GB2451586A

GB2451586A - Door with glazing clip

Info

Publication number: GB2451586A
Application number: GB0814162A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Lee Hughes
Original assignee: Epwin Group PLC
Current assignee: Epwin Group PLC
Priority date: 2007-08-02
Filing date: 2008-08-01
Publication date: 2009-02-04
Also published as: GB0814162D0; GB0715090D0

Abstract

A glazed door comprising a door slab 15 having a glazing aperture which houses a glazing panel 3 at least one glazing panel retaining member 6 and at least one glazing clip 20 between the door slab 15 and the glazing panel 3. The glazing clip 20 has a channel into which part of the edge of the door slab 15 is received and an abutment surface 30 extending away from the edge of the glazing aperture and at least partially overlapping a face of the glazing panel 3. The channel may be formed from the edges of the clip 24 26. A pin 28 may extend from the clip into the door slab. An intumescent material may be located between the retaining means and the door slab and/or the retaining means and the glazing panel (40 Figure 6).

Description

A Door The present invention relates to glazed doors and in particular, to securing a double-glazing panel within a door.

A conventional method of glazing doors, commonly known as "cassette glazing", involves the technique of securing a glazing panel within the glazing aperture of a door using a pair of opposed glazing beads. In such an arrangement the shape of the glazing panel is appropriately chosen to closely match, but be slightly smaller than, the shape of the glazing aperture within which it is placed. This deliberate size difference allows a substantially uniform gap to be formed between the entire edge of the glazing aperture and the facing edge of the glazing panel when in place.

In order to fix the pair of glazing beads together and thereby secure the glazing panel within the door, a series of glazing panel retaining means, in the form of lugs, are arranged upon each bead. The lugs each abut the local edge of the glazing panel to prevent motion thereof in the plane of the door (i.e. side-to-side) Typically, the beads are fixed together in this position by screws extending from each one of the lugs of one of the two beads and into the corresponding lugs of the other bead.

Thus, it will be appreciated that according to this technique, the provision of a deliberate gap between the edge of the door's glazing aperture and the facing edge of the glazing panel (when in place in that door) is necessary in order to allow the glazing beads to be fixed together from opposite sides of the door, and to thereby secure the glazing panel in place within the door.

In GB-A-2374377 we disclosed a glazed door in which the separation between the edge of the glazing aperture of the door slab and the adjacent facing edge of the glazing panel was reduced, as compared with the known arrangements, at those parts of the glazing panel edge other than those corresponding to the lug of the glazing beads. Recesses were provided in the edge of the glazing panel at the location of the location of those lugs, so that the recesses provided a greater separation between the edge of the glazing and the adjacent edge of the glazing aperture at the location of the lugs, with a reduced separation away from those lugs. This improved the security of the glazing panel by making it more difficult to prise the glazed panel from the door slab.

GB-A-2374377 also disclosed the provision of pegs which were held by the door slab (by penetrating into the door slab) and extend therefrom across a face of the glazing panel. Such pegs thus provided additional security, by preventing the glazing panel being pushed out of the glazing aperture past those pegs.

In a first aspect, the present invention is concerned with a modification of such pegs. At its most general, the first aspect of the present invention proposes that at least one glazing clip is provided between the door slab and the glazing. The edge of the door slab is received in a channel of the clip and has an abutment surface extending away from the edge of the glazing aperture, and at least partially overlapping a side face of the glazing panel. Thus, the glazing clip is held on the door slab and the abutment surface acts to retain the glazing panel in the glazing aperture by preventing the glazing panel from being forced past the clip.

The clip may be shaped so that the glazing panel is in permanent contact with the abutment surface. In such an arrangement no movement of the glazing panel in a direction towards the abutment surface is possible.

However, this is not essential and there could be a gap between the glazing panel and the abutment surface in the normal positions of those components. There may, for example, be intumescent material, or indeed other material, in that gap. In such an arrangement, the abutment surface acts to retain the glazing panel in the aperture because the abutment surface prevents movement of the glazing panel in a direction towards the abutment surface. In the latter case, the abutment surface acts to retain the glazing panel in the glazing aperture by placing a limit on the amount the glazing panel can move, since the glazing panel cannot be moved past a position in which it is in abutment with the abutment surface and the gap has been closed.

Thus, the first aspect of the present invention may provide a glazed door comprising a door slab having a glazing aperture formed therein which houses a glazing panel, at least one retaining means for retaining the glazing panel, and at least one security glazing clip between the door slab and the glazing panel, wherein said glazing clip has a channel into which part of the edge of the door slab at the glazing aperture is received and an abutment surface extending away from the edge of the glazing aperture and at least partially overlapping a face of the glazing panel.

It should be apparent that the face of the glazing panel overlapped by the glazing clip is a main face of the glazing panel, rather than an edge (i.e. minor face) of the panel. The face of the panel typically lies in the plane of the glazing aperture.

Preferably, the glazing clip has at least one projection extending into the material of the door slab, further to hold the clip in place on the edge of the glazing panel.

Moreover, it will be usual for a plurality of such clips to be provided around the glazing aperture.

