SUPPORT AND HANDLING DEVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR GLASS PANES OR PANELS

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a support and handling device, particularly for glass panes or panels that can be used to provide curtain walls for buildings. Background Art

Currently it is known to erect buildings with faces constituted partially or totally by glass panels arranged mutually side by side. As regards the production of such panels, IT- 01288597 is known, in particular, which discloses a method for obtaining glass panels for curtain walls for buildings, which comprises a preliminary step for cutting one or more first and second glass sheets, typically with an automatic method and by means of preset known machines. The first and second sheets are then optionally subjected to a perimetric grinding process and are then washed and subsequently dried by means of an appropriately provided known type of vertical washing unit.

A spacer profile is then glued at a chosen distance from the perimetric edge of each first sheet and is constituted typically but not exclusively by an extruded element made of aluminum, which is hollow and has an approximately rectangular transverse cross-section and inside which dehydrated salts or other products adapted to absorb humidity are inserted.

A second sheet, parallel to the first sheet, is then glued to the spacer profile and is then pressed toward said first sheet, typically by means of a conventional press, in order to increase the grip between the first and second sheets and the spacer profile.

Washing and drying, application of the spacer profile and pressing of the first and second sheets are typically performed sequentially within a same production line, in which the first and second sheets are made to advance automatically in order to be arranged in sequence at the washing

unit and at the press.

At this point, the mutually facing internal surfaces of the first and second sheets and of the spacer profile, in the region comprised between said profile and the contiguous perimetric edge of the first and second sheets, are treated accurately, optionally with the aid of suitable known treatment substances which are adapted to improve the grip on such surfaces of an appropriate structural sealant, which is typically polymeric.

The panel is then removed from the production line and a generally metallic frame, adapted to fix the panel for example to a wall of a building, is associated with the panel in the region comprised between the spacer profile and the contiguous perimetric edge of the first and second sheets.

The main drawback of this known method is that the operations for surface treatment of the first and second sheets and of the spacer profile are performed after these components have already been mutually assembled, and are therefore awkward and may consequently be scarcely accurate, so as to compromise the grip of the structural sealant.

Another drawback of known methods is that since the surface treatment of the first portion of the frame must occur before it is applied between the two sheets, there is the risk of dirtying said first portion before the structural sealant is applied.

Moreover, it is not possible to apply the frame before the second sheet is applied in order to facilitate the operations for surface treatment of these components and of the spacer profile, since the presence of the frame, which protrudes approximately at right angles from the first sheet, is a hindrance to the positioning of said sheet on a flat surface and therefore does not allow to press together the first and second sheets by means of the press commonly used in the background art.

Another important drawback is that in order to be able to apply the frame to the panel, said panel must be removed from the production line and must be handled manually, with the risks of accidental breakage that this

entails.

A further drawback is that the treatment of the surfaces to be connected by means of the structural sealant often requires the use of suitable treatment substances, which can be expensive and difficult to apply and are further often highly polluting, with the associated handling and disposal problems.

Disclosure of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited background art, by providing a device that allows to handle and/or treat glass sheets or a glass panel for curtain walls easily and rapidly, reducing production times and costs.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a device that allows to perform simply and automatically an optimum treatment of the internal surfaces of the panes and/or panels, of the spacer profile and of the frame, in order to ensure perfect grip of the structural sealant thereto.

Another object is to provide a device that allows to minimize the manual handling of the pane or panel during its production cycle in order to reduce the risk of accidental damage thereto. Another object is to provide a device that is structurally simple and has low manufacturing costs.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a support and handling device particularly for glass panes or panels for curtain walls for buildings, characterized in that it is constituted by a frame with which a suction table is slidingly associated, a plurality of spacers being associable on the upper surface of the table detachably and in a chosen position and forming a supporting base for a glass pane or for a first sheet, which constitutes said panel, suckers able to engage said panes or said first sheet for their temporary locking to said table and movable means for supporting the lower

end of said pane or first sheet being associable with said suction table.

