GB2327227A - Cavity closer element - Google Patents

Abstract

A strip or sheet (2) is provided with longitudinally extending fold or hinge lines (3b,3c,3d,3e), the strip or sheet being folded along the fold or hinge lines so as to form sidewalls (2a,2b,2c,2d) disposed about an internal substantially enclosed zone which may contain insulating material (4). The folded strip or sheet provides a damp proof cavity closer when positioned between inner and outer skins of a cavity wall structure adjacent an opening for a door or window.

Description

Damp Proof inc Element The present invention relates to a damp proofing element, and in particular to a damp proofing element for providing a vertical barrier to water ingress between outer and inner skins of a cavity wall construction in the region of a door or window opening.

Damp proofing arrangements for use in mounting windows or doors in respective openings in cavity wall constructions are known. Typically such arrangements prevent cold bridging between the outer and inner brick work skins of the cavity wall and also enable a vertical damp proof course (DPC) to be provided for the door or window installation.

An improved damp proofing arrangement has now been devised.

According to a first aspect, the invention provides a damp proofing element for use in cavity wall structures, the element comprising an elongate walled element having a plurality of sidewalls disposed about an internal substantially enclosed zone, the walled element being formed from an elongate strip or sheet provided with longitudinally extending fold or hinge lines, the strip or sheet being folded along the fold or hinge lines so as to form the walled element.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides an elongate strip or sheet provided with longitudinally extending fold or hinge lines, the strip or sheet being foldable along the fold or hinge lines to form a damp proofing element for use in cavity wall structures, the element comprising an elongate walled element having a plurality of sidewalls disposed about an internal substantially enclosed zone, the sidewalls being defined by respective fold or hinge lines.

According to a third aspect the invention provides a method of forming a damp proofing element, the method comprising obtaining an elongate sheet or strip provided with longitudinally running fold or hinge lines and folding the sheet or strip about the fold or hinge lines to form an elongate walled element having a plurality of sidewalls disposed about an internal substantially enclosed zone, the sidewalls being defined by respective fold or hinge lines.

The damp proofing element is typically fixed between outer and inner skins of a cavity wall structure adjacent the opening for a door or window installation (such as a sealed UPVC window unit) and is preferably arranged to run vertically to provide a vertical damp proof course for the door or window installation.

It is preferred that the sidewalls are folded to provide a box-like construction for the element, advantageously defining a substantially square or rectangular substantially enclosed zone running along the length of the element.

The enclosed internal zone defined in the interior of the element is preferably arranged to contain insulating material. It is preferred that the insulating material is positioned in place on the sheet or strip prior to folding along the longitudinal fold or hinge lines, the insulating material subsequently being enclosed within the sidewalls when the sheet or strip is folded about the fold lines.

It is preferred that the damp proofing element comprises securing means arranged to secure the element with the sidewalls in the folded configuration.

The securing means preferably comprises engagement formations carried by respective spaced portions of the sheet or strip and arranged to engage with one another complementarily so as to secure the element in the folded configuration. The engagement formations preferably comprise male and female engagement formations, desirably arranged to engage in snap-fit arrangement. It is preferred that the engagement formations are provided proximate longitudinally running free edges of the sheet or strip such that, when folded, they are arranged to mate.

It is preferred that the element comprises a plastics material, preferably comprising a plastics sheet or strip provided with lines of weakness, such as score lines, slots or slits defining the fold or hinge lines.

Advantageously external surface portions of the strip or sheet are- provided with gripping formations such as raised ribs or the like projecting from the surface and being arranged such that, in the folded configuration, the surface portions carrying the formations lie contiguous with respective inner and outer brickwork skins of the cavity wall.

It is preferred that, in the folded configuration, a locating rib is provided projecting outwardly from one of the sidewalls proximate an end thereof. It is preferred that a locating shoulder is provided adjacent the locating rib preferably extending transversely thereto.

The invention will now be further described in a specific embodiment by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic sectional view of an elongate walled damp proofing element formed from an elongate sheet or strip according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view of the damp proofing element according to Figure 1 in situ between outer and inner skins of a cavity wall structure; and Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing the arrangement in use with further insulation provided.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a sheet of strip or sheet material 2 folded to form a damp proofing element (generally designated 1). The sheet and element have their longitudinal directions into the plane of the paper; the length of the strip and damp proofing element is indeterminate, and usually cut to length for the required dimensions of the door or window to be fitted.

The damp proofing element 1 folded from a sheet 2 which is provided with five fold lines 3a,3b,3c,3d,3e which are either formed integrally with the sheet, or scored in subsequently. The fold lines 3 extend in the longitudinal direction of the strip or sheet and are transversely spaced depending upon the required configuration of the damp proofing element when folded.

As shown in Figure 1, the element is folded to a substantially rectangular configuration to have four major sidewalls 2a,2b,2c,2d. Typically, the element is folded about a length of insulating material 4 such as glass fibre. Longitudinally running free edge 5 of sheet or strip 2 is provided with a rib 6 (and adjacent neck 7) formation which is arranged to be a snap-fit between the projecting raised rib formations 8a,8b running longitudinally along a portion of the surface of sheet 2 proximate its other longitudinally running free edge 9.

