Vent sash unit and method for manufacturing a vent sash unit

Abstract

To stabilize the vent sash unit's ability to follow inter-story displacement. [Solution] The vent sash unit 10 comprises a glass plate 12, a support frame 20 that supports each side of the glass plate 12, and a retaining frame 30 having a mounting surface 30a to which the support frame 20 is attached. The mounting surface 30a of the retaining frame 30 is provided with at least two planes S1 and S2 that intersect at a predetermined angle, and the glass plate 12 is held in a curved state in the portion between the portion supported by the support frame 20 along one of the two planes S1 and the portion supported by the support frame 20 along the other of the two planes S2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vent sash unit and a method for manufacturing the vent sash unit.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method of constructing a three-dimensional curved facade by bending a sash unit having a glass plate and an aluminum frame supporting the glass plate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the invention described in Patent Document 1, in order to construct a three-dimensional curved facade, a sash unit composed of a glass plate and an aluminum frame and formed in a flat plate shape mainly with rectangular divisions is forcibly bent at the construction site and attached to the building frame. However, since the stress (restoring force) generated by bending the sash unit continues to act on the fasteners provided to hold the sash unit on the building frame, for example, the sash unit cannot normally follow the inter-story displacement caused by an earthquake or the like, and as a result, the sash unit may be damaged due to the inter-story displacement.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to stabilize the followability of the vent sash unit with respect to inter-story displacement.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention relates to a vent sash unit for holding a glass plate curved by cold bending, comprising: a glass plate having at least four sides; a support frame supporting each side of the glass plate; and a holding frame having a mounting surface to which the support frame is attached, wherein the mounting surface of the holding frame is provided with at least two planes intersecting at a predetermined angle, and the glass plate is held in a curved state in the portion between the portion supported by the support frame along one of the two planes and the portion supported by the support frame along the other of the two planes.

[0007] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a vent sash unit that holds a glass plate curved by cold bending, comprising: an assembly step of assembling a holding frame; an attachment step of attaching a first support member to the mounting surface of the holding frame; and a glass plate support step of attaching a second support member to the first support member, thereby sandwiching and supporting each side of a glass plate having at least four sides curved by cold bending between the first support member and the second support member, wherein the mounting surface of the holding frame is provided with at least two planes that intersect at a predetermined angle, and in the glass plate support step, the glass plate is supported in a curved state in the portion between the portion supported by the first support member and the second support member along one of the two planes and the portion supported by the first support member and the second support member along the other of the two planes. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the ability of the vent sash unit to follow inter-story displacement can be stabilized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of a building to which a vent sash unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of a vent sash unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3]This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a magnified section along line AA in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of a retaining frame for a vent sash unit. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates the angle of the mounting surface of the retaining frame to which the support frame is attached. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram showing the mounting state of the support frame to the retaining frame. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the vent sash unit and a method for manufacturing the vent sash unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] An embodiment of the present invention provides a vent sash unit 10 that holds a glass plate 12 curved by cold bending, and constitutes a curtain wall of a building 1 having a three-dimensional curved facade as shown in Figure 1.

[0012] The vent sash unit 10 (hereinafter referred to as "unit 10") is manufactured in a factory by the manufacturing method described later, then transported to the construction site of building 1, and attached to the building frame (not shown) of building 1 via fasteners (mounting hardware) of known structure, for example, by a rocking method, so as to be able to follow inter-story displacement. The method for following inter-story displacement is not limited to the rocking method, but any method that can absorb the displacement of unit 10 installed across the inter-story floors is acceptable, for example, a sway method.

[0013] In this manner, the units 10 are sequentially attached to the structure of building 1 using a so-called modular construction method. Elastic sealing materials (not shown) are appropriately provided between adjacent units 10 in the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0014] The units 10 are formed in different shapes depending on where they are installed. For example, in Figure 1, the units 10 labeled 10A and 10B, which are installed on the same floor, have different external shapes, as shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), respectively. Figure 2 is a view of units 10A and 10B installed in the building 1, seen horizontally from the outside of the building 1.

