Composite Coupling Members for Gas-Filled Insulating Glazing Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas-filled insulating glazing units (IGUs) face issues with glass pane deformation and mechanical stress due to climatic loads and short-term stresses like wind pressure, leading to potential cracks and vision disturbances, especially in larger windows, where existing solutions like increasing glass thickness or segmenting panes are not optimal.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of coupling members with a combination of rigid and viscoelastic materials within the IGU, where the rigid material provides stiffness and the viscoelastic material allows for stress release, effectively coupling the glass panes to enhance resistance to both short-term mechanical stresses and long-term climatic loads, while allowing for thermal expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the thickness of glass panes is increased to improve resistance to mechanical stress, then the strength increases, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite coupling member comprising a rigid material (such as aluminum or stainless steel) combined with a viscoelastic material (such as silicone rubber or polyurethane). The rigid material provides structural strength and stiffness to resist wind loads, while the viscoelastic material provides damping and stress relief, eliminating the need to increase glass pane thickness and thus avoiding increased weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling member acts as an intermediary element between the glass panes and the edge spacer assembly. It mediates the transmission of mechanical stresses by absorbing and distributing loads, thereby protecting the glass panes from direct stress concentration that would require thicker glass for protection.
2Strength
If the thickness of glass panes is increased to reduce deformation under wind load, then the strength improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member is constructed from composite materials with different mechanical properties - a rigid component for structural support and a viscoelastic component for stress absorption. This composite structure provides enhanced wind load resistance while maintaining a relatively simple overall glazing unit design, avoiding the need for complex segmented glass arrangements.
3Strength
If rigid coupling members are used to stiffen the structure, then the resistance to mechanical stress improves, but the ability to accommodate thermal expansion worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member combines a rigid material that provides structural stiffness and strength with a viscoelastic material that provides flexibility and damping. The rigid component maintains structural integrity under load, while the viscoelastic component accommodates thermal expansion and contraction through its inherent damping properties and ability to deform reversibly.
Solution Approach 2:
The viscoelastic material in the coupling member changes its mechanical parameters (stiffness, damping capacity) in response to temperature variations and loading conditions. This allows the coupling member to adapt its properties dynamically - being stiffer under wind load and more compliant during thermal expansion, thereby resolving the contradiction between stiffness and adaptability.
4Strength
If the glass panes are segmented into smaller elements to reduce deformation, then the resistance to mechanical stress improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member serves as an intermediary that connects the glass panes to the edge spacer assembly in a way that distributes mechanical stresses evenly across the glazing unit. This intermediary connection system provides the necessary structural support and stress management without requiring the glass panes themselves to be segmented into multiple smaller elements.
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 improves the IGU's resistance to wind-induced bending and long-term temperature variations, enabling larger or thinner glass panes without excessive deformation, thus enhancing durability and thermal performance.
Implementation Method 1
at least a second part for releasing stress resulting from climatic loads comprises a viscoelastic polymer having a Young's modulus lower than 0.5 GPa
Implementation Method 2
at least a first part for stiffening the coupling member comprises a rigid material having a Young's modulus equal or larger than 0.5 GPa
Implementation Method 3
an insulating gas filling the interspace so as to reduce heat conductivity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a gas-filled insulating glazing unit for glazed assemblies. The insulating glazing unit comprises one or more coupling members located in the gas-filled interspace between a first and second glass pane. Each coupling member comprises a plurality of piled and adhesively interconnected parts wherein at 5 least one stiffening part is comprising a rigid material and at least one stress release part comprises a viscoelastic polymer.