EP1377713B1

EP1377713B1 - Facade cladding frame

Info

Publication number: EP1377713B1
Application number: EP02761880A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ulla Toft Ostergaard; Carl Johannes Hammer; Kaj Smedegaard
Original assignee: VKR Holding AS
Current assignee: VKR Holding AS
Priority date: 2001-04-10
Filing date: 2002-04-10
Publication date: 2005-07-20
Anticipated expiration: 2022-04-10
Also published as: WO2002084038A1; CN1502000A; PL367062A1; ATE299975T1; EP1377713A1; CN1237241C; DK200100588A; NO20034507D0; DK174797B1; DE60205099D1; NO20034507L; CZ20032756A3

Abstract

A facade cladding frame (1) comprises an upper and a lower frame member (2, 3) interconnected by two side frame members (4). A lower hanging bracket (10) has an abutment surface (16) for supporting the frame, and the frame is provided with at least one resilient member (21) with an engagement section (30) for engaging with an upper hanging bracket (9). The resilient member is shaped like an elongated hoop (21) extending along one of the frame members (2), one end of the hoop (21) being connected with the frame (1), the engagement section (30) being located at the other end of the hoop (21). The lower hanging brackets (10) have means for retaining a lower part of the frame in a direction substantially at right angles to the façade (8).

Description

The present invention relates to a facade cladding frame for hanging of a panel member inserted in the frame on a facade, the frame comprising an upper and a lower frame member interconnected by two side frame members, and at least one upper and one lower hanging bracket for fixed mounting on the facade, the lower hanging bracket having an abutment surface for supporting the frame, the frame being provided with at least one resilient member with an engagement section for engagement with the upper hanging bracket, the engagement section being spring-loaded towards a first position from which it is displaceable against the spring load to another position in which it is closer to the frame than in the first position.

DE 196 03 433 describes a device for provisional retention of a panel member while it is hung on a facade. The panel member is mounted either directly or inserted in a frame between retainers arranged on the facade, the member with its lower edge abutting a lower retainer, whereupon its upper edge is swung under an upper retainer, whereby a resilient member wedged in on the upper edge of the member engages with the upper retainer and thus retains the member provisionally. The resilient member is in the form of a thin spring steel plate bent in an acute angle and fastened to the upper edge of the panel member in such a manner that, as seen in the longitudinal direction of the upper edge, it forms a V-shaped member whose one leg is fastened to the upper edge of the panel member and whose other leg has a free end projecting obliquely upwards in relation to the upper edge and away from the side of the panel member facing the facade. When the upper edge of the panel member is swung under the upper retainer, the free leg of the resilient member is first pressed downwards by a projection protruding downwards from the retainer, whereupon the leg springs up behind the projection and thus provisionally holds the upper edge in place. For final retention of the panel member, final retaining brackets are mounted on the outside of the upper and lower retainers by means of bolts, which brackets project over the panel member and hold it in place. Finally, the bolts are subsequently hidden by means of cover mouldings squeezed in over the final retaining brackets.

However, in the known device it is a disadvantage that the hanging of panel members on the facade is time-consuming, particularly because the final fastening of the members is done by means of bolts and subsequent mounting of a cover moulding. It is furthermore particularly a disadvantage that dismounting of a panel member is rather problematic, as the resilient member is difficult to access and even hidden in the gap between the upper edge of the panel member and the upper retainer so that compression of the member for the purpose of releasing it from engagement with the retainer is made almost impossible, even by use of a suitable tool.

The object of the present invention is to provide a facade cladding frame for mounting on a facade, where both mounting and dismounting of the frame is simpler and faster than with the prior-art frames.

In view of this, the facade cladding frame according to the invention is characterized in that the resilient member is shaped like an elongated hoop extending between a first and a second end thereof, adjacent one of the frame members and along the longitudinal direction of said frame member, the first end of the hoop being connected with the frame, the engagement section being located at the second end of the hoop, and in that the lower hanging bracket has means for retention of a lower part of the frame against displacement in a direction substantially at right angles to the facade.

This makes it possible to fasten the facade cladding frame finally on the facade in a single operation simply by placing its lower part supported on the abutment surface of the lower hanging bracket and then swinging the upper part of the frame inwards towards the upper hanging bracket, whereupon the engagement section of the elongated hoop is pressed in against the frame for passage below the upper hanging bracket, and the engagement section finally springs back and comes into final engagement with the bracket.

