VINYL WINDOW BUCK SYSTEM AND INSTALLATION METHOD

PREDORMANT DE FENETRE EN VINYLE ET METHODE D'INSTALLATION

English Abstract

ABSTRACT The present invention is a window buck capable of factory installation into an associated fabricated wall slab having an inside face, an outside face, and a defined window opening to retain the buck therein, and a method for installing same. The window buck is made of vinyl and has a circumscribing lip to retain the buck against an inside face of the fabricated wall slab and within the window opening; and a bullnose and leg engagement surface adjacent the circumscribing lip, for cooperating with and retaining the framed window within the window opening. The bullnose and leg engagement surface are disposed orthogonally (ie at a right angle) to the circumscribing lip and circumscribe the window opening with the bullnose extending toward the outside face of the fabricated wall slab. 13 Date Recue/Date Received 2020-08-13

French Abstract

ABRÉGÉ : Il est décrit une fenêtre capable dinstallation dusine dans une plaque de mur fabriquée connexe ayant une face interne, une face externe et une ouverture de fenêtre définie pour retenir la fenêtre dans cette dernière, ainsi quun procédé dinstallation. La fenêtre est faite de vinyle, et elle a une lèvre circonscrite pour retenir la fenêtre contre une face interne de la plaque de mur fabriquée et à lintérieur de louverture de fenêtre; et un coin arrondi et surface de contact de patte adjacents à la lèvre circonscrite aux fins de coopération avec la fenêtre encadrée, ainsi que de retenue de cette dernière, à lintérieur de louverture de fenêtre. Le coin arrondi et la surface de contact de patte sont disposés de manière orthogonale (c.-à-d. à un angle droit) à la lèvre circonscrite, et ces premiers entourent louverture de fenêtre, le coin arrondi sétendant vers la face externe de la plaque de mur fabriquée. 13 Date reçue/Date Received 2020-08-13

Claims

1. A factory installable window buck to insert into an associated pre-
fabricated wall
slab, with the wall slab having an inside face, an outside face, and a defined
window
opening to receive and retain the window buck therein, the window buck
comprising:
a) a circumscribing lip to retain the buck against an inside face of the
fabricated
wall slab and within the window opening; and
b) a bullnose and leg engagement surface adjacent the circumscribing lip,
for
cooperating with and retaining the framed window within the window opening;
and
wherein the bullnose and leg engagement surface are disposed orthogonally to
the
circumscribing lip and circumscribe the window opening with the bullnose
extending
toward the outside face of the fabricated wall slab.
2. The factory installable window buck in claim 1 further comprising an
associated
framed window engaged and mated to the leg engagement surface.
3. The factory installable window buck in claim 1 wherein the
circumscribing lip
defines a plurality of openings to receive an associated fastener therethrough
for
securing the buck against the wall slab.

4. The factory installable window buck in claim 1 wherein the buck is
vinyl.
5. A method to factory install a framed window into an associated
fabricated wall
slab having an inside face, an outside face, and a defined window opening,
comprising:
a) providing a buck having:
i) a circumscribing lip sized to circumscribe the window opening and be
retained
against the fabricated wall inside face; and
ii) a bullnose and leg engagement surface adjacent the circumscribing lip,
for
cooperating with and retaining the framed window within the window opening;
wherein the bullnose and leg engagement surface are disposed orthogonally to
the
circumscribing lip and circumscribe the window opening with the bullnose
extending
toward the outside face of the fabricated wall slab;
b) fastening the vinyl buck against the inside face and within the
window opening
of the fabricated wall slab with associated fasteners; and
c) installing and retaining the framed window within the vinyl buck by
fastening
the window frame to the leg engagement surface adjacent the bullnose.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-08-13

6. The
method to factory install a framed window in claim 5 wherein the buck is
vinyl.
12
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-08-13

