Low thermal conducting spacer assembly for an insulating glazing unit and method of making same

Abstract

An insulating unit has a pair of glass sheets about an edge assembly to provide a compartment between the sheets. The edge assembly has a U-shaped spacer made of metal, metal coated plastic, gas and moisture impervious polymer, or gas and moisture impervious film coated polymer. The outer legs of the spacer and the glass provide a long diffusion path to limit the diffusion of argon gas out of the compartment. The edge assembly has materials selected and sized to provide edge assembly having an RES-value of at least 75. A spacer for use in insulating units includes a plastic core having a gas impervious film e.g. a metal film or a halogenated polymer film. Also taught herein are techniques for making the unit and spacer.

1 . A spacer stock used for fabricating a spacer frame for an insulating unit, the insulating unit having a pair of sheets maintained in spaced relationship by the spacer frame and an insulating gas between the glass sheets, the spacer stock comprising: 
 a structurally sound elongated plastic member comprising a first end, an opposite second end, a base continuous from the first end to the second end with outer surface of the base lying in a first plane, a first leg having an outer major surface and an opposite inner major surface with the outer surface of the first leg lying in a second plane normal to the first plane, and a second leg having an outer major surface and an opposite inner major surface with the outer surface of the second leg lying in a third plane normal to the first plane, the inner surface first and second legs spaced from one another and the first and second legs interconnected to one another only through the base such that the first and second legs and the base have a generally U-shaped cross section, a first V-shaped bending line in at least one of the surfaces of the first leg and lying in the second plane, and a second V-shaped bending line in at least one of the surfaces of the second leg and lying in the third plane with open end of the first and second V-shaped bending lines space a greater distance from the base than the closed end of the first and second V-shaped bending lines.    
   
   
       2 . The spacer stock according to  claim 1  wherein the outer surfaces of the base, the first leg and the second leg provide outer surface of the plastic member, and the inner surfaces of the first leg and the second leg and surface of the base between the inner surfaces of the first and second legs provide inner surface of the plastic member, and at least one of the inner and outer surfaces of the plastic member is a moisture and gas impervious surface.  
   
   
       3 . The spacer stock according to  claim 2  wherein the plastic member is made of a halogenated polymeric material.  
   
   
       4 . The spacer stock according to  claim 2  wherein the plastic member is a laminated plastic member comprising a structurally sound polymeric core and a moisture and gas impervious film secured to the plastic core wherein the film provides the laminated plastic member with the moisture and gas impervious surface.  
   
   
       5 . The spacer stock according to  claim 4  further comprising a bead of a moisture pervious adhesive matrix having a desiccant mixed therein, the bead secured to the surface of the base between the first and second legs.  
   
   
       6 . The spacer stock according to  claim 4  wherein the polymeric core is a fiberglass reinforced polymeric core.  
   
   
       7 . The spacer stock according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second V-shaped bending lines are imposed in but do not extend through their respective leg.  
   
   
       8 . The spacer stock according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second V-shaped bending lines are imposed in their respective leg with the bending lines imposed at the closed end of the first and second V-shaped bending lines not extending through their respective leg and indentations imposed at the open end of the first and second V-shaped lines extending through their respective leg to provide a material void at the open end of each of the first and second V-shaped bending lines.  
   
   
       9 . The spacer stock according to  claim 1  further comprising a moisture and gas impervious metal film on the outer surface of each of the first and second legs and the outer surface of the base, or on the inner surface of each of the first and second legs and surface of the base between thje first and second legs.  
   
   
       10 . The spacer stock according to  claim 1  wherein the structurally sound elongated plastic member is a structurally sound moisture and gas impervious plastic member and further comprising a bead of a moisture pervious adhesive matrix having a desiccant mixed therein secured on surface of the base beween the first and second legs.  
   
