Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02361786 2001-11-09
MODULAR WINDOW AND DOOR ASSEMBLY
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a modular window and door assembly
and
more particularly to a window and door assembly that can be custom assembled
to provide
for varied thicknesses and for different materials and/or colors between the
interior side of the
assembly and the exterior side.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A two-window prior art window assembly 10 is shown in Figures 1 and 2. The
prior
art window assembly 10 shown in Figure 1 includes a swinging window sash 12, a
fixed
window 14 and a window frame 15. The window frame 15 shown in Figures 1 and 2
is a
rectangular frame generally including vertical frame members 16 and horizontal
frame
members 17. The swinging window sash 12 is mounted between the center vertical
frame
member and the left vertical frame member while the fixed window is mounted
between the
center vertical frame member and the right vertical frame member. The swinging
window
sash 12 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is an out swing window sash that is pivotally
attached to the
window frame 15 and swings towards the exterior 18 of the building structure
in which the
window assembly 10 is mounted.
Referring specifically to Figure 2, the window sash 12 generally includes a
left
vertical stile 20, a right vertical stile 21, horizontal sash members 22 and
glazing 23, e.g. a
pane of glass, fixed between the vertical stiles and the horizontal sash
members. The glazing
23 is securely held between the horizontal and vertical sash members by an
arrangement of
brackets 24 and beads 25 that may be formed as integrally extruded portions of
the sash
members or may be made separate and removable from the sash members.
The sash members 20, 21 and 22 are typically one-piece extruded metal
structures that
include an insulating material 26 that is poured and hardened in a
longitudinal portion of the
sash member between an interior side 28 and the exterior side 29 of the
extrusion.
Longitudinal slots 30 are cut through the metal extrusion to the insulating
material 26 to form
CA 02361786 2001-11-09
a gap in the metal extrusion to reduce the rate of heat transfer by conduction
through the sash
member between the interior and the exterior side. Obviously, the interior
side 28 faces the
interior 31 of the building structure and the exterior side 29 faces the
exterior 18 of the
building.
Similarly, the horizontal and vertical frame members 16 and 17 of the window
frame
15 are typically one-piece extruded metal structures having an insulation
break between an
interior side 32 and an exterior side 33. The frame members are extruded by
any method
known and are preferably insulated by pouring a hardening insulating material
26 in a
longitudinal portion of the jam between the interior side and the exterior
side. Again,
longitudinal slots 30 are cut through the metal extrusions to the insulating
material 26 to
reduce the rate of heat transfer by conduction through the frame member
between the interior
side 32 and the exterior side 33.
The window frame 15 shown in Figure 2 includes three vertical frame members 16
comprising a left jamb 34, a center jamb 36 and a right jamb 38. The swinging
window sash
12 is pivotally mounted between the left and center jambs 34 and 36 while the
fixed window
14 is mounted between the center jamb 36 and the right jamb 38.
The width of the horizontal and vertical sash members in combination with the
width
of the horizontal and vertical frame members determines the overall thickness
40 of the
window assembly. Furthermore, since the sash members and the frame members are
all one-
piece extrusions, the interior side of the window assembly is the same
material and color as
the exterior side of the window assembly. Thus, the window assembly 10 of the
prior art is
limited in its choice of thicknesses, materials and colors.
For example, the window assembly of the prior art does not afford the option
of
having different materials or colors between the interior and the exterior of
the window.
With windows and doors of the prior art that require a different finish on the
outermost and
innermost sides, the conventional practice is to apply the different finishes
in separate and
secondary masking operations on each member. This method requires extra
handling and
associated additional cost.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a window and door assembly that
can
be custom assembled to provide a variety of thicknesses, materials and color
choices.
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CA 02361786 2001-11-09
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a modular window and door assembly that can be custom
assembled to provide for varied materials and/or colors between the interior
side of the
assembly and the exterior side. The present invention may take the form of a
window frame,
a window sash or a combination thereof. The present invention may also take
the form of a
doorframe or any other structural portal such as a sky-light or a greenhouse
panel.
The window frame of the present invention generally includes an inner frame
member
forming an interior side of the frame and an outer frame member forming an
exterior side of
the frame. The inner and outer frame members are mechanically coupled
together, preferably
by a rail and slot arrangement to form the frame. In a preferred embodiment,
one of the
members includes a longitudinal T-shaped rail and the other member includes a
longitudinal
slot that cooperates with the T-shaped rail for coupling the inner and outer
frame members
together. However, other coupling methods may be utilized. Thus, the inner and
outer frame
members can be made from different materials and/or colors to provide a
variety of design
choices.
