EP1710379A1

EP1710379A1 - Sash for tilting windows and doors

Info

Publication number: EP1710379A1
Application number: EP05102683A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Aydin Kulekci
Original assignee: KALE Kapi Pencere Sistemleri Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Current assignee: KALE Kapi Pencere Sistemleri Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Priority date: 2005-04-05
Filing date: 2005-04-05
Publication date: 2006-10-11
Also published as: WO2006106100A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to window frames constructed in the manner to be opening outwards by pivoting of the opening panel either around an axis situated along a vertical style of the frame (direct opening) or around an axis situated along the upper cross member of the frame (tilting). The system consists of a conventional control system of the opening comprising a set of control rods, pivots, a scissor stay and a hinge plate associated with the scissor stay. The control system permits the opening outwards by direct opening by blocking the opening of the scissor element through locks situated along the upper crossmember of the frame and thereby enables rotation of the opening panel around a vertical axis. In ventilation position, a scissor element fixedly connected in between frame mounting and support plates and locking stops controlled by a handle requiring no force to switch between any position adjustment, allow graded opening depending on the position of the handle.

Description

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to window frames constructed in the manner to be opening outwards by pivoting of the opening panel either around an axis situated along the vertical contact axis of the frame (direct opening) or around an axis situated along the lower edge of the frame (tilting).

Background of the Invention / Prior Art

Windows enabling opening around two distinct directions are quite well known to consumers and became to be widely consumed goods ever since they first appeared in the market for their healthier ventilation advantage over conventional window frames. Although occupying a good share in the market, it is not always easy to configure a strong design having reliable functioning features especially in regard to long-term use for the users, and also being secure in technical terms. The latter, on the oher hand, is above all other concerns and constitutes the soft spot of the designing activity. It is evident today that considerable source is allocated to improve design qualifications of window frames that are opening around double axes.
The systems available in the technical field of the present invention generally comprise a set of control rods with an angle return, a pivot arranged at one end of the cross-member of the frame, a corner plate situated at the other end of this cross member, a scissor stay and a hinge plate associated with the scissor stay and arranged on the end of a cross-member of the frame facing the pivot. Given the fact that there are numerous swing-opening hardware in the present technical field, those either incorporate serious drawbacks with regard to end-user expectations or are to become incapable of proposing a safe and strong system in long term. A fundamental problem with which end users are faced can be summarized as the necessity for the user to exert substantial force in order to close a window wing lowered in ventilation position. Available frame structures are additionally disadvantageous in that they offer no further opening options other than the two obvious ones, that is fully opened and fully closed window positions. To this end, the most serious downside of the available systems can be seen as their incapacity in allowing half-open ventilation option. On the other hand, those in the art would appreciate how difficult it could be to exert a substantial arm force on the part of a user in order to switch between available opening positions by rounding the handle or when closing a tilted window, to settle the frame down in order for adjusting desired position.
The present invention aims at offering a solution for this and other disadvantages. Patents/patent applications present in the technical field of the present invention (such as US5210908 , EP1327738 or GB2067638 documents) neither remove need for exerting substantial arm force in order to close the tilting window and put it into place nor enables user-defined graded opening of the window in ventilation position.

Objects of the Invention

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a tilting window scissor mechanism enabling graded opening of the window designed to be adjusted as easily as by turning the window handle a certain distance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tilting window which makes the need for exerting substantial arm force in order to close the tilting window and to put it into place redundant.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a window opening around two distinct axes designed to operate in long-term and in a secure manner.

Summary of the Invention

The control system according to the invention permits the opening of a window outwardly by combined tilting and direct opening. The system consists of a conventional control system of the opening comprising a set of control rods, pivots, a scissor stay and a hinge plate associated with the scissor stay.
The control system permits opening of the frame outwardly by direct opening by way of blocking opening of the scissor element through locks situated along the upper cross-member of the frame and thereby enables rotation of the opening panel around a vertical axis. In ventilation position, a scissor element, fixedly connected in between frame mounting and wing mounting plates and locking stops controlled by a handle requiring a regular amount of force to switch between any position adjustment, allow graded opening depending on the position of the handle.

