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Title:
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RETROFITTING GLAZING SYSTEMS OF BUILDINGS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2018/191499
Kind Code:
A4
Abstract:
A glazing shield system and a method for retrofitting glazing systems of buildings are disclosed. The glazing shield system comprises a support frame and a unitized panel. In certain embodiments, the glazing shield system may be mounted on an existing glazing system in a non-intrusive and non-destructive method. In one embodiment, the support frame may be attached to an infill panel of an existing glazing system using structural adhesives, and the unitized panel may be mounted on the support frame, creating an insulating glazing shield.

Inventors:
AL KASSAS ANAS (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2018/027306
Publication Date:
November 22, 2018
Filing Date:
April 12, 2018
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
INOVUES LLC (US)
International Classes:
E06B3/26; E06B3/263; E06B3/54; E06B3/56; E06B3/58
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
NAIFEH, Bill, R. (US)
Download PDF:
Claims:
AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 19 October 2018 (19.10.2018). A system for retrofitting an existing glazing system comprising:

a support frame comprising: an upper rail member having a first means for interconnecting, a lower rail member having a second means for interconnecting, a first side rail member joining the upper rail member to the lower rail member, a second side rail member joining the upper rail member to the lower rail member, a peripheral attachment means for attaching the support frame to an existing infill panel of the existing glazing system, a unitized panel removably coupled to the support frame, the unitized panel comprising: a unit frame comprising: a head profile member shaped to mate with the first means for interconnecting, a sill profile member shaped to mate with the second means for interconnecting, a first mullion member joining the head profile member to the sill profile member, a second mullion member joining the head profile member to the sill profile member, an infill panel coupled to the unit frame, and an attachment means for coupling the infill panel to the unit frame. Attorney Docket No. 1630.1 .01 .WO

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first means for interconnecting comprises a first hook shaped profile and the second means for interconnecting comprises a second hook shaped profile.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the head profile member section shape includes a first inverted hook shape to mate with the first hook shaped profile and the sill profile member section shape includes a second inverted hook shape to mate with the second hook shaped profile.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first side rail member defines at least one first side rail opening and the second side rail member defines at least one second side rail opening.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first mullion member includes at least one first vertical protrusion sized to fit within the at least one first side rail opening and the second mullion member includes at least one second vertical protrusion sized to fit within the at least one second side rail opening.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one first vertical protrusion has a hook shape in elevation sized to mate a portion of the support frame positioned around the at least one first side opening and the at least one second vertical protrusion has a hook shape in elevation sized to mate a portion of the support frame positioned around the at least one second side opening.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral attachment means and the attachment means for coupling the infill panel are structural adhesives.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an insulating glazing system, the insulating glazing system comprising:

a first low-water-vapor-transmission-rate seal positioned between the support frame and the existing infill panel,

a second low-water-vapor-transmission-rate seal positioned between the support frame and the unit frame at the periphery of the unit frame, and

28 Attorney Docket No. 1630.1 .01 .WO a third low-water-vapor-transmission-rate seal positioned between the unit frame and the infill panel at the periphery of the infill panel.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the insulating glazing system further comprises a first desiccant element positioned between the infill panel and the unit frame and a second removable desiccant element positioned between the unit frame and the support frame.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the infill panel is a laminated glazing panel comprising at least two panes forming a peripheral step between panes such that an outer pane extends to the periphery of the unit frame.

1 1 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the existing infill panel is a new infill panel.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one peripheral outer seal coupled to an exterior peripheral surface of the unitized panel.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising a smart system, the smart system comprising:

a controller comprising:

a processor,

a memory in communication with the processor,

a power management circuit in communication with the processor, a radio in communication with the controller for receiving operation instructions and transmitting status information, and

an energy storage device in communication with the processor,

a substantially clear photovoltaic cell coupled to the infill panel and electronically coupled to the power management circuit and the energy storage device.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising an electrochromic conductive layer coupled to the infill panel and in electric communication with the processor.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller and the energy storage device are positioned within one or more cavities formed by the support frame and the unit frame.