[0015] In the example shown in Figure 2, each unit 10A and 10B has a trapezoidal shape with its top and bottom sides parallel in a horizontal view, and the vertical height VH1 of each unit 10A and 10B is the same. By making the units 10 installed on the same floor trapezoidal with the same vertical height, it becomes possible to easily install the units 10 onto the building structure even if the shapes of each unit 10 are different. Note that the shape of each unit 10 in a horizontal view is not limited to a trapezoid; it may also be a simple quadrilateral with four vertices and four sides, a so-called convex quadrilateral, but from the viewpoint of ease of installation, it is preferable to have a trapezoidal shape with the same vertical height. To further improve ease of installation, the shape of each unit 10 in a horizontal view may all be the same rectangular shape.

[0016] The glass plate 12 held by unit 10 is cold-bent, as described later, and then supported by frame 14 in a curved state around the diagonal 14a of frame 14. In the example shown in Figure 2, the glass plate 12 of unit 10A shown in (a) is curved around the diagonal 14a running from the upper left to the lower right of frame 14, and the glass plate 12 of unit 10B shown in (b) is curved around the diagonal 14a running from the upper right to the lower left of frame 14. Note that the glass plate 12 does not bend by forming a fold line in the part corresponding to the diagonal 14a, but rather a hyperbolic paraboloid is formed around the diagonal 14a and it is housed within frame 14 in a curved deformation state.

[0017] In addition, the degree of curvature and the direction of curvature of the glass plate 12 (whether to curve convexly toward the outside of the building 1 or to curve concavely toward the outside of the building 1) can be made different for each unit 10 as will be described later. For example, in the example shown in (a) of FIG. 2, the glass plate 12 is curved around the diagonal line 14a from the upper left to the lower right in the drawing of the frame 14, but it is also possible to curve it around the diagonal line from the upper right to the lower left in the drawing of the frame 14. In the example shown in (b) of FIG. 2, the glass plate 12 is curved around the diagonal line 14a from the upper right to the lower left in the drawing of the frame 14, but it is also possible to curve it around the diagonal line from the upper left to the lower right in the drawing of the frame 14.

[0018] In this way, it is possible to make the appearance shape different for each unit 10, and since the curved state of the glass plate 12 can be set relatively freely for each unit 10, it is possible to easily realize a facade having a more complex three-dimensional curved surface by combining a plurality of units 10.

[0019] Subsequently, referring to FIGS. 3 to 6, the specific configuration of the unit 10 will be described.

[0020] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the unit 10 showing an enlarged cross-section along the line A-A of (a) of FIG. 2 in a state where the unit 10 is attached to the building 1.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3, the unit 10 includes a glass plate 12 and a frame 14 that holds the glass plate 12. The frame 14 is mainly composed of a support frame 20 that supports each side of the glass plate 12 via spacer rubbers 41 and 42, and a holding frame 30 having an attachment surface 30a to which the support frame 20 is attached.

[0022] The glass plate 12 is laminated glass, and in its flat state before being curved by cold bending, it is formed in a quadrilateral shape with four vertices and four sides, a so-called convex quadrilateral shape. Specifically, the shape of the glass plate 12 before cold bending is designed assuming that when the unit 10 that holds the glass plate 12 after cold bending is attached to the building 1, as shown in Figure 2, the shape when viewed from the horizontal direction will be approximately trapezoidal. In other words, the glass plate 12 is not formed in a trapezoidal shape at the stage before cold bending, but rather, when it is curved along the frame 14 and placed inside the frame 14, it is formed in a shape that becomes approximately trapezoidal when viewed from the horizontal direction.

[0023] The glass plate 12 is not limited to laminated glass, but may also be single-pane glass; however, from the viewpoint of strength, laminated glass is preferable. The glass plate 12 may also be double-glazed glass; however, when the degree of curvature of double-glazed glass increases, gaps may form in the sealing portion, potentially allowing outside air to enter the hollow layer; therefore, when the degree of curvature increases, it is preferable to use laminated glass. Furthermore, the glass plate 12 is not limited to transparent glass; it may also be mirror glass or heat-reflective glass that has both transmission and reflection functions. In addition, instead of the glass plate 12, a plate-shaped member commonly used as a facing material may be held by the frame 14.

