Insulating Glazing Spacer With Offset Plugs and Through-Holes
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing spacers for insulating glazing face challenges such as leakage and pollution risks due to the filling of desiccant material, especially when assembling around central sheets of glass, and require offline assembly, which increases costs and cycle time.
Innovation Solution
A spacer design featuring tubular parts with offset plugs and strategically positioned through holes allows for in-line manufacturing, preventing desiccant leakage and pollution, and enables efficient gas filling without compromising the integrity of the glazing unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If desiccant filling is performed during spacer frame closure, then desiccant leakage is prevented, but the process cannot be integrated into the production line and is unsuitable for multi-pane spacer glazing units
Solution Approach 1:
The desiccant is pre-filled into the tubular spacer profile before the profile is closed and assembled into the frame. This preliminary action allows the desiccant filling to be completed prior to frame closure, enabling integration into the production line while preventing desiccant leakage during the closing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer profile is divided into multiple tubular parts, each capable of being independently filled with desiccant material. This segmentation allows each tubular part to be processed separately on the production line, improving productivity while maintaining reliable desiccant containment through offset plugs in each segment.
2Ease of manufacture
If a through-hole is provided in the spacer frame for gas filling, then gas filling is simplified, but desiccant leakage and contamination of the insulating glass unit occur
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular spacer profile incorporates a through-hole only in the specific section between the offset plug and the open end of the tubular part, where no desiccant is present. This localized design allows gas filling through the spacer without creating a pathway for desiccant leakage, as the desiccant is confined to the sealed portion of the tubular part by the offset plug.
3Reliability
If spacers are assembled offline in a separate cell, then desiccant filling can be performed, but manufacturing costs increase and cycle time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer profile manufacturing and desiccant filling operations are merged into a single integrated process. The tubular spacer profile is extruded, filled with desiccant, closed with plugs, and assembled into the frame all in one continuous operation on the production line, eliminating the need for separate offline assembly cells and reducing cycle time.
Solution Approach 2:
The desiccant filling is performed as a preliminary action during the spacer profile manufacturing process, before the profile is assembled into the final frame structure. This allows the filling operation to be integrated into the main production line flow, reducing cycle time while ensuring proper desiccant placement.
4Adaptability or versatility
If spacers are assembled around central sheets of glass, then multi-pane spacer glazing units are achieved, but desiccant filling becomes unsuitable due to damage risk to the central pane
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer system is segmented into multiple tubular parts that can be independently filled with desiccant before assembly. This segmentation allows the spacers to be prepared in advance without requiring desiccant filling operations near the central glass pane, eliminating the damage risk while maintaining multi-pane glazing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The desiccant filling of tubular spacer parts is performed as a preliminary action before the spacers are assembled around the central glass pane. This timing separation eliminates the risk of desiccant filling equipment damaging the central pane while still achieving proper desiccant placement in the final assembly.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a spacer (1) for insulating glazing which comprises a profile member (2) that includes at least one tubular portion (4.1, 4.2) defining a recess (5.1, 5.2) for receiving desiccant material (6). The recess (5.1, 5.2) opens at two ends (4.1A, 4.1B, 4.2A, 4.2B) of the tubular portion and is sealed near each end by means of a plug (7.1, 8.1, 7.2, 8.2). The recess (5.1, 5.2) includes a desiccant material (6) between the two plugs and at least one of the plugs (7.1, 8.1, 7.2, 8.2) is offset (d) longitudinally inside the recess (5.1, 5.2) relative to the corresponding end of the tubular portion. The tubular portion (4; 4.1, 4.2) also comprises a through-hole (9.1, 9.2), intended for gas to pass between a cavity of the insulating glazing and the outside, which is provided in a section (48.1, 48.2) of the tubular portion comprised between an offset plug (8.1, 8.2) and the corresponding end (4.1B, 4.2B) of the tubular portion.