AU2010224294A1 - A window assembly for a mounting on a wall - Google Patents

Abstract

A window assembly 10 having an internal frame 12 and an external frame 11 that is mounted on a wall 44 of a building structure within a window aperture is disclosed. The internal frame 12 has a plurality of elongate fastening members 39 associated 5 therewith arranged spaced apart around the internal frame 12 and the external frame 11 has a plurality of corresponding elongate mating members 40 associated therewith. Each fastening member 39 has an external screw thread formed thereon and each elongate mating member 40 defines a socket having a complementary screw thread defined on an internal socket surface thereof for receiving an elongate fastening 10 member 39 therein with engagement of the screw threads. Each mating member 40 is aligned with and receives a corresponding fastening member 39 and the engaged members 39 and 40 are in turn received within an internal passage defined within the wall 44 to attach the internal frame 12 to the external frame 11 without a need for additional fasteners or locating members. This simplifies assembly and installation of 15 the window assembly. FIG 4 to accompany the -4-7 tj7 S~So 13'

Description

1 A WINDOW ASSEMBLY FOR MOUNTING ON A WALL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a window assembly which has an internal frame and an 5 external frame and which can be mounted to a wall having a window opening wherein the window assembly extends across the window opening. The invention also extends to a building structure including a wall defining a window opening and a window assembly extending across the window opening. The invention also extends to a method of installing a window assembly on a wall having a window opening with the 10 window assembly extending across the window opening. The invention relates particularly but not exclusively to a window assembly for mounting on a building structure having a roof, and an inside and outside. It will therefore be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention with reference to this 15 example application. However at the same time it is to be clearly understood that the invention is capable of broader application. For example the invention could be applied to other building structures such as a door, fence or panel. In the specification the term "comprising" shall be understood to have a broad meaning 20 similar to the term "including" and will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. This definition also applies to variations on the term "comprising" such as "comprise" and "comprises". 25 BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Window assemblies as described above are well known and reference may be made for example to US Patents 6581668, 6647677, 6711861 and 7010888. US Patent 6581668 refers to a window frame for location in a fence having a first 30 frame and a screen member attached to the first frame. The first frame also has a plurality of slots. There is also provided a second frame which has an inside surface and an outside surface wherein the inside surface is adapted to cover an adjacent side of the first frame and which has a plurality of protruding members which serve as a 2 form of locating means and each extend into a mating slot. The first frame is attached to a fence by screws and the second frame is also attached to first frame by screws. US Patent 6647677 refers to a window assembly having an outer frame assembly and 5 an inner frame assembly. The inner frame assembly has two horizontal inner members that are mounted to horizontal frame members of the outer frame assembly such that they are slidable thereto. The inner frame assembly also has two vertical inner members that are mountable on vertical frame members of the outer frame assembly and attached thereto with fasteners. The outer frame assembly and inner 10 frame assembly sandwich or entrap a garage panel with an aperture and a transparent panel to receive a window. The outer frame assembly also has a longitudinally and peripherally extending rib with longitudinal cut-outs that engage in longitudinal slots of the inner frame assembly. 15 Reference may also be made to US Patent 6711861 that describes a window frame having an outer and an inner frame assembly that sandwich a transparent member and a skin or panel with an opening. Frame members of the outer frame assembly have longitudinal channels with a T-shape cross section defining a wider innermost portion and a narrower neck position. The innermost portion receives nuts that co 20 operate with a fastening member by sliding displacement to securely mount the outer frame assembly, transparent member, panel and inner frame members to each other. Reference may also be made to US Patent 7010888 which describes a frame assembly having two moulded sub-assemblies which are identical. Each sub 25 assembly has a plurality of joining elements which include an alignment component and a locking surface to engage a similar surface on an aligned joining element of an adjacent or opposed sub-assembly. The joining elements are arranged in a pattern that permits any two sub-assemblies made in the same mould to be permanently snapped together without the use of any separate fasteners. 30 Upon a summary of the prior art discussed above one noticeable feature is that such prior art is complex in structure. Thus for example reference may be made to US Patent 6581668 which requires the use of locating members to align the first and second frames as well as fasteners to attach the first frame to the fence.

