EP4678866A1

EP4678866A1 - Frame part for a door, window or (glass) panel, method for manufacturing reinforcing core for such frame part, method for assembling such a frame part

Info

Publication number: EP4678866A1
Application number: EP25187979.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Daniël Willibrordus van Rooijen; Jan Gerrit Kreunen
Original assignee: Innodeen BV
Current assignee: Innodeen BV
Priority date: 2024-07-08
Filing date: 2025-07-07
Publication date: 2026-01-14
Also published as: NL2038167B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a frame part for a door, window or (glass) panel, for example a beam or jamb, comprising a hollow profile and a separate reinforcing core for reinforcing the hollow profile, wherein at least part of the hollow profile defines a receiving space in which the reinforcing core is accommodated in an assembled state of the frame part, wherein, in the assembled state and as seen in a transverse cross-section, the reinforcing core is completely surrounded by said part of the hollow profile that defines the receiving space, wherein the reinforcing core has an outer transverse cross-sectional shape and dimension which substantially corresponds to an inner transverse cross-sectional shape and dimension of said part of the hollow profile defining the receiving space, wherein the reinforcing core is made of a bio composite material and to a method for assembling such frame part. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a reinforcing core.

Description

The invention relates to a frame part for a door, window or (glass) panel, for example a beam or jamb, comprising a hollow profile and a separate reinforcing core for reinforcing the hollow profile, wherein at least part of the hollow profile defines a receiving space in which the reinforcing core is accommodated in an assembled state of the frame part, wherein, in the assembled state and as seen in a transverse cross-section, the reinforcing core is completely surrounded by said part of the hollow profile that defines the receiving space, wherein the reinforcing core has an outer transverse cross-sectional shape and dimension which substantially corresponds to an inner transverse cross-sectional shape and dimension of said part of the hollow profile defining the receiving space.
Such a frame part is known perse. Said known frame part usually comprises a hollow profile made of plastic wherein the receiving space accommodates a reinforcing core of metal, for example of (galvanized) steel. Said metal reinforcing core provides stiffness and/or strength to the hollow profile made of plastic.
It is an object of the invention to improve said known frame part.
This object is achieved by providing a frame part according to the preamble, wherein in accordance with the invention the reinforcing core is made of a bio composite material.
The applicant has found that a core made of a bio composite material may provide sufficient stiffness and/or strength to the hollow profile, for example made of plastic, and can be used to replace the normally used metal reinforcing core. A bio composite reinforcing core may provide one or more advantages of being recyclable, having improved insulating properties with respect to a metal core, being more sustainable.
For example, the plastic material of the hollow profile may have a bending stiffness of maximally 4 GPa, while the bio composite material of the reinforcing core may have a bending stiffness of about 8 to 40 GPa. As such, the bio composite reinforcing core may provide structural stiffness and/or strength to the hollow profile.
The bio composite material may comprise a material of biological origin embedded into a plastic material. The plastic material may optionally be biobased as well. Examples of the biological and plastic material are provided below.
Made of a bio composite material may be understood here that the core comprises a bio composite material.
Separate is to be interpret here that the hollow profile and reinforcing core are manufactured and/or provided separately from each other and are assembled to form said frame part in the assembled state by inserting and thereby accommodating the core in the receiving space of the hollow profile.
The frame part of the invention may be a stationary, i.e. non-moveable, frame part for a door, window or panel, or it may be a moveable frame part for a door, window or panel. It is possible that for one door, window or panel both types of frame parts are provided, i.e. both stationary and moveable frame parts, wherein at least one and preferably both of these types comprise the bio composite core in accordance with the invention, and wherein the stationary frame part provides a connection between the building and the door, window or panel, and wherein the moveable frame part is part of the door, window or panel and is moveably attached with respect to the stationary frame part.
The bio composite core may either be a massive or a hollow core. A hollow core provides the advantage of material savings, and such hollow core may provide sufficient strength and/or stiffness, especially for some applications. For example, a frame part that is directly attached to a structural element of a building, such as for example a wall, and/or a frame part of relatively small length, needs less strength and/or stiffness compared to a middle or freestanding frame part and/or a relatively long frame part, and such frame part may comprise a hollow reinforcing core. A massive reinforcing core requires more material with respect to a hollow core, but may provide more strength and/or stiffness in comparison thereto. Such a massive reinforcing core may for example be used for middle or freestanding frame parts and/or for relatively long frame parts.
