GB2611163A

GB2611163A - Frame part and assembly of this frame part with another frame part

Info

Publication number: GB2611163A
Application number: GB2210944.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerrit Kreunen Jan
Original assignee: Innodeen BV
Current assignee: Innodeen BV
Priority date: 2021-07-29
Filing date: 2022-07-27
Publication date: 2023-03-29
Anticipated expiration: 2042-07-27
Also published as: GB202210944D0; GB2611163B; DE202022104250U1; NL2028875B1

Abstract

A frame 1 or part of a frame, such as a sill or stile, which is made of a cellulose-containing plastic composite. There may be reinforcing wires 4 which extend in the longitudinal direction of the part, and the cellulose may be wood, bamboo or hemp which may be in fibre or powder form. The mass percentage of cellulose in the plastic composite is higher than 60% and the part may have a coating. There may be a second frame part 3 which connects to the first 2, and there may be a recess 20 for a seal at a bottom side of the first frame part. The invention also relates to an assembly of the first and second frame parts and further relates to a frame comprising such a frame part or assembly.

Description

FRAME PART AND ASSEMBLY OF THIS FRAME PART WITH ANOTHER FRAME PART

The invention relates to a frame part. For example, the frame part may be a sill, more particularly a lower sill or upper sill, or a post, or a part of a sill or post. Such a frame part is known in itself. The in itself known frame part is made, for example, of plastic or wood. It is an object of the invention to manufacture the frame part of a better and/or more durable and/or relatively rigid material.

This object is achieved with a frame part according to the preamble, which is manufactured from a cellulose-containing plastic composite.

Such a cellulose-containing plastic composite is a composite material comprising a plastic, in particular for example a thermoplastic, and cellulose material. Because the cellulose material is a natural material, the frame part may be manufactured more sustainably than a plastic frame part, particularly because it partially contains renewable resources. Because of the plastic, the frame part needs less maintenance than, for example, a wooden frame part.

Because the cellulose material with a very low moisture content, for example a moisture content of 0% or almost 0%, such as 0.5% or lower, is added to the plastic during the manufacturing process, it will absorb moisture in use. This may cause the frame part to expand after manufacture. By providing the reinforcement wires that extend in the longitudinal direction, the frame part tenses up due to the expansion under moisture and thus becomes longitudinally stable.

In this regard, the reinforcement wires also provide the advantage that the length of the reinforcement wires determines the length of the frame part, so that the length of the frame part may be determined quite accurately without or with low risk of length changes under the influence of moisture and/or temperature.

The cellulose may be selected, for example, from wood, elephant grass, bamboo, hemp, or a combination thereof.

The cellulose may be contained in fiber form or powder form in the plastic composite.

Preferably, the mass percentage of cellulose in the plastic composite is higher than 60%. Preferably, the mass percentage of cellulose in the plastic composite is between 65% and 80%, and more preferably between 70% and 75%. Preferably, the mass percentage of plastic in the plastic composite is between 20% and 35%, and more preferably between 20% and 25%. Preferably the plastic composite contains additives. The mass percentage of additives in the plastic composite is preferably between 0% and 10%, and more preferably between 0% and 5%. The additives may include, for example, lubricant and/or UV stabilizer and/or a coupling agent.

The cellulose-containing plastic composite may be a substantially homogeneous composite, wherein the cellulose is substantially homogeneously distributed in the plastic composite.

The plastic may be, for example, polypropylene or any other suitable plastic.

The frame part may optionally be provided with a moisture resistant coating and/or UV stable coating and/or a colored coating.

An additionally applied moisture resistant coating offers the advantage that moisture ingress into the frame part may at least be reduced and preferably prevented. A UV-stable coating means that the coating preferably does not or hardly degrades under the influence of UV radiation and may offer the advantage that the frame part is protected against UV radiation. A colored coating offers the advantage that the frame part may be provided in a desired color.

The coating is preferably extruded along with the frame part. In other words, substantially immediately after extruding the frame part, the coating is applied to the frame part by co-extrusion.