3 In relation to US Patent 6647677 there is also provided a complex structure requiring the use of the longitudinally and peripherally extending rib member with longitudinal cut-outs as well as mating longitudinal slots to receive the rib member. Additional fasteners are required to attach the outer frame assembly to the inner frame assembly. 5 In regard to US Patent 6711861 this also provided a complex structure having regard to the longitudinal internal channels with a T-shape cross section defining a wider innermost portion and narrower neck portion. There was also the requirement for additional fasteners as described above. 10 Finally, in relation to US Patent 7010888 there was the requirement that the two identical sub-assemblies have the above described joining elements which function to snap fit the sub-assemblies to each other through a window aperture with a peripheral flange of each sub-assembly abutting a surrounding wall surface on each side. There 15 is also the requirement for locating or positioning tabs for alignment of each sub assembly through the window aperture in addition to the joining elements which were formed of two different types, one type having a locking function only and the other one having a locking function as well as a locating function. 20 The reference to prior art in this specification is not and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that the referenced prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia. It would therefore be advantageous if a window assembly could be devised that 25 ameliorated at least some of the disadvantages of the window assemblies described above. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a window assembly for 30 mounting to a wall having a window opening wherein the window assembly extends across the window opening, the window assembly including an internal frame and an external frame, wherein one of the internal frame and the external frame is provided with a plurality of elongate fastening members, and the other of said internal frame and external frame, is provided with a plurality of elongate mating members, whereby in 4 use each of the elongate fastening members and each of the elongate mating members are aligned with each other and engage with each other to thereby attach the internal frame and the external frame to each other within the window aperture. 5 The elongate fastening members may locate the internal and external frames in position relative to each other and also mount the internal and external frames to each other. The elongate fastening members and the elongate mating members may be engaged 10 with each other by having the elongate fastening members received within the elongate mating members. The elongate mating members and their received elongate fastening members may be passed through the wall on which the window assembly is mounted, thereby to mount 15 the internal and external frame to the wall on which the window assembly is mounted in use. The wall to which the window assembly is mountable may define a plurality of internal passages therein, and each pair of engaged elongate fastening members and 20 elongate mating members may be receivable within a said internal passage in a wall. The plurality of internal passages may be arranged spaced apart from each other, around the peripheral edge of the window opening. Each elongate fastening member may comprise a shank having two ends, and a head 25 at one end of the shank. The shank may have a screw thread formed thereon that extends along at least part of its length. The screw thread may extend along a substantial portion of the length of the shank. Conveniently the fastening member may be in the form of a screw or bolt. 30 Each elongate mating member may have an internal surface forming a tubular bore within which the shank of a fastening element can be received.

5 The internal surface may have a further screw thread formed thereon that is complementary to said one screw thread on the shank, for facilitating a screw threaded engagement of said one and further screw thread formations, when the fastening member is received within the screw threaded bore. The further screw thread may 5 extend along a substantial portion of the length of the tubular bore, e.g. along substantially the full length of the tubular bore. Each elongate mating member may have a head at one end thereof and a mouth at the other end thereof. The head of the mating member and the head of the fastening 10 member may both be larger than the tubular bore. Thus the head of the fastening member cannot be received within tubular bore. Each elongate mating member may have a substantially cylindrical external surface, e.g. to complement the internal surface forming the tubular bore. 15 In one form, each elongate mating member may be in the form of an elongate tube, wherein the external surface of the tube forms the cylindrical external surface and the internal surface of the tube forms the tubular bore. 20 Each elongate mating member may have a tubular bore having a length that is sized to receive the length of the shank of an elongate fastening member substantially fully therein. The shank may have a length that is similar to that of the tubular bore formed by the internal surface of the mating member. 25 Thus when such a fastening member, with said one screw thread formation, is fully received within the tubular bore of a mating member, the shank of the fastening member and the elongate tube of the mating member with the head of the mating member projecting out from one end and the head of the fastening member projecting from the other end is visible. This provides a neat assembly with the external surface 30 of the tube presenting a smooth cylindrical surface, suited to being passed through a passage in a wall, e.g. a snug passage, and having the internal and external frames at each end of the tube. The heads of the fastening member and the mating member may be outward of the frames to which they are mounted.

