Thermally broken anchor and assembly including the same

Abstract

An anchor for securing together interior and exterior building components includes a first end having an outer side for engaging the interior building component and an inner side opposite the outer side. The anchor further includes a second end having an outer side and an inner side opposite the outer side of the second end for engaging the exterior building component. A thermal break for reducing thermal bridging between the exterior and interior building components is disposed in a space between the inner sides of the ends and has a first coupling surface bonded to the inner side of the first end and a second coupling surface bonded to the inner side of the second end. An assembly includes the anchor for securing together the interior and exterior building components.

1 . An assembly for a structure, said assembly comprising:
 an interior building component;   an exterior building component spaced from said interior building component; and   an anchor disposed between said building components to secure said exterior building component to said interior building component, said anchor comprising;
 a first end having an outer side for engaging said interior building component and an inner side opposite said outer side of said first end; 
 a second end having an outer side for engaging said exterior building component and an inner side opposite said outer side of said second end, 
 said inner sides of said ends facing each other with a space defined therebetween; and 
 a thermal break disposed in the space, with said thermal break having a first coupling surface bonded to said inner side of said first end and a second coupling surface opposite said first coupling surface and bonded to said inner side of said second end; 
 wherein a thermal conductivity of said thermal break is lower than a thermal conductivity of at least one of said ends to reduce thermal bridging between said building components while said building components are subject to a temperature difference between said building components. 
   
     
     
         2 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A structure comprising said assembly as set forth in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . An anchor for securing an exterior building component to an interior building component, said anchor comprising:
 a first end having an outer side for engaging the interior building component and an inner side opposite said outer side of said first end;   a second end having an outer side for engaging the exterior building component and an inner side opposite said outer side of said second end,   said inner sides of said ends facing each other with a space defined therebetween; and   a thermal break disposed in the space, said thermal break having a first coupling surface bonded to said inner side of said first end and a second coupling surface opposite said first coupling surface and bonded to said inner side of said second end;   wherein a thermal conductivity of said thermal break is lower than a thermal conductivity of at least one of said ends to reduce thermal bridging between the building components while the building components are subject to a temperature difference between the building components.   
     
     
         17 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said thermal break adhesively bonds said ends together. 
     
     
         18 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said thermal break exclusively bonds said ends together. 
     
     
         19 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the thermal conductivity of said thermal break is lower than the thermal conductivity of each of said ends. 
     
     
         20 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein:
 i) said thermal break comprises a polymeric material;   ii) each of said ends comprises a metallic material; or   iii) both i) and ii).   
     
     
         21 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said thermal break comprises a silicone, alternatively comprises a silicone rubber. 
     
     
         22 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said thermal break comprises an epoxy, alternatively comprises an epoxy adhesive. 
     
     
         23 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said thermal break comprises an elastomer selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic elastomers, unsaturated rubbers, saturated rubbers, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein said thermal break comprises a thermoplastic elastomer selected from the group consisting of styrenic block copolymers, polyolefins, elastomeric alloys, polyurethanes, copolyesters, polyamides, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein said thermal break comprises a unsaturated rubber selected from the group consisting of polyisoprenes, polybutadienes, chloroprenes, butyl rubbers, styrene-butadienes, nitrile rubbers, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein said thermal break comprises a saturated rubber selected from the group consisting of ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, polyacrylic rubber, silicone rubber, fluorosilicone rubber, fluoroelastomers, perfluoroelastomers, polyether block amides, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein each of said ends comprises iron, alternatively comprises steel. 
     
     
         28 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said thermal break has a cross-sectional area of from about 1 to about 800 square centimeters (cm 2 ) or about 0.5 to about 120 square inches (in 2 ). 
     
     
         29 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said thermal break has an average thickness of from about 1 to about 50 millimeters (mm) or about 0.05 to about 2 inches (in). 
     
     
         30 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said inner sides are configured to mechanically catch in the event of fire burning away said thermal break. 
     
     
         31 . A method of securing an exterior building component to an interior building component spaced from the exterior building component, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing an anchor;   attaching the anchor to one of the building components to form a sub-assembly; and   connecting the sub-assembly and the remaining building component to secure the exterior building component to the interior building component;   wherein the anchor is as set forth in  claim 16 .   
     
     
         32 . The anchor as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein each of said inner sides includes a catch structure, and wherein said catch structures are complimentary with and spaced apart from each other.