[0024] The retaining frame 30 is a steel frame composed of four straight rectangular bars 31, 32, 33, and 34 made of stainless steel or carbon steel. As shown in Figure 4, the first retaining member 31 and the third retaining member 33, which form the vertical frame, are bolted to the second retaining member 32 and the fourth retaining member 34, which form the horizontal frame, via bolts (not shown) in a vertical orientation. Note that the arrangement of the retaining frame 30 is not limited to a vertical orientation, but may also be horizontal.

[0025] The joining method is not limited to bolted joining, but may also be welded joining. In addition, each of the retaining members 31, 32, 33, and 34 may be either solid square timber or hollow square timber, but it is preferable that the first retaining member 31 and the third retaining member 33, which are vertical frames to which fasteners (mounting hardware) for attaching to the structure of the building 1 are fixed, be made of solid square timber. Furthermore, if they are made of carbon steel, rust-preventive paint is applied after joining.

[0026] Each of the retaining members 31, 32, 33, and 34 is provided with mounting surfaces 31a, 32a, 33a, and 34a to which the support frame 20 is attached. One end 31b of the first retaining member 31 is joined to one end 32b of the second retaining member 32, so that the mounting surface 31a of the first retaining member 31 and the mounting surface 32a of the second retaining member 32 lie on the same first plane S1. One end 34b of the fourth retaining member 34 is joined to one end 33b of the third retaining member 33, so that the mounting surface 33a of the third retaining member 33 and the mounting surface 34a of the fourth retaining member 34 lie on the same second plane S2. The mounting surfaces 31a, 32a, 33a, and 34a are all flat and free of twist.

[0027] Furthermore, the other end 34c of the fourth retaining member 34 and the other end 32c of the second retaining member 32 are joined to the other end 31c of the first retaining member 31 and the other end 33c of the third retaining member 33, respectively, so that the two planes, the first plane S1 (mounting surface 31a, 32a) and the second plane S2 (mounting surface 33a, 34a), intersect at predetermined angles α1, α2, as shown in Figure 5. As a result, the mounting surface 30a of the retaining frame 30 is provided with two planes S1 and S2 that intersect at predetermined angles α1 and α2.

[0028] Figure 5 shows the relationship between the mounting surfaces 31a, 32a, 33a, and 34a of each retaining member 31, 32, 33, and 34a, as viewed from a direction along the diagonal L of the retaining frame 30, which is the line segment (shown as a dashed line in Figure 4) connecting the point where the inner edge line of the mounting surface 31a of the first retaining member 31 intersects with the inner edge line of the mounting surface 34a of the fourth retaining member 34, and the point where the inner edge line of the mounting surface 33a of the third retaining member 33 intersects with the inner edge line of the mounting surface 32a of the second retaining member 32. In other words, it shows the relationship between the first plane S1 and the second plane S2. The first plane S1 is a plane composed of three straight lines: the inner edge line of the mounting surface 31a of the first retaining member 31, the inner edge line of the mounting surface 34a of the fourth retaining member 34, and the diagonal line L. The second plane S2 is a plane composed of three straight lines: the inner edge line of the mounting surface 33a of the third retaining member 33, the inner edge line of the mounting surface 32a of the second retaining member 32, and the diagonal line L.

[0029] Figure 5(a) shows a state in which the two planes, the first plane S1 and the second plane S2, intersect at a predetermined angle α1 that is convex toward the mounting surfaces 31a, 32a, 33a, and 34a, and Figure 5(b) shows a state in which the two planes, the first plane S1 and the second plane S2, intersect at a predetermined angle α2 that is concave toward the mounting surfaces 31a, 32a, 33a, and 34a.

[0030] The magnitudes of the angles α1 and α2 at which the first plane S1 and the second plane S2 intersect correspond to the degree and direction of curvature of the glass plate 12 held by the frame 14 (whether it is curved convexly outward from the building 1 or concavely outward from the building 1), and the curvature of the glass plate 12 can be arbitrarily changed by changing the magnitudes of these angles α1 and α2. Note that the glass plate 12 does not bend by forming a fold line in the part corresponding to the diagonal L, but rather, as shown by the dashed lines in Figures 5(a) and (b), a hyperbolic paraboloid is formed around the diagonal L and it is curved. The dashed lines in Figures 5(a) and (b) show an image of the curved deformation state of the glass plate 12 when the glass plate 12 is supported by the support frames 21, 22, 23, and 24 in the glass plate support process described later.