6 The elongate fastening members may be mounted on the internal frame and the elongate mating members may be mounted on the external frame. Instead the fastening members and the mating members could be arranged the other way around with the fastening members on the external frame and the mating members on the 5 internal frame. Yet further instead, some fastening members could be mounted on the internal frame and others could be mounted on the external frame. Each of the internal and external frames may be configured to extend around a peripheral edge of a window opening of a wall on which the window assembly is 10 mountable. The internal frame may be positioned on the inside of the window assembly. The external frame may be positioned on the outside of the window assembly. The wall typically forms part of a building and the inside of the window assembly may be on the 15 inside of the building. Correspondingly the outside of the window assembly may be on the outside of the building. The internal frame may have a lateral width of a depth that is greater than the lateral width or depth of the external frame. The internal frame may have a lateral width of 20 100 to 300mm around its peripheral extent. In some embodiments the internal frame may have a lateral width of 120mm to 180mm, e.g. about 140mm. The lateral width of the external frame may be substantially less than that of the internal frame. The external frame may have a lateral width of 40 to 80mm around its 25 peripheral extent. In some forms it may have a lateral width of 50 to 70mm, e.g. about 60mm. The invention also extends to a building structure including: a wall defining a window opening; 30 a window assembly that is mounted on the wall extending across the window opening, the window assembly including an internal frame and an external frame wherein one of the internal frame and the external frame is provided with a plurality of elongate fastening members, and the other of said internal frame and external frame is 7 provided with a plurality of elongate mating members, whereby in use each of the elongate fastening members and each of the elongate mating members are aligned with each other and engaged with each other to thereby attach the internal frame and the external frame to each other within the window opening. 5 The elongate fastening members and the elongate mating members that are passed through the internal frame and the external frame may also be passed through the wall, thereby to mount the internal and external frame to the wall on which the window assembly is mounted in use. 10 The wall may define a plurality of internal passages therein, e.g. extending transverse to a plane of the window aperture. The plurality of internal passages may be arranged spaced apart around the peripheral edge of the window opening, e.g. adjacent to the window opening. 15 The wall may define at least four internal passages therein around the window opening, e.g. six to ten passages around the window opening. In one form the wall has eight internal passages defined therein around each window opening, one adjacent to each corner of the window opening and four passages along each side of 20 the window opening intermediate the ends thereof. Each pair of engaged elongate fastening members and elongate mating members may be received within a said internal passage in a wall. The plurality of internal passages may be arranged spaced apart around the peripheral edge of the window opening. 25 Each internal passage in the wall may be sized to receive an elongate mating member therein with a small clearance, e.g. a small working clearance. The fastening members may include any one or more of the features of the fastening 30 members defined in the first aspect of the invention defined above. The elongate mating members may include any one or more of the features of the mating members defined in the first aspect of the invention defined above.