In an embodiment of the frame part according to the invention another part of the hollow profile defines at least one other element of the frame part, where the at least one other element is, for example, an air chamber or a rebate.
The hollow profile may have sufficient stiffness and/or strength to define some elements, features or functions of the hollow profile, such as for example an air chamber or rebate. Those other part(s) do not need to be reinforced by any reinforcing core.
The reinforcing core and said part of the hollow profile defining the receiving space may be connected to each other by means of connection means in the assembled state thereof.
The connection means may be any suitable connection means, such as screws or bolts.
The reinforcing core, at least in the area(s) of the connection means, preferably has such a thickness, that in the event of a pull-out or shear force on the connecting means, the connection means fail before the reinforcing core does.
In other words, the reinforcing core may have a sufficient and/or relatively large thickness, at least in the area(s) of the connection means, such that the connection means may be connected thereto with sufficient fastening strength and/or screw tightness. This is especially important if the reinforcing core is embodied as a hollow core. In case the reinforcing core is embodied as a massive core, the thickness thereof is sufficient for connecting the connection means thereto.
The hollow profile may in particular be made of plastic, in particular a thermoplastic, e.g. of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
In an embodiment of the frame part according to the invention the reinforcing core comprises a plurality of reinforcing elements, e.g. fibres, wires or tape lay, wherein the reinforcing elements comprise, for example, steel, flax, bamboo, biosynthetic material, carbon or carbon composite, or a combination thereof.
It is noted that the biological material in the bio composite material may already enforce the plastic material, which may be one of the reasons to use a bio composite material instead of a plastic material. However, in some cases it is preferred to further reinforce the bio composite material, and in such cases the reinforcing core comprises a plurality of said reinforcing elements. The reinforcing elements are thus in particular provided in addition to the biological material of the bio composite material. As described, the reinforcing elements may be provided, for example, as fibres, wires or tape lay. Such wires may in particular extend along the length of the reinforcing core. Such wires may for example be made of steel, flax, bamboo or carbon fibre/polymer composite. Such fibres may in particular be carbon or biosynthetic fibres, which may be distributed in a homogenous manner in the bio composite material, in particular in the plastic material thereof. Such tape lay may be part of the biological material or fibrous material of the bio composite material For example the biological material and reinforcing elements may be combined into tape lay reinforced biological sheets. It is noted that any combination of reinforcing elements may be provided in addition to the biological material.
In an embodiment of the frame part according to the invention the reinforcing core has a number of corners, whether or not rounded, wherein the reinforcing elements are provided as wires that extend along the length of the reinforcing core and are and are arranged near a respective corner of the reinforcing core.
The biological material of the bio composite material may be contained therein in any desired and/or suitable form, for example in the form of powder, fibres, yarn, filament, fabric, sheet, plate, or mat.
If the biological material is provided in the form of powder or fibres, it may be distributed in a homogeneous manner in the plastic material.
If the biological material is provided in the form of yarn, filament, fabric, sheet, plate, or mat, it may be embedded in and/or be completely surrounded by the plastic material, for example as layers therein.
If the biological material is provided as a sheet like or flat element, the optionally provided reinforcing elements, preferably in the form of tape lay, may be part of such sheet like elements. These may for example be referred to as tape lay reinforced sheets.
The plastic of the bio composite material may be any suitable and/or desired plastic, for example chosen from the group comprising comprising Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene (PE), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), Polyvinylchloride (PVC), Polystyrene (PS), Polylactic acid (PLA), Polyethylene furanoate (PEF), Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), or a resin comprising Acrylic, Epoxy, Phenol, Vinylester, Polyester, Polyurethane, Furan, whether or not of biological origin.
In an embodiment of the frame part according to the invention the mass percentage of the biological material in the bio composite material is between 60% and 80% and/or the mass percentage of plastic in the bio composite material is between 20% and 30%.
In such an embodiment the composite material comprises more biological material compared to plastic material, and is therefore a renewable material.
