Abstract:
A panel unit comprising: a plurality of frame portions formed by dividing a main framework, assembled in rectangle, by means of at least one intermediate connecting member; first panel sections mounted on respective outdoor sides of some of the panel portions so as to form outdoor-side panel mounted surfaces flushed with one another; remaining frame portions each having a recessed portion recessed toward the indoor side relative to the panel mounted surfaces; auxiliary frame portions each being mounted to the recessed portion; and second panel portions mounted on respective outdoor sides of the auxiliary frame portions so as to form smooth surfaces flushed with the panel mounted surfaces of the first panel sections, wherein predetermined jointing spaces having equal lateral widths to one another are formed between respective panel sections adjacent to each other.

Description:
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 457,573, filed Dec. 27, 1989, 12/27/89 now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to panel units connected vertically and horizontally on the same surface thereby forming an external wall of a building or the like. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     There are so far known a plurality of panel units mounted on the front surface of a building so as to form an external wall of the building as shown in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 61-2133, each of these panel units comprising a rectangular framework formed by an upper rail, a lower rail, and left and right stiles, the framework having glass plates and panels, etc. mounted thereon. 
     Since such a panel is comprised of one piece of framework having one piece of panel mounted thereon, in order to form an external wall of a building, it is necessary to mount a plurality of panel units continuously in the vertical and horizontal directions. 
     Whilst, it is important from the point of view of external appearance to position the panel units to a building body in the vertical and horizontal directions, and align rectilinearly the jointing spaces each having the same width and formed between adjacent panel units, which are connected continuously in the vertical and horizontal directions. 
     Therefore, the operations of positioning and mounting a plurality of panel units on the outer surface of a building become very troublesome, and also since sealing members are mounted in the jointing spaces formed between the adjacent panel units at site, not only the operation of mounting the sealing members becomes very troublesome, but also the reliability of the operation will deteriorate. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been devised in view of the above-mentioned circumstances in the prior art, and has for its object to provide a panel unit wherein a framework is formed by a plurality of frame portions, and each of the frame portions has a plurality of panels mounted thereon and spaced apart with one another by a predetermined jointing space in such a manner that the difficulties and disadvantages incidental to the above-mentioned prior art can be eliminated and the operations of mounting panel units and attaching sealing members can be carried out reliably and readily. 
     To achieve the above-mentioned object, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a panel unit comprising: (a) a rectangular main framework formed by a pair of left and right stiles extending vertically in parallel relationship and spaced apart horizontally with each other, a pair of upper and lower rails connected horizontally between the upper portions of the stiles and between the lower portions thereof, respectively, and a pair of first and second intermediate rails, respectively, connected horizontally between the pair of left and right stiles and at vertically substantially intermediate positions between the upper and lower rails, the outer surfaces of the first and second intermediate rails having portions located opposite to and flush with the outer surfaces of the upper and lower rails, respectively, and recessed portions located opposite to each other; (b) a rectangular auxiliary frame formed by a pair of left and right auxiliary stiles, respectively, located on the outer surface of the pair of left and right stiles, an upper auxiliary rail connected between the upper portions of the pair of auxiliary stiles and mounted on the recessed outer surface of the first intermediate rail, and a lower auxiliary rail connected between the lower portions of the pair of auxiliary rails and mounted on the recessed outer surface of the second intermediate rail; (c) a panel mounted on the outer surfaces of the upper rail and the first intermediate rail, respectively; (d) a panel mounted on the outer surface of the auxiliary frame; and (e) a panel mounted on the outer surfaces of the second intermediate rail and the lower rail, respectively, wherein the panels are spaced apart by a predetermined jointing space with one another. 
     According to the present invention having the above-mentioned aspect, since there is provided a framework having a plurality of frame portions and each of the frame portions has a panel mounted thereon thus forming a panel unit, mounting of one panel unit on the front surface of a building enables a plurality of panels to be mounted thereon at once so that, since the operations of assembling panel units and attaching sealing members between the panels can be previously conducted before mounting the panel units on the building body, these operations can be performed simply and readily, and also the reliability of the operations can be enhanced. 