The engagement of rib 6 with ribs 8a and 8b is of snapfit type engagement, because, since the sheet or strip is of plastics material, ribs 8a and 8b are resiliently deformable to a certain extent.

The portion of the sheet proximate longitudinally running free edge 9 is folded about fold line 3e such that an upstanding locating surface 10, and transverse locating shoulder 11 are provided. In use surfaces 10 and 11 serve to locate the window or door frame in the opening.

Surface 10 and/or 11 may be provided with clip fixing formations(not shown) arranged to cooperate/engage with complementary fixing formations(also not shown) provided on thezrespective edge of the sealed window or door unit 17.

External surfaces of wall portions 2b and 2d are provided with raised gripping ridges 12 which in use engage respective surfaces of the inner and outer skins of the cavity wall structure.

As shown in Figure 2, when folded to the required configuration and secured by the engaging formations 6,8a,8b, the damp proofing element provides a vertically running damp proof course arranged to bridge the cavity 13 between outer brickwork skin 14 and inner brickwork skin 15 of the cavity wall construction adjacent the opening 16 for the window or door unit.

As shown in Figure 3, the sealed window or door unit 17 conveniently located on the shoulder 11 and locating surface 10 proximate free end 9 of the folded damp proofing element. Further sealing means may be employed to improve the damp proofing, such as for example mastic sealant beads 18 and plastics cover strip 19. The uppermost transversely running edge of the window/door may be sealed by an element of relatively thinner section secured to the supporting lintel by silicone, for example.

The damp proofing element 1 may be provided with a looped projection 20 extending outwardly from a folded sidewall (2c) arranged to encompass a wall tie 22 extending between oter wall skin 14 and inner wall skin 15. This provides an additional means of securing and locating the the damp proofing element 1 in place.

The invention provides a convenient means of constructing a damp proofing element in a form which may either be assembled prior to sale or on site and in which internal insulating materials can be easily incorporated.

Furthermore, the configuration and dimensions of the damp proof-ing element can easily be altered for manufacturing purposes, by simply altering the relative spacing of the longitudinally running fold or hinge lines.

Claims (22)

Claims:

1. A damp proofing element for use in cavity wall structures, the element comprising an elongate walled element having a plurality of sidewalls disposed about an internal substantially enclosed zone, the walled element being formed from an elongate strip or sheet provided with longitudinally extending fold or hinge lines, the strip or sheet being folded along the fold or hinge lines so as to form the walled element.

2. An element according to claim 1, shaped and dimensioned to be positioned between outer and inner skins of a cavity wall structure adjacent the opening for a door or window installation.

3. An element according to claim 1 or 2, which is arranged to run substantially vertically to provide a vertical damp proof course.

4. An element according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sidewalls of the walled element are folded to provide a substantially box-like construction.

5. An element according to claim 4, wherein the box like construction defines a substantially square or rectangular substantially enclosed zone.

6. An element according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the internal substantially enclosed zone is arranged to contain insulating material.

7. An element according to claim 6, wherein the insulating material is positioned in place on the sheet or strip prior to folding the sheet or strip along the fold or hinge lines.

8. An element according to any preceding claim, including securing means arranged to secure the element with the sidewalls in the folded configuration.

9. An element according to claim 8, wherein the securing means comprises engagement formations carried by respective spaced portions of the sheet or strip and arranged to engage with one another complementarily so as to secure the element in the folded configuration.

10. An element according to claim 9, wherein the engagement formations comprise engagable male and female engagement formations.

11. An element according to claims 8 or 9, wherein the engagement formations are provided proximate longitudinally running free edges of the sheet or strip such that, when folded, they are arranged to mate.

12. An element according to any preceding claim, which comprises a plastics material.

13. An element according to any preceding claim, wherein the fold or hinge lines are defined by score lines, slots or slits.

14. An element according to any preceding claim, wherein external surface portions of the strip or sheet include gripping formations projecting from the surface.

15. An element according to any preceding claim, which includes a projection extending outwardly from a respective sidewall, arranged to encompass a respective wall tie extending between the outer and inner skins of the cavity wall.

16. An element according to any preceding claim, wherein in the folded configuration, a locating rib is provided projecting outwardly from a respective sidewall.

17. An element according to claim 16, wherein a locating shoulder is provided adjacent the locating rib extending transversely thereto.

18. An element according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the locating rib and/or the locating shoulder includes clip fixing formations arranged to co-operate with complementary fixing formations provided on a respective edge of the window or door unit.

19. An elongate strip or sheet provided with longitudinally extending fold or hinge lines, the strip or sheet being foldable along the fold or hinge lines to form a damp proofing element for use in cavity wall structures, the element comprising an elongate walled element having a plurality of sidewalls disposed about an internal substantially enclosed zone, the sidewalls being defined by respective fold or hinge lines.

20. A method of forming a damp proofing element, the method comprising obtaining an elongate sheet or strip provided with longitudinally running fold or hinge lines and folding the sheet or strip about the fold or hinge lines to form an elongate walled element having a plurality of sidewalls disposed about an internal substantially enclosed zone, the sidewalls being defined by respective fold or hinge lines.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein the sheet or strip is folded about insulating material.

22. A damp proofing element substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.