The final fastening by means of the resilient member in the form of the hoop without subsequent mounting of extra retaining brackets becomes possible at the upper part of the frame as a consequence of the elongated shape of the hoop and its mounting along a frame member, as in this way the hoop can be designed with the necessary spring force for the final retention, and as this higher spring force can also be balanced out at the mounting, because the elongated shape and the orientation of the hoop make it possible to design it so as to be accessible for manual pressing in of the engagement section towards the frame by hand or by means of a suitable tool.

The final retention at the lower part of the frame is ensured by the abutment surface on the lower hanging bracket and the means thereon for retention of this part of the frame in a direction outwards from the facade. Dismounting of the frame is just as easy as the mounting thereof, as the engagement section of the hoop can easily be pressed out of engagement with the upper hanging bracket, for example by insertion of a suitable tool from the front of the frame, that is, from the side of the elongated hoop.

In a preferred embodiment, the elongated hoop is bent from a flat spring strip so that one end of the strip constitutes a fastening section fastened flatly against the frame, and the other end of the strip constitutes the engagement section, the fastening section and the engagement section being interconnected by an intermediate section forming an obtuse angle with the fastening section. This makes it possible, in a simple manner, to obtain a suitably high spring force for retention of the frame on the facade, as the part of the hoop projecting from the frame is elastically deformed by pressing in of the engagement section against the frame.

In an advantageous embodiment, the engagement section of the hoop is formed like a top facing away from the frame and formed by bending of the spring strip. This ensures more well-defined engagement between the engagement section of the hoop and the hanging bracket, as the engagement section has a limited extent in the longitudinal direction of the hoop, and therefore a more stable retention of the frame on the facade is obtained so that the frame does not move, for example under the influence of wind.

At its engagement section, the hoop may have an indent facing away from the frame and formed by bending of the spring strip. The indent forms a stable abutment for a tool, such as a screwdriver, which can be used for pressing in the engagement section of the hoop against the frame at mounting and dismounting of the frame.

Furthermore, at its engagement section the hoop may have a free end bent in a direction away from the frame. This free hoop end may project slightly from a hanging bracket end facing away from the frame, with which hanging bracket the hoop engages, the free hoop end thus forming a particularly well accessible and therefore particularly suited abutment for the above tool for pressing in the hoop at dismounting of the frame.

In an advantageous embodiment, the upper hanging brackets have a groove for receiving the engagement section of the elongated hoop, the groove being formed by a bottom and two side walls and having a tapering cross-section so that the distance between the side walls at the bottom is smaller than the width of the engagement section and opposite the bottom is larger than the width of the engagement section. At the engagement of the flat strip lengthwise in the groove, the edges of the hoop will thereby wedge themselves between the side walls of the groove, and therefore particularly stable engagement is obtained resulting in even better retention of the frame.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the lower hanging bracket has two opposite abutment surfaces for mounting substantially in parallel with the facade, and after hanging of the frame substantially in parallel with the facade an upper and lower abutment surface at the lower part of the frame corresponding to these abutment surfaces abut the respective abutment surfaces on the hanging bracket and are jammed against them. This prevents displacement of the frame in parallel with the facade after the hanging while, during hanging, it is possible to compensate for any inaccurate mounting of the hanging brackets on the facade both horizontally and vertically.

In an advantageous embodiment in terms of manufacturing, all the frame members have the same cross-section and are made by extrusion, and the upper and lower abutment surfaces at the lower part of the frame are constituted by flanges formed at the extrusion of the frame members.

The frame may have a circumferential bead facing the facade when the frame is mounted thereon and projecting under projections on the lower hanging brackets. This secures the frame further against upward displacement.

The upper hanging brackets may further have support blocks of an elastic material for abutment of the circumferential bead on the frame so that it can be held in place for correct positioning of the hoop at its engagement in the groove in the hanging bracket. Furthermore, the final hanging is stabilized even more.