The bio composite material may comprise other components as well, such as, but not excluded to, lubricant and/or UV stabilizer and/or a coupling agent and/or fire retardant.
All components together add up to 100%.
It will thus be clear for the skilled person that the core comprises said bio composite material and that the core may comprise additional components, such as lubricant and/or UV stabilizer and/or a coupling agent and/or fire retardant and/or any other desired and/or suitable component. Alternatively or additionally the core may comprise said above-described reinforcement elements or any other suitable parts or elements. In certain embodiments, the core may consist exclusively of bio composite material.
The reinforcing core may be manufactured by extrusion, pultrusion, or roll forming.
Such manufacturing method may conveniently be applied to make such a bio composite reinforcing core.
The invention also applies to a method for manufacturing a reinforcing core for a frame part, wherein the reinforcing core is manufactured from a bio composite material, and wherein the reinforcing core is manufactured by extrusion, pultrusion, or roll forming.
The invention also applies to a method for assembling a frame part for a door, window or (glass) panel, e.g. beam or jamb, according to any of the above described embodiments and/or having any one or more of the above described features, alone or in any suitable combination, comprising the following steps:

(a) providing a hollow profile;
(b) providing a reinforcing core, optionally manufactured by performing the method as described above;
(c) inserting the reinforcing core into a receiving space of the hollow profile;
(d) optionally, connecting the reinforcing core and the hollow profile to each other by means of connection means.

The invention will be further explained by means of drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a schematic transverse cross-section of a frame part according to a first embodiment of the invention in an assembled state;
Figures 2 - 6 schematically show various embodiments of a reinforcing core of a frame part.

Equal reference numbers for equal parts are used in the figures, increased by one hundred (100) for each further embodiment.
Figure 1 shows two frame parts 1, 2 for in this example a window having glass 3. Both frame parts 1, 2 shown in figure 1 are in use substantially vertically arranged and therefore referred to as a jamb or post. Similar frame parts could be used for the horizontal parts of the frame and would be referred to as a beam or sill. Both frame parts 1, 2 comprise a hollow profile 4. A first part 5 of each hollow profile 4 defines a receiving space 6 in which a reinforcing core can be accommodated. Such a reinforcing core is provided and/or manufactured separately from the hollow profile 4 and can be inserted into the receiving space 6 of the hollow profile 4 to form the frame part in an assembled state. Figure 1 shows that in the receiving space 6 of the first frame part 1 a reinforcing core 10 is accommodated, i.e. the first frame part 1 of figure 1 is shown in the assembled state in which the core 10 is accommodated in the receiving space 6 of the first part 5 of that hollow profile 4. As seen in a transverse cross-section, the reinforcing core 10 is completely surrounded by said first part 5 of the hollow profile 4 that defines the receiving space 6, wherein the reinforcing core 10 has an outer transverse cross-sectional shape and dimension which substantially corresponds to an inner transverse cross-sectional shape and dimension of said first part 5 of the hollow profile 4 defining the receiving space 6. The reinforcing core 10 is a bio composite core in accordance with the invention, and will be described in further detail below. The receiving space 6 of the second frame part 2 is shown as being empty in figure 1, i.e. this second frame part 2 is not yet assembled. A reinforcing core, being either a bio composite core in accordance with the invention or a commonly known metal core, can be inserted into the receiving space 6 of the second frame part 2 to reinforce the second frame part 2. In this embodiment the first frame part 1 is a stationary frame part for attaching the window comprising the second frame part 2 to a structural element, such as a wall of building. The second frame part 2 holds the glass 3 and is therefore part of a window and is therefore a moveable frame part. The second frame part 2 is in particular moveable with respect to the first frame part 1 by means of a hinge 7. In this embodiment the hollow profiles 4 of each frame part 1, 2 are made of plastic, for example Polyvinylchloride (PVC). The reinforcing core 10 shown in figure 1 is the core 10 of figures 2A and 2B, and will be described in further detail with reference to figures 2A and 2B. It will be clear that any of the cores shown in figures 2 - 6 may be used as the core for reinforcing the first part 5 of the hollow profile 4 of any of the frame parts 1, 2 of figure 1 or any other hollow profile that is part of a frame part of a door, window or (glass) panel. The various cores of the invention have in common that these are all cores that are made of a bio composite material. The core 10 of the exemplary embodiment of figure 1 comprises in this embodiment reinforcing wires 11, for example made of metal, such as steel, flax, bamboo carbon/polymer composite, which wires 11 are embedded in the bio composite material and are completely surrounded thereby and which wires 11 extend in the length direction L of the core 10. The wires 11 are located near corners 12 of the core 10. It is noted that the wires 11 may be left away, or may be embodied as other types of reinforcement elements.
