Panelized shadow box
View Patent ↗In a method of supplying an element for covering a non-vision area in a curtain wall on an architectural structure, a plurality of shadow boxes is prefabricated at a location remote from both a unitized curtain wall assembly shop and the architectural structure. The shadow boxes are prefabricated by sealing an interior spacer between a vision glass panel and a back structure. The back structure includes an insulating material surrounded by a rigid envelope. The vision glass panel, the back structure and the interior spacer define a hermetically sealed void therein. A structural seal is applied about the interior spacer and is affixed to the peripheral edge of the vision glass, the interior spacer and the back structure. The plurality of shadow boxes is then delivered to a selected one of the unitized curtain wall assembly shop and the architectural site.
1. A shadow box for use with an architectural curtain wall system, comprising:
(a) a vision glass panel having an outside surface, an opposite inside surface and a peripheral edge;
(b) an opaque back structure, having a peripheral edge, the opaque back structure including a first insulating material and a rigid metal envelope disposed around the first insulating material in which the insulating material includes a solid component;
(c) an interior spacer, defining a plurality of chambers therein in which a desiccant is placed, disposed along the peripheral edge of the inside surface of the vision glass panel and along the peripheral edge of the opaque back structure so as to hold the vision glass panel in a spaced apart relationship from the opaque back structure;
(d) a first polyisobutylene seal that seals the interior spacer to the vision glass panel and a second polyisobutylene seal that seals the interior spacer to the opaque back structure so that the vision glass panel, the opaque back structure and the interior spacer define a hermetically sealed void therein, the spacer having a length so that the vision glass panel is spaced apart from the opaque back structure by more than 1 inch; and
(e) a silicone seal disposed about the interior spacer and affixed to the peripheral edge of the vision glass, the interior spacer and the opaque back structure so as to provide structural support thereto,
wherein the shadow box has been prefabricated prior to insertion into a pre-assembled frame structure.
2. The shadow box of claim 1 , wherein the first insulating material is selected from a group of insulating materials consisting of: a mineral wool, a polyisocyanurate, a vacuum sealed fumed silica, and an aerogel.
3. The shadow box of claim 1 , wherein the vision glass panel comprises at least two spaced-apart glass panes.
4. The shadow box of claim 1 , further comprising a back panel disposed within the hermetically sealed void and against the opaque back structure.
5. The shadow box of claim 4 , further comprising an interior spacer cover that is contiguous with the back panel and disposed within the void so as to cover at least a portion of the interior spacer so as to hide the interior spacer.
6. The shadow box of claim 4 , wherein the back panel comprises a metal plate.
7. The shadow box of claim 4 , wherein the back panel includes a central portion and a peripheral portion that extends outwardly from the opaque back structure thereby creating an illusion of depth.
8. A shadow box for use with an architectural curtain wall system, comprising:
(a) a vision glass panel having an outside surface, an opposite inside surface and a peripheral edge;
(b) an opaque back structure, having a peripheral edge, the opaque back structure including a first insulating material and a rigid metal envelope disposed around the first insulating material in which the insulating material is selected from a group of insulating materials consisting of: an aerogel, a mineral wool, a polyisocyanurate, a vacuum sealed fumed silica;
(c) an interior spacer, defining a plurality of chambers therein in which a desiccant is placed, disposed along the peripheral edge of the inside surface of the vision glass panel and along the peripheral edge of the opaque back structure so as to hold the vision glass panel in a spaced apart relationship from the opaque back structure;
(d) a first polyisobutylene seal that seals the interior spacer to the vision glass panel and a second polyisobutylene seal that seals the interior spacer to the opaque back structure so that the vision glass panel, the opaque back structure and the interior spacer define a hermetically sealed void therein, the spacer having a length so that the vision glass panel is spaced apart from the opaque back structure by more than 1 inch; and
(e) a silicone seal disposed about the interior spacer and affixed to the peripheral edge of the vision glass, the interior spacer and the opaque back structure so as to provide structural support thereto,
wherein the shadow box has been prefabricated prior to insertion into a pre-assembled frame structure.
9. The shadow box of claim 8 , further comprising a back panel disposed within the hermetically sealed void and against the opaque back structure.
10. The shadow box of claim 9 , further comprising an interior spacer cover that is contiguous with the back panel and disposed within the void so as to cover at least a portion of the interior spacer so as to hide the interior spacer.
11. The shadow box of claim 9 , wherein the back panel comprises a metal plate.
12. The shadow box of claim 9 , wherein the back panel includes a central portion and a peripheral portion that extends outwardly from the opaque back structure thereby creating an illusion of depth.