The window frame of the present invention may include a sash mounted therein
for
retaining a glass pane of a window. The window sash generally includes an
inner sash
member forming an interior side of the sash and an outer sash member forming
an exterior
side of the sash. The inner and outer sash members are mechanically coupled
together,
preferably by a rail and slot arrangement to form the sash. In a preferred
embodiment, one of
the members includes a longitudinal T-shaped rail and the other member
includes a
longitudinal slot that cooperates with the T-shaped rail for coupling the
inner and outer sash
members together. Again, other coupling methods may be utilized. Thus, the
inner and outer
sash members can be made from different materials and/or colors to provide a
variety of
design choices.
A door frame for mounting a door therein formed in accordance with the present
invention generally includes an inner door frame member forming an interior
side of the door
frame and an outer door frame member forming an exterior side of the door
frame. The inner
and outer door frame members are mechanically coupled together, preferably by
a rail and
slot arrangement to form the doorframe. In a preferred embodiment, one of the
members
CA 02361786 2001-11-09
includes a longitudinal T-shaped rail and the other member includes a
longitudinal slot that
cooperates with the T-shaped rail for coupling the inner and outer door frame
members
together. Thus, the inner and outer door frame members can be made from
different
materials and/or colors to provide a variety of design choices.
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the
following
detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
and its scope
will be defined in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a plan view of a two-window assembly of the prior art.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the prior art window assembly shown in
Figure 1
taken along the line 2-2.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a two-window
assembly formed in accordance with the present invention.
Figures 4a - 4d are cross-sectional views showing alternate embodiments of the
coupling portions.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a door frame
assembly formed in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a window
assembly
50 formed in accordance with the present invention taken along a horizontal
plane similar to
Figure 2. The window assembly 50 shown in Figure 3 includes a fixed window 52
and an out
swing window sash 54, both mounted in a window frame 56. However, the present
invention
may accommodate any type of window sash, such as fixed windows, swing window
sashes,
double hung window sashes and vertical or horizontal sliding window sashes and
any number
and combination thereof. In addition, the present invention may accommodate
other types of
window assemblies, such as sky-lights and greenhouse panels.
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Window frame 56 generally includes frame members comprising vertical jambs
57,58,59 and horizontal rails (not shown) connected together to enclose the
frame. The
window frame 56 shown in Figure 3 is a rectangular frame, however, other frame
shapes are
within the scope of the present invention.
The vertical jambs 57,58,59 comprise an inner frame member 60 and an outer
frame
member 64 that are mechanically coupled together. The inner frame member 60
includes an
interior side 62 and a coupling portion 63 opposite the interior side. The
outer frame member
64 includes an exterior side 66 and a coupling portion 67 opposite the
exterior side. The
inner and outer frame members 60 and 64 are mechanically coupled together to
form the
vertical jambs 57,58,59 such that the interior side 62 of the inner frame
member 60 faces the
interior 68 of the building structure in which the window assembly is mounted,
while the
exterior side 66 of the outer frame member 64 faces the exterior 69.
The inner and outer frame members 60 and 64 are structural extrusions extruded
by
any known method. They are preferably made of metal such as aluminum, however,
other
durable materials including wood, fiberglass and high-strength plastics such
as vinyl may be
used. Additionally, the inner and outer frame members 60 and 64 may be made
from
different respective materials so that the interior of the frame can have a
different finish than
the exterior. One or both of the inner and outer frame members 60 and 64
includes an
insulation break 70 formed by pouring a hardening insulating material in a
longitudinal
portion of the member between the interior/exterior side of the extrusion and
the coupling
portion. A longitudinal slot is then cut through the member to the insulating
material to
reduce the rate of heat transfer by conduction through the member between the
interior side
and the exterior side of the frame. As shown in Figure 3, the inner frame
member 60 includes
the insulation break 70, however, the insulation break can alternatively be
included in the
outer frame member 64.
The coupling portions 63 and 67 of the inner and outer frame members 60 and 64
may
comprise any type of structurally adequate mechanical coupling arrangement.
Figure 3
shows a preferred embodiment wherein the coupling portions comprise a rail and
slot
arrangement. Preferably, one of the inner and outer frame members 60 and 64
includes a T-
shaped rail 72 formed thereon which cooperates with a correspondingly shaped
slot 74
formed on the other of the inner and outer frame members. In the window frame
56 shown in
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Figure 3, the inner frame member 60 includes the T-shaped rail 72, while the
outer frame
member 64 includes the slot 74. To couple the inner and outer frame members 60
and 64, the
frame members are first positioned substantially end to end and the T-rail 72
is inserted in
into the end of the slot 74. The T-rail 72 longitudinally slides into the slot
74 whereby the
entire length of the inner and outer frame members 60 and 64 are coupled
together.
