EP0079918B1

EP0079918B1 - Panel e.g. additional window mounted at the area of a wall opening

Info

Publication number: EP0079918B1
Application number: EP82901627A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Rudolf Schnetz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-05-29
Filing date: 1982-05-28
Publication date: 1987-02-04
Also published as: EP0079918A1; FR2506825A3; IT8212553A0; WO1982004279A1; DE3275398D1; IT1192952B; IE821273L; IE52707B1; FR2506825B3; NL8102629A

Description

The invention relates to a panel e.g. an additional window as described in the introductory part of claim 1.
Such a panel is known from DE-A-2 537 364. The fillet comprises two limbs, at the ends of which the bearing faces are provided. The limbs can be urged toward one another by elastic deformation of the fillet and in this state be inserted into the groove of the main section. At the elastic return into position, the bearing faces on the main section and the fillet are biased in engagement. As the fillet is made elastically deformable, the connection of the fillet with the main section can only withstand forces which do not overcome the elastic forces. When the plate-shaped element is struck in the direction towards the fillet, the risk exists that the fillet is pushed out of the main section.
Object of the present invention is to provide a panel of the kind set forth above, which does not exhibit said disadvantages.
In the panel according to the invention this is achieved in that the bearing faces on each of the main section and the fillet are rigidly interconnected, such that these are elastically substantially indisplaceable relative to one another, in that in an inward swung position of the fillet the groove is wider than the extension in the direction transverse of the extension and in that the elastic means are formed by the flexible means, such that in the relatively inward swung position of the fillet, the extension can be inserted into said groove while said bearing faces in the groove and on the extension substantially keep clear of each other and after insertion come into operative contact by the swinging back of the fillet from the inward swung position, under the bias of the flexible means. For mounting the fillet to the main section, the fillet is pushed in the inward swung position relative to the main section against the elastic reaction force of the flexible means. In this inward swung position the extension is moved into the groove. With release of the fillet, the flexible means push the fillet outward, until the bearing faces come into engagement. Because of the remaining elastic reaction force of the flexible means against the plate-shaped element, the bearing faces are kept in engagement. A force on the plate-shaped element in the direction towards the fillet acts in the same direction as the mentioned elastic force of the flexible means. Thus the connection becomes the firmer, the heavier is the force exerted on the plate-shaped element in the direction towards the fillet. Under any condition the fillet remains connected with the main section until the material breaks down mechanically.
An additional advantage is that in case of need the fillet can be simply disengaged by pushing it inwardly, so that the bearing faces become disengaged and the extension of the connection can be moved out of the groove. The panel according to the invention may, therefore, be suitably used temporarily, for example for additional protection of the window of a building. In that case the plate-shaped element may be of an impact-resistant synthetic resin such as polycarbonate.
When the panel according to the. invention comprises conventional glass, the glass can be very rapidly replaced in case of breakage, without damaging the mounting frame.
Owing to these properties the panel according to the invention is particularly suitable for additional protection in the form of an additional window or of a single window. It is furthermore suitable for use as an additional safeguard against burglary, if it is provided with impact-resistant synthetic resin and arranged behind an existing window or at any rate with the fillet on the inner side.
When according to an aspect of the invention the outer faces of the fillet and the opposed limb of the main section are plane and the connection is dimensioned such that, when the bearing faces are in contact in the unbiased state, said outer faces slightly converge towards the free ends of the fillet and said limb, the fillet and the limb will be parallel to one another when the pane is arranged in the frame owing to the force exerted by the flexible means.
In order to enable mounting of panes of different thicknesses in the same frame and assure in all these cases a sufficient elastic force of the flexible means, according to the invention the flexible means comprise a sealing strip connected by fastening members with at least the fillet, said sealing strip comprising a web, resilient tongues at opposite ends of the web engaging the pane and a thickened part in the middle of the web connected therewith through a thin ridge. Up to a given thickness the pane can be retained by the thickened part of the strip. If panes of larger thickness have to be mounted, the thickened part is simply torn away from the web by severing the thin ridge, so that more space becomes available.
Preferably the fillet has an intermediate recess at its side facing the interior of the U, so that the sealing strip can deflect outwardly at the level of the thickened part, to more effectively match the thickness of the pane and maintain the elastic force on the fillet within suitable limits.
From DE-A-2 146 853 a section pair comprising an essentially L-shaped main section and a fillet having a connection comprising an extension and a groove, is known. The main section and the fillet comprise flexible means for engaging the pane, and the elastic reaction force of this flexible means at least partly bias the bearing faces of the connection in engagement with one another. The sections, however, are made of flexible material and therefore the bearing faces on each of the main section and the fillet are not rigidly interconnected. Furthermore the groove is not wider than the extension in an inward swung position of the fillet. The extension is mounted in the groove by elastic deformation of a limb of the groove.
Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to a few embodiments shown in the Figures.

