GB2092654A - Framed panels - Google Patents

Abstract

A pane of glass (22) is held in a channel (16) of a frame 10 with its edge (26) between, but spaced from, the sealing walls (14) by blocks (30). Sealant material (36) between the pane (22) and each sealing wall (14) has an unengaged surface (40) opposite the peripheral wall (12). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Framed panels This invention relates to framed panels, and in particular to panel structures, such as window panes, which are mounted within frames which typically surround the panels.

In constructing framed panel structures, and particularly in constructing framed window panes, it is desirable, or even essential, to seal the interfaces between the panel and adjacent portions of the frame in which the panel is mounted. Specifically with respect to glass or other transparent material panels mounted within enclosing frame structures called sash surrounds, the assemblies have been configured with a channel formed in an inner surface of the sash surround, in which channel the pane is received.

Frequently, however, the channel has a significantly greater width than the pane. In order to rigidly mount the pane within the channel, various methods have been utilized. In accordance with one method, the sash surround is laid in a horizontal orientation, and, after a sealing plug is placed along one wall defining the channel, the pane is placed on top of the plug. The other side of the pane has a sealing plug applied to it, and a sash surround closure portion is attached to hold the structure in an assembled configuration.

In accordance with another method known as dry assembly, the pane is essentially maintained in a desired position, within the channel by resilient setting and spacer blocks positioned in the channel. Setting blocks are inserted into that portion of the sash surrounded which will be at the bottom when the assembly is positioned vertically.

Spacer blocks are inserted along the ultimate top and sides.

Inwardly facing surfaces of the blocks can have shoulders to engage the pane and maintain it in a desired relative position within the channel. The pane can, thereby, be maintained in a fixed relationship with respect to the overall sash assembly.

To accomplish actual sealing of the window assembly, a quantity of sealant is inserted between the pane and the adjacent, generally parallelly extending sash surround portion, and into the gaps formed therebetween. In the prior art, effecting this sealing involved a three step process. First, the spacer blocks had to be positioned within the frame channel and the pane within the channel engaging the setting and spacer blocks. The second step involved injecting sealant material into the gaps. The gaps were commonly filled with sealant material delivered by a tubular applicator without controlling the rate of flow.

The third step was necessary to improve the appearance of the window assembly and eliminate water traps. When injecting the sealant material into the gaps, an amount would be permitted to overflow in order to insure that the gaps were filled and that a smooth surface could be provided by trimming away or tooling excess sealant material. The third step involved, therefore, is the trimming and/or tooling so that the upper surface of the sealant is essentially an extension of the upper surface of the sash surround portions sandwiching the pane of glass.

This prior art method of construction has a number of disadvantages. Since an amount of sealant in excess of that necessary to fill the gaps is often applied, the necessity of the third step, the cosmetic step of trimming the excess and/or tooling the sealant, involved unneccessary time.

Since the industry has accomplished sealing only in this manner, the sealant material has typically engaged the blocks at the bottom of the gaps. There are instances where the material of which the blocks are made and the material of the sealant are chemically incompatible. After a period of time, one or all of these components of the assembly have been found to deteriorate.