Alternate embodiments of the coupling portions are shown in Figures 4a-4d. For
example, Figure 4a shows coupling portions 63a and 67a having chamfered
surfaces 77 for
snapping the inner and outer frame members 60a and 64a together. Figure 4b
shows coupling
portions 63b and 67b in the form of a tongue and groove arrangement that are
fastened
together by one or more screws 78. Naturally, any type of fasteners, such as
pins, rivets or
staples, may be used. Figure 4c shows coupling portions 63c and 67c forming a
lap joint that
are fastened together by a structural adhesive 79. Figure 4d shows coupling
portions 63d and
67d that are crimped together. Specifically, coupling portion 63d includes a
hinged crimping
arm 81 that is forced into engagement with coupling portion 67d and held
thereto by
frictional force. Of course, any combination of the above-described coupling
portions may
also be used. Thus, it is readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art
that there are
numerous other forms of coupling portions that can be used with the present
invention.
In the window frame 56 shown in Figure 3, only the vertical jambs 57,58,59
having
the rail and slot coupling arrangement are illustrated. Of course, other frame
members, e.g.
horizontal members, may be made comprising inner and outer frame members that
are
coupled together by the rail and slot arrangement as described above.
Figure 3 shows a fixed window 52 comprising a glass pane 75 mounted between a
left
vertical jamb 57 and a center vertical jamb 58. The left and center vertical
jambs 57 and 58
include glass retaining portions 76 which may be integrally extruded with the
jambs or may
be made in the form of removable brackets. The glass retaining members 76
securely retain
the glass pane 75 between the vertical jambs 57 and 58 and the horizontal
frame members
(not shown) to form the fixed window 52.
Figure 3 also shows an out swinging window sash 54 mounted between the center
vertical jamb 58 and a right vertical jamb 59. The window sash 54 generally
includes sash
members comprising vertical stiles 80 and horizontal members (not shown) for
enclosing and
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retaining a glass pane 82. The vertical stiles 80 shown in Figure 3 include an
inner sash
member 84 forming an interior side 85 of the window sash and an outer sash
member 86
forming an exterior side 87 of the sash. The inner and outer sash members 84
and 86 are
structural extrusions that are coupled together similar to the frame members
57,58,59 as
described above. Accordingly, the inner and outer sash members 84 and 86 also
include
coupling portions, preferably in the form of a rail and slot arrangement 72
and 74, and an
insulation break 70 as described above. Both the inner and outer sash members
84 and 86
further include glass-retaining portions 88 between which the glass pane 82 is
installed and
securely retained. The glass retaining portions 88 may be integrally extruded
with the sash
members 84 and 86 or may be in the form of removable brackets.
Again, Figure 3 only illustrates the present invention in the vertical stiles
of the
window sash, however, other sash members, e.g. horizontal sash members may
also include
coupling portions in the form of a rail and slot arrangement. Additionally,
non-rectangular
window sashes may incorporate the invention around the entire periphery of the
glass pane.
1 S By providing inner and outer frame and sash members that are coupled
together, the
option of different interior and exterior surfaces is afforded. For example,
the outer frame
and sash members may be made from one material and:'or color while the inner
frame and
sash members may be made from another. As a result of the present invention, a
window
frame assembly can be custom assembled to match the exterior and interior
decor of the
building structure in which the window assembly is to be mounted. Thus,
components can be
shipped unassembled and then assembled at the building site to satisfy the
need for variations
of framing member design. Furthermore, the overall thickness of the window
assembly can
be varied by interchanging differently sized inner and outer sash members and
frame
members.
The present invention is not limited to window assemblies, but may also be
incorporated in other structural assemblies such as a doorframe. Figure 5
shows the present
invention in the form of a door frame assembly 90. The door frame assembly 90
generally
includes a door 91 mounted in a doorframe 92 by hinges 93. However, the
present invention
may accommodate any type of door including hinged doors and sliding doors and
any
number and combination thereof.
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The door frame 92 includes two vertical doorjambs 94 and at least one
horizontal
frame member (not shown) connecting the two vertical jambs. The doorjambs 94
include an
inner frame member 95 forming an interior side 96 of the door frame and an
outer frame
member 97 forming an exterior side 98 of the frame. The inner and outer door
frame
members 95 and 97 are structural extrusions that are coupled together similar
to the frame
members 57,58,59 and sash members 80 as described above. Accordingly, Figure 5
shows
the inner and outer frame members 95 and 97 having the preferred rail and slot
arrangement
72 and 74 and an insulation break 70 as described above. Again however, any
type of
structurally adequate coupling portions may be utilized. Of course, the
horizontal frame
member may also comprise an inner and outer frame member coupled together by
coupling
portions as well. Thus, the interior side of the door frame can be made from a
different
material and/or color than the exterior side of the door frame.
While there has been described what is presently believed to be the preferred
embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will realize that
various changes and
modifications may be made to the invention without the parting from the spirit
of the
invention and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as
fall within the true
scope of the invention.
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