GB2353317A

GB2353317A - Window/door frame member with reinforcement

Info

Publication number: GB2353317A
Application number: GB9925104A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jerry Duck
Original assignee: HIS Ltd
Current assignee: HIS Ltd
Priority date: 1999-07-19
Filing date: 1999-10-22
Publication date: 2001-02-21
Also published as: GB9925104D0; GB9916896D0

Abstract

An extruded hollow plastic member for use in constructing door or window frames is formed with at least five consecutive internal chambers (12-16) between opposed inner (11) and outer faces (10) of the member. The internal space is preferably partitioned by internal webs (22, 23) extending parallel to the inner and outer faces (10, 11) and between cross walls (24, 25) joining the inner and outer faces (10, 11). Such a design is said to improve insulation and strength characteristics.

Description

2353317 EXTRUDED HOLLOW PROFILES This invention relates to an extruded

uPVC hollow profile used in the manufacture of window and door frames.

A typical inner or vent frame profile in current use is illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, and a corresponding outer frame profile is illustrated in Fig. 3. In each case, the shaped profile is made ftom a blended uPVC powder which is melted in an extrusion machine and forced through a die. The extruded hollow profile has two internal webs 18, 19 that partition the internal space into three internal chambers 12, 13 and 14 located between an outer face 10 and an inner face 11. The webs 18, 19 extended parallel to the inner and outer faces, and between front and back cross walls 24, 25. In this specification, the "inner face" of a profile is the face that will face inwards toward a building when the profile is assembled to form a window or door frame, and the "outer fac&' is the face that faces outwards from the building. Accordingly, there is normally a temperature difference between the inner and outer faces depending on the relative temperatures inside and outside the building.

The central chamber 13 is larger than the two outer chambers 12 and 14 and may be used to accommodate reinforcing sections of aluminium or galvanised steel where these are required. The outer chambers 12 and 14 may then be used for internal drainage or to locate fittings which may be attached to the frame.

The high structural strength achieved by such a profile, combined with its good thermal insulation properties, has led to the widespread use of the profile in the construction industry.

According to the present invention we have found that the performance of such a profile is further improved by forming the profile with at least two additional internal webs such that the profile is partitioned into at least five consecutive internal chambers disposed between the inner and outer faces of the profile. The additional internal webs 2 preferably extend parallel to the opposed inner and outer faces and between a pair of opposed cross walls.

Preferably, in a frame formed from profile having five internal chambers, at least one of the two outermost chambers provides internal drainage while the central chamber normally accommodates a reinforcing section and is the largest of the five chambers. The additional chambers created between the central chamber and each of the outermost chambers provide improved insulation. The width of these chambers is preferably kept to a minimum and is less than the width of the outermost chambers.

Three examples of a profile embodying the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-section of a prior art inner or vent frame profile;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of an inner or vent frame profile embodying the invention; Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a prior art outer frame profile;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of a first outer frame profile embodying the invention., and Fig. 5 is a cross-section of a second outer fi---ameprofile embodying the invention.

In the drawings, the same reference numerals have been used in the five figures to denote like parts.

Referring to Fig. 2, the illustrated profile has a cross-section substantially identical to that of Fig. 1 except that two additional partitioning webs 22, 23) have been introduced to create two additional internal chambers 15, 16 between the central chamber 13 and each of the two outer chambers 12 and 14. The additional webs 22, 23 are preferably positioned inwardly of the existing webs 18 and 19 but the width of the additional 3 chambers 15, 16 is made as small as possible to maxirnise the width of the central chamber 13. Preferably, each chamber 15 and 16 has a width that is not more than 5% of the total width of the profile between the inner and outer faces, while each of the outer chambers 12 and 14 has a width that is preferably at least 9% of the total width.

We have found that the high structural strength of the three chamber profile in Fig. 1 is maintained in the five chamber profile of Fig. 2, while the thermal insulation provided by the profile of Fig. 2 is higher than that of Fig. 1.

In use, lengths of the profile are assembled with one another to form a window or door frame with the outer face 10 facing outwardly from the building. For example, when constructing an inner window frame, the edge of a glazing panel (not shown) may be secured against a rebate 20 on one side of the profile while a rebate 21 on the opposite side of the profile locates a fixed outer frame profile, such as that shown in Fig. 4, 0 secured to a wall of the building.

The outer frame profile illustrated in Fig. 4 is modified relative to the prior art proffle in Fig. 3 in broadly the same manner that the profile of Fig. 2 is modified relative to that of Fig. 1. That is to say two additional webs 22, 23 have been introduced between the cross walls 24, 25 to create two additional internal chambers 15, 16 between the opposed faces 10 and 11. In this case, however, the additional web 22 is positioned outwardly of the web 18, thereby reducing the size of the drainage eh ber 12.,g am Moreover, the symmetrical arrangement of the chambers 12, 15 and 14, 16 on each side of the large central chamber 13 ensures that the chambers will always align with one another when joining lengths of the profile together even if one of the profiles is reversed.

The outer frame profile illustrated in Fig. 5 is similar to that illustrated in Fig. 4 except that the additional internal chambers 15 and 16 have been sub-divided into respective chambers 15a, 15b and 16a, 16b by respective cross-pieces 26, 27 between the webs 18, 22 and the webs 19, 23. The cross-pieces 26, 27 provide additional rigidity to the 4 structure and prevent any possible bowing to the webs 18, 22, 19 and 23.

In each of the illustrated embodiments the distance between the inner and outer faces of the profile is typically 70mm. In this case the width of each of the additional chambers 15 and 16 in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 preferably does not exceed 3mm, and the width of each of the outer chambers 12, 14 is not less than 6mm and preferably lies between 7 and 8mm.

Claims

1. An extruded elongate hollow plastics profile for use in the construction of window and door frames, characterised in that the internal space within the profile is partitioned to form at least five consecutive internal chambers between opposed inner and outer faces of the profile.

2. A profile according to claim 1 in which the internal space is partitioned by internal webs extending parallel to the inner and outer faces.

3. A profile according to claim 2 wherein the internal webs extend between cross walls joining the inner and outer faces.

4. A profile according to claim 2 or claim 3) in which first and second webs define a first central chamber, and in which third and fourth webs respectively positioned between the first web and the outer face and between the second web and the inner face define two additional chambers on each side of the central chamber.

5. A profile according to claim 4 in which the central chamber is larger than each of the said additional chambers.

6. A profile according to claim 5 in which the outermost chambers on each side of the central chamber are each larger than the two chambers adjacent the central chamber.

7. A profile according to claim 6 in which each of the chambers adjacent the central chamber has a width that is not more than 5% of the total width of the profile between the inner and outer faces.

8. A profile according to claim 6 or claim 7 in which each of the outermost chambers has a width that is at least 9% of the total width of the profile.

1.

6

9. A profile according to any one of the claims 4-8 in which the two additional chambers are symmetrically disposed on each side of the central chamber.

10. A profile substantially as herein described with reference to Fig. 2, Fig. 4 or Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.