[0031] The angles α1 and α2 formed by the first plane S1 and the second plane S2 are changed by changing the cutting angle of the end face of the second holding member 32, which is a horizontal frame that is in contact with the third holding member 33, which is a vertical frame, and the cutting angle of the end face of the fourth holding member 34, which is a horizontal frame that is in contact with the first holding member 31, which is a vertical frame.

[0032] Furthermore, the joining of the first retaining member 31 and the second retaining member 32, and the joining of the third retaining member 33 and the fourth retaining member 34, does not need to be at a right angle. By changing the angle at which the end face of the second retaining member 32, which is a horizontal frame that contacts the first retaining member 31, which is a vertical frame, is cut, and the angle at which the end face of the fourth retaining member 34, which is a horizontal frame that contacts the third retaining member 33, which is a vertical frame, is cut, the shape of the unit 10 in a horizontal view when attached to the building 1 is changed.

[0033] In other words, by appropriately changing the angles of both end faces of the second holding member 32 and the fourth holding member 34, which form the horizontal frame, it is possible to change not only the curvature of the glass plate 12 but also the shape of the unit 10. As described above, the shape of the unit 10 in a horizontal view can be a trapezoid with the top and bottom sides parallel, a convex quadrilateral, or any other shape.

[0034] Furthermore, the first retaining member 31 and the third retaining member 33, which form the vertical frame, are provided with fixing surfaces 31d and 33d on the opposite side of the mounting surfaces 31a and 33a to which fasteners (mounting hardware) for attaching them to the building structure 1 are fixed. To improve the ease of attaching the unit 10 to the building structure, it is preferable to form the fixing surfaces 31d and 33d on each retaining member 31 and 33 such that the fixing surface 31d of the first retaining member 31 and the fixing surface 33d of the third retaining member 33 are located on the same plane. In other words, the mounting surface 31a and the fixing surface 31d of the first retaining member 31 do not need to be parallel, and the mounting surface 33a and the fixing surface 33d of the third retaining member 33 do not need to be parallel.

[0035] The support frame 20 is a metal frame composed of four linearly formed support frames 21, 22, 23, and 24, each attached to a respective retaining member 31, 32, 33, and 34. It is made of a metal with lower rigidity than the retaining frame 30, such as an aluminum alloy. The support frame 20 is not limited to an aluminum alloy and may be made of other non-ferrous metal materials, or it may be made of steel like the retaining frame 30. However, from the viewpoint of weight reduction, it is preferable to use a non-ferrous metal such as an aluminum alloy.

[0036] Each of the support frames 21, 22, 23, and 24 constituting the support frame 20 has, as shown in Figure 3, a first support member 20a attached to the mounting surface 30a of the retaining frame 30, and a second support member 20b assembled to the first support member 20a. The second support member 20b is a so-called trim, and the first support member 20a is a so-called trim receiver.

[0037] The first support member 20a has a fixing piece 20c that extends along the mounting surface 30a of the retaining frame 30, and an engaging piece 20d that extends from the fixing piece 20c to the opposite side of the retaining frame 30 when attached to the retaining frame 30. The first support member 20a is attached to the retaining frame 30 by fixing the fixing piece 20c to the retaining frame 30 with screws or the like (not shown).

[0038] The second support member 20b has a support piece 20e that extends parallel to the fixing piece 20c when assembled to the first support member 20a, and an engaging piece 20f that extends from the support piece 20e toward the fixing piece 20c, and is shaped to be assembled to the first support member 20a by the engaging piece 20f engaging with the engaged piece 20d.

[0039] With the support frame 20 configured in this way, the glass plate 12 is supported with a first spacer rubber 41 interposed between it and the fixing piece 20c, and a second spacer rubber 42 interposed between it and the support piece 20e, as shown in Figure 3. The fixing piece 20c is provided with a holding portion (not shown) capable of holding the first spacer rubber 41 in a predetermined position, and the support piece 20e is provided with a holding portion (not shown) capable of holding the second spacer rubber 42 in a predetermined position.