Preferably, the first aspect of the invention is used in conjunction with the arrangements described in GB-A- 2374377, which the retaining means is in a recess in the edge of the glazing aperture.

In such a case, the first aspect of the present invention may provide a glazed door comprising a door slab having a glazing aperture formed therein which houses a glazing panel, wherein the edge of the glazing aperture has at least one recess therein which houses at least one retaining means for retaining the glazing panel, the periphery of the recess being spaced further from the edge of the glazing panel. than the edge of the glazing aperture adjacent the recess, and at least one security glazing clip between the door slab and the glazing panel, wherein said glazing clip has a channel into which part of the edge of the door slab at the glazing aperture is received, a projection extending into the door slab and an abutment surface extending away from the edge of the glazing aperture and at least partially overlapping a face of the glazing panel.

However, the first aspect of the present invention may be used in other arrangements in which a glazing panel is housed in a glazing aperture in a door slab, such as the conventional arrangement described previously.

Preferably, the channel of the or each clip is provided by side panels of the clip which abut outer faces of the door slab and are joined by a plate which abuts the edge of the door slab which faces the glazing panel.

The clip may have one or more further projections at least partially overlapping the opposite face of the glazing panel from the abutment surface. The one or more further projections may abut the opposite face of the glazing panel from the abutment surface, although there may be a space or other material located between the one or more further projections and the opposite face. In either case, the one or more further projections may act to prevent the glazing panel being pushed out past the one or more further projections in a similar manner to the abutment surface described above. The glazing panel may thus be retained between the abutment surface and the one or more further projections, with limited or no movement possible.

The one or more further projections may be resilient, so that the glazing panel can be pushed past it to position the glazing panel adjacent to the abutment surface, with the or each further projection then resiliently deforming to its original shape/position on the opposite face of the glazing panel from the abutment surface.

Preferably, the clip is made from a metal sheet folded to shape, with the abutment surface, projection into the door slab, and further projection(s) to abut the glazing panel being cut from it and folded to position.

Preferably, the at least one retaining means comprise one or more glazing beads. Typically, each glazing bead overlaps a portion of the door slab and a portion of the glazing panel on a side of the door. Thus, each glazing bead may bridge across (though not necessarily lie in) a gap between the edge of the door slab at the glazing aperture and a facing edge of the glazing panel, i.e. across a gap between opposing surfaces of the door slab and glazing panel. Each glazing bead typically contacts a respective face of the glazing panel and the door slab on a side of the door. Normally, a glazed door has two glazing beads which are provided on opposite sides of the door, although arrangments are possible with a glazing bead only on one side of the door.

The glazing beads may be joined via lugs as in GB-A- 2374377. As mentioned previously, such lugs may be positioned in recesses in the edge of the glazing aperture, but this is not essential to the invention.

Preferably the clip is made from a material providing the clip with strength and rigidity, whilst also allowing any clip tangs to be resiliently deforrnable, and allowing the clip to be shaped such that it straddles the edge of the door slab that faces the edge of the glazing panel within the glazing aperture. It is also desirable for the retaining means to be made of a fire resistant material, so that it can provide such strength and rigidity at high temperatures. The clip material may for example be of metal. Furthermore, it would be desirable if the material of the clip also provided the clip with good resistance to corrosion.

An intumescent material may be located between the retaining means and the door slab and/or the retaining means and the glazing panel. Where the at least one retaining means includes one or more glazing beads, intumescent material may be located between each glazing bead and the door slab and/or between each glazing bead and the glazing panel. Intumescent material may be located in the recesses described above.

Intumescent material may alternatively, or in addition, be located between the abutment surface and the glazing panel, i.e. such that the abutment surface is not in abutment with the glazing panel. Nonetheless, the abutment surface is still able to act to retain the glazing panel in the glazing aperture by placing a limit on the amount the glazing panel can move, since the glazing panel cannot be moved past a position in which it is in abutment with the abutment surface if it is moved in a direction towards the abutment surface.

Intumescent material may equally be located between the one or more further projections and the glazing panel.

The first aspect of the present invention also provides a kit of parts for making a glazed door, the kit comprising: a glazing panel; a door slab having a glazing aperture formed therein for housing said glazing panel; at least one retaining means for retaining the glazing panel within the glazing aperture when housed therein; and at least one glazing clip positionable between the door slab and the glazing panel, the glazing clip having a channel into which a part of the edge of the glazing aperture is receivable, and an abutment surface extending in a direction opposite to the direction out of the mouth of the channel, the length of such extension of the abutment surface being greater than the separation of the door slab and glazing panel when the glazing panel is inserted in the door of the glazing aperture.

Furthermore, the first aspect of the present invention provides a method of glazing a door comprising the steps of: positioning glazing beading on one side of a door slab so as to cover an edge of a glazing aperture formed therein and such that one or more lugs of the glazing beading extend into the glazing aperture; positioning a glazing clip on the door slab, with an edge of the door slab being received in a channel of the glazing clip; positioning a glazing panel within the glazing aperture such that the glazing beading covers an edge of the glazing panel on one side thereof and such that the lugs of the glazing beading abut an edge of the glazing panel, the glazing panel abutting against at least part of an abutment surface of the glazing clip which extends away from the edge of the glazing aperture; and positioning additional glazing beading on the other side of the door slab so as to cover an edge of the glazing aperture, such that one or more lugs of the additional glazing beading abut an edge of the glazing panel.

