GB2345938A

GB2345938A - Bead assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2345938A
Application number: GB0001247A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Anthony Galvin
Original assignee: ASL WINTUN Ltd
Current assignee: ASL WINTUN Ltd
Priority date: 1999-01-22
Filing date: 2000-01-21
Publication date: 2000-07-26
Also published as: GB9901321D0; GB0001247D0; IE20000053A1

Abstract

A bead assembly includes at least one mounting means (16) and a bead (18). The mounting means (16) are mounted on a window frame (12) which contains a glazed unit (14). The bead (18) is adapted to be coupled to the mounting means (16), on the frame (12), to provide a sealing engagement with the glazed unit (14). An air passageway is defined between the mounting means (16) and the bead (18) through which air can circulate under the bead (18). In one embodiment the mounting means (16) are plastic blocks. In another embodiment the mounting blocks (16) include two retaining elements (39,40), which engage lips (58,59) of engaging arms (54,56) of the bead (18) in a snap-fit arrangement. In further embodiments the assembly includes a deformable rubber seal (20) mounted on the bead (18) for sealing it to the surface of an outer window pane (15) of the glazed unit (14)

Description

BEAD ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a bead assembly for a glazed unit. Particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a bead assembly which includes a bead for mounting to a glazed unit of a window, door or the like in a snap-fit arrangement.

Window assemblies, door assemblies and the like mounted in external walls comprise a glazed unit which includes a window, door or the like, and a frame in which the window, door or the like is mounted, and frequently have a bead assembly comprising an elongate bead mounted on the glazed unit to seal the glazed unit, and to shed water from the surface. Presently known beads are typically solid, having an upper surface which is curved or sloped in cross-section, to shed water from the glass of the window or door glazed unit on to the bead.

However, such known beads suffer from the disadvantage that water often becomes trapped beneath the bead and can cause damage to the window, door or the like, or the frame, particularly where the window, door or the like, or the frame is wooden. Furthermore, presently known beads can be difficult to mount on a glazed unit, having to be manoeuvred in multiple directions to obtain a sufficient seal.

It is amongst the objects of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one of the foregoing disadvantages.

This is achieved by providing a bead assembly which defines air passageways to allow air to circulate under the bead to aid the evaporation of moisture, and by providing supports for receiving the bead assembly.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bead assembly for mounting to a frame which has a glazed unit mounted in the frame, the bead assembly comprising: at least one mounting means adapted to be mounted to the frame; and a bead adapted to be coupled to the mounting means to provide sealing engagement with the glazed unit, wherein the bead and the mounting means define an air passageway to allow air to circulate under the bead.

Preferably, the glazed unit is a window.

Alternatively, the glazed unit is a door.

Preferably the frame is wood. Alternatively, the frame is of a plastics material such as poly-vinyl chloride, or of a metal material such as aluminium. The mounting means may be mounted to the frame via a screw.

Alternatively, the mounting means may be mounted to the frame via a nut and bolt arrangement, a rivet, an adhesive, or any other suitable fastening means.

Alternatively, the mounting means may be formed integrally with the frame.

Conveniently, the mounting means comprises a mounting block. Preferably, the mounting block is of a plastics material. Conveniently, the mounting block is moulded. Alternatively, the mounting block may be extruded and the mounting block may then be drilled to create a mounting hole for mounting the mounting block to the frame. In a further alternative, the mounting block may be of a metal or any other suitable material.

Preferably the or each mounting block includes two sets of spaced resilient engaging means provided by arms defining respective spaced engaging channels, wherein each set of engaging arms are adapted to engage respective projecting lips of the bead to retain a portion of the bead within the channel.

Alternatively, the or each mounting block includes one resilient engaging means provided by arms defining an engaging channel, wherein the set of engaging arms is adapted to engage a respective projecting lip of the bead to retain a portion of the bead within the channel. In a further alternative the block may have more than two sets of resilient engaging arms. In yet a further alternative, each mounting block includes two sets of spaced engaging means, each provided by a single resilient arm and an opposed engaging surface which together define respective spaced engaging channels, wherein each engaging arm is adapted to engage respective projecting lips of the bead to retain a portion of the bead within the channel.

Conveniently, in the plastics mounting block, the engaging arms are inclined and are of a resilient elastomeric material so that they are deformable to deflect from a rest position during mounting of the bead to the block, and return to the rest position when the projecting lip of the bead is located within the channel, to provide a snap-fit engagement with the bead.

Preferably the block further comprises a spacer for mounting the block on the frame at a predetermined distance from the glazed unit.

Conveniently, the bead is an extruded aluminium moulding having a convex upper outer surface.

Alternatively, the bead may be a flat moulding which, in use, slopes away from the glazed unit. In a further alternative, the bead may be an extruded plastics moulding. Preferably, the portion of the bead is an arm with the lip which is retained by the engaging arms of the block to provide the snap-fit engagement.