8 Similarly the internal and external frames may include any one or more of the features of the frames defined in the first aspect of the invention defined above. The building structure may be a building having a roof and defining an inside of the 5 building and an outside of the building. The building structure may be a fence, a wall or a shade structure, a tent or a marquee. The building structure may also be a body of a vehicle, e.g. a recreational vehicle. The term building structure may also be a partition, a door, fence, gate or any 10 other movable or stationary barrier. According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a method of installing a window assembly on a wall so that it extends across a window opening defined in the wall, said method including: 15 (i) orienting an internal frame with an external frame on the wall extending across the window opening by aligning elongate fastening members which are attached to one of the external frame and the internal frame, with mating elongate members which are attached to the other of the external frame and internal frame; and (ii) attaching each elongate fastening member to an adjacent mating 20 elongate member to thereby attach the internal frame to the external frame in position extending across the window opening. The method may include providing a plurality of holes in the wall surrounding the window opening for forming internal passages for receiving the mating members and 25 engaged fastening members therein. Attaching each elongate fastening member to a mating member may include receiving the fastening member within the mating member. 30 The elongate fastening member may have a shank defining a screw thread formation and the elongate mating member may define a tubular bore having a complementary screw thread, and receiving the fastening member within the mating member may include engaging the one and complementary screw thread formations.

9 The method may include providing a plurality of holes in the wall surrounding the window opening for forming internal passages for receiving the mating members and engaged fastening members therein. 5 The method may further include forming said plurality of holes in the wall, e.g. by drilling or cutting the holes in the wall. The method may include passing the elongate mating member through the internal passages in the wall to thereby mount the engaged fastening member and mating 10 member to the wall. The internal and external frames may include any one or more of the features defined in the preceding aspect of the invention. 15 Similarly each elongate fastening member and each adjacent mating elongate member may include any one or more of the features defined in the preceding aspect of the invention. It will also be appreciated that the window opening described above may be 20 rectangular and could also be circular, hexagonal, square or oval. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A window assembly in accordance with this invention may manifest itself in a variety of forms. It will be convenient to hereinafter describe at least one embodiment of the 25 invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The purpose of providing this detailed description is to instruct persons having an interest in the subject matter of the invention how to carry the invention into practical effect. However it is to be clearly understood that the specific nature of this detailed description does not supersede the generality of the preceding broad description. In the drawings: 30 FIG 1 is a perspective view of a window assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 10 FIG 2 is a section through an internal window frame of the window assembly of FIG 1; FIG 3 is a section through the external window frame of the window assembly of FIG 1; and 5 FIG 4 is a sectional view through line E-E of the window assembly of FIG 1. In the drawings there is shown window frame assembly 10 of the invention having an external window frame 11 and an internal window frame 12. 10 The external window frame 11 includes a peripheral frame member 13 having a head 14, a sill 15 and opposed sides 16 and 17. The external window frame 11 also includes a rearward extending peripheral flange 18. The peripheral flange has opposed sides 19 and 20, a top member 21 and a bottom member 22. 15 The internal window frame 12 has an inwardly directed peripheral flange 24 forming a box section having a head 25, opposed sides 26 and 27 and a sill 28. The box section 24 includes an outer peripheral flange 29 and a surround frame 30. The box section 24 has side members 31 and 32, a top member 33 and a bottom member 34. The frame 12 also has a peripheral flange 37 at the terminal end of the surround frame 30. 20 The window assembly 10 also includes a series of elongate fastener members and elongate mating members, the combinations of which form fastener assemblies 38. In the illustrated embodiment the fastener assemblies 38 each comprise a male screw 25 39 which engages with a mating member that is a tube defining a tubular bore 40 which has an internal thread. These fastener assemblies 38 are located at each corner 41 of the window assembly 10. They are also located on each side of the window assembly intermediate the 30 corners. That is on each of the aligned frame members 16 and 31, 15 and 34, 14 and 33 and 17 and 32.

