The present invention relates to a roof window configured for being mounted in a roof structure comprising a roofing material, said roof window comprising a frame and a sash carrying a pane, where the frame comprises a plurality of frame members together defining a frame opening and a frame plane and each frame member extends in a length direction, where the frame comprises an interface unit extending in the length direction of at least one frame member, and where the interface unit comprises a flashing reception groove configured for receiving a flange of at least one flashing member via a groove opening by insertion in a direction parallel to the frame plane, said flashing reception groove extending in the length direction of the frame member.
When installing windows in a roof structure of a building it is necessary to make an opening in the roof structure and subsequently to re-establish the weatherproofing of the building otherwise provided by the roof structure. For this purpose, the joint between the roof window and the roof structure is covered by covering assembly including flashing and cladding members. To achieve the best possible weatherproofing, it is essential that the covering assembly is mounted correctly and that it subsequently stays in place, even during heavy winds and when affected by big temperature variations.
Traditionally, flashing members have been L-shaped having a first leg for extending upwards along an outer side of the frame away from the roof structure and a second leg for extending outwards over the roof structure away from the frame, and such flashing members have been mounted by arranging them close to the frame of the roof window and then lowering them into contact with the roof structure, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the frame plane. This requires that the frame of the roof window projects sufficiently high over the roof structure for the first leg to have a surface to engage with and that the roof structure provides a support surface for the second leg so that the flashing members ends up in the desired position relative to the frame.
It has also been attempted to provide flashing members with flanges engaging with a flashing reception groove provided directly in a frame member or in an interface unit on the frame. This may for example allow the first leg to be shorter and may contribute to ensuring that the second leg is located in the intended height relative to the frame plane. After mounting, the engagement between the flange and the flashing reception groove may also help prevent the flashing member from any substantial movement in the height direction, i.e. perpendicular to the frame plane, and prevent it from turning about an axis extending in parallel to the frame plane and perpendicular to the length axis. With prior art flashing members, the latter may for example happen if the support surface is insufficient and pressure is applied to the second leg of the flashing member, for example during maintenance or repair work on the roof structure or as a result of heavy snow or wind, and it may result in untightness due to gaps forming between flashing members.
The correct mounting of covering assemblies, however, continues to be a challenge, particularly when roof windows are mounted deep in the roof structure, and a faulty connection between the roof window and the covering assembly may result in water penetration and serious damages to the roof structure.
With this background, it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a roof window configured for an improved connection with a covering assembly and an improved method for mounting a roof window.
This and further objects are achieved with a roof window of the kind mentioned in the introduction which is furthermore characterised in that one or more protrusions are provided in the flashing reception groove for engagement with the flange(s), and that the protrusion(s) is/are made by co-extrusion with one or more parts of the interface unit delimiting the flashing reception groove.
The one or more protrusions provided in the flashing reception groove may seal against the flange(s) thereby contributing to the water tightness of the connection between roof window and the covering assembly. In addition, or alternatively, the protrusion(s) may provide friction against the flange(s) thereby hindering or preventing a mutual movement, and helping to keep the flashing member(s) in place once mounted. Thereby the need to fixate the flashing member once mounted, for example by attaching it to the frame using nails or staples, can be eliminated.
In the following, reference will be made primarily to embodiments having more than one protrusion but is it to be understood that a single protrusion may in principle be sufficient. Likewise, whenever reference is made to a single flange or a single flashing member, it is to be understood that unless other stated more may be involved.
The protrusions may for example be in the form of lips extending over the entire length of the flashing reception groove, but local or brush-like protrusions may also be employed. It is presently considered advantageous that the protrusion(s) extend(s) in the length direction.
The protrusions are preferably made from a material allowing them to yield when coming into engagement with the flange, preferably from an elastic material, whereas the parts delimiting the flashing reception groove are preferably made from a dimensionally stable material, so that they maintain their shape during insertion of the flange.
The flashing reception groove will usually have the overall cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the length direction of a rectangle, being delimited by an upper wall, a lower wall, and a side wall forming a closed end of the flashing reception groove opposite the groove opening. It is, however, to be understood that the flashing reception groove could also have a rounded end or be partially open at the end, and the upper and lower walls do not have to be parallel or straight. Here, as well as in the following, the indications “upper” and “lower” refer to the relative positions in the mounted state of the roof window. The same applies to any other indication of relative direction or position given below.
By the protrusion(s) being made by co-extrusion with one or more parts of the interface unit delimiting the flashing reception groove, they form a coherent structure, preferably a monolithic structure, ensuring that protrusions are not dislocated, lost, or forgotten, as might be the case if using a separate sealing gasket.
In one embodiment, the protrusion(s) is/are made from a material having a Shore A hardness of 20 A-95 A, preferably 35 A-87 A. This provides a good balance between ease of insertion of the flange and reliable retainment of the flange.
