EP0617190B1 - Device for fastening glazings to a supporting structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for fixing a glazing to a load-bearing structure, constituted for example by a building frame, this facade glazing which can in this case be constituted by a large number of glazing elements - in principle square or rectangular- juxtaposed. Such a device is described in FR-A-2 676 768.

The suspension of this type of glazing poses delicate mechanical problems, mainly due to the large weight of the glass (laminated and / or toughened), the thickness of which can range from 8 to 19 mm and which in certain applications can be arranged in duplicate. glazing. The problem also results from the fact that these glazing units have a large surface area for taking in the wind and can therefore undergo very severe bending stresses, to which are added the differential deformations of the framework or of the load-bearing facade, due to differential expansions of mechanical origin (for example folding of the framework), or thermal (effect of sunshine on the glazing).

The problem of mounting tolerances must also be taken into account.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve all these problems, and for this purpose, a device according to the invention, of the type mentioned at the start, is characterized in that it comprises, for each glazing element, a set of 'fastening elements, each comprising a rigid rod, one end of which is associated with non-swiveling clamping means on said glazing and the other end of which is associated with a ball-joint system by which it is connected, with the possibility of angular movement, to said supporting structure.

The ball joint system has the advantage of great ease of absorption of assembly play or deformations of the facade for any external cause, the clearance angular said rigid rod can be very important.

This general arrangement of the invention will also offer a great possibility of absorption (or reduction) of the stresses originating from the differential expansion of the facade and of its structure under the thermal stresses due for example to sunshine.

A device according to the invention may also be characterized in that said clamping means comprise a front stud engaged in a bore in the glazing by the external face of the latter, this stud comprising on the one hand a threaded body projecting from the inner face of the glazing and suitable for receiving a tightening nut on this face, and on the other hand a threaded housing suitable for receiving a threaded end of said rigid rod. Thanks to this threaded end of the rigid rod, engaged in the threaded housing of the facade stud, it will be possible to conveniently adjust, at each fixing point, the spacing between the glazing and its supporting structure. Once this adjustment has been made, it can be blocked by providing, for example, that the threaded end of said rod carries a clean lock nut that can be tightened against the end of said threaded body.

Advantageously also, it is possible to provide that said front stud comprises towards the outside an enlarged head bearing on a bearing of corresponding shape of said bore of the glazing; it may in particular be a conical head to obtain a good distribution of the compression loads on the exterior face of the glazing, at each fixing point.

For the same purpose, one can advantageously provide that a ring of synthetic material is interposed between said head of the facade stud and said bearing surface of the glazing.

For the same reason also, the tightening means which have just been defined may advantageously comprise a washer of synthetic material interposed between the inner face of the glazing and said tightening nut.

In the case of double glazing, consisting of two glass plates spaced from each other, a fixing device according to the invention will preferably be characterized in that a spacer is engaged on said body of the stud front, so as to maintain the desired spacing between the two said glass plates at the level of said clamping means, and in that a seal, surrounding said spacer, is clamped between the two said glass plates.

As regards the ball joint system, arranged on the side of the framework or load-bearing facade, the invention provides means which can of course be used regardless of the type of glazing.

In this aspect, the fixing device according to the invention may also be characterized in that said ball-joint system comprises, at said other end of the rigid rod, a spherical head capable of being held in a ball-and-socket joint in a shaped receptacle complementary, which is formed in a fixing part subject to said support structure. Advantageously, said fixing part comprises on the one hand a tapped hole whose bottom has a spherical bearing for said head, and into which hole can be screwed an end screw in the form of a concave spherical cap, so as to be able to slow down the rotation of said spherical head of the rod or at least adjusting the clearance thereof, and on the other hand a threaded body capable of passing through the opening of a fixing plate, and of being tightened thereto by means of a engaged locking nut on said body.

This will allow rapid assembly of the ball joints, and conveniently adjust the tightening force of the brake nut, or at least adjust the clearance.

It can also be provided that a lock washer is interposed between said brake nut and said fixing plate, and also, that a dust cover is arranged around said rigid rod so as to be applied against said fixing piece, this to protect the ball joint.

The device can also be characterized in that said rigid rod exits from said fixing part by a conical hole flared outwards, the opening angle of this conical hole possibly being of the order of 30 °, this value being however only one example.

This arrangement makes it possible to obtain a large clearance of the rigid rod in said fixing piece (+ 15 °, -15 °), which makes it possible either to absorb the deflection of the facade (stress of the wind for example), or d '' absorb the backlash of the facade assembly. The distribution of deflections can be calculated at the design of the facade and distributed for example as follows: +/- 7.5 ° for the deflection and +/- 7.5 ° for mounting, the deflection limit being given by choice (calculation) of the thickness of the glass.