Brief Description of the Figures

Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a tilting window scissor mechanism whose advantages over prior art were outlined above;

Fig. 1 demonstrates perspective view of the frame mounting plate and scissor mechanism in tilting position from the top according to the present invention,
Fig. 2 demonstrates perspective view of the frame mounting plate and scissor mechanism from the top in semi-tilting position,
Fig. 3 demonstrates positioning of the frame mounting plate and the scissor element that are superposed one above the other in the closed position,
Fig. 4 demonstrates the second bridge element and the first part of the scissor element between which the first bridge element is shown together with related connection elements in a layer by layer layout.
Fig. 5 demonstrates the actuation rod, the frame mounting plate and the first and the second bridge elements in a layer by layer layout.
Fig. 6 demonstrates the connection structure between the first and the second parts of the scissor element.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring now to the figures outlined above, the system comprises a frame mounting plate (19) and a scissor element (20) connected to a support plate such that a curvilinear element (13) is pivotally coupled by a pivot (11) and a displaceable coupling peg (12) according to the present invention. Said pivot (11) is fastened to a hole referenced as 71. There is also provided an actuation rod (25) connected to the upper cross-member of the window frame, namely the frame mounting plate (19). Said frame mounting plate (19) incorporates suitable holes to give way to related control elements being actuated by the window handle as will be disclosed hereinafter.
According to the present invention, said scissor element (20) is allowed free movement along a curvilinear guide (21). A first bridge element (17) is pivotally mounted at one end to the actuation rod (25) through a pivot at 45 (36, Fig. 4) and being movable at the same end through a linear guide (35) on another bridge element (42), the other end being displaceably coupled to the scissor element (20) at 32 and to the second bridge element (42) through a displaceable coupling peg (34) at 33, which is movable back and forth along a certain portion of a guide 18 provided on the second bridge element (42). Said bridge element 42 is fixedly attached at both ends 40 and 67 to the frame mounting plate (19) at 41 and 54 through coupling pegs 39 and 57 respectively. The guide 18 is provided with a twist (44) in the inner portion of said bridge element 42. The coupling peg 15 at coupling hole 32 can also move a certain distance back and forth along another curved guide (16) on the scissor element (20). In sum, the bridge element 17, being of appreciably less length than said curvilinear element (13), is movable at its one end along both said guide (16), located on the protruding portion of a first part (30) of said scissor element (20) and another guide (18) on said bridge element (42). Said pivot/slide coupling peg (15) being attached to the free end of the first bridge element (17) and engaging in said elongated slot or guide (16), enables the scissor element (20) to displace so as to lye parallel to the frame mounting plate (19) and to interlock with the same in a secured manner in the direct opening position, as is described hereinafter in detail.
The scissor element (20) comprises two distinct parts (30, 31) connected to each other by means of two linear guides, one (26) provided on the second part (31) of the scissor element (20), into which two coupling pegs 28 and 29, one (29) provided with radially protruding edges at its uppermost portion along its lateral surface to let it move along a limited trajectory corresponding to its protruding edges within said guide (26), engage at 69 and 70 respectively. The coupling peg (28) is provided to ensure linearity of the connection structure in between two parts (30, 31) of the scissor element (20). The other linear guide (68) is provided on the first part (30) of the scissor element (20), into which a coupling peg (27) at 72 is displaceably engaging. Since both ends of the scissor element (20) are fixedly attached at one end (65) to the bridge element 42 by a pivot 14 at 66 and at the other end by another pivot on the support plate (not shown), the displacement to which said scissor element (20) is subjected during tilting of the wing is absorbed by said connection structure in between said parts 30 and 31. In other words, the elongation of the scissor element (20) during closing in tilting position is absorbed. In sum, the scissor-element (20) is pivotally connected, at 14, via one of its ends, to the upper window casement and, in particular, to the frame mounting plate (19), which is fixedly attached to the upper window casement frame.
The rod fittings being actuated with respect to the positioning of the window handle, serve to switch the window casement between the ready-to-tilt and the direct opening positions, and to lock the window casement or wing to the window frame in its closed position relative to the window frame. When the scissor-element (20) is in the direct opening position, it lies parallel to the upper frame piece and thereby parallel to the frame mounting plate (19) while locked in this position. For this purpose, at least one locking stop (23), sliding within a rail (51) and enabling a locking element provided on the opposite side on the support plate to engage into said locking stop (23), is used. The position of said locking stop (23) is adjusted by the positioning of the window handle in the manner described hereinafter. Said stopping element superposes onto said displaceable seating (23) on the frame mounting plate (19) and thereby enables to switch the system to tilting position. The locking stop (23) is fastened to the rail (51) on the frame mounting plate (19) through displaceable coupling holes (63, 64) on the actuation rod (25). When ready to tilt, the locking element is released from its lock (23) by way of the locking stop (23) displacing so that the system can move into its ventilation position.
In the closed position, support plate overlie the curvilinear guide (13) and the first bridge element (17) to the extent that only parts of those (13, 17) projecting outwardly, that is the curvilinear portion of said guide (13) and the protruding part of the scissor element (20) along which the curved guide (16) extends, run over the linear axis over which the frame mounting plate (19) and the scissor element (20) superpose in the closed or direct opening positions. According to the present invention, opening of the window in the ventilation position is restricted with the outermost limit of the curvilinear guide (21) together with the outermost positions of the displaceable coupling pegs (15, 34) in the curved portions of the guides (16 and 18).
When the system is used in the ventilation position, the coupling peg (15) reaches the outermost edge at the bent portion of the guide (16). During closing, said coupling peg (15) settles down on the linear part of said guide (16) and prevent tilting of the wing in the closed or direct opening positions for the reason that the same is prevented from moving in an axis perpendicular to the direction of the guide (16) cavity.
The frame mounting plate (19) and the scissor element (20) are mounted to the respective frame and wing of a window construction by suitable mechanical fasteners. The pivot joints may be hollow so that fixing screws can be located directly through the bearings at the end of the arms and into the window wing and frame sections. This ensures a strong installation. For example, coupling holes (41, 46, 47, 48, 53, 54, 55 and 56) on the frame mounting plate (19) may be provided for this purpose. On the other hand, coupling holes (22, 58, 59 and 60) are used in connecting the sash to the scissor element by means of a corner element (not shown). Coupling holes (61 and 62) are provided to ensure safe connection of the frame mounting plate (19) directly to the window.
