An apparatus for insertion between a masonry element at least partially defining a perimeter of an opening in an architectural structure and a frame surrounding the perimeter and having at least one surface includes a sponge structure adapted to rest against the frame and having at least one surface. The apparatus further includes a rigid member affixed to the sponge structure and adapted to rest against the masonry element and a coupling element affixed to the sponge structure and adapted to be coupled to a surface of the frame. In another aspect of this embodiment, the surface of the sponge structure is adapted to adhere to a sealant. The sponge structure may include closed cell blended EPDM neoprene.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention generally relates to the formation of outer walls, window sills and door thresholds. More specifically, the invention relates to devices permanently installed to facilitate the formation of window sills and door thresholds and which provide decreased susceptibility of window and door frames to contraction and expansion of inner walls with respect to outer wall masonry elements in an architectural structure. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In the field of construction, windows and doors are commonly desirable. A window may include a window frame located in an opening through a wall, which communicates the exterior and interior portions of an architectural structure such as a residence. Similarly, a door may include a door frame communicating the exterior and interior portions of an architectural structure. A wall in a residence or other type of construction may have an inner, wooden frame wall spaced from an outer wall including masonry elements such as bricks or stucco. Such walls are often referred to as cavity walls. A window through an opening in such type of walls may include a horizontally-oriented window sill formed by an upper layer of bricks positioned immediately below a lower horizontal frame member of a window frame and may be canted downwardly for drainage and the like. Likewise, a door through an opening in such type of wall may include a masonry threshold. 
         [0003]    Window and door frames take on a wide variety of configurations. They may, for example, include a lower horizontal frame member having a lower surface or a cavity or channel that must mate with the bricks forming the window sill or door threshold. Due to the difference in materials between, for example, an inner wood frame wall and an outer masonry wall including bricks, relative contraction and expansion of an inner wooden wall with respect to the window sill or door threshold formed of brick may occur, which may exert pressure on the window or door frame, thereby changing the frame's shape, size and position and potentially damaging or detrimentally affecting the operation and/or appearance of the window or door. Wood frame walls may, for example, contract as moisture evaporates therefrom while masonry walls may be relatively more stable. 
         [0004]    During the construction of a masonry window sill or door threshold made, for example, of bricks, the mason inserts an upper layer of bricks in an initial horizontal orientation over an underlying layer of mortar. The outer forward edge of the bricks is then canted downwardly from the plane of a horizontal member of the window or door frame, thereby forcing the inner-wall-facing ends of the bricks to move upwardly into open areas of the lower horizontal frame member. If a brick along the sill or threshold is positioned such that it exerts an excessive force against the window or door frame, it may cause the frame to deform, thereby compromising the stability of the installation or the operation and/or appearance of the window or door. A challenge during installation of a window sill or door threshold lies in the lack of guidance a mason has when canting the bricks or similar masonry elements downwardly. It is difficult for the mason to provide a uniform angle for all bricks or other masonry elements along a window sill or door threshold if the installation is such that the inner-wall-facing ends of the bricks cannot touch the horizontal frame member of the window. 
         [0005]    An apparatus to facilitate formation of masonry window sills and door thresholds would therefore be desirable. Similarly, an apparatus suitable to provide for the relative differences in contraction and expansion of inner and outer wall members made of different materials would be desirable. Finally, a method of forming a window sill offering the desirable characteristics described above would similarly be desirable. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    These and other problems in the prior art are addressed by this invention which, in one embodiment, includes an apparatus for insertion between a masonry element at least partially defining a perimeter of an opening in an architectural structure and a frame surrounding the perimeter and having at least one surface. The apparatus includes a sponge structure adapted to rest against the frame and having at least one surface, a rigid member affixed to the sponge structure and adapted to rest against the masonry element, and a coupling element affixed to the sponge structure and adapted to be coupled to a surface of the frame. In another aspect of this embodiment, the surface of the sponge structure is adapted to adhere to a sealant. The sponge structure may include closed cell blended EPDM neoprene. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, an apparatus for insertion between a masonry element at least partially defining an opening in an architectural structure and a frame having a channel, includes a compressible sponge structure having at least one surface and adapted to rest against the frame and a rigid member affixed to the sponge structure and adapted to rest against the masonry element. The sponge structure is adapted to be friction fit within the channel while the surface of the sponge structure is adapted to adhere to a flowable sealant. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, an architectural installation includes a frame having at least one surface and surrounding a perimeter of an opening of an architectural structure. The installation also includes a generally vertical inner wall, a generally vertical outer wall having at least one masonry element, and an apparatus positioned between the surface of the frame and the masonry element. In this embodiment, the apparatus includes at least one surface adapted to adhere to a sealant, a compressible sponge structure, and a rigid member affixed to the sponge structure and adapted to rest against the masonry element. 