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of section material to form an additional window in accordance with the invention.
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a strip of flexible material to be used with the section material of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting frame of an additional window made from the section material of Fig. 1 and the strip of Fig. 2.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show three alternative embodiments of a multiple additional window.
Fig. 7 is a partly cut, perspective view of an additional window according to the invention in the mounted state.
Fig. 8 is an elevational view corresponding to Fig. 7 of an additional window embodying the invention, mounted in a different manner.
Fig. 9 is a partly cut, perspective view of an additional window embodying the invention, partly dissembled to clarify the mode of mounting.

Referring to Fig. 1, a main section 1 according to the invention essentially has the shape of an L. The fillet 2 co-operating with said main section can be connected with the main section 1 by connecting means. The connecting means comprise a tongue 4 on the main section 1 and a groove 5 at the fillet 2. The inwardly extending wall of the tongue 4 is provided with a cam member 6 adapted to co-operate with a cam member 7 on the opposite wall of the groove 5.
Fig. 1 shows the relative positions of the main section 1 and the fillet 2 during mounting of the fillet 2. The fillet 2 is deflected towards the main section 1 and, when the cam members 6, 7 grip one behind the other, the fillet 2 can deflect outwardly, the connection established by the cam members 6, 7 maintaining the junction between the fillet 2 and the main section 1.
The main section 1 and the fillet 2 are provided with members adapted to receive a strip 8 of flexible material shown in Fig. 2. The strip 8 comprises a web 13 provided with fastening member 9, which can be arranged in the receiving members 3. Tags 10 protrude in inclined positions from the web 8 to engage the pane in the mounted state. In the middle of the web 13 a thickened part 11 is connected with the strip 8 through a thin ridge 14. The thickened part 11 can be readily torn away from the web 13 of the strip 8 at the area of the thin ridge 14 along the line 12. As will be explained more fully hereinafter, the thickened part 11 serves to clamp panes of small thickness in the section.
Fig. 3 shows how the fillet 2 is retained on the main section 1 owing to the engagement of the cam members 6 and 7. In the main section 1 and in the fillet 2 is arranged a strip 8, the thickened part 11 of which is torn away. The pane 16 is arranged between the strips 8. The section shown can accommodate panes 16 of quite different thicknesses. The minimum thickness is designated by 17 and the maximum thickness by 18. In the case of the small thickness 17 the pane is clamped tight by the thickened parts 11, whereas in the event of larger thicknesses up to the maximum thickness 18 the strip 8 without thickened part is used. The main section 1 and the fillet 2 have a recess 19 at the level of the thickened part 11 so that the web 13 of the strip 8 can slightly bend outwardly.
Although the Figures show a connection having a tongue 4 on the main section and a groove 5 at the fillet 2, the tongue and the groove may be interchanged, whereas the connection may furthermore by established in a different way.
Fig. 4 shows a double additional window, in which the main section 21 essentially has the shape of an inverted T. Each of the two limbs 22, 23 on either side of the standing limb can co-operate with a fillet 2 of the kind shown in Fig. 1. Not only for insulating purposes but also for safeguarding purposes the panes in the additional window may be used, for example, the pane 24 being of common glass and the pane 25 being a stratified pane comprising a layer 27 of tough synthetic resin such as polycarbonate and two glass panes 26 on either side thereof.
Fig. 5 shows a double additional window 30 corresponding to Fig. 4 which may be employed to replace a single pane. The ridge 31 provided on the main section 29 is mounted in the groove instead of the existing pane.
The additional window of Fig. 6 can accommodate three panes. The lower limb 38 of the main section 36 is prolonged. The panes 39, 40, 41 are mounted in this order. For the L-section profile 36 fillets 37 are used, which have recesses 3 on their sides remote from the connection for receiving a strip for the next pane. At the end a fillet 2 known from the above-described embodiments can be used. Also in this embodiment different kinds of panes may be employed, for example, a ball-resistant pane 39. The layer of polycarbonate is in this case appreciably thicker. As an alternative, a pane completely consisting of polycarbonate may be used. Since the U-section channel formed by the main section and the fillet according to the invention has a great depth, such a relatively flexible pane of polycarbonate cannot be deflected to an extent such that it would snap out of the U-section channel.
The additional window embodying the invention can be mounted in various ways. As is shown in Fig. 7, an additional window 15 can be arranged inside a window frame 40. In this frame 40 is already arranged a pane 44 by means of glass laths 42 and lute 44. The additional window 15 is arranged by first mounting the main section with the aid of screws 43 in the frame and subsequently putting in place the pane and the fillet in the manner to be described with reference to Fig. 9.
An additional window embodying the invention can be mounted not only inside a frame but also on a frame as is shown in Fig. 8. The frame 45 of Fig. 8 already has a pane 46, which is fastened therein with the aid of lute 46 and glass laths 47. The main section of the additional window is mounted on the frame 45 with the aid of screws 49, which are passed through the upright limb of the main section. Since after the additional window has been mounted the screws 43, 49 are inaccessible, the additional window can be mounted on the outer side in order to enhance protection against burglars.
As stated above, the thickened parts 11 retain the pane of small thickness in the additional window 15, as is shown in Fig. 7. The web of the strip 8 can bend at the area of the thickened part 11 into the recess 19.
If the space enclosed between the existing pane 46 and the pane of the additional window 15 contains moisture, a condensate may be formed on one or on both panes so that the transparency is reduced. In order to avoid this undesirable phenomenon a slot 51 is provided in the strip 8 of flexible material located on the inner side so that the space between the two panes communicates with the interior of the main section. Below in the main section 1 a desiccating agent, for example, silica gel 52 is provided. The moisture between the panes or penetrating between them is absorbed by the drying agent 52 so that no condensate can form on the panes.
Fig. 9 shows the mode of mounting an additional window 15 embodying the invention. First a frame of main section 1 is made, the corners being mitred and corner connecting elements 55 being provided. This frame is mounted in or on the window frame in the manner illustrated in Fig. 7 or 8. Then a strip 8 is arranged in said frame and the pane 16 is mounted. Subsequently the fillets 2 are arranged in place. The upper and lower fillets have at both ends flattened parts 56 which come into engagement with the lateral main sections of the frame. The ends 59 of the lower and upper fillets are bevelled so that they accurately fit to the oblique part 60 of the lateral parts of the frame. After a strip 8 has been mounted, the upper and lower fillets are snapped into their places in the directions of the arrows 57 and 58 respectively. The additional window 15 is completed by arranging in place the lateral fillets (not shown), which are accurately made to size and fit in between the lower and upper fillets. The lateral fillets need not have a flattened part of a bevelled edge.