   
       11 . In an insulating unit having a closed spacer frame, the spacer frame comprising an outer peripheral surface, a first side and an opposite second side, the spacer frame between a pair of sheets with one of the sheets secured to outer surface of the first side of the spacer frame by a first layer of a moisture impervious sealant and with the other one of the sheets secured to outer surface of the second side of the spacer frame by a second layer of a moisture impervious adhesive to provide a compartment between the sheets, the improvement comprising: 
 the spacer frame made of a moisture and gas impervious material and comprises at least three corners with the spacer frame between adjacent corners having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration having the first side of the frame extending from a base and the second side of the frame extending from the base, the first and second sides spaced from one another and only connected by the base, portion of outer surface of the base on one side of one of the corners defined as a first corner extends away from the first corner and lies in a first plane, portion of the outer surface of the base on other side of the first corner extends away from the first corner and lies in a second plane with the first and second planes intersecting on another at the first corner of the frame, the outer surface of the first side of the frame lies in a the third plane normal to the first and second planes and the outer surface of the second side of the frame lies in a fourth plane parallel to the third plane and normal to the first and second planes wherein portions of the first and second sides of the frame at the first corner of the frame extend toward one another over inner surface of the base, and    a bead of a moisture pervious matrix having a desiccant mixed therein between the first and second sides of the frame on selected surface portions of the base.    
   
   
       12 . The insulating unit according to  claim 11  wherein the bead has a structural stability to maintain the sheets spaced from one another less than the structural stability of the spacer frame to maintain the sheets spaced from one another.  
   
   
       13 . The insulating unit according to  claim 12  wherein the spacer frame is made of moisture and gas impervious plastic.  
   
   
       14 . The insulating unit according to  claim 12  wherein the spacer frame is made of metal.  
   
   
       15 . The insulating unit according to  claim 12  wherein the portions of the first and second sides extending toward one another over the base are spaced from one another.  
   
   
       16 . The improved insulating unit according to  claim 12  wherein the spacer frame is made of one piece of a moisture and gas impervious material and having four sides and four corners, the base having a seamless portion starting at a first position adjacent to and spaced from a first corner and a path extend from first position over the first corner, over the next adjacent corner defined as the second corner, over the next adjacent corner defined as the third corner and ending at a position between the third and fourth corners,  
   
   
       17 . The insulating unit according to  claim 16  wherein the spacer frame at each of the first, second and third corners has a pair of creases imposed in outer surface of the first and second sides of the spacer frame, each of the pair of the creases extending away from the base with the distance between the creases increasing as the distance from the base increases to provide the two creases with a “V” shape and portions of the sides between the “V” shape at the one of the corners are the portions of the first and second sides that extend toward one another over the base.  
   
   
       18 . The insulating unit according to  claim 17  wherein a portion of the outer leg in the “V” shape between the creases is removed.  
   
   
       19 . The insulating unit according to  claim 11  further comprising an insulating gas in the compartment and wherein 
 the spacer frame is a laminated spacer frame comprising (1) a structurally stable plastic core having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration having a first outer leg having an outer major surface and an inner major surface, a second outer leg having an outer major surface and inner major surface and a base having an outer major surface and an inner major surface and a moisture and gas impervious film secured to at least one of the following groups (A) the inner major surface of the first leg, the inner major surface of the second leg and the inner major surface of the base and (B) the outer major surface of the first leg, the outer major surface of the second leg and the outer major surface of the base to substantially prevent the movement of moisture and gas between the compartment and atmosphere outside the compartment through the plastic core, (2) four sides and four corners, (3) a continuous base extending around the first corner, adjacent corner defined as the second corner and around the next adjacent corner defined as the third corner of the spacer frame, (4) each of the first and second sides of the spacer frame at the first corner have creases extending away from the base with spaced distance between the creases increasing as the distance from the base increases to provide a generally V shape crease with second portions of the first and second sides between its respective V shaped crease extending toward one another over inner surface of the base;    the bead having a structural stability to maintain the sheets spaced from one another less than the structural stability of the laminated spacer frame to maintain the sheets spaced from one another, and    the first and second layers of the moisture impervious sealant each have a thickness less than 0.020 inch (0.0508 centimeter) and a length at least 0.125 inch (0.32 centimeter) long that forms a barrier that resists loss of the insulating gas from the compartment.    
   
   
       20 . The insulating unit according to  claim 19  wherein the moisture and gas impervious film is on the outer major surface of the first leg, the outer major surface of the second leg and the outer major surface of the base of the plastic core wherein the moisture and gas impervious film provide the outer surface of the first and second sides of the spacer frame.  
   
   
       21 . The insulating unit according to  claim 20  wherein the moisture and gas impervious film is a moisture and gas impervious plastic film.  
   
