Panel holding structure

Abstract

To improve the panel's holding strength. [Solution] The mullion 20 has a first outdoor member 21 facing the outside, a first indoor member 22 facing the inside, and an insulating material 31 that is interposed between the first outdoor member 21 and the first indoor member 22 to connect the first outdoor member 21 and the first indoor member 22. A pair of first reinforcing members 26, 27 are provided at one or more locations along the mullion 20, with one end connected to or locked to the first outdoor member 21 and the other end connected to or locked to the first indoor member 22, on both sides of the insulating material 31.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a panel holding structure.

Background Art

[0002] Panel holding structures such as window frames and curtain walls have vertical frames that form a continuous window structure and have an indoor side member and an outdoor side member. These indoor side members and outdoor side members are not directly connected, and a heat insulating material is inserted between them to ensure the heat insulating effect between the indoors and outdoors (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The panel holding structure has a structure in which the indoor side member and the outdoor side member are connected via a heat insulating material. While the indoor side member and the outdoor side member generally use a metal material, the heat insulating material often uses a soft material such as a resin material compared to metal, and it is possible to sufficiently maintain the holding strength of the panel by the panel holding structure. However, in recent years, due to the increase in the scale of earthquakes, typhoons, etc., further improvement in the holding strength of the panel by the panel holding structure is desired in consideration of preparations for natural disasters.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to improve the holding strength of a panel.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention is The mullion comprises a first exterior member facing the exterior, a first interior member facing the interior, and an insulating material interposed between the first exterior member and the first interior member to connect the first exterior member and the first interior member, At one or more locations along the aforementioned mullion, A panel holding structure characterized in that a pair of first reinforcing members are provided on both sides of the thermal insulation material, with one end of each member connected to or locked to the first exterior member and the other end connected to or locked to the first interior member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The present invention makes it possible to improve the holding strength of the panel. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a curtain wall, which is the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of the curtain wall along the SS line in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the main part of the mullion. [Figure 4] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a curtain wall, which is a second embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the curtain wall along the TT line. [Figure 6] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the curtain wall along the UU line. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram showing the installation position of the second reinforcing member on the outer frame as viewed from the inside. [Figure 8] This is a right side view of the second reinforcing member. [Figure 9] This is a bottom view of the second reinforcing member. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram showing the installation position of the third reinforcing member in a movable sliding door, as viewed from the interior. [Figure 11] This is a plan view of the third reinforcing member installed in the vertical frame. [Figure 12]It is a right side view of the third reinforcing member provided on the vertical frame. [Figure 13] It is a right side view of the third reinforcing member provided on the upper frame. [Figure 14] It is a bottom view of the third reinforcing member provided on the upper frame.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] [First Embodiment] A panel holding structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. In the first embodiment, a curtain wall is exemplified as a panel holding structure constituting a multi-step window.

[0010] [Outline of Curtain Wall] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a curtain wall 100, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line S-S of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a main part of the mullion 20. This curtain wall 100 is installed on the outer wall of the building's frame. In the following description, the left direction of the drawing of FIG. 1 is defined as the "front" of the curtain wall 100, the right direction of the drawing of FIG. 1 is the "rear", the upper direction of the drawing of FIG. 1 is the "upper", the lower direction of the drawing of FIG. 1 is the "lower", the left side when viewing the curtain wall 100 from the front is the "left", and the right side when viewing the curtain wall 100 from the front is the "right". It is assumed that the vertical direction of the curtain wall 100 is parallel to the vertical direction and the front-rear direction and the left-right direction are parallel to the horizontal direction and are installed on the building's frame. Also, in the curtain wall 100, the front side is the outdoor side and the rear side is the indoor side.

[0011] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the curtain wall 100 has a plurality of mullions 20 extending in the vertical direction arranged in parallel in the left-right direction, a plurality of transoms 40 extending in the left-right direction arranged in parallel in the vertical direction, and panels 11, 12 held by the mullions 20 and the transoms 40.

[0012] Each blind 40 has one end and the other end connected to adjacent uprights 20 in a state along the left - right direction (the direction intersecting the uprights 20). By arranging a plurality of blinds 40 vertically between adjacent uprights 20, a plurality of rectangular regions are formed side by side vertically between the vertically adjacent blinds 40. Panels 11 and 12 are held alternately side by side in the rectangular regions formed side by side vertically. The curtain wall 100 constitutes a so - called fixed window that directly holds the panels 11 and 12 by the uprights 20 and the blinds 40.

[0013] Panel 11 has an outer glass 11a facing the outdoor side and an inner glass 11b facing the indoor side. The outer glass 11a and the inner glass 11b are of equal size and are held in a facing state with a gap through a spacer. Panel 12 also has an outer glass 12a facing the outdoor side and an inner glass 12b facing the indoor side. The outer glass 12a and the inner glass 12b are of equal size and are held in a facing state with a gap through a spacer.

[0014] [Upright] The upright 20 has a first outdoor - side member 21 facing the outdoor side, a first indoor - side member 22 facing the indoor side, a resin heat - insulating material 31 provided between the first outdoor - side member 21 and the first indoor - side member 22, and a pair of first reinforcing members 26 and 27 connecting the first outdoor - side member 21 and the first indoor - side member 22. Also, the first indoor - side member 22 consists of two members, a main body part 23 and a connecting part 24.

[0015] The main body 23 and connecting portion 24 of the first outdoor member 21 and the first indoor member 22 are all made of extruded molded material made of metal, such as aluminum alloy. The horizontal cross-sectional shape of the first outdoor member 21, the main body 23 and the connecting portion 24 shown in Figure 2 is continuous over the entire length in the vertical direction, and processing such as cutting off a part or drilling holes may be carried out as needed, with processing appropriate for each application. Furthermore, the first outdoor member 21, the main body 23, and the connecting portion 24, or any or all of them, may be formed from materials other than metal, such as resin, as long as the required strength can be ensured.

[0016] As shown in Figure 2, the first exterior member 21 consists of a rectangular flat plate that is longer in the vertical direction and shorter in the horizontal direction. The front surface of the first exterior member 21 is generally flat. Furthermore, a protruding ridge 211 is formed in the center of the rear surface in the left-right direction, extending along its entire length in the vertical direction. Two mounting grooves are formed on the rear surface of this protruding ridge 211, running along its entire length in the vertical direction, side by side. The front side edges of two belt-shaped insulation materials 31, which extend along almost the entire length of the first outdoor member 21 in the vertical direction, are inserted and held into each mounting groove. Each mounting groove is formed in a shape that narrows towards the opening side, and the front side edges of the insulation materials 31 have a bulge in the thickness direction. As a result, the structure prevents the insulation materials 31 from easily coming loose when the front side edges are inserted into the mounting grooves and crimped with a roller or the like.

[0017] On the rear surface of the first exterior member 21, on both the left and right sides of the protrusion 211, there are rectangular locking grooves 212 that are recessed toward the front. These locking grooves 212 are for locking one end of a pair of first reinforcing members 26 and 27, which will be described later. The left-side locking groove 212 has a locking projection 213 that protrudes to the right on the rear edge of the left side surface, which is inside the groove. The locking projection 213 is formed along the entire vertical length of the first outdoor member 21, and is formed flush with the rear surface of the first outdoor member 21, for example. The locking groove 212 on the right side has a structure symmetrical to the locking groove 212 on the left side, and a locking projection 213 is formed on the inside of the groove, protruding to the left.

[0018] As shown in Figure 2, the main body portion 23 of the first indoor member 22 has a hollow closing structure portion 231 that is rectangular when viewed from the top and bottom, and a forward extension portion 232 that extends forward from the left-right center of the front portion of the closing structure portion 231 (not shown in Figure 1).

[0019] The occluding structure 231 has a partition wall provided near the front of its interior. Furthermore, protruding ridges are formed on both the left and right ends of the front surface of the closure structure 231, extending forward along the entire length in the vertical direction. Storage grooves are formed on the front surface of each protruding ridge, and the sealing material is stored therein.

[0020] The forward extension 232 has two connecting structures 233 formed on the front end of its right side, arranged front to back, for connecting the main body 23 and the connecting portion 24. These connecting structures 233 have a hook shape with the hook tip pointing rearward.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, the connecting portion 24 has a holding portion 241 that holds the rear side edges of the two belt-shaped insulating materials 31 mentioned above, and a rear extension portion 242 that is connected to the front extension portion 232 of the main body portion 23, and these are integrally connected.

[0022] The holding portion 241 has the same width on both sides as the protrusion 211 of the first outdoor-side member 21 described above, and the front surface of the holding portion 241 faces the rear surface of the protrusion 211. On the front surface of the retaining portion 241, similar to the rear surface of the protrusion 211, two mounting grooves are formed side by side along the entire length in the vertical direction. The rear side edges of the two belt-shaped insulation materials 31 described above are inserted into and held in these mounting grooves. The structure of these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves of the protrusion 211, and the rear side edges of the insulation material 31 are inserted and crimped with a roller or the like to prevent them from easily coming loose. Therefore, the first exterior member 21 and the first interior member 22 are connected front to back via two insulation materials 31.

[0023] The rear extension portion 242 extends rearward from the left-right center of the rear surface of the holding portion 241. The rear extension portion 242 is a long, flat plate formed along the entire length of the connecting portion 24 in the vertical direction, and two connecting structures 243, each with a hook shape and a hook pointing forward, are formed on its left surface, one in front of the other. By individually interlocking the front and rear connecting structures 233 of the front extension 232 of the main body 23 and the front and rear connecting structures 243 of the rear extension 242, the main body 23 and the connecting portion 24 of the first indoor member 22 can be stably and firmly connected.