Additionally, filling the gaps with sealant material involves a use of more sealant than might otherwise be necessary, and this is a disadvantage particularly in view of the deleterious effect of the interfacing of the sealant with the blocks. Finally, should it be necessary to remove the window pane from the sash surround, it has been found that significant difficulties arise when the gap is filled from top to bottom with sealant material. It is difficult to cut through the sealant plug when it extends the full height of the gap.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a framed panel, comprising: (a) a sash surround member including a peripheral wall and a substantially planar sealing wall intersecting said peripheral wall one of perpendicularly and obliquely; (b) a panel member having a peripheral edge and opposite faces, and extending in a plane intersecting said peripheral wall, said plane generally parallel to the plane defined by said sealing wall, said panel member spaced from said sealing wall to form a gap therebetween; (c) means for supporting said panel member fixedly relative to said sealing wall to define said gap; and (d) an amount of sealant material extending in said gap between said panel member and said sealing wall, said sealant having an unengaged surface opposite said peripheral wall.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of sealing a substantially planar panel having opposite faces and an edge received in an inwardly opening channel sash surround, which includes a peripheral wall portion with opposite edges and a pair of inwardly extending sealing walls, each extending perpendicularly to said peripheral wall from one of said opposite edges, comprising the steps of:: (a) placing the edge of said panel into the sash surround with said edge supported within the sash surround with the sealing walls of the sash surround being parallel to and spaced from the faces of the panel such that gaps of a height H exist between the panel and the sealing walls; (b) injecting sealing material from a tool into the gaps so that sealing material extends between the panel and the sealing walls, wherein the filling step comprises inserting the sealing material from the outside of the gaps into the inside so that the column of sealing material extends inwardly from ends of the sealing walls remote from the peripheral wall, a distance less than the height H; and (c) drawing the tool along the remote end of each sealing wall at a controlled rate so that the step of inserting the sealing material also serves to finish the face of the material with no additional trimming step required.

A preferred method embodying the present invention is a method for sealing a substantially planar panel such as a window pane which is mounted within an inwardly opening channel sash surround. Two sealing walls extend inwardly from a peripheral wall of the frame to sandwich the window pane therebetween. The edge of the glass pane can be maintained in a position relative to the sealing walls so that a gap exists between the pane and each sealing wall. Spacer and setting blocks can be utilized for this purpose. The invention includes a step of so mounting the planar panel within the frame with the gaps having a height H. This height is a function of the distance that the sealing walls extend inwardly and the distance which the pane extends into the channel. A second step involves the injecting of sealing material into the gaps by use of a tool.The sealing material is made to fill the gaps and extend between the panel and the sealing walls. The material is inserted from the outside of the gaps into the inside so that the column of sealing material extends inwardly from ends of the sealing walls remote from the peripheral wall a distance less than the height H. As a result, the sealant material will have a surface facing the peripheral wall which is unengaged either by the peripheral wall or the blocks, should they have been used. As sealant material is injected into a gap, the tool is drawn along the edge of the sealing wall remote from the peripheral wall. The steps of injecting the sealing material and finishing the exposed face of the material can, thereby, be performed concurrently.

In one embodiment, the exposed face of the sealing material can be angled so that it essentially forms a continuation of the plane defined by the edge of the sealing wall remote from the peripheral wall. With one type of structure, the exposed surface of the sealant material can form an angle of 45 degrees with the adjacent face of the panel.

The invention also includes a framed panel made according to the method aspect of the present invention.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how it maybe carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a window frame during assembly; and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the window frame of Figure 1; Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals denote like elements throughout the several views, Figure 1 illustrates a segment of a mounted panel assembly which shows both the apparatus and method inventions in accordance with present application. The segment includes a sash surround member 10 which is formed by the intersection of a peripheral wall 12 with at least one sealing wall 14.The structure of Figures 1 and 2 includes a pair of sealing walls 14 or flanges which, together with the peripheral wall 12, form an inwardly opening channel 16. Although not essential to the invention, the pair of sealing walls 14 are shown as extending generally parallel to one another and from opposite edges 18 of the peripheral wall 12.

In embodiments in which only one sealing wall 14 is utilized, the sealing wall 14 is substantially planar. In embodiments as illustrated in the Figures wherein two sealing walls 14 are utilized, the sealing walls 14 together define a pair of parallel extending planes.

Although only a small segment of the frame member 10 is shown, it will be understood - that it can include a peripheral wall 12 having a plurality of substantially planar segments which form angles with respect to one another to form a completely enclosed framed structure with the channel 16 opening inwardly. With the frame structure so configured, the sealing walls 14 have ends 20 which are remote from the peripheral, outward wall 12. These ends, or edges 20, extend inwardly with respect to the overall frame assembly.

