ITMO20090218A1 - COUNTERFRAME FOR DOORS AND WINDOWS AND SPACER ELEMENTS FOR COUNTERFRAME - Google Patents

Description

Counterframe for doors and windows and spacer elements for counterframe

The invention concerns a counterframe for doors and windows, in particular for sliding doors, and spacer elements for fixing the counterframe.

A counterframe is known comprising a box-like structure intended to be recessed inside a building wall, and shaped to receive a sliding door inside. The box-like structure defines an internal space in which the sliding door is received. A cross element is fixed at the top to the box-like structure, inside which is housed a guide designed to support and guide the sliding door during use. The transverse element connects the box-like structure to a vertical upright and thus defines a light intended to be opened or closed by the sliding door.

For the installation of the subframe, spacer elements are provided which are used to keep the subframe in a correct position for all the time required by the concrete or other substances so that the subframe is permanently and permanently fixed to a building wall. The spacer elements are made of galvanized sheet metal or other material and are not subject to any painting treatment. Once the subframe is well anchored to the wall, the spacer elements are removed from the subframe itself.

The spacer elements, during the fastening of the subframe, are interposed between a side wall of the box-like structure and the vertical upright of the subframe, so as to extend horizontally in the area that will be occupied by the sliding door, during normal use, that is after it is completed. the installation. It is evident that the opening of the wall in which the sliding door will be received is substantially not accessible, due to the spacers which prevent the passage through the light of the subframe. The presence of the spacer elements can represent an obstacle for the operators working on the construction site, and above all a risk to their safety, particularly in conditions of poor visibility such as in the case of a sudden lack of electric lighting or during the execution of works on the site. € ™ to get dark. Furthermore, in the event that it is necessary to evacuate the construction site quickly, the spacer elements described above and the transverse element do not facilitate the operators in their search for escape routes, but on the contrary can make this search more difficult.

One purpose of the invention is to improve known counter frames for sliding doors and windows.

Another purpose of the invention is to obtain a subframe equipped with spacers and a transverse element that allow to improve the safety conditions on the work site where the subframe is located during the installation of the latter.

According to the invention, a subframe is provided as defined in claim 1.

The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate some exemplary and non-limiting forms of implementation, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a subframe according to the invention in an installation configuration;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the subframe of Figure 1;

Figure 2A is an enlarged detail of Figure 2;

Figure 2B is another enlarged detail of Figure 2; Figure 3 shows the subframe in another installation configuration;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the subframe of Figure 3;

Figure 4A is an enlarged detail of Figure 4;

Figure 4B is an enlarged detail of Figure 4;

With reference to Figures 1 to 4, a counter frame 1 for sliding door is shown, comprising a box-like structure 2 able to receive inside it a sliding door and shaped to be embedded in a building wall 3.

The box-like structure 2, better visible in Figures 3 and 4, comprises a pair of mutually parallel front walls 4, which are intended to be positioned parallel to the surfaces of the building wall 3. The front walls 4 are mutually spaced so as to define an internal cavity inside which the sliding door is received, and are connected to each other by further walls of smaller width, arranged transversely with respect to the front walls 4. In particular, the box-like structure 2 comprises an upper wall 5, and a first side wall 6, which at the end of the installation are substantially positioned horizontally and vertically respectively.

The first side wall 6 is arranged at one end of the box-like structure 2 opposite the end through which the sliding door is received slidingly inside the box-like structure 2.

The box-like structure 2, until the sliding door is mounted on the counter frame 1, also includes a second side wall 7, opposite and facing the first side wall 6. The second side wall 7 is used in the installation phases of the counter frame 1, as will be described later. On the second side wall 7, once the counterframe is well fixed to the wall of the building 3, an opening is subsequently made to allow the sliding door to access the inside of the box-like structure 2.

The box-like structure 2 can be provided with mesh elements 22 of metal or other material (shown in Figures 1 and 2) on which it is possible to apply a layer of plaster. Each mesh element 22 can be fixed, by means of suitable mechanical coupling means, to a respective front wall 4.