The coating may be made of any suitable plastic, such as stabilized polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP). The coating may possess any desired thickness, such as for example between 0.5 mm and 1 mm, preferably around 0.6 mm.

In an embodiment of the frame part according to the invention, the frame part comprises connecting means for a second frame part to be connected to the frame part, such as for example a plinth block or cover element, wherein the second frame part is provided with second connecting means cooperating with the connecting means.

An advantage of this is that an assembly may be formed of the frame part with the second frame part, making it possible, for example, to manufacture both frame parts of different materials, for example, in accordance with their function.

For example, the second frame part may be made of a substantially moisture-stable and/or wear-resistant material and therefore may be arranged, for example, in areas where moisture prevails, such as at the plinth blocks, or where there may be exposure to passing people and/or animals and/or objects, such as at the cover element.

For example, the connecting means may comprise at least one of a recess and an engagement element receivable in the recess.

Using these, the assembly may be easily formed by inserting into the recess of one frame part the engagement element of the other frame part.

The engaging element may have any suitable shape, which may be substantially adapted to the shape of the recess. Practically, the engagement element may have a hook-shaped part that may engage and/or snap into a part of the recess.

In yet another embodiment of the frame part according to the invention, at least one seal element receiving recess is provided at a bottom side of the first frame part, wherein the seal element receiving recess is arranged to receive a connecting element of a seal, wherein the seal projects with a selected length relative to the bottom side of the first frame part in a connected state.

An advantage of such an embodiment is that it is easy to connect said seal to the frame part.

In particular, the seal may form a moisture seal or moisture barrier, which extends, for example, from the bottom side of the frame part into the ground to form a moisture barrier between the outer and inner sides of the seal and thereby between the outer and inner sides of the frame, the inner side being defined on the side of the seal facing the building and the outer side being defined on the side of the seal facing the building.

Such a seal is also called a flashing.

In particular, the bottom side of the first frame part is the bottom side of the first frame part in use.

Practically, the at least one seal element receiving recess may have a substantially mushroom-shaped cross-sectional shape.

Thereby, the seal connection element may have a corresponding substantially mushroom-shaped cross-sectional shape or any other suitable shape, such as an arrow shape.

As a result, by snapping, the connecting element of the seal may be easily attached.

The seal element receiving recess is preferably an elongated recess extending in the longitudinal direction of the first frame part over preferably at least substantially the entire length thereof. The connected flashing also preferably extends over at least substantially the entire length of the first frame part.

The invention also relates to an assembly of a first frame part and a second frame part, wherein the first frame part is a frame part according to one of claims 1 -9 and/or as described above in one or more embodiments and/or with one or more of the characteristics described above, and wherein the second frame part is connectable to the first frame part to form an assembled state of the assembly.

The second frame part may comprise, for example, the aforementioned plinth block or cover element.

In an embodiment of the assembly according to the invention, the second frame part extends at least partially around the first frame part in the assembled state, in the particular over at least a part of at least one longitudinal side and preferably over at least a part of both longitudinal sides of the first frame part.

An advantage of this may be that the second frame part substantially encloses the first frame part in a transverse direction of the first frame part, as a result of which expansion of the first frame part, for example under the influence of moisture, in the transverse direction may be substantially prevented or at least reduced. An alternative or additional benefit may be that the second frame part may protect that part of the first frame part around which it extends. For example, in the case of a lower sill of a frame arranged at ground level, the second frame part may extend from ground level and the first frame part may be concealed and arranged below ground level.

For example, the second frame part may be made of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), Polyamide (PA) and polycarbonate (PC).

The second frame part is particularly moisture-stable, i.e. it does not or hardly expand under the influence of moisture. The second frame part may possibly expand and contract under temperature differences, which the first material preferably substantially does not do.

Preferably, the second frame part is provided with second connecting means cooperating with the connecting means.

This allows the first and second frame part to be easily connected to each other.

Practically, the second connecting means comprise at least one other of the recess and the engagement element receivable in the recess.