Enclosed by the sash surround assembly is a generally planar structure or panel 22. The panel 22 has oppositely disposed faces 24 and a peripheral edge 26. The peripheral edge 26 of the panel 22 is received within the channel 16 formed by the frame member and sandwiched between the sealing walls 14. It is, however, spaced from each of the sealing walls 14 to form gaps 28 on either side of the panel 22.

The panel 22 can be configured so that it has any given shape. The sash surround 10 by which the panel 22 is mounted can be manufactured accordingly so that the frame 10 corresponds in shape to the panel 22. It will be understood that, although the peripheral edge 26 need not run parallel to the peripheral wall 12, it is desirable for manufacturing purposes that this relationship be I present. If the panel 22 were in the shape of a square, therefore, the sash surround member 10 would also be so configured.

The panel 22 is supported within the inwardly opening channel 16 so that it is maintained in a fixed relative relationship to the frame member 10. Although this can be accomplished by any number of methods, it is considered acceptable to utilize a plurality of blocks 30 disposed within the channel 16 and spaced along the frame 10 at intervals. The blocks 30 can be given a dimension closely corresponding to the distance between the sealing walls 14 so that it fits snugly within the channel 16.

Each block can have a slot 32 formed in an inwardly facing surface 34. A pair of shoulders 35 are thereby defined. The slot 32 can be so dimensioned that, when the peripheral edge 26 of the panel 22 is fitted thereinto, movement of the panel 22 with respect to the frame member 10 will be precluded by shoulders 35. The gap 28 is formed within the channel 1 6 on either side of the panel 22 has a height H. This height can be a function of either the distance that the sealing wall 14 on the particular side of the panel 22 extends inwardly from the peripheral wall 12 or the distance which the panel 22 extends into the channel 16.In embodiments as the one illustrated in the figures wherein the panel 22 is supported within the channel 16 by blocks 30 seated therein, H is determined by the lengtn of the sealing wall 1 4, or that portion of the length of the sealing wall 14 which extends inwardly beyond the face 34 of the blocks 30. Since the blocks 30 are not, however, continuous along the length of the channel 16, the height H at intervals between the spacer blocks 30 is determined by the distance by which the sealing wall 14 overlaps the panel 22.

The structure defined to this point is not novel in itself but it is discussed in some detail since the relationship of these various parts is important to the inventive features of the present application.

As discussed in the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION, such sash member assemblies have typically been sealed by filling both gaps 28 defined by the sash surround member 10 and the sandwiched panel 22 with sealant material 36 and allowing it to overflow. The method invention of this application comprises a step of injecting sealing material 36 into the gaps 28 at a controlled rate so that the material plugs have a column height 38 less than the height H. Since the column of sealant material 36 begins at the end 20 of the sealing wall 14 remote from the peripheral wall 12 and extends inwardly into the gap 28 therefrom, the finished framed panel assembly will have a sealant plug which has a surface 40 facing peripherally outward toward the peripheral wall 12 of the frame member 10 which is unengaged by any other portion of the assembly.As one can see from the previous discussion of the prior art, significant advantages can thus be obtained.

The injection of the sealant material 36 into the gaps 28 can be accomplished by use of a sealant material injection tool 42. The tool 42 can have an edge 44 whereby the surface 46 of the material 36 to be ejected last from the tool 42 can be finished. By maneuvering the tool 42, the finished surface 46 of the material can be configured as desired.

It will be understood that a plurality of tools can be used concurrently to accomplish the sealant injection function. If the panel to be framed is four sided, four tools, one running along each side, can be used. Similarly, if the panel is to be sealed on both sides thereof, injection of scalant on both sides of the panel can be accomplished simultaneously.

In certain applications to which the assembly structure can be put, it is desirable to form a planar surface 48 defining the end 20 of a sealing wall 14 at an angle to the adjacent face 24 of the panel member 22. When working with structures of this nature, the tool 42 can be maneuvered during the step of injecting the sealant 36 so that the edge 44 is worked relative to the face 24 of the panel 22 at the same angle as is the plane 48 defining the end 20 of the sealing wall 14. As the tool 42 is drawn along the panel 22, therefore, the finished surface 46 of the sealant material 36 can essentially form an extension of this planar surface 48. In one embodiment, the angle which both the planar surface 48 and the finished surface 46 make with the face 24 of the panel 22 can be 45 degrees.

