GB2358038A

GB2358038A - Insulating frame for doors or windows

Info

Publication number: GB2358038A
Application number: GB9927465A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Alan Taylor; Robert Hoellrigl; Steven Bakewell
Original assignee: BOWATER WINDOWS Ltd
Current assignee: BOWATER WINDOWS Ltd
Priority date: 1999-11-22
Filing date: 1999-11-22
Publication date: 2001-07-11
Also published as: GB9927465D0

Abstract

A frame for a door or window contains five internal chambers 3-7 arranged consecutively between the inner 1 and outer 2 walls of the frame. The frame may consist of extruded plastics and the chamber walls may be co-extruded with the frame body 8. The middle chamber may be reinforced with a metal member and the other chambers may be further subdivided. In a preferred embodiment, the middle chamber is the largest. These chambers reduce the rate of heat transmission through the frame.

Description

2358038 EXTRUDED PROFILE This invention relates to extruded plastics

profiles for use in the construction of frames for door and window assemblies to be installed in buildings such as houses and conservatories.

It is common practice to provide such profiles with a number of longitudinally extending chambers separated from one another by internal webs. Various forms of such multi-chamber profiles have previously been proposed but they have certain limitations and disadvantages particularly in relation to the amount of heat which they transmit (commonly referred to as their thermal transmission or U-value which is usually measured in watts per metres squared degrees Kelvin).

In this regard such a profile essentially has a part, hereinafter referred to the "thermal barriee', extending between those sides of the profile which in an installed door or window assembly incorporating the profile are disposed, respectively, inside and outside the building, this part acting to provide a barrier to the transmission of heat from inside the building thereby inhibiting heat loss to the outside. It is mainly the form of this thermal barrier which determines the U-value of the profile.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of extruded plastics profile for use in the construction of frames for door or window assemblies.

2 According to the invention there is provided a profile for use in the construction of a frame for a door or window assembly to be installed in a building, wherein at least a portion of the thermal barrier consists of five chambers arranged side-by-side between the said sides of the profile and 5 separated by internal webs.

Preferably the five chambers constitute at least a major portion of the thermal barrier.

Preferably the middle chamber of the five chamber arrangement is intersected by a plane disposed centrally between the said sides of the profile.

In this case the five chambers may be arranged symmetrically with respect to the aforesaid plane so that here are two pairs of chambers arranged symmetrically at the respective opposite sides of the middle chamber. Alternatively the pair of chambers at one side of the profile may be of an overall width which is greater than that of the pair of chambers at the other side.

The central chamber is preferably the largest of the five chambers.

Tests have revealed that compared with the known forms of multichamber profiles a profile according to the present invention has a lower Uvalue, that is to say a smaller amount of heat is transmitted through the thermal barrier. This is particularly important in door and window assemblies incorporated in double glazed installations, where the amount of heat lost through such an assembly from inside a building should be as little as possible.

3 In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 to 14 show in cross-section fourteen examples of profiles embodying the invention.

All of these examples are formed as plastics extrusions from which sections are taken for use in constructing a frame of a door of window assembly. Each profile has opposite sides 1 and 2 which are to be disposed, respectively, inside and outside the building in which the assembly is installed. The part of the profile extending between these sides provides a thermal barrier and in accordance with the invention consists at least in part of five chambers 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 arranged sideby-side between the sides 1, 2. In all cases the middle chamber 5 is the largest and is intersected by a central plane P lying parallel to the sides 1, 2.

The profiles shown in the various Figures are designed for use as the following parts of a door or window frame:- Figure 1 56min Outerframe; Figure 2 70mm Outerframe; Figure 3 56min Outerframe; Figure 4 70mm Outerframe; Figure 5 70mm Transom Mullion; Figure 6 External Bead Sash; Figure 7 Internal Bead Sash; 4 Figure 8 External Bead Sash; Figure 9 Internal Bead Sash; Figure 10 70mm Z Transom Mullion; Figure 11 116mmMidrail; Figure 12 Door Sash; Figure 13 Door Sash; and Figure 14 88min Transom Mullion.

In the profiles shown in Figures 1 to 5 and 10 to 14 the five chambers are disposed symmetrically with respect to the central plane P and the chambers 3, 4, 6 and 7 of the two pairs lying at the respective opposite sides of the middle chamber 5 are all of the same width. In the profiles shown in Figures 6 to 9 the pair of chambers 3, 4 adjacent to the inside of the profile are overall wider than the pair of chambers 6, 7 adjacent to the outside and chamber 3 is wider than the chamber 4.

All of the examples have one or more projecting portions or beads 8 containing an additional chamber but this does not form part of the thermal barrier. The profiles also have other formations including channels and hooks for connection to other parts of the door or window assembly in the known manner.

In the profiles of Figures 1 to 4 and Figure 10 the chamber 4 is divided across its width by an internal web into a smaller part 4a and a larger part 4b, and in Figure 10 the chamber 6 is also divided into a smaller part 6a and a larger part 6b. In the profile of Figure 5 the chamber 4 is divided into three parts 4a, 4b and 4c. In Figures 11, 12 and 13 the chambers 3, 4, 6 and 7 are each divided by a central web into two parts 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 6a, 6b and 7a, 7b.

The profile of Figure 14 has its chamber 4 divided into a larger part 4a and two smaller parts 4b, 4c.

The central chamber 5 may receive a reinforcement, for example in form of a steel or aluminium section.

6

Claims

1. A profile for use in the construction of a frame for a door or window assembly to be installed in a building, the profile having a thermal barrier (as herein defined) of which at least a portion consists of five chambers arranged in side-by-side relationship between the said sides of the profile and separated by internal webs.

2. A profile as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the five chambers constitute at least a major portion of the thermal barrier.

3. A profile as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the middle chamber of the five chamber arrangement is intersected by a plane disposed centrally between the said sides of the profile.

4. A profile as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the middle chamber of the five chamber arrangement is,arranged symmetrically with respect to the said plane.

5. A profile as claimed in either of Claims 3 and 4 wherein the two adjacent chambers at one side of the said plane together occupy a volume which is greater than that occupied by the two adjacent chambers at the other side of the said plane.

6. A profile as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 5 wherein the volume of the two adjacent chambers at one side of the said plane is the same as the volume of the two adjacent chambers at the other side of said plane.

7. A profile as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the middle chamber of the five chamber arrangement is the largest of the five chambers.

8. A profile as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein one or more of the internal webs separating the chambers are substantially straight.

9. A profile as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein one or more of the internal webs separating the chambers lie in a plane substantially 7 parallel to a plane extending between the said sides of the profile.

10. A profile as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein two or more of the internal webs separating the chambers are substantially parallel with respect to each other.

11. A profile as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 10 wherein at least one chamber of the five chamber arrangement, other than the middle chamber, is sub-divided to form an additional chamber by an internal web extending in a direction between the said sides of the profile.

12. A profile as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the 10 middle chamber incorporates a reinforcing member along its length.

13. A profile substantially as herein described with reference and as illustrated in any one of Figures 1 to 13 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A door or window assembly incorporating a profile as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.