The invention will now be described in further detail below by means of examples of embodiments with reference to the schematic drawing, in which

Figs. 1 and 2 are vertical sectional views through a facade cladding frame according to the invention during the mounting of the frame on the facade and after final hanging thereof on the facade, respectively,

Fig. 3 is the mounted facade cladding frame of Fig. 2 shown in a cross-sectional view extending in parallel with the facade, the actual frame members being shown in broken lines,

Fig. 4 is a side view of a resilient hoop according to the invention,

Fig. 5 is a perspective top oblique view of the resilient hoop of Fig. 4 mounted on a segment of a facade cladding frame,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the resilient hoop of Fig. 4, and

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of the upper and the lower hanging bracket, respectively.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a facade cladding frame 1 composed of an upper frame member 2, a lower frame member 3 and two side frame members 4, not shown. The frame members 2, 3, 4 are all cut from an extruded aluminium profile with the same cross-section and are mitred into a rectangular frame 1. In the aperture of the frame, a panel member 5, such as a window pane, has been inserted, the panel member 5 being retained between a flange 6 of the frame 1 and a panel moulding 7 mounted on the frame. It should be noted that the frame in the drawing is divided in the middle and thus not shown in its full height.

Fig. 2 shows the facade cladding frame 1 mounted on a building facade 8, and an upper hanging bracket 9 is mounted on the facade by means of bolts, not shown, at each of the upper corners of the frame 1, and a lower hanging bracket 10 is mounted at each of the lower corners of the frame 1.

The lower hanging brackets 10 have a flat mounting section 11 which is mounted flatly against the facade 8 by means of the bolts, now shown. A flange 12 with a hook-shaped cross-section projects from the flat mounting section 11 to form a U-shaped groove 13 open upwards. A flange 14 projecting downwards from the lower frame member 3 of the frame 1 is inserted in the groove 13 so that with a lower edge 15 it abuts a bottom 16 of the groove 13, and with an abutment surface 17 facing away from the facade 8 it abuts a side wall 18 of the groove 13 in the lower hanging bracket 10 facing the facade 8. Furthermore, the lower frame member 3 of the frame 1 abuts a projection 19 formed on the lower hanging bracket 10 above the flange 12. Furthermore, the lower frame member 3 has a longitudinal bead 20 projecting towards the facade 8 and, in the mounted condition of the frame, projecting under the projection 19 on the lower hanging bracket 10 and located slightly thereunder, whereby a certain tolerance is obtained in the vertical direction during mounting, while the frame 1 is secured against upward displacement, for example as a consequence of wind, since by abutment on the projection 19 the bead 20 will prevent the frame from being lifted out of the lower hanging bracket 10.

At each end, the upper frame member 2 of the facade cladding frame 1 is provided with an elongated, resilient hoop 21 for engagement with a groove 22 open downwards and formed in a flange 23 projecting horizontally outwards from the upper edge of a flat mounting section 24 of the upper hanging bracket 9. The elongated hoop 21 is seen in Fig. 4 in a side view and is bent from corrosion-resistant spring strip, and it appears that the hoop 21 has a flat fastening section 25 with mounting holes 26 for fastening thereof by means of blind rivets, not shown, flatly against a profile surface 27 of the upper frame member 2, the profile surface 27 facing horizontally upwards in the mounted position of the frame 1. At one end of the fastening section 25, the flat strip has a bend 28 so that the strip forms an obtuse angle between the fastening section 25 and an intermediate section 29 extending obliquely away from the surface 27 of the frame member 2 and, opposite to the fastening section 25, being bent in a right angle down towards the surface 27 so that a top facing away from the frame member 2 is formed to constitute an engagement section 30 for the hoop 21. After this top 30 follows a further right-angled bend in the opposite direction so that an indent 31 facing away from the frame member 2 is formed for engagement with a mounting tool. In continuation of this indent 31 the hoop 21 has, at its outermost end, a tab 32 bent away from the frame member 2 and also forming an abutment for a mounting tool. The hoop 21 is also shown in a perspective view in Fig. 6, and also in a perspective view mounted on the upper frame member 2 in Fig. 5.