The counter frame 1 comprises an upright 9, intended to be applied parallel to the second side wall 7 and at a distance from the box-like structure 2 as a function of the width of the opening 13 affected by the sliding door. The upright 9 can be made of wood or other material. On the upright 9 there are anchors 10, or other type of fastening elements, which allow it to be fixed to the wall 3 of the building.

The counter frame comprises a transverse element 12 able to be positioned in an upper area of the opening 13. The transverse element 12 is connected between the box-like structure 2 and the upright 9. The transverse element 12 can be made of metal sheet or in other material.

The transverse element 12 comprises an elongated portion 15, to which a support guide 14 is connected, able to support and guide, with suitable bearings, the sliding door once mounted. The support guide 14 comprises a part 16 which extends longitudinally outside the elongated portion and a further part which extends longitudinally inside the elongated portion 15.

The part 16 of the support guide 14 is shaped to be fixed to the upper wall 5 of the box-like structure 2 by means of locking screws 17 with hexagonal heads or fastening elements of another type, for example of the plug-in type.

The subframe 1 is painted with an insulation product 23.

The insulation product comprises a soundproofing paint 23 which allows the two environments between which the subframe 1 itself is interposed to be acoustically insulated. The insulation product 23 contains glass microspheres, hollow inside, which make it thermal, acoustic and sound-absorbing insulator. The silica-based glass microspheres have a diameter of the order of a few micrometers and define inside them micro-chambers that act as acoustic insulating and sound-absorbing elements. Furthermore, the insulation product 23 thus configured also acts as a thermal insulator. This is particularly advantageous for the subframe 1 especially when the latter is configured to house a window which is intended to preserve the internal temperature of the building from the external environment.

Furthermore, the insulation product 23, once applied, defines a surface having such a roughness as to favor the adhesion of the plaster to it.

The soundproofing paint 23 is already foreseen on the subframe 1 before the installation of the latter. The soundproofing paint 23 is applied on the subframe 1 so as to define a very thin layer, having a thickness of about 1 mm. Subframe 1 is therefore ready to be installed, already soundproofed.

Thanks to the very thin thickness of the soundproofing paint 23, there is no difficulty in installing the subframe 1 in very thin walls, for example walls which when completed have a thickness of 105 mm or even less. The soundproofing paint 23 can have a thickness even less than 1 mm or greater than 1 mm, depending on the thickness of the wall in which the subframe 1 is installed.

The soundproofing paint 23 is blue but can also be of other types of color. The insulation product, including the soundproofing paint 23, as previously mentioned, also has the effect of increasing the adhesion of the plaster or other materials to the areas occupied by the paint itself. The soundproofing paint 23, provided on the mesh elements 22, allows to apply a layer of plaster on the mesh elements 22. Thanks to the mesh elements 22, which can be geometrically shaped to promote the plaster grip, and thanks to the Action of the soundproofing paint 23 which considerably helps the plaster to cling to the mesh elements 22, a strong adhesion of the plaster to the subframe 1 is obtained. Thanks to the subframe 1 configured in this way, it is therefore possible to obtain an effective soundproofing even in very thin building walls, unlike what happens in the state of the art in which the need to arrange the soundproofing panels precludes the application of the plaster directly on the subframe. On the other hand, if you tried to apply the plaster on the soundproofing panels used in the state of the art, poor results would be obtained due to the poor adhesion between plaster and soundproofing panels. This would cause in a short time the undesired detachment of the plaster from the soundproofing panels.

In a version of the counterframe 1 according to the invention, it is possible to appropriately configure the box-like structure 2 so as to allow the application of plaster, or other covering materials, directly on the front walls 4, without being It is necessary to provide the mesh elements 22. The front walls 4 can have a section for example zigzag, or other shapes such as to allow the grip of a covering material on them. In an installation configuration, shown in Figure 3, the box-like structure 2 is embedded in a wall of the building 3 without using the mesh elements 22. In this case, on the front walls 4, for example, panels can be applied of plasterboard 11.

The cross element 12 is provided with positioning indicator means 18 which have the function of signaling the correct or incorrect position of the cross element 12 during assembly. In one version, the positioning indicating means comprise a level element 18 which allows to check the horizontality of the transverse element 12.

