Patent Application
20060254150
The present invention relates to window assemblies, and in particular to an apparatus for supporting the glass portion of a fenestration window assembly such as, but not limited to, a casement, single or double hung, awning, basement or slider style window assembly.
As seen in
Referring again to
Typically, frame 10 and/or sash 15 are made of a material, such as vinyl or wood, which have a tendency to sag or otherwise deform over time. Deformation can occur for various reasons including poor installation, poor design or the amount of time the sash is in an open position while exposed to normal climate conditions.
As will be appreciated, downward forces are applied to the junction between glass unit 20 and sash 15 when window assembly 5 is open and sash 15 is not fully supported by frame 10. This open window position puts a bending force or torque on the system between the frame, sash and glass. Accordingly, stiffness of the sash and/or frame is a very important characteristic of the window assembly. The modulus of elasticity is measurement of the stiffness of a material when stress is applied. Glass has a modulus of elasticity equal to 9.8×106 psi, vinyl has a modulus of elasticity equal to 0.33×106 psi, and wood has a modulus of elasticity equal to 1.6×106 psi. In a window system, the higher modulus of elasticity of the glass unit 20 causes these bending or deformation forces to be primarily localized and absorbed by the sash.
Other forces localize deformation in the sash. For example, temperature changes in the case of a sash made of a material such as vinyl and wood having a coefficient of thermal expansion higher than that of glass. Glass has a coefficient of thermal expansion equal to 4.762×10−6/° F., while vinyl has a coefficient of thermal expansion equal to 3.35×10−5/° F. and wood has a coefficient of thermal expansion equal to 2×10−6/° F. to 32×10−6/° F., which is influenced by factors such as the cut and grain of the wood. Under these conditions, a sash 15 may expand and contract causing the glass unit 20 to move within sash 15 or sag to an out of square position. As a result, this may cause difficulty in closing and/or locking window assembly 15. Similar sag problems exist for other window styles, such as single or double hung, awning, basement, and slider window styles.
The present invention relates to a support apparatus for receiving a glass unit in a window assembly. The window assembly of the present invention may be any one of a casement style, a single or double hung style, an awning style, a basement style, tilt and turn style and a slider style window assembly.
The support apparatus includes a support surface for supporting the glass unit and a leg extending downwardly from the support surface which may be received by the sash of the window assembly. The leg may be used to attach the support apparatus to the sash arm of the window assembly which in turn is attached to the frame. The hardware and sash gain the stiffness of the glass and do not rely as much upon each part of the connection for structural support, such as hardware to sash and sash to glass connections. The apparatus helps to reduce the need of the sash to act as a structural member to support the glass unit and reduces the adverse effects of temperature, gravitational, and other deforming forces over time on the sash to glass unit connection as described with respect to the prior art.
The apparatus may further include a first side wall extending upwardly from the support surface. In a preferred embodiment, the support surface and the leg form a first assembly of the apparatus, wherein the apparatus further includes a second assembly that may be selectively attached to the first assembly, the second assembly including a second upwardly extending side wall. The first and second assemblies may be connected to one another by way of a mating tongue and groove.
The present invention also relates to a window support assembly including a sash, a glass unit, and a support apparatus received by the sash, wherein the support apparatus has a support surface and wherein the glass unit is supported by the support surface. The support apparatus may further include a leg extending downwardly from the support surface. The sash may further include a hole into which the leg is inserted, wherein the leg is attached to a bottom frame member of the sash. In one particular embodiment, the window assembly further includes a frame and hardware such as a sash arm attached to the sash and to the frame. In this embodiment, the support apparatus is attached to the hardware. The support apparatus of the window assembly may further include a first side wall extending upwardly from the support surface. The support apparatus may be formed of a first assembly including the support surface and a second assembly selectively attachable to the first assembly, wherein the second assembly includes a second upwardly extending side wall. The first and second assemblies may be selectively attachable to one another by way of a matching tongue and groove or other known mechanisms.
In one specific embodiment, the sash of the window assembly is made of vinyl, which has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than that of glass. The support apparatus is constructed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion that is similar or close to that of glass. The support apparatus expands and contracts in a manner similar to that of the glass unit. The expected movement of the sash of the window assembly is much greater but has little effect as a deforming force of the window assembly because the support apparatus minimizes the function of the sash as a structural support.
