Abstract:
A thermally efficient frame for use in a wall structure formed using an insulated concrete form comprising an exterior frame assembly having an exterior flange for locating said exterior frame assembly against an exterior portion of the insulated concrete form, an interior frame assembly having an interior flange for locating the interior frame assembly against an interior portion of the insulated concrete form, wherein the exterior frame assembly and the interior frame assembly cooperated to define an opening in said wall structure, and a thermal break thermally separating the exterior frame assembly from the interior frame assembly and methods for using same.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/315,554, filed Mar. 19, 2010, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to thermally efficient window frames for use in construction of structures using insulated concrete forms and methods for making and using same. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to frames that are used to define openings in walls that are formed using insulated concrete form (“ICF”) construction techniques. In this disclosure, the invention is generally described in terms that relate to window openings in such walls, but the invention is equally applicable to door and other necessary openings, such as openings for ventilation, plumbing, and other types of apparatus. 
     In the illustrated embodiment of the invention that is used to define a window opening, the invention is comprised of a combination of an interior and exterior window frame, support channels, and support panels all made from lengths of steel sheet metal. In the illustrated embodiment, the interior and exterior window frames are rectangular in nature and are comprised of a sill, and a pair of jambs to support a lintel. The exact dimensions of the frame are variable and adapted to provide an opening of the size required by the user, and the shape and number of sides can similarly be varied to suit whatever shape opening is required by the user. The depth, or inside distance between the exterior and interior sill, is dependent on the depth of the ICF. This allows the window frame to fit firmly within the ICF structure before the concrete is poured. 
     Located between the exterior and interior frame is a thermal break that reduces the heat loss associated with known metal frames used in ICF construction. The use of separate interior and exterior frames also provides the user with the ability to use different materials to fabricate the interior and exterior frames from different materials. For example, the exterior frame can be made of a material, such as stainless steel, that is particularly suited to withstand exterior weather conditions, while the interior frame can be made of a less expensive material that does not need to withstand exterior weather conditions. 
     The apron or sill contains a set of cutouts so that concrete can be poured through them to ensure the space beneath the opening is completely filled with concrete. 
     The frame may be supported by support beams on the outside of the fixture. These support beams support the frame against the ICF form as the wall form is constructed and while concrete is being poured into the form and around the fixture. These support beams also serve to anchor the window frame in the structure once the concrete cures and provide additional rigidity to the structure. 
     Before the frame is installed in the wall form, the interior and exterior portions of the frame are joined together to define a thermal break, or a space for a thermal break, between the interior and exterior frame portions. A removable support structure may also be installed in the opening to provide added support to the frame when the concrete is poured. Once the concrete has cured sufficiently, the support structure is removed. 
     There may be threaded installation openings to which threaded studs are installed. These openings may be defined in the sill, jambs, or lintel (or header). The threaded studs may serve as connection points for the support panels, as installation points for a variety of manufactured windows, or as anchors to secure the frame within the poured concrete. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosed invention; 
         FIG. 2  includes plan, section, and detail views of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the disclosed invention with a detail view showing the thermal break that is common to all embodiments of the disclosed invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the installation support illustrated in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectioned perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a detail view of the sectioned view of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an illustration of an embodiment of the installation nut of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the disclosed invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, frame assembly  1  is particularly adapted to define an opening for a rectangular window. Frame assembly  1  comprises exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50 . Exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50  are separated by thermal break  2 . In one embodiment, thermal break  2  is formed by providing a gap (best seen in Detail of A of  FIG. 3 ) between exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50  that is filled with concrete when the surrounding wall is poured. But any material with sufficient strength to resist the force exerted by the concrete when the concrete is poured into the completed wall form that can be compressed between exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50  while retaining sufficient insulating properties (i.e. a lower capacity to transfer heat than the materials used to form exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50 ) could be used for thermal break  2 . 