[0040] The first spacer rubber 41 and the second spacer rubber 42 are sealing members made of ethylene propylene rubber or chloroprene rubber. The hardness of the first spacer rubber 41 and the second spacer rubber 42 may be constant, but the hardness may be partially changed according to the magnitude of the load received from the curved glass plate 12, thereby reducing stress concentration on the glass plate 12 and reducing the risk of cracking or chipping of the glass plate 12.

[0041] To prevent the first spacer rubber 41 and the second spacer rubber 42 from deteriorating due to exposure to the outside air, a sealing material 44 is provided in the groove formed by the fixing piece 20c, the first spacer rubber 41 and the glass plate 12, and in the groove formed by the support piece 20e, the second spacer rubber 42 and the glass plate 12, so as to fill these grooves.

[0042] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, each support frame 21, 22, 23, and 24 constituting the support frame 20 is attached to the retaining frame 30 with a predetermined gap G between them without contacting each other. Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view to make the attachment state of the support frames 21 and 24 to the retaining frame 30 easier to understand. Although Figure 6 shows the attachment state of the first support member 21a of the first support frame 21 and the first support member 24a of the fourth support frame 24 at the joint between the first retaining member 31 and the fourth retaining member 34, the first support members 21a, 22a, 23a, and 24a of each support frame 21, 22, 23, and 24 are attached to the retaining frame 30 in a similar manner.

[0043] Specifically, a gap G of a predetermined size is formed between the first support member 21a of the first support frame 21 attached to the first holding member 31 and the first support member 22a of the second support frame 22 attached to the second holding member 32, and a sealing member (not shown) is provided in this gap G. A liquid sealing material that fills the gap G may be used as the sealing member.

[0044] Similarly, sealing members are provided in the gaps G formed between the first support member 22a of the second support frame 22 attached to the second retaining member 32 and the first support member 23a of the third support frame 23 attached to the third retaining member 33, between the first support member 23a of the third support frame 23 attached to the third retaining member 33 and the first support member 24a of the fourth support frame 24 attached to the fourth retaining member 34, and between the first support member 24a of the fourth support frame 24 attached to the fourth retaining member 34 and the first support member 21a of the first support frame 21 attached to the first retaining member 31.

[0045] By providing sealing members between the support frames 21, 22, 23, and 24 in this manner, rainwater and other liquids are prevented from entering the interior of the building 1 through the gap G.

[0046] If the unit 10 with the above configuration is tilted inward, as shown in Figure 3, with its upper side recessed more than its lower side into the interior of the building 1, there is a risk that condensation may occur on the steel support frame 30 and drip onto the floor.

[0047] Therefore, a gutter member 50 is provided below the retaining frame 30, which is shaped to receive and collect condensation water. The condensation water collected by the gutter member 50 is guided to a condensation receiver provided on the lower frame or the like through a water guide route (not shown) connected to the gutter member 50. Preferably, the gutter member 50 is provided not only below the retaining frame 30 on the upper side of the unit 10, but also below the retaining frame 30 on the lower side. However, if the unit 10 is in an outward-leaning position and there is little risk of condensation water dripping onto the floor, the gutter member 50 does not need to be provided.

[0048] Next, the manufacturing method of the unit 10 with the above configuration will be explained with reference to Figures 3 to 6.

[0049] First, the retaining frame 30 is assembled (assembly process).

[0050] As described above, the retaining frame 30 is assembled by joining the first retaining member 31 and the third retaining member 33, which form the vertical frame, to the second retaining member 32 and the fourth retaining member 34, which form the horizontal frame, via bolts (not shown). The ends of the second retaining member 32 and the fourth retaining member 34 are cut so that the angles formed by the first plane S1 (mounting surfaces 31a, 32a) and the second plane S2 (mounting surfaces 33a, 34a) of the assembled retaining frame 30 are predetermined angles α1 and α2.

[0051] Next, the first support members 21a, 22a, 23a, and 24a of each support frame 21, 22, 23, and 24 are attached to the holding frame 30 (attachment process).

[0052] In this process, the first support members 21a, 22a, 23a, and 24a of each support frame 21, 22, 23, and 24a are attached to the mounting surfaces 31a, 32a, 33a, and 34a of each holding member 31, 32, 33, and 34a via screws (not shown), and the gaps G formed between adjacent first support members 21a, 22a, 23a, and 24a are sealed by sealing members (not shown).

