A facade

The invention relates to a facade, especially for buildings in earthquake-prone regions, which facade is formed by frame-like facade elements, and the facade elements are movably connected with one another and at a distance from one another, and are sealed against one another by strand-like sealing elements which form sealing arrangements.

The facade elements which form the facade are arranged next to one another and above one another. The frames of the facade elements consist of hollow sections, preferably hollow aluminium sections or hollow plastic sections. In order to ensure that the individual facade elements are movable against one another not only under weathering Influences but also in the case of an earthquake, they are movably connected with each other, so that they can move in the horizontal and vertical direction and also parallel to the plane of the facade. The mobility is provided via seals in combination with the suspension. These movements correspond to the spatial system of coordinates, with the horizontal movement forming the X-axis, the vertical movement the Y-axis and the parallel movement in relation to the facade plane the Z-axis.

The sealing arrangements are a problem in these facades. It is known to insert the strand-like sealing elements in a receiving groove of the hollow section. It is disadvantageous that the facade elements are only allowed to move in the Z-direction.

A facade for earthquake-prone regions is further known which is divided into three parts between the individual levels of the building. The bottom facade element is clamped to the bottom head of the ceiling and the upper facade element is clamped to the upper head of the ceiling. Each facade element protrudes into the next level of the building. The floor and ceiling parapet is thus optically formed.

This facade too ensures a movement of the individual facade elements in the Z-direction. The movement in the X-direction is ensured by a sliding bearing of the horizontal profiles. The disadvantageous aspect in this facade is that only very small movements are permitted in the individual axes if the sealing effect of each sealing arrangement is to be maintained. The sealing effect is maintained in the case of relatively large movements which are caused by quakes for example.

The frame spars delimiting the facade elements are also provided with channels or openings so that penetrating water and/or condensation water is able to flow off. The sections must be arranged in such a way that they are still windproof.

The invention is based on the object of providing a facade of the kind mentioned above in such a way that the sealing effect of the sealing arrangements is fully maintained in the case of movements which are larger in comparison with movements in known facades.

This object is achieved in such a way that the sealing arrangements which are formed by the sealing elements and are inserted between two spaced facade elements are subdivided into at least two spaced sealing levels in such a way that the cross sections of the sealing elements can be changed according to the movements of the facade elements.

The entire sealing arrangement is formed by several sealing elements as a result of the at least two sealing levels, which sealing elements are arranged in a row, as seen from the outside to the inside. It is especially advantageous that the cross sections of the individual sealing elements can deform in such a way that the sealing effect is always maintained, even when the movements of the facade elements assume the largest possible value.

The sealing effect is optimized when three spaced sealing levels are formed by the sealing elements of the sealing arrangement. It is especially advantageous in this case that one sealing level each is provided on the outer and inner side of the intermediate space formed by two facade elements and that the further sealing level is arranged in the middle region.

In order to ensure that the sealing effect is also maintained in movements of the facade elements, it is provided that with respect to the initial position of the facade elements the sealing elements of the sealing arrangement are pretensioned. This can ensure not only a further increase in the pretension during movements of the facade elements, but also
a relaxation which does not lead to the consequence that gaps are produced through which humidity can enter. Positions shall be understood by the initial position of the facade elements in which the facade elements are subjected neither to weathering influences nor influences by earthquakes.

The outer sealing element is especially subject to weathering influences. It is therefore provided that this outer sealing element consists of at least two overlapping seals, with the seals being fixed to the adjacent surfaces of the two facade elements, The free ends of the seals are therefore movable, wherein it is preferably provided that the seals extend over the entire width of the gap between two facade elements.

It is further provided that one seal of the outer sealing element is arranged as a hollow-chamber seal and has a triangular cross section, with the hollow chamber extending over a specific region of the gap. The outer web is extended in the direction of the opposite facade element, so that said outer web extends over the entire width and is also still under pretension. Furthermore, this outer web extends in a bow-shaped manner, so that the sealing effect is also maintained even under extreme movement of the facade elements.
The inner web of the hollow-chamber seal is bent off approximately in the middle region, with the angle being an obtuse angle. This web could therefore also be designated a support web.

It is provided in a further development that at least one facade element of two adjacent facade elements is provided with at least one cover section adjacent to the outer sealing element, which cover section comprises a weather sill. The weather sill covers the gap of two adjacent facade elements at least in part. It is provided In a preferred embodiment that the cover section is provided with two spaced webs, with the outer web being in the region of the outer plane of the facade and the inner web being arranged directly adjacent to the sealing element.

It is provided in a further development that the seal of the outer sealing element comprising the hollow profile comprises a fastening base which is held by undercut webs of the profile of the facade element.

It is provided for forming the third and optionally the second sealing level that the inner sealing element and optionally the middle sealing element are arranged as a profile seal
and the free edge regions are fixed to webs or grooves of the spars of the adjacent facade elements. The gap between two adjacent facade elements is thus also sealed completely.

It is provided for reducing the large variety of types that the inner sealing element and, if present, the middle sealing element have the same cross section. In a preferred embodiment the cross sections are flat however, i.e. the width is substantially larger than the thickness. It is further especially advantageous when the sealing elements with the same cross section are arranged in a mirror-inverted manner with respect to each other. It is provided in an especially preferred embodiment that with respect to the initial position of the facade elements the inner sealing element and optionally the middle sealing element are V-shaped. An extreme movement of each facade element can thus be absorbed.

It is further provided that a cover web is positioned or formed on at least one facade element. Preferably, one cover web each is placed on the two adjacent fa9ade elements, which webs overlap one another.