According to the present invention, the extent to which the wing can be opened in tilting position is controlled with respect to the positioning of the window handle adjusted by users. The displaceable coupling peg (15), lying in the linear part of the elongated slot or guide (16) in the closed or direct opening positions, still lies within this linear part of said guide (16) in the first instances of the tilting operation. On the other hand, the displaceable coupling peg (34) located at 33 on the first bridge element (17) can move back and forth along a limited distance on the other bridge element (42) within the curved guide (18). Said coupling peg (34) as the coupling peg (15) at the coupling hole 33, still lies within this linear part of the guide 18 in the closed or direct opening positions. This combination of movements of the coupling pegs 34 and 15 along the curved guides (respectively 18 and 16) on separate connection elements enables graded tilting until the coupling 15 passes by a twist (43) and the coupling 34 passes by another twist (44). Due to this combined movement during tilting of the wing, the window remains open and keeps its adjusted aperture even in windy conditions. After the two twists (43 and 44) on separate curved guides (16 and 18) are reached, the sash tends to tilt further in its entirety due to a certain displacement in its center of gravity. Until this displacement and full tilting takes place, the system allows the user to adjust the amount of desired aperture. The uppermost limit of the aperture in tilting position is determined by the limit positions of the displaceable coupling pegs 15, 34 and 12 in combination. The unique combination of movements described above avoids the user having difficulty in rounding the handle for switching between available positions since the coupling pegs 15 and 34 alter their positions without requiring considerable arm force.
The intermediate connection element (13) is of critical importance according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The position in which said element (13) is situated is determined, so to speak, is dictated by the positioning of the locking stop (23) due to measures taken in order to meet safe operability and material strength requirements during tilting. On the other hand, it is not physically possible to position said connection element (13) in a more distant position from the displaceable coupling peg 12 even if said coupling peg (12) would be situated at a more distant location from the linear guide (26). Said element is especially advantageous in that it eliminates need for exerting a major arm force on the part of the user in order to settle the window frame down to its place and to adjust the same to the right position since the sash catches its closing path by itself.
Since the direction in which said connection element (13) lies is perpendicular to that of the scissor element (20), which is obviously not convenient due to geometrical inconsistency and frictional concerns such as the stress to be induced between any alternative linear connection element and the scissor element (20), the connection element (13) according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is designed so as to incorporate a curvilinear guide (21). This connection element (13) with the curvilinear guide (21) ensures traveling of the sash along a predetermined trajectory in a secure manner during opening and closing in tilting position.
Another element that is of critical importance according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is the first bridge element (17). This is due to the fact that mechanical means transferring startup motion actuated by the window handle to the scissor mechanism in tilting operation are incorporated within said bridge element (17). Tilting operation is started in the manner that said element (17) being coupled to a linear guide (35) on the second bridge element (42) below, is advanced to the right so as to trigger motion within the guides (16, 18). This is supported by the displaceable coupling pegs (15 and 34) advancing to the outermost limits of the curved portions of said guides (16, 18). Said coupling pegs (15, 34) normally resting within the linear portions of the guides (16, 18) and being not allowed to move in a direction perpendicular to the window frame due to the longitudinal sides of said guides (16, 18) restricting any movement perpendicular to the direction of guide cavity, permit tilting movement only by advancing to the outermost limits of their curved portions. The combined movement described above in detail together with the functioning of the intermediate element (13) both keep the tilted wing in its closing trajectory without requiring the need to put the wing into place, push it to seat or lift and ease use of the handle by reducing the amount of arm force needed to rotate the handle.
The coupling peg (36) can move along the guide (35) on the second bridge element (42) and along the guide (38) on the frame mounting plate (19), those two guides (35, 38) being superimposed one above another. Ultimately, said coupling (36) is fixedly connected to the actuation rod (25) at the coupling hole (45), which transfers startup motion triggered by the window handle to the upper cross-member of the window frame. Hence, said actuation rod (25) moving in its entirety, sliding the coupling peg (36) in the guides (35, 38) and releasing the locking element located on the opposite side on the support plate from the locking stop (23), cause the first bridge element (17) to move to the right and to reposition the couplings (15 and 34) so as to start tilting operation.
The actuation rod (25) is displaceably connected to the frame mounting plate (19) and moves back and forth with respect to the position of the window handle. Said actuation rod (25) comprise linear guides 49, 50 and 51 and a coupling hole (45) in which the coupling peg (36) is fixedly connected. An additional connection element (52) is screwed to coupling holes (46, 47 and 48) in the manner to connect the frame mounting plate (19) to the actuation rod (25) while said connection element (52) displaces along the guide (49) on the actuation rod (25). Coupling holes (41, 53, 54, 55 and 56) on the frame mounting plate (19) serve to the purpose of connecting said frame mounting plate (19) to the actuation rod (25) in the manner that said openings are displaceably screwed to guides (50 and 51).
According to the present invention, both the frame mounting plate (19) and the scissor element (20) in the preferred form of the invention, are constructed from stainless steel material. The pivot couplings are also formed out of the parent metal within the entire system. Alternatively, in a window construction technique, the arms can be mechanically fastened directly into the wing and/or frame sections of the window.
Those skilled in the art would easily appreciate that the mechanical transmission elements, transferring the motion on the vertical cross-member of the window frame to the horizontal cross-member and to the frame-mounting plate, fall beyond the scope of the present invention and therefore are not considered to be necessarily disclosed in the present application. However, it is of no doubt that conventional transmission means are acceptable and would be convenient for use in conjunction with the present invention.