Since, in some embodiments, the frame member 10 completely encircles the panel 22, the gaps 28 can be filled on both sides of the panel 22 and along the full length of the channel 1 6. This can be accomplished without being required to lift the tool 42 from the panel/frame member structure. When making the transition from one segment of the frame member 10 to another angularly spaced from the first, the tool 42 can be maneuvered to change directions as the remote edge 20 of the sealing wall 14 changes directions.

Numerous characteristics and advantages of both my apparatus invention any my method invention have been set forth in the foregoing description. It will be understood, of course, that this dislosure is, in many respects, only illustrative, and changes may be made in detail, particularly in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts without exceeding the scope of the invention. The invention's scope is defined in the language in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims (11)

1. A framed panel, comprising: (a) a sash surround member including a peripheral wall and a substantially planar sealing wall intersecting said peripheral wall one of perpendicularly and obliquely; (b) a panel member having a peripheral edge and opposite faces, and extending in a plane intersecting said peripheral wall, said plane generally parallel to the plane defined by said sealing wall, said panel member spaced from said sealing wall to form a gap therebetween; (c) means for supporting said panel member fixedly relative to said sealing wall to define said gap; and (d) an amount of sealant material extending in said gap between said panel member and said sealing wall, said sealant having an unengaged surface opposite said peripheral wall.

2. A panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said peripheral wall has substantially planar segments and wherein said sealing wall intersects said peripheral wall segments perpendicularly.

3. A panel as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said supporting means comprises a block seated on said peripheral wall and wherein said block has a shoulder formed on one surface thereof for engaging one face of said panel.

4. A panel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said sealing wall has an end remote from said peripheral wall, and wherein said sealant extends in said gap from said unengaged surface to said remote end.

5. A panel and mounting assembly, comprising: (a) a generally planar panel having a peripheral edge and opposite faces; (b) a sash surround member encircling said panel and enclosing said peripheral edge in a channel between a pair of generally parallelly extending flanges, said peripheral edge being spaced from each of said flanges; (c) a plurality of blocks positioned between said flanges at spaced intervals along said frame member, each of said blocks being sized to fit snugly within said channel and having a shoulder formed on one surface thereof for engaging one face of said panel; and (d) sealant plugs extending between said panel and each of said flanges, and around said sash surround member, each of said plugs having an unengaged surface extending between said panel and said flange and facing peripherally outward.

6. A panel as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of said flanges has an inner edge, and wherein each of said plugs has a finished surface, facing in a direction generally opposite that in which said unengaged surface faces, substantially flush with said inner edge of said flange adjacent said plug.

7. A method of sealing a substantially planar panel having opposite faces and an edge received in an inwardly opening channel sash surround, which includes a peripheral wall portion with opposite edges and a pair of inwardly extending sealing walls, each extending perpendicularly to said peripheral wall from one of said opposite edges, comprising the steps of:: (a) placing the edge of said panel into the sash surround with said edge supported within the sash surround with the sealing walls of the sash surround being parallel to and spaced from the faces of the panel such that gaps of a height H exist between the panel and the sealing walls; (b) injecting sealing material from a tool into the gaps so that sealing material extends between the panel and the sealing walls, wherein the filling step comprises inserting the sealing material from the outside of the gaps into the inside so that the column of sealing material extends inwardly from ends of the sealing walls remote from the peripheral wall, a distance less then the height H; and (c) drawing the tool along the remote end of each sealing wall at a controlled rate so that the step of inserting the sealing material also serves to finish the face of the material with no additional trimming step required.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said panel is quadrilateral and the gaps extend along all four sides of the panel, and wherein the filling step occurs continuously by moving the tool around the four sides of the panel.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7 and substantially as described herein.

10. A framed panel when assembled in accordance with the method of any one of claims 7 to 9.

11. A framed panel substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.