Preferably the bead assembly further comprises a resilient seal which is mountable to the bead. The seal may be mountable in a snap-fit engagement with the bead.

Alternatively, the seal may be mountable in a sliding engagement with the bead. Conveniently, the bead assembly has further first and second seal mounting arms which define a seal receiving channel for receiving the resilient seal.

The resilient seal deforms from a first rest position to a second engaged position when the bead is mounted to the block to seal the bead to the glazed unit.

Preferably the bead assembly comprises four mounting blocks spaced along the frame, such that when the bead is mounted to the blocks, air circulates beneath the bead between the blocks and around the glazed unit.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a glazed unit of a window in a window frame, with a bead assembly mounted on the window frame and sealed to the glazed unit; Fig. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the bead assembly of Fig. 1 drawn to an enlarged scale, and with a seal of the bead assembly uncompressed; and Fig. 3 is a cut-away perspective and part exploded view of the glazed unit and the bead assembly of Fig. 1, taken from the outside of a window.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1, there is shown a bead assembly indicated generally by reference numeral 10 which is mounted to the sloping bottom surface 11 of a window frame 12 and sealed to a double glazed unit 14 of a window. The glazed unit 14 is mounted to the frame 12 via a mounting strip 13, which provides a flat base for the glazed unit 14.

The bead assembly 10 comprises four moulded plastics mounting blocks 16 (one of which is shown in Fig. 1), an extruded elongate aluminium bead 18 and an elongate deformable rubber seal 20. The double glazed unit 14 comprises first and second spaced glass window panes 15 and 17 shown more clearly in Fig. 3 and described below.

Each mounting block 16 is approximately lOmm high, 20mm deep and 20mm wide. In a typical window having a frame 914mm wide, the four blocks are mounted at spaced intervals along the bottom of the window frame 12. The seal 20 is mounted to the bead 18 and the bead 18/seal 20 assembly is coupled to the mounting blocks 16 as shown in Fig. 1, such that the seal engages the window pane 15 of the glazed unit 14.

There follows a more detailed description of the bead assembly 10 and the method of assembling the bead assembly. For the purposes of clarity, the description refers only to one mounting block 16. However, it will be understood that this applies equally to the four mounting blocks which are provided. Referring now to Fig. 2, the bead 18 is shown mounted to one of the mounting blocks 16, with seal 20 mounted to the bead 18.

In Fig. 2, the bead assembly 10 is shown in a position where the mounting block 16 is not mounted to the window frame 12.

The mounting block 16 has a flat, angled base 30 which sits upon the sloping bottom surface 11 of the window frame 12. The mounting block 16 has a mounting hole 32 passing through the base 30, which enables the block 16 to be mounted to the frame 12 using a screw (not shown in the interests of clarity). The block 16 also includes a spacer 34 which projects from the rear face 36 of the block 16. The spacer 34 has a surface 38 which, when the block 16 is mounted to the frame 12 as shown in Fig. 1, abuts the glazed unit 14, to ensure that the block 16 is mounted to the frame 12 at a predetermined distance from the first window pane 15. This ensures that the bead assembly 10 is properly sealed to the glazed unit 14 as will be described below.

The mounting block 16 also has two retaining elements indicated generally by reference numerals 39 and 40. Each of the elements 39 and 40 have upper arms 42 and lower arms 44 which define short engaging channels 46. The upper arms 42 have resilient arm portions 48, and the lower arms 44 have resilient arm portions 50, which incline away from the arms 42 and 44, and which together define passageways 52 which provide an entrance to the engaging channels 46, through which first and second engaging arms 54 and 56 respectively of the bead 18 pass, to latch the bead 18 in the mounting block 16, as will be described in more detail below.

The bead 18 has an upper surface 24 and a drip edge 26 for shedding water from the bead 18. The engaging arms 54 and 56 have shaped lips 58 and 59 respectively, which are wider than the passageways 52 defined by the upper arm portions 48 and the lower arm portions 50 of the retaining elements 39 and 40.

In use, the bead 18 is mounted to the mounting block 16 by first locating engaging arms 54 and 56 adjacent to the passageways 52 and then pushing the bead 18 in the direction indicated by arrow A. The lips 58,59 cause the resilient upper arm portions 48 and the resilient lower arm portions 50 of the retaining elements 39 and 40 to deform by bending about the ends 60 and 62 respectively of upper arms 42 and lower arms 44. When the shaped lips 58 and 59 of engaging arms 54 and 56 pass into the engaging channels 46 of the elements 39 and 40, the resilient arm portions 48 and 50 return to their rest position shown in Fig. 2, providing the'snap-fit' engagement of the bead 18 with the mounting block 16. In the position shown in Fig. 2, the engaging faces 64 and 65 of lips 58 and 59 respectively abut the resilient upper arm portions 48 of the upper arms 42 to retain the bead 18 in position on the mounting block 16.

