Abstract:
A window system according to the present invention includes an outer frame, a stationary inner frame, and a movable inner frame. The outer frame defines channels extending substantially between first and second ends thereof. Protrusions on the movable frame may extend into these channels for moving the movable frame between the first and second outer frame ends. Inclined portions of the channels allow the movable frame to move into a position collinear with the stationary frame. Compressible seals are positioned keep air from passing between the three frame portions at this collinear “closed window” configuration. A sensor may be integrated in the outer frame for detecting a breach in the stationary or movable frame.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to windows and, more particularly, to a pre-hung window system incorporating a track with compressible seals that forms a complete seal from outside air and intrusions. 
         [0002]    Windows seal against air leakage as well as from intrusions, e.g. air, dust, rain, insects, and the like. Window systems, of course, typically have a gap between the frame and the window in order to function properly, e.g. to open and close, tilt for cleaning, or to account for building movement. Unfortunately, these gaps can lead to leaking of energy such as air conditioning and heating. 
         [0003]    Various devices have been proposed in the art for improving the efficiency of window systems. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing products and proposals do not efficiently form a complete seal and do not include enhanced features for security. 
         [0004]    Therefore, it would be desirable to have a window system for selectively sealing against air and moisture leakage and other outside intrusions. It would also be desirable to have a window system having tracks and compressible seals for efficiently sealing and unsealing the window. Further, it would be desirable to have a window system with integrated security sensors. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Accordingly, a window system according to the present invention includes an outer frame, a stationary inner frame, and a movable inner frame. The stationary frame includes protrusions that may extend into complementary holes in the outer frame for coupling these frame elements together. Similar protrusions on the movable frame may extend into channels defined by the outer frame for moving the movable frame between first and second ends of the outer frame. Inclined portions of the channels allow the movable frame to move into a position collinear with the stationary frame (a “closed window” configuration). Compressible seals are positioned keep air from passing between the three frame portions at this collinear configuration. A sensor, such as a glass break sensor, is integrated in the outer frame for detecting a breach in the stationary or movable frame. 
         [0006]    Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a window system for selectively and efficiently sealing a window from intrusions or leakage. 
         [0007]    Another object of this invention is to provide a window system, as aforesaid, having a window frame that is movable between sealed and unsealed configurations. 
         [0008]    Still another object of this invention is to provide a window system, as aforesaid, having channels with inclined portions and having seals strategically positioned such that the frames are sealed when protrusions on the movable frame move along the inclined channel portions. 
         [0009]    Yet another object of this invention is to provide a window system, as aforesaid, which includes a security sensor for detecting a breach in the stationary or movable frames. 
         [0010]    A further object of this invention is to provide a window system, as aforesaid, that is easy to operate. 
         [0011]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a window system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2   a  is a front view of the stationary frame as in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2   b  is a sectional view taken along line  2   b - 2   b  as in  FIG. 2   a;    
           [0015]      FIG. 3   a  is a front view of the movable frame as in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3   b  is a sectional view taken along line  3   b - 3   b  as in  FIG. 3   a;    
           [0017]      FIG. 4   a  is a front view of the window system as in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4   b  is a sectional view taken along line  4   b - 4   b  as in  FIG. 4   a  in a closed configuration; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4   c  is a sectional view taken along line  4   b - 4   b  as in  FIG. 4   a  in an open configuration; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5   a  is a front view of the outer frame as in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5   b  is a sectional view taken along line  5   b - 5   b  of  FIG. 5   a;    
           [0022]      FIG. 5   c  is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from  FIG. 5   a;    
           [0023]      FIG. 5   d  is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from  FIG. 5   b;    
           [0024]      FIG. 6   a  is a front view of a seal that extends about the inner frame shown in  FIG. 5   d;    
           [0025]      FIG. 6   b  is a sectional view taken along line  6   b - 6   b  of  FIG. 6   a;    
           [0026]      FIG. 6   c  is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from  FIG. 6   b;    
           [0027]      FIG. 7   a  is a front view of a seal as in  FIG. 6   a  having a different configuration; 
           [0028]      FIG. 7   b  is a sectional view taken along line  7   b - 7   b  of  FIG. 7   a;    
           [0029]      FIG. 7   c  is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from  FIG. 7   b;    
           [0030]      FIG. 8   a  is a window system according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 8   b  is a sectional view taken along line  8   b - 8   b  of  FIG. 8   a.    
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0032]    A window system  100  according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 8   b  of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, a window system  100  according to the current invention includes an outer frame  110 , a stationary inner frame  120 , and a movable inner frame  130 . 
         [0033]    The outer frame  110  has opposed first and second ends  110   a,    110   b  which may be referred to herein as top and bottom ends  110   a,    110   b.  It should be understood that the terms “top” and “bottom” are only used for convenience, however, as the outer frame  110  may be installed with ends  110   a,    110   b  reversed or as left or right sides. The outer frame also has opposed third and fourth sides  110   c,    110   d  that are generally perpendicular to the first and second ends  110   a,    110   b,  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The outer frame  110  may be constructed of metal, wood, plastic, composite, or another suitable material. 
         [0034]    The stationary inner frame  120  is inside the outer frame  110  at the outer frame first end  110   a.  The stationary frame  120  has opposed first and second ends  120   a,    120   b  which may be referred to herein as top and bottom ends  120   a,    120   b.  Again, it should be understood that the terms “top” and “bottom” are only used for convenience, as the position of the first and second ends  120   a,    120   b  depends on the installation of the outer frame  110 . The stationary inner frame  120  may be fixedly or removably attached to the outer frame  110 , and the stationary frame  120  may have a transparent section  122  ( FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b ) which may include one or more pane  123  of glass or composite, for example. If more than one pane  123  is present, the panes  123  may be separated by an insulator  123   a,  such as a gaseous substance ( FIG. 2   b ). 
