GB2403960A

GB2403960A - Thermal insulation for window aperture

Info

Publication number: GB2403960A
Application number: GB0316610A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John E S Glover
Original assignee: Thermabate Ltd
Current assignee: Thermabate Ltd
Priority date: 2003-07-16
Filing date: 2003-07-16
Publication date: 2005-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 2023-07-16
Also published as: GB2403960B; GB0316610D0

Abstract

A system for thermally insulating the periphery of a window aperture 2 by fitting thermal insulation 4 to a cavity closure 1, preferably made from masonry. The insulation is fitted on the face of the cavity closure directed towards the aperture 2. Preferably the thermal insulation is of rectangular cross section, where the longest side 15a is equivalent in length to the width of the wall cavity 14. The thermal insulation 4 may comprise a rigid outer casing 15 made of plastic, with a thermally insulating inner core 16 within the casing. The casing 15 may have an aperture (20, Fig 2) through which the insulating inner core 16 may be fitted during construction.

Description

System for thermally Insulating o window The invention relates to cavity

wall insulation, for use particularly, but not exclusively with a window.

The cavity in a cavity wall prevents cold passing from a masonry outer leaf to a masonry inner leaf. However, the cavity is closed with masonry around windows, and as a result a so-called 'cold bridge" can form in the area around the window. Such bridging can result in condensation and mould forming around the window.

This problem can be overcome by closing the cavity with insulation instead of masonry during construction. However, when a window is fitted to an existing cavity wall construction it is a time consuming and awkward task to remove any masonry in the cavity around the opening in the wall and install the insulation.

The present invention is intended to overcome some of the above problems.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a system for thermally insulating a cavity closure which extends around an aperture provided in a cavity wall, comprises thermal insulation means fitted to the aperture facing surface of the cavity closure, or to any non-insulative material fitted thereon.

The system is preferably used to provide insulation around windows, in which the cavity closure comprises masonry extending from the inner leaf of the cavity wall, and in which the window frame is fitted to the outer leaf of the cavity wall.

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With this arrangement thermal bridging can occur from the outer leaf to the aperture facing surface of the cavity closure. The thermal insulation means is preferably adapted to contain such thermal bridging.

In a preferred construction the thermal insulation means comprises a substantially rigid outer casing provided with thermally insulative core provided inside it. The outer casing may be constructed from an extruded plastics material, and the thermal insulative core can be constructed from any of the many known foam materials used in the building trade to insulate cavity walls.

The outer casing can be provided with a substantially rectangular crosssection, in which the longer sides of the rectangle are attached to the aperture facing surface of the cavity closure, or any non-insulative material fitted thereon. Further, the outer casing can be formed into the shape of the aperture, to form a frame of insulation material.

Preferably the longer sides of the outer casing can be substantially the same length as the depth of the cavity in the cavity wall, such that when one shorter side of the casing is fitted up against the inside of a window frame fitted to the outer leaf, the outer casing extends across the length of the cavity closure.

In a preferred construction the thermal insulation means can be provided in elongate strips which can be cut to fit the sides of the aperture.

Any suitable means can be provided to attach the outer casing to the cavity closure, or any non-insulative material fitted thereon, for example plaster.

À . À ece À e. :: Be Be: c:: ::À: À À À À The invention also includes thermal insulation means for use in a system for thermally insulating a cavity closure which extends around an aperture provided in a cavity wall, in which the thermal insulation means is fitted to the aperture facing surface of the cavity closure, or to any non- insulative material fitted thereon, on the interior side of the wall.

The invention can be performed in various ways, but two embodiments will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional end view of thermal insulation means according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a crosssectional end view of another thermal insulation means according to the present invention; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional top view of a section of a system for insulating a window according to the present invention.

In Figure 3 a system for thermally insulating a cavity closure 1 which extends around an aperture 2 provided in a cavity wall 3, comprises thermal insulation means 4 fitted to the aperture facing surface 5 of a non-insulative material in the form of plastering 6 fitted on the cavity closure 1.

A window 7 comprising a frame 8, a pane 9, an interior sill 10 and an exterior sill 1 1, is fitted into the aperture 2.

The cavity wall 3 comprises an outer leaf 12 and an inner leaf 13, with a cavity 14 disposed in between. The cavity closure 1 extends from the inner leaf 13, and is joined to the outer leaf 12.

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As shown clearly in Figure 1 the thermal insulation means 4 comprises an outer casing 15 and an inner core 16. The outer casing 15 is constructed from a rigid plastics material, and the inner core 16 is constructed from an insulation foam. The outer casing 15 is provided with a rectangular cross- section, and is 1 4mm by 60mm in size. The rectangle has longer sides 1 5a and shorter sides 1 5b.

In use a longer side 1 5a of the outer casing 15 is attached to the aperture facing surface 5 of the plastering 6 fitted on the cavity closure 1, and a shorter side 1 5b is attached to the inside of the window frame 8.

A frame of insulation material is formed all around the window, and in Figure 3 the bottom 4a of the frame is visible.

As is clear from Figure 3 the longer sides 1 5a of the casing 15 are substantially the same length as the depth of the cavity 14. Therefore, when the thermal insulation means 4 is positioned as shown in Figure 3, it extends across the length of the cavity closure 1.

When the temperature on the exterior face of the wall 3 is lower than on the interior face of the wall a cold bridge can form across the cavity closure 1. The cold extends from the outer leaf 12, and spreads to the aperture facing surface 5 of the plastering 6.