In a second aspect, the present invention is concerned with improving the fire resistance of a glazed door by locating an intumescent material between a retaining means and the glazing panel and/or the retaining means and the door slab of a glazed door.

Thus, the second aspect of the present invention may provide a glazed door comprising a door slab having a glazing aperture formed therein which houses a glazing panel; at least one retaining means for retaining the glazing panel, the retaining means overlapping a portion of the door slab and a portion of the glazing panel on a side of the door; at least one auxiliary retaining means mounted on an edge of the door slab at the glazing aperture and having an abutment surface extending away from the edge of the glazing aperture and at least partially overlapping a face of the glazing panel on the same side of the door as the retaining means; and an intumescent material located between the retaining means and the glazing panel and/or between the retaining means and the door slab.

An intumescent material is a material which expands in size when exposed to heat. Therefore, by locating an intumescent material between the retaining means and the glazing panel and/or door slab, the intumescent material can expand to fill any space(s) between, i.e. bounded by, the retaining means and the glazing panel and/or door slab when the glazed door is exposed to fire. Thus, the expanded intumescent material can inhibit the passage of heat through said space(s) . The intumescent material is preferably fire/heat resistant.

Note that although the intumescent material could be in a location directly between the retaining means and the glazing panel or in a location directly between the retaining means and the door slab, the intumescent material could equally be positioned intermediate (i.e. between) these locations.

By at least partially overlapping a face of the glazing panel, the abutment surface of the auxiliary retaining means acts to retain the glazing panel in the glazing aperture by preventing the glazing panel from being pushed out of the glazing aperture past the abutment surface.

The abutment surface of the auxiliary retaining means may be permanently in abutment, i.e. direct contact, with the glazing panel. However, in the normal position of these components, there may be a gap between the abutment surface and the glazing panel, so that there is a space or material (e.g. the intumescent material) located between the abutment surface and the glazing panel. In the former case, the abutment surface acts to retain the glazing panel in the aperture because the abutment surface prevents movement of the glazing panel in a direction towards the abutment surface. In the latter case, the abutment surface acts to retain the glazing panel in the glazing aperture by placing a limit on the amount the glazing panel can move, since the glazing panel cannot be moved past a position in which it is in abutment with the abutment surface, and the gap has been closed.

The inventor has found that when the abutment surface of the glazing clip at least partially overlaps the glazing panel and the intumescent material is present, the fire resistance of the door can be significantly improved compared with when the auxiliary retaining means is absent or the abutment surface of the auxiliary retaining means does not at least partially overlap the glazing panel.

In particular, the inventor has found that when an inturriescent material is used without the auxiliary retaining means, high temperatures can cause the intumescent material to become brittle and/or the retaining means (e.g. glazing beads) to melt, in which case the intumescent material and/or the retaining means may not able to retain the glazing panel in the glazing aperture. The auxiliary retaining means was found to improve the retention of the glazing panel at high temperatures, thus helping to prevent fire spreading from one side of the door to the other.

The intumescent material may include graphite, sodium silicate, ammonium phosphate and any other suitable intumescent material. The intumescent material is preferably fire resistant. The intumescent material may be provided in any suitable form, e.g. as an intumescent member or an intumescent resin. Preferably, the intumescent material is an intumescent putty, as intumescent putty has been found to be easy to apply when making a glazed door, e.g. using a putty gun.

The auxiliary retaining means may be, for example, the glazing clip described in connection with the first aspect of this invention. Thus, the auxiliary retaining means may be a clip having a channel into which part of the edge of the door slab at the glazing aperture is received. As another example, the auxiliary retaining means may be a peg as described in GB-A-2374377, which is mountable on a door slab by inserting a portion of the peg into the material of the door slab.

The auxiliary retaining means may include at least one projection extending into the material of the door slab, further to hold the auxiliary retaining means in place on the edge of the glazing panel.

A plurality of the auxiliary retaining means may be provided around the glazing aperture.

The second aspect of the invention may be used in conjuction with the arrangements described in GB-A- 2374377, where the retaining means is in a recess in the edge of the glazing aperture. In such a case, the edge of the glazing aperture may have at least one recess therein which houses the at least one retaining means, the periphery of the at least one recess being spaced further from the edges of the glazing panel than the edge of the glazing aperture adjacent the recess.

However, the second aspect of the invention may be used in other arrangements in which a glazing panel is housed in a glazing aperture in a door slab, such as the conventional arrangement described previously.

The auxiliary retaining means may have one or more further projections at least partially overlapping the opposite face of the glazing panel from the abutment surface. The one or more further projections may abut the opposite face of the glazing panel from the abutment surface, although there may be a space or intumescent material located between the one or more further projections and the opposite face. In either case, the one or more further projections may act to prevent the glazing panel being pushed out past the one or more further projections in a similar manner to the abutment surface described above. The glazing panel may thus be retained the between the abutment surface and the one or more further projections.

