AU2006201251A1 - A window frame, door frame, or like frame having a weather sump - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant: Aluminium Extrusion and Distribution Pty Limited Invention Title: A WINDOW FRAME, DOOR FRAME, OR LIKE FRAME HAVING A WEATHER SUMP The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 A WINDOW FRAME, DOOR FRAME, OR LIKE FRAME HAVING A WEATHER SUMP Field of the Invention This invention relates to a window frame, door frame, or like frame having a weather sump and has particular although not exclusive application in the extruded aluminium window or door arts.

Background Art Hitherto, window frames, door frames or like frames have been produced from aluminium extruded components. Such frames typically comprise at least a sill and two spaced upright jambs. In most cases, the frame includes a head.

It has been common practice to run the jambs the full height of the opening in the building in which the frame is to be fitted. The sill is then cut to an appropriate length and with appropriate end profiles to mate with the jambs so that the sill is positioned between the exposed faces of the jambs. In many cases, the sills have included an upstanding weather seal flange part which extends upwardly above a tread part of the sill. This upstanding weather sill flange path is intended to prevent water penetration into the building across the sill.

Unfortunately, water that accumulates on the tread part of the sill can flow laterally sideways to the jambs and then flow down the vertical faces of the jambs below the sill.

In this way, water can penetrate into the building. In some instances, a filler sealant such as silicone has been provided to attempt the weather seal the sill relative to the jambs. Silicone sealant generally does not provide a long term seal when it is merely applied into a right angle corner at the intersection of the upper surface of H:\deboram\keep\specifications\Window frame AU Complete 2006.doc 15/04/05 3 the tread part of the sill where it meets the upright exposed wall surfaces of the jamb. This is because the silicone is not applied under controlled conditions and therefore does not have the required bulk to provide for a long life seal. Thus, even in the cases where the prior art frame assemblies have been sealed with a silicone at the interconnection of the sills with the jambs, the solution has not been a long term solution. The problem becomes more acute when the profiles of the jamb and sill includes recesses or protrusions or complicated surface configurations.

Object and Statements of the Invention There is a need for an alternative arrangement.

Therefore, according to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a window frame, door frame, or like frame having at least a sill and two jambs, said sill having a length extending a full width of the frame so that, in use, the said sill will also extend the full width from one side of an opening in a building into which the frame is to be fitted to the other side of the opening, said sill having a sill tread part and a weather seal flange part extending upwardly from the sill tread part, said sill tread part and said weather seal flange part extending the length of the sill, and wherein said jambs are fitted over the tread part of the sill at respective ends of the sill, there being an end fitting at each end of the sill which extends upwardly from the sill tread part and extending to the weather seal flange part, and defining a weather sump therewith to collect water that may drain from said jambs onto the seal tread part, so any collected water will be directed across said sill tread part to an outside weather side of the frame, without crossing said H:\deboram\keep\Bpecifications\Window frame AU Complete 2006.doc 27/03/06 4 weather seal flange part or the end fittings.

Most preferably the ends of the sill have a planar end face and wherein said end fittings have planar faces to abut with the planar end faces of the sill.

Most preferably the ends of the sill have a height when fitted to the frame that coincides with an uppermost edge surface of said weather seal flange part.

Most preferably said sill has screw flutes formed on an under surface of the sill tread part and wherein said end fittings are screwed to the jamb by screws passing through the end fittings and into the screw flutes.

Most preferably a respective seal gasket is provided between an end fitting and an end of jambs and provides a seal when the screws are tightened.

Most preferably the seal gasket is a sheet seal gasket.

Most preferably the head is of the same cross sectional profile as the sill and of the same length as the sill and fitted over the tops of the jambs, and wherein the weather seal flange part is positioned to an outside weather face of the frame.

Preferably end fittings are fitted to the ends of the head.

Most preferably the jambs are provided with screw flutes on non exposed faces when the frame is fitted in the opening in the building, and wherein the sill and the head are screw fastened to the jambs by screws passing through the sill and the head into an appropriate screw H:\deboram\keep\specifications\Window frame AU Complete 2006.doc 27/03/06 5 flute.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of providing a weather sump to a sill of a window frame, door frame, or like frame having at least a sill and two jambs, said method comprising cutting the sill to a length to extend fully across an opening into which the frame is to fit, applying respective side jambs over the top of the sill at the side ends of the sill, said sill having a sill tread part and a weather seal flange part extending upwardly from the sill tread part, said sill tread part and said weather seal flange part extending the length of the sill, applying an end fitting at each end of the sill so each end fitting extends upwardly from the sill tread part and extends to said weather seal part, thereby defining a weather sump therewith to collect water that may drain from said jambs onto the seal tread part, so any collected water will be directed across the sill tread part to an outside weather side of the frame, without crossing said weather seal part or the end fittings.

Preferably the end fittings are fitted with seal gaskets to provide a positive seal of the end fittings with the sill tread part and the weather seal part, and seal the sump at the ends of the jamb.

Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention can be clearly ascertained an example of a preferred embodiment using extruded aluminium components will now be described with reference to Figure i.

H:\deboram\keep\specifications\window frame AU Complete 2006.doc 27/03/06 6 Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments In Figure 1 there is shown a window frame assembly 1. Whilst a window frame assembly has been shown, it should be appreciated that the concepts of this invention extend to a door frame, and other like frames and this is to be included within the scope of the invention and the claims herein.

The window frame assembly 1 is comprised of aluminium extrusions and there is provided a sill 3, two spaced side jambs 5, and a head 7. In this example, each of the jambs 5 has the same cross sectional profile.

Further, in this example, the sill 3 and the head 7 each have the same cross sectional profile. The profiles of the jambs 5 is different to the profiles of the sill 3 and the head 7, although it should be noted that they each have an approximate depth across the opening of about the same dimensions. Typically, each of the sill 3 and head 7 are of identical transverse cross section profile and the lengths are cut so the sill 3 and the head 7 extend completely from side to side across the width of an opening in a building to which the frame is to be fitted.

Similarly, each of the two jambs 5 are of the same length as each other.

The jambs 5 are cut to an appropriate length to allow them to be fitted within the vertical height of the opening in the building taking into account the height of each of the sill 3 and head 7.

It should be noted that the sill 3 has a sill tread part 9 and a weather seal flange part 11. The weather seal flange part 11 extends upwardly from the sill tread part 9, and both the sill tread part 9 and the weather seal flange part 11 extend the full length of the H:\deboram\keep\specifications\Window frame AU Complete 2006.doc 27/03/06 7 sill 3.

It can be seen from Figure 1 that the jambs 5 are therefore fitted at each of the ends of the sill 3 so that the cut lowermost surface ends of the jambs 5 abutt onto the upper surface of the sill tread part 9.

Figure 1 shows that an end fitting 13 is provided at each end of the sill 3. Each end fitting 13 is assembled relative to the frame so that it extends upwardly from the sill tread part 9 and extends to the weather seal flange part 11.

When the end fittings 13 are assembled to the frame in this manner, they define a weather sump 15 with the tread part 9 of the sill 3 and the weather seal flange part 11. Thus, the end fittings 13 close the ends of the sill 3. Accordingly, the weather sump 15 acts to collect water that may drain from the jambs 5 onto the sill tread part 9, so any collected water will be directed across the sill part 9 to an outside weather side of the frame and over an outermost downward extending edge 17 of the sill.

Thus, the water can pass across the sill tread part 9 without crossing the weather seal flange part 11 or over the end fittings 13. This in turn, inhibits water penetration into the building past the frame as a consequence of water that may drain from the jambs 5 onto the sill 3. It should be noted that the upstanding weather seal flange part 11 is continuous across the full length of the sill, and passes behind the jambs The end fittings 13 are typically made from a plastics moulded material and are generally plate or planar like. In the embodiment shown, the ends of the sill 3 are cut square and planar so that the end fittings 13 can abutt therewith and make a seal for the weather sump 15. In order to enhance any sealing, an appropriate H:\deboram\keep\specifications\window frame AU Complete 2006.doc 27/03/06 8 gasket 19 is provided to make a seal with the end part of the sill 3 at the tread 9 surface, and at the end of the weather seal flange part 11. Figure 1 clearly shows that the under surface of the tread 3 is provided with screw flute apertures 21. Thus, the end fittings 13 can be screwed fitted to the frame by screws 23 that pass through suitable openings 25 in the end fittings 13 and further suitable openings 27 in the sheet gaskets 19.

In this example, the head 7 is of the same cross sectional profile as the sill 3 however, the head 7 has been rotated so that the upstanding weather seal flange part 11 is directed towards the outside side of the building in which the frame is assembled and is now downwardly extending. Similar end fittings 13 and gaskets 19 are provided at the head 7. Because the weather seal flange part 11 is at the forward exposed face of the frame and at the weather outside side of the building, the weather seal flange part 11 acts as a seal to inhibit water passing across the weather seal flange part 11 and onto the jambs 5. Because the head 7 is of the same cross sectional profile as the sill 3, the detail of the screw flutes and other openings in the end fittings 13 and gasket 19 have not been shown in order to clarify throughout the drawing.

Figure 1 shows that the jambs 5 have screw flute apertures 29 formed on the inside non-exposed faces of the jambs 5. The jambs 5 can therefore be retained relative to the sill 3 and the head 7 by appropriate screws 31 passing through the sill 3 and the jamb 7 to engage with the screw flutes 29. Figure 1 shows that a further sheet like gasket 33 is provided at the bottom ends of each of the jambs 5 so as to close the bottom ends of the jambs and form a good weather proof seal with the ends of the jambs 5 against the sill tread part 9. It should be noted however, that the gaskets 19 provide the necessary sealing H: \deboram\keep\specifications\window frame AU Complete 2006.dec 27/03/06 9 for the sump 15 and that the gaskets 33 do not provide any primary sealing of the sump 15 however, it does provide sealing of the screw openings in the sill 3.