The window assembly may further include an additional support apparatus attached to the sash which provides an additional support surface for receiving and supporting the glass unit. The support apparatus and the additional support apparatus are attached to the bottom frame member and top frame member, respectively, of the sash.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts, and in which:
Referring to
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, support apparatus 75 is made of a material having sufficient strength to carry the forces from glass unit 20 and a coefficient of thermal expansion that is similar or close to that of glass. Preferably, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material of support apparatus 75 will be less than 16×10−6. Acceptable materials for construction of support apparatus 75 having a coefficient of thermal expansion within the preferred range may include aluminum, die cast zinc, stainless steel, steel, nylon and plastic. Support apparatus 75 is four inches long, making the total expected expansion and contraction thereof for a 100° F. swing in temperature minimal, being on the order of <0.005 inches.
Referring to
Glass unit 20 is inserted inside sash 15 in a position in which it rests on support surface 100 of support apparatus 75. Preferably, an adhesive such as silicone, glue, tape or epoxy is provided on support surface 100 to attach glass unit 20 to support apparatus 75. After glass unit 20 is secured in place, enclosing piece 85 is attached to mounting and support piece 80 by inserting tongue 90 into groove 95. A structural silicone or similar adhesive material is preferably used to secure enclosing piece 85 to support piece 80.
Support apparatus 75 has been incorporated into an top frame member 128 of sash 15 to hold and support glass unit 20. For placement in this location, a hole 125 is provided in the top frame member 128 of sash 15 that preferably extends at least partially along the top surface of sash 15 in the form of a slot for the purpose of receiving leg 110 of support apparatus 75. Mounting and support piece 80 of support apparatus 75 is inserted into hole 125 and fastened in place by screws, or the like, inserted down through sash arm 45 and the top surface of sash 15 and into one end of leg 110, or solely through sash arm 45 if hole 125 extends all of the way through the top surface of sash 15. Glass unit 20 is inserted inside sash 15 in a position adjacent to support surface 100 of support apparatus 75. Glass unit 20 may be attached to support surface 100, as previously described with respect to
Although only a single support apparatus 75 positioned in a single corner of sash 15, as shown in
Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the preferred two piece construction of support apparatus 75 is advantageous, especially when more than one support apparatus 75 is used in window assembly 120, because it allows glass unit 20 to be easily slid in place in position on top of the support surface 100 of each support apparatus 75 before each enclosing piece 85 is attached to each mounting and support piece 80. The present invention is not limited, however, to a two piece support apparatus 75. A single piece construction may also be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Thus, in window assembly 120, glass unit 20 is supported by one or more support apparatuses 75, having a coefficient of thermal expansion similar or close to that of glass, which can support the weight of glass unit 20 and transfer it to the corresponding hinge hardware, specifically hinge 35 and sash arm 45, and then to frame 10. This is in contrast to prior art window assemblies, such as window assembly 5, in which glass unit 20 is supported directly by sash 15. As a result, the sag problem described above is eliminated because the one or more support apparatuses 75 that hold and support glass unit 20 are attached directly to the corresponding hinge hardware, specifically, hinge 35 including sash arm 45, and will expand and contract minimally with temperature changes in an amount similar to the expansion and contraction in glass unit 20. Sash 15, made of vinyl or wood, will expand and contract significantly more than the glass in glass unit 20 because it has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion and is longer. For example, for a four inch long aluminum support apparatus 75, the expected movement for a 100° F. swing in temperature is approximately 0.005 inches and for glass the expected movement over the same four inches is approximately 0.0001 inches. In contrast, for a 24 inch wide vinyl sash 15, wherein sash 15 is supporting the glass, the expected movement for a 100° F. swing in temperature would be approximately 0.0804 inches, while the expected movement of glass over the same 24 inches would be approximately 0.0005 inches.
While support apparatus 75 of the present invention has been described in
The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not as limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in the foregoing detailed description, it is to be further understood that the present invention is not to be limited to just the embodiments disclosed, but that they are capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions.