It is presently considered advantageous that the flange can be inserted by hand without the use of tools, and care must be taken that the resistance to insertion does not result in deformation of the flashing member. The strength of the material used for the flashing member must therefore be factored in when choosing the material for and the dimensions of the protrusions. Factors such as the number of protrusions, the size of the protrusions, the position of the protrusions, and the friction between the materials used for the flashing member and the protrusions, may also be factored in.
In one embodiment, each protrusion extends over more than half of the height of the flashing reception groove measured perpendicular to the frame plane.
Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are presently considered advantageous for the protrusion(s), and it is presently considered advantageous that the parts of the interface unit delimiting the flashing reception groove are made of polypropylene (PP) mixed with glass fibres. The glass fibre content may for example be 15% by weight of the total material, so that the polypropylene constitutes 85% by weight of the total material. Experiments have shown that the combination of TPE and PP works well for coextrusion, but other combinations are also possible. Particularly, other polymers can be considered, and the use of polyvinylchloride (PVC) mixed with different amounts or types of additives, such as softeners or foaming agent, to achieved different properties of the protrusions and the parts delimiting the flashing reception groove is presently considered promising. It is also possible to use metals, such as aluminium for the parts delimiting the flashing reception groove.
Protrusions may be arranged so that they are provided either over the flange or under the flange inside the flashing reception groove or both. In one embodiment, there is at least three protrusions, and one or more protrusion(s) extend(s) from each of two opposite sides of the flashing reception groove, such as from an upper wall and a lower wall delimiting the flashing reception groove. In this way, protrusions engage the flange from both sides, and three points of contact provide a stable support for the flashing member.
If the protrusions are made from an elastic material, the protrusions on either side may yield to a different degree, thereby potentially compensating for a slight displacement of the flange in a direction perpendicular to the frame plane, during insertion and/or in the mounted state, for example due to thermal expansion or wind loads. Elastic protrusions may also contribute to guiding or moving the flange and consequently the flashing member into a desired position.
At least one protrusion may have a tapered cross-sectional shape with a minor dimension at a free edge, i.e. having a larger dimension where it is attached to the parts delimiting the flashing reception groove. This entails that protrusion has a larger resistance to bending at the attachment to the parts delimiting the flashing reception groove than at the free edge, and that the outermost part of the protrusion, closest to the free edge will therefor yield the most during insertion of the flange.
In one embodiment at least one protrusion is inclined in a direction away from the groove opening, i.e. being non-perpendicular to the frame plane, thereby facilitating and/or guiding insertion of the flange. In one embodiment, several protrusions are inclined in a direction away from the groove opening, and the inclination decreases with the distance from the groove opening. An innermost protrusion closest to the end of the flashing reception groove may be without such an inclination and thus extend perpendicular to the frame plane.
The total thickness of the flange(s) inserted into the flashing reception groove, possibly including sections of the diverter rail, preferably constitutes less than 50% of the height of the flashing reception groove measured perpendicular to the frame plane, preferably less than 25% of the height of the flashing reception groove measured perpendicular to the frame plane. The thickness may depend on the material used for the flashing members and on the number of layers of material inserted in the flashing reception groove. A typical material used for flashing members is aluminium with a layer thickness of 0.4 mm to 0.7 mm, resulting in total thickness of 1.2 mm to 2.1 mm if three flanges overlap. In some cases, one or more flanges may also comprise a folded material, possibly enclosing another element. With the percentages given above, these dimensions would mean that the flashing reception groove would advantageously have a height of the 2.5 mm to 10 mm, but to facilitate insertion of the flashing members it is presently preferred that the flashing reception groove has a height a direction perpendicular to the frame plane of at least 4 mm, preferably at least 5 mm, more preferred at least 6 mm. Heights of the flashing reception groove of up to 15 mm are presently envisaged.
The interface unit may further comprise one or more sealing lips, which are preferably made by co-extrusion with one or more parts of the interface unit and/or made from the same material as the protrusion(s).
In a second aspect of the invention the object is achieved with a kit comprising a roof window as described above and a covering assembly comprising a plurality of flashing members configured for covering a joint between the frame and the roof structure, where at least one flashing member comprises a flange configured for insertion in the flashing reception groove in a direction parallel to the frame plane.
To facilitate mounting of the flashing member, the flange may comprise a marking indicating an intended insertion depth of the flange into the flashing reception groove. During mounting, the displacing of the flashing member is continued until the flange is inserted so deep into the flashing reception groove that the marking reaches or is hidden by the interface unit. The marking may for example be a printed indication on the flange but may also be in the form of perforations on the flange. Perforations may have the added advantage of reducing heat transfer via the flange. It is also possible to provide a click-function providing an audio and/or tactile feed-back when proper insertion of the flange has been achieved.