Because one of the first and second frame parts comprises at least one recess and the other of the first and second frame parts comprises at least one engagement element receivable in the recess, the first and second frame parts may be easily connected together.

Practically, the engagement element may comprise a hook-shaped part that may hook and/or snap into a part of the recess.

Preferably, the recess and the engagement element extend over at least substantially the entire length in the longitudinal direction of each of the first and second frame part.

As a result, a connection is obtained over at least substantially the entire length of the first and second frame part.

In an embodiment of the assembly according to the invention, in the assembled state a space is provided between sides of the first frame part and the second frame part facing each other, wherein the space is arranged for draining any fluid that may be present between the first frame part and the second frame part.

In an embodiment, a passage is provided in each of the first and second frame part, which passages in the assembled state connect to the space for respectively discharging and supplying fluid from and to the space.

For example, the passage in the second frame part connects on the one hand to said space and on the other hand to a fluid channel arranged in the top side of the second frame part. In the fluid channel of the second frame part, liquid, such as rainwater for example, may collect and then flow through the passage in the second frame part into the said space. Through the passage in the first frame part, the liquid may flow from said space to, for example, the surroundings of the

S

assembly. Here, the passage in the first frame part preferably discharges to below ground level, so that the fluid is discharged to below ground level. As a result, wind pressure does not affect the drainage of rainwater.

Preferably, the space extends along the length of the first and second frame part, wherein parallel to the longitudinal direction of the space, a seal is provided between the first and second frame part.

The seal may prevent fluid from the space from moving between the two frame parts. The seal may be arranged directly adjacent to or at a distance from the space. If desired, respective seals may be provided on both longitudinal sides of the space.

In yet another embodiment of the assembly according to the invention, it further comprises a seal comprising a connecting element for connecting to the at least one seal element receiving recess, wherein the connecting element of the seal is arranged in the seal element receiving recess in a connected state, and wherein the seal projects by a selected length relative to the bottom side of the first frame part in the connected state.

As explained above, such a seal provides the advantage that a moisture barrier between the inner and outer of the frame part may have been provided.

The invention further relates to a frame comprising at least one frame part according to any one of claims 1 -8 or at least one assembly according to any one of claims 9 -18.

The invention will be further explained by means of drawings, wherein: Figures la and lb show a part of a frame according to a first embodiment of the invention in perspective view, wherein Figure la is an exploded view and Figure lb shows the part of the frame in assembled state; Figure 2 shows a cross section through Figure lb; Figure 3 shows a cross section through Figure lb at a second longitudinal position; Figures 4a and 4b show a part of a frame according to a second embodiment of the invention in perspective view, wherein Figure 4a is an exploded view and Figure 4b shows the part of the frame in an assembled state; Figure 5 shows a cross section through Figure 4b at a first longitudinal position, and Figure 6 shows a cross section through Figure 4b at a second longitudinal position.

Equal reference numbers for equal parts are used in the figures, increased by one hundred (100) for the second embodiment.

Figures la, lb, 2 and 3 show a part of a frame 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The frame 1 comprises a first frame part 2 and a second frame part 3. According to the invention, the first frame part 2 is made of a cellulose-containing plastic composite. As may be seen in the figures, the first frame part 2 is reinforced with reinforcement wires 4, in the form of steel wires, which reinforcement wires extend in the longitudinal direction of the first frame part 2. The cellulose may be selected, for example, from wood, elephant grass, bamboo, hemp, or a combination thereof. For example, the cellulose may be in fiber form or powder form contained in the plastic. In this case, the mass percentage of the cellulose in the plastic composite is higher than 60%, wherein in this case the cellulose is homogeneously or substantially homogeneously distributed in the plastic composite. The plastic may be, for example, polypropylene or any other suitable plastic. If desired, the first frame part 2 may be provided with a moisture resistant and/or UV stable coating.

In this embodiment, the first frame part 2 is provided with two recesses 5, which extend substantially along the entire length of the first frame part 2, with one recess 5 each being arranged on a respective longitudinal side or side 6 of the first frame part 2. In this embodiment, the second frame part 3 is provided with two engagement elements 7, extending substantially over the entire length of the second frame part 3 and wherein one engagement element 7 is arranged each time on a respective longitudinal side or side 8 of the second frame part 3, and wherein the engagement elements 7 extend inwardly from such longitudinal sides 8 from an inner side of such longitudinal sides 8. As visible in Figures lb and 2, the engagement elements 7 may be arranged in respective recesses S for interconnecting the first frame part 2 and second frame part 3 to form the assembled state shown in these Figures lb and 2. As visible particularly in Figure la and Figure 2, the engagement element 7 is substantially hook-shaped so that it may engage in and/or on the recess 5 and, as it were, snap therein.

As further visible in Figures lb, 2 and 3, in the assembled state of these figures, a space 10 is provided between sides of the first frame part 2 and the second frame part 3 facing each other, wherein the space lOis arranged to drain any liquid that may be present between the first frame part 2 and second frame part 3, such as, for example, rainwater or other moisture. The liquid may flow to and from the space 10 through respective passages 11 and 12. The passage 11 is hereby provided in the second frame part 3 and connects with an entry side of the passage 11 to a channel 13 provided in the top side of the second frame part 3 and discharges with the exit side thereof into the space 10. The passage 12 is in the first frame part 2 and connects with an entry side thereof to the space 10 and discharges with an outlet side thereof to outside the first frame part 2 and preferably to below ground level, so that the moisture is discharged from the assembly below ground level. A seal 14 is arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the space 10 so that the moisture may not flow out of the space 10 between the two frame parts 2,3.

As further shown in Figures la, lb, 2 and 3, in this example, two seal element receiving recesses 20 are provided at a bottom side of the first frame part 2 in this example, which seal element receiving recesses 20 are arranged to receive a connecting element 21 of a seal 22, wherein in a connected state the seal 22 projects by a selected length relative to the bottom side of the first frame part 2. As may be seen, the seal element receiving recess 20 has a substantially mushroom-shaped cross-sectional shape and the connecting element 21 has an arrow shape, so that the connecting element 21 may be snapped into the recess 20. The seal element 22 forms a moisture barrier between the inner side and outer side of the frame.

As further shown in Figures la, lb, and 2, the second frame part 3 in this example comprises slotted holes 30 which, in assembled state the frame 1, connect to through holes 32 of a plinth block 31, to holes 35 of flashing 34, and holes in post 36 (not shown). In the holes 30, 32, 35, dowels 33 may be inserted whereby, by means of screws (not shown) in the dowels 33, a solid connection between the various parts is provided. The slotted holes 30 allow for some expansion of the second frame part 3 under temperature variations. In this example, it is understood that the plinth block 31 is fixed to the second frame part 3.

Figures 4a, 4b, 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of the frame part. Only the differences with the first embodiment from Figures la, lb, 2 and 3 will be described here. For a further explanation of figures 4a, 4b, 5 and 6, please refer to the description accompanying figures la, lb, 2 and 3.

The part of the frame 101 according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the plinth block 131 is applied directly to the first frame part 102 and that the second frame part 103 extends up to the plinth block 131, but thus not below the plinth block 131 as is the case in the first embodiment. This is also evident from the cross-sections shown in Figures 4 and 5, whereby the cross-section from Figure 4 is made at the level of the plinth block 131 and the cross-section from Figure 5 is made at the level of the second frame part 103. For directly connecting the plinth block 131 to the first frame part 102, the first frame part 102 comprises a hole 137 in which to insert the screw which then extends through the dowel 32. The hole 137 is not a slotted hole because the first frame part 102 does substantially not expand in length due to the reinforcing wires 104. In this example, the plinth block 131 comprises two engagement elements 140 extending substantially along the entire length of the plinth block 131, with one engagement element 140 each being arranged at a respective longitudinal side or side 141 of the plinth block 131, and with the engagement elements 140 extending inwardly from an inner side of said longitudinal side 141. As visible in Figures 4b and 5, the engagement elements 140 may be arranged in respective recesses 105 of the first frame part 102 for interconnecting the first frame part 102 and the plinth block 131 to form the assembled state shown in these Figures 4b, Sand 6. As may be seen particularly in Figure 4a and Figure 5, the engagement element 140 is substantially hook-shaped which allows it to engage in and/or on the recess 105 and, as it were, snap into it. Here, as in the first embodiment, the recess 105 extends along the entire length of the first frame part 102 so that both the plinth block 131 and the second frame part 103 may be snapped into it. The engagement elements 140 of the plinth block 131 are thereby substantially the same as the engagement elements 107 of the second frame part 103.

It should be noted that the embodiments shown relate to a possible embodiment but that the invention is not limited to this.

Claims

Claims 1. Frame part, for example a sill or post, or part thereof, characterized in that the frame part is made of a cellulose-containing plastic composite.
2. Frame part according to claim 1, wherein the frame part is reinforced with reinforcing wires such as flax wires or steel wires, wherein the reinforcing wires extend in the longitudinal direction of the frame part.
3. Frame part according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cellulose is selected from wood, bamboo, hemp, or a combination thereof.
4. Frame part according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cellulose is contained in fiber form or powder form in the plastic composite.
5. Frame part according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mass percentage of cellulose in the plastic composite is higher than 60%, preferably between 65% and 80%, and more preferably between 70% and 75%.
6. Frame part according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the frame part is provided with a moisture-resistant coating and/or a UV-stable coating and/or a colored coating.
7. Frame part according to any of the preceding claims, comprising connecting means for a second frame part to be connected to the frame part, such as for example a plinth block or cover element, wherein the second frame part is provided with second connecting means cooperating with the connecting means.
8. Frame part according to claim 7, wherein the connecting means comprise at least one of a recess and an engagement element receivable in the recess.
9. Frame part according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one seal element receiving recess is provided at a bottom side of the first frame part, wherein the seal element receiving recess is arranged to receive a connecting element of a seal, wherein in a connected state the seal projects by a selected length relative to the bottom side of the first frame part.
10. Frame part according to claim 9, wherein the at least one seal element receiving recess has a substantially mushroom-shaped cross-sectional shape.
11. Assembly of a first frame part and a second frame part, wherein the first frame part is a frame part according to any of claims 1-10 and wherein the second frame part is connectable to the first frame part to form an assembled state of the assembly.
12. Assembly according to claim 11, wherein the second frame part extends at least partially around the first frame part in the assembled state, in particular over at least a part of at least one longitudinal side and preferably over at least a part of both longitudinal sides of the first frame part.
13. Assembly according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the second frame part is provided with second connecting means cooperating with the connecting means.
14. Assembly according to claim 13, wherein the second connecting means comprise at least one other of the recess and the engagement element receivable in the recess.
15. Assembly according to claim 14, wherein the recess and the engagement element extend for at least substantially the entire length in the longitudinal direction of each of the first and second frame part.
16. Assembly according to any of claims 11-15, wherein in the assembled state a space is provided between sides of the first frame part and the second frame part facing each other, wherein the space is arranged to discharge any liquid that may be present between the first frame part and the second frame part.
17. Assembly according to claim 16, wherein in each of the first and the second frame part a passage is provided, wherein passages in the assembled state connect to the space for respectively discharging and supplying fluid from or to the space.
18. Assembly according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the space extends along the length of the first and second frame part and wherein parallel to the longitudinal direction of the space, a seal is provided between the first and second frame part.
19. Assembly according to any of claims 11-18, further comprising a seal comprising a connecting element for connecting to the at least one seal element receiving recess, wherein the connecting element of the seal is arranged in the seal element receiving recess in a connected state, and wherein the seal projects by a selected length relative to the bottom side of the first frame part in the connected state.
20. Frame, comprising at least one frame part according to any of claims 1 -10 or at least one assembly according to any of claims 11 -19.