GB2456513A

GB2456513A - Door frame connector

Info

Publication number: GB2456513A
Application number: GB0800649A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gary Mayo
Original assignee: Hadley Industries Holdings Ltd; Hadley Industries Overseas Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: Hadley Industries Holdings Ltd; Hadley Industries Overseas Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 2008-01-15
Filing date: 2008-01-15
Publication date: 2009-07-22
Also published as: GB0800649D0

Abstract

A window or door frame comprising a first open ended member 20 having retained at one end thereof a connector 40 defining a fastening port orientated so as to extend longitudinally into the first member 20, a second member 50 arranged substantially normal to an end of the first member 20 and fastening means 80 attaching the first and second members together being located within the fastening port. The fastening means may be a screw, the screw may be anchored within a sleeve 48 in the connector 40. The connector 40 may have an abutment 45 in the form of a lip 44 to abut the end of the first member. The connector 40 may be manufactured from a plastic, preferably a synthetic plastic, e.g. polypropylene. The connector 40 may be retained in the first member by a friction fit or with a mechanical fixing.

Description

i v 24565^3

Joints

The present invention relates to joints and/or an assembly comprising a 5 joint which may be suitable for use in the construction of a plastics, e.g. PVC-u, window or door and/or the frames therefore and particularly, although not exclusively, for the construction of transoms within a window and/or door.

10 Plastic window frames are usually constructed from hollow extruded lengths of plastics material, typically PVC-u, housing an inner metal support frame which provides the necessary rigidity and strength to the structure.

The support members may be formed by bending sheet metal, such as by 15 cold roll-forming, into hollow elongated sections. Use of a bending process, as opposed to extrusion or drawing, allows the surface of sheet metal to undergo additional cold working processes, strengthening the metal further and so enabling less material to be used in the sections giving both cost and weight benefits.

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To enable attachment of a horizontal PVC-u transom to an outer frame, the support member of the transom is shaped to form a cross-section defining screw ports. The transom can then be secured to the outer frame by fixing screws which pass through the outer frame and are anchored in the screw 25 ports. Figure 1 is a cross section of a typical construction of prior art transom support member 1 roll-formed from a strip of steel to define two screw ports 2.

This fixing method requires complex bending/shaping of the support 30 member which in turn requires high tooling costs, long tooling setup times and slow roll speeds.

US 5974758 and FR 7914071 both describe constructions in which the screw ports are have been integrally formed within the support member.

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GB 2350639 illustrates a PVC-u window or door/frame structure having a reinforcement member with an integral sleeve into which a tie rod can be inserted.

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GB 2248648 describes a corner joint in which a packing device is clamped between two extruded bars of corner joints. WO 2007/061856 describes a construction having a core with an X-shaped cross section which extends entirely through the hollow interior of the end rail.

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In order to provide a new type of joint, the following invention has been developed.

A first aspect of the invention provides a joint assembly for a window door 15 and/or frame therefore comprising a first open ended member having retained in or at the open end thereof a plastics material connector defining a fastening port orientated so as to extend longitudinally into the first member, a second member arranged substantially normal to the end of the first member and a fastening member attaching or to attach the first and 20 second members being located within the fastening port.

The invention enables a joint construction in which the support can take a relatively simple cross-sectional shape without the need to define screw ports reducing the amount of metal required in manufacture, reducing 25 tooling costs and increasing roll speeds in roll formed products.

In a preferred embodiment the connector is made of polypropylene and sized to have an interference fit with the first member. However, the connector may also or instead be fastened to the first member. The first 30 and/or second member may comprise a longitudinal and/or hollow member.

It is preferred that the connector has a peripheral lip arranged to abut an end edge of the first member when fully housed therein. The lip may define a face of the connector forming the end face of the first member. The lip

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may be shaped such that the face of the connector conforms with the cross-sectional shape of the end of the first member.

It is favourable that the first member has a cross section defined by a single 5 wall. The first member may be produced using a bending process such as a roll forming process.

The first member is a supporting member housed within and in co-axial alignment with an outer frame member. Preferably the outer frame member 10 is made from PVC-u or other synthetic plastics material.

A further aspect of the invention provides a method, as such there is provided a method of forming a mechanical joint assembly for a window, door and/or frame therefore wherein:

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a connector defining a fastening port is inserted into an end of a first member such that the fastening port is orientated substantially parallel with the axis, for example the longitudinal axis, of the first member;

abutting a second member against an end face of the first member, the 20 second member being arranged substantially normal to the first member; and fastening the first and second members together with a fastening member anchored in part by the fastening port of the connector.