         [0009]    Advantageously, this invention permits formation of masonry window sills, door thresholds and the like without direct contact between the frame and the masonry elements, such that the frame is less susceptible to relative contraction and expansion of the inner wall in contact with the frame with respect to the masonry elements. Any expansion or contraction-related upward, downward or lateral movement of the inner wall with respect to the masonry elements is absorbed by a corresponding deformation and/or expansion of selected portions of the structural sponge component of the sealant backer assembly. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0010]    These and other objectives and advantages will become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description of embodiments of the invention and from the drawings in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a sealant backer assembly according to one embodiment of this invention showing a structural sponge component, a hard backing element, an adhesive layer and a thin, releasable element; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an elevation cross-sectional view of the sealant backer assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view showing an inner wall, an outer wall, a window frame, and a step in the formation of a masonry sill and the sealant backer assembly of  FIGS. 1-2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view showing an inner wall, an outer wall, a window frame, and another step in the formation of a masonry sill and the sealant backer assembly of  FIGS. 1-2 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view showing an inner wall, an outer wall, a window frame, the sealant backer assembly of  FIGS. 1-2  and a desired final orientation of a masonry element defining the window sill of  FIGS. 3-4 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a detailed cross-sectional view of the encircled portion of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view showing an inner wall, an outer wall, a window frame, a masonry wall and a sealant backer assembly. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7A  is a detailed cross-sectional view of the encircled portion of  FIG. 7   
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a partially disassembled perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a sealant backer assembly. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view showing an inner wall, an outer wall, a window frame, a masonry sill and the sealant backer assembly of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 9A  is a detailed cross-sectional view of the encircled portion of  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]    With reference to  FIGS. 1-2 , a sealant backer assembly  10  in one embodiment of this invention has a generally rectangular cross-sectional profile and includes a structural sponge component  12  occupying most of the volume defined by the sealant backer assembly  10 , a rigid hard backing element  14 , an adhesive element in the form of a thin layer  16  and a thin releasable element  18 . The sealant backer assembly  10  is further defined by top and bottom faces  11   a ,  11   b  and lateral faces  11   c ,  11   d.    
         [0023]    With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , the structural sponge component  12  has opposed first and second faces  13 ,  15  and is made of a suitable material such that the component  12  can withstand a force exerted by an underlying row of masonry elements such as bricks  24 . The length and width of the structural sponge component  12  is such that it can fit in a space between a window frame  30  and a row of masonry elements such as bricks  24  or stucco elements  37  ( FIG. 7 ) defining a window sill or door threshold. The structural sponge component  12  may, for example, be of a length and a width substantially equal to those of a portion of a horizontal frame member  31  of the window frame  30  or door frame protruding from the plane of the exterior face  33  of an inner wooden frame wall  26 . The structural sponge component  12  may be made, for example, of a material including closed cell blended EPDM neoprene. 
         [0024]    The hard backing element  14  has a thickness substantially smaller than that of the structural sponge component  12  and is made of a rigid plastic resin material. While the hard backing element  14  is described as being made from a plastic resin, persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other materials may be substituted, so long as they are suitable to withstand the force applied by masonry elements such as bricks  24  or stucco elements  37  ( FIG. 7 ) contacting the bottom surface of the hard backing element  14 . In this embodiment, the hard backing element  14  has a length and a width that are substantially equal to those of the first face  13  of the structural sponge component  12  and is adhesively affixed to the first face  13  by any suitable methods or components, such as adhesive. Alternatively, other methods of affixing or adjoining these two surfaces may be substituted, so long as they are suitably chosen to maintain the required integrity of the interface between the structural sponge component  12  and the hard backing element  14 . Alternatively, the hard backing element  14  may be integrally formed with at least a portion of the structural sponge component  12 . 
         [0025]    With continued reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , a coupling element in the form of a thin adhesive layer  16  substantially covers the second face  15  of the structural sponge component  12 . The adhesive layer  16  is made of a suitable material such that it can bond or be at least partially integrally formed with the second face  15  of the structural sponge component  12 . The adhesive layer  16  may include a pressure-sensitive adhesive, so long as it is also suitable to bond to the protruding portion of the bottom surface  17  of the horizontal frame member  31  of the window frame  30  or door frame. Alternatively, a different type of coupling element may be substituted for the adhesive layer  16 , so long as it is suitably coupled to the structural sponge component  12  and can be suitably coupled to a surface such as the bottom surface  17  of the horizontal frame member  31 . 