     Exterior frame assembly  10  further comprises exterior sill member  12 , exterior left jamb  14 , exterior right jamb  16 , and exterior header member  18 , which are joined together to form exterior frame  20 . Exterior flange  22  extends from an exterior perimeter portion of exterior frame  20  in a direction that is outward from the opening defined by exterior frame  20 . Exterior flange  22  engages the exterior portion of the ICF to retain the concrete within the insulated form when the concrete is being poured. Exterior flange  22  is also formed to properly mate with the material being used to finish the exterior of the wall being formed. For example, if the wall will be finished with a brick veneer, exterior flange  20  would be formed into a brick molding. 
     Interior frame assembly  50  further comprises interior sill member  52 , interior left jamb  54 , interior right jamb  56 , and interior header member  58 , which are joined together to form interior frame  60 . Interior flange  62  extends from an interior perimeter portion of interior frame  60  in a direction that is outward from the opening defined by interior frame  60 . Interior flange  62  engages the exterior portion of the ICF to retain the concrete within the insulated form when the concrete is being poured. Interior flange  62  is also formed to properly mate with the material being used to finish the interior of the wall being formed. 
     Exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50  each further comprise a plurality of installation openings  30  to which installation nuts  32  are connected. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , installation nuts  32  are metal studs that extend outward from exterior frame  20  and interior frame  60 . In the illustrated embodiment, installation nuts  32  are adapted to be press fit and/or welded to exterior frame  20  and interior frame  60 . Installation nuts  32  also define threaded blind openings  36  (best seen in  FIG. 7 ) that allow installation bolts  38  to be threaded into installation nuts  32  through installation openings  30 . At least some of installation openings  30  are located in exterior frame  20  or interior frame  60  to allow for the window being installed in the opening defined by frame assembly  1  to be easily attached using bolts sized to engage threaded blind opening  36 . Alternatively, installation nuts  32  may have an exterior threaded portion  34  (not shown) adapted to be threaded into installation openings  30 . 
     Before frame assembly  1  is installed in the wall form, exterior frame assembly  10 , thermal break  2 , and interior frame assembly  50  are assembled together. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , this is accomplished using installation support  40 . Installation support  40 , illustrated in a  FIG. 4 , comprises central section  42  having the same size as the opening defined by frame assembly  1 . The perimeter portion of installation support  40  includes connection flange  44 , which extends transversely from central section  42 . Connection flange  44  includes connection apertures  46  that are arranged to coincide with installation openings  30  when installation support  40  is inserted into the opening defined by frame assembly  1 . Installation bolts  38  are then introduced through connection apertures  46  and installation openings  30  and threaded into blind openings  36  in installation nuts  32 . Installation support  40  can be formed of zinc-coated mild carbon steel, but any material that has sufficient corrosion resistance and strength to hold exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50  together and to prevent frame assembly  1  from deflecting when the concrete is introduced to the form may be used. In the illustrated embodiment, central section  42  of installation support  40  defines a plurality of openings  48 . These openings have the benefit of reducing the weight of installation support  40  and facilitating communication between workers on opposite sides of the wall form. 
     Frame assembly  1  further comprises support beam  70 . Support beam  70  is located around an external perimeter portion of frame assembly  1  between exterior flange  22  and interior flange  62 , and it may be connected to either exterior frame assembly  10  or interior frame assembly  50  as necessitated by the particular application. If required, more than one support beam  70  may be used. (In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the portion of support beam  70  that would be traversing the upper side of the frame assembly has been omitted to reveal other features of the frame assembly.) 
     Support beam  70  initially provides support and rigidity to frame assembly  1  before concrete is introduced into the wall form. Support beam  70  additionally serves to lock frame assembly  1  into place once the concrete has been introduced into the wall form. In the illustrated embodiment, support beam  70  has a Z-shaped cross-section and includes a plurality of locking apertures  72  in the upright portion of the Z shape and the upper portion of the Z shape. (For clarity, the upright portion of the Z shape refers to the portion of support beam  70  extending away from the opening defined by frame assembly  1  and the upper portion of the Z shape refers to the portion of support beam  70  farthest away from the opening defined by frame assembly  1  regardless of whether support beam  70  is on the top, bottom, or side of frame assembly  1 .) Once the concrete cures in locking apertures  72 , frame assembly  1  will be firmly locked into place on all axes. For increased strength and stability, a Z-shaped support beam  70  can be included on the exterior portion of both exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50 . 