   
       22 . The insulating unit according to  claim 21  wherein the plastic core is a fiberglass reinforced plastic core, and the film is a halogenated polymeric material.  
   
   
       23 . The insulating unit according to  claim 21   wherein the spacer frame has four sides with the first side lying in the first plane, the second side lying in the second plane normal to the first plane, the third side lying in a fifth plane normal to the second plane and parallel to the first plane and the fourth side lying in a sixth plane normal to the fifth plane and the first plane and parallel to the second plane, the base of the spacer frame is a continuous base extending around the first corner, the intersection of the second plane and the fifth plane defined as a second corner of the spacer frame, and the intersection of the fifth plane and the sixth plane defined as the third corner of the spacer frame, and    the spacer frame further comprising a structurally stable plastic core having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration and a moisture and gas impervious metal film completely covering outer major surface of the plastic core to substantially prevent the movement of moisture and gas between the compartment and atmosphere outside the compartment through the plastic core.    
   
   
       24 . In an insulating unit having a pair of sheets separated by a spacer frame, the spacer frame having a pair of opposed outer major surfaces with a first moisture impervious adhesive layer securing one of the opposed outer major surfaces of the spacer frame to portions of inner major surface of one of the pair of sheets and a second moisture impervious adhesive layer securing the other one of the opposed outer major surfaces of the spacer frame to portions of inner major surface of the other one of the pair of sheets to provide a compartment between the pair of sheets, the improvement comprising: 
 the spacer frame is a laminated closed ended spacer frame comprising a base and a pair of outer legs spaced from one another and are only interconnected by the base to provide the spacer frame with a generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration, and a first member and a second member wherein the first member is a structurally stable plastic core having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration, an outer surface area and an opposite inner surface area, and the second member is a moisture and gas impervious film secured to and completely covering all of the surface area of at least one of the inner and outer surface areas of the plastic core to substantially prevent movement of moisture through the plastic core, the outer surface of one of the legs of the laminated spacer frame is adhered to one of the sheets by the first moisture impervious adhesive layer and outer surface of other one of the legs of the laminated spacer frame is adhered to the other one of the sheets by the second moisture impervious adhesive layer, and    a bead of a moisture pervious adhesive matrix having a desiccant mixed therein on selected portions of inner surface of the base of the spacer frame.    
   
   
       25 . The insulating unit according to  claim 25  wherein the bead on the selected portions of the base has a structural stability to maintain the sheets spaced from one another less than the structural stability of the spacer frame to maintain the sheets spaced from one another.  
   
   
       26 . The insulating unit according to  claim 24  wherein the plastic core is a moisture and gas pervious plastic core.  
   
   
       27 . The insulating unit according to  claim 24  wherein the moisture and gas impervious film is secured to and completely covers the outer surface area of the plastic core, the first moisture impervious adhesive layer secures outer surface portions of the moisture and gas impervious film to the portions of the inner major surface of the one of the pair of sheets and the second moisture impervious adhesive layer secures outer surface portions of the moisture and gas impervious film to the portions of the inner major surface of the other one of the pair of sheets.  
   
   
       28 . The insulating unit according to  claim 27  wherein the spacer frame has four corners with portions of the first leg of the spacer frame between adjacent corners of the spacer frame having the outer surface of the first leg lying in a first plane and portions of the second leg of the spacer frame between adjacent corners of the spacer frame having the outer surface of the second leg lying in a second plane substantially parallel to the first plane wherein remaining portions of the first leg of the spacer frame at each of three corner of the spacer frame extending away from the first plane over the base toward the second plane, and remaining portion of the second leg of the spacer frame at each of three corners of the spacer frame extending away from the second plane over the base toward the first plane.  
   
   
       29 . The insulating unit according to  claim 28  wherein the remaining portions of the first and second legs extending over the base at each of the three corners of the spacer frame are spaced from one another.  
   
   
       30 . The insulating unit according to  claim 27  wherein the sheets are glass sheets; at least one glass sheet has an environmental coating, the plastic core is a fiber glass reinforced moisture and gas pervious plastic core, and the film is a halogenated polymeric material, and further comprising a moisture impervious sealant between the edges of the pair of glass sheets and on surface portions of the moisture impervious film facing away from the compartment.  
   