     Further, since the outer surfaces of the first and second intermediate rails 4 and 5 are formed in a stepped shape, and the auxiliary frame B is mounted on the recessed inner portions of the rails 4 and 5, the auxiliary frame B can be mounted simply and readily on the latter, and also the outer surface of the auxiliary frame B can be located substantially flush with the outer portions on the outer surfaces of the intermediate rails 4 and 5 so that the panels mounted on the frame portions can be located substantially flush with one another. 
     The above-mentioned and other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art by making reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments incorporating the principles of the present invention are shown by way of examples only. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic, longitudinal sectional view of a first embodiment of the present invention which is taken along line I--I in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic, cross-sectional view taken along line II--II in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing a fragmentary perspective view of a connecting portion of a stile and a rail of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, in combination with a fragmentary perspective view of a connecting portion of an auxiliary stile and an auxiliary rail of the same embodiment; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of a framework of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic, longitudinal sectional view of a modified embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 and are a schematic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention and a longitudinal sectional view taken along line VII--VII in FIG. 6. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of a main framework A, which comprises an upper rail 2, a lower rail 3, and upper and lower intermediate rails 4 and 5 extending transversely between the left and right stiles 1 and 1, thus forming a rectangular configuration, and an auxiliary frame B mounted between the upper and lower intermediate rails 4 and 5. The auxiliary frame B is a rectangular framework formed by an upper auxiliary rail 6, a lower auxiliary rail 7 and the left and right auxiliary stiles 8, 8. 
     Further, an aluminum panel 9 is mounted on a frame portion formed by the upper rail 2, the upper intermediate rail 4 and the left and right stiles 1, 1, a glass panel 10 is mounted on the auxiliary frame B, and an aluminum panel 11 is mounted on another frame portion formed by the lower intermediate rail 5, the lower rail 3 and the left and right stiles 1, 1. Thus, the three panels are mounted on one main framework A. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the above-mentioned upper and lower rails 2 and 3 are of a substantially rectangular, hollow section. The inner surfaces 2a and 3a of the upper and lower rails 2 and 3 have inwardly directed pieces 2b and 3b, respectively, formed integrally therewith at substantially intermediate portions thereof between their inner and outer surfaces. The outer surfaces 2c and 3c of the upper and lower rail 2 and 3 are flush, and the outer surface 2c of the upper rail 2 projects inwardly from the inner surface 2a thereby forming a projecting piece 2d integrally therewith. 
     The above-mentioned upper intermediate rail 4 is comprised of a generally rectangular, hollow upper body 12, and a lower body 13 formed integrally with the inside, lower surface of the upper body 12. The upper body 12 has an upper surface 12a having a projecting piece 12b formed integrally therewith, and an outer surface 12c projecting upwardly from the upper surface 12a thus forming a projecting piece 12d integrally therewith. The outer surface 13a of the lower body 13 is located inside of the outer surface 12c of the upper body 12, and inner surfaces 12e and 13b are formed continuously and flush with each other, and the surface of the upper intermediate rail 4 is of a stepped shape recessed on the indoor side. 
     The above-mentioned lower intermediate rail 5 is comprised of a generally rectangular hollow lower body 14, and an upper body 15 formed integrally with the inside, upper surface of the lower body. The lower body 14 has a lower surface 14a having a projecting piece 14b formed integrally therewith, and an outer surface 14c projecting downwardly from the lower surface 14a thus forming a projecting piece 14d integrally therewith. The outer surface 15a of the upper body 15 is located inside of the outer surface 14c of the lower body 14, the inner surfaces 15b and 14e are formed continuously and flush with each other, and the outer surface of the lower intermediate rail 5 is of a stepped shape recessed on the indoor side. Thus, the lower intermediate rail 5 is in a vertically symmetrical relationship with the upper intermediate rail 4. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, each of the above-mentioned stiles 1 is comprised of a rectangular, hollow, inner body 20, and an outer plate 21. The outer plate 21 is an L-shape member which is formed by a projecting plate 21a and a mounting plate 21b and which forms an inward recess 22 together with an outer surface 20b of the inner body 20. The inner body 20 has an inner surface 20c having a projecting piece 20d formed integrally therewith. 