Other important provisions of the invention relate to the means of connection between the supporting frame and what has been called above "fixing parts", that is to say the parts which receive the ball joints.

Considering that the glass plates of the glazing will be juxtaposed squares or rectangles, and that they will be connected to the support structure by their angles, the invention may also be characterized in that said ball-joint systems are connected to the support structure either four by four, by means of fixing plates in the form of cross-pieces, or two by two, by means of fixing plates in the form of legs, these fixing plates being connected by their central part to rigid bars connecting to said structure, or even individually.

Thanks to this arrangement, it will be possible to obtain, for the fixing parts of the ball joints, mounting clearances on the fixing plates vertically for some of them, laterally for others and even in these two directions for still others. fasteners.

A cross-shaped fixing plate to four branches can thus be characterized, for example, in that it comprises at the ends of these branches a hole whose diameter is very slightly greater than the thickness of the corresponding fixing part, a hole having in the horizontal direction a dimension significantly greater than said thickness, a hole whose diameter is significantly greater than the thickness of the corresponding fixing piece and finally a hole having in the vertical direction a dimension significantly greater than said thickness.

Similarly, a fixing plate in the form of a leg with two branches may be characterized in that it comprises at the ends of these branches a hole whose diameter is very slightly greater than the thickness of the corresponding fixing part, and a hole having in the horizontal or vertical direction a dimension significantly greater than said thickness.

These provisions make it possible to obtain the necessary mounting tolerances, as well as to absorb the reduction in the chord of the glass under stress, for example due to the wind. The stresses in the glass are thus reduced to their minimum.

In addition, there will be no torque from the glass in the four-position plates or in the two-position plates, thanks to the positioning of the ball joints in these plates.

The same advantages will of course be found with double glazing.

• la figure 1 montre deux éléments de fixation d'un vitrage simple sur une structure porteuse, l'un en coupe axiale, l'autre en élévation ;
• la figure 1a montre, avant montage, les différentes pièces des moyens de serrage non rotulants de la tige rigide sur le vitrage ;
• la figure 1b est une vue analogue du système à rotule ;
• la figure 2 montre une variante du système à rotule ;
• la figure 3 montre les moyens de serrage non rotulants de la tige rigide sur un double vitrage ;
• la figure 4 est une vue partielle en élévation d'un vitrage propre à être monté grâce à un dispositif de fixation conforme à l'invention ;
• les figures 5a et 5b sont des vues, respectivement de face et de profil, d'une plaque de fixation en forme de patte à deux branches ; et
• les figures 6a et 6b sont des vues respectivement analogues d'une plaque de fixation en forme de croisillon à quatre branches.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the figures in the appended drawing in which:

• Figure 1 shows two elements for fixing a single glazing on a supporting structure, one in axial section, the other in elevation;
• Figure 1a shows, before assembly, the different parts of the non-swiveling clamping means of the rod rigid on the glazing;
• Figure 1b is a similar view of the ball system;
• Figure 2 shows a variant of the ball joint system;
• Figure 3 shows the non-swiveling clamping means of the rigid rod on a double glazing;
• FIG. 4 is a partial view in elevation of a glazing suitable for being mounted by means of a fixing device according to the invention;
• FIGS. 5a and 5b are views, respectively from the front and from the side, of a fixing plate in the shape of a tab with two branches; and
• Figures 6a and 6b are respectively similar views of a cross-shaped fixing plate with four branches.

In Figures 1 and 1a the glazing elements have been referenced 1; these elements, that is to say the glass plates, of variable thickness, can be separated by seals 1 'a few mm thick. The fixing of this glazing on a load-bearing framework (not shown) is carried out on the one hand by means of non-swiveling clamping means of a rigid rod 2 on the elements 1, on the other hand thanks to a ball joint system.

The non-swiveling clamping means comprise a front stud 3 with an enlarged cone-shaped head 9, engaged in a correspondingly shaped bore 4-10 in the glass plate 1, with the interposition of a ring of synthetic material 11, by example in ERTALON; the outer face of the head 9 of this pad 3 has a mirror polish to guarantee the aesthetics of the facade, and has small bores 9 'allowing it to immobilize in rotation. This stud 3 has a threaded body 5 on which is engaged a tightening nut 6, with the interposition of a ring 12, for example also in ERTALON, this nut being able to be driven in rotation thanks to small bores 6 ', up to tightening pad 3 on plate 1.

