Insulating Glass Spacer Profile with Metal Diffusion Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spacer profiles, whether made of metal or synthetic materials, fail to simultaneously meet the requirements of 'warm edge' conditions for heat insulation and diffusion impermeability while also serving as supports for interspace elements like blinds in insulating glass units.
Innovation Solution
A spacer profile composed of an elastic-plastic deformable synthetic material with a thin, firmly bonded diffusion barrier film made of metal, such as stainless steel, which provides both low thermal conductivity and sufficient strength to accommodate interspace elements, while ensuring vapor and gas diffusion impermeability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a spacer profile is made exclusively of synthetic material to achieve low thermal conductivity and fulfill 'warm edge' conditions, then heat insulation is improved, but diffusion impermeability and strength become very difficult to satisfy
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer profile combines synthetic material (for low thermal conductivity and warm edge conditions) with a metal film (for diffusion impermeability and strength). This composite structure allows both materials to contribute their respective advantages, resolving the contradiction between heat insulation and structural integrity.
2Loss of energy
If a thin metal film is used in composite spacer profiles to satisfy 'warm edge' conditions, then thermal conductivity is reduced, but diffusion impermeability and strength require a certain minimum thickness that conflicts with the thin film requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The metal film is applied selectively on specific surfaces of the synthetic material spacer profile, particularly on the outer surfaces that require diffusion barrier protection. This localized application provides the necessary diffusion impermeability while minimizing the overall metal content and maintaining thin film thickness for warm edge conditions.
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
The solution effectively achieves 'warm edge' conditions by combining a synthetic material with a thin metal diffusion barrier film, allowing for the integration of interspace elements like blinds while maintaining high heat insulation and structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a one-piece diffusion barrier film (30) formed from a second material, preferably a metal, more preferably stainless steel or tin-plated steel
Implementation Method 2
an elastic-plastic deformable synthetic material with a thin, firmly bonded diffusion barrier film made of metal, such as stainless steel, which provides both low thermal conductivity and sufficient strength
Data Source
AI summary
A spacer profile for an insulating glazing unit for maintaining a space between glazing panes includes a profile body formed from a first heat insulating material that has, viewed in a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction, outer side walls extending in a height direction and that has a distance in a transverse direction smaller than a first width, each side wall having an inner protrusion protruding towards the opposite side wall into a recess which is open to the inner side, and a diffusion barrier film made from a second material and firmly bonded with the profile body and, viewed in the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, extending over the profile body on the outer side of the spacer profile and continuous thereto in the height direction on the outside of the side walls and/or in the same to a second height and into the protrusions.