EP3339549B1

EP3339549B1 - Under window filling profile of adjustable width

Info

Publication number: EP3339549B1
Application number: EP17460077.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Maciej Slaczka; Karol KOZUCH; Lukasz Zyla
Original assignee: Aib Spolka Z OO Spolka Komandytowa
Current assignee: Aib Spolka Z OO Spolka Komandytowa
Priority date: 2016-12-22
Filing date: 2017-12-18
Publication date: 2020-05-20
Anticipated expiration: 2037-12-18
Also published as: PL419962A1; EP3339549A1; PL230669B1

Description

The subject of the invention is an under window filling profile of adjustable width, in particular a profile that provides support for windows and doors joinery.
The basic way of fitting elements of window or door joinery is mounting them in a casing in such a way that the window or door made of plastic, wood or metal are placed inside a dedicated opening in a support wall, or inside an opening relocated into insulation zone by means of profiles. A characteristic feature of this type of fitting is that the bottom surface of the casing, whether in the wall or protruding, constitutes a support and a basic space for joinery fitting. To provide a firm fitting, the weight of the window must be distributed uniformly on the bottom part of the casing. The remaining surfaces of the casing, i.e. vertical and horizontal top surface are moved away from the surfaces constituting the external outline of the joinery. Thus an expansion gap is created to compensate for possible changes of external dimensions of windows and doors resulting from changes of temperature, or difference in pressure on two sides of the window, or ageing of the material used for window production, or other factors. This gap is filled with expanding polyurethane foam or pre-compressed foam tape or any other material that provides thermal and acoustic insulation as well as air-tightness.
There are well known solutions such as plastic, wooden and metal elements that provide point support for the bottom of the window in two or more points. They are not recommended in case of PCV windows, as the bottom part of the window frame may deform due to creeping of the material used for window production.
There are also continuous profiles, also known as subsill profiles or strips, made of plastic or metal, that provide support for the window along its length. Those profiles are equipped with latches and they are latched onto the window frame to guarantee secure and tight connection of the profile and the frame. Their disadvantage is, however, that a particular profile is dedicated for only one or several types of windows frame or door frame, equipped with latches in predetermined distances . Their another disadvantage is that they are solid, one-piece structures or optionally chamber structures, which adversely affects thermal and acoustic insulation properties.
Another known solution are monolithic profiles made of foamed materials. This solution provides good thermal insulation properties, but features at least one of following disadvantages, depending on the specific gravity (from 18 kg/m³ to 500 kg/m³) and used material (polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, or others): insufficient load capacity, water absorption, no UV resistance or atmospheric conditions resistance, susceptibility to damage during water freezing and thawing, impossible indirect fitting due to insufficient screw tearing force, limited or lack of possibility to form latches, susceptibility to ageing, low acoustic insulation level, increased inflammability, difficult or impossible use of adhesive. Similarly to solid structures, it is necessary to match the shape of a monolithic profile to the window profile width and latches location.
EP 2 628 880 A1 discloses an under window profile that provides support for the joinery product, especially windows or doors joinery, which on horizontal sides of the vertical walls can have latches, that during the assembly mesh with the latches located on the bottom side of the window frame; and the vertical walls are parallel to each other.
The aim of the invention is to develop a structure of profile of adjustable width to enable using the profile for window frames and door frames of various width and with diverse distribution of fixing latches. The profile structure is composed of more than one element to limit the disadvantages occurring in other known solutions.
The profile carrying the weight of the window, in accordance with the invention, also called an under window filling profile, consists of two elements movable in relation to one another, that create the external vertical walls of the profile and transfer independently the pressure of the joinery element onto the substrate, and in between there is an element made of one or multiple materials, whose horizontal dimension (on cross-section the dimension perpendicular to the carried load) may be increased or decreased by sliding apart or together the load carrying elements in the direction perpendicular to the direction of carried load. The movable elements of the profile, as described in the invention, are made of solid, hard material, preferably plastic or metal, and the connecting element, located between movable elements, or at least one of its layers, is made of flexible material, such as, for example, flexible foam made of plastic material. A flexible material, as understood in this invention is, is a material that doesn't deform permanently when subjected to compression.
In another embodiment the rigid movable elements are equipped with latches formed as protrusions or tenons to enable connection of the strip and the window, so that the compression of the strip in direction perpendicular to the carried loads is possible, which is equivalent to decreasing distance between the protrusions or tenons and when the strip is pressed to the bottom part of the window and then the pressure is released, the expanding flexible material between the movable elements will cause the increase of distance between the protrusions or tenons and wedge them with the catch on the window.
The operation mechanism of the profile constituting the subject of the invention is also efficient when the strip is equipped with two or more latches, whether the latches are made of the same material as the strip elements, or their hardness varies after the co-extrusion process, or when there is a combination of latches made of various materials.
In another embodiment of the invention, the movable elements are made of foamed material or cellular material, and at least one layer is made of foamed or cellular material. In this embodiment the vertical wall that carries load is moved away from the contour wall, therefore this embodiment provides easy assembly of the external window sill by means of screws, as well as tightness due to use of sealing fitted into dedicated, shaped groove.
In each of described variations of the under window filling profile the vertical load carrying elements are equipped with horizontal guides, that provide for the movement in horizontal plane only and prevent such movement of elements against one another that could make them not parallel in cross-section in relation to one another.
In one of the embodiments of the under window filling profile the load of the window is carried by the outmost vertical walls as well as by the central part of the profile that is the subject of this invention. The central element is made of multiple materials, at least of the flexible foam, and the hard part made of solid plastic or rigid foam, the hard part is equipped with guides or surfaces providing space for movement of horizontal protrusions of each of the external elements. As a result, the load is carried by the horizontal guide, belonging to the side element, to the central part of the strip
The subject of the invention is presented, as an example of embodiment, in a drawing, where figure 1 presents a view of the cross-section of an under window filling profile of adjustable width; figure 2 presents cross-section of a profile embodiment equipped with latches, and figure 3 presents a view of the cross-section of an under window profile with movable elements made as cellular profile with cells.
As presented in fig. 1, the subsill strip that carries load of the joinery, in accordance with the invention, is characteristic in that the vertical oblong walls 1, parallel to each other, are connected in such a way that they can move in relation to each other in perpendicular plane for each of the walls' planes.
Both walls 1 are equipped with horizontal protrusions 3 acting as guides limiting movement of the walls 1 in relation to each other so that the cross-sections of the walls are always parallel.
In the embodiment presented in fig. 3 the vertical oblong side wall 1.1 and/or the opposite parallel oblong side wall 2 is/are cellular elements.
In the embodiment the wall 1.1 is equipped with protrusions 3.1, and the other wall 2 is equipped in long pockets 3.2 that are a reflection of a/m protrusions, due to this arrangement the walls 1.1 and 2 are directly, though not permanently, connected with each other.
In each case between the profiles in which the walls 1 or 1.1 and 2 are a part of, there is flexible foam 4, shaped as long strip, that may cause unlimited spreading of the profiles. That means the foam expands after compression. The foam may be a single component, as presented in fig. 3, or it may be used as many strips, as presented in fig.1.
The oblong walls 1 (or in variation 1.1 and 2) create extruded profiles together with protrusions 3.3, or in the variation protrusions 3.1 and guides 3.2, and those profiles are equipped with mechanism limiting their movement in relation to one another, as presented in fig. 1, showing the shape of a protrusion 3 meshing with another profile 5 (single-walled or cellular) belonging to the skeleton of a part that connects the walls 1, i.e. a mechanism, in which one profile has grooves and the other functions as a latch.
In the variation presented in fig. 2 a profile made of foamed material 5.1 functions as a skeleton for the material that joins profiles created by the walls 1, which improves thermal insulation properties and the soundproofing abilities.
It is also possible to use latches 6 and/or 6.1, that are a variation of the profile movement limiting mechanism created by the walls 1 or 1.1 and 2, the walls are arranged is such a way that at least one latch is on a profile. Those latches lock with latches on the bottom part of the window frame. A latch may constitute an integral part of the profile, such as latch 6 presented in fig.2, or may be made of another plastic material in co-extrusion or post-extrusion process, such as latch 6.1 presented in fig. 2.
In another variation the profile, or both profiles, creating the construction element that constitutes the subject of the invention, are equipped with pockets 7 where seals are located to act as the protrusions limiting movement of the element after assembly on the bottom part of the window frame.