[0024] [First reinforcing member] When the main body 23 and connecting portion 24 of the first indoor member 22 are connected, and the connecting portion 24 of the first indoor member 22 is connected to the first outdoor member 21 via the insulation material 31, the mullion 20 is in a state where the left and right sides of the forward extension portion 232 and the connecting portion 24 are open to the left and right, respectively, between the first outdoor member 21 and the first indoor member 22. The left end of one of two adjacent panels 11 and the right end of the other panel 11 are inserted into these left and right openings, respectively, and held in place. In this case, since attachment members 28 that function as retaining edges, sealing materials, etc., are interposed on both the front and rear sides of the outer glass 11a and inner glass 11b that constitute each panel 11, the first exterior member 21 and the first interior member 22 need to maintain sufficient holding pressure on each other to hold each panel 11. The mounting grooves of the protrusions 211 and the mounting grooves of the retaining part 241 can hold the insulation material 31 while maintaining sufficient holding pressure. However, considering the effects of natural disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons in recent years, it is preferable to maintain a connection strength with a greater margin between the first outdoor-side member 21 and the first indoor-side member 22.

[0025] Therefore, in the curtain wall 100, a pair of first reinforcing members 26 and 27 are provided on the mullion 20, with one end connected to or locked to the first exterior member 21 and the other end connected to or locked to the first interior member 22, sandwiching the insulation material 31.

[0026] The pair of first reinforcing members 26 and 27 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 3. The pair of first reinforcing members 26 and 27 are both formed by bending a flat plate of a metal material having sufficient strength, such as stainless steel.

[0027] The first reinforcing member 26 on the left side has a main body portion 261 made of a rectangular flat plate that is long in the vertical direction and short in the front-to-back direction. The main body portion 261 of the first reinforcing member 26 has its front end (one end) bent at a right angle to the left to form a locking portion 262 for the first outdoor member 21, and its rear end (the other end) is bent twice at right angles in a crank shape to the right and rear to form a connecting portion 263 for the first indoor member 22.

[0028] The first reinforcing member 27 on the right side has a main body portion 271 made of a rectangular flat plate that is long in the vertical direction and short in the front-to-back direction. The main body portion 271 of the first reinforcing member 27 has its front end (one end) bent at a right angle to the right to form a locking portion 272 for the first outdoor member 21, and its rear end (the other end) is bent twice at right angles in a crank shape to the left and rear to form a connecting portion 273 for the first indoor member 22.

[0029] The first reinforcing member 26 and the first reinforcing member 27 are used as a pair, positioned side by side on either side of the heat insulating material 31. The first reinforcing members 26 and 27 have a length in the vertical direction that is sufficiently shorter than that of the mullion 20. The first reinforcing members 26 and 27 are provided in multiple pairs and connect the first exterior member 21 and the first interior member 22 at multiple points in the vertical direction.

[0030] As shown in Figure 3, the front-to-back width of the main body portions 261 and 271 of the first reinforcing members 26 and 27 is approximately equal to the distance from the inner rear surface of the locking groove 212 to the rear surface of the holding portion 241 when the first outdoor member 21 and the first indoor member 22 are connected via the insulation material 31, and the left-to-right width of the locking portions 262 and 272 is approximately equal to or slightly narrower than the left-to-right width inside the locking groove 212. Furthermore, the width of the connecting portions 263 and 273 in the left-right direction is approximately equal to the width to the left or right of the rearward extension portion 242 on the upper surface of the holding portion 241.

[0031] When connecting, the locking portion 262 is inserted into the left locking groove 212 with the rear end of the first reinforcing member 26 tilted to the left, and the tilt of the rear end is returned to the right. As a result, the left end of the connecting portion 263 is locked to the locking projection 213, and the first reinforcing member 26 cannot be pulled out to the rear unless the rear end of the first reinforcing member 26 is tilted to the left again. In the case of the first reinforcing member 27, the locking portion 272 can be inserted into the locking groove 212 on the right side with the rear end tilted to the right, and the tilt of the rear end can be returned to the left side.

[0032] The connecting portions 263 and 273 of the first reinforcing members 26 and 27 are connected to the rear extension portion 242 of the first interior member 22 by fastening members such as screws 264 that fasten in the left-right direction. Through holes are formed in the left-right direction in the connecting portions 263, 273 and the rear extension portion 242 for fastening with screws 264. At this time, the connecting portion 263 is subjected to burring and female threads are formed on the inside of the through holes. Therefore, by inserting the screws 264 from the first reinforcing member 27 side, passing them through the rear extension portion 242, and screwing them into the female threads of the through holes in the connecting portion 263, the connecting portions 263 and 273 can be fastened and fixed with the rear extension portion 242 in between. The burring process and the formation of the female thread may be performed on the connecting portion 273 side. Alternatively, instead of burring and forming the female thread, the connecting portions 263 and 273 may be fastened together with screws 264 and nuts. As a result, the rear ends of the first reinforcing members 26 and 27 are prevented from becoming inclined, so that the locking portions 262 and 272 do not come out of the respective locking grooves 212, and the first outdoor member 21 and the first indoor member 22 can be connected more firmly and reinforcingly.

[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, it is preferable that the first reinforcing members 26 and 27 be fastened in the left-right direction by fastening members such as screws 265 that penetrate in the left-right direction near the first outdoor member 21 in the main body portions 261 and 271. Through holes for fastening with screws 265 are formed in the left-right direction near the first outdoor-facing member 21 of the main body parts 261 and 271 and in the insulation material 31. At this time, the main body part 261 is subjected to burring and female threads are formed on the inside of the through holes. Therefore, by inserting the screw 265 from the main body part 271 side, passing it through the insulation material 31, and screwing it into the female threads of the through holes in the main body part 261, the main body parts 261 and 271 can be restrained in the left-right direction with the protrusions 211 in between. The burring process and thread formation may be performed on the main body portion 271. Alternatively, instead of burring and thread formation, the main body portions 261 and 271 may be fastened together with screws 265 and nuts. As a result, the left-right positions of the main body portions 261 and 271 of the first reinforcing members 26 and 27 are constrained to the position in contact with the protrusions 211, and even when a large external force is applied to the mullion 20, the deflection of the first reinforcing members 26 and 27 is suppressed, and it becomes possible to effectively prevent the locking portions 262 and 272 from falling out of their respective locking grooves 212.

[0034] Furthermore, it is desirable that the first reinforcing members 26 and 27 be configured in a way that does not impair the thermal insulation effect of the thermal insulation material 31 between the first exterior member 21 and the first interior member 22. For example, it is preferable that the vertical width of the first reinforcing members 26 and 27 is sufficiently narrow compared to the total length of the mullion 20. Furthermore, when using one or more sets of the first reinforcing members 26, 27, it is preferable that the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the main body portions 261, 271 of all the first reinforcing members 26, 27 perpendicular to the front-rear direction is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting portion (for example, the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the flat plate portion of the rear extension portion 242) when the first exterior member 21 and the first interior member 22 are directly connected without using the thermal insulation material 31.

[0035] Furthermore, the first reinforcing members 26 and 27 may be configured such that one end is connected to the first outdoor member 21 with a fastening member, and the other end is locked to the first indoor member 22, for example, by hooking it onto the corner of the holding portion 241. Alternatively, the first reinforcing members 26 and 27 may be configured such that both ends are connected to the first outdoor member 21 and the first indoor member 22 with fastening members, respectively, or both ends may be individually locked to the first outdoor member 21 and the first indoor member 22 with locking claws or the like.

[0036] [No eyes] The transom 40 includes a second outdoor member 41 facing the outside, a second indoor member 42 facing the inside, and a resin insulation material 32 provided between the second outdoor member 41 and the second indoor member 42.

[0037] The second exterior member 41 and the second interior member 42 are both made from extruded molded metal, such as an aluminum alloy. The second exterior member 41 and the second interior member 42 have a vertical cross-sectional shape that is continuous along their entire length in the left-right direction, and may be processed as needed, such as being partially cut or having holes drilled, with processing appropriate for each application. Furthermore, either or both of the second outdoor-facing member 41 and the second indoor-facing member 42 may be formed from other materials such as resin instead of metal, provided that the required strength can be ensured.

[0038] The transom 40 is attached to the mounting surfaces of two adjacent mullions 20, with the left and right ends of the transom 40 being individually attached to the opposing mounting surfaces of the two mullions 20. There are no particular limitations on the mounting method as long as sufficient mounting strength is ensured, but here we will illustrate the case where it is attached by fastening with fasteners such as screws. The total length in the left-right direction of the transom 40 is equal to the left-right separation distance between the mounting surfaces of the transoms 40 of two adjacent mullions 20.

[0039] As shown in Figure 1, the second outdoor member 41 has a hollow closing structure 411 when viewed from the left and right directions, a mounting portion 412 for a retaining plate 43 which functions as a retaining edge (described later) and is provided on the upper front side of the closing structure 411, and a downward extension portion 413 that extends downward from the lower front end of the closing structure 411.

[0040] The mounting portion 412 is roughly U-shaped when viewed from the left or right direction, and an upward-opening mounting groove is formed along its entire length in the left-right direction. A rearward-projecting locking claw is formed along the entire length in the left-right direction at the upper end of the front wall surface of the mounting portion 412.

[0041] The downward extension portion 413 has a flat plate shape that hangs downward, and its rear surface presses and holds the front surface of the upper end of the outer glass 11a of panel 11 or the outer glass 12a of panel 12 via a sealing material.

[0042] The retaining plate 43 is a substantially flat plate that is flush with the front surface of the second outdoor member 41, and has a connecting portion at its lower end that is inserted into the mounting groove of the mounting portion 412. This retaining plate 43 is also made of an extruded mold made of metal, such as an aluminum alloy, with a vertical cross-sectional shape that is continuous along the entire length in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 1.