Figure 1 further shows that in this embodiment a screw 20 is used for fixating the core 10 to the first part 5 of the hollow profile 4, but it will be clear that any suitable means for connecting the core 10 to the first part 5 of the hollow profile 4 may be used. A second screw 21 is shown which attaches the hinge 7 to the hollow profile 4. It will be clear that any number of screws can be used for either attaching the core 10 to the hollow profile 4 and/or for attaching other elements to the frame part 1, such as the shown example of the second screw 21 for attaching the hinge 7 to the hollow profile 4 of the first frame part 1. The screws 20, 21 and reinforcing wires 11 are arranged such with respect to each other that the screws 20, 21 do not contact the reinforcing wires 11 of the core 10. The screws 20, 21 are further provided at locations where the reinforcing core 10 has sufficient thickness, wherein the thickness is chosen such that an outward pulling force or shear force on the screws 20, 21 results in bending or breaking of the screws 20, 21 instead of tearing of the core 10. In other words, the thickness of the core 10, at least in area(s) of the screws 20, 21, may be at least chosen in accordance with a required screw resistance. The thickness of the core 10 may alternatively or further be chosen in accordance with a desired strength and/or stiffness of the frame part and/or in view of manufacturability of the core 10.
Figure 1 further shows that in this embodiment a second part 30 of each hollow profile 4 defines other elements of the frame parts 1, 2. In this example the second part 30 of each hollow profile 4 defines for example air chambers 31 for providing insulation. The second part 30 of the second frame part 2 defines a rebate 32 for receiving and holding glass 3. The second part 30 of the first frame part 1 defines a rebate 32 against which the window comprising the second frame part 2 abuts upon closing.
It is noted that the core 10 has a slightly smaller cross-sectional size than the receiving space 6 defined by the first part 5 of the profile 4, such that the core 10 may easily be inserted into the receiving space by sliding the core 10 into the receiving space in the length direction of the profile 4. The transverse cross-sectional shape of the core 10 may at some locations slightly deviate from the transverse cross-sectional shape of the receiving space 6, thereby allowing the core 10 to have a simpler transverse cross-sectional shape and therefore allowing the core 10 to be manufactured in an easier way.
Figures 2A and 2B show a core 10 according to a first exemplary embodiment in more detail, which is the same core 10 of figure 1. In figure 2A the core 10 is shown in a transverse cross-section and in figure 2B in a perspective view. The core 10 of figure 2 is massive, such that the core 10 is relatively stiff and strong, at least compared to a hollow core 10. The core 10 of this exemplary embodiment has in total six reinforcing wires 11 that extend in the longitudinal direction L of the core 10 and that are located near corners 12 of the of the core 10. It is noted that the wires 11 are located as close to the corners 12 as possible, but at a distance from the corners 12 such that the location of the wires 11 allows enough material to surround the wires 11 and at some locations allowing enough material to attach the screws 20, 21 as shown in figure 1. For this reason, some of the wires 11 are at a greater distance from the corners 12, thereby providing enough material for the screws 20.