Preferably, the at least one retaining means comprise one or more glazing beads. Typically, each glazing bead overlaps a portion of the door slab and a portion of the glazing panel on a side of the door. Thus, each glazing bead may bridge across (though not necessarily lie in) a gap between the edge of the door slab at the glazing aperture and a facing edge of the glazing panel, i.e. across a gap between opposing surfaces of the door slab and glazing panel. Each glazing bead typically contacts a respective face of the glazing panel and the door slab on one side of the door. Normally, a glazed door has two glazing beads which are provided on opposite sides of the door.

The intumescent material may be located between each glazing bead and the door slab and/or between each glazing bead and the glazing panel.

The auxiliary retaining means is preferably made of a material providing the auxiliary retaining means with strength and rigidity, whilst also allowing any further projections to be resiliently deformable. It is also desirable for the retaining means to be made of a fire resi,stant material, so that it can provide such strength and rigidity at high temperatures. The auxiliary retaining means may, for example, be of metal. It would be desirable for the material of the auxiliary retaining means to be resistant to corrosion.

The second aspect of the invention may also provide a kit of parts for making a glazed door, the kit comprising: a glazing panel; a door slab having a glazing aperture formed therein for housing said glazing panel; at least one retaining means for retaining the glazing panel within the glazing aperture by positioning the retaining means to overlap a portion of the door slab and a portion of the glazing panel on a side of the door when the glazing panel is housed in the glazing aperture; at least one auxiliary retaining means having an abutment surface for at least partially overlapping a face of the glazing panel on the same side of the door as the retaining means when the auxiliary retaining means is mounted on an edge of the door slab at the glazing aperture and the glazing panel is housed in the glazing aperture; and an intumescent material; wherein the retaining means is proportioned such that the intumescent material is locatable between the retaining means and the glazing panel and/or between the retaining means and the door slab when the glazing panel is positioned to overlap a portion of the door slab and a portion of the glazing panel on the side of the door.

The second aspect of the invention may further provide a method of glazing a door comprising the steps of: providing a door slab having a glazing aperture formed therein; mounting an auxiliary retaining means on an edge of the door slab at the glazing aperture so that an abutment surface of the auxiliary retaining means extends into the glazing aperture; positioning a glazing panel within the glazing aperture such that the abutment surface of the auxiliary retaining means at least partially overlaps a face of the glazing panel on a side of the door; applying an inturnescent material to the auxiliary retaining means, the door slab at the glazing aperture and/or a retaining means; and positioning the retaining means to overlap a portion of the door slab and a portion of the glazing panel on the same side of the door as the abutment surface such that the intumescent material is located between the retaining means and the glazing panel and/or between the retaining means and the door slab.

The glazing panel may be positioned within the glazing aperture before applying the intumescent material to the auxiliary retaining means and/or the door slab, so that the abutment surface of the auxiliary retaining means can abut a face of the glazing panel before intumescent material is applied, though this is not essential. The at least one retaining means preferably comprises glazing beads.

The invention includes any combination of the aspects and preferred features described herein except where such a combination is clearly impermissible or expressly avoided.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. J shows a conventional glazed door with the glazing panel mounted in a glazing aperture; Fig. 2 shows the glazing aperture and glazing panel of a glazed door in accordance with GB-A-2374377; Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line B to B in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section through part of a glazed door being an embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 5 shows a glazing clip used in an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a section through part of a glazed door being another embodiment of the present invention.

Figs. 7a-d are a perspective view, a top view, a rear view, and a side view of the glazing clip of Fig. 6. Fig. 7e is a sectional view along the line A-A of Fig. 7b.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is illustrated one side of a conventional cassette-glazed door comprising a door slab 1 which possesses a glazing aperture 2 within which is located double-glazing panel 3. This double-glazing panel is held in place by glazing beads (not shown in full) having lugs 4 which each extend in to the gap 5 which is formed between and the edge of glazing aperture 2 and the separated facing edge of double-glazing panel 3. Typically, the gap 5 is between approximately 15mm to 20mm wide.

The door slab 1 comprises skins 7 and 7' (see Fig. 3) of a conventional door-skin material (e.g. plastic, steel, or other material), which separately form a respective one of the two outer faces of the door. The inner body S of the door slab 1 is made of conventional material such as a polystyrene or polyurethene foam.

The skins 7 and 7' and the inner body 8 of the door slab 1 each terminate at the edge of aperture 2 to define a substantially flat edge in cross section as illustrated.

The first and second glazing beads, 6 and 6' respectively, each extend along the length of the gap 5 and each overlaps that portion of door slab 1 and double-glazing panel 3 immediately adjacent gap 5 on a respective one side of the door. The lugs 4 and 4' of respective glazing beads also extend from the underside of their bead into the gap 5, extending approximately half way therein (a little less than half way) In so doing, each individual lug 4 of the first glazing bead 6 separately collocates with, and faces, a corresponding one lug 4' of the second glazing bead 6' The two lugs of each such pair of facing lugs are joined together by a screw (not shown) . A silicone sealing material 9 is located between face 7 of door slab 1 and the overlapping portion of bead 6. Similarly, glazing tape 10 is located between glazing panel 3 and the overlapping portion of bead 6. These sealing materials are so arranged when face 7 is to be the outside face of the door and exposed to the elements. An adhesive glazing tape could be used instead of silicone sealant 9, and silicone sealant could replace the glazing tape 10 if required.