     Further, the upper and lower rails 2 and 3 are abutted against and connected to the inner surfaces of the stiles 1 in such a manner that the outer surfaces thereof 2c and 3c are located flush with the mounting plates 21b, and the inwardly turned pieces 2b and 3b are located flush with the outer surfaces 20b of the inner bodies 20. Moreover, the projecting pieces 20d of the inner bodies 20 are cut off at a portion thereof to be located opposite to the upper and lower rails 2 and 3. 
     The above-mentioned upper and lower intermediate rails 4 and 5 are abutted against and connected to the outer surfaces of the stiles 1 in such a manner that the outer surfaces 12c and 14c of the upper and lower bodies 12 and 14 are located flush with the mounting plates 21b of the stiles 1, and the inner surfaces thereof 12e, 13b, 14e and 15b are abutted against the projecting pieces 20d of the stiles 1 thereby positioning the stiles and the rails in a horizontal direction at right angles to the surface of the panels. Thus, the upper portions of the left and right stiles 1, 1, the upper rail 2 and the upper intermediate rail 4 form a rectangular framework having the aluminium plate 9 mounted on the outer surface thereof. 
     Stating more specifically, the aluminum plate 9 is fixedly secured by means of bolts to the mounting plates 21b of the stiles 1, the projecting plate 2d of the upper rail 2, and the projecting plate 12d of the upper intermediate rail 4. 
     The lower portions of the above-mentioned left and right stiles 1, 1, the lower rail 3, and the lower intermediate rail 5 form a rectangular framework having the aluminum plate 11 mounted on the outer surface thereof by means of bolts in the same manner as mentioned above. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the auxiliary upper and lower rails 6 and 7 of the above-mentioned auxiliary frame B comprise hollow bodies 6a and 7a having hook-shaped support pieces 6b and 7b, respectively, formed integrally therewith thus forming inward recesses 6c and 7c, and also having mounting pieces 6d and 7d, respectively, formed integrally therewith. The above-mentioned auxiliary stile 8 is rectangular and hollow as shown in FIG. 2, and the inner surface of the auxiliary stile 8 is connected to the upper and lower auxiliary rails 6 and 7 thus forming the auxiliary frame B as shown in FIG. 4. The upper and lower edges of the glass plate 10 are supported by the inward recesses 6c and 7c, and the left and right edges of the glass plate 10 are adhesively bonded and secured through structural seals 30 to the outer surfaces 8a of the auxiliary stiles 8, and each of the auxiliary stiles 8 is covered by the glass plate 10 so that it cannot be seen from the outdoor side. 
     Further, the outer mounting plates 21 of the left and right stiles 1 are partially cut off at their vertically intermediate portions, respectively, through the cut-off portions of which the auxiliary frame B is mounted. 
     Stating in brief, the cut-off end faces 21e of the outer mounting plates 21 are identical in shape to the outdoor side upper surface of the upper intermediate rail 4 and the outdoor side lower surface of the lower intermediate rail 5, and the former are connected to the latter as shown in FIG. 3. The auxiliary frame B is inserted between the upper and lower intermediate horizontal members 4 and 5, and the mounting pieces 6d and 7d of the upper and lower auxiliary rails 6 and 7 are mounted on the outer surfaces 13a and 15a of the lower and upper bodies 13 and 15, respectively, by means of screws 31. A jointing space 32 is formed between the upper body 12 and the upper auxiliary rail 6, whilist a jointing space 33 having the same lateral width as that of the jointing space 32 is formed between the lower auxiliary rail 7 and the lower intermediate rail 5 so that the screws 31 may be tightened through the jointing spaces 32 and 33, respectively. Further, the outer surface 8a of the auxiliary stile 8 is located substantially flush with the end face of the glass plate 10. 
     Further, as shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to mount a plurality of pair of transversely extending upper and lower intermediate horizontal members 4 and 5, each having an auxiliary frame B mounted thereon, between the left and right stiles 1 and 1, and mount such pairs on the framework A, or alternatively as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, it is possible to mount vertically left and right intermediate stiles 40, 40, which have stepped outdoor-side surfaces recessed on the indoor side in their respective opposed portions to each other, respectively, between the upper and lower rails 2 and 3, and mount the auxiliary frame B between the inner portions 40a, 40a of the left and right intermediate stiles 40, 40. 
     It is to be understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of preferred embodiments of the present invention, and that the scope of the invention is not to be limited thereto, but is to be determined by the scope of the appended claims.