BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings we have shown certain present preferred embodiments of our jamb and casement system in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a window opening in a wall.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first present preferred embodiment of our invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first present preferred embodiment installed in a window opening.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing a second present preferred embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a front view of the second present preferred embodiment to which a venetian blind has been attached.
FIG. 7 is front view similar to FIG. 6 showing the blind in a fully raised position.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a portion of a third present preferred embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of a differently shaped casement that could be used in the third present preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the jamb shown in FIG. 8 with which yet another casement is used.
FIG. 11 is a sectional view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5 of a fourth present preferred embodiment.
FIG. 12 is a sectional view similar to FIGS. 4, 5 and 11 of a fifth present preferred embodiment.
FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a sixth present preferred embodiment of our jamb and casement system showing a portion of a shutter attached.
FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a seventh present preferred embodiment showing a portion of a shutter attached.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, wall 18 has a window opening 1 defined by window opening frame 3. The window opening frame has vertical sides 37, 38 and a horizontal bottom 36 and horizontal top 35. The window frame is typically made of wooden boards, such as 2″ by 4″ (5.08 cm by 10.16 cm) boards. Drywall or other paneling 52 is installed on the interior of the frame of the wall, defining the interior surface of wall 18, and surrounds the window opening 1.
A first present preferred embodiment of our invention is shown in FIG. 2. The frame 28 of the first present preferred embodiment defines an opening having a known width and height and square corners. The frame 28 has a jamb 4 that has a front face 7 and a rear face 8. A casement 5 is connected to the jamb 4 adjacent the first side of the jamb. An inner covering trim 15 is adjacent the opposite, second side of the jamb 4. A portion of the inner covering trim 15 overlays a portion of the front face of the jamb. As a result, the inner covering trim 15, as well as a portion of the jamb 4, are visible through the opening in the middle of the frame 28.
The jamb 4, casement 5 and the inner covering trim 15 may be made of composite materials, wood or plastic. They could also be made of a plastic shell filled with a foam core. Such a shell and core structure is shown in FIG. 8, which illustrates a portion of the jamb 4 having a shell 80 and an inner foam core 81 in dotted lines. The shell could be vinyl or acrylic styrene acrylonitrile (ASA) and the core could be polyurethane or styrene. The inner covering trim 15, as well as the jamb 4 and casement 5 combination, may each be formed as a unitary structure. This structure may be rectangular in shape, or may be shaped for square, circular, oval, semicircular or other non-rectangular shaped windows. Indeed, making non-rectangular shaped units as unitary structures can provide easier installation at the job site.
When the frame is installed in a window opening, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13 and 14, the jamb 4 covers a portion of the top 35, bottom 36, and each side 37, 38 of the window opening frame. The front face 7 of the jamb faces into the window opening while the rear face 8 of the jamb faces the window opening frame. The first side 10 of the jamb is connected to the proximate side 12 of the casement 5, as shown in FIG. 4. A tongue and groove joint 16 is preferably used to interlock the jamb 4 with the casement 5 as shown in FIG. 5. Because the width of the jamb 4 is less than the width of the window opening frame 3, a gap 11 is formed between the second side 9 of the jamb portion and the window 2.
The inner covering trim 15 is adjacent the second side 9 of the jamb. A portion of the inner covering trim 15 overlays a portion of the front face 7 of the jamb and extends beyond the front face 7 of the jamb adjacent the second side 9, covering the gap 11 between the jamb 4 and the window 2. The inner covering trim can be formed of four boards joined together with a tongue and groove joint or a butt joint.
While a tongue and groove joint is disclosed as a present preferred embodiment for connecting the jamb 4 to the casement 5 or inner covering trim 15, it should be understood that other forms of attachment, such as brackets, adhesives, or fasteners may be used.
The present invention is intended to be primarily installed by a builder during construction or remodeling shortly after drywall or paneling has been applied to the interior walls and the windows are in place. The dimensions of the window opening will be specified in the construction drawings. Consequently, the builder may order finished jamb and casement systems similar to that shown in FIG. 2 for each window opening. The systems would be packaged such that the inner trim 15 is not connected to the frame formed by the assembled jamb 4 and casement 5. After the drywall or paneling has been installed a carpenter positions the jamb 4 within the opening and may provide shims 22 between the jamb 4 and the sides of the window opening. Then the jamb 4 is attached to the window opening by screws or nails. Next, the inner covering trim 15 is placed within the window opening 1 adjacent the second side 9 of the jamb portion such that a portion of the inner covering trim 15 overlays a portion of the front face 7 of the jamb. The inner covering trim extends beyond the jamb 4 adjacent the second side 9 of the jamb such that the inner covering trim abuts the window 2, covering gap 11. Once positioned within the window opening frame 3, the inner covering trim 15 can be held in place by screws, nails, or an adhesive.