Advantageously, the device comprises a movable slider, which supports grip means for the spacers. Brief Description of the Drawings Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a particular but not exclusive embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front view of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detail view of the device with a first glass sheet applied thereto;

Figure 5 is a side view of the slider and of the grip means associated therewith;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the slider and of the grip means;

Figure 7 is a partially sectional side view of a detail of the device before applying it to a glass pane or a panel;

Figure 8 is a side view of a detail of the device with a first sheet of a panel applied thereto.

Ways of carrying out the Invention

In the exemplary embodiments that follow, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other exemplary embodiments. Moreover, it is noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.

With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 designates a support and handling device, particularly for providing a glass panel for curtain walls for buildings, not shown in the accompanying figures.

The device 1 comprises a frame 3 constituted by a series of brackets 4, which have an approximately right-angled triangular plan shape, are arranged vertically and approximately parallel to each other, and are connected at the shorter side, which rests on the ground. The brackets 4 support, advantageously approximately at the ends of their hypotenuse 5, two first cross-members 6, which are approximately parallel to each other and between which two second cross-members 7 are interposed, said second cross-members being parallel to said first cross- members. A table 9 of the suction type which is inclined with respect to the ground is slidingly associated with the second cross-members 7 by means of first longitudinal guides 8 which are fixed thereto; the table 9 can therefore perform a longitudinal translational motion with respect to the second cross- members 7, manually or by way of the action of suitable known types of mechanism, not shown in the accompanying figures, which are driven for example by an electric motor, also not shown.

Advantageously, the extension of the table 9 in the direction indicated by the hypotenuses 5 of the brackets 4 is shorter than the distance between the first cross-members 6, so that the table 9 is arranged inside them. A plurality of spacers 11 can be fixed detachably in a chosen position on an upper surface 10 of the table 9, are advantageously cylindrical and form a flat and inclined supporting base for a first sheet 12 that constitutes the panel.

Advantageously, the upper surface 10 of the table 9 can be made of a ferromagnetic material and an end 13 of the spacers 11 may be made of a magnetic material, thus allowing detachable fixing of the spacers 11 to the table 9 in a chosen position.

As an alternative, the upper surface 10 of the table 9 can be made of magnetic or magnetizable material, while the end 13 of the spacers 11 can be made of ferromagnetic material, allowing in this case also to fix

detachably the spacers 11 to the table 9 in a chosen position.

Through holes 14 are formed in the upper surface 10 of the table 9 and are connected to an air suction system 15, which is contained at least partially within the table 9. Suckers 16 can be inserted in the holes 14 and can engage the first sheet 12 in order to keep it detachably coupled to the table 9.

A bridge 18 is slidingly associated with the first cross-members 6 by means of second longitudinal guides 17, in an upper region and approximately parallel to the table 9, and has an approximately inverted C- shaped longitudinal cross-section, so as to form a base 19, which is approximately parallel and spaced with respect to the upper surface 10 of the table 9, from the longitudinal ends of which two arms 20, each associated with a second longitudinal guide 17, protrude respectively approximately at right angles to said base. The bridge 18 can therefore be made to perform a translational motion with respect to the table 9 transversely to the first cross-members 6, manually or by way of the action of suitable mechanisms, not shown in the accompanying figures, which are actuated for example by an electric motor, also not shown. A slider 22 is associated slidingly with the bridge 18 by means of third longitudinal guides 21, which are arranged at the longitudinal ends of the base 19 of the bridge 18, and the slider 22 can move approximately parallel to the upper surface 10 of the table 9.

The slider 22 can perform a longitudinal translational motion with respect to the base 19 of the bridge 18, manually or by means of suitable mechanisms, not shown in the accompanying figures, which are actuated for example by a suitable electric motor, again not shown.

The slider 22 is constituted advantageously but not exclusively by a substantially rectangular baseplate 23, which is associated, at two of its ends, respectively with the third longitudinal guides 21, and can therefore

slide longitudinally with respect to the base 19 of the bridge 18.

The baseplate 23 supports means for gripping the spacers 11 , which are constituted for example by a plurality of hydraulic pistons 24, which are actuated by means of suitable known actuation systems, not shown in the accompanying figures, which are adapted to pick up and deposit in a chosen position the spacers 11 on the upper surface 10 of the table 9.

