Spacer Profile for Insulated Glazing Unit

Abstract

In order to provide a spacer profile for an insulated glazing unit, which profile has a cross-section based on a rectangular shape, is provided with two parallel spaced side walls which, when said insulated glazing unit is assembled, will be placed against the panes of glass to be kept apart from each other, and is further provided with first and second transverse walls which extend between said side walls and of which the first will be adjacent to the edge of the glazing unit and the second will face the space between the panes, with the intention of enabling simple handling of said profile when assembling the spacer frame whilst maintaining a high absorptive capacity for water vapor, it is proposed that said spacer profile comprises a binder matrix and, embedded therein, a particulate adsorbent material for water vapor, and that the binder matrix is permeable to water vapor.

1 . An insulated glazing unit comprising:
 a first pane of glass;   a second pane of glass parallel to and spaced apart from the first pane of glass;   a spacer profile between the first and second panes of glass, the spacer profile including a first sidewall bearing against the first pane of glass, a second sidewall bearing against the second pane of glass, a first transverse wall extending between the first and second sidewalls and positioned at the exterior edge of the insulated glazing unit, and a second transverse wall extending between the first and second sidewalls and facing the space between the panes of glass, the spacer profile comprising a binder matrix permeable to water vapor and embedded therein a particulate adsorbent material for adsorbing water vapor.   
   
   
       2 . The insulated glazing unit of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate adsorbent material of the spacer profile is selected from the group consisting of silica gels, and aluminosilicates. 
   
   
       3 . The insulated glazing unit of  claim 1 , wherein the proportion of the particulate adsorbent material in the total mass of the spacer profile is about 40% by weight to about 50% by weight. 
   
   
       4 . The insulated glazing unit of  claim 1 , wherein the binding agent of the spacer profile is selected from the group consisting of organic binding agents, inorganic binding agents, water soluble methyl cellulose, thermoplastic materials, polyamide, polypropylene, and polysilicon. 
   
   
       5 . The insulated glazing unit of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer profile further comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fillers, reinforcing agents, pigments and UV stabilizers. 
   
   
       6 . The insulated glazing unit of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer profile comprises reinforcing elements for stiffening, the reinforcing elements selected from the group consisting of tapes, wires angel sections, nets films or fibrous bundles. 
   
   
       7 . The insulated glazing unit of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer profile is a solid profile. 
   
   
       8 . The insulated glazing unit of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer profile is a hollow profile having one or more hollow chambers extending in the longitudinal direction and a plurality of hollow ducts extending in the longitudinal direction. 
   
   
       9 . The insulated glazing unit of  claim 8 , wherein the spacer profile includes passages in the second transverse wall to the one or more hollow chambers. 
   
   
       10 . A method of manufacturing a spacer profile for use in an insulated glazing unit, the method comprising:
 mixing a composition comprising a binding agent permeable to water vapor and an particulate adsorbent material for adsorbing water vapor;   shaping the composition into an elongated spacer profile having a generally rectangular cross-section including opposing first and second sidewalls, and first and second transverse walls extending between the first and second sidewalls; and   drying the shaped spacer profile.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the particulate adsorbent material is selected from the group consisting of silica gels, and aluminosilicates. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the binding agent is selected from the group consisting of organic binding agents, inorganic binding agents, water soluble methyl cellulose, thermoplastic materials, polyamide, polypropylene, and polysilicon. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the composition further comprises a wax-based processing agent. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of expelling the wax-based processing agent from the spacer profile. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the shaping step is selected from the group comprising extrusion, injection molding, transfer molding, compression molding, pultrusion, and plunger molding. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of drying occurs virtually just before the spacer profile is assembled into an insulated glazing unit. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of packing the spacer profile in a moisture-impermeable film. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of cutting the elongated spacer profile to select lengths to produce a frame. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of joining at least two select lengths by adhesive bond, form-fit or by friction lock to form a corner. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of heating and bending at least one select length to form a corner. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the composition further comprises reinforcing elements selected from the group consisting of tapes, wires, angle sections, nets, films, and fibrous bundles. 
   
   
       22 . A spacer profile for an insulated glazing unit, the profile comprising a rectangular shaped cross-section including first and second parallel sidewalls which, when assembled into the insulated glazing unit, will be placed against and space apart panes of glass;
 the profile further comprising first and second transverse walls extending between the first and second sidewalls, the first transverse wall corresponding to the exterior edge of the insulated glazing unit and the second transverse wall corresponding to the spacing between the panes of glass;   the profile further comprising one or more hollow chambers extending longitudinally into the cross-section and surrounded by the first and second sidewalls and by the first and second transverse walls, and one or more passages communicating between the hollow chamber and the second traverse wall;   wherein the profile comprises a binder matrix permeable to water vapor and embedded therein a particulate adsorbent material for adsorbing water vapor.