Claims

A frame member for a sash suitable for use with tilting windows and doors having a wing which can be pivoted around a vertical axis or tilted around a horizontal axis, comprising an actuation mechanism for actuating a scissor-type mechanism which interconnects a frame mounting plate (19) and a sash characterized in that the upper cross-member of the window frame comprises;
an intermediate element (13) having a straight section at the end (71) of which it is pivotally coupled to said frame mounting plate (19) and a curvilinear section along which a curvilinear guide (21) is located and a coupling peg (12) guides a scissor element (20),
a first bridge element (17) located in between said scissor element (20) and a second bridge element (42) which is mounted on the frame mounting plate (19), said first bridge element (17) being movable at one end in a linear guide (35) on said second bridge element (42) and coupled at the other end to two separate curved guides (16, 18), one of which being located on said scissor element (20) and the other on said second bridge element (42),
an actuation rod (25) moving back and forth with respect to the positioning of a window handle, said actuation rod comprising at least one linear guide through which at least one coupling peg is displaceably connecting said actuation rod (25) to said frame mounting plate (19) and further comprising at least one coupling hole (45) by means of which at least one coupling peg (36) is fixedly attaching said bridge element (17) to said actuation rod (25).
A frame member for a sash as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said scissor element (20) comprises two linear absorption guides (26, 68), connecting a first part (30) of said scissor element (20) to a second part (31) of the same in a manner that the displacement of the scissor element (20) during opening and closing in tilting positions is absorbed along said absorption guides (26, 68).
A frame member for a sash as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said coupling peg (36) passes through said linear guide (35) on said second bridge element (42) and through a linear guide (38) located on the frame mounting plate (19) in a manner that said linear guides (35, 38) are superposed.
A frame member for a sash as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said coupling peg (36) is fixedly connected to said bridge element (17) so as to advance the latter towards the said intermediate element (13) and thereby trigger motion within the guides (16, 18) in a manner that the displaceable coupling pegs (15, 34) resting within the linear sections of the guides (16, 18) in the direct opening and closed positions, and being not allowed to move in a direction perpendicular to the window frame due to the longitudinal sides of said guides (16, 18) restricting any movement perpendicular to direction of the guide cavity, advances to the outermost limits of the curved portions of the guides (16, 18).
A frame member for a sash as set forth in Claim 1 wherein at least one locking stop (23) releasing the locking element located on the opposite side on the support plate, moves in its entirety to slide said locking stop (23) in the event that said actuation rod (25) is actuated by said window handle.
A frame member for a sash as set forth in Claim 2 wherein said linear guide (26) accommodates two pegs (28, 29) that are movable along said guide (26).
A frame member for a sash as set forth in Claim 6 wherein said peg (29) has radially protruding edges at its uppermost portion along its lateral surface letting it move only along a limited trajectory corresponding to its protruding edges within said guide (26).
A frame member for a sash as set forth in Claim 2 wherein said linear guide (68) accommodates a coupling peg (27) that is displaceable along said guide (68).