The bead 18 also has a seal receiving channel 66, defined by an upper arm 68 and a lower arm 70. The upper arm 68 has an arm portion 74 and the lower arm 70 has an arm portion 78, which together define a passageway 75, which provides an entrance to the channel 66, through which a portion of the seal 20 may pass, to retain the seal 20 in the bead 18. The upper arm portion 74 has a bevelled edge 76 to facilitate mounting of the seal 20 in channel 66, as will be described in more detail below.

As seen in Fig. 1, the seal 20 seals the bead 18 to the surface 22 of window pane 15 of the glazed unit 14.

In this way, water falling on the surface 22 of the window pane 15 runs from the surface 22 on to seal 20, from where it is displaced onto the upper surface 24 of the bead 18. The water then runs along the surface 24 before falling from the bead 18 at drip edge 26. The bead 18 and the top surface 11 of frame 12 together define a cavity 28 beneath the surface 24 of the bead 18 between the mounting blocks 16, which permits air to circulate underneath the bead 18 between the mounting blocks 16, to aid the evaporation of any moisture trapped beneath the bead 18 and the glazed unit 14, thus minimising damage to the window or the window frame.

The extruded rubber seal 20 comprises first and second sealing arms 80 and 82 respectively, spacer 84 and seal retaining lug 86. When the bead 18 is mounted to the mounting block 16, sealing between the window pane 15 and the bead 18 is provided by the first and second sealing arms 80 and 82 acting against the window pane 15, by deforming from the rest position of Fig. 2, to the engaged position of Fig. 1, due to the resilient biasing of the arms 80 and 82 towards their rest position. To facilitate this sealing engagement, the first sealing arm 80 is shaped to create a small gap 88 between the arm 80 of seal 20 and the upper arm 68 of the seal receiving channel 66 when the seal 20 is in the rest position. The seal 20 is also shaped to include an elongate groove 90, which is generally semi-circular in cross-section, at the end of the root of sealing arm 82 and the seal body.

The cavity 88 and the groove 90 allow the arms 80 and 82 to readily deform to the position shown in Fig. 1.

The seal retaining lug 86 has upper and lower arms 94 and 96 which between them define a channel 98. The seal 20 is mounted to the bead 18 by locating the retaining lug 86 adjacent to the passageway 75, and pushing the seal in the direction of arrow B. The arms 94 and 96 deform inwardly, closing channel 98. When the retaining lug 86 has entered the channel 66, the arms 94 and 96 spring outwardly to engage arm portions 74 and 78.

The spacer 84, in a similar way to the spacer 34 of mounting block 16, ensures that the seal is mounted at a predetermined distance from the glazed unit 14.

Referring to Fig. 3, there now follows a description of the method of assembling the bead assembly 10. The window frame 12 is mounted to the sill 102 of an external wall 104 in a known way. Four mounting blocks 16 (two of which are shown in Fig. 3) are provided spaced along the frame 12 and mounted to the sloping surface 11 of the frame 12 via mounting screws (not shown) in mounting holes 32 of the blocks 16.

The rear or inner window pane 17 of the glazed unit 14 is sealed via a wooden bead 106, which is nailed to the frame 12. The seal 20 of the assembly 10 is first mounted to the bead 18 as described above with reference to Fig. 2. Following this, the bead 18/seal 20 assembly is mounted to the mounting blocks 16 by pushing the bead 18/seal 20 assembly in the direction of arrow A, as described above. Arms 54 and 56 snap-fit into the retaining elements 39 and 40 of the mounting block 16.

The seal 20 is deformed to the position shown in Fig. 1 to provide sealing between the bead 18 and the surface 22 of window pane 15 of the glazed unit 14.

The bead assembly 10 allows quick and easy fitting of the bead 18 in a snap-fit arrangement, and permits air to circulate beneath the bead 18 between the mounting blocks 16, to aid evaporation of any moisture trapped beneath the bead 18, and therefore prevents damage to the frame 12 and the glazed unit 14.

Various modifications may be made to the above described embodiments within the scope of the present invention. For example, the mounting blocks 16 may be formed integrally with the frame 12, by providing an injection moulded plastics frame, or a cast metal frame incorporating the required number of mounting blocks.

The mounting block may include only one bead retaining element, or may include more than two bead retaining elements if desired, depending upon the relative dimensions of the frame, the glazed unit and the bead, and the particular weather conditions anticipated.

The bead retaining element of the mounting block may comprise a single arm having a resilient arm portion and a flat engaging surface formed on the mounting block adjacent to the arm, which together define an engaging channel to latch the bead to the mounting block. The mounting block may be mounted to the frame using a nut and bolt, rivet, adhesive, or any other suitable fastening means. Any suitable number of mounting blocks may be provided, depending upon the width of the door or window assembly to which the bead assembly is to be mounted.