In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 5, tabs 20 extend from the inner covering trim 15 such that at least a portion of the tab extends over the second side 9 of the jamb. This embodiment is installed by first placing the inner covering trim 15 in the window opening and then installing the jamb 4 and casement 5 portions. During installation of the jamb and casement, a portion of the jamb is fitted over the sides of the window opening. The inner covering trim will cover any gap between the jamb and the window.
The inner covering trim is maintained in position by the tight fit the inner covering trim 15 has with the jamb 4 and the window 2. The jamb 4 should be attached to the top 35, bottom 36, and sides 37, 38 of the window opening frame 3 by nails or screws. The casement 5 may be attached to the sides of the window opening frame or other parts of the wall 18 adjacent the window opening by screws, nails, adhesives or other mounting devices.
Fasteners can detract from the aesthetic effect of the casement. Thus, it is often desirable to conceal the fasteners from view. We prefer to provide removable caps 43 to cover the locations at which the fasteners are placed to attach the casement 5 to the adjacent wall 18 or window opening frame 3, as best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9. These caps 43 cover cavities 44 within the casement 5. The cavities are sized to permit the head of a nail, screw 45 or other fastener to be covered by the cap 43. These caps are removed by an installer to attach the fasteners and are subsequently reattached to conceal the fasteners. Pre-drilled screw holes 46 in the casement 5 can extend from the cavities 43.
If desired one can provide resilient members 48 in the tongue and groove joints to ensure that the jamb portion 4 of the frame 28 tightly fits within the casement 5 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The resilient members 48 could also be used to enable the jamb and casement to move relative to one another and provide a tighter fit between the jamb and tabs on the inner covering trim. The resilient members are preferably made of an elastic material, such as rubber, but can be made of plastics, foams and other compressible or flexible materials as well.
We prefer to use resilient members 48 located within grooves 26 in the casement 5, as shown in FIGS. 8, 9, and 10. The grooves 26 are configured to mate with the tongues 25 on the first side 10 of the jamb. The tongues 25 are placed in contact with the resilient member 48 inside the groove, forcing the resilient member to contract. The contracted resilient member will then exert a force against the jamb, keeping the jamb in a close fit with the inner covering trim 15 and the casement 5. Of course, it should be understood that alternative embodiments may have the groove portion of the tongue and groove joint in the jamb and the tongue portion of the joint in the casement.
Another present preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. 11. In this embodiment a notch 49 is cut in the front face 7 of the jamb, near the second side 9 of the jamb. A corresponding notch 17 is cut in the inner trim covering 15 such that a portion 51 of the inner covering trim 15 fits within notch 49. If desired, a resilient member 48 can be provided in the notch 49. The resilient member 48 can push the inner covering trim 15 against the window 2 to help ensure the inner covering trim 15 is tightly fitted against the window. We prefer to insert filler, foam or insulation 14 into the gap 11.
Flanges 24 may extend from the front face 7 of the jamb or the proximate side 12 of the casement 5 as shown in FIG. 8. The flanges are particularly useful for mounting shutters to the frame. However, other window coverings 31, such as cellular shades, venetian blinds 30, roman shades, pleated shades, roller shades, rollup shades, and vertical blinds can be connected to the flanges. The flanges may be hinges, brackets, and other mounting devices that are used to mount window coverings.
Because the frame 28 standardizes the dimensions to the window opening 1, a stock blind sized to the standard dimensions of the frame 28 could be attached to the flanges 24. A builder that orders a jamb and casement system can at the same time order window covering products from a selection of such products offered to the builder that are sized to fit the opening of the jamb and casement system. Such window covering products can have flanges attached to the product for mounting the product to the jamb and casement system or can be configured so that the product can be fit or mounted on a flange attached to or installed on the jamb and casement system.
Condensation may occur on the window 2. For that reason, we prefer to provide a vapor barrier 50 shown in FIG. 12 between the inner covering trim 15 and the window 2 to prevent condensation damage. Preferably, the vapor barrier 50 is made of a material that is moisture proof, such as cellophane. The moisture proof material should prevent any condensation that may form on the window from migrating into the inner covering trim. The vapor barrier can also be made of other materials such as plastic or foam.