The method of installing a window frame, door frame, or like frame using the above described techniques is simple and effective and results in a frame assembly that overcomes known problems of the prior art.

It should be appreciated that by providing a sump at the sill any transoms or mullions that may be required in the frame will not require any special weather sealing treatments at their joints as all water will eventually be directed onto the sump 15. This therefore overcomes other problems of the prior art where transoms or mullions are required in the frames.

Modifications may be made to the invention as would be apparent to person skilled in the window, door, or like frame arts. For example, the end fittings 13 may be made of a suitable yielding plastics material such that when fitted to the extreme end of the sill 3, the end fittings 13 will themselves provide an effective seal. In such cases, the gaskets 19 may be omitted. Similarly, a frame assembly may be provided without the use of the gaskets 33 as the sump 15 is formed by the respective exposed surfaces of the tread part 9 and the weather seal flange part 11 and the end fittings 13.

Whilst the example has been shown having profiles for the sill 3, head 7, and jambs 5, that are generally planar across the front exposed faces, each of those profiles may be appropriately contoured or the like to accommodate for window flanges or door flanges or other components that are to be fitted to the frames. Thus, the lowermost ends of the jambs 5 may not be square cut but may be appropriately profiled to mate with the H:\deboram\keep\specifications\window frame AU Complete 2006.doc 27/03/06 10 corresponding profile of the sill 3.

Further, whilst the preferred materials for the frame assemblies are extruded aluminium, it should be appreciated that the frame materials may be made from extruded plastics, rolled form metals, or even wood or other like products.

These and other modifications may be made without departing from the ambit of the invention, the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

H:\deboram\keep\specifications\Window frame AU Complete 2006.doc 27/03/06

Claims (13)

1. A window frame, door frame, or like frame having at least a sill and two jambs, said sill having a length extending a full width of the frame so that, in use, the said sill will also extend the full width from one side of an opening in a building into which the frame is to be fitted to the other side of the opening, said sill having a sill tread part and a weather seal flange part extending upwardly from the sill tread part, said sill tread part and said weather seal flange part extending the length of the sill, and wherein said jambs are fitted over the tread part of the sill at respective ends of the sill, there being an end fitting at each end of the sill which extends upwardly from the sill tread part and extending to the weather seal flange part, and defining a weather sump therewith to collect water that may drain from said jambs onto the seal tread part, so any collected water will be directed across said sill tread part to an outside weather side of the frame, without crossing said weather seal flange part or the end fittings.

2. A frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ends of the sill have a planar end face and wherein said end fittings have planar faces to abut with the planar end faces of the sill.

3. The frame as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the ends of the sill have a height when fitted to the frame that coincides with an uppermost edge surface of said weather seal flange part.

4. The frame as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said sill has screw flutes formed on an under surface of the sill tread part and wherein said end H:\deboram\keep\specifications\Window frame AU Complete 2006.doc 27/03/06 12 fittings are screwed to the jamb by screws passing through the end fittings and into the screw flutes.

The frame as claimed in claim 4, wherein a respective seal gasket is provided between an end fitting and an end of jambs and provides a seal when the screws are tightened.

6. The frame as claimed in claim 5, wherein the seal gasket is a sheet seal gasket.

7. The frame as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the head is of the same cross sectional profile as the sill and of the same length as the sill and fitted over the tops of the jambs, and wherein the weather seal flange part is positioned to an outside weather face of the frame.

8. The frame as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein end fittings are fitted to the ends of the head.

9. The frame as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the jambs are provided with screw flutes on non exposed faces when the frame is fitted in the opening in the building, and wherein the sill and the head are screw fastened to the jambs by screws passing through the sill and the head into an appropriate screw flute.

10. A method of providing a weather sump to a sill of a window frame, door frame, or like frame having at least a sill and two jambs, said method comprising cutting the sill to a length to extend fully across an opening into which the frame is to fit, applying respective side jambs over the top of the sill at the side ends of the sill, H:\deboram\keep\specifications\window frame AU Complete 2006.doc 27/03/06 13 said sill having a sill tread part and a weather seal flange part extending upwardly from the sill tread part, said sill tread part and said weather seal flange part extending the length of the sill, applying an end fitting at each end of the sill so each end fitting extends upwardly from the sill tread part and extends to said weather seal part, thereby defining a weather sump therewith to collect water that may drain from said jambs onto the seal tread part, so any collected water will be directed across the sill tread part to an outside weather side of the frame, without crossing said weather seal part or the end fittings.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the end fittings are fitted with seal gaskets to provide a positive seal of the end fittings with the sill tread part and the weather seal part, and seal the sump at the ends of the jamb.

12. A frame as claimed in any one of claims 1 to and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10, or claim 11, and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 27th day of March 2006 ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION AND DISTRIBUTION PTY LIMITED By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia H:\deboram\keep\specifications\window frame AU Complete 2006.doc 27/03/06