Patent Application
20140237918
This invention relates to window, door and wall constructions and in particular, a system for ventilating and draining rainwater from such constructions.
A common problem associated with window and door constructions is the accumulation of water with the sill structure during storm conditions. Water will collect on the inside of the sill plate due to leakage around or under the movable sash or because the sash did not properly seal against the sill and vertical frame members.
Prior art efforts to mitigate the accumulation of water include providing a series of vents with flaps on an exterior face of the top sill or head of the window. This permits outside air pressure to enter the head. A series of weep or drainage holes are provided in the bottom sill to allow entrapped water to be forced out of the sill under pressure from the vent.
While the above system performs reasonably well at lower pressures, it becomes increasingly difficult to drain entrapped water at higher pressures, namely during storm conditions. For optimal drainage a window, door or wall frame would preferably vent to a neutral pressure. However, when the prior art system is subjected to the relatively high pressures such as those encountered during windy and rainy weather, the cavity inside the window or door sill is at that same pressure and draining becomes difficult if not impossible. This is best shown in
The present invention is a system for ventilating the cavity of a fixed or movable window or door construction of a building, the window or door having an upper sill portion and a low sill portion provided with weep holes, the system comprising a vent member operative associated with the upper sill portion, the vent member is in fluid communication with the upper sill portion at one end thereof and with the interior of the building at an opposite end thereof, the vent member extends vertically above the upper sill a distance sufficient to vent pressure within the cavity to the interior of the building whereby water is caused to be readily conveyed out of the weep holes.
A door construction D incorporating the ventilation system of the present invention is shown in
As best shown in
Turning to
Interior door sill gasket(s) 26 provides sealing engagement between the door frame 2 and the door head, 14, sill 16 and side members 18 (not shown). A door cap 28 and gasket 30 are fixed to the exterior of the door head 14 and provide sealing engagement against the door frame 2.
The door sill 16 is shown to comprise an upper sill portion 32 and lower sill portion 34. The upper sill portion 16 is provided with a door gasket 36 for sealing engagement with bottom frame portion 10. A passageway extending between the upper sill portion 32 and the lower sill portion 34 permit any entrapped water to be expelled from the sill and to the outside via a series of weep holes 40.
Door head 14 is fitted with a vent tube 42 having a first end 43 secured to and in fluid communication with the head opening 44. A second end 46 of the vent tube 42 extends into the interior space 48 of the wall structure 4. A vent tube extension 50 is shown to be connected to the second end 46 of the vent tube to extend the length of the same as desired and will terminate at interior wall 52. A vent cover 54 is provided together with an optional one way valve (not shown) incorporated within or otherwise secured to the interior of vent tube 50. The valve would additionally function to reduce heat loss from the interior of the building during cold weather months.
The vent tube 42 (alone or in combination with the extension 50) has a length or height extending above the door head that will depend upon the performance goals of the window or door to which the ventilation system is provided. The height of the tube vent above the door head is varied in accordance with the present invention to ensure no moisture enters the interior of the window structure or the building. By providing a vent tube that extends vertically above the door or window head 14, a pressure level can be achieved that will efficiently maintain the water column below the vent so that water can readily exit from the weep holes 40.
With the present invention, outside air pressure cannot affect interior cavity pressure of the door or window so as to hinder water flow from the weep holes. As best illustrated by the lightly shaded regions of
As discussed earlier, the height of the vent tube (with or without the extension) is varied to improve weep performance of a window or door construction. The vertical height of the vent tube 42 above the door or window head 14 corresponds to the goal pressures being sought due to water column height. For example, a door or window construction that is desired to withstand a water pressure of 6.24 psf will require a vent tube according to the present invention (either with or without the extension) having a length greater than 1.2 inches since water pressurized to 6.24 psf will rise 1.2 inches. For comparison purposes, if the door or window goal is 20.22 psf, to prevent water infiltration to the interior of the building and water building within the window or door, the vertical height of the vent tube above the door or window head would be 3.88 inches.
Performance testing using ASTM protocols for a door construction of the present invention has shown the present invention provides more than a twofold improvement in water test pressures over a identical door construction that was not provided with the ventilation system of the present invention.
In the testing, applicant's In-Swing Terrace Door with Tank was tested for water penetration. In a first test the In-Swing Terrace Door having no head vent tubes but having head weeps open was tested for water penetration against an In-Swing Terrace Door having head vent tubes with the head weeps closed off. Test method ASTM E331 was conducted on these two systems for purposes of measuring water penetration.
A water test pressure of 15.0 psf (lbs./sq. ft.) was achieved for the In-Swing Terrace Door having head vent tubes with the head weeps closed off. A water test pressure of 6.0 psf was achieved for the In-Swing Terrace Door having no head vent tubes and with the head weeps open.
While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, uses and adaptations, both in whole and in part, while following the general principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as is known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains, and as may be applied to the central features of this invention.