[0053] Next, the glass plate 12 is supported by the first support members 21a, 22a, 23a, 24a and the second support members 21b, 22b, 23b, 24b, which are attached to the holding frame 30 (glass plate support step).

[0054] In this process, first, the first spacer rubber 41 is placed on the first support members 21a, 22a, 23a, and 24a attached to the retaining frame 30, the glass plate 12 is placed on the first spacer rubber 41, and the second spacer rubber 42 is placed on the glass plate 12.

[0055] Then, the second support members 21b and 22b are assembled to the first support members 21a and 22a, which are attached to the mounting surface 31a of the first holding member 31 and the mounting surface 32a of the second holding member 32, respectively, with the first spacer rubber 41, the glass plate 12 and the second spacer rubber 42 sandwiched between the first support members 21a and 22a and the second support members 21b and 22b.

[0056] In this manner, two sides of the glass plate 12 are supported by the first support frame 21 and the second support frame 22, and with the glass plate 12 aligned with the first plane S1, the remaining two sides of the glass plate 12 are pressed toward the mounting surface 33a of the third holding member 33 and the mounting surface 34a of the fourth holding member 34, which constitute the second plane S2, so that the glass plate 12 curves around the diagonal L of the holding frame 30.

[0057] Then, the second support members 23b and 24b are assembled to the first support members 23a and 24a, which are attached to the mounting surface 33a of the third holding member 33 and the mounting surface 34a of the fourth holding member 34, respectively, with the first spacer rubber 41, the glass plate 12, and the second spacer rubber 42 sandwiched between the first support members 23a and 24a and the second support members 23b and 24b.

[0058] As a result, each side of the glass plate 12 is supported by the respective support frames 21, 22, 23, and 24, and the glass plate 12 is supported by the support frame 20 in a curved state between the portion supported along the first plane S1 (one plane) by the first support members 21a, 22a and the second support members 21b, 22b of the first support frame 21 and the second support frame 22, and the portion supported along the second plane S2 (the other plane) by the first support members 23a, 24a and the second support members 23b, 24b of the third support frame 23 and the fourth support frame 24. In other words, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 5, a convex or concave hyperbolic paraboloid is formed around the diagonal L of the holding frame 30 and the glass plate 12 is supported by the support frame 20 in a curved state.

[0059] In the glass plate support process described above, the procedure for supporting the glass plate 12 is not limited to the procedure described above. It is sufficient that, while the glass plate 12 is cold-vented, all four sides of the glass plate 12 are supported by the first support members 21a, 22a, 23a, 24a and the second support members 21b, 22b, 23b, 24b. For example, one side of the glass plate 12 may be supported first, then the remaining three sides, or all four sides of the glass plate 12 may be supported simultaneously.

[0060] Then, once the support of the glass plate 12 by the first support members 21a, 22a, 23a, 24a and the second support members 21b, 22b, 23b, 24b is complete, the gaps formed between adjacent second support members 21b, 22b, 23b, 24b and any gaps into which rainwater may enter are sealed by the sealing members, thereby completing the unit 10.

[0061] The units 10 manufactured in the factory are transported to the construction site of building 1 and sequentially attached to the structure of building 1 using the unit construction method. If the units 10 are transported in a different orientation than when they are installed, for example, standing upright on their sides, the load may become unstable. Also, the direction of the weight of the glass plates 12 acting on them will be perpendicular to the direction when they are installed in building 1, and the position of the glass plates 12 may shift within the unit 10 due to their own weight, potentially causing the glass plates 12 to break. Therefore, the units 10 are transported in a horizontal position. It is also conceivable to transport the units 10 in the same position as when they are installed, i.e., standing upright on their sides. However, transporting the units 10 in this position may cause the height of the load to exceed the height limit of the transport vehicle, and the center of gravity of the load to be higher, potentially making the load unstable. Therefore, it is not practical to transport the units 10 in a horizontal position.

[0062] According to the above embodiments, the following effects are achieved.