Referring to Fig. 2 there is illustrated one side of a cassette-glazed door according to GB-A-2374377. For ease of comparison, like features in Figures 1 and 2 share like numerals. The door comprises door slab 15 having a glazing aperture 11 formed therein. Within this glazing aperture is located a double-glazing panel 3. The edge of the aperture 11 has a plurality of edge straight edge portions 16 along the length of which the space between the aperture edge and the locally facing edge of the double-glazing panel 3 is substantially constant. In addition, the glazing aperture has a plurality of recesses formed along its edge and the periphery of each recess is spaced further from the double-glazing panel 3 than is the edge of the aperture 11 adjacent the recess.

Each one of said recesses 12 accommodates part of a lug 4 (or 4') of a glazing bead 6 (or 6') Each lug 4 (4') is provided with two supporting flanges 17 each extending laterally (radially) outwardly of a given lug along the direction of the beading 6 (6') on its un derside. Each flange 17 is rigidly connected to the outer surface of a respective lug 4 (4') and also to the underside of the bead from which the lug extends, adjacent the base of the lug. These flanges extend across and into the recesses 12 along with the lug to which each respective flange is connected. In the present embodiment, the lateral extent of these flanges goes beyond the periphery of a respective recess and across a part of the outer surface 7 (7') of the door slab at either side of a recess. However, in other embodiments, the flanges do not extend beyond the periphery of the recess. These flanges provide additional support to each lug and strengthen its connection to the beading.

The recesses 12 are located at regular intervals along the edge of the glazing aperture 11 of the door slab to allow the double-glazing panel 3 to be evenly supported by the beading 6 (6') . The recesses 12 are curved in shape and house lugs of circular cross-section. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the recesses 12 could be spaced at irregular intervals.

Additionally, in GB-A-2374377 it was proposed that a number of steel security pegs 14 were rigidly connected to (e.g. sunk into) the inner body 8 of door slab 15 and extend from the edge of glazing aperture 11 and across a part of the double-glazing panel 3. Thus, in Fig. 2, a plurality of such security pegs 14 extend across the same side of the double-glazing panel from opposite sides of the edge of glazing aperture 11. Consequently, the double-glazing panel is prevented from being pushed out of the glazing aperture past these rigid steel pegs adding, to the security of the door as a whole.

Figure 3 illustrates this embodiment in more detail as viewed in cross-section along the axis B-B' . The skins 7 and 7' and inner body 8 of the door slab 15 each terminate at the edge of aperture 11 to define a substantially flat edge in cross-section as illustrated.

From either of Figures 3 and 4, it can be readily seen that the straight edges 16 of glazing aperture 11 of door slab 15 are closer to the facing edges of double-glazing panel 3 than is the case in the conventional arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1.

The gap between aperture edge and double-glazing panel is widest only at recesses 12 in order to accommodate the lugs 4 (4') placed therein. At all other locations the gap is appreciably smaller than either the width of the conventional gap 5 (Figures 1 and 2) or the width of the lugs 4 (4') . In preferred embodiments this gap is chosen to be within the range 1mm to 3mm in width.

The size of this gap may be varied to choice by, for example, varying the depth of the recesses 12 or varying the width of the lugs 4 (4') . In either case, as in the present embodiment, the depth of the recesses 12 of the glazing aperture edge should be chosen in conjunction with the width of the lugs 4 (4') of the glazing beading 6 (6') such that a part of each lug extends out of the recess within which it is housed, and into the greater part of the glazing aperture. This allows the lug to abut the facing edge of the double-glazing panel 3 and determines the width of the gap 13 formed between that edge and the straight facing edges 16 of the non-recessed portions of the glazing aperture.

This gap 13 may typically be chosen to be a few mm in width (e.g. 1mm to 3mm) whereas, according to the conventional arrangements illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the gap 5 is typically of the order of 15 mm to 20 mm.

Glazing tape 10 is located between the interfaces of beading 6 (6') and the faces 7 (7') of the door slab 15 and double-glazing panel 3, to provide a sealing interface therebetween. In alternative embodiments silicone sealant material may be used. However, glazing tape tends to provide better adhesion between beading and glazing panel.

The door skins 7 (7') may be formed from any suitable material such as steel, aluminium or other suitable metal, or plastic or glass-fibre reinforced plastic or wood etc. The recessed portions 12 may house fixing material such as glazing resin (e.g. Mastic) for assisting in fixing the double-glazing panel 3 to the door slab 15 and for supporting and strengthening the lugs 4.