The core 10 of figures 2A and 2B is made of a bio composite material. The biological or biobased material in the bio composite material may for example be cellulose, wherein the cellulose may be selected, for example, from wood, elephant grass, bamboo, hemp, jute, or a combination thereof. Alternatively the biological material may be a biobased synthetic cellulose or a biopolymer. In this embodiment the biological material is provided as powder or fibers and is preferably substantially homogeneously distributed in the plastic material of the bio composite material. In this embodiment the mass percentage of biological material in the bio composite material is preferably higher than 60%, more preferably between 65% and 80%, and even more preferably between 65% and 75%. Because the biological material is a natural material, the core may be manufactured more sustainably than a metal core. In this embodiment the plastic of the bio composite core 10 is preferably a thermoplastic. For example, in this embodiment the plastic may be Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene (PE), which may optionally be biobased, Polyactic acid (PLA), Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), Polyethylene furanoate (PEF). Preferably, the mass percentage of plastic in the bio composite material is between 20% and 30%, even more preferably between 20% - 25%. Optionally, the bio composite material contains additives. The mass percentage of additives in the plastic composite is preferably between 0% and 15%. The additives may include, for example, lubricant and/or UV stabilizer and/or a coupling agent and/or fire retardant. The reinforcing wires may be metal, flax, bamboo, or carbon/polymer composite wires. The core 10 of figures 2A and 2B is made by extrusion. The above described examples of biological material and/or plastic material and features thereof may be chosen in accordance with this extrusion manufacturing process.
The material used for the core 10 of the first embodiment may in particular be a so-called Wood Fibre Composite (WFC) or Wood Plastic Composite (WPC).
Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of a core 110 in a schematic transverse cross-sectional view. The core 110 of the second embodiment is similar to the core 10 of the first embodiment of figures 2A and 2B. Only the differences with respect to the core 10 of figures 2A and 2B will be described here, for a further description the reader is referred to the description of figures 2A and 2B. The core 110 of the second embodiment is hollow instead of massive, wherein the core 110 defines two hollow sections 113. Although this reduces the strength and/or stiffness and/or moment of resistance of the core 110 with respect to the massive core 10 of figures 2A and 2B, the strength and/or stiffness and/or moment of resistance may be sufficient for certain applications and such hollow core 110 provides the advantage of material and/or weight reduction with respect to the massive core 10 of figures 2A and 2B. As such, a suitable core may be chosen for a desired application and/or in accordance with a desired strength and/or stiffness, whether it be the more strong and/or stiff massive core 10 of figures 2A and 2B, or the more environmentally friendly and/or cheaper and/or lighter hollow core 110 of figure 3. It will be clear for the skilled person that the size and/or number of the hollow sections 113, if provided, may be chosen in accordance with the desired strength and/or stiffness. The hollow sections 113 may further be arranged such that in areas outside the hollow sections 113 the core 110 has enough material thickness for attaching screws to the core 110. A minimum thickness of the core 110, defined between one edge of the core to an opposing edge or neighbouring hollow section 113, is preferably 5mm, such that the core 110 has sufficient strength and/or stiffness and/or screw resistance.
Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of a core 210 in a schematic transverse cross-sectional view. The core 210 of the third embodiment is a massive core 210 and is made by pultrusion instead of extrusion. The core 210 is made of a bio composite material. The biological or biobased material in the bio composite material may for example be cellulose, wherein the cellulose may be selected, for example, from wood, elephant grass, bamboo, hemp, jute, or a combination thereof. Alternatively the biological material may be a biobased synthetic cellulose or a biopolymer. In this embodiment the mass percentage of biological material in the bio composite material is preferably higher than 60%, more preferably between 65% and 80%, and even more preferably between 65% and 75%. Because the biological material is a natural material the core may be manufactured more sustainably than a metal core. In this embodiment the biological material may be provided as yarns, filaments, fabric, plates, sheets, mats, which may be made from biobased fibers. Biological material provided as yarns, filaments, fabric, plates, sheets, mats is in particular suitable for use in a pultrusion process, i.e. the process by means of which the core 210 of this third embodiment is made. The biological material may be fully embedded in the plastic material. The plastic may be a thermoset or thermoplastic. For example, the plastic may comprise a thermoset resin comprising Acrylic, Epoxy, Phenol, Vinylester, Polyester, Polyurethane, Furan, whether or not of biological origin or a thermoplast polymer like PP, PE, PET, PMMA, PVC, PS or the biopolymer thermoplastic polymers like BioPP, BioPE, PLA, Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) or PEF. Preferably, the mass percentage of plastic in the bio composite material is between 20% and 30%, and more preferably between 20% and 25%. Optionally, the plastic composite contains additives. The mass percentage of additives in the plastic composite is preferably between 0% and 15%. The additives may include, for example, lubricant and/or UV stabilizer and/or a coupling agent and/or fire retardant and/or chalk. The core 210 of this third embodiment has no additional reinforcing elements, because the biological material that is provided as yarns, filaments, fabric, sheets, mats, plates, may already provide enough reinforcement to the bio composite material, but such additional reinforcing elements, such as fibres, wires or tape lay, may alternatively be provided. For example, carbon or biosynthetic fibres may be provided for reinforcing the core. Alternatively or additionally, the biological material and reinforcing elements may be combined into tape lay reinforced biological sheets.