     Unlike known frames for use in ICF construction, the embodiment of frame assembly  1  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the ICF engages only with the inner wall surfaces  23  and  63  of exterior flange  22  and interior flange  62 . In contrast, known frames include a pair of interior flanges and a pair of exterior flanges such that the interior wall of the ICF must be installed between the pair of interior flanges and the exterior wall of the ICF must be installed between the pair of exterior flanges. Thus, the instant invention has the added benefit of providing for easier installation since less exact alignment is required (i.e. the installer does not have to simultaneously align two walls of the ICF with two slots formed by the paired flanges in known frames). The instant invention also provides the added benefit that the concrete introduced into the ICF will cause the ICF to be compressed against exterior flange  22  and interior flange  62 , serving to further lock frame assembly  1  into place. (In the known designs, the internal flange of each pair of flanges prevents the concrete from pushing against the portion of the ICF engaged with the external flange of each pair.) 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, each of the exterior frame assembly  10  and the interior frame assembly  50  includes transversely projecting stiffening ribs  80  instead of one or more Z-shaped support beams. These ribs provide additional stiffness to the frame to improve its resistance to deflection when concrete is introduced into the wall form. The illustrated embodiment includes two ribs  80  on each of exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50 , but more or less ribs could be used depending upon the particular application (for example, a particularly thick wall or large opening may require additional ribs). Rib  80  could also be provided with openings similar to those used in Z-shaped support beam to assist in locking frame assembly  1  into place. This configuration also provides the user with the ability, if desired, to locate the outermost rib  80  on each of exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50  apart from exterior flange  22  and interior flange  62  a sufficient distance to allow the ICF to fit tightly between the outermost rib  80  on each of exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50  and exterior flange  22  and interior flange  62 . 
     Illustrated in  FIGS. 3 ,  5 , and  8  is installation support  90 . This alternative installation support comprises a set of plates  92  that are attached to the interior perimeter of frame assembly  1  using installation bolts  38  threaded into installation nuts  32  through installation openings  30 . Plates  92  preferably define slot-shaped connection apertures  95  and can be interconnected using plates  91 . Screw mechanism  94  is then used to provide additional rigidity to withstand the weight of the concrete when it is introduced to the form and to facilitate the removal of installation support  90  once the concrete has cured. Installation support  90  could include a similar screw mechanism for additional horizontal support where needed, for example when frame assembly  1  is adapted for an opening to receive a tall window or a door. To improve the thermal performance of frame assembly  1 , thermal break  2  can be comprised of gaskets  93  inserted between interior frame assembly  50  and exterior frame assembly  10 . Gaskets  93  are preferably formed of a material with a lower thermal conductivity than concrete such as natural or synthetic rubber and may have one or more internal chambers to further decrease thermal conductivity. Gaskets  93  may also be removable once the concrete has cured; in this embodiment, thermal break  2  would comprise a dead air space between exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50 . In an alternate embodiment, plates  92  could include ridge  96  (not shown) adapted to temporarily fill the gap between exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50  until the concrete is cured. Thus, when installation support  90  is removed, thermal break  2  would comprise a dead air space between exterior frame assembly  10  and interior frame assembly  50 . Alternatively, once installation support  90  is removed, the gap could be filled with any suitable insulation material. 
     While the above describes the illustrated embodiment, those skilled in the art may appreciate that certain modifications may be made to the apparatus and methodology herein disclosed, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, a frame for a door opening would be similar with the exception that the sill member would be replaced with a threshold and the jamb portions would be adapted to receive door. Thus, it should be understood that the invention may be adapted to numerous rearrangements, modifications, and alterations and that all such are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims.