strip. It is also possible to provide only one strip with breakthroughs  80  or more than two strips with breakthroughs  80 . 
     The material of the shaped body  21  is reduced by the breakthroughs  80 , so that thermal conduction is reduced since thermal conduction is reduced from the outside to the inside by the reduction of the cross-section of the shaped body  21  from the insert element  26  to the groove  23  in the mullion-transom structure of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 12A  shows a sectional view through the insulating strip of  FIG. 11 , wherein the illustration shows that the shaped part  15  inserted into the hollow chamber  22  is not formed with a breakthrough configuration. Instead, the hollow chamber  22  is filled. The breakthroughs  80  merely extend through the outer heat-insulating strip  28  and the shaped body  21 . 
     It is also alternatively possible according to  FIG. 12B  to provide the breakthroughs  80  in such a way that the complete insulating strip is broken through, i.e. both in the region of the heat-insulating strip  28 , in the region of the shaped body  21  and in the region of the shaped part  15  made of heat-insulating material. This facilitates the production of the insulating strip, even if the insulation is slightly reduced. 
     The breakthroughs  80  are schematically shown in  FIG. 13A  in the shaped body  21  according to  FIG. 11 . The breakthroughs  80  are arranged in regular intervals in the longitudinal direction of the insulating strip and extend in strips parallel to the longitudinal direction. The width of a strip S 1  corresponds to the width of the breakthroughs  80 . The breakthroughs  80  assume an area of at least 50%, preferably at least 70%, relating to the width of the strip S 1 . 
     The breakthroughs  82  are shown in rectangular form in  FIG. 13B , which have a lower width S 2  than the circular breakthroughs  80 . Three parallel strips with breakthroughs  82  are provided instead of two strips. 
     Triangular breakthroughs  83  are provided in  FIG. 13C , so that a framework-like structure is provided in the profile body  21 . The triangles are oriented in an alternating manner with one upwards tip or one downwards tip, so that obliquely extending webs are formed in between. The breakthroughs  83  in triangular form are oriented in strips parallel to the longitudinal direction, wherein the area of the breakthroughs assumes at least 80% of the area of the strips relating to the width of the strip S 3 . 
     The breakthroughs  84  are formed in a trapezoidal manner in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 13D  and comprise a longer base edge extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the insulating strip and a shorter face edge. The trapezoidal breakthroughs  84  are each arranged twisted by 180° in an alternating manner, so that a longer base edge is present in an alternating manner in relation to a shorter face edge as seen in the longitudinal direction. The breakthroughs assume at least 85% of the area relating to the width S 4  of the strip with the breakthroughs  84 . 
     The breakthroughs  80 ,  82 ,  83  and  84  can also have other geometric shapes and the number of the strips with the breakthroughs can be selected freely depending on the size of the profile body  21  and the breakthroughs. 
       FIG. 14A  shows a further embodiment of a shaped body made of plastic for an insulating strip. The shaped body comprises a hollow chamber  22  which is formed in a substantially rectangular manner in its cross-section for the optional insertion of an insulating material. A groove  23  is formed on a face end of the shaped body, which groove is surrounded by lateral webs  24 , which comprise inwardly facing projections and can be used for fixing a seal or any other component. The base of the groove  23  is formed as a V-shaped film hinge  25 , so that the two halves of the shaped body  21  can be pivoted about the film hinge  25  in order to provide access to the hollow chamber  22 . 
     An insert element  26  is formed on the side opposite the groove  23 , which insert element is formed from two spaced wall sections which surround the hollow chambers  94  and  95 . The wall sections of the insert element  26  can be fixed via latching webs  90 ,  91  and  92 ,  93 , which are formed in the shape of hooks and fix the closed position of the shaped body. 
     In order to provide access to the hollow chamber  22 , the two halves of the shaped body  21  can be pivoted about the film hinge  25 . It is additionally or alternatively possible to open the hollow chamber  22  in that one side of the shaped body  21  is pivoted about a further film hinge  96  which is formed on a side wall of the hollow chamber  22  adjacent to the groove  23 . Especially large opening angles can be obtained when using the two film hinges  25  and  96 . The film hinge  96  can also be provided on opposite sides of the hollow chamber  22  instead of only one side. 
       FIG. 14B  shows the insulating strip with the shaped body of  FIG. 14A , in which a strip-like shaped part  15  with high thermal insulation is loosely inserted into the hollow chamber  22 . Heat-insulating strips  97  are fixed to the exterior side of the side walls of the hollow chamber  22 , especially by gluing. 
     The described embodiments can be combined with each other at will, e.g. it is also possible to provide several hollow chambers on the insulating strip instead of only one single hollow chamber. Moreover, one or several hollow chambers can be filled with shaped bodies made of heat-insulating material, wherein the material of the shaped parts can be used depending on the desired function. In particular, it may be necessary for reasons of fire protection to use only specific insulating materials, whereas other materials can be preferred for optimal heat insulation. The shaped parts  15  can be fixed in the hollow chamber mechanically and also glued or foam-embedded in said chamber. 
     The insulating strip  20  can further comprise an attachment element instead of an insert element  26  which is inserted into the screw groove  2 , which attachment element is attached with two legs on the outside to the screw groove  2 . 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           1  Supporting profile 
           2  Screw groove 
           3  Retainer 
           4  Sealing strip 
           5  Infill element 
           6  Intermediate space 
           7  Pressing strip 
           8  Seal 
           10  Insulating strip 
           11  Screw 
           12  Shaped body 
           13  Heat-insulating strip 
           14  Sealing lip 
           15  Shaped part 
           16  Groove 
           17  Shaped part 
           18  Shaped part 
           20  Insulating strip 
           21  Shaped body 
           22  Hollow chamber 
           23  Groove 
           24  Web 
           25  Film hinge 
           26  Insert element 
           27  Latching device 
           28  Heat-insulating strip 
           29  Sealing projection 
           30  Film hinge 
           31  Web 
           32  Web 
           33  Separating wall 
           34  Pushbutton 
           35  Latching receiver 
           36  Latching web 
           37  Latching receiver 
           38  Latching web 
           40  Cover 
           41  Film hinge 
           42  Spring bar 
           43  Latching recess 
           45  Shaped body 
           50  Bottom part 
           51  Latching projection 
           52  Upper part 
           53  Latching web 
           54  Film hinge 
           60  Nozzle 
           61  Material 
           62 ,  62 ′ Material 
           70  Shaped body 
           71  Cover 
           72  Film hinge 
           73  Latching web 
           74  Latching receiver 
           75  Shaped part 
           76  Shaped part 
           80  Breakthrough 
           82  Breakthrough 
           83  Breakthrough 
           84  Breakthrough 
           90  Latching web 
           91  Latching web 
           92  Latching web 
           93  Latching web 
           94  Hollow chamber 
           95  Hollow chamber 
           96  Film hinge 
           97  Heat-insulating strip