Claims

1. A panel e.g. an additional window (15) arranged at the area of a wall opening (40), said panel comprising a mounting frame of section material having at least a base part of essentially U-shaped cross-section and a plate-shaped element e.g. a pane (16) engaged therein with its rims by flexible means (8) of the mounting frame, the base part being formed by an essentially L-shaped main section (1) and a fillet (2) connected therewith, the connection comprising a number of bearing faces (6, 7) on the main section (1) and the fillet cooperating to oppose outward movement of the fillet (2) relative to the main section (1) and being biased in engagement by elastic means at least some of said bearing faces (6, 7) being provided in a groove (5) in one of the main section (1) or the fillet (2) and an extension engaging in said groove (5), on the other, characterized in that the bearing faces on each of the main section (1) and the fillet (2) are rigidly interconnected, such that these are elastically substantially indisplaceable relative to one another, in that in an inward swung position of the fillet the groove (5) is wider than the extension (4) in the direction transverse of the extension (4) and in that the elastic means are formed by the flexible means (8), such that in the relatively inward swung position of the fillet, the extension (4) can be inserted into said groove (5) while said bearing faces in the groove and on the extension substantially keep clear of each other and after insertion come into operative contact by the swinging back of the fillet from the inward swung position, under the bias of the flexible means.

2. A panel as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the outer faces of the fillet (2) and the opposed limb of the main section (1) are plane and in that the connection is dimensioned such that, when the bearing faces (6, 7) are in contact in the unbiased state, said outer faces slightly converge towards the free ends of the fillet and said limb.

3. A panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the flexible means comprise a sealing strip (8) connected by fastening members (9) with at least the fillet (2), said sealing strip (8) comprising a web (13), resilient tongues (10) at opposite ends of the web (13) engaging the pane (16) and a thickened part (11) in the middle of the web (13) connected therewith through a thin web (14).

4. A panel as claimed in claim 3 characterized in that the fillet (2) has an intermediate recess (19) at its side facing the interior of the U.

5. Section material when used as L-shaped main section (1) or fillet (2) of a mounting frame for a panel according to one of the preceding claims.