Patent ID: 6852380

Claim:
In combination, a sealed double-glazed window assembly comprising a pair of glass sheets arranged in spaced parallel relationship to form an air space therebetween and a spacing unit disposed between the inner marginal edges of the glass sheets, said spacing unit having an inner face and outer face, each said face having a hole in registry with one another, to enable the injection of a gas in said space; and a sealing device comprising: a flexible plug adapted to fit into said holes; said plug defining a hollow cavity having an open end terminating at said outer face of said spacing unit and a bottom wall opposite said open end; said plug being formed of a piercable material in at least said bottom wall thereof; a blind rivet having a portion extending within said cavity of said plug, said rivet comprising: a. a deformed sleeve member received in said cavity; b. a ruptured annular member coaxially positioned in said sleeve member; said annular member being defined as an enlarged head position of a rupturable stem initially positioned in said cavity; said stem including a portion extending outside said plug when inserted in said cavity and connected to said enlarged portion through frangible neck; said sleeve member having been deformed by an outward pulling action exerted on said outside portion of said stem whereby said enlarged head portion is forcibly engaged in said sleeve member and deforms said sleeve member to expand said plug in said hole of said spacing unit to thereby seal the glass sheets; said annular member, after rupture of said stem and retrieval of said outside portion, allowing insertion of a piercing member in said cavity and penetration through said bottom wall to have access to the inside of the glass sheets.