[0063] According to the above-described configuration of the vent sash unit 10 and the manufacturing method of the vent sash unit 10, the stress (restoring force) generated in the glass plate 12 that has been curved by cold bending acts on the retaining frame 30 via the support frame 20. However, since the retaining frame 30 is made of steel, which has relatively high rigidity, the deformed state of the glass plate 12 is maintained by the retaining frame 30, and the stress generated in the glass plate 12 is prevented from acting on the fasteners (mounting hardware) for attaching the unit 10 to the building structure 1.

[0064] Thus, although unit 10 holds the glass plate 12 which has been curved by cold bending, the structure is such that the stress generated in the glass plate 12 does not act on the outside of unit 10. Therefore, it does not affect the function of the fasteners used to attach unit 10 to the building structure 1. This makes it possible to stabilize the unit 10's ability to follow inter-story displacements caused by earthquakes and the like.

[0065] Furthermore, the unit 10 with the above configuration can be manufactured in a factory or the like, and after manufacturing, it is transported to the construction site of building 1 and sequentially attached to the structure of building 1 using the unit construction method. Therefore, compared to the case where the glass plate is cold-bent to a predetermined extent and then attached to the structure in its compressed state at the construction site, the time required to attach the cold-bent glass plate 12 can be significantly reduced.

[0066] Furthermore, when a unit in which a glass plate and an aluminum frame are integrated is attached to the building structure by bending the glass plate by a predetermined amount at the construction site, the restoring force of the glass plate continues to act on the joints of the frame, which are bent in the same way as the glass plate. This can cause the joints in the bent parts to open up, allowing rainwater to enter, thus severely restricting the amount of bending of the glass plate. In contrast, in the unit 10 with the above configuration, the aluminum support frame 20 that supports the glass plate 12 bent by cold bending does not have any parts that are bent in accordance with the curvature of the glass plate 12, and is composed of straight-formed members. Therefore, the stress generated in the glass plate 12 does not act locally on the support frame 20. For this reason, it is possible to make the degree of curvature of the glass plate 12 relatively large, according to the stress of the glass plate 12 itself, rather than according to the strength of the joints of the frame.

[0067] Furthermore, in order to facilitate the attachment of the units 10 to the structure of building 1 and the manufacturing of the units 10, it is conceivable to use a rectangular layout in which the shape of each unit 10 in a horizontal view is all the same rectangle. However, it is difficult to realize a complex facade with a rectangular layout. Also, in a unit in which a glass plate and an aluminum frame are integrated, if the joint of the frame is at an angle other than a right angle, the structure of the joint becomes complicated and it becomes difficult to ensure the strength of the joint, making it difficult to use a layout other than a rectangular layout. In contrast, with the unit 10 configured as described above, it is possible to make the shape of each unit 10 in a horizontal view a trapezoid or a convex quadrilateral, that is, any shape, and the layout dimensions can be freely set, making it possible to realize a facade with a more complex three-dimensional curved surface.

[0068] Furthermore, the following modifications are also within the scope of the present invention, and it is possible to combine the configurations shown in the modifications with the configurations described in each of the embodiments described above, or to combine the configurations described in the following different modifications.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the retaining frame 30 is composed of four retaining members 31, 32, 33, and 34, and the shape of the glass plate 12 held by the unit 10 is a convex quadrilateral with four sides. Alternatively, the shape of the glass plate 12 held by the unit 10 may be a polygon with four or more sides, such as a pentagon or more, in which case the retaining frame 30 is composed of a number of retaining members that match the shape of the glass plate 12. Note that when the shape of the glass plate 12 is a polygon with five or more sides, it is not limited to a convex polygon, but may be a concave polygon with a part of it recessed.

[0070] For example, if the shape of the glass plate 12 held by the unit 10 is a convex pentagon, the holding frame 30 will be composed of five holding members, and the mounting surface of the holding frame 30 will be provided with two or three planes that intersect at a predetermined angle.

[0071] Specifically, if the mounting surfaces on two adjacent retaining members constitute the first plane, and the mounting surfaces on the remaining three retaining members constitute the second plane, the two planes will intersect at a predetermined angle. If the mounting surfaces on two adjacent retaining members constitute the first plane, the mounting surfaces on two other adjacent retaining members constitute the second plane, and the mounting surface on the remaining retaining member constitutes the third plane, the three planes will intersect at predetermined angles.