As discussed above, Figs. 2 and 3 correspond to GB-A- 2374377. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, glazing clips are provided at spaced apart locations around the periphery of the glazing aperture, which glazing clips serve to assist in holding the glazing panel in the glazing aperture. Such glazing clips may thus replace the pegs 14, and be located at similar positions, as shown in Fig. 2. It would also be possible to use both glazing clips and pegs.

A glazing clip as used in an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5. The structure of the glazed door may otherwise be the same as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and detailed description of other parts of that door will thus be omitted. Moreover, in the following description the same reference numerals as used in Figs. 1 to 3 are used for corresponding parts.

Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 4, a glazing clip 20 is mounted on the edge of the door slab 15 at the glazing aperture. The glazing clip 20 comprises a plate 22 which covers the edge of the door slab 15, and side panels 24, 26 which extend over the skins 7, 7' to hold the glazing clip 20 in position on the door slab 15.

A projection in the form of a spike 28 extends from the plate 22 of the glazing clip 20 into the inner body 8 of the door slab 15, further securing the glazing clip 20 to the door slab 15.

In order to hold the double-glazing panel 3 in place, the glazing clip 20 has an abutment plate 30 extending away from the door slab 15 into the glazing aperture. That abutment plate abuts against a side face 32 of the glazing panel. Thus, the glazing panel 3 cannot be forced out of the glazing aperture in a direction upwardly in Fig. 4, since it abuts against the abutment plate 30 and any movement of that abutment plate 30 is prevented by the engagement of the plate 22, side panels 24, 26, and the spike 28 with the door slab 15. The abutment plate 30, in conjunction with the rest of the glazing clip 20, acts in a similar way to the pegs 14 in Fig. 2.

Moreover, as shown in Fig. 4, there may be a further projection in the form of a tang 34 extending from the plate 22 of the glazing clip 20, the free end of which tang 34 abuts against the opposite face 36 of the double-glazing panel 3 to that against which the abutment plate abuts. That tang 34 thus resists downward movement of the double-glazing panel 3 in Fig. 4. Normally, the projection 34 will be resilient, so that it can deform to permit the double-glazing panel 3 to be moved into place past it, at which point it returns to the position shown in Fig. 4, to hold the double-glazing panel 3.

Fig. 5 then shows the glazing clip 20 in a perspective view. As can be seen from Fig. 5, the glazing clip 20 is formed from a single sheet of metal, folded to shape, and with appropriate parts cut therefrom, and folded to give the clip 20 the desired shape. Thus, the central part of a sheet forms the plate 22, with the edges of that sheet folded at right-angles to form the side panels 24, 26.

Cuts are made in the upper surface of the plate 22, to define the periphery of the abutment panel which is then folded out of the plane of the plate 22 until it forms a right-angle therewith, extending in a direction opposite to the side panels 24, 26. This forms the abutment plate 30. Similarly a triangular cut-out 38 is formed in the plate 22, and the material folded in the same direction as the side panels 24, 26 to form the spike 28. A further cut-out forms the tang 34 at e.g. an edge of the plate 22.

Additional spikes 38' may be provided in the clip 20 to engage the door slab 15, and additional tangs 34' may also be provided to engage the double-glazing panel 3.

As mentioned, a plurality of clips corresponding to the arrangement shown in Figs. 4 and 5 may be provided by the periphery of the glazing aperture, to engage the double-glazing panel 3 at spaced-apart locations.

Figs. 6 and 7 show another glazed door in which another glazing clip is used. The same reference numerals are used in Figs. 6 and 7 for features in common with the glazed door of Figs. 2 to 5. Detailed description of these features in common will be omitted.

As illustrated in Fig. 6, another glazing clip 21 is mounted on the edge of the door slab 15 at the glazing aperture. The glazing clip is located between the glazing beads 6, 6' . The same reference numerals are used in Figs. 6 and 7 for features of the glazing clip 21 in common with the glazing clip 20 of Figs. 4 and 5.

Detailed description of these features in common will be omitted.

The glazing clip 21 does not comprise the tang described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5. However, the glazing clip 21 may comprise one or more further projections in the form of one or more corrugations 35 in the plate 22 (see Fig. 7e) . The corrugations 35 partially overlap the opposite face 36 of the double-glazing panel 3. The corrugations 35 may be made resilient so that they can deform to permit the double glazing panel 3 to be moved into place past it, at which point they return to their original shape, to hold the double-glazing panel 3 in place. However, this need not be the case since, for example, the plate 22 may deform to permit the double glazing panel 3 to move past the corrugation 35.

As can be seen from Fig. 6, the lugs 4, 4' of the glazing beads 6, 6' are joined together by a screw 4a. As before, these lugs 4, 4' are accommodated in one of the recesses 12.

The glazed door of Fig. 6 includes an intumescent material, in this case an intumescent putty 40, located between each glazing bead 6, 6' and the door slab 15 and each glazing bead 6, 6' and the double-glazing panel 3.

An iritumescent material is a material which expands in size when exposed to heat, particularly high temperatures. Thus, when the glazed door of Fig. 6 is exposed to fire, the intumescent putty 40 expands thus filling the spaces between each glazing bead 6, 6' and the door slab 15 and each glazing beads 6, 6' and the double-glazing panel 3. The intumescent putty 40 is fire resistant and therefore the expanded intumescent putty helps to prevent the spread of heat through said spaces.