   
       31 . In an insulating unit having a spacer frame between, and secured by a moisture impervious sealant to a pair of sheets to provide a compartment between the sheets, the improvement comprising: 
 the spacer frame comprising four sides, four corners, a structurally stable U-shaped plastic core having a first outer leg and a second outer leg, the first and second outer legs spaced from one another and connected to a base, a moisture and gas impervious film secured to outer major surface of the first leg, the second leg and the base to provide a laminated spacer frame, the base and the first and second outer legs are each continuous from a first position adjacent to and spaced from a first corner around the first corner, around adjacent next corner defined as the second corner, around next adjacent corner defined as the third corner and terminating at a position spaced from the third corner, portions of the first outer leg between the corners providing a first sheet supporting surface and portions of the second outer leg between the corners providing a second sheet supporting surface, the outer legs connected only by the base and portions of the first leg and portions of the second leg at the first, second and third corners extending toward one another over the base of the spacer frame;    the moisture impervious sealant comprising a first moisture impervious adhesive layer on outer surface of the first sheet supporting surface to secure the first sheet supporting surface and adjacent major surface portion of one of the pair of sheets to one another and a second moisture impervious adhesive layer on outer surface of the second sheet supporting surface to secure the second sheet supporting surface and adjacent major surface portion of other one of the pair of sheets to one another, and    a bead of a moisture pervious matrix having a desiccant mixed therein on selected portions of inner surface of the base.    
   
   
       32 . The insulating unit according to  claim 31  wherein the core is made of plastic.  
   
   
       33 . The insulating unit according to  claim 32  wherein the film is a moisture and gas impervious plastic film.  
   
   
       34 . The insulating unit according to  claim 31  wherein the film is a moisture and gas impervious metal film.  
   
   
       35 . The insulating unit according to  claim 31  further comprising a moisture impervious sealant on outer surface of the base of the spacer frame.  
   
   
       36 . A strip for use in the fabrication of a spacer frame used in the fabrication of an insulating unit wherein the spacer frame has a perimeter having a predetermined length; a first leg extending upward from a base; a second leg spaced from the first leg and extending upward from the base; the base having a predetermined width as measured between the first and second legs; the first and second legs each having a predetermined height as measured from surface of the base between the legs, and the first and second legs and the base forming generally U-shaped cross section, the strip comprising: 
 a contiguous elongated flat bendable plastic substrate having opposed major surfaces, at least one of the major surfaces of the substrate being fluid impervious, the substrate having a predetermined length equal to or greater than the predetermined length of the spacer frame and a width equal to or greater than the sum of the predetermined height of the first and second legs and the predetermined width of the base, and    an elongated bead of a fluid pervious adhesive having a desiccant mixed therein with the bead adhered directly to one of the major surfaces of the plastic substrate spaced from edges of the substrate, wherein the height of the bead as measured from the major surface of the plastic substrate is less than predetermined height of the first leg, and the adhesive has structural stability less than the structural stability of the substrate.    
   
   
       37 . The strip according to  claim 36  wherein the substrate is made of a halogenated polymeric material.  
   
   
       38 . The strip according to  claim 37  wherein the halogenated polymeric material is selected from the group of polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl chloride and polytrichlorofluoro ethylene.  
   
   
       39 . The strip according to  claim 36  wherein the adhesive is a polyurethane adhesive.  
   
   
       40 . The strip according to  claim 36  wherein the adhesive is a silicone adhesive.  
   
   
       41 . The strip according to  claim 36  wherein the major face of the substrate is a first major surface of the substrate and the substrate further comprises an opposite second major surface; the substrate is a laminated substrate comprising major surface of a first film secured to major surface of a second film with outer major surface of the first film providing the first major surface of the substrate and outer major surface of the second film providing the second major surface of the substrate, wherein the first film is a moisture pervious plastic film and the second film is a moisture impervious film.  
   
   
       42 . The strip according to  claim 41  wherein the second film is selected from the group of metal films and fluid impervious plastic films.  
   
   
       43 . The strip according to  claim 41  wherein at least one of the major surfaces of the substrate has depressions having a generally V-shape configuration with the opening of the V adjacent the edges of the substrate to indicate bending position of the spacer stock.  
   
   
       44 . The strip according to  claim 43  wherein portion of the substrate between at least one of the V-shaped depressions is removed to provide an open area between the at least one of the V-shaped depressions.