         [0035]    To removably attach the stationary frame  120  to the outer frame  110 , the third and fourth sides  110   c,    110   d  of the outer frame  110  may collectively define one or more pairs of opposed holes  112  ( FIG. 5   b ), and one or more pairs of protrusions  124  ( FIGS. 4   b  and  4   c ) complementary to the holes  112  may extend from the stationary frame  120 . The protrusions  124  may selectively extend into the holes  112  to couple the stationary frame  120  to the outer frame  110 . 
         [0036]    The stationary frame  120  may alternately be fixedly attached to the outer frame  110 , and as shown in  FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b,  the stationary frame  120  may have an open section  129 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b,  the stationary frame  120  is essentially a crossbar spanning the width of the outer frame  110 . It is intended that the outer frame  110  according to this embodiment be installed in a wall so that the open section  129  of the stationary frame  120  is inside the wall, though other installation methods may be possible. 
         [0037]    The movable inner frame  130  is positionable in the outer frame  110  for movement between the outer frame second end  110   b  and the outer frame first end  110   a.  The movable frame  130  has opposed first and second ends  130   a,    130   b  which may be referred to herein as top and bottom ends  130   a,    130   b.  Again, it should be understood that the terms “top” and “bottom” are only used for convenience, as the position of the first and second ends  130   a,    130   b  depends on the installation of the outer frame  110 . When the movable frame  130  is at the outer frame second end  110   b,  the movable frame top end  130   a  is adjacent the stationary frame bottom end  120   b  so that the movable frame  130  and the stationary frame  120  are colinear ( FIG. 4   b ). This is the closed configuration. When the movable frame  130  is at the outer frame first end  110   a,  the movable frame  130  and the stationary frame  120  are generally parallel ( FIG. 4   c ). This is the “open” configuration. As shown in  FIGS. 4   b  and  4   c,  the stationary frame bottom end  120   b  may have a depth  126  that is angled relative to the horizon, and the movable frame top end  130   a  may have a depth  136  that is angled complementary to the angled depth  136  of the stationary frame bottom end  120   b.    
         [0038]    The movable frame  130  may have a transparent section  132  ( FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b ) which may include one or more pane  133  of glass or composite, for example. If more than one pane  133  is present, the panes  133  may be separated by an insulator  133   a,  such as a gaseous substance ( FIG. 3   b ). 
         [0039]    To make the movable frame  130  movable between the first and second ends  110   a,    110   b  of the outer frame  110  as described above, the third and fourth sides  110   c,    110   d  of the outer frame  110  may collectively define first and second pairs  115   a,    115   b  of opposed channels  114  having a longitudinal portion  114   a  and an inclined portion  114   b  ( FIG. 5   b ), and first and second pairs  135   a,    135   b  of protrusions  134  complementary to the channels  114  may extend from the movable frame  130  ( FIGS. 4   b  and  4   c ). The longitudinal portions  114   a  of the first pair  115   a  of opposed channels  114  may be colinear with the longitudinal portions  114   a  of the second pair  115   b  of opposed channels  114 . The protrusions  134  may extend into the channels  114  to couple the movable frame  130  to the outer frame  110 , and the protrusions  134  may be movable in the first pair of channels  114  to allow the movable frame  130  to move between the first and second ends  110   a,    110   b  of the outer frame  110 . At least one protrusion  134  may be extendable to lock the movable frame  130  at a position in the outer frame  110 . 
         [0040]    A seal  140  ( FIGS. 6   a  through  6   c ) may extend along an inner edge  119  of the inner frame  110  ( FIG. 5   d ) for interaction with the movable frame  130  when the movable frame is at the outer frame bottom end  110   b  and for interaction with the stationary frame  120  at the outer frame top end  110   a.  The seal  140  may be a compression seal, as shown in  FIGS. 6   a  through  6   c .  FIGS. 7   a  through  7   c  show that the seal  140  may be shaped differently, depending on the shape of the outer frame  110 . A seal  142  may extend across or around the stationary frame  120  for selective interaction with the movable frame  130  and/or the outer frame  110  (as shown in  FIG. 2   b, ) and a seal  144  may extend across or around the movable frame  130  for selective interaction with the stationary frame  120  and/or the outer frame  110  (as shown in  FIG. 3   b ). The seals  142 ,  144  may or may not be compression seals. 
         [0041]    A sensor  150  may be included in the outer frame  110  to detect a breach in the stationary frame  120  and/or the movable frame  130 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5   c.  The sensor  150  may be, for example, a glass break sensor or a reed switch, and the sensor  150  may be in data communication with a local or remote alarm. 
         [0042]    In use, the outer frame  110  is installed in a wall. The protrusions  124  may extend into the holes  112  to couple the stationary frame  120  to the outer frame  110 . The protrusions  134  may extend into the channels  114  to couple the movable frame  130  to the outer frame  110 . The protrusions may slide along the channels  114  to move the movable frame  130  between the outer frame first and second ends  110   a,    110   b,  and the inclined portions  114   b  of the channels  114  may allow the movable frame  130  to be colinear with the stationary frame  120  when at the outer frame second end  110   b  as discussed above. The seals  140 ,  142 ,  144  keep air from passing between the outer frame  110  and the stationary frame  120 , the outer frame  110  and the movable frame  130 , and the stationary frame  120  and the movable frame  130  when the stationary frame  120  and the movable frame  130  are colinear. The sensor  150  adds security to the system, as it may detect a breach in the stationary frame  120  and/or the movable frame  130 . 
         [0043]    It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.