[0043] The upper part of the retaining plate 43 presses and holds the lower front surface of the outer glass 11a of panel 11 or the lower front surface of the outer glass 12a of panel 12 from the front via a sealing material. The lower connecting portion of the retaining plate 43 has a protrusion that, when inserted into the mounting groove of the mounting portion 412, engages with the locking claw in the aforementioned mounting groove. This protrusion can be released from the locking claw by tilting the upper part of the retaining plate 43 backward, allowing the retaining plate 43 to be removed from the mounting portion 412. However, when the upper part of the retaining plate 43 is pressing against the outer glass 11a or 12a from the front, the upper part of the retaining plate 43 cannot be tilted backward, so the retaining plate 43 can maintain the holding state of the panel 11 or 12 without easily coming off the mounting groove of the mounting part 412.

[0044] Mounting grooves, which are recessed forward, are formed on the upper and lower parts of the rear surface of the closure structure 411, extending along its entire length in the left-right direction. The front side edges of two belt-shaped insulation materials 32, which extend along almost the entire length of the transom 40 in the left-right direction, are inserted and held into each mounting groove. Each mounting groove is formed in a shape that narrows towards the opening side, and the front side edges of the insulation materials 32 have a bulge in the thickness direction. As a result, the structure prevents the front side edges of the insulation materials 32 from easily coming out by inserting them into the mounting grooves and crimping them with a roller or the like.

[0045] As shown in Figure 1, the second interior member 42 has a hollow upper closing structure 421 and a lower closing structure 422 when viewed from the left and right directions. The upper closing structure 421 and the lower closing structure 422 have their rear surfaces flush, and the whole is integrally formed. Furthermore, the front surface of the upper closing structure 421 is set back more than the front surface of the lower closing structure 422.

[0046] The upper front surface of the upper closing structure 421 presses and holds the lower rear surface of the inner glass 11b of panel 11 or the lower rear surface of the inner glass 12b of panel 12 from behind via a sealing material. As described above, the upper rear surface of the retaining plate 43 presses and holds the lower front part of the outer glass 11a of panel 11 or the lower front part of the outer glass 12a of panel 12 from the front, so that the retaining plate 43 and the upper closing structure 421 can press and hold the lower part of panel 11 or 12 from the front and rear.

[0047] Furthermore, since the overall thickness of panel 12 in the front-to-back direction is thinner than the overall thickness of panel 11 in the front-to-back direction, the upper closing structure 421 secures the lower part of panel 12 by fixing a spacer member 491 to the upper front surface of the upper closing structure 421 with fastening members such as screws, and by using a sealing material provided on the outdoor side of the spacer member 491 to hold it in place. In addition, a cover member 490 is provided on the upper part of the spacer member 491 with an insulating material interposed therebetween, ensuring both thermal insulation and aesthetic appeal.

[0048] Furthermore, a downward-facing locking claw is provided on the lower front surface of the upper closing structure 421, extending along its entire length in the left-right direction. A support plate 44 for supporting the panel 11 or 12 is mounted and supported on the front side of the upper closing structure 421 and on the upper surface of the lower closing structure 422.

[0049] The support plate 44 has a length shorter than the total length of the transom 40 in the left-right direction (approximately 50 mm to 100 mm in this embodiment), and is made of a metal plate material, such as an aluminum alloy, with a vertical cross-sectional shape that is continuous in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 1. Multiple support plates 44 are provided, and the panel 11 or 12 is supported from below by multiple support plates 44. The support plate 44 is a flat plate whose upper surface is parallel in the front-rear and left-right directions, and whose thickness in the vertical direction increases slightly towards the rear, and an upward-facing locking claw is provided at its rear end. With the rear end of the support plate 44 resting on the upper surface of the lower closing structure 422, the upward-facing locking claw at the rear end engages with the downward-facing locking claw at the lower front of the upper closing structure 421, connecting them. As a result, the support plate 44 is supported at its rear end in a cantilevered state with its front end being a free end.

[0050] The support plate 44 supports both the outer glass 11a and inner glass 11b of panel 11, or both the outer glass 12a and inner glass 12b of panel 12, on its upper surface. Furthermore, as described above, the support plate 44 is supported only at its rear end by the lower closing structure 422, and supports almost the entire weight of the panel 11 or 12. Therefore, even if the second outdoor member 41 were to detach from the second indoor member 42, the support plate 44 could support almost the entire weight of the panel 11 or 12 from below, thus severely preventing part or all of the panel 11 or 12 from falling forward. Alternatively, the support plate 44 may be approximately the same length as the total length of the transom 40 in the left-right direction, and a single support plate 44 may support the panel 11 or 12 from below.

[0051] The lower closing structure 422 has a lower front surface that is set back more than the upper front surface. The lower front surface of the lower closing structure 422 presses and holds the upper rear surface of the inner glass 11b of panel 11 or the inner glass 12b of panel 12 via a sealing material. As described above, the rear surface of the downward extension 413 presses and holds the front surface of the upper end of the outer glass 11a of panel 11 or the outer glass 12a of panel 12 via a sealing material, so that the downward extension 413 and the lower closing structure 422 can press and hold the upper part of panel 11 or 12 from the front and rear.

[0052] As mentioned above, the overall thickness of panel 12 in the front-to-back direction is thinner than the overall thickness of panel 11 in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, the lower closing structure 422 secures the upper part of panel 12 by fixing a spacer member 492 to the lower front surface of the lower closing structure 422 with fastening members such as screws, and by using a sealing material provided on the outdoor side of the spacer member 492 to hold it in place. A cover member 490 is provided below the spacer member 492 with an insulating material interposed therebetween, ensuring both thermal insulation and aesthetic appeal.

[0053] Mounting grooves, which are concave to the rear, are formed at the upper and lower ends of the upper front surface of the lower closing structure 422, extending along the entire length in the left-right direction. The rear side edges of the two belt-shaped insulation materials 32, as described above, are inserted and held in each mounting groove. Each mounting groove is formed in a shape that narrows towards the opening side, and the rear side edges of the insulation material 32 have a bulge in the thickness direction. As a result, the structure prevents the rear side edges of the insulation material 32 from easily coming out by inserting them into the mounting grooves and crimping them with a roller or the like. Therefore, the second exterior member 41 and the second interior member 42 are connected front to back via two insulation materials 32.

[0054] [Curtain wall assembly] The assembly of the curtain wall 100 described above begins with attaching multiple mullions 20 to the exterior wall of the building's structure at predetermined intervals. The mullions 20 are installed on the exterior wall of the structure with the first exterior member 21, the first interior member 22, and the insulation material 31 assembled, and the first reinforcing members 26 and 27 attached. The first reinforcing members 26 and 27 may be installed after the mullions 20 have been installed.

[0055] Next, with the second exterior member 41, the second interior member 42, the insulation material 32, and the support plate 44 assembled, the transoms 40 that will form the upper and lower parts of the panel 11 are attached between the two mullions 20, respectively, and the assembly of one section is completed. Then, the panel 11 is fitted into the inner region surrounded by the two mullions 20 and the two transoms 40, and is placed on the upper surface of the support plate 44.

[0056] Then, the retaining plate 43 of the lower transom 40 is attached to the second outdoor member 41, and the left and right attachment members 28 on the mullion 20 side are inserted between the panel 11 and the first indoor member 22, after which the sealing material is filled, and the installation of the panel 11 is completed.

[0057] [Technical Effects of the First Embodiment] In the curtain wall 100, the mullions 20 are separated into an exterior and interior side by a first exterior member 21 and a first interior member 22, and the transoms 40 are separated into an exterior and interior side by a second exterior member 41 and a second interior member 42, and each is connected via insulation materials 31 and 32. As a result, the first exterior member 21 and the second exterior member 41, which constitute the exterior side, and the first interior member 22 and the second interior member 42, which constitute the interior side, do not come into direct contact, making it possible to maintain high thermal insulation between the exterior and interior sides.

[0058] Furthermore, the curtain wall 100 is provided with a pair of first reinforcing members 26 and 27 at one or more locations along the mullions 20, on both the left and right sides of the insulation material 31, with one end of each member being secured to the first exterior member 21 and the other end being connected to the first interior member 22. As a result, even if the first exterior member 21 and the first interior member 22, which are connected by the insulation material 31, are subjected to external forces exceeding those expected due to natural disasters such as earthquakes or typhoons, the connection between the first exterior member 21 and the first interior member 22 will be firmly maintained, and the detachment of the panel 11 or 12 will be effectively suppressed. In particular, since the pair of first reinforcing members 26 and 27 are provided on both the left and right sides with the thermal insulation material 31 in between, an effective reinforcing effect can be provided to the connection portion of the thermal insulation material 31 against stress on both sides of the mullion 20, making it possible to maintain a stronger connection between the first exterior member 21 and the first interior member 22. Furthermore, even if the resin insulation material 31 softens during a fire, the first reinforcing members 26 and 27 can maintain the connection between the first exterior member 21 and the first interior member 22, effectively preventing the panel 11 or 12 from falling off.

[0059] Furthermore, in both the first reinforcing members 26 and 27, at least one end of each member is locked rather than connected. This locked state allows the outdoor and indoor members to approach each other and restricts their separation. Therefore, the flexibility and elastic properties of the insulation materials 31 and 32 allow the gap between the outdoor and indoor members to contract. This makes it possible to maintain high workability when installing and assembling the mullions 20 and transoms 40.

