GB2121466A

GB2121466A - Glazing strip

Info

Publication number: GB2121466A
Application number: GB08307298A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nils-Erik Bohman; Alf Haggkvist
Original assignee: Varnamo Gummifabrik AB
Current assignee: Varnamo Gummifabrik AB
Priority date: 1982-04-13
Filing date: 1983-03-16
Publication date: 1983-12-21
Also published as: GB8307298D0; FR2524931B3; SE446554B; FR2524931A1; SE8202294L

Abstract

A strip arrangement e.g. of plastics material for mounting a glass pane (36) in a rabbet (40) of a window frame (38) or the like comprises a groove (10) for receiving the edge of the pane (36) and on its lower surface (20) surface a projection 18 which engages a groove (46) in the bottom surface (42) of the rabbet. The arrangement may consist of two separate strips, one of plastics material U-shaped to grip the pane and the other of aluminium including the projection (18). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A mounting strip arrangement The present invention relates to a strip arrangement comprising an elastomeric material for sealingly mounting a glass pane in a mounting recess positioned in connection with a window opening of a window frame or the like.

When mounting a glass pane in a window opening of a building it is usual to connect the edge portions of the glass plane by means of putty to a recess formed in a window frame or other building part defining the window opening.

Thereby, there is initially applied a thin layer of putty on a surface portion of the mounting recess which is parallel with the plane of the window opening, whereupon the glass pane is positioned in the window opening with the edge portions in the recess and the side surface of the edge portion in contact with the putty layer, the glass pane is fixed in said position in the recess by means of nails and a putty head is finally applied in order to fix and seal the glass pane in the recess.

The use of putty for fixing and sealing a glass pane in a window opening has substantial drawbacks. Thus, the mounting of the glass pane requires a time consuming work which has to be performed by a skilled person to provide for a satisfying result. Another drawback is that the putty is subjected to ageing so that the putty hardens and cracks and can no more maintain its sealing function in a satisfying manner. In turn this provides that the window frame which usually consists of wood is subjected to damages caused by rot.

In vehicles it is previously known to mount glass pane in window openings by means of elastomeric material strips. However, the strips previously known require a very special design of the mounting surfaces defining the window opening and very small tolerances of these surfaces in order to provide a sufficient fixing and sealing. Usually, the mounting work also requires complicated tools which are difficult to handle.

These facts provide that previously known strips for mounting glass panes in window opening of vehicles cannot be used for mounting glass panes in window openings of buildings.

For mounting glass panes in window openings of buildings it is also previously known to use complicated mounting devices comprising elastomeric material strips, but in addition to such elastomeric material strips these devices also comprise profiled bars of rigid material, such as profiled metal bars, which require fixing by means of separate fixing means, for example screws.

Therefore, such mounting devices are complicated and expensive and have only been used in industrial and office buildings. Because of their complicated construction requiring a substantial space the previously known mounting devices of this kind are unsuitable for being used in connection with movable window frames.

The object of the invention is to provide a strip arrangement comprising an elastomeric material for mounting a glass pane in a window opening of a building, which strip arrangement is uncomplicated and reliable and provides for an easy mounting so that the arrangement is suitable for being used in such cases where the fixing and sealing of the glass pane by means of putty represents the only method which is presently in common use.

In order to comply with this object there is provided according to the invention a strip arrangement comprising elastomeric material for mounting a window pane in a mounting recess of a window opening, said mounting recess being formed by a bottom portion extending transversely to the plane of the window opening and a shoulder portion extending transversely to said bottom portion, the strip arrangement comprising a groove formed in the elastomeric material of the strip arrangement for receiving an edge portion of the glass pane and having at the side opposite to said groove a surface adapted to engage the bottom portion of the mounting recess, which strip arrangement is in accordance with the invention characterized by the fact that the surface which is adapted to engage the bottom portion of the mounting recess comprises a projection which is adapted to engage a groove formed in the bottom portion of the mounting recess.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the strip arrangement is formed so that the groove for receiving the edge portion of the glass pane has decreasing width in the direction of the mouth of the groove in the unstressed form of the elastomeric material of the strip arrangement.