29 Attorney Docket No. 1630.1 .01 .WO

16. A method of installing a retrofitting system to an existing infill panel of a glazing system, the method comprising:

coupling a support frame to an existing infill panel including:

coupling structural adhesive to a top rail member of the support frame and causing the structural adhesive to be pressed against a first peripheral area of an existing infill panel,

coupling structural adhesive to a bottom rail member of the support frame and causing the structural adhesive to be pressed against a second peripheral area of an existing infill panel,

coupling the first side rail member to the upper rail member and the lower rail member,

coupling the second side rail member to the upper rail member and the lower rail member,

removably coupling a unitized panel having a unit frame to the support frame including:

mating a head profile member of the unit frame to the upper rail member of the support frame, and

mating a sill profile member of the unit frame to the lower rail member of the support frame such that the unitized panel is coupled to the existing infill panel via the support frame.

17. [Deleted]

18. [Deleted]

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

inserting at least one first protrusion of a first mullion member of the unit frame through at least one first side rail opening having a horizontal leg portion, hooking the at least one first protrusion to a portion of the first mullion member adjacent to the at least one first side rail opening, and

moving the at least one first protrusion into the horizontal leg portion of the opening to secure the first hook shaped protrusion in a vertical direction.

30 Attorney Docket No. 1630.1 .01 .WO

An insulating glazing infill panel system comprising:

a first infill panel, a support frame coupled to the first infill panel, the support frame comprising: an upper rail member having a first means for interconnecting, a lower rail member having a second means for interconnecting, a first side rail member joining the upper rail member to the lower rail member, a second side rail member joining the upper rail member to the lower rail member, a peripheral attachment means for attaching the support frame to the first infill panel, a unitized panel removably coupled to the support frame, the unitized panel comprising: a unit frame comprising: a head profile member shaped to mate with the first means for interconnecting, a sill profile member shaped to mate with the second means for interconnecting, a first mullion member joining the head profile member to the sill profile member, a second mullion member joining the head profile member to the sill profile member, and a second infill panel coupled to the unit frame.

31 Attorney Docket No. 1630.1 .01 .WO

21 . A control system 220 for controlling at least one photovoltaic cell 208, at least one electrochromic (EC) layers 210, and/or at least one LED lighting strips 214 of a building panel 104, the control system 220 comprising:

a processor 221 , a memory 228 in communication with the processor 221 , the memory 221 for storing logic, an energy storage device 216 in communication with the processor 221 , a power management means 230 in communication with the processor 221 , the power management means 230 for directing electrical energy generated by PV cells 208 to either charge the energy storage device 216 or directly supply current to control electronics, devices and/or systems in the building panel 104, and a communication unit 226 that is in communication with the processor 221 , the communication unit 226 for receiving and sending commands wirelessly to the control system 220 and remote controllers 218.

22. The control system of claim 21 wherein the wherein the power management means 230 supplies current to the control system 220, the EC layers 210 and/or the LED lighting strip 214.

23. The control system of any of the above claims 21 -22, wherein the

communication units 226 comprises a radio for wireless controls and instructions to the processor, the radio compatible with radio frequency, infrared, Bluetooth, WIFI, Zigbee, EnOcean protocols.

24. The control system of any of the above claims 21 -23, further comprising:

a boost/DC-DC converter 232 for stepping up the voltage of direct current provided by the PV cells 208.

32 Attorney Docket No. 1630.1 .01 .WO

25. The control system of claim 24 wherein the boost/DC-DC converter 232 further comprises a maximum power point tracking means for maximizing power extraction from the PC cells 208.

26. The control system in any of the above claims 21 -25, further comprising:

a power converter means 234 for converting low voltage to power requirements suitable for EC layers 210 and for one or more driver circuits 236 to feed power to the EC layers 210.

27. The control system in any of the above claims 21 -26, further comprising:

on board sensor means 222 in communication with the processor 221 .

28. The control system of claim 27 wherein the on-board sensor means 222 are thermal sensors.

29. The control system in any of the above claims 21 -28, further comprising:

a signal condition means 224 for communicating between the control system 220 and remote frame incorporated sensors.

30. The control system in any of the above claims 21 -29, further comprising:

a wireless power transmitter and receiver for supplying power to electronic devices.

31 . The control system in any of the above claims 21 -30, further comprising a radio frequency identification tag which incorporates system information in a configuration file.

33