11 The external window frame 11 is shown in FIG 2 having the inwardly directed flange 18 and the peripheral frame member 13. There is also provided a top L-shaped flange 42 and a rolled flange 43 at a free end of flange 18. The internal window frame 12 as shown in FIG 3 has box section or inwardly directed flange 24, surround frame 30 and 5 L-shaped flanges 29 and 37. In FIG 4 the window assembly is shown mounted to a wall having a window opening. The external window frame 11 is connected to the internal window frame 12 by fastener assemblies 38 wherein male screw 39 engages with a mating internal thread 10 of female screw 40. It is important to note that each of fastener assemblies 38 extend through a wall, e.g. a wall panel 44, of a building having a window opening 45. The inwardly directed flange or box section 24 is located within the confines of the window opening 45 whereby the flanges 43 of the external frame member 11 are located closely adjacent to the mating flange 29 of the internal frame member 12 at 46. 15 FIG 4 also shows a window top flashing 47, a sealant 48, a glass window 49 having opposed window panes 50 and 51 mounted in peripheral frames 52 and 53, a head 54 of a female mating member or tube 40, a head 55 of male screw 39 and an insulation 56 of the wall panel 44. Each male screw 39 is attached or engages with female 20 mating member or tube 40 within the confines of a hole or internal passage 58 of the wall panel 44. In use during installation of the window assembly 10 to the window opening 45 each of the internal frame assembly 12 and the external frame assembly 11 are inserted 25 through the window opening 45 in the direction of arrows A and B (shown in Fig 4) respectively until the mating flanges 43 and 29 are closely adjacent to but are spaced from each other as indicated by gap "X" in FIG 2. Each of female socket 40 and the male screw 39 engage with each other as shown in FIG 4. The window assembly 10 may then be tightened by a screwdriver (not shown) engaging in screwdriver slots 56A 30 of male screw 39 and 57 of female screw 40. This fastens the male and female members to each other and also clamps the internal and external frames to the wall that is sandwiched between the frames whereby to mount the window assembly securely on the wall extending across the window opening.

12 It will be appreciated from the foregoing that during installation it is desirable that each of external window frame 11 and internal window frame 12 are spaced from each other or separated by insulation or non conductive material such as plastics material or rubber. This is useful in creating a "thermal break" which prevents conductive thermal 5 energy from passing from internal window frame 12 to external window frame 11 or vice versa. Thus this prevents development of a thermal short circuit from creating a transfer of heat and this will have consequential savings in reduction of energy bills and avoid damage during electrical storms. It will also be appreciated that the installation of the window assembly of the invention will avoid damage due to high 10 velocity winds and is of a simple structure that installation can be carried out by a home handyman or "do it yourself" (DIY) person. It will also be appreciated from the above that unlike the prior art discussed above there is no need for additional fasteners or locating members other than male screw 39 15 and female screw 40. This provides a window assembly 10 of very simple structure. It will also be appreciated that holes 58 may be formed in wall panel 44 by use of an electric drill or hand drill. An advantage of the window assembly described above with reference to the drawings 20 is that it uses the same fastening elements to locate and mount the inner and outer frames to each other and also to mount the window assembly onto the wall by clamping the frames onto the wall. It will of course be realized that the above has been given only by way of illustrative 25 example of the invention and that all such modifications and variations thereto, as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art, are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as is herein set forth.

Claims (24)

1. A window assembly for mounting to a wall having a window opening wherein the window assembly extends across the window opening, the window assembly including an internal frame and an external frame wherein one of the internal frame 5 and the external frame is provided with a plurality of elongate fastening members and the other of said internal frame and external frame is provided with a plurality of elongate mating members whereby in use each of the elongate fastening members and each of the elongate mating members are aligned with each other and engage with each other to thereby attach the internal frame and the external frame to each 10 other within the window aperture.

2. A window assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the elongate fastening members and the elongate mating members are engaged with each other, and in use are passed through the wall on which the window assembly is mounted, thereby to 15 mount the internal and external frame to the wall on which the window assembly is mounted.

3. A window assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein each elongate fastening member includes a shank having two ends, and a head at one end of the shank. 20

4. A window assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein the shank has a screw thread formed thereon that extends along at least part of its length.

5. A window assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein the fastening member is in 25 the form of a screw or bolt, and the screw thread extends along a substantial portion of the length of the shank.