However, the thermal insulation means 4 prevents the cold outside the window 7 breaching the wall 3 and causing condensation or other problems.

Figure 2 shows an alternative construction of the thermal insulating means 17. The outer casing 18 does not extend around the whole of the core À:: he. . :: ce. me À À À be. ace À 19, and an aperture 20 is provided on one side 21. This arrangement allows for more ready disposal of the core material 19 inside the casing 18 during construction. Functionally, the thermal insulating means 17 works in the same way as thermal insulating means 4 as shown in Figure 1.

The thermal insulating means 4 or 17 can be fitted during fitting of a new window to an existing wall, or it can be fitted during construction of the whole wall.

Thus, an insulation system is provided which is easily fitted to an aperture in a wall, and prevents the need to remove a cavity closure construction from around an aperture in an existing wall during fitting of a new window.

Claims

e ce. I;: i:e Claims 1. A system for thermally insulating a cavity closure

which extends around an aperture provided in a cavity wall, comprises thermal insulation means fitted to the aperture facing surface of the cavity closure, or to any non- insulative material fitted thereon.
2. A system for thermally insulating a cavity closure as claimed in Claim 1 in which the cavity wall comprises an outer leaf and an inner leaf, and in which a window is fitted to the outer leaf, and the cavity closure comprises masonry extending from the inner leaf to the outer leaf, such that the aperture facing surface of the cavity closure, or to any noninsulative material fitted thereon, is disposed on the interior side of the window.
3. A system for thermally insulating a cavity closure as claimed in Claim 2 in which the thermal insulation means is an elongate body adapted to extend around the whole window, and which is provided with a substantially rectangular cross-section.
4. A system for thermally insulating a cavity closure as claimed in Claim 3 in which a longer side of the cross-sectional shape of the thermal insulation means is substantially the same length as the depth of a cavity in the cavity wall, such that when a shorter side of the cross- sectional shape of the thermal insulation means is in contact with the inside of the window, the thermal insulation means extends across the length of the cavity closure.
5. A system for thermally insulating a cavity closure as claimed in any of the preceding Claims in which the thermal insulating means comprises a substantially rigid outer casing and a thermally insulative inner core provided inside the outer casing.

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6. A system for thermally insulating a cavity closure as claimed in Claim 3 in which the outer casing is constructed from a plastics material.
7. A system for thermally insulating a cavity closure as claimed in Claim 4 in which the thermal insulation means is provided in elongate strips which can be cut to fit the aperture facing surfaces of the cavity closure, or to any non- insulative material fitted thereon.
8. A system for thermally insulating a cavity closure as claimed in any of Claim 3 to 5 in which the outer casing is provided with an aperture in one longer side, through which the inner core can be fitted during construction.
9. A system for thermally insulating a cavity closure substantially as described herein and as shown in Figure 3.
10. Thermal insulation means substantially as described herein and as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

10. Thermal insulation means for use in a system for thermally insulating a cavity closure which extends around an aperture provided in a cavity wall, in which the thermal insulation means is fitted to the aperture facing surface of the cavity closure, or to any non-insulative material fitted thereon.

11. Thermal insulation means substantially as described herein and as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Amendments to the claims have been tiled as follows Claims 1. Apparatus for thermally insulating a masonry cavity closure which extends around a fixture aperture provided in a masonry cavity wail, comprises thermal insulation means fitted to the fixture facing surface of the masonry cavity closure, or to any non-insulative material fitted to the fixture facing surface of the masonry cavity closure.

2. Apparatus for thermally insulating a masonry cavity closure as claimed in Claim 1 in which the cavity wall comprises an outer leaf and an inner leaf, and in which a window is fitted to the outer leaf, and the masonry cavity closure comprises masonry extending from the inner leaf to the outer leaf, such that the fixture facing surface of the masonry cavity closure, or any non- insulative material fitted to the masonry cavity closure, is disposed on the interior side of the window.

3. Apparatus for thermally insulating a masonry cavity closure as claimed in Claim 2 in which the thermal insulation means is provided in elongate strips which can be cut to fit the sides of the fixture aperture, and in which the elongate strips are provided with a rectangular cross-section.

4. Apparatus for thermally insulating a masonry cavity closure as claimed in Claim 3 in which a longer side of the cross-sectional shape of the elongate strips is a similar length to the depth of the masonry cavity in the cavity wall, such that when a shorter side of the elongate strips is in contact with the inside of the window, the thermal insulation means extends a similar length to the masonry cavity closure.

5. Apparatus for thermally insulating a masonry cavity closure as claimed in any of the preceding Claims in which the thermal insulating means comprises a rigid outer casing and a thermally insulative inner core provided inside the outer casing.

6. Apparatus for thermally insulating a masonry cavity closure as claimed in Claim 5 in which the outer casing is constructed from a plastics material.

7. Apparatus for thermally insulating a masonry cavity closure as claimed in either Claim 5 or 6 in which the outer casing is provided with an aperture in one longer side, through which the inner core can be fitted during construction.

8. Apparatus for thermally insulating a masonry cavity closure substantially as described herein and as shown in Figure 3.

9. Thermal insulation means for use as apparatus for thermally insulating a masonry cavity closure which extends around a fixture aperture provided in a masonry cavity wall, in which the thermal insulation means is fitted to the fixture facing surface of the masonry cavity closure, or to any non-insulative material fitted to the masonry cavity closure.