Thereby, there is provided an effective sealing between the strip arrangement and the glass pane by the fact that the strip arrangement firmly engages the surfaces of the glass pane at the mouth of the groove.

It is preferred that the arrangement is manufactured from one piece of elastomeric material, whereby it is suitable that the strip arrangement is so formed that a first side surface of the groove belongs to a first portion of the strip arrangement which also comprises the projection and that a second side surface of the groove which is opposite to the first side surface thereof belongs to a second portion of the strip arrangement and so that said portions of the strip arrangement are resiliently movable in relation to each other in such a way that an increased width of the groove at the mouth thereof is accompanied by an increased engagement of the projection into the groove formed in the bottom portion of the mounting recess of the window opening.By this construction of the strip arrangement there is provided a properly sealed joint between the strip arrangement and the glass pane as well as between the strip arrangement and the mounting recess of the window opening.

In the embodiment according to which the strip arrangement is formed in one piece from elastomeric material the sealing engagement between the glass pane and the mounting surface can be further improved by providing said first portion of the strip arrangement, which comprises said first side surface of the groove and the projection, with a surface adapted to engage the bottom portion of the mounting recess and forming in the unstressed position of the strip arrangement a greater angle with said first side portion than the angle between the bottom portion of the mounting recess and the plane of the window opening.

In a modified embodiment of the invention the strip arrangement is constituted by two portions, one of the portions forming the groove for receiving an edge portion of the glass pane and the other portion forming the projection which is adapted to engage the groove formed in the bottom portion of the mounting recess and being adapted to secure said first portion of the strip arrangement.

The invention is described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a strip arrangement for mounting a glass panel according to the invention, Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of an embodiment of a strip arrangement according to the invention, Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the strip arrangement according to Figure 2 connected with the edge portion of a glass pane and a window frame intended for supporting the glass pane, Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the glass pane mounted in the window frame according to Figure 3 by means of a strip arrangement according to Figures 2 and 3, Figure 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a modified embodiment of a strip arrangement according to the invention.

In Figure 1 there is shown a strip arrangement according to the invention forming a frame for mounting a glass pane in a window opening. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 the frame is substantially square, but it is recognized that the shape and the size of the frame shall be adapted to the shape and size of the window opening in which the window frame is mounted. The strip frame can be manufactured either by connecting suitable lengths of the strip arrangement by glueing the ends of the strip arrangement together at the corners of the frame or by manufacturing the frame in one piece. The choice of manufacturing method is of course dependent on the construction of the strip arrangement and the number of frames of the same dimensions to be manufactured.

In Figure 2 there is shown on a substantially enlarged scale a section through a strip according to the invention manufactured in one piece from an elastomeric material. The strip can be regarded to consist of two main portions 2 and 4, the portions 2 being defined by an inclined surface 5, a side surface 8 of a groove 10, an inclined surface 12 and a surface 16, the two last mentioned surfaces forming a projection 18, and a bottom surface 20. The main portion 4 is formed in one piece with the main portion 2 and is defined by a surface 22, an inclined surface 24, an inclined surface 26, a side surface 28 of the groove 10, a bottom surface 30 of said groove 10 and a bottom surface 30.

In Figure 2 the section of the strip is shown in its undistorted shape, and it appears from Figure 2 that in this condition of the strip the side surfaces 8 and 28 converge in the directon of the mouth of the groove 10. It also appears from Figure 2 that in the undistorted shape of the strip the angle between the side surface 8 of the groove 10 and the bottom surface 20 is substantially greater than 900. As appears from the following this fact provides for a substantial contribution to the sealing effect of the strips.

In the main portion 2 there is provided a hollow space 34 inside the projection 18. In the embodiment shown in the hollow space 34 is of circular cross sectional shape, but it is recognized that the hollow space can have another cross sectional space. The object of the hollow space 34 is to facilitate the pressing of the projection 1 8 into the strip, which is required when mounting a glass pane provided with a strip according to the invention.