6. A window assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein each elongate mating member has an internal surface forming a tubular bore, within which the shank of a 30 fastening element can be received.

7. A window assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein the internal surface has a further screw thread formed thereon that is complementary to said one crew thread on 14 the shank for facilitating a screw threaded engagement of said one and further screw thread formations when the fastening member is received within the screw threaded bore. 5

8. A window assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein each elongate mating member has a head at one end thereof and a mouth at the other end thereof, and wherein the head of the mating member and the head of the fastening member are larger than the tubular bore whereby the head of the fastening member cannot be received within tubular bore. 10

9. A window assembly as defined in claim 8, wherein each elongate mating member may have a substantially cylindrical external surface, and wherein the elongate mating member is in the form of an elongate tube wherein the external surface of the tube forms the cylindrical external surface and the internal surface of the 15 tube forms the tubular bore.

10. A window assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein each elongate mating member has a tubular bore having a length that is sized to receive the shank of an elongate fastening member substantially fully therein. 20

11. A window assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the elongate fastening members are mounted on the internal frame and the elongate mating members are mounted on the external frame. 25

12. A window assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the internal frame is positioned on an inside of the window assembly, and the external frame is positioned on an outside of the window assembly, and wherein each of the internal and external frames is configured to extend around a peripheral edge of a window opening of a wall on which the window assembly is mounted. 30

13. A window assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein the internal frame has a lateral width of 100 to 300mm around its peripheral extent. 15

14. A window assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein the external frame has a lateral width of 40 to 80mm around its peripheral extent.

15. A building structure including: 5 a wall defining a window aperture; a window assembly that is mounted on the wall extending across the window aperture, the window assembly including an internal frame and an external frame wherein one of the internal frame and the external frame is provided with a plurality of elongate fastening members and the other of said internal frame and external frame is 10 provided with a plurality of elongate mating members whereby in use each of the elongate fastening members and each of the elongate mating members are aligned with each other and engaged with each other to thereby attach the internal frame and the external frame to each other within the window aperture. 15

16. A building structure according to claim 15, wherein the elongate fastening members and the elongate mating members that are passed through the internal frame and the external frame are passed through the wall, thereby to mount the internal and external frame to the wall on which the window assembly is mounted. 20

17. A building structure according to claim 15, wherein the wall defines a peripheral edge region around the window aperture, and the wall defines a plurality of internal passages in the wall extending transverse to a plane of the window aperture, the internal passages being arranged spaced apart around the peripheral edge region of the window opening. 25

18. A building structure according to claim 17, wherein the wall defines at least four internal passages defined there through in the peripheral edge region thereof extending around the window aperture. 30

19. A method of installing a window assembly on a wall so that it extends across a window aperture, said method including: (i) orienting an internal frame with an external frame on the wall extending across the window aperture by aligning elongate fastening members which are 16 attached to one of the external frame and the internal frame, with mating elongate members which are attached to the other of the external frame and internal frame; and (ii) attaching each elongate fastening member to an adjacent mating elongate member to thereby attach the internal frame to the external frame in position 5 extending across the window aperture.

20. A method of installing a window assembly on a wall according to claim 19, including providing a plurality of holes in the wall surrounding the window aperture for forming internal passages for receiving the engaged fastening members and mating 10 members therein.

21. A method of installing a window assembly on a wall according to claim 20, including attaching each elongate fastening member to a mating member by passing the elongate mating member through the internal passages in the wall to thereby 15 mount the engaged fastening member and mating member to the wall.

22. A method of installing a window assembly on a wall according to claim 20 or claim 21, further including forming said plurality of holes in the wall. 20

23. A building structure including a window assembly substantially as herein described in the detailed description of the invention with reference to the drawings.

24. A window assembly substantially as herein described in the detailed description of the invention with reference to the drawings. 25