A third aspect of the invention there is provided a connection for a joint 25 assembly for a window or door/frame comprising a body position and a lip extending therefrom to provide an abutment surface which is arranged to abut an end edge of a first open ended member, the body having a fastening port orientated substantially anti-parallel to the abutment surface.

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The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following figures in which:

Figure 1 is end embodiment of a prior art frame support.

5 Figure 2 is a perspective view of a transom for use in a PVC-u window frame;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an end connector of the invention Figure 4 is a perspective view of the end cap connector of Figure 3 housed within the support of a transom; and io Figure 5 is a cross-section plan view of a T-shaped joint of the invention between a transom and an outer frame of a window door and/or frame therefore

Referring to Fig 2 there is shown a transom 10 of a window frame (not is shown) comprising a hollow longitudinal extruded PVC-u member 20 forming the exterior of the bar. The extruded PVC-u member 20 may be moulded to any design in accordance with a required style of window. Housed within the PVC-u member 20 is a hollow support member 30 which extends along the length of the PVC-u member 20 to provide strength and 20 rigidity to the transom 10. The support member 30 is formed from a steel sheet strip, roll formed into an open ended member section. The roll forming process can be combined with a surface cold working process such as the process (as defined in US 5689990 or US 6183879, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference), in which the sheet steel is 25 passed through mating rollers which form a plurality of projections and dimples 31 on the sheet surface, each projection having been formed by deforming the sheet material locally to leave a corresponding depression at the opposite face of the material. This process increases the stiffness and load carrying capacity of the member 30.

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As a consequence of the roll forming process, the cross section of the support member can be defined by a single continuous wall 32. The ends of the wall may be either joined together to form a continuous shape as

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illustrated in Fig 2, remain as free ends or one or both of the wall ends may be joined at a point along the wall length.

Figure 3 illustrates a moulded polypropylene connector 40. The connector 5 40 has a face portion 41 from which extends a continuous peripheral wall 42. The wall 42 joins the face portion 41 inboard of the peripheral edge 43 of the face portion 41 to provide a lip 44 and an abutment face 45.

The peripheral wall 42 preferably defines a hollow 46 and can be inserted 10 into an end of the support member 30 and retained by frictional or interference fit therein.

The face portion 41 has a pair of apertures 47 formed therein which are in register with corresponding integral sleeves 48 which extend into the hollow is 46. The apertures 47 and sleeves 48 provide screw port holes.

The peripheral edge 43 of the connector 40 is shaped so as to mirror or approximate the shape of the member 30 into which it is to be inserted (as described below). The lip 44 is preferably sized such that none of the wall 20 of the member protrudes therebeyond.

As seen in Figure 4, the connector 40 is inserted into the end of the support 30 with the sleeves 48 orientated parallel with the longitudinal axis of the support member 30. Compete insertion of the connector 40 is prevented by 25 abutment of the abutment 45 against the wall 31 of support 30.

Figure 5 illustrates an arrangement of the transom 10 joined with an outer frame 50 forming part of a window. The outer frame 50 is constructed in a similar fashion to the transom 10, formed from a PVC-u outer frame 60 30 housing a metal support 70. Both the outer frame 60 and metal support member 70 define a pair of aligned screw holes 61, 71 in their side walls. The transom 10 is arranged transversely with respect to the outer frame with face 42 of the connector 40 abutted against a side wall of the outer frame 50 such that the screw holes 61, 71 and the holes and sleeves (screw

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ports) 47, 48 are in register and the transom and outer frame form a T' shape. The transom bar 10 and outer frame 50 are fastened together by two screws 80 which pass through screw holes 61 and 71 and anchor within sleeves 48. The sleeves 48 may comprise a thread for corresponding with 5 the thread of the screw or may be sized smaller than the thread of the screw so that the screw can self tap. The connector 40 is prevented from moving away from the screw and further into the member 30 by the abutment of lip 44 against the support member wall 31.

10 In a typical window construction the transom 30 is sized to fit between the outer frame of a window (not shown), the opposite end of the support member 30 is also provided with a connector 40 for like connection to the outer frame 50.

is Experimentation conducted on behalf of the applicant has found that the use of a connector 40 formed from a synthetic plastics material such as polypropylene has significant performance advantages over the use of the steel roll-formed screw ports. Table 1 details results from testing of the force required to thread strip a screw from various materials.