The abutment plate 30 of the glazing clip 21 partially overlaps the double-glazing panel 3 and therefore prevents the double-glazing panel 3 from being pushed out of the glazing aperture 11 past the abutment plate 30.

The inventors have found that the glazing clip 21 can further improve the fire resistance of the door when used in combination with the intumescent putty 40. It is thought that this further improvement is due to improved retention of the double-glazing panel by the abutment plate 30 at high temperatures, which could not be provided by the intumescerit putty 40 alone. In particular, the intumescent putty 40 has a tendency to become brittle when it expands at high temperatures, so may not able to support the double glazing panel 3 after it has expanded (a double- glazing panel 3 may typically weigh 20 kg) . The glazing clip 21 is of metal and can therefore retain the double-glazing panel 3, even at high temperatures.

The glazing clip 21 also helps to prevent the double-glazing panel 3 from falling out of the glazing aperture in the event that the glazing beads 6, 6' melt due to high temperatures, thus further improving the fire resistance of the glazed door.

Figs. 7a-e provide further views of the glazing clip 21.

As can be seen from Figs. 7a-e, the glazing clip 21 is formed from a single sheet of metal, folded to shaped with appropriate parts cut therefrom. The features in common with the glazing clip 20 of Figs. 4 and 5 can be formed as described previously. The corrugations 35 can be formed by suitable crimping of the plate 22. The area 39 on the plate 22 is an area for adding the name/logo of a manufacturer.

The glazed door of Fig. 6 may be made by any suitable method. For example, a plurality of the glazing clips 21 may be mounted around the glazing aperture 2 of the door slab 1 and a double-glazing panel 3 then secured in the glazing aperture 2 by moving the double-glazing panel 3 into place over the corrugations 35 of the glazing clips 21. Intumescent putty could then be applied to the outer surfaces of the glazing clips 21, the corners of the glazing aperture 2, an inner surface of each of the glazing beads 6, 6' and/or the recesses 12. The glazing beads 6, 6' could then be fitted to the door slab to provide further retention of the double glazing panel 3 within the glazing aperture 2.

Although the above description has described the use of glazing clips in an arrangement otherwise similar to that of GB-A--2374377, the present invention is not limited to such an arrangement, and the glazing clips shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and Figs. 6 and 7 may, for example, be used in the arrangement of Fig. 1, in which the gap between the door slab and glazing panel is more uniform in width.

Although the presence of an intumescent material has only been described with reference to the glazing clip 21 of Figs. 6 and 7, the present invention is not limited to such an arrangement. In particular, a intumescent material could be used in combination with other auxiliary retaining means such as the clip 20 described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5 of this application, and the pegs described in GB-A-2374377 and shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of this application.

Claims

1. A glazed door comprising: a door slab having a glazing aperture formed therein which houses a glazing panel; at least one retaining means for retaining the glazing panel; and at least one glazing clip between the door slab and the glazing panel; wherein said glazing clip has a channel into which part of the edge of the door slab at the glazing aperture is received and an abutment surface extending away from the edge of the glazing aperture and at least partially overlapping a face of the glazing panel.

2. A glazed door according to claim 1 wherein the glazing clip has at least one projection extending into the material of the door slab.

3. A glazed door according to claim 1 or 2 wherein a plurality of the glazing clips are provided around the glazing aperture.

4. A glazed door according to any one of the previous claims wherein the edge of the glazing aperture has at least one recess therein which houses the at least one retaining means, the periphery of the at least one recess being spaced further from the edges of the glazing panel than the edge of the glazing aperture adjacent the recess.

5. A glazed door according to any one of the previous claims wherein the channel of the or each glazing clip is provided by side panels of the glazing clip which abut outer faces of the door slab and are joined by a plate which abuts the edge of the door slab which faces the glazing panel.

6. A glazed door according to any one of the previous claims wherein the glazing clip includes one or more further projections which at least partially overlap the opposite face of the glazing panel from the abutment surface.

7. A glazed door according to claim 6 wherein the one or more further projections are resilient.

8. A glazed door according to any one of the previous claims wherein the retaining means comprises one or more glazing beads, each glazing bead overlapping a portion of the door slab and a portion of the glazing panel on a side of the door.

9. A glazed door according to claim 8 wherein the glazing beads are joined via lugs.

10. A glazed door according to any one of the previous claims wherein the clip is of metal.

11. A glazed door according to claim 10 wherein the glazing clip is made from a metal sheet folded to shape, with the abutment surface, and optionally the projection into the door slab and/or the one or more further projections to abut the glazing panel, being cut from the metal sheet and folded to positi.on.

12. A glazed door according to any one of the previous claims wherein an intumescent material is located between the retaining means and the door slab and/or the retaining means and the glazing panel.

13. A glazed door according to claim 12 wherein the intumescent material is an intumescent putty.

14. A glazed door according to any previous claim wherein the abutment surface of the glazing clip abuts said face of the glazing panel.