Description

TITLE
VINYL WINDOW BUCK SYSTEM AND INSTALLATION METHOD
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to windows, and more
specifically to
windows built or installed into bucks on pre-fabricated walls.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In the home and building construction industry, there is
always a strong
impetus to reduce human labour requirements, human danger exposure, and
financial
burden in constructing such homes and buildings.
[0003] Most homes and buildings have or require windows, but on site
window
installation can be costly and inefficient.
[0004] There are numerous factors considered in window installation,
including
wall expansion and contraction, building height, wind shearing forces,
precipitation
exposure, and vertical stress.
[0005] In recent years, advancements in home and building construction have
led
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-08-13

to pre-cast concrete wall panels.
[0006] These pre-cast wall panels are popular in construction since
they offer
similar benefits to traditional materials and construction methods, but can be
factory
produced and shipped in bulk for local (on-site) installation.
[0007] Like traditional materials and methods, windows are typically
installed
on pre-cast walls at a construction site as opposed to inside a factory
setting.
[0008] However, window / wall assembly on site is itself problematic,
including
exposure to weather elements, requirements for extra trades, and wasted
materials
(such as wood from preparing a wooden buck, damaged nails, etc.).
[0009] In dealing with walls at construction sites, each relevant
wall has at least
one defined window opening for placing and installing a window frame (and
ultimately a window) within.
[0010] Traditional window installation requires a wooden buck to line
the
window opening, in order to cope with wall expansion and contraction as well
as to
accommodate the pending window frame.
[0011] To properly support a window frame against relevant stress,
the wooden
buck is made a prescribed thickness that directly impacts visible glass
surface area
availability for the window.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-08-13

[0012] That is, the thickness of the wood in the wooden buck
proportionately
reduces the available surface area available for the window itself (ie the
greater the buck
thickness, the less glass window surface area, and so the smaller the window
and
associated view through the window).
[0013] Also, to prevent rot, wooden bucks must be wrapped and sealed
in with
an inert membrane.
[0014] Wrapping and sealing, to be done properly and in a lasting
manner, is
time consuming and skill intensive.
[0015] The differences in materials (pre-formed concrete wall versus
wood buck)
contributes to the difficulty of factory-based window installation into pre-
fabricated
walls, meaning it is not functional or realistic to have differing-based
material
manipulation and operation within a single factory setting.
[0016] For operational, safety, and logistical reasons, a wood-based
trade cannot
easily be deployed into a concrete-based factory.
[0017] Moreover, on-site remote window installation is more complicated and
burdensome (ie transport of differing goods and services) than a factory-based
solution
(little to no transport of differing goods and services).
[0018] If windows could be installed into pre-cast walls at a factory
manufacturing site, then the pre-cast wall could be delivered in a finished
state, ready
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-08-13

for constructions without any further work required on site (with respect to
window
installation), and no need for transporting goods (lumber, window frames,
glass) and
services (installation labour) to said site.
[0019] Factory-site installation also provides a clean and controlled
assembly
environment, avoiding weathering elements and other difficulties with on-site
installation such as increased infrastructure overhead (tools, supplies, waste
management, etc.).
[0020] Other problems with general on-site window installation involve the
waiting for and coordinating of increased numbers of tradespeople, increased
on site
traffic, and internal building exposure to weathering elements (for so long as
no
window is installed on any given wall), and on-site injury.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-08-13

SUMMARY
[0021] The present invention is a window buck capable of factory
installation
into an associated fabricated wall slab having an inside face, an outside
face, and a
defined window opening to retain the buck therein.
[0022] The window buck is vinyl and has a circumscribing lip to
retain the buck
against the inside face of the fabricated wall slab and within the window
opening; and a
bullnose and leg engagement surface adjacent the circumscribing lip, for
cooperating
with and retaining the framed window within the window opening.
[0023] The bullnose and leg engagement surface are disposed
orthogonally (ie at
a right angle) to the circumscribing lip and circumscribe the window opening
with the
bullnose extending toward the outside face of the fabricated wall slab.
[0024] In another embodiment, the present invention is a method to
factory
install a framed window into an associated fabricated wall slab haying an
inside face, an
outside face, and a defined window opening.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-08-13

