GB2482165A

GB2482165A - Magnetic seal for a door or window

Info

Publication number: GB2482165A
Application number: GB1012305.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Peter Laver
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-07-22
Filing date: 2010-07-22
Publication date: 2012-01-25
Also published as: GB201012305D0; GB2482165A8

Abstract

A closure device 10 for a building, comprises a rigid closure element 12, for example a door or window, hinged to a fixed continuous frame 14 which receives the closure element 12 as a close fit. On either the frame or closure element is provided a continuous unbroken compressible seal element 16 having an integral magnetic element 24, and on the other is a continuous unbroken independent magnetic seal element 18 magnetically engagable with the compressible seal element 16. When the closure element 12 is received in the frame 14 to close the opening 40, the magnetic seal element 18 magnetically engages the compressible seal element 16 thereby forming a watertight seal between the closure element and the frame 14 thus preventing flooding. The magnetic element may be provided within the material of the compressible seal element, for example randomly dispersed throughout it. The seal may also be hollow with the magnetic element co-extruded as part of the seal.

Description

Sealable Closure Device The present invention relates to a closure device for a building which enables ingress and egress, but which is watertightly sealable.

Flooding in low lying areas is now common place due to environmental issues such as global warming and deforestation. In particular doors, but also windows, are prone to easy leakage during flooding due to often being improperly fitted and the existing rubber buffer strips not creating a watertight seal on the frame.

Ill-fitting doors and windows are also a common source of wasted heat energy from a building during the colder periods of the year.

The present invention seeks to provide a solution to these problems.

According to the invention, there is provided a closure device for a building, the closure device comprising a rigid closure element, a fixed continuous frame which provides an opening to the building and which is complementarily shaped to receive the closure element as a close fit, the closure element being hingably connected to the frame, a continuous unbroken compressible seal element having an integral magnetic element therein, and a continuous unbroken independent magnetic seal element magnetically engagable with the compressible seal element, the compressible seal element being provided on one of the closure element and the frame, and the magnetic seal element being provided on the other of the closure element and the frame, so that, when the closure element is received in the frame to close the opening, the magnetic seal element magnetically engages the compressible seal element thereby forming a watertight seal between the closure element and the frame.

Preferable and/or optional features of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 13, inclusive.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows one embodiment of a closure device, in part and in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view through a header of a door frame of the closure device, shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the closure device.

Refening to the drawings, there is shown a closure device 10 which comprises a rigid door 12, a fixed door frame 14 to which the door 12 is hingably mounted at one side, a compressible seal element 16 and a magnetic seal element 18, which in this case is a magnetised thin flat strip of, preferably metal, material.

The compressible seal element 16 is preferably extruded and includes a hollow bore 20 along its longitudinal extent. It also includes a longitudinally extending necked portion 22, allowing a lateral extent of the seal element 16 to be more easily compressed during use.

The compressible seal element 16 includes an integral magnetic element 24 therewithin.

In this embodiment, the integral magnetic element 24 is a ferrous core 26 which is provided within the hollow bore 20 of the compressible seal element 16. Preferably, the ferrous core 26 is positioned in a forward cavity portion 28 defined by the necked portion 22 and a front wall 30 of the compressible seal element 16. A rear cavity portion 32 between the necked portion 22 and a rear wall 34 of the compressible seal element 16 thus remains empty enabling compression during use.

The integral magnetic element 24 may be magnetised or not, as necessity dictates, but will always be magnetic.

Preferably, the compressible seal element may be hollow and may include inwardly foldable walls. The integral magnetic element would thus be provided in the bore of the compressible seal element and held in place by the inwardly foldable walls.

Although provided as a core, the integral magnetic element 24 could be provided as part of the compound material used for forming the compressible seal element 16. In this case, the integral magnetic element 24 may be a particulate magnetic material which is included as part of the seal material during forming, whereby magnetic particles are randomly interspersed throughout the compressible seal element.