Figure 5 shows a fourth embodiment of a core 310 in a schematic transverse cross-sectional view. The core 310 of the second embodiment is similar to the core 210 of the third embodiment of figure 4. Only the differences with the core 210 of figure 4 will be described here, for a further description the reader is referred to the description of figure 4. The core 310 of the fourth embodiment is hollow instead of massive, wherein the core 310 defines one hollow section 313. The core 310 has relatively thin walls in comparison to the hollow core 110 of figure 3. The walls may be relatively thin because the biological material is provided as yarns, filaments, fabric, sheets, plates, such that the biological material reinforces the bio composite material, as a result of which the bending stiffness of the material and/or the screw resistance of the material is higher compared to the core 110 of figure 3. A minimum thickness of the core 310, defined between one edge of the core to an opposing edge or neighbouring hollow section 313, may be 3mm in order to provide enough strength and/or stiffness and/or screw resistance to the core 310. The core 310 of this fourth embodiment has no additional reinforcing elements, because the biological material that is provided as yarns, filaments, fabric, sheets, mats, plates, may already provide enough reinforcement to the bio composite material, but such additional reinforcing elements, such as fibres, wires or tape lay, may alternatively be provided. For example the biological material and reinforcing elements may be combined into tape lay reinforced biological sheets. Alternatively or additionally, carbon or biosynthetic fibres may be provided for reinforcing the core.
Figure 6 shows a fifth embodiment of a core 410 in a schematic transverse cross-sectional view. The core 410 is made by roll forming, wherein a bio composite material is shaped into the shape of the core as shown in figure 6 by means of roll forming. The biological or biobased material in the bio composite material may for example be cellulose, wherein the cellulose may be selected, for example, from wood, elephant grass, bamboo, hemp, jute, or a combination thereof. Alternatively the biological material may be a biobased synthetic cellulose or a biopolymer. In this embodiment the mass percentage of biological material in the bio composite material is preferably higher than 60%, more preferably between 65% and 80%, and even more preferably between 65% and 75%. Because the biological material is a natural material the core may be manufactured more sustainably than a metal core. In this embodiment the biological material may be provided as yarns, filaments, fabric, plates, sheets, mats, which may be made from biobased fibers. Biological material provided as yarns, filaments, fabric, plates, sheets, mats is in particular suitable for use in a roll forming process, i.e. the process by means of which the core 410 of this fifth embodiment is made. The biological material may be fully embedded in the plastic material. In this embodiment the plastic of the bio composite material may be Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene (PE), optionally biobased, Polyactic acid (PLA), Polyethylene furanoate (PEF), Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) or a pre impregnated resin of epoxy, polyester, phenol, optionally at least partly biobased, furan. Preferably, the mass percentage of plastic in the plastic composite is between 20% and 30%. Optionally, the bio composite material contains additives. The mass percentage of additives in the plastic composite is preferably between 0% and 15%. The additives may include, for example, lubricant and/or UV stabilizer and/or a coupling agent and/or fire retardant and/or chalk. The core 410 of this third embodiment has no reinforcing elements in addition to the biological material, because the cellulose that is provided as yarns, filaments, fabric, sheets, mats, plates, may already provide sufficient reinforcement to the bio composite material, but such additional reinforcing elements, such as fibres, wires or tape lay, may alternatively be provided. For example the biological material and reinforcing elements may be combined into tape lay reinforced biological sheets. Alternatively or additionally, carbon or biosynthetic fibres may be provided for reinforcing the core. A minimum thickness of the core 410, defined between one edge of the core to an opposing edge or neighbouring hollow section 413, may be 3.5 mm in order to provide enough strength and/or stiffness and/or screw resistance to the core 410.
