NZ216754A - Wicking condensation through aluminium window frame - Google Patents

Description

216 7 5 4 No.: 216754 Date: 4 July 1986 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION "Improvements in or Relating to Joinery" WE, AHI ALUMINIUM LIMITED, a company incorporated under the laws of New Zealand, of 90-104 Felton Mathew Avenue, Glen Innes, Auckland, New Zealand hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 216754 This invention relates to methods of removing condensate from joinery in buildings and/or joinery including a device for removing condensate therefrom and has been devised particularly though not solely for use in window joinery using aluminium alloy as the material therefor. ~ It is an object of the present invention to provide methods of removing condensate from joinery in buildings and/or joinery including a device for removing condensate therefrom and/or a device for removing condensate from buildings which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Accordingly in one aspect the invention consists in a method of removing water such as condensate from the interior of a building to the exterior through a joinery frame said method comprising the steps of absorbing the water collecting on the interior of joinery by use of a hydrophilic material and causing the water collected by the hydophilic material to be delivered outside of the building containing the joinery.

In a further aspect the invention consists in joinery comprising a joinery frame, said frame being provided with at least one slot of small height compared with its width, and a hydrophilic material disposed in said slot or slots, the construction and arrangement being such that water such as condensate collecting adjacent the joinery on the inside of a building in which the joinery 21U754 is fitted is absorbed by said hydrophilic material and then discharged to the outside of the building.

In a still further aspect the invention consists in a holder for mounting hydrophilic material for removing condensation from a building said holder being adapted to be fixed to part of a joinery frame. ~ To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructions of which the following gives examples.

One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view through the invention, and of a window frame incorporating the invention.

Figure 2. is a similar perspective diagram of a window frame having a fixed glass therein and, Figures 3 and 4 are a perspective sketch and a cross section respectively of a holding device used in the form of the invention shown in Figure 1. 2.111754 Where joinery is provided for windows in a building because of the high rate of transfer of heat through glass there is a considerable variation in temperature as between the inner surface of the glass in a window and the outer surface. As a result of this in certain conditions water vapour on the insicle of a building condenses on the glass and the water in the form of n> vi, condensate runs down the glass and collects on the joinery on any horizontal surface thereof. This is a serious disadvantage. At present condensation apertures are provided in joinery to convey the condensate from the inside of the building to the outside but because of difficulties with capillary action, surface tension of the collected water, blockages and other matters causing malfunctioning, the present arrangements are not entirely satisfactory.

According the present invention has been devised and referring to the drawings the invention is applicable to fixed glass windows and other joinery but the preferred form of the invention will be described by reference to joinery in the form of a window frame 1 (Figure 1) into which fits a window sash surround (not shown), a seal (not shown) fitting in a slot 2, against which a part of the sash closes. A slot 5 is provided to receive a sill board and having an upper flange 6 which in turn has an upstand 7 and it is on the flange 6 that condensate tends to collect. Such condensate forms on the glass and then C - 216754 o runs over the flange 10, and down onto the flange 6.

According to the present invention to dispose of such condensate by transferring it from the inside of the building i.e. on the right of Figure 1 looking at that Figure and conveying the condensate to the outside of the building i.e. conveying it to the space 15 in Figure 1, a slot 16 is provided which slot is relatively long n*. v-" compared with its height and preferably the slot has a height of the order of 2mm high as comparred with its width which may be of the order of 17mm.

In the slot 16 and reaching down to the space 15 there is provided a strip 17 of a hydrophilic material preferably a hydrophilic cellulose foam material such as that sold under the trade name SILK. The hydrophilic material is provided in a dry form which is for example slightly over 2mpi thick and is cut to a width of say 15mm and is arranged to fit neatly in the slot 16 and to extend downwardly into the space 15 as shown. The edge 18 of the foam which is level with the face 19 is preferably arranged to be flush with that face.

Referring to Figure 2 a similar construction is shown except that in place of the awning 2 a fixed glass 20 is provided held in place by a glazing bead 21 and a flexible strip of e.g. polyvinylchloride 22. Blocks 23 support the glass 20 and the hydrophilic strip 24 is positioned in the body 30 of a holder anQ in a slot 25 in the same way as above described.

Although the hydrophilic material may simply lie on the surface 27 (figure 2) of the frame, it is preferable to provide a holder therefor. Such a holder is shown in Figures 1, arid 3, and comprises a moulding from a plastics material to provide a body 30 and a retaining member preferably in the form of a clamp plate 31 retained at 29 to the main body. Alternatively in Figure 4 the body 30 has a member in the form of a hinged member 37 (shown in the open position) hinged at 32. The surface 33 on the body is provided with pins 36 which coact with holes 35 in surface 34 on the plate 31 to hold the strip 17 in place. The holder is designed to sit on the surface 27 of the frame and be clipped between rib 39 and an angle 40 on the frame 1, suitable detents 41 being provided. The hydrophilic strip 17 is placed in position and turned to lie against the strip 17 with the pins 36 helping to hold the hydrophilic strip 17 in place. The hydrophilic strip 17 is also placed between two wings 42 one on each side of its body 30.

In use after the hydrophilic material has been installed in the dry state, once it has been initially wetted it will expand somewhat thus assisting in holding it in place in the slot 16. However should an accumulation of water e.g. condensate occur adjacent to the hydrophilic material, that material will absorb the water and discharge the water from the inside of the building in which the window is installed to the outside of that building. Once the water has reached the space it may be disposed of by providing larger holes in the surface 27 or 43.

It will be seen that by the foregoing a construction is provided which enables the condensate to be discharged from inside a building to the outside a building through a window frame in a simple yet effective manner and the construction is not readily visible since the slot is relatively small and the hydrophilic material is not a protrusive material.

Claims (8)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A method of removing water such as condensate from the interior of a building to the exterior through a joinery frame said method comprising the steps of absorbing the water collecting on the interior of joinery by use of a hydrophilic material disposed in a holder, said holder being disposed in said frame and having retaining means, said hydrophilic material being retained in said holder by said retaining means and causing the water collected by the hydrophilic material to be delivered outside of the building containing the joinery through said holder and said frame.

2. A method of removing water such as condensate from the interior to the exterior of a building through a joinery frame when effected substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

3. Joinery comprising a joinery frame between the exterior and interior of a building, said frame being provided with at least one slot of small height compared with its width, each said slot communicating between the exterior and interior of the building, a holder disposed in said frame adjacent each slot and having retaining means for retaining hydrophilic material within said holder such that water such as condensate collecting adjacent the or a slot on the inside of the building in which the joinery is fitted is absorbed by said 216754 o hydrophilic material and then discharged from said hydrophilic material to the outside of the building through said holder.

4. Joinery as claimed in claim 3 wherein said hydrophilic material comprises a hydrophilic foam.

5. Joinery as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein said slot or slots is or are of the order of 8 times as long as wide.

6. Joinery when constructed arranged and operable substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

7. Joinery according to any one of claims 3 to 5, including a holder for mounting a hydrophilic material, said holder being adapted to be fixed within said joinery frame.

8. Joinery as glaimed in claim 7 wherein said holder comprises a body and retaining means to hold said hydrophilic material in said body.