[0060] Furthermore, since the pair of first reinforcing members 26 and 27 are positioned aligned vertically and connected to each other by screws 264, vertical misalignment of the pair of first reinforcing members 26 and 27 is also suppressed. This prevents detachment due to such misalignment and makes it possible to maintain a stronger connection between the first exterior member 21 and the first interior member 22.

[0061] Furthermore, since the pair of first reinforcing members 26 and 27 are connected by screws 265 so as not to separate from each other, the spacing and orientation of the pair of first reinforcing members 26 and 27 are maintained, preventing the locking portions 262 and 272 from coming loose from their locked state, and making it possible to maintain a stronger connection between the first outdoor member 21 and the first indoor member 22.

[0062] [Second Embodiment] In the second embodiment, a curtain wall is also exemplified as a panel holding structure that constitutes a series of windows.

[0063] [Outline of Curtain Walls] Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of curtain wall 100A, Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along line TT in Figure 4, and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along line UU in Figure 4. This curtain wall 100A will also be installed on the exterior wall of the building's structure. In the following explanation, the left side of Figure 4 is defined as the "front" of the curtain wall 100A, the right side as the "rear", the top of Figure 4 as the "top", and the bottom of Figure 4 as the "bottom". When viewing the curtain wall 100A from the front, the left side is defined as the "left", and when viewing the curtain wall 100A from the front, the right side is defined as the "right". The curtain wall 100A is installed on the building structure such that its vertical orientation is parallel to the vertical direction, and its front-to-back and left-to-right orientations are parallel to the horizontal direction. Furthermore, the front of the curtain wall 100A is the exterior side, and the rear is the interior side. Furthermore, for curtain wall 100A, components with the same configuration as curtain wall 100 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0064] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the curtain wall 100A has a plurality of vertically extending mullions 20 arranged in parallel in the left-right direction, and an outer frame 110A that holds panels 13 and 14 between two adjacent mullions 20. The outer frame 110A has left and right vertical frames 40A, 40A, an upper frame 50A, and a lower frame 60A. Furthermore, the curtain wall 100A has an intermediate transom 70A as a transom provided between the left and right vertical frames 40A, 40A of the outer frame 110A, and a movable sash 80A that holds the panel 13.

[0065] The outer frame 110A is rectangular overall, and its interior is divided vertically by an intermediate transom 70A running horizontally. Panel 13 is held in the upper region, and panel 14 is held in the lower region. Panel 13 is held to the outer frame 110A via a movable sash 80A, forming a vertical sliding window. Panel 14 is fixedly held to the outer frame 110A, forming a fixed window. Furthermore, the curtain wall 100A has an outer frame 110A that holds panels 13 and 14 and an outer frame (partially shown) that holds the fixed window panel 12 arranged alternately in the upper and lower positions. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the fixed window panel 14 is held in place on both the left and right sides of panel 13 and panel 14 via mullions 20.

[0066] The following describes the various parts of the curtain wall 100A. Note that the mullions 20 are identical to those of the curtain wall 100, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0067] [panel] Panel 13 has an outer glass 13a facing the exterior and an inner glass 13b facing the interior. The outer glass 13a and the inner glass 13b are of the same size and are held facing each other with a gap between them via a spacer. Panel 14 also has an outer glass 14a facing the outside and an inner glass 14b facing the inside. The outer glass 14a and the inner glass 14b are of the same size and are held facing each other with a gap between them via a spacer.

[0068] [Outer frame: vertical frame] The left and right vertical frames 40A, 40A have their left and right sides facing opposite directions, but they are simply the same profile material that has been inverted and rotated. Therefore, only the left vertical frame 40A will be explained. The same applies to the retaining plate 45A, opposing member 46A, and retaining member 47A, which will be described later. For each of these right-hand components, simply reverse the left and right directions in the descriptions of the left-hand components.

[0069] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the vertical frame 40A extends vertically to a length approximately the same as the length from the upper end of the upper frame 50A (described later) to the lower end of the lower frame 60A, and is housed in an opening between the front surface of the closing structure 231 on the right side of the mullion 20 and the rear surface of the first exterior member 21 via a sealing material. The vertical frame 40A has an outdoor member 41A located on the outdoor side, an indoor member 42A located on the indoor side, and a resin insulation material 33 provided between the outdoor member 41A and the indoor member 42A. Both the outdoor member 41A and the indoor member 42A are made of extruded molded material made of metal, such as an aluminum alloy. The outdoor member 41A and the indoor member 42A have a horizontal cross-sectional shape that is continuous throughout their entire length in the vertical direction, as shown in Figure 5. Depending on the circumstances, they may be modified by cutting off a portion or drilling holes, with each being processed appropriately for its respective application. Furthermore, the outdoor member 41A and the indoor member 42A may be formed from materials other than metal, such as resin, as long as the required strength can be ensured.

[0070] As shown in Figure 5, the exterior member 41A is a profiled material that has a hollow structure when viewed from the top or bottom. The front end of the right side of the exterior member 41A, below the intermediate transom 70A (described later), has a mounting portion for a retaining plate 45A that holds down the front left end of the outer glass 14a of the panel 14, as shown in Figure 6. The retaining plate 45A is made of a profile that runs vertically, and its vertical length is approximately equal to that of the panel 14. The structure of the retaining plate 45A is almost identical to that of the retaining plate 43 described above, and the structure of the mounting portion is also almost identical to that of the retaining plate 43.

[0071] The rear end of the outdoor member 41A has a surface facing the indoor member 42A in the vertical and horizontal directions, and mounting grooves are formed on this opposing surface, side by side, along the entire length in the vertical direction, with the grooves being concave forward. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 33 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves and two belt-shaped insulation materials 31 formed on the protrusions 211 of the first outdoor member 21 of the mullion 20 described above.

[0072] As shown in Figure 5, the interior member 42A is a profiled material that has a hollow structure when viewed from the top or bottom. As shown in Figure 5, an opposing member 46A is attached to the right side of the interior member 42A, above the intermediate transom 70A (described later), and is opposite the rear surface of the vertical frame 81A of the movable sash 80A. The opposing member 46A is made of a profile that runs vertically, and its vertical length is approximately equal to that of the movable sash 80A. The opposing member 46A has a connecting portion that abuts against the right side of the interior member 42A and is connected by a fastening member, etc., and an opposing portion that extends to the right from the rear end of the connecting portion. The opposing portion is a flat plate whose front surface faces the rear surface of the vertical frame 81A, and a watertight material is provided at the right end of the front surface along its entire vertical length. The watertight material has a lip portion that faces forward, and this lip portion is in close contact with the rear surface of the vertical frame 81A when the movable sash 80A is closed, creating a seal between the opposing member 46A and the movable sash 80A.

[0073] Furthermore, on the right side of the interior member 42A, below the intermediate transom 70A (described later), a retaining member 47A for the panel 14 is attached, as shown in Figure 6. The retaining member 47A is made of a hollow-structured profile that runs vertically, and its vertical length is approximately equal to that of the panel 14. The retaining member 47A presses the rear left end of the inner glass 14b of the panel 14 from behind via a sealing material, and works in cooperation with the aforementioned retaining plate 45A to hold the panel 14 from both the front and rear.

[0074] The front end of the indoor member 42A has a surface facing the outdoor member 41A in the vertical and horizontal directions, and mounting grooves are formed on this facing surface, side by side, along the entire length in the vertical direction, with a recess at the rear. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 33 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves and two belt-shaped insulation materials 31 formed in the holding portion 241 of the connecting portion 24 of the mullion 20 described above. The exterior member 41A and the interior member 42A are connected front to back via two insulation materials 33.

[0075] [Outer frame: Top frame] The upper frame 50A includes a second outdoor member 51A facing the outdoor side, a second indoor member 52A facing the indoor side, and a resin insulation material 34 provided between the second outdoor member 51A and the second indoor member 52A.

[0076] The second exterior member 51A and the second interior member 52A are both made from extruded molded metal, such as an aluminum alloy. However, the second exterior member 51A and the second interior member 52A may be made from other materials such as resin, as long as the required strength can be ensured. The second outdoor member 51A and the second indoor member 52A have a vertical cross-sectional shape that is continuous along the entire length in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 4. Depending on the circumstances, they may be processed by cutting off a portion or drilling holes, with each being processed appropriately for its respective application.

[0077] The second exterior member 51A and the second interior member 52A of the upper frame 50A are both provided extending from the right side of the left vertical frame 40A to the left side of the right vertical frame 40A. There are no particular limitations on the method of attachment to each vertical frame 40A as long as sufficient attachment strength is ensured, but here we will illustrate the case where they are attached by fastening with fasteners such as screws. In addition, unless otherwise specified, when referring to the total length in the left-right direction for each component of the upper frame 50A, it refers to the total length from the right side of the left vertical frame 40A to the left side of the right vertical frame 40A.

[0078] As shown in Figure 4, the second exterior member 51A is made of a hollow-structured profile when viewed from the left-right direction. The upper surface of the second exterior member 51A has a plate-shaped extension that extends upward. Above the second exterior member 51A is the second exterior member 122A, which constitutes the lower frame 121A of the outer frame of the panel 12, and the second exterior member 122A has a plate-shaped extension that extends downward. The second outdoor member 51A and the second outdoor member 122A are integrally connected by fasteners such as screws, with their respective extensions overlapping.

[0079] On the rear surface of the second exterior member 51A, mounting grooves are formed at the top and bottom, extending along the entire length in the left-right direction, with the grooves being recessed forward. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 34 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves and two belt-shaped insulation materials 32 of the second exterior member 41 of the curtain wall 100 described above.

[0080] As shown in Figure 4, the second indoor member 52A has a hollow closing structure 521A when viewed from the left-right direction and an extension 522A that extends downward from the lower rear surface of the closing structure 521A.