Additionally or alternatively, the integral magnetic element 24 may be co-extruded as part of the compressible seal element 16. Simultaneous forming of the integral magnetic element 24 and the compressible seal element 16 as one-piece to form a unitary member may be beneficial enabling a reduction in manufacturing costs.

The compressible seal element 16 is flexible, continuous and unbroken, thus preventing any leak paths. The rear wall 34 is mounted to, in this case, the outwardly facing surface of the door frame 14 against which the door 12 typically abuts. The outwardly facing surface would usually be a stop 36, as shown in Figure 2. Mounting can be undertaken using adhesive, thus enabling a retro-fit to an existing door 12 and door frame 14, or mounting can be integrated as part of the door 12 or door frame 14 manufacturing process.

The magnetic seal element 18 in this embodiment is non-compressible. The magnetic seal element 18 is magnetised so as to be releasably positively engagable through magnetic attraction with the compressible seal element 16. As with the compressible seal element 16, the magnetic seal element 18 is continuous and unbroken so as to avoid possible leak paths.

The magnetic seal element 18 is mounted to the door 12 on an inwardly facing surface 38 at a position which will enable abutting and seating on the compressible seal element 16. Mounting again can take place utilising a bonding agent, thus allowing retro-fit, or can be incorporated during the manufacturing process, for example, being integrally formed as one-piece with the door 12 or frame 14.

With the door 12 closing the opening 40 provided by the door frame 14, a planar or substantially planar front surface 42 of the magnetic seal element 18 abuts the planar or substantially planar front surface 44 of the compressible seal element 16. The door 12, by being moved to a latched position, compresses the compressible seal element 16 and the magnetic attraction conforms the compressible seal element 16 to the inegularities of the door 12 and the frame 14. A complete and watertight seal is thus provided between the entire door 12 and frame 14.

Although the compressible seal element is provided on the frame and the magnetic seal element is provided on the door, these may be switched.

Furthermore, it is feasible to provide the magnetic seal element as being compressible, similar to the compressible seal element. In this case, at least one of the seal elements The closure device is described as including a door and door frame. However, the closure device may be a window and window frame. The compressible seal element and the magnetic seal element can be applied to any closure element for closing an opening formed by a fixed continuous frame in a building.

It is thus possible to provide a watertight seal for a door or window which will conform to slight irregularities between opposing surfaces by utilising magnetic elements. The closure device can thus prevent or limit water ingress during flooding and/or reduce heat loss during colder weather.

The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A closure device for a building, the closure device comprising a rigid closure element, a fixed continuous frame which provides an opening to the building and which is complementarily shaped to receive the closure element as a close fit, the closure element being hingably connected to the frame, a continuous unbroken compressible seal element having an integral magnetic element therein, and a continuous unbroken independent magnetic seal element magnetically engagable with the compressible seal element, the compressible seal element being provided on one of the closure element and the frame, and the magnetic seal element being provided on the other of the closure element and the frame, so that, when the closure element is received in the frame to close the opening, the magnetic seal element magnetically engages the compressible seal element thereby forming a watertight seal between the closure element and the frame.
2. A closure device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said integral magnetic element is provided within the material of the compressible seal element.
3. A closure device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the integral magnetic element is particulate and randomly dispersed throughout a material of the compressible seal element.
4. A closure device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the compressible seal element is hollow and the said integral magnetic element is provided in the bore of the compressible seal element.
5. A closure device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the integral magnetic element is provided at one side of the bore of the compressible seal element.
6. A closure device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a cavity is defined in the bore behind the integral magnetic element.
7. A closure device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the integral magnetic element is co-extruded as part of the compressible seal element.
8. A closure device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the integral magnetic element is formed as one-piece with the compressible seal element.
9. A closure device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the compressible seal element includes a necked portion which extends along the longitudinal extent thereof.
10. A closure device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the magnetic seal element is non-compressible.
11. A closure device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the magnetic seal element is a flat strip.
12. A closure device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the magnetic seal element is compressible.
13. A closure device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the compressible seal element and the magnetic seal element present planar or substantially planar mating surfaces to each other.
14. A closure device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the closure element is a door or a window.