Claims

An under window profile of adjustable width that provides support for the joinery product, especially windows or doors joinery, which under window profile has vertical walls and which on horizontal parts (3) which protrude from the vertical walls (1) can have latches (6,6.1), that during the assembly mesh with latches located on the bottom side of the window frame; and wherein the vertical walls (1) are parallel to each other, and said horizontal parts (3) are equipped with elements limiting the movement of the vertical walls (1), whereas the space between the walls is filled with a flexible expanding material (4) such that the vertical walls are elastically movable in relation to each other.
A profile, as described in Claim 1, characterised in that the filler between the walls (1) is composed of flexible expanding foam (4) and solid profile (5) that is the skeleton of the strip.
A profile, as described in Claim 1, characterised in that the filler between the walls (1) composed of flexible expanding foam (4) and rigid foamed profile (5.1) that is a skeleton of the strip.
A profile, as described in Claim 1, characterised in that one of the vertical walls (1) is equipped with horizontal protrusions (3.1), and the other one is equipped with horizontal pocket (3.2) that is a guide for the protrusion (3.1), together those elements create a system to limit the movement of walls (1) in relation to the movement in plane perpendicular to the surface of the walls (1).
A profile, as described in Claim 1, characterised in that the horizontal sides (3) that limit the movement in the direction outwards from their internal surface, are equipped with elements shaped as grooves, that mesh with latches located on the ends of the horizontal arms of a solid profile (5).
A profile, as described in Claim 1, characterised in that at least one of the walls (1) is a multi-layer wall (1.1), preferably of cellular type.
A profile, as described in Claim 6, characterised in that it is equipped with pockets (7) for a seal, located in the cellular profile (1.1) and meshing with the latches on the bottom part of the window frame.