[0072] When two planes intersect at a predetermined angle, the glass plate 12 is held in a curved state between the portion supported by the support frame 20 along the first plane and the portion supported by the support frame 20 along the second plane. When three planes intersect at predetermined angles, the glass plate 12 is curved between the portion supported by the support frame 20 along the first plane and the portion supported by the support frame 20 along the third plane, and is held in a curved state between the portion supported by the support frame 20 along the second plane and the portion supported by the support frame 20 along the third plane.

[0073] Even when the shape of the glass plate 12 is a polygon with five or more sides, the glass plate 12 will be held in a curved state in the portion between the portion supported by the support frame 20 along a certain plane and the portion supported by the support frame 20 along another plane adjacent to this plane, similar to the embodiment described above.

[0074] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments only represent a part of the application examples of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention to the specific configurations of the above embodiments. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0075] 10, 10A, 10B... Vent sash unit 1...Buildings 12. Glass plate 20... Support frame 21. First support frame (support frame) 22...Second support frame (support frame) 23. Third support frame (support frame) 24.. Fourth support frame (support frame) 20a, 21a, 22a, 23a, 24a... First support member 20b, 21b, 22b, 23b, 24b... Second support member 30... Retaining frame 31. First retaining member 32..Second retaining member (12) 33. Third retaining member (15) 34.. Fourth retaining member (14) 30a, 31a, 32a, 33a, 34a... Mounting surface 31b, 32b, 33b, 34b...One end 31c, 32c, 33c, 34c...Other end 41...First Spacer Rubber 42...Second spacer rubber S1...1st plane S2...Second plane L...diagonal

Claims

1. A vent sash unit for holding a glass plate curved by cold bending, The glass plate having at least four sides, A support frame that supports each side of the glass plate, The system comprises a retaining frame having a mounting surface to which the support frame is attached, The mounting surface of the retaining frame is provided with at least two planes that intersect at a predetermined angle, The glass plate is held in a curved state between the portion supported by the support frame along one of the two planes and the portion supported by the support frame along the other of the two planes. Vent sash unit.

2. The mounting surface of the retaining frame is provided with two planes: a first plane and a second plane that intersects the first plane at a predetermined angle. The retaining frame has a first retaining member, a second retaining member, a third retaining member, and a fourth retaining member, which are formed in a straight line. One end of the first retaining member is joined to one end of the second retaining member such that the mounting surface of the first retaining member and the mounting surface of the second retaining member are located on a first plane. One end of the third retaining member is joined to one end of the fourth retaining member such that the mounting surface of the third retaining member and the mounting surface of the fourth retaining member are located on the second plane. The other end of the first retaining member and the other end of the third retaining member are joined to the other end of the fourth retaining member and the other end of the second retaining member, respectively, such that the first plane and the second plane intersect at the predetermined angle. The vent sash unit according to claim 1.

3. The support frame comprises a first support frame attached to the first retaining member, a second support frame attached to the second retaining member, a third support frame attached to the third retaining member, and a fourth support frame attached to the fourth retaining member. The first support frame, the second support frame, the third support frame, and the fourth support frame are formed in a straight line and are attached to the retaining frame without contacting each other. A sealing member is provided in the gaps formed between the first support frame and the second support frame, between the second support frame and the third support frame, between the third support frame and the fourth support frame, and between the fourth support frame and the first support frame. The vent sash unit according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned retaining frame is made of steel, The support frame is made of metal, which has lower rigidity than the retaining frame. A vent sash unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A method for manufacturing a vent sash unit that holds a glass plate curved by cold bending, The assembly process involves putting together the retaining frame, A mounting step of attaching the first support member to the mounting surface of the retaining frame, The process includes a glass plate support step of attaching a second support member to the first support member, thereby supporting each side of the glass plate having at least four sides curved by cold bending by sandwiching it between the first support member and the second support member, The mounting surface of the retaining frame is provided with at least two planes that intersect at a predetermined angle, In the glass plate support step, the glass plate is supported in a curved state in the portion between the portion supported by the first support member and the second support member along one of the two planes and the portion supported by the first support member and the second support member along the other of the two planes. A method for manufacturing a vent sash unit.

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