DRAWINGS
[0025] FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the vinyl window buck
viewed
from the inside wall face.
[0026] FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the vinyl window buck
viewed
from the outside wall face.
[0027] FIGURE 3 is cross-sectional view along the line 3-3 in FIGURE
5.
[0028] FIGURE 4 is an exploded view showing the vinyl buck placement
with
installed window within a pre-fabricated wall.
[0029] FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of FIGURE 4 assembled together.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-23

DESCRIPTION
[0030] FIGURE 1 shows a buck (10) from the perspective of the inside
wall face,
while FIGURE 2 shows the same buck (10) from the perspective of the outside
wall face.
[0031] The exemplary buck (10) is vinyl, and sized and shaped to nest
within a
defined window opening (130) on a pre-fabricated concrete wall (30).
[0032] Typically the window opening (130) is rectangular with a
defined head
(110) and sill (120) - see FIGURE 4.
[0033] On the buck (10) there is a defined bullnose (60) for drainage
and weather
shielding, which circumscribes the window opening (130) when nested within
said
window opening (130).
[0034] The buck (10) has a circumscribing lip (40) allowing the buck
(10) to be
retained against and fastened to the interior wall surface with a threaded
fastener (50)
running through pilot openings (160) along the circumscribing lip (40).
[0035] In fastening the buck (10) to the wall, traditional and known
techniques
and tools are additionally used, such as backer rods (not shown), butyl tape
(not
shown), and caulk (not shown).
[0036] An additional and unexpected benefit is that unlike a wooden
buck, no
liner or wrap is required to properly install the vinyl buck (10).
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-23

100371 Adjacent the bullnose (60) is the leg engagement surface (70).
[0038] The leg engagement surface (70) is a platfoiiii to receive a
framed window,
meaning a frame (20) enclosing a glass or acrylic pane (140).
[0039] Once the buck (10) is installed onto the wall (30) inside face,
a window
frame (20) and pane (140) can be dropped and mated into place by connecting
the
window frame (20) to the leg engagement surface (70) immediately astern the
bullnose
(60).
[0040] The pre-fabricated wall (30) and fully installed window are at
this point
still within the (environmentally controlled) factory, but now ready for
shipping as a
completed and windowed external wall.
[0041] Once the wall is delivered and installed on-site, appropriate
trades people
then complete wall installation and add appropriate insulation (80), beam
supports (90),
and dry wall / plaster wall (100) to the pre-fabricated wall (30), as would be
done in any
event when installing a pre-fabricated wall with or without a window.
[0042] By mating the window frame (20) onto the leg engagement surface
(70),
the window frame is position-wise set closer to the buck (10) rear, and so
closer to the
inside wall (30) surface as opposed to the outside wall (30) surface.
[0043] By having the window frame (20) and pane (140) set closer to the
wall
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-23

inside, the heat insulation factor and performance index for said window
unexpectedly
increases as compared to traditional wood buck windows with standard window
position placement.
[0044] The vinyl buck (10) fully constructed weighs less than a traditional
wood
buck counterpart of equal functional dimensions, and is proportionately
thinner and
narrower in profile (meaning less material physically and weight-wise is
consumed in
manufacturing the vinyl buck (10) as compared to the traditional wood buck).
[0045] The dimensions, weight, and material differences of the vinyl buck
(10)
result in a narrower buck (10) that offers optional increased pane (140) size
(and so
visible see-through space) for an end-user, without sacrificing heat loss.
[0046]As the buck (10) is narrower in profile than a comparable wood buck, a
larger
window pane (140) with a greater proportion of see-through space can be
installed to
improve both window aesthetic and view.
[0047] Such inside-out buck (10) orientation also unexpectedly yields
increased
thermal resistance, and so better insulates a dwelling against heat loss.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-23

Representative Drawing