Figure 3 shows the strip according to the invention mounted on a glass pane 36. Thereby, the edge portion of the glass pane 36 is received in the groove 10 of the strip. In this position the strip has been subjected to a certain deformation.

Thus, the side surfaces 8 and 28 of the groove 10 have moved to a substantially parallel position by the fact that the main portion 2 has been turned somewhat clockwise in relation to the main portion 4. It is recognized that the side surfaces 8 and 28 of the groove 10 thereby exert a sealing engagement force on the glass pane 36.

The glass pane 36 is adapted to be mounted in a window frame 38 formed with a mounting recess 40 by means of the strip according to the invention. The mounting recess 40 is constituted by a bottom portion 42 and a shoulder portion 44 extending transversely in relation thereto. The bottom portion 42 forms a groove 46 having substantially the same cross sectional shape as the projection 1 8 of the strip and comprises an inclined surface 48 and a surface 50 which is substantially perpendicular to the bottom portion 42.

When the glass pane is mounted in the frame 38 the strip is pressed into the mounting recess 40, the projection being pressed into the section of the strip when engaging the outer edge of the bottom portion 42 of the mounting recess 40, this action being facilitated by the existence of the hollow space 34. In the position in which the surface 22 of the main portion 4 engages the shoulder portion 44 of the mounting-recess 40 the projection 18 reaches a position opposite to the groove 46 for which reason the projection snaps into the groove.In this position the bottom surface 20 of the strip engages the portion of the bottom portion 42 of the mounting recess positioned outside the groove 46 so that substantially the entire main portion 2 is subjected to a compression providing a firm sealing engagement with the glass pane 36 as well as the mounting recess 40 in the final mounting position shown in Figure 4.

Even if it is possible to mount a glass pane in a window opening by means of the strip according to Figures 2-4 without using any special facilities it is possible to facilitate the mounting operation by using simple facilities. Such facilities can be constituted by a frame having an inner surface of the same dimensions as the bottom portion 42 of the mounting recess 40. Thereby, the glass pane is positioned with the strip mounted thereon in said frame. the projection 18 being in a position in which it is pressed into the section of the strip, and the glass pane with the strip mounted thereon is forced into the mounting recess while starting at one side thereof.

Figure 5 is a section corresponding to Figure 4 of a modified embodiment of the strip arrangement according to the invention. In the embodiment according to Figure 5 the window frame 38a is provided with a mounting recess 40a in the same way as in the embodiment according to Figures 2-4. Thus, the mounting recess 40a comprises a bottom portion 42a, shoulder surface 44a and a groove 46a.

The strip arrangement according to Figure 5 consists of two portions 52 and 54. The portion 52 consists of elastomeric material, for example rubber, and is of substantially U-shaped cross sectional shape for forming a groove 55 for receiving the edge portion of a glass pane 56. The side surfaces of the portion 52 have longitudinal ridges 58 for improving the sealing against opposite engagement surfaces of the mounting recess 40a and the portion 54 of the strip arrangement.

The portion 54 is constituted by a profiled bar of a more rigid material than the material of the portion 52 and can for example consist of aluminium plastic. The portion 54 is formed as a hollow profiled bar and is on the exterior defined by an inclined surface 60, a side surface 62, an inner bottom surface 64 and an outer bottom surface 66.The outer bottom surface 66 forms a projection 68 intended to have the same function as the projection 18 of the strip arrangement according to the invention shown in Figures 2 The angle between the side surface 62 of the portion 54 and the outer bottom surface 66 is somewhat greater than 90O having the object of securing the sealing engagement relationship between the portions 54 and 52 of the strip arrangement and between the portion 52 of the strip arrangement and the glass pane 56.