The level element 18, in the version described, comprises an air bubble level, that is to say it comprises a container which extends for one part along the transverse element 12 and which contains a liquid inside which There is an air bubble. The container is transparent to allow the assembly operator to see how the air bubble is positioned. This therefore allows the operator to quickly and easily adjust the position of the cross member, so that the latter is perfectly horizontal. In this way, the sliding door, once assembled, is able to function correctly. The level element 18, in another version, can include a water level. In this case, the level is equipped with two communicating ampoules containing water and signals the correct or incorrect position of the cross element 12 depending on whether the heights of the water in the two ampoules are the same or not.

In particular, there is a pair of level elements 18, arranged on opposite sides of the transverse element 12. In this way, the assembly operator can easily check the horizontality of the transverse element 12 to be both rooms separated from the subframe 1.

Thanks to the position indicator means 18 which are incorporated in the cross element 12, the operator can dedicate himself with his own hands to handle only the cross element 12 without having to worry about also handling a portable level instrument - included in the its tools supplied - to be positioned on the crosspiece 12 to check its horizontality. Furthermore, in the case of state-of-the-art counterframes that make it necessary to use the portable level instrument, there may be a risk that the latter will be forgotten elsewhere and / or not available in the place where the assembly of the device is to take place. subframe, which leads to difficulties or even a suspension of the subframe assembly and fastening operations. Instead, thanks to the positioning indicating means 18, such drawbacks are prevented.

Therefore, the positioning indicating means 18 facilitate and speed up the installation operations of the counter frame and facilitate the work of an operator assigned to assembly. Thanks to the positioning indicating means 18, it is therefore possible to have a verification tool always within easy reach because it is incorporated in the subframe 1.

For mounting and fixing the counter frame 1, spacer elements 8 are provided which, during the operations of fixing the counter frame 1 to the building wall 3, serve to keep the counter frame 1 in a correct position. The spacer elements 8 can be made of sheet metal, or other material such as wood, plastic, etc. The spacer elements 8, which are two in number but can also be in a different number, are supplied with the subframe 1 to facilitate their assembly and fixing and are configured to be interposed between the second side wall 7 and the upright 9. On the second side wall 7 and on the upright 9 there are suitable coupling openings 19 (visible in Figures 2 and 4) shaped to couple with coupling protrusions 20 provided at the ends of the spacer elements 8.

The spacer elements 8 are kept interposed between the upright 9 and the box-like structure 2 for the time necessary for the latter to be permanently fixed to the wall of the building, for example the time required by concrete and / or glues and / or other substances used for fixing the subframe 1.

On construction sites, or in buildings under construction, the utmost attention must be paid to safety regulations and it is necessary to adequately signal the areas that are accessible and those that are not accessible and present dangers.

For this purpose, the cross member 12 and the spacer elements 8 are painted with a warning paint 24. The signal paint 24 is already provided on the cross member 12 and on the spacer elements 8 before the subframe 1 is installed. The signaling paint includes a fluorescent signal paint 24. In one version, the crosspiece 12 is painted with a green signal paint 24A and the spacer elements 8 are painted with a red signal paint 24B. Thanks to the spacer elements 8 painted in this way, an operator, and / or whoever is present on the construction site or in the building under construction, perceives, even in low light conditions, the presence of the spacer elements 8 and from the red color, deduces that It is forbidden and / or dangerous to go beyond them.

In one version, the spacer elements 8 are made of colored plastic or other colored material, which therefore does not need to be painted. Similarly, the transverse element 12 can also be made of colored plastic, or other colored material, without painting. The spacer elements 8 according to the invention are therefore clearly visible unlike the spacer elements of the state of the art which, being made of non-colored or unpainted material, are hardly visible especially in poor lighting conditions. In the absence of the spacer elements 8, therefore when the subframe is now well fixed to the wall 3 of the building, the green painted transverse element 12 indicates to an operator the possibility of passing through the light defined between the box-like structure 2 and the upright 9.

When a subframe is mounted on a construction site, it is still in the phase in which the building is in a so-called â € œrudeâ € state; in the event of a sudden lack of electric light or during the execution of works at dusk, therefore in conditions of poor visibility, the green and red colored signs help workers and other operators to identify passable areas and areas inaccessible. In particular, in the case of a counter frame for sliding doors, the green signal paint 24A thus provided on the cross element 12 indicates an â € œ escape routeâ € through the opening defined between the cross element 12 and the floor 21, in the absence of of the spacer elements 8. The red warning paint 24B provided on the spacer elements 8 signals the presence of an obstacle and therefore indicates to be careful and / or prevent passage. The traverse element 12 and the spacer elements 8 thus configured allow to considerably improve the safety conditions of the operators present on the construction site. Obviously, it is possible to provide the warning paint, of a suitable color, also on other areas of the counter frame 1 such as the box-like structure 2 and / or the vertical upright 9, to better highlight the accessible and non-accessible areas. The upright 9, in one version, can be made of colored plastic or other colored material, which therefore does not need to be painted but still performs the signaling function similar to the signaling paint 24.

Variations and / or additions to what is described above and illustrated in the attached drawings are possible. In particular, it is possible to configure the counterframe 1 to house a double sliding door, that is to say a double-leaf door. In this case, two box-like structures similar to the one described and arranged on opposite sides are provided, each box-like structure being able to receive a leaf of the double door. The two leaves are thus sliding towards and away from each other. Alternatively, it is possible to configure the counterframe 1 to allow it to house two single-leaf doors of the converging type. In this case, a single box-like structure is provided with a width such as to allow it to receive two separate sliding doors inside and on opposite sides, each door being associated with a specific environment. In other words, the counterframe 1 comprises a box-like structure of double width with respect to the version shown in the drawings, which is interposed between two uprights associated with the two distinct environments. Two cavities are defined in the box-like structure, each of which houses a respective door. The two cavities are aligned with each other and the two doors slide substantially along the same plane and in opposite areas with respect to a median area of the box-like structure. It is still possible to provide a further version analogous to the latter just described but which differs in that the box-like structure has a smaller width but a greater thickness. In other words, the two cavities that receive the two respective doors are superimposed on each other, in such a way that the two doors can slide along two respective planes parallel and spaced apart.

It is possible to provide still further versions of the subframe 1 described above. In particular, it is possible to configure the counterframe 1 to make it suitable for a sliding window, instead of a sliding door.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS 1. Spacer element for keeping a counter frame (1) for sliding door or window in a fastening position, characterized in that it comprises signaling means (24) for signaling an inaccessible area in proximity to said spacer element (8). Spacer element according to claim 1, wherein said signaling means comprises a signaling paint (24). Spacer element according to claim 2, wherein said signaling paint is a fluorescent signaling paint (24B), in particular of red color. 4. Spacer element according to claim 1, wherein said signaling means comprise a colored plastic or other colored material in which said spacer element (8) is made. 5. Spacer element according to claim 4, wherein said colored plastic or said other colored material is fluorescent, in particular red in color. 6. Transverse element for counterframe for sliding door or window, adapted to support and guide said sliding door or window slidingly, characterized in that it comprises signaling means (24) for signaling an accessible area in proximity of said transverse element (12). Cross member according to claim 6, wherein said signaling means comprise a signaling paint (24). 8. Transverse element according to claim 7, wherein said signaling paint is a fluorescent signaling paint (24A), in particular of green color. Cross element according to claim 6, wherein said signaling means comprise a colored plastic or other colored material in which said cross element (12) is made. 10. Transverse element according to claim 9, wherein said colored plastic or said other colored material is fluorescent, in particular green in color. 11. Counter frame for sliding door or window, comprising: ∠’a box-like structure (2) shaped to internally accommodate said sliding door or window and adapted to be recessed in a housing area of a wall (3), ∠’at least one spacer element (8) according to one of claims 1 to 5, â ’a transverse element (12) according to one of claims 6 to 10, connected to said box-like structure (2) and housing a support guide (14) for said sliding door or window. 12. Counterframe according to claim 11, and further comprising an upright (9) to abut said sliding door or window, said spacer element (8) being interposable between said box-like structure (2) and said upright (9) for fixing of said subframe (1).