In one embodiment, the at least one flashing member is a top flashing member, the flange of which extends into the flashing reception groove of a top element of the interface unit, and wherein the top flashing member comprises a corner section at one or both ends seen in the length direction, said corner section extending along a side frame member of the frame in the mounted state. Such top flashing members, only without the flange are well-known in the prior art, and can generally be described as having the shape of an inverted U embracing the upper part of the roof window in the mounted state, upper referring to the uppermost part when seen in direction of inclination of the roof structure. The advantage of such a top flashing member is that there are no joints between flashing members at the upper corners of the roof window and that the corner sections ensure that the top flashing member is mounted correctly in a transverse direction. With the flange now also being provided, the top flashing member is further kept in position in a height direction, thus further facilitating installation as described above.
To further facilitate installation and keep the top flashing member in place once mounted, the corner section may comprise a corner flange extending into the flashing reception groove of a side element of the interface unit. The corner flange is inserted into the flashing reception groove of a side element of the interface unit by displacement perpendicular to the length direction of the top flashing member as the top flashing member is displaced towards the top frame member. This will help to prevent the top flashing member from turning about its length direction, thereby helping to keep it in tight contact with a side flashing member arranged below it in the direction of inclination of the roof structure and possibly also a roof material or an underroof arranged above it.
A top flashing member of the type described above may be made by deep drawing whereby the top flashing member itself can be without joints, thus further reducing the risk of leaks.
The considerations presented with respect to the top flashing member also applies to a bottom flashing member.
In a third aspect of the invention, the object is achieved with a method for mounting a roof window in a roof structure comprising a roofing material, said roof window comprising a frame, a sash carrying a pane, and said frame comprising a plurality of frame members together defining a frame opening and a frame plane and each extending in a length direction, wherein said method comprises the steps of
Embodiments and advantages described with reference to one aspect of the invention also apply to the other aspects of the invention and vice versa. To avoid undue repetition, they have not been described with reference to each aspect.
In the following description, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the schematic drawings, in which
Referring initially to
In addition to the top flashing member 1011, the covering assembly comprises a plurality of side flashing members 1012, 1013, a bottom flashing member 1014 and a plurality of cladding members 1021, 1022, 1023, 1024 each covering a part of the sash 3 carrying the pane 4.
The roof window 1 comprises a frame (not visible in
In the embodiment in
The cladding members 1021, 1022, 1023, 1024 of the covering assembly 10 may be pre-mounted on the roof window 1 or be mounted after the mounting of the flashing members 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014. This is not essential to the present invention and will therefore not be described in further detail here.
The mounting of the flashing members 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014 starts with the mounting of the bottom flashing member 1014 and as shown in
Hereafter, the side flashing members 1012, 1013 are mounted by being displaced in a similar manner as shown in
The side flashing members 1012, 1013 shown in
As may be seen in
Turning now to
As shown in
As is best seen in
Referring now also to
The flashing reception groove 85 in the side element 82 of the interface unit 8 is slightly higher than the flashing reception groove 85 in the top element 81. This allows side flashing members 1012, 1013 to overlap as shown in
While not shown it is to be understood that the bottom flashing member 1014 may also comprise a flange, which is inserted in a flashing reception groove 85 in an interface unit 8 as described with reference to the top and side flashing members 1012, 1013 above, and that the bottom flashing member 1014 may also have corner flanges 1017a as described for the top flashing member 1011.
It is further to be understood that while the drawing shows only embodiments, wherein the flashing reception groove 85 is formed in an interface unit 8 of the frame 2, it is also possible to insert the flange 1017 and corner flange 1017a in flashing reception grooves in for example a wooden frame member or in a frame member made by extrusion. If the flashing reception groove is made in a wooden frame, it may be advantageous for the protrusions to have a sealing function thus preventing moisture from entering into the flashing reception groove.
As is seen in
In addition to depending on the size of the protrusions, the degree of deformation of the protrusions will depend on the thickness of the inserted material, and the protrusions are therefore deformed more in
An interface unit 8 as in
Two protrusion 85a1 and 85a3 are provided on the lower wall 80 and the two protrusions 85a2 and 85a4 are provided on the upper wall 88, thus providing substantially the same pressure from both sides, when the flange of the flashing member is inserted. In
The two innermost protrusions 85a1 and 85a2 of the interface units 8 in
In
The protrusions 85a are preferably made from a material allowing them to yield when coming into engagement with the flange as shown in
In all of the embodiments shown, the interface units 8 further comprise sealing lips 891, 892, 893, these reference numbers having been added only in
In
Interconnecting the protrusion 85a5 and the sealing lip 892 may further contribute to reducing the risk of them coming loose, for example due to mechanical action.
Components of the roof window 1 are easily disassembled and each component may in principle be reused, be recycled by appropriate environmentally responsible disposal means, or the material be recovered for other uses.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PA 2022 70170 | Mar 2022 | DK | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/DK2023/050087 | 3/31/2023 | WO |