The hoop 21 being mounted lengthwise along the upper frame member 2, it appears that the hoop 21 is seen in an end view in Figs. 1 and 2 during and after the mounting of the frame 1 on the facade 8, respectively. Fig. 3 also shows the hoop 21 in engagement with the upper hanging bracket 9 in a cross-sectional view in parallel with the facade 8 through the hanging bracket 9, the facade cladding frame 1 only being indicated by broken lines. The facade cladding frame 1 is hung upon the facade 8 by first positioning the frame in the position shown in Fig. 1, in which a downward flange 14 on the lower frame member 3 of the frame engages with the hook-shaped flange 12 on the lower hanging bracket 10, the frame being inclined outwards from the facade 8. Then the frame 1 with its upper frame member 2 is swung inwards towards the upper hanging bracket 9, and the engagement section 30 of the resilient hoop 21 is pressed downwards against the frame member 2, the hoop being gripped by the hands, or a tool, such as a screwdriver, being placed in engagement with the upward indent 31 of the hoop. The engagement section 30 of the hoop 21 is then pressed so far downwards towards the frame member 2 that it can pass under a first side wall 33 of the downward groove 22 in the flange 23 of the upper hanging bracket 9. Thereby, the frame 1 with its upper frame member 2 can be swung so far under the flange 23 that the engagement section 30 of the hoop is just under the groove 22, and the resilient hoop 21 is now released so that the engagement section moves resiliently upwards in the groove 22.

Opposite to the first side wall 33, the groove 22 has a second side wall 34, which inclines in relation to the first side wall 33 so that the width of the groove 22 at a bottom 35 thereof is slightly smaller than the width of the engagement section 30 of the hoop, and so that the width of the groove 22 at its opening is slightly wider than the engagement section 30, and consequently the engagement section 30 is wedged in the groove 22 at the resilient upward movement of the hoop 21. Since at the same time the engagement section 30 has a short extent in the longitudinal direction of the groove 22, the hoop 21 fixes the frame 1 in an extremely stable manner in the upper hanging bracket 9. It appears in general from Figs. 1 and 2 that, in the mounted position of the frame, the resilient hoop 21 is bent resiliently downwards in relation to its untensioned state in Fig. 1, and the engagement section 30 is therefore retained in the groove 22.

The dimensions of the lower frame member 3 of the frame 1 and of the lower hanging bracket 10 are furthermore so that when the upper frame member 2 is swung into its mounting position, the lower frame member 3 is wedged in the lower hanging bracket 10, the abutment surface 18 on the hook-shaped flange 12 being pressed against the abutment surface 17 on the lower frame member 3, and the lower frame member 3 being pressed against the projection 19 on the lower hanging bracket 10. Before this wedging, the lower frame member 3 can be freely displaced in the horizontal groove 13, which is formed by the hook-shaped flange 12 on the lower hanging bracket 10, see also Fig. 8, and it is thus possible to adjust the frame 1 in its transverse direction in relation to the facade 8 before the final mounting, which makes it possible to compensate for any inaccurate mounting of the lower hanging brackets 10 in the transverse direction of the frame.

Furthermore, on the outside of the flat mounting section 24 of the upper hanging bracket 9, an elastic block is mounted, such as a rubber block 36 opposite to the circumferential bead 20 on the frame 1 so that, when the frame is swung into its mounting position, this bead will be pressed into the rubber block 36, as it appears from Fig. 2, and thus further stabilize the hanging of the frame 1 on the facade 8.

As easily as the frame 1 can be mounted in the hanging

brackets

9, 10, it can be dismounted again, as the engagement section 30 of the hoop is simply pressed out of the groove 22 of the upper hanging bracket 9, whereupon the frame with its upper frame member 2 is swung away from the hanging bracket 9 and lifted cut of engagement with the lower hanging bracket 10. For pressing down the engagement section 30 of the hoop, a suitable tool can be used, such as a screwdriver, the tool being inserted over an upper edge 37 of the upper frame member 2 of the frame and brought into engagement with the outermost free end of the hoop 21, the tool being held in place in relation to the hoop by the outer bent-up tab 32 or possibly being brought into engagement with the upward indent 31. The tool is thus being held well in place in relation to the hoop 21, while the engagement section 30 is pressed out of engagement with the groove 22 for release of the frame 1 by resilient movement of the hoop. Only a small gap is required between the upper edge 37 of the frame and the lower edge of a frame mounted above to allow the dismounting described above by insertion of a tool, and several frames 1 can therefore be mounted relatively closely above each other. The distance between frames located above each other may, for example, be 8 to 15 mm.