The jamb and casement frame 28 creates the appearance of a uniform window casing that covers the window opening 1 and portions of the adjacent wall 18. Because the frame 28 covers the edges between the window opening and the wall, drywall cornering methods for finishing the window opening are, for the most part, unnecessary. Consequently, the present invention reduces the time necessary for finishing the walls adjacent such window openings.
In the embodiment of FIG. 13 an L-shaped casement 60 is provided so that a shutter 62 may be attached to a solid structure. If a shutter was attached to the jamb and casement system shown in FIG. 4, 5, 11 or 12 the screws for the shutter hinge 63 could be aligned with the joint between the jamb 4 and casement 5. Any screw driven into that joint may split the wood and could come loose easily.
In the seventh embodiment shown in FIG. 14 a hang strip 66 is connected to opposite portions of the jamb 4 to provide a mount for the shutter hinges. L-shaped hinges 67 are used to attached the shutters 62 to the hang strip 66. The hang strip also functions as a light block that stops light from passing between the jamb and the shutter. In alternative embodiments, we provide a light block 61 connected to the jamb 4 adjacent the shutter, as shown in FIG. 13. The light block may have a rectangular cross-section as shown, or the cross section could be half-round or another decorative shape.
While the illustrated embodiments illustrate jamb and casements having a rectangular shape, that shape is not essential. Window openings of any shape and size, including but not limited to rectangular, arched and circular window openings, may also be framed by embodiments of our invention. Consequently, at least one segment of the jamb could be curved or angled and a portion of the casement 5 or inner covering trim 15 can be angled or curved. The important consideration is that the jamb 4 and inner covering trim 15 be configured to fit within the window opening 1. Our invention can be used in large window opening frames that use the floor of a room as the horizontal bottom portion of the frame.
All of the embodiments here disclosed have frames 28 in which the dimensions of the opening defined by the frame is known and the opening is square. As a result one can easily install a window covering within the frame. One popular window covering is a venetian blind 30 shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. This blind is mounted on the frame using conventional mounting hardware. Since the opening defined by the frame is known and the opening is square, the blind need not be installed by a professional. A homeowner could purchase a standard size blind sized for the opening and install it himself without making any measurements. Because stock blinds would be available to fit the pre-made frames, a consumer can avoid the common practice of having a stock blind cut to fit the particular dimensions of the consumer's window opening. All the problems that can arise from the consumer or installer measuring the opening are avoided.
Another advantage is that a builder could allow his customer to order window coverings during construction of their house or office building. The customer could then include the cost of window treatments in his mortgage.
Although we envision the primary use of our jamb and casement system to be in new construction, the product can also be installed when a window is replaced. Use of this system can overcome the centering problem associated with replacing windows in openings having drywall which abuts the inside surface of the window. Through the use of shims where required, the jamb and casement system can be replaced adjacent the window so that the exposed portion of the window adjacent the glass is the same along all edge of the window.
We also provide a method of selling window coverings that includes offering at least one jamb and casement system and allowing a customer, such as a builder, to select at least one of the jamb and casement systems from among the offered systems. The customer may then be offered a selection of window covering products sized to fit the opening in the selected jamb and casement systems. The customer may be allowed to select at least one of the offered window covering products. The selected jamb and casement systems and window covering products may then be delivered to the customer.
The jamb and casement systems and window covering products may be delivered separately or at the same time. Installation instructions should be provided with the delivered goods. In some embodiments, the jamb and casement system may be packaged with the window covering product such that the window covering product and jamb and casement system are delivered at the same time. In other embodiments, the jamb and casement system and window covering products may be installed after the goods were delivered. Such installation can be performed such that the customer does not have to install the jamb and casement system or the window covering products.
Of course, samples of the window covering products and jamb and casement systems may be displayed before, after, or at the time the system or products are offered to a customer. The display of samples may take place in a retail establishment, at trade shows, in television advertisements, on the internet by pictures, drawings, or movies viewable from a website, or by other advertisement and display methods known to those skilled in the art. The samples may be displayed such that the window covering products are mounted on the jamb and casement system. Of course, the window covering products and jamb and casement system samples may also be displayed separately. The window covering products may be shutters, venetian blinds, roman shades, cellular shades, pleated shade, roller shades, rollup shades, or vertical blinds.
While we have shown and described certain present preferred embodiments of our jamb and casement system and have illustrated certain present preferred methods of making, installing and selling the same, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.
Patent Application
20080072507