A plasma torch 25 is further associated with the slider 22 and can be fixed in an appropriately provided seat 26 formed in a tab 27, which protrudes from the baseplate 23 so as to be approximately coplanar therewith.

The plasma torch 25 has a head, which faces the upper surface 10 of the table 9 and whose orientation can be changed automatically in order to direct the jet of plasma in a chosen direction.

The device 1 further comprises a removable vertical support 30 for the first sheet 12, of the known type, which is associated with the table 9 proximate to its lower end.

The vertical support 30 is constituted for example by a lamina, which is folded approximately in an L-shape so as to form a first wing 31, which is approximately parallel to the plane of arrangement of the table 9 and is associated slidingly with the lower surface 32 of the latter, so as to protrude by a chosen extent from the lower perimetric edge thereof; a second wing 33 protrudes from the free end of the first wing 31, approximately at right angles thereto and toward the upper surface 10 of the table 9, and a supporting element 34 is provided at the free end of said second wing and can engage the perimetric edge of the first sheet 3.

The vertical support 30 can be moved parallel to the table 9 by means of a suitable hydraulic or pneumatic actuation system, not shown in the accompanying figures.

Operation is therefore as follows: with reference to the accompanying figures, the frame of the device 1 can be arranged in series to a production

line, not shown in the accompanying figures, of a panel, directly after a vertical washing unit of the known type, also not shown.

The first sheet 12, therefore, after being washed and dried in said vertical washing unit or after arriving by sliding from a previous position, is arranged proximate to the device 1 ; it is possible, for example by means of a suitable and known electronic control card, not shown in the accompanying figures, to ensure that the slider 22 arranges automatically, once the shape and dimensions of the first sheet 12 have been set, a plurality of spacers 11 on the upper surface 10 of the table 9, approximately so as to match the perimetric edge of the first sheet 12, thus constituting an inclined supporting base for the sheet.

The slider 22 then arranges a plurality of suckers 16 in a corresponding number of holes 14 located in the region delimited by the spacers 11. The first sheet 12 is then arranged so that its lower perimetric edge rests against the vertical support 30 and is then inclined and rested against the supporting base formed by the spacers 11; the suckers 16 are then coupled to the first sheet 12, securing it to the table 9.

The chosen operations can then be performed on the sheet. The vertical support 30 may further be moved at right angles to the second wing 33, so as to disengage it from the lower perimetric edge of the first sheet 12.

By doing so, a useful space is produced between said lower perimetric edge of the first sheet 12 and the table 9 and allows to perform easily additional processes on the first sheet 12 in order to manufacture the panel, thus applying thereto a spacer profile or channel, which accommodates for example hygroscopic salts, and a secondary frame, which allows its single sealing during installation.

Since the table 9 can be made to perform a translational motion transversely to the second cross-members 7, it is possible for example to

arrange the first sheet 12 exactly at a chosen second sheet for mutual connection.

By moving the slider 22 so as to follow the perimetric edge of the first sheet 12, thanks to the plasma torch 25, it is possible to perform an accurate surface treatment of the first sheet 12 and of any other components of the panel in order to improve the grip thereon of a structural sealant, not shown in the accompanying figures.

It has thus been found that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects, a device particularly for providing a glass panel for curtain walls for buildings having been provided which can be inserted in the production line of said panel, increasing its degree of automation and consequently reducing the times and costs for its production.

Further, the device according to the invention allows to process the first sheet and the remaining components, such as the frame, the spacer profile or channel, a second sheet, a supporting frame for said first and second sheets, very rapidly and simply, allowing easy access to the surfaces of said sheet, of the spacer profile and of said frame so as to facilitate for example their surface treatment as well as their positioning for mutual connection and sealing. Moreover, the use of the device according to the invention allows to minimize the manual handling of the elements that constitute the panel, particularly the sheets, thus reducing the risk of accidental damage thereof.

The invention is of course susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. The materials used, as well as the dimensions that constitute the individual components of the invention, may of course be more pertinent according to specific requirements.

The various means for performing certain different functions need not certainly coexist only in the illustrated embodiment but can be present per se in many embodiments, including ones that are not illustrated.

The characteristics indicated as advantageous, convenient or the like may also be omitted or be replaced with equivalents.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. TV2005A000088 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.