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Table 1

Test No

Polypropylene

Aluminium Max

Combined Steel

Max Force

Force

Max Force

(N)

1

3000

4670

3520

2

3012

2732

5295

3

3940

2308

5535

4

3260

5468

1706

5

4045

5378

1620

Maximum

4045

5468

5535

Minimum

3000

2308

1620

Range

1045

3160

3915

Mean

3451

4111

3532.2

% Difference to

Polypropylene

16.1%

2.4%

The results indicate that a joint formed using a polypropylene connector is on average 2.4% weaker than steel and 16% weaker than aluminium.

However, it also shows that polypropylene performs more consistently than either of the two metals. This has been attributed to being able to provide greater uniformity of the screw port resulting in more consistent engagement and hence retention of the screw within the screw port. Such consistency has been particularly hard to achieve when forming screw ports with roll-formed steel. As a result, joint assemblies, formed using synthetic plastic connectors can be manufactured to a more consistent strength than those incorporating metal screw ports.

Optionally the connector 40 may define further screw ports extending transversely to the sleeves 48. The support member 30 may define corresponding holes arranged to register with the transverse screw ports when the connector 40 is fully homed into the support member 30.

It is envisaged that in certain embodiments, fastening members other than screws may be used.

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Although the present invention was conceived in endeavours to improve the method of forming window and door/frames, it is envisaged that the invention may be applicable to any end joint of a hollow longitudinal 5 member.

In an alternative embodiment the support member may be formed from materials other than steel such as aluminium or suitable load bearing materials. Although it is preferred that the connector is formed from 10 polypropylene it is envisaged that certain embodiments may use a connector formed from other materials.

Furthermore, whilst the support member 30 disclosed herein comprises a hollow or tubular member 30, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the is art that any suitable arrangement may be used. In particular, it is envisaged that the support member may be of channel section or the like.

Moreover, whilst extrusion may be the preferred method of forming plastics frames for windows and/or doors, it is also possible to use the joint and 20 method of the invention with profiles formed by moulding techniques, or thermoset profiles, say those formed by pultrusion or other techniques.

Claims

Claims

A joint assembly for a window or door/frame comprising a first open ended member having retained at one end thereof a plastics material connector defining a fastening port orientated so as to extend longitudinally into the first member, a second member arranged substantially normal to an end of the first member and fastening means attaching or to attach the first and second members being located within the fastening port.

An assembly according to Claim 1, wherein the connector comprises an abutment to abut, in use, an end of the first member.

An assembly according to Claim 2, wherein the abutment is provided by a lip portion.

An assembly according to Claim 3, wherein the lip portion conforms to or approximates at least part of the external peripheral cross section of the first member.

An assembly according to any preceding Claim, wherein the connector comprises a pair of fastening ports for reception of fastening means.

An assembly according to any preceding Claim, wherein the connector comprises a hollow body portion shaped so as to conform to at least part of the internal cross section of the open end of the first member.

An assembly according to Claim 6, wherein the hollow body portion is retained within the first member by a friction fit, or retained within the first member with a mechanical fixing.

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8. An assembly according to any preceding Claim, wherein the first member is cold-roll formed from a sheet of material.

9. An assembly according to any preceding Claim, wherein the first 5 and second members are longitudinal members.

10. An assembly according to any preceding Claim, wherein the first and second members are hollow.

io 11. A window or door/frame, comprising a joint assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim.

12. A frame according to Claim 11, wherein one or both of the first and second members are housed within frame members.

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13. A frame according to Claim 12, wherein the or each frame member is made from PVC-u or other synthetic plastics material.

14. A method of forming a joint assembly for a window or door/frame, 20 the method comprising:

inserting a connector defining a fastening port into an open end of a first member such that the fastening port is orientated substantially parallel with the axis of the first member;

abutting a second open ended member against an end face of 25 the first member, the second member being arranged substantially normal to the first member; and fastening the first and second members together with fastening means retained in part by or within the fastening port of the connector.

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15. A connector for a joint assembly for a window or door/frame comprising a body portion and a lip extending therefrom to provide an abutment surface which is arranged to abut an end edge of a first open ended member in which the connector is inserted, the

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body having a fastening port orientated substantially anti-parallel to the abutment surface.

16. A connector according to Claim 15, further comprising a face 5 portion and a body portion connected thereto.

17. A connector according to Claim 16, wherein the body portion is hollow.

io 18. A connector according to Claim 16 or 17, wherein the body portion is connected to the face portion inboard of the periphery of the face portion so as to provide a lip portion.

19. A connector according to any of Claims 15 to 18, comprising a pair is of fastening ports for receipt of fastening means.

20. A connector according to any of Claims 15 to 19 formed from synthetic plastics material, e.g. polypropylene.

20 21. A joint assembly or part thereof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3-5.

22. A method as hereinbefore described.

25 23. A connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3-5

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