15. A kit of parts for making a glazed door, the kit comprising: a glazing panel; a door slab having a glazing aperture formed therein for housing said glazing panel; at least one retaining means for retaining the glazing panel within the glazing aperture when housed therein; and at least one glazing clip positionable between the door slab and the glazing panel, the glazing clip having a channel into which a part of the edge of the glazing aperture is receivable, and an abutment surface extending in a direction opposite to the direction out of the mouth of the channel, the length of such extension of the abutment surface being greater than the separation of the door slab and glazing panel when the glazing panel is inserted in the door of the glazing aperture.

16. A method of glazing a door comprising the steps of: positioning a glazing bead on one side of a door slab so as to cover an edge of a glazing aperture formed therein and such that one or more lugs of the glazing bead extend into the glazing aperture; positioning a glazing clip on the door slab, with an edge of the door slab being received in a channel of the glazing clip; positioning a glazing panel within the glazing aperture such that the glazing bead covers an edge of the glazing panel on one side thereof and such that the lugs of the glazing bead abut an edge of the glazing panel, the glazing panel abutting against at least part of an abutment surface of the glazing clip which extends away from the edge of the glazing aperture; and positioning an additional glazing bead on the other side of the door slab so as to cover an edge of the glazing aperture, such that one or more lugs of the additional glazing bead abut an edge of the glazing panel.

17. A glazed door comprising: a door slab having a glazing aperture formed therein which houses a glazing panel; at least one retaining means for retaining the glazing panel, the retaining means overlapping a portion of the door slab and a portion of the glazing panel on a side of the door; at least one auxiliary retaining means mounted on an edge of the door slab at the glazing aperture and having an abutment surface extending away from the edge of the glazing aperture and at least partially overlapping a face of the glazing panel on the same side of the door as the retaining means; and an intumescent material located between the retaining means and the glazing panel and/or between the retaining means and the door slab.

18. A glazed door according to claim 17 wherein the intumescent material is an intumescent putty.

19. A glazed door according to claim 17 or 18 wherein the auxiliary retaining means is a clip having a channel into which part of the edge of the door slab at the glazing aperture is received.

20. A glazed door according to any one of claims 17 to 19 wherein the auxiliary retaining means has at least one projection extending into the material of the door slab.

21. A glazed door according to any one of claims 17 to wherein a plurality of the auxiliary retaining means are provided around the glazing aperture.

22. A glazed door according to any one of claims 17 to 21 wherein the edge of the glazing aperture has at least one recess therein which houses the at least one retaining means, the periphery of the at least one recess being spaced further from the edges of the glazing panel than the edge of the glazing aperture adjacent the recess.

23. A glazed door according to any one of claims 17 to 22 wherein the glazing clip includes one or more further projections which at least partially overlap the opposite face of the glazing panel from the abutment surface.

24. A glazed door according to claim 23 wherein the one or more further projections are resilient.

25. A glazed door according to any one of claims 17 to 24 wherein the retaining means comprises one or more glazing beads, each glazing bead overlapping a portion of the door slab and a portion of the glazing panel on a side of the door.

26. A glazed door according to claim 25 wherein the glazing beads are joined via lugs.

27. A glazed door according to claim 25 or 26 wherein the intumescent material is located between each glazing bead and the door slab and/or between each glazing bead and the glazing panel.

28. A glazed door according to any one of claims 17 to 27 wherein the auxiliary retaining means is of metal.

29. A kit of parts for making a glazed door, the kit comprising: a glazing panel; a door slab having a glazing aperture formed therein for housing said glazing panel; at least one retaining means for retaining the glazing panel within the glazing aperture by positioning the retaining means to overlap a portion of the door slab and a portion of the glazing panel on a side of the door when the glazing panel is housed in the glazing aperture; at least one auxiliary retaining means having an abutment surface for at least partially overlapping a face of the glazing panel on the same side of the door as the retaining means when the auxiliary retaining means is mounted on an edge of the door slab at the glazing aperture and the glazing panel is housed in the glazing aperture; and an intumescent material; wherein the retaining means is proportioned such that the iritumescent material is locatable between the retaining means and the glazing panel and/or between the retaining means and the door slab when the glazing panel is positioned to overlap a portion of the door slab and a portion of the glazing panel on the side of the door.

30. A method of glazing a door comprising the steps of: providing a door slab having a glazing aperture formed therein; mounting an auxiliary retaining means on an edge of the door slab at the glazing aperture so that an abutment surface of the auxiliary retaining means extends into the glazing aperture; positioning a glazing panel within the glazing aperture such that the abutment surface of the auxiliary retaining means at least partially overlaps a face of the glazing panel on a side of the door; applying an intumescent material to the auxiliary retaining means, the door slab at the glazing aperture and/or a retaining means; and positioning the retaining means to overlap a portion of the door slab and a portion of the glazing panel on the same side of the door as the abutment surface such that the intumescent material is located between the retaining means and the glazing panel and/or between the retaining means and the door slab.

31. A glazed door substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 or Figs. 6 and 7.

32. A glazing clip substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 or Figs. 6 and 7.