The rigid rod 2 is screwed to the desired position, by its threaded end, in a threaded axial housing 7 of the stud 3, and is fixed in position by means of a lock nut 8 tightened on the end of the threaded body 5.

In the case of double glazing (FIG. 3), the clamping means which have just been described are completely similar, and their various constituents have therefore been designated by the same references.

The device further comprises a plastic spacer 13 engaged on the body 5 of the facade stud 3, to maintain the desired spacing between the two glass plates 1a and 1b; this spacer is surrounded by a seal 14 and is provided on its two faces with an O-ring 36 and a butyl filling 37.

The swiveling system can be the same in all cases; it has therefore only been shown in FIGS. 1 and 1b. This system comprises, at the end of the rod 2, a spherical head 15, held in a fixing piece 16. This piece has an enlarged head 30, by means of which it can bear against the end of a branch of fixing plate 23, when its threaded body 21 is engaged in an opening 24 of this plate. The securing of this part can then be ensured by means of a nut 22, locked in rotation on the body 21 by means of a locking washer 25. The fixing part 16 further comprises a tapped hole 17, terminated by a shaped bearing of spherical sector 18 and into which a screw 19 can engage, after engagement of the rigid rod 2 in the part 16. This screw 19 carrying at the end a concave spherical cap 20, it can be seen that its screwing in the tapped hole 17 will slow the rotation of the head 15 in its housing, or at least avoid the existence of games around this head.

The hole 26 through which the rod 2 leaves the part 16 has the shape of a cone flared outwards, the angle of which opening, as already indicated above, will preferably be of the order of 30 °, which gives the rod 2 a great latitude of conical travel, with the consequence of the advantages mentioned above.

A dust cover 28 in the form of a flexible washer, engaged on the rod 2 and applied to the fixing part 16, will protect the ball joint during these movements, and thus avoid jamming.

Figure 2 shows a variant of the ball joint system. In this system, a fixing part 16 ′ is used which is fixed to the end of a fixing plate 23 by means of a screw 31. The ball joint 15 of the rigid rod 2 is trapped in the part 16 ′ by means of a screw 32 applying the ball 15 against a spherical bottom 33 of said part.

As in the previous embodiment and for the same purpose, the rod 2 comes out of the screw 32 through a conical hole, referenced here 26 '.

• par des plaques de fixation en forme de croisillons 23 à quatre branches, analogues à celui qui est représenté aux figures 6a et 6b, ceci aux emplacements intérieurs en lesquels quatre éléments de vitrage 1 se rejoignent ;
• par des plaques de fixation en forme de pattes 23' à deux branches, analogues à celle qui est représentée aux figures 5a et 5b, ceci aux emplacements extérieurs en lesquels seulement deux éléments de vitrage 1 se rejoignent ; et
• directement, par des barres rigides analogues à la barre 27 de la figure 1, à l'emplacement des quatre angles du vitrage.

In FIG. 4, we have diagrammed the fact that the glazing elements 1, contiguous, can be connected to the bearing structure:

• by cross-shaped fixing plates 23 with four branches, similar to that which is represented in FIGS. 6a and 6b, this at the interior locations in which four glazing elements 1 meet;
• by fixing plates in the form of legs 23 ′ with two branches, similar to that which is shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, this at the external locations in which only two glazing elements 1 meet; and
• directly, by rigid bars similar to the bar 27 in FIG. 1, at the location of the four corners of the glazing.

• des trous centraux 34 permettant de les relier à la structure porteuse par des barres rigides 27, serrées sur les plaques par des écrous 35 (figure 1) ; et
• aux extrémités de leurs branches, des trous 24 et 24' ou 24'' pour la réception des pièces de fixation 16 ou 16', soit sans jeu (trous 24), soit avec jeu dans une direction verticale ou horizontale (trous 24'), soit encore avec un jeu dans toutes les directions (trous 24''), ceci procurant les avantages également mentionnés plus haut.

As a result, said fixing plates 23 and 23 ′ comprise:

• central holes 34 making it possible to connect them to the supporting structure by rigid bars 27, tightened on the plates by nuts 35 (FIG. 1); and
• at the ends of their branches, holes 24 and 24 'or 24''for receiving fasteners 16 or 16', either without play (holes 24), or with play in a vertical or horizontal direction (holes 24 ') , or again with a play in all directions (24 '' holes), this providing the advantages also mentioned above.