The various cores disclosed in the various embodiments all have in common that these are made of a bio composite material, i.e. a material comprising both biological material and an, optionally biobased, plastic material. As described these may be made and/or shaped by extrusion (figures 2 -3), pultrusion (figures 4 - 5) or roll-forming (figure 6). The way the biological material is provided, i.e. in the form of powder, fibres, yarn, filament, fabric, sheet, plate, or mat, may for example depend on the production process used and/or in accordance with a desired strength and/or stiffness and/or screw resistance. The biological material may in particular comprise a biobased fibre, that is then processed and/or shaped and/or woven into any of the above described examples of powder, fibres, yarn, filament, fabric, sheet, plate, or mat. The optionally bio based plastic material may for example be chosen in accordance with the production process used. Examples of the plastic are provided above with respect to the various embodiments of the core, but it will be clear that the plastic may be any suitable type of plastic.
All of these bio composite cores may provide the advantage of being more sustainable with respect to the commonly used metal cores, while allowing the frame part comprising such bio composite core to have sufficient strength and/or stiffness and/or screw resistance.
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown, but also extends to other embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Frame part for a door, window or (glass) panel, for example a beam or jamb, comprising a hollow profile and a separate reinforcing core for reinforcing the hollow profile, wherein at least part of the hollow profile defines a receiving space in which the reinforcing core is accommodated in an assembled state of the frame part, wherein, in the assembled state and as seen in a transverse cross-section, the reinforcing core is completely surrounded by said part of the hollow profile that defines the receiving space, wherein the reinforcing core has an outer transverse cross-sectional shape and dimension which substantially corresponds to an inner transverse cross-sectional shape and dimension of said part of the hollow profile defining the receiving space, characterised in that the reinforcing core is made of a bio composite material.
Frame part according to claim 1, where another part of the hollow profile defines at least one other element of the frame part, where the at least one other element is, for example, an air chamber or a rebate.
Frame part according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, in the assembled state, the reinforcing core and said part of the hollow profile defining the receiving space are connected to each other by means of connection means.
Frame part according to claim 3, wherein the reinforcing core, at least in the area(s) of the connection means, has such a thickness, that in the event of a pull-out or shear force on the connecting means, the connection means fail before the reinforcing core does.
Frame part according to one of the foregoing claims, wherein the hollow profile is made of plastic, e.g. of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
Frame part according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the reinforcing core comprises a plurality of reinforcing elements, e.g. fibres, wires or tape lay, or a combination thereof, wherein the reinforcing elements comprise, for example, steel, flax, bamboo, biosynthetic material, carbon or carbon composite, or a combination thereof.
Frame part according to claim 6, wherein, as seen in a cross-sectional view, the reinforcing core has a number of corners, whether or not rounded, wherein the reinforcing elements are provided as wires that extend along the length of the reinforcing core and are arranged near a respective corner of the reinforcing core.
Frame part according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein a biological material of the bio composite material is contained therein in the form of powder, fibres, yarn, filament, fabric, sheet, plate, or mat.
Frame part according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein a plastic of the bio composite material is chosen from the group comprising Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene (PE), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), Polyvinylchloride (PVC), Polystyrene (PS), Polylactic acid (PLA), Polyethylene furanoate (PEF), Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), or a resin comprising Acrylic, Epoxy, Phenol, Vinylester, Polyester, Polyurethane, Furan, whether or not of biological origin.
Frame part according to any one of the above claims, wherein the mass percentage of the biological material in the bio composite material is between 60% and 80% and/or wherein the mass percentage of plastic in the bio composite material is between 20% and 30%.
Frame part according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the reinforcing core is manufactured by extrusion, pultrusion, or roll forming.
Method for manufacturing a reinforcing core for a frame part, wherein the reinforcing core is manufactured from a bio composite material, and wherein the reinforcing core is manufactured by extrusion, pultrusion, or roll forming.
Method for assembling a frame part for a door, window or (glass) panel, e.g. beam or jamb, according to any one of claims 1 - 11, comprising the following steps:
(a) providing a hollow profile;

(b) providing a reinforcing core, optionally manufactured by performing the method of claim 12;

(c) inserting the reinforcing core into a receiving space of the hollow profile;

(d) optionally, connecting the reinforcing core and the hollow profile to each other by means of connection means.