The mounting of the glass pane 56 in the frame 38a is conducted according to substantially the same principles as the mounting of the glass pane 36 in the embodiment according to Figures 2-4. Thus, the portion 52 of the strip arrangement is initially positioned on the edge portion of the glass pane 56, whereupon the glass pane 56 with the portion 52 positioned thereon is pushed into the portion 54 of the strip arrangement to engagement position between the portion 52 and the side surface 62 and inner bottom surface 64 of the portion 54.Thereupon the glass pane 56 with the strip arrangement 52, 54 positioned thereon is pushed into the mounting recess 40a, the portion 54 being resilient in such a way that the projection 68 is pressed inwardly during the initial stage of the mounting and snaps into the groove 46a in the final mounting stage, in which position the ridges 58 of the portion 52 also engage the shoulder portion 44a of the mounting recess. The section of the strip arrangement according to the invention, which forms the lower part of the frame can be provided with a projecting portion constituting a drip strip preventing moisture from entering in between the strip arrangement and the bottom portion of the mounting surface.

Thus, there is by means of the invention provided a mounting strip arrangement which can be manufactured in one piece or from two simple pieces and because thereof is advantageous with regard to its costs. As appears from the above description the strip arrangement is also advantageous with regard to the mounting operation and the sealing function.

It is of course possible to modify the strip arrangement and the mounting recess for receiving the strip arrangement in different ways without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example it is possible to design the groove 46 of the bottom portion of the mounting recess in such a way that the snapping of the projection 18 into the groove during the mounting is facilitated by positioning the surface 50 of the groove slightly inclined downwardly-outwardly.

It is of course possible to design the strip arrangement for mounting two or several glass planes by forming the groove for receiving the edges of the glass panes with greater width or providing the strip arrangement with several grooves.

Claims

1. A strip arrangement for mounting a glass pane (36, 56) in a mounting recess (40) positioned in connection with a window opening of a window frame (38) or the like, said mounting recess comprising a bottom portion (42) extending transversely to the plane of the window opening and a shoulder portion (44) extending transversely to said bottom portion, the strip arrangement comprising a groove (10, 55) for receiving an edge portion of the glass pane (36, 56) and a surface (12, 16, 20, 32, 66) positioned at the side of the strip arrangement opposite to said groove and adapted to engage the bottom surface (42) of the mounting recess, characterized by the fact that the surface (12, 1 6, 20, 32, 66) which is adapted to engage the bottom portion (42) of the mounting recess (40) comprises a projection (18, 68) which is adapted to engage a groove (46) formed in the bottom portion of the mounting recess.

2. A strip arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the groove (10, 55) for receiving an edge portion of the glass pane has decreasing width in the direction of the mouth of the groove in the unstressed form of the strip arrangement.

3. A strip arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that a first side surface (8) of the groove (10) is formed on a first main portion (2) of the strip arrangement, which portion also comprises the projection (1 8), that a second side surface (28) of the groove (10) opposite to said first said surface thereof is formed on a second main portion (4) of the strip arrangement and that said portions (2, 4) of the strip arrangement are resiliently moveable in relation to each other in order to increase the width of the groove at the mouth thereof and for moving the projection (18) in a directon for increasing the engagement of the projection into the groove (46) formed in the bottom surface (42) of the mounting recess (40).

4. A strip arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that said first main portion (2) of the strip arrangement which comprises said first side portion (8) of the groove (10) and the projection (18) comprises a surface (20) which is adapted to engage the bottom surface (42) of the mounting recess (40) and forms in the unstressed position of the strip arrangement a greater angle with said first side portion (8) than the angle between the bottom portion (42) of the mounting recess (40) and the plane of the window opening.

5. A strip arrangement according to any of the proceeding claims, characterized in that the strip arrangement is formed with a hollow space (34) positioned inside the projection (18).

6. A strip arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that it comprises two portions (52, 54), one of the portions (52) forming the groove (55) for receiving an edge portion of the glass pane (56) and the other portion (54) forming the projection (68) which is adapted to engage the groove (46a) formed in the bottom portion (42a) of the mounting recess (40a).

7. A strip arrangement, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 to 4, or Figure 5, of the accompanying drawings.