Claims (18)

1. Device for fixing glazing on a supporting structure characterised in that it comprises for each glazing element (1) an assembly of fixing elements, each comprising a rigid rod (2) of which one end is connected to non-swivelling locking means on the said glazing (1) and the other end is connected to a swivel joint system by means of which it is attached to the said supporting structure with the possibility of angular clearance.
2. Device according to claim 1 characterised in that the said locking means comprise a facing stud (3) fitted in a bore (4) of the glazing element (1) through the outer face of the latter, the stud having on one side a threaded body (5) projecting over the inner face of the glazing (1) and adapted to receive a locking screw (6) on this face, and on the other side a tapped housing (7) adapted to receive a threaded end of the said rigid rod (2).
3. Device according to claim 2 characterised in that the threaded end of the said rod (2) supports a counter-screw (8) adapted to be locked against the end of the said threaded body (5).
4. Device according to claim 2 or 3 characterised in that the said facing stud (3) comprises towards the outside an enlarged head (9) supported on a correspondingly shaped bearing face (10) of the said bore (4) of the glazing element (1).
5. Device according to claim 4 characterised in that a ring (11) of synthetic material is interposed between the said head (9) of the facing stud (3) and the said bearing (10) of the glazing element (1).
6. Device according to any of claims 2 to 5 characterised in that the said locking means comprise furthermore a disc (12) of synthetic material interposed between the inner face of the glazing element (1) and the said locking screw (6).
7. Device according to any of claims 2 to 6 of the type where the said glazing element (1) is double glazing (1a,1b), namely it comprises an outer panel of glass (1a) and an inner panel of glass (1b) characterised in that a cross-piece (13) is fitted on the said body (5) of the facing stud (3) so as to maintain the desired spacing between the two said glazing panels (1a,1b) level with the said locking means.
8. Device according to claim 7 characterised in that a joint (14) enclosing the said cross-piece (13) is locked between the two said glazing panels (1a,1b).
9. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the said swivel system comprises at the said other end of the rigid rod (2), a spherical head (15) adapted to be held in swivel manner in a socket of complementary shape which is secured in a fixing member (16,16') fastened to the said supporting structure.
10. Device according to claim 9 characterised in that the said fixing member comprises on one hand a tapped hole (17) whose base has a spherical bearing face (18) for the said head, and in which hole can be screwed a screw (19) having a spherical concave dome-shaped end (20) so as to be able to brake the rotation of the said spherical head (15) of the rod (2) or at least to regulate the play of same, and on the other hand a threaded body (21) adapted to traverse the opening (24) of a fixing plate (23) and to be locked there by means of the braking screw (22) fitted on the said body.
11. Device according to claim 10 characterised in that a brake disc (25) is interposed between the said brake screw (22) and the said fixing plate (23).
12. Device according to any of claims 9 to 11 characterised in that the said rigid rod (2) leaves the said fixing member (16,16') through a conical hole (26,26') enlarged towards the outside.
13. Device according to claim 12 characterised in that the opening angle of the said conical hole is in the order of 30°.
14. Device according to any of claims 9 to 13 characterised in that a dust cover (28) is placed around the said rigid rod (2) in such a way as to rest against the said fixing member (16,16').
15. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the said swivel systems are linked to the supporting structure either four by four by means of the fixing plates (23) in the form of cross arms, or two by two by means of the fixing plates (23') in the form of claws, these fixing plates being connected by the central part to the rigid connecting bars (27) attached to the said structure, or even individually.
16. Device according to claim 15 characterised in that the said fixing members (16,16') of the swivel system are engaged in the holes (24) provided at the ends of the arms of the said cross arms (23) or claws (23') and in that at least some of these holes (24',24") have at least in a predetermined direction a dimension greater than the thickness of the corresponding fixing member (16,16').
17. Device according to claim 16 characterised in that a fixing plate (23) in the form of a cross-arm with four arms comprises at the ends of these arms one hole (24) whose diameter is slightly larger than the thickness of the corresponding fixing member (16,16'), one hole (24') having in the horizontal direction a dimension significantly larger than the said thickness, one hole (24") whose diameter is significantly larger than the thickness of the corresponding fixing member (16,16') and finally one hole (24') having in the vertical direction a dimension significantly larger than the said thickness.
18. Device according to claim 16 characterised in that a fixing plate (23') in the form of a claw with two arms comprises at the ends of these arms one hole (24) whose diameter is slightly larger than the thickness of the corresponding fixing member (16,16') and one hole (24') having in the horizontal or vertical direction a dimension significantly larger than the said thickness.

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