Although the facade cladding frame 1 is shown mounted on a vertical facade 8, it is evident that the frame 1 according to the invention can also be mounted on an inclined facade. It also appears from the Figures that, in the mounted position of the frame on the facade, both the hanging

brackets

9, 10 and the mounting spring 21 are hidden by a circumferential flange 38 of the frame members 2, 3, 4, which is an advantage for aesthetic reasons.

Generally, two upper hanging brackets 9 and two lower hanging brackets 10 are used, the brackets being positioned at the corners of the frame, but for large frames it will be an advantage to use more brackets, for example also at the side frame members 4 of the frame. The side frame members 4 may then be provided with a flexible hoop 21 for engagement with brackets corresponding to the upper hanging brackets 9.

Obviously, the elongated hoop 21 can be designed in other ways than the one shown; the engagement section 30 may, for example, be constituted by an elongated flat part of the hoop, and the hoop may also be designed as a rigid hoop hinged to the frame 1 at its one end and being spring-loaded to swing out from the frame, for example by means of a torsion spring or a compression spring.

Claims

A facade cladding frame (1) for hanging of a panel member (5) inserted in the frame on a facade (8), the frame comprising an upper and a lower frame member (2, 3) interconnected by two side frame members (4), and at least one upper and one lower hanging bracket (9, 10) for fixed mounting on the facade, the lower hanging bracket (10) having an abutment surface (16) for supporting the frame, the frame being provided with at least one resilient member (21) with an engagement section (30) for engaging with the upper hanging bracket (9), the engagement section being spring-loaded towards a first position from which it is displaceable against the spring load to another position in which it is closer to the frame than in the first position, characterized in that the resilient member is shaped like an elongated hoop (21) extending between a first and a second end of the resilient member, adjacent one of the frame members (2) and along the longitudinal direction of said frame member (2), the first end of the hoop (21) being connected with the frame (1), the engagement section (30) being located at the second end of the hoop (21), and in that the lower hanging bracket (10) has means for retention of a lower part of the frame against displacement in a direction substantially at right angles to the facade (8).
A facade cladding frame according to claim 1, characterized in that the elongated hoop (21) is bent from a flat spring strip so that one end of the strip constitutes a fastening section (25) fastened flatly against the frame (1), and the other end of the strip constitutes the engagement section (30), the fastening section (25) and the engagement section (30) being interconnected by an intermediate section (29) forming an obtuse angle with the fastening section (25).
A facade cladding frame according to claim 2, characterized in that the engagement section of the hoop is formed like a top (30) facing away from the frame and formed by bending of the spring strip.
A facade cladding frame according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that at its engagement section (30) the hoop (21) has an indent (31) facing away from the frame and formed by bending of the spring strip.
A facade cladding frame according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that at its engagement section (30) the hoop (21) has a free end (32) bent in a direction away from the frame.
A facade cladding frame according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper hanging brackets (9) have a groove (22) for receiving the engagement section (30) of the elongated hoop, the groove (22) being formed by a bottom (35) and two side walls (33, 34) and having a tapering cross-section so that the distance between the side walls (33, 34) at the bottom (35) is smaller than the width of the engagement section (30) and opposite the bottom (35) is larger than the width of the engagement section (30).
A facade cladding frame according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower hanging bracket (10) has two opposite abutment surfaces (18, 39) for mounting substantially in parallel with the facade (8), and that after hanging of the frame (1) substantially in parallel with the facade an upper and a lower abutment surface (40, 17) at the lower part of the frame corresponding to these abutment surfaces abut the respective abutment surfaces (18, 39) on the hanging bracket (10) and are jammed against them.
A facade cladding frame according to claim 7, characterized in that all the frame members (2, 3, 4) have the same cross-section and are made by extrusion, and that the upper and lower abutment surfaces (40, 17) at the lower part of the frame are constituted by flanges formed at the extrusion of the frame members.
A facade cladding frame according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the frame has a circumferential bead (20) facing the facade when the frame is mounted thereon and projecting under projections (19) on the lower hanging brackets (10).
A facade cladding frame according to claim 9, characterized in that the upper hanging brackets (9) have support blocks (36) of an elastic material for abutment of the circumferential bead (20) on the frame.