Glued Glass Window Frame with 18 mm Profile
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing turn & tilt or projecting door and window frames face challenges in achieving a minimalist exterior appearance while maintaining thermal and acoustic performance, and resisting water, air, and wind permeability, especially with larger glass sizes and weights that cause aluminum profile warping.
Innovation Solution
The glass is glued to the movable leaf of an aluminum frame with a thermal break, allowing for larger spans and increased weight, and combined with fixed leaves to create a common central outer profile of 18 mm, enhancing structural integrity and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If glass is inserted inside a movable leaf, then the frame structure is simple, but the glass size and weight are limited causing warping of aluminum profiles
Solution Approach 1:
The glass and movable leaf are merged into a single integrated unit through structural gluing. The glass becomes a load-bearing component that works together with the aluminum profile, eliminating the distinction between glass as an insert and the leaf as a holder. This integration allows the assembly to support larger glass areas and heavier weights without profile warping.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable leaf becomes a composite structure combining aluminum profile and glass bonded through structural adhesive. This composite construction distributes mechanical stresses across both materials, leveraging the strength and stiffness of aluminum together with the large surface area and rigidity of the glass, enabling spans up to 5 m2 and weights up to 200 kg per linear meter without warping.
2Area of stationary object
If glass is glued to the movable leaf, then larger spans and weights are achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The structural gluing of glass to the movable leaf is performed as a preliminary operation during manufacturing, before installation. This allows precise application of adhesive and controlled bonding conditions, ensuring optimal joint strength. The pre-assembled units are then ready for straightforward installation, converting a potentially complex field operation into a controlled factory process.
3Device complexity
If the profile is visible from both inside and outside, then the structure is simple, but the exterior appearance is not minimalist
Solution Approach 1:
The frame assembly uses asymmetric configuration where the movable leaf profile is positioned offset from the exterior face. This creates an asymmetric visual appearance from outside (showing only the fixed leaf profile) while maintaining the functional symmetry needed for operation. The offset positioning allows the thinner 18 mm profile to be hidden from exterior view while still providing adequate structural depth.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the frame assembly have different profile thicknesses and positions optimized for their specific functions. The fixed leaf has a thicker profile visible from outside for structural support and aesthetic purposes, while the movable leaf uses a thinner offset profile sufficient for its moving function but hidden from exterior view. This local optimization achieves minimalist appearance where needed while maintaining structural integrity.
4Reliability
If traditional insertion method is used, then thermal and acoustic performance is adequate, but performance is not improved
Solution Approach 1:
The structural gluing of glass to the movable leaf creates continuous bonding interfaces that eliminate gaps and thermal bridges present in traditional insertion methods. This merged construction improves thermal insulation by reducing heat transfer paths and enhances acoustic performance by creating tighter seals between glass and frame, directly reducing energy loss.
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 solution enables the manufacture of larger, heavier windows without warping, improves thermal and acoustic insulation, and enhances resistance to water, air, and wind permeability, while maintaining a minimalist exterior appearance.
Implementation Method 1
The glue used to join the glass to aluminum is structural glue, which is an adhesive with high mechanical strength and high adhesive strength after curing.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention consists of a frame for turn & tilt or projecting doors or windows, which achieves a minimalist exterior appearance with a central profile of 18 mm, wherein the offset of the alignment of the external glass with the internal glass is now used, creating a common central outer profile of 18 mm, and wherein the thermal and acoustic performance and the resistance to water, air and wind permeability are further improved. The frame, object of the present invention, is preferably made of aluminum with thermal break for the manufacture of doors and/or windows, it is applied in a door or window opening of a building and it consists essentially of at least one fixed rim (3) and at least one movable leaf (1) and at least one fixed leaf (4), wherein at least one movable leaf is glued to the glass (2) in all its perimeter.