The invention will be explained below in closer detail by reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows two adjacent facade elements which are arranged at a distance from one another and the intermediate space is sealed by a sealing arrangement in the initial position of the facade elements, and

Fig. 2 shows an illustration corresponding to Fig. 1, but with facade elements which are displaced as compared with Fig. 1.

The facade elements are only shown partially for reasons of simplicity of the illustration, i.e. the region adjacent to the sealing arrangement. The facade consists of a plurality of facade elements which are arranged above one another and next to one another. Figs. 1 and 2 show a vertical facade section with two facade elements 1 and 2 which are arranged above one another. Each facade element comprises a circumferential frame in which the glazing 3, 4 is inserted. The spars of the frame of the facade elements 1, 2 consist of hollow sections, especially hollow aluminium sections.

Three sealing elements 5, 6, 7 are inserted in the illustrated embodiment in the intermediate space between the mutually facing spars of the facade elements 1 and 2, which sealing elements form the sealing levels E1, E2, E3 or a sealing arrangement.
The sealing element 5 faces the weather side, whereas the sealing element 7 faces the room side and the sealing element 6 forms the middle sealing element. The weather-side sealing element 5 consists of two seals 8, 9 which are arranged as hollow-chamber seals and have an approximately triangular cross section. As is shown in the drawings, the seals 8, 9 overlap one another in the initial position according to Fig. 1. The mutually facing legs touch one another or lie close to one another. The seal 9 could be arranged to be inherently dimensionally stable as a hollow section, but could also consist of an elastic material. The seal 8 is made of an elastic material, so that it can always adjust to the position In the case of a dimensionally stable seal 9. The seal is pretensioned in the initial position as shown in Fig. 1. This seal is also provided with a fastening base 10 which engages in undercut grooves or webs of the section, and the seal 8 is thus fixed.

A cover section 11 with a weather sill 12 is placed on the upper facade element 1 in the illustrated embodiment.

The sealing elements 6, 7 have flat cross sections in the illustrated embodiment. The two edge regions of each sealing element 6,7 are fixed in grooves of the frame sections. The dimensions are made in such a way that the two sealing elements 6, 7 are formed in a V-shaped manner in the illustrated embodiment in the initial position according to Fig. 1. As is shown in Fig. 1, the sealing elements 6, 7 are mounted in a mirror-inverted manner, with the inner sealing element 7 facing inwardly.

In contrast to the illustrated embodiment, the sealing elements 6, 7 could also be bent off several times, so that a bellows-like shape is formed.

Fig. 2 shows that in the case of an increase in the distance between the two facade elements 1, 2 the shape of each sealing element 6, 7 changes and the outer leg of seal 8 no longer rests completely on the associated leg of the seal 9. Instead, only the outer region is in contact with the seal 9.

Figs. 1 and 2 show that one cover web 13,14 each is placed on the inside on the frame of the facade elements 1, 2, which cover webs overlap one another.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. The relevant aspect is that in the case of movements of the facade elements 1, 2 which are larger than the movements In known facade elements the cross sections of the sealing elements 5, 6, 7 can be changed in such a way that the sealing effects of the sealing elements 5,6, 7 are maintained.

CLAIMS:

1. A facade, especially for buildings in earthquake-prone regions, which facade is formed by frame-like facade elements (1, 2) which are mutually movably connected at a distance from one another, and are sealed against one another by strand-like sealing elements (5, 6, 7) which form sealing arrangements, characterized in that the sealing arrangements which are formed by the sealing elements (5, 6, 7) and are inserted between two spaced facade elements (1,2) are subdivided into at least two spaced sealing levels (E1, E2, E3) in such a way that the cross sections of the sealing elements (5, 6, 7) can be changed according to the movements of the facade elements (1, 2).

2. A facade according to claim 1, characterized in that three spaced sealing levels (E1, E2, E3) are formed by the sealing elements (5, 6, 7) of the sealing arrangement.

3. A facade according to claim 2, characterized in that one sealing level (E1, E3) each is provided on the outer and inner side of the intermediate space formed by two facade elements (1, 2), and that optionally a third sealing level (E2) is provided in the middle region.

4. A facade according to one or several of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing elements (5,6, 7) are pretensioned with respect to the initial position of each facade element (1, 2).

5. A facade according to one or several of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer sealing element (5) is formed by at least two mutually overlapping seals (8, 9).

6. A facade according to claim 5, characterized in that each seal (8, 9) is arranged as a hollow-chamber seal and preferably has a triangular or round cross section, with the mutually facing webs extending in an arc-shaped manner, and that, with reference to the initial position of the facade element (1, 2), at least one web of a seal (8) extends over the entire intermediate space of two spaced façade element (1,2).

7. A facade according to claim 6, characterized in that the inner web of the seal (8) Is bent off and that the bent-off webs are disposed under an obtuse angle with respect to each other.

8. A facade according to one or several of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one facade element (1) of two adjacent facade element (1, 2) is provided with at least one cover section (11) with a weather sill, which section is adjacent to the outer sealing element (5).

9. A facade according to one or several of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer sealing element comprises a fastening base (10) for fixing to the frame section, and that the opposite region touches the other facade element (1).

10. A facade according to one or several of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner sealing element (7) and optionally the outer sealing element (6) are arranged as profile seals, and that the free edge regions are fixed to webs or grooves of the profiles of the facade elements (1,2).

11. A facade according to claim 10, characterized in that the sealing elements are arranged to have similar cross sections and are mounted in a mirror-inverted manner.

12. A facade according to one or several of the preceding claims, characterized in that the profile seals (6, 7) have flat cross sections and are V-shaped or formed in the manner of a bellows in the initial position of the facade elements (1,2).