The bead may alternatively have a flat top surface which slopes away from the glazed unit. Where the mounting block includes only one bead retaining element, or alternatively more than two bead retaining elements, the bead may appropriately include only one, or more than two engaging arms for engaging the mounting block. The mounting block may be of a metal such as aluminium. The bead may be a plastics material such as polyvinylchloride. Alternatively, the mounting block and/or the bead may be of a composite material such as a glass fibre/resin material. The mounting block may be extruded, and a mounting hole subsequently drilled through the mounting block for mounting the block to the frame using the screw, rivet, nut and bolt arrangement or the like.

The seal of the bead assembly may have only one sealing arm for sealing the bead assembly to the glazed unit. Alternatively, the seal may have more than two sealing arms. The seal may be mounted to the bead by inserting the seal at one end and sliding the seal along the bead.

The rear or inner window pane bead may be provided integrally with the window frame.

The bead assembly may equally be utilised with a door, a french window or the like.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A bead assembly for mounting to a frame which has a glazed unit mounted in the frame, the bead assembly comprising: at least one mounting means adapted to be mounted to the frame; and a bead adapted to be coupled to the mounting means to provide sealing engagement with the glazed unit, wherein the bead and the mounting means define an air passageway to allow air to circulate under the bead.
2. A bead assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glazed unit is a window.
3. A bead assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the frame is wood.
4. A bead assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the frame is of a plastics material.
5. A bead assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mounting means is mounted to the frame via a screw.
6. A bead assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mounting means is mounted to the frame via a nut and bolt arrangement, a rivet, an adhesive, or any other suitable fastening means.
7. A bead assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mounting means is formed integrally with the frame.
8. A bead assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mounting means comprises a mounting block.
9. A bead assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the mounting block is of a plastics material.
10. A bead assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mounting block is moulded.
11. A bead assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mounting block is extruded and the mounting block is then drilled to create a mounting hole for mounting the mounting block to the frame.
12. A bead assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the mounting block is of a metal or any other suitable material.
13. A bead assembly as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the or each mounting block includes two sets of spaced resilient engaging means provided by arms defining respective spaced engaging channels, wherein each set of engaging arms are adapted to engage respective projecting lips of the bead to retain a portion of the bead within the channel.
14. A bead assembly as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the or each mounting block includes one resilient engaging means provided by arms defining an engaging channel, wherein the set of engaging arms is adapted to engage a respective projecting lip of the bead to retain a portion of the bead within the channel.
15. A bead assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the block has more than two sets of resilient engaging arms.
16. A bead assembly as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein each mounting block includes two sets of spaced engaging means, each provided by a single resilient arm and an opposed engaging surface which together define respective spaced engaging channels, wherein each engaging arm is adapted to engage respective projecting lips of the bead to retain a portion of the bead within the channel.
17. A bead assembly as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the mounting block is of a plastics material, and the engaging arms are inclined and are of a resilient elastomeric material so that they are deformable to deflect from a rest position during mounting of the bead to the block, and return to the rest position when the projecting lip of the bead is located within the channel, to provide a snap-fit engagement with the bead.
18. A bead assembly as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 17, wherein the block further comprises a spacer for mounting the block on the frame at a predetermined distance from the glazed unit.
19. A bead assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bead is an extruded aluminium moulding having a convex upper outer surface.
20. A bead assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the bead is a flat moulding which, in use, slopes away from the glazed unit.
21. A bead assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18, or claim 20, wherein the bead is an extruded plastics moulding.
22. A bead assembly as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the portion of the bead is an arm with the lip which is retained by the engaging arms of the block to provide the snap-fit engagement.
23. A bead assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bead assembly further comprises a resilient seal which is mountable to the bead.
24. A bead assembly as claimed in claim 23, wherein the seal is mountable in a snap-fit engagement with the bead.
25. A bead assembly as claimed in claim 23, wherein the seal is mountable in a sliding engagement with the bead.
26. A bead assembly as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 25, wherein the bead assembly has further first and second seal mounting arms which define a seal receiving channel for receiving the resilient seal.
27. A bead assembly as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 26, when dependent upon any one of claims 8 to 18, wherein the resilient seal deforms from a first rest position to a second engaged position when the bead is mounted to the block to seal the bead to the glazed unit.
28. A bead assembly as claimed in claim 8, or any one of claims 9 to 27 when dependent upon claim 8, wherein the bead assembly comprises four mounting blocks spaced along the frame, such that when the bead is mounted to the blocks, air circulates beneath the bead between the blocks and around the glazed unit.
29. A bead assembly substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
30. A bead assembly substantially as hereinbefore described.