[0081] On the front surface of the closure structure 521A, mounting grooves are formed at the top and bottom, extending along the entire length in the left-right direction, with a recessed rearward orientation. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 34 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves on the front surface and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 32 of the lower closure structure 422 of the second interior member 42 of the curtain wall 100 described above. Therefore, the second exterior member 51A and the second interior member 52A are connected front to back via two insulation materials 34.

[0082] The upper surface of the closure structure 521A has a hook-shaped portion with its tip pointing forward when viewed from the left or right. Above the second indoor member 52A is the second indoor member 123A, which constitutes the lower frame 121A of the outer frame of the panel 12, described later. The second indoor member 123A has a hook-shaped portion on its lower surface with its tip pointing backward when viewed from the left or right. The closure structure 521A and the second indoor member 123A are connected with their hook-shaped portions interlocked. The second exterior member 122A and the second interior member 123A, which constitute the lower frame 121A of the outer frame of panel 12, are connected via an insulating material 37, and as mentioned above, the second exterior member 51A and the second exterior member 122A are also connected. As a result, the upper frame 50A and the lower frame 121A of the outer frame 110A are integrally connected, and these connected bodies function as transoms, with one end connected to the other end of two mullions 20 that are arranged side by side.

[0083] The flat extension portion 522A, which extends downward from the lower end of the rear surface of the closing structure portion 521A, is flush with the rear surface of the closing structure portion 521A. Furthermore, the front surface of the extension portion 522A is positioned below the upper frame 50A and is in close proximity to the rear surface of the upper frame 84A, which will be described later, of the movable sash 80A when the window is closed. A watertight material 523A with a lip facing forward is provided on the front surface of the extension 522A, extending along its entire length in the left-right direction. The watertight material 523A is in close contact with the rear surface of the upper frame 84A when the lip is closed off the movable sash 80A, thereby creating a seal between the upper frame 50A and the movable sash 80A.

[0084] [Outer frame: Bottom frame] The lower frame 60A includes a second outdoor member 61A facing the outdoor side, a second indoor member 62A facing the indoor side, and an insulating material 35 provided between the second outdoor member 61A and the second indoor member 62A.

[0085] The second exterior member 61A and the second interior member 62A are both made from extruded molded metal, such as an aluminum alloy. However, the second exterior member 61A and the second interior member 62A may be formed from other materials such as resin instead of metal, provided that the required strength can be ensured. The second outdoor member 61A and the second indoor member 62A have a vertical cross-sectional shape that is continuous along their entire length in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 4. Depending on the circumstances, they may be partially cut off or have holes drilled, and are processed appropriately for their respective uses.

[0086] The second exterior member 61A and the second interior member 62A of the lower frame 60A are both provided extending from the right side of the left vertical frame 40A to the left side of the right vertical frame 40A. There are no particular limitations on the method of attachment to each vertical frame 40A as long as sufficient attachment strength is ensured, but here we will illustrate the case where they are attached by fastening with fasteners such as screws. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, when referring to the total length in the left-right direction for each component of the lower frame 60A, it shall refer to the total length from the right side of the left vertical frame 40A to the left side of the right vertical frame 40A.

[0087] As shown in Figure 4, the second exterior member 61A is made of a generally flat plate-shaped material when viewed from the left-right direction. The central lower surface of the second exterior member 61A has a plate-shaped extension that extends downward. Below the second exterior member 61A is the second exterior member 125A, which constitutes the upper frame 124A of the outer frame of the panel 12, and the second exterior member 125A has a plate-shaped extension that extends upward. The second outdoor member 61A and the second outdoor member 125A are integrally connected by fasteners such as screws, with their respective extensions overlapping.

[0088] The front end of the second outdoor member 61A has a mounting portion for the aforementioned retaining plate 43, and the rear end has an opposing wall portion that faces the second indoor member 62A. The mounting portion at the front end of the second exterior member 61A has the same structure as the mounting portion 412 of the curtain wall 100 described above. A retaining plate 43 is also attached to this mounting portion of the second exterior member 61A. The rear surface of this retaining plate 43 presses and holds the lower front surface of the outer glass 12a of the panel 12 from the front via a sealing material.

[0089] The opposing wall portion at the rear end of the second exterior member 61A has opposing surfaces aligned in the vertical and horizontal directions, and these opposing surfaces have mounting grooves formed at the top and bottom, extending along their entire length in the horizontal direction, with the grooves being recessed forward. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 35 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves and two belt-shaped insulation materials 32 of the second exterior member 41 of the curtain wall 100 described above.

[0090] As shown in Figure 4, the second interior member 62A consists of a hollow-structured profile when viewed from the left-right direction. On the lower front surface of the second interior member 62A, mounting grooves are formed at the top and bottom, extending along the entire length in the left-right direction, with a recess towards the rear. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 35 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves on the front surface and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 32 of the lower closing structure 422 of the second interior member 42 of the curtain wall 100 described above. Therefore, the second exterior member 61A and the second interior member 62A are connected front to back via two insulation materials 35.

[0091] The lower surface of the second indoor member 62A has a hook-shaped portion with its tip pointing backward when viewed from the left or right. Below the second indoor member 62A is the second indoor member 126A, which constitutes the upper frame 124A of the outer frame of the panel 12, described later. The second indoor member 126A has a hook-shaped portion on its upper surface with its tip pointing forward when viewed from the left or right. The second indoor member 62A and the second indoor member 126A are connected with their hook-shaped portions interlocked. The second exterior member 125A and the second interior member 126A, which constitute the upper frame 124A of the outer frame of panel 12, are connected via an insulating material 38, and as mentioned above, the second exterior member 61A and the second exterior member 125A are also connected. As a result, the lower frame 60A of the outer frame 110A and the upper frame 124A of the outer frame are integrally connected, and these connected bodies function as transoms, with one end connected to the other end of two mullions 20 that are arranged side by side.

[0092] Furthermore, the upper front surface of the second interior member 62A presses and holds the lower rear surface of the inner glass 14b of the panel 14 from behind via a sealing material. As described above, the rear surface of the retaining plate 43 provided at the front end of the second exterior member 61A presses and holds the lower front surface of the outer glass 14a of the panel 14 from the front via a sealing material. Therefore, the lower part of the panel 14 can be held and secured from both the front and rear by the retaining plate 43 and the second interior member 62A.

[0093] The lower front surface of the second interior member 62A is located further forward than the upper front surface, and between the upper front surface and the lower front surface, there is a mounting surface for supporting the support plate 44, which is oriented in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions. Furthermore, a downward-facing locking claw 621A is provided on the upper front surface of the second indoor member 62A, extending along its entire length in the left-right direction. Furthermore, a support plate 44 is attached to the aforementioned mounting surface of the second indoor member 62A, and the entire panel 14 is supported via the support plate 44. This support plate 44 has the same configuration as the support plate 44 of the curtain wall 100 described above. Therefore, even if the second outdoor member 61A or the retaining plate 43 were to detach from the second indoor member 62A, the support plate 44 would be able to support almost the entire weight of the panel 14 from below, thus severely preventing part or all of the panel 14 from falling forward.

[0094] [Intermediate no-point] The intermediate transom 70A includes a second outdoor member 71A facing the outdoor side, a second indoor member 72A facing the indoor side, and a resin insulation material 36 provided between the second outdoor member 71A and the second indoor member 72A.

[0095] The second exterior member 71A and the second interior member 72A are both made from extruded molded metal, such as an aluminum alloy. However, the second exterior member 71A and the second interior member 72A may be made from other materials such as resin instead of metal, provided that the required strength can be ensured. The second outdoor member 71A and the second indoor member 72A have a vertical cross-sectional shape that is continuous along the entire length in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 4. Depending on the circumstances, they may be modified by cutting off a portion or drilling holes, with each being processed appropriately for its respective application.

[0096] The second exterior member 71A and the second interior member 72A of the intermediate transom 70A are both provided extending from the right side of the left vertical frame 40A to the left side of the right vertical frame 40A. There are no particular limitations on the method of attachment to each vertical frame 40A as long as sufficient attachment strength is ensured, but here we will illustrate the case where they are attached by fastening with fasteners such as screws. In addition, unless otherwise specified, when referring to the total length in the left-right direction for each component of the intermediate transom 70A, it refers to the total length from the right side of the left vertical frame 40A to the left side of the right vertical frame 40A.

[0097] As shown in Figure 4, the second outdoor member 71A has an inverted L-shape when viewed from the left-right direction, with a horizontal flat plate portion having a downwardly extending extension portion 711A at the front end and an opposing wall portion 712A at the rear end that faces the upper front surface of the closing structure portion 721A of the second indoor member 72A. The extension portion 711A of the second outdoor member 71A presses and holds the upper front surface of the outer glass 14a of the panel 14 from the front via a sealing material on its rear surface.

[0098] The opposing wall portion 712A of the second exterior member 71A has opposing surfaces aligned in the vertical and horizontal directions, and mounting grooves that are recessed forward are formed on the upper and lower parts of these opposing surfaces along their entire length in the horizontal direction. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 36 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves and two belt-shaped insulation materials 35 of the opposing wall portion at the rear end of the second exterior member 61A described above.

[0099] As shown in Figure 4, the second indoor member 72A has a hollow closing structure 721A when viewed from the left-right direction and an extension 722A that extends upward from the upper rear surface of the closing structure 721A.

[0100] The upper front surface of the closure structure 721A is located further forward than the lower front surface, and there is a downward-facing flat surface between the upper front surface and the lower front surface that is aligned in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions. Furthermore, on the upper front surface of the closure structure 721A, mounting grooves that are concave to the rear are formed along the entire length in the left-right direction, both at the top and bottom. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 36 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves and two belt-shaped insulation materials 35 on the lower front surface of the second interior member 62A described above. Therefore, the second exterior member 71A and the second interior member 72A are connected front to back via two insulation materials 36.

[0101] The lower front surface of the closure structure 721A presses and holds the upper rear surface of the inner glass 14b of the panel 14 from behind via a sealing material. As described above, the extension portion 711A of the second outdoor member 71A presses and holds the upper front surface of the outer glass 14a of the panel 14 from the front via a sealing material on its rear surface. Therefore, the extension portion 711A of the second outdoor member 71A and the closing structure portion 721A of the second indoor member 72A can press and hold the upper part of the panel 14 from both the front and the back.

[0102] The flat extension portion 722A, which extends upward from the upper rear surface of the closing structure portion 721A, is flush with the rear surface of the closing structure portion 721A. Furthermore, the front surface of the extension portion 722A is positioned above the intermediate transom 70A and is in close proximity to the rear surface of the lower frame 87A of the movable sash 80A, which will be described later, when the window is closed. On the front of this extension 722A, a watertight material 723A with a lip facing forward is provided along the entire length of the intermediate transom 70A in the left-right direction. The watertight material 723A is in close contact with the rear surface of the lower frame 87A when the movable sash 80A is closed, and seals between the intermediate transom 70A and the movable sash 80A.

[0103] [Second reinforcing member] As shown in Figure 4, the aforementioned intermediate transom 70A is provided with a second reinforcing member 73A, one end of which is locked to the second outdoor member 71A and the other end of which is connected to the second indoor member 72A. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the installation position of the second reinforcing member 73A on the outer frame 110A as viewed from the interior (rear), Figure 8 is a right side view of the second reinforcing member 73A, and Figure 9 is a bottom view of the second reinforcing member 73A.

[0104] As shown in the mounting position F in Figure 7, the second reinforcing member 73A is provided at two locations on the left and right of the intermediate transom 70A. Note that the number of second reinforcing members 73A is just an example, and one or more may be provided. Also, the second reinforcing members 73A may be provided on the upper frame 50A or lower frame 60A that constitute the transom. Each second reinforcing member 73A is sufficiently shorter than the length of the intermediate transom 70A in the left-right direction. The second reinforcing member 73A is formed by bending a flat plate of a metal material with sufficient strength, such as stainless steel, through a bending process.

[0105] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the second reinforcing member 73A has a rectangular flat main body portion 731A that is elongated in the left-right direction and shorter in the front-back direction. The second reinforcing member 73A has a locking portion 732A formed at the front end (one end) of the main body portion 731A, which is bent upward at a right angle and engages with the second outdoor member 71A, and a connecting portion 733A formed at the rear end (other end) through which a screw 734A, which serves as a fastening member, passes, and which connects to the second indoor member 72A.

[0106] As described above, the second outdoor member 71A has an opposing wall portion 712A at its rear end. The second reinforcing member 73A can be locked by its locking portion 732A so as to abut the front surface of the lower end of the opposing wall portion 712A from the front. The second reinforcing member 73A can be fixed to the second indoor member 72A by a number of screws 734A (two in the illustration as an example) at the connecting portion 733A. By locking the locking portion 732A to the opposing wall portion 712A of the second outdoor member 71A, the second outdoor member 71A and the second indoor member 72A can be restrained so as not to separate in the front-rear direction. This makes it possible to maintain a high connection strength between the second outdoor member 71A and the second indoor member 72A.

[0107] Furthermore, it is desirable that the second reinforcing member 73A be configured in a way that does not impair the thermal insulation effect of the thermal insulation material 36 between the second exterior member 71A and the second interior member 72A. For example, it is preferable that the width of the second reinforcing member 73A in the left-right direction is sufficiently narrow compared to the total length of the intermediate transom 70A in the left-right direction. Furthermore, when using one or more sets of second reinforcing members 73A, it is preferable that the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the main body portions 731A of all second reinforcing members 73A perpendicular to the front-rear direction is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting portion (for example, the flat plate portion along the front-rear direction of the second outdoor member 71A) perpendicular to the front-rear direction when the second outdoor member 71A and the second indoor member 72A are directly connected without using the thermal insulation material 36.

[0108] Furthermore, the second reinforcing member 73A may be configured such that one end is connected to the second outdoor member 71A with a fastening member, and the other end is connected to the second indoor member 72A in a locked state. Alternatively, the second reinforcing member 73A may be configured such that both ends are connected to the second outdoor member 71A and the second indoor member 72A with fastening members, or both ends may be individually locked to the second outdoor member 71A and the second indoor member 72A with locking claws or the like.

[0109] [Movable sliding doors] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the movable sliding door 80A consists of left and right vertical frames 81A, 81A, an upper frame 84A, and a lower frame 87A, which are configured in a rectangular frame shape to hold the four sides of the rectangular panel 13. The movable shoji screen 80A is positioned within a rectangular area enclosed by the vertical frames 40A, 40A of the outer frame 110A, the upper frame 50A, and the intermediate transom 70A.

[0110] [Movable sliding screen: vertical frame] Vertical frame 81A and 81A have their left and right sides facing opposite directions, but they are simply the same profile material that has been flipped upside down and rotated. Therefore, we will mainly explain the left vertical frame 81A. For the right-hand vertical frame 81A, simply reverse the left and right directions in the explanation for the left-hand vertical frame 81A.

[0111] As shown in Figure 5, the vertical frame 81A has a third outdoor member 82A facing the outdoor side, a third indoor member 83A facing the indoor side, and an insulating material 391 provided between the third outdoor member 82A and the third indoor member 83A.

[0112] The third exterior member 82A and the third interior member 83A are both made from extruded molded metal, such as an aluminum alloy. However, the third exterior member 82A and the third interior member 83A may be made from other materials such as resin instead of metal, provided that the required strength can be ensured. The third exterior member 82A and the third interior member 83A have a horizontal cross-sectional shape that is continuous along their entire length in the vertical direction, as shown in Figure 5. Depending on the circumstances, they may be partially cut off or have holes drilled in them, and are processed appropriately for their respective uses.

[0113] The third exterior member 82A and the third interior member 83A are formed to have a length in the vertical direction that is approximately the same as the length from the upper end of the upper frame 84A to the lower end of the lower frame 87A, which will be described later. Unless otherwise specified, the total length in the vertical direction of the third exterior member 82A and the third interior member 83A shall refer to a total length approximately equal to the length from the upper end of the upper frame 84A to the lower end of the lower frame 87A.

[0114] As shown in Figure 5, the third exterior member 82A has a mounting portion for a retaining plate 45A that holds down the panel 13 at its front end, and a counter wall portion at its rear end that faces the third interior member 83A. The mounting portion and retaining plate 45A at the front end of the third outdoor member 82A have the same structure as the mounting portion and retaining plate 45A of the outdoor member 41A of the vertical frame 40A described above. The retaining plate 45A attached to this third outdoor member 82A has a rear surface that presses and holds the front left end of the outer glass 13a of the panel 13 from the front via a sealing material.

[0115] The opposing wall portion at the rear end of the third outdoor member 82A has opposing surfaces aligned in the vertical and horizontal directions, and mounting grooves that are recessed forward are formed on these opposing surfaces along the entire length in the vertical direction, arranged horizontally. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 391 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves and two belt-shaped insulation materials 33 at the rear end of the outdoor member 41A of the vertical frame 40A described above.

[0116] As shown in Figure 5, the third interior member 83A has a front closing structure 831A and a rear closing structure 832A, both of which are hollow-structured molded material when viewed from the left and right directions. The rear closing structure 832A is integrally connected to the rear end of the front closing structure 831A, with the entire structure offset to the right.

[0117] On the front end surface of the front closing structure 831A, mounting grooves are formed along the entire length in the vertical direction, with the grooves being recessed to the rear and arranged side by side. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 391 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves at the front end of the indoor-side member 42A of the vertical frame 40A and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 33 described above. Therefore, the third exterior member 82A and the third interior member 83A are connected front to back via two insulation materials 391.

[0118] The front end surface of the rear closing structure 832A presses and holds the rear left end of the inner glass 13b of the panel 13 from behind via a sealing material. As described above, the retaining plate 45A of the third exterior member 82A presses and holds the front left end of the outer glass 13a of the panel 13 from the front via a sealing material on its rear surface. Therefore, the retaining plate 45A of the third exterior member 82A and the rear closing structure 832A of the third interior member 83A can press and hold the left end of the panel 13 from both the front and rear.

[0119] [Movable sliding door: upper frame] As shown in Figure 4, the upper frame 84A has a third exterior member 85A facing the exterior, a third interior member 86A facing the interior, and an insulating material 392 provided between the third exterior member 85A and the third interior member 86A.

[0120] The third exterior member 85A and the third interior member 86A are both made from extruded molded metal, such as an aluminum alloy. However, the third exterior member 85A and the third interior member 86A may be made from other materials such as resin, as long as the required strength can be ensured. The third exterior member 85A and the third interior member 86A have a vertical cross-sectional shape that is continuous along their entire length in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 4. Depending on the circumstances, they may be partially cut off or have holes drilled, and are processed appropriately for their respective uses.

[0121] The third exterior member 85A and the third interior member 86A are both provided extending from the right side of the left vertical frame 81A to the left side of the right vertical frame 81A. There are no particular limitations on the method of attachment to each vertical frame 81A as long as sufficient attachment strength is ensured, but here we will illustrate the case where they are attached by fastening with fasteners such as screws. In addition, unless otherwise specified, when referring to the total length in the left-right direction for each component of the upper frame 84A, it refers to the total length from the right side of the left vertical frame 81A to the left side of the right vertical frame 81A.

[0122] As shown in Figure 4, the third exterior member 85A has a downward extension at its front end that holds down the panel 13, and a counter wall at its rear end that faces the third interior member 86A. The protruding front end of the third exterior member 85A presses and holds the upper front surface of the outer glass 13a of the panel 13 from the front via a sealing material on its rear surface.

[0123] The opposing wall portion at the rear end of the third exterior member 85A has opposing surfaces aligned in the vertical and horizontal directions, and mounting grooves that are vertically aligned and recessed forward are formed on these opposing surfaces along the entire length in the horizontal direction. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 392 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves and two belt-shaped insulation materials 36 of the opposing wall portion 712A of the second exterior member 71A of the intermediate transom 70A described above.

[0124] As shown in Figure 4, the third interior member 86A has a front closing structure 861A and a rear closing structure 862A, both of which are hollow-structured molded material when viewed from the left and right directions. The rear closing structure 862A is integrally connected to the rear end of the front closing structure 861A, with an overall downward offset.

[0125] On the front end surface of the front closing structure 861A, mounting grooves are formed vertically and recessed to the rear, extending along the entire length in the left-right direction. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 392 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves at the front end of the closing structure 721A of the indoor side member 72A of the intermediate transom 70A and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 36 described above. Therefore, the third exterior member 85A and the third interior member 86A are connected front to back via two insulation materials 392.

[0126] The front end surface of the rear closing structure 862A presses and holds the upper rear surface of the inner glass 13b of the panel 13 from behind via a sealing material. As described above, the extension of the third exterior member 85A presses and holds the upper front surface of the outer glass 13a of the panel 13 from the front via a sealing material on its rear surface. Therefore, the extension of the third exterior member 85A and the rear closing structure 862A of the third interior member 86A can press and hold the upper part of the panel 13 from both the front and the rear.

[0127] Furthermore, the upper surface of the rear closing structure 862A is connected to the second indoor member 52A of the upper frame 50A via a joint mechanism 111A that allows the movable sash 80A to slide vertically relative to the upper frame 50A.

[0128] [Movable sliding door: lower frame] As shown in Figure 4, the lower frame 87A has a third exterior member 88A facing the exterior, a third interior member 89A facing the interior, and an insulating material 393 provided between the third exterior member 88A and the third interior member 89A.

[0129] The third exterior member 88A and the third interior member 89A are both made from extruded molded metal, such as an aluminum alloy. However, the third exterior member 88A and the third interior member 89A may be made from other materials such as resin instead of metal, provided that the required strength can be ensured. The third exterior member 88A and the third interior member 89A have a vertical cross-sectional shape that is continuous along their entire length in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 4. Depending on the circumstances, they may be partially cut off or have holes drilled in them, and are processed appropriately for their respective uses.

[0130] The third exterior member 88A and the third interior member 89A are both provided extending from the right side of the left vertical frame 81A to the left side of the right vertical frame 81A. There are no particular limitations on the method of attachment to each vertical frame 81A as long as sufficient attachment strength is ensured, but here we will illustrate the case where they are attached by fastening with fasteners such as screws. In addition, unless otherwise specified, when referring to the total length in the left-right direction for each component of the lower frame 87A, it refers to the total length from the right side of the left vertical frame 81A to the left side of the right vertical frame 81A.

[0131] As shown in Figure 4, the third exterior member 88A has a mounting portion for the retaining plate 43 at its front end and a facing wall portion at its rear end that faces the third interior member 89A. The mounting portion and retaining plate 43 at the front end of the third exterior member 88A have the same structure as the mounting portion and retaining plate 43 of the second exterior member 61A described above. The retaining plate 43, with its rear surface via a sealing material, presses and holds the lower front surface of the outer glass 13a of the panel 13 from the front.

[0132] The opposing wall portion at the rear end of the third exterior member 88A has opposing surfaces aligned in the vertical and horizontal directions, and mounting grooves that are vertically aligned and recessed forward are formed on these opposing surfaces along the entire length in the horizontal direction. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 393 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves and two belt-shaped insulation materials 35 of the opposing wall portion of the second exterior member 61A of the lower frame 60A described above.

[0133] As shown in Figure 4, the third interior member 89A has a front closing structure 891A and a rear closing structure 892A, which are made of hollow-structured molded material when viewed from the left and right directions. The rear closing structure 892A is integrally connected to the rear end of the front closing structure 891A, with an overall upward offset.

[0134] On the front end surface of the front closing structure 891A, mounting grooves are formed vertically and recessed to the rear, extending along the entire length in the left-right direction. The structure of these mounting grooves and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 392 held in these mounting grooves is the same as that of the mounting grooves at the front end of the indoor-side member 62A of the lower frame 60A and the two belt-shaped insulation materials 35 described above. Therefore, the third exterior member 88A and the third interior member 89A are connected front to back via two insulation materials 392.

[0135] Furthermore, a support plate 893A is attached to the upper surface of the front closing structure 891A by fastening members, such as screws, and the entire panel 13 is supported via the support plate 893A. Although the mounting structure of this support plate 893A to the front closing structure 891A is different, its function is the same as the support plate 44 of the lower frame 60A described above. Therefore, even if the third outdoor member 88A or the retaining plate 43 were to detach from the third indoor member 89A, the support plate 893A could support almost the entire weight of the panel 13 from below, thus severely preventing part or all of the panel 13 from falling forward.

[0136] The front end surface of the rear closing structure 892A presses and holds the lower rear surface of the inner glass 13b of the panel 13 from the rear via a sealing material. As described above, the retaining plate 43 held by the third exterior member 88A presses and holds the lower front surface of the outer glass 13a of the panel 13 from the front via a sealing material on its rear surface. Therefore, the retaining plate 43 of the third exterior member 88A and the rear closing structure 892A of the third interior member 89A can press and hold the lower part of the panel 13 from both the front and rear.

[0137] Furthermore, the lower surface of the rear closing structure 892A is connected to the second indoor side member 72A of the intermediate transom 70A via a joint mechanism 111A that allows the movable sash 80A to slide vertically relative to the lower frame 60A.

[0138] [Third reinforcing member] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the movable sliding door 80A described above is provided with third reinforcing members 801A on the left and right vertical frames 81A, and with a third reinforcing member 811A on the top frame 84A. Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing the installation positions of the third reinforcing members 801A and 811A in the movable sliding door 80A as seen from the interior direction (rear), Figure 11 is a plan view of the third reinforcing member 801A, Figure 12 is a right side view of the third reinforcing member 801A, Figure 13 is a right side view of the third reinforcing member 811A, and Figure 14 is a bottom view of the third reinforcing member 811A.

[0139] As shown in the mounting position F in Figure 10, the third reinforcing members 801A are provided in three locations, arranged vertically on the left and right vertical frames 81A of the movable sliding door 80A (one location is not shown in Figure 12), and the third reinforcing members 811A are provided in two locations, left and right, of the upper frame 84A. Note that the number of third reinforcing members 801A and 811A is just an example, and one or more may be provided depending on the size of the movable sliding door 80A. Each of the third reinforcing members 801A and 811A is sufficiently short relative to the length of the vertical frame 81A or upper frame 84A to which it is attached. The third reinforcing members 801A and 811A are formed by bending a flat plate of a metal material with sufficient strength, such as stainless steel, through a bending process.

[0140] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the third reinforcing member 801A has a rectangular, flat main body portion 802A that is somewhat longer in the vertical direction than in the front-to-back direction. The third reinforcing member 801A has a locking portion 803A formed at the front end (one end) of the main body portion 802A, which is bent at a right angle to the side (to the right in the case of the right vertical frame 81A, and to the left in the case of the left vertical frame 81A) and engages with the third exterior member 82A. At the rear end (the other end), a connecting portion 804A is formed, through which a screw 805A, which serves as a fastening member, passes, and which connects to the third interior member 83A.

[0141] Specifically, the third exterior member 82A has an opposing wall portion at its rear end, and the third reinforcing member 801A can be locked to the locking portion 803A so as to abut the front surface of the opposing wall portion from the front. Since the third reinforcing member 801A can be fixed to the third interior member 83A by a number of screws 805A (two in the illustration as an example) at the connecting portion 804A, when the locking portion 803A is locked to the opposing wall of the third exterior member 82A, the third exterior member 82A and the third interior member 83A can be restrained so as not to separate in the front-rear direction. This makes it possible to maintain a high connection strength between the third outdoor member 82A and the third indoor member 83A.

[0142] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the third reinforcing member 811A has a rectangular, flat main body portion 812A that is somewhat longer in the left-right direction than in the front-back direction. The third reinforcing member 811A has a locking portion 813A formed at the front end (one end) of the main body portion 812A, which is bent upward at a right angle and engages with the third outdoor member 85A, and a connecting portion 814A formed at the rear end (other end) through which a screw 815A, which serves as a fastening member, passes, and which connects to the third indoor member 86A.

[0143] Specifically, the third exterior member 85A has an opposing wall portion at its rear end, and the third reinforcing member 811A can be locked to the locking portion 813A so as to abut the front surface of the opposing wall portion from the front. Since the third reinforcing member 811A can be fixed to the third indoor member 86A by a plurality of screws 815A (two in the illustration as an example) at the connecting portion 814A, when the locking portion 813A is locked to the opposing wall of the third outdoor member 85A, the third outdoor member 85A and the third indoor member 86A can be restrained so as not to separate in the front-rear direction. This makes it possible to maintain a high connection strength between the third outdoor member 85A and the third indoor member 86A.

[0144] Furthermore, it is desirable that the third reinforcing members 801A and 811A be configured in a way that does not impair the thermal insulation effect of the thermal insulation material 31 between the third exterior members 82A and 85A and the third interior members 83A and 86A. For example, it is preferable that the vertical width of the third reinforcing member 801A is sufficiently narrow compared to the total length of the vertical frame 81A. Also, it is preferable that the horizontal width of the third reinforcing member 811A is sufficiently narrow compared to the total length of the upper frame 84A.

[0145] Furthermore, when using one or more sets of third reinforcing members 801A, it is preferable that the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the main body portions 802A of all third reinforcing members 801A perpendicular to the front-rear direction is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting portion (for example, the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the plate-shaped portion connecting the mounting portion of the retaining plate 45A of the third outdoor member 82A to the opposing wall portion) when the third outdoor member 82A and the third indoor member 83A are directly connected without using the heat insulating material 391. Similarly, when using one or more sets of third reinforcing members 811A, it is preferable that the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the main body portions 812A of all third reinforcing members 811A perpendicular to the front-rear direction is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting portion (for example, the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the plate-like portion connecting the extension portion of the third exterior member 85A and the opposing wall portion) when the third exterior member 85A and the third interior member 86A are directly connected without using the heat insulating material 392.

[0146] Furthermore, the third reinforcing members 801A and 811A may be configured such that one end is connected to the third exterior members 82A and 85A with a fastening member, and the other end is connected to the third interior members 83A and 86A in a locked state. Alternatively, the third reinforcing members 801A and 811A may be configured such that both ends are connected to the third exterior members 82A and 85A and the third interior members 83A and 86A with fastening members, respectively, or both ends may be individually locked to the third exterior members 82A and 85A and the third interior members 83A and 86A with locking claws or the like.

[0147] [Curtain wall assembly] The assembly of the curtain wall 100A described above begins with attaching multiple mullions 20 to the exterior wall of the building's structure at predetermined intervals. Each mullion 20 is fitted with a first exterior member 21, a first interior member 22, and insulation material 31, and is installed on the exterior wall of the structure with the first reinforcing members 26 and 27 attached. The first reinforcing members 26 and 27 may be attached after the mullions 20 have been installed. Then, separate from the installation of the mullions 20, the assembly of the outer frame 110A (including the intermediate transom 70A) and the movable sash 80A proceeds. Once these are assembled as a single unit, the outer frame 110A is installed between the two mullions 20, and after the assembly of one section is complete, the panel 14 is fitted in place.

[0148] [Technical Effects of the Second Embodiment] The curtain wall 100A is separated into an exterior and interior side by the mullions 20 being a first exterior member 21 and a first interior member 22, the outer frame 110A is separated into an exterior and interior side by the exterior member 41A, second exterior members 51A and 61A and interior members 42A, second interior members 52A and 62A, the intermediate transom 70A is separated into an exterior and interior side by the second exterior member 71A and second interior member 72A, and the movable sash 80A is separated into third exterior members 82A, 85A and 88A and third interior members 83A, 86A and 89A, and each is connected via insulation materials 33-36 and 391-393. Therefore, the exterior components, namely the first exterior member 21, exterior member 41A, second exterior members 51A, 61A, 71A, and third exterior members 82A, 85A, and 88A, do not come into direct contact with the interior components, namely the first interior member 22, interior member 42A, second interior members 52A, 62A, 72A, and third interior members 83A, 86A, and 89A, thus enabling high thermal insulation to be maintained between the exterior and interior.

[0149] Furthermore, since the curtain wall 100A has first reinforcing members 26 and 27, it is possible to obtain the same technical effects as the curtain wall 100. Furthermore, the curtain wall 100A has a second reinforcing member 73A that is locked to the second outdoor-side member 71A of the intermediate transom 70A, which is a transom located above the panel 14, and connected to the second indoor-side member 72A. Therefore, even when subjected to large external forces such as natural disasters or fires, the connection between the second outdoor-side member 71A and the second indoor-side member 72A is firmly maintained, and the detachment of the panel 14 can be effectively suppressed. Furthermore, in the case of the second reinforcing member 73A, at least one of the two ends is locked rather than connected, and this locked state allows the outdoor and indoor members to approach each other while restricting their separation. Therefore, the flexibility and elastic properties of the insulation material 36 allow the gap between the outdoor and indoor members to contract. As a result, it is possible to maintain high workability in installing and assembling the intermediate transom 70A.

[0150] Furthermore, since the curtain wall 100A has a third reinforcing member 801A that is locked to the third exterior member 82A of the vertical frame 81A of the movable sash 80A and connected to the third interior member 83A, even when subjected to large external forces such as natural disasters or fires, the connection between the third exterior member 82A and the third interior member 83A is firmly maintained, and the detachment of the panel 13 can be effectively suppressed. Similarly, the curtain wall 100A has a third reinforcing member 811A that is locked to the third exterior member 85A of the upper frame 84A of the movable sash 80A and connected to the third interior member 86A. Therefore, even when subjected to large external forces such as natural disasters or fires, the connection between the third exterior member 85A and the third interior member 86A is firmly maintained, and the detachment of the panel 13 can be effectively suppressed. In the case of these third reinforcing members 801A and 811A, at least one of the two ends is locked rather than connected, and this locked state allows the exterior and interior members to approach each other and restricts their separation. Therefore, the flexibility and elastic properties of the insulation materials 391 and 392 allow the gap between the exterior and interior members to contract. As a result, it is possible to maintain a high level of workability when installing and assembling the movable sash 80A.

[0151] [others] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, a component integrally formed from a single member in an embodiment may be replaced with a component divided into multiple members that are connected or fixed to each other. Also, a component formed by connecting multiple members may be replaced with a component integrally formed from a single member. Furthermore, details shown in the embodiments can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0152] The configurations of mullions, outer frames, transoms, and movable sashes exemplified in each of the above embodiments are applicable not only to multi-story windows but also to multi-story windows and tiered windows. Furthermore, the configurations of mullions, outer frames, transoms, and movable sashes exemplified in each of the above embodiments are applicable not only to curtain walls but also to window sashes. Furthermore, although fixed windows and casement windows were used as examples in the above embodiments, the configurations of mullions, outer frames, transoms, and movable sashes exemplified in each of the above embodiments can be applied to any other type of window, such as sliding windows, double-hung windows, and casement windows.

[0153] In the embodiments described above, the cases in which panels 11 to 14 are made of glass are shown as examples, but the panels are not limited to glass and can be any flat material. For example, the panels may be opaque, such as decorative boards. Furthermore, panels 11-14 are not limited to double-pane glass; they may also be single-pane or triple-pane or more glass.

[0154] Furthermore, the same reinforcing member as the second reinforcing member 73A may also be applied to the vertical frame 40A, upper frame 50A, and lower frame 60A of the outer frame 110A. Similarly, the same reinforcing member as the third reinforcing member 801A or 811A may also be applied to the lower frame 87A of the movable sliding door 80A.

[0155] Alternatively, the fixed window panel 14 may be fitted to the outer frame 110A or mullion 20 by providing an inner frame that holds the outer edge of the panel 14. [Explanation of symbols]

[0156] Panels 11-14 11a~14a Outer glass 11b~14b Inner glass 20 vertical 21 First outdoor side member 22 First interior member 23 Main body 24 Connecting part 26,27 First reinforcing member 261,271 Main body 262,272 Locking part 263,273 Connecting part 264,265 screws 31-38, 391-393 Insulation 40 No object 41 Second outdoor side member 42 Second interior member 43 Pressing plate 44 Support plate 100 Curtain Wall 40A Vertical Frame 41A Outdoor side component 42A Indoor component 45A Retaining plate 50A Upper frame 51A Second outdoor side member 52A Second indoor component 60A Lower frame 61A Second outdoor side member 62A Second indoor component 70A Middle Mume 71A Second outdoor side member 72A Second indoor component 73A Second reinforcing member 731A Main Unit 732A Locking part 733A connection part 734A Screw 80A Movable Shoji Screen 81A Vertical frame 82A Third outdoor side member 83A Third interior member 84A Upper stile 85A Third outdoor side member 86A Third interior member 87A Lower stile 88A Third outdoor side member 89A Third interior member 801A, 811A Third reinforcing member 802A, 812A Main Unit 803A,813A Locking part 804A,814A connection part 805A, 815A screws 100A Curtain Wall 110A Outer frame 121A Lower frame 122A Second outdoor side member 123A Second indoor component 124A Upper frame 125A Second outdoor side member 126A Second indoor component

Claims

1. The mullion comprises a first exterior member facing the exterior, a first interior member facing the interior, and an insulating material interposed between the first exterior member and the first interior member to connect the first exterior member and the first interior member, At one or more locations along the aforementioned mullion, A panel holding structure characterized in that a pair of first reinforcing members are provided on both sides of the thermal insulation material, with one end of each member connected to or locked to the first exterior member and the other end connected to or locked to the first interior member.

2. The panel holding structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the pair of first reinforcing members are connected to each other by fastening.

3. It has a transom connected to the aforementioned mullion in a direction that intersects the mullion, The transom has a second exterior member facing the exterior, a second interior member facing the interior, and an insulating material interposed between the second exterior member and the second interior member to connect the second exterior member and the second interior member. The panel holding structure according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a second reinforcing member, one end of which is connected to or locked to the second exterior member and the other end of which is connected to or locked to the second interior member.

4. It has a movable sash that is held in place by the mullion and the transom and holds the panel inward, The movable sliding door comprises a frame having a third exterior member facing the exterior, a third interior member facing the interior, and an insulating material interposed between the third exterior member and the third interior member to connect the third exterior member and the third interior member. The panel holding structure according to claim 3, characterized in that it has a third reinforcing member, one end of which is connected to or locked to the third exterior member and the other end of which is connected to or locked to the third interior member.

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