All-Glass Insulating Corner Thermal Bridge Elimination
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Solution Overview
Problem
All-glass corners made of insulating glass suffer from thermal bridging issues, leading to condensation on the inside, and conventional sealing arrangements compromise their aesthetic appeal and thermal insulation.
Innovation Solution
The design features two insulating glass parts pushed together at an angle with a gas-filled space between them, eliminating thermal bridges and using a tongue-and-groove connection or adhesive strips for sealing, which maintains the all-glass appearance while enhancing thermal insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional sealing arrangements with spacer parts are used at the abutting ends of insulating glass units, then thermal insulation is compromised and thermal bridges are created, but the all-glass aesthetic appearance is partially lost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the conventional sealing arrangement with spacer parts from the abutting ends of the insulating glass units. By eliminating these thermal bridge components, the patent achieves continuous thermal insulation across the corner joint while maintaining the pure all-glass aesthetic appearance without visible metal or plastic spacers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the sealing function directly into the glass panes themselves through edge treatment and direct bonding at the abutting ends. This integration eliminates the need for separate spacer components, combining the structural, sealing, and aesthetic functions into the glass elements alone, thereby preventing thermal bridges while preserving the all-glass appearance.
2Shape
If insulating glass units are pushed together at right angles to form corners, then an all-glass aesthetic is achieved, but thermal bridges are created at the abutting ends causing condensation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the potentially harmful thermal bridge effect into a beneficial continuous insulation system. By treating the glass edges and using direct bonding without metal spacers, the patent transforms the corner joint from a thermal weakness into a thermally efficient connection, eliminating condensation risk while maintaining the all-glass aesthetic.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the thermal parameters at the corner joint by eliminating high thermal conductivity materials (metal spacers) and using low thermal conductivity bonding methods. This parameter change in the joint's thermal properties prevents the formation of thermal bridges and the subsequent condensation that would occur with conventional constructions.
3Ease of manufacture
If asymmetric insulating glass units are used with one unit inside the other, then manufacturing is simplified, but thermal bridges still cannot be compensated for
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the thermal bridge problem from the asymmetric nesting configuration by removing the conventional sealing arrangements with spacer parts from both the outer and inner insulating glass units. This extraction allows the asymmetric manufacturing advantage to be retained while eliminating the thermal insulation compromise.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration prevents condensation and improves the aesthetic and thermal performance of all-glass corners by eliminating thermal bridges and enhancing the appearance, ensuring better insulation and reduced condensation at low outside temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
a space between the panes filled with a gas... due to the gas-filled space between the panes in this area, according to the invention, no thermal bridge is created
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The corner has two insulation glass parts (2, 4) colliding with each other at an angle under formation of a corner arrangement. Each of the insulation glass parts has two windowpanes (6a, 8a, 6b, 8b), which are connected by distance maintaining parts (10a, 10e) under formation of continuous pane spaces (12a, 12b) filled with gas. The two insulation glass parts collide with each other such that they form continuous pane spaces in a collided area.