         [0026]    A thin, releasable element  18  has a length and width substantially equal to those of the second face  15  of the structural sponge component  12  and the adhesive layer  16 . The releasable element  18  substantially covers the exposed surface of the adhesive layer  16 , thereby facilitating storage, handling and transportation of the sealant backer assembly  10  until it is ready for deployment. 
         [0027]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , an exemplary conventional window frame  30  having an outer surface  40  rests over an inner wall  26  made of wood, and generally covers a window opening  39  communicating the interior and exterior of an architectural structure such as a residence. The inner wall  26  includes an exterior face  33  and an oppositely located interior face  35 . An outer wall  28 , having masonry elements in the form of bricks  20 , includes an exterior face  29  and an interior face  27  that is proximate and faces the exterior face  33  of the inner wall  26 . The inner and outer walls  26 ,  28  are separated by a cavity or gap. In this embodiment, the outer wall  28  includes several rows of bricks  20  and layers of a bonding element in the form of mortar elements  22  positioned between adjacent layers of bricks  20 . The window frame  30  includes a horizontal frame member  31  having a bottom surface  17 , a portion of which protrudes beyond the plane defined by the exterior face  33  of the inner wall  26 . The horizontal frame member  31  is generally designed to lie over a horizontal surface  26   a  of the inner wall  26 . 
         [0028]    A relative thin and flexible through-wall flashing member  34  has a vertical portion  34   a  positioned immediately between the exterior face  33  of the inner wall  26  and the interior face  27  of the outer wall  28  and further includes a generally horizontal portion  34   b  positioned between adjacent layers of bricks  20  and which extends beyond the exterior face  29  of the outer wall  28 , thereby providing a drip surface element  36 . The through-wall flashing member  34  is made of a suitable material such as one conventionally known as 40 mil adhesive backed flashing, such that it can provide an impermeable barrier to moisture or water that may penetrate the outer wall  28  and otherwise reach the interior of the architectural structure. Water or moisture that penetrates the outer wall  28  will thus reach the exterior face of the through-wall flashing member  34  and exit along the drip surface element  36 . 
         [0029]    With continued reference to  FIG. 3 , a relatively thin, flexible flashing member  38  is conventionally positioned between the horizontal frame member  31  and the horizontal surface  26   a  and is further partially juxtaposed over the vertical portion  34   a  of the through-wall flashing member  34 . The wrap flashing member  38  is made of an impermeable material suitable to withstand the weight of the window frame  30  resting thereon while preventing the penetration of water or moisture from the exterior and into the interior of the architectural structure. A row of bricks  24  is depicted prior to installation and formation of a window sill under the window frame  30 . Each of the bricks  24  includes an upper surface  41 , a back surface  43  and an edge  45  at the juncture between the upper surface  41  and the back surface  43 . 
         [0030]    With reference to  FIGS. 3-5 , an exemplary formation of a window sill and installation of the sealant backer assembly  10  are depicted. More particularly referring to  FIG. 3 , a masonry element in the form of a brick  24  is shown ready for deployment and is intended to partially define the window sill. Such deployment includes disposing the brick  24  over a mortar element  22  in the outer wall  28  in a region proximate the window frame  30 . The thin, releasable element  18  is removed from the sealant backer assembly  10  as depicted by arrow  46 , thereby exposing the adhesive layer  16 . The sealant backer assembly  10  is then disposed over the protruding portion of the bottom surface  17  of the horizontal frame member  31  of the window frame  30 , as indicated by the arrow  48 , and oriented such that the adhesive layer  16  contacts the bottom surface  17 . 
         [0031]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , a brick  24  is shown having been disposed over the mortar element  22  in the outer wall  28 . The sealant backer assembly  10  has been disposed as described above against the bottom surface  17  on the window frame  30 . A subsequent step in the formation of the window sill includes reorienting or tilting the brick  24  in the direction depicted by the arrow  39 , to thereby allow the upper surface  41  of the sill brick  24  to slope downwardly without substantially deforming the structural sponge component, thereby facilitating drainage of water away from the window frame  30 . 
         [0032]    With reference to  FIGS. 5-6 , the brick  24  is depicted in an exemplary final position showing a downward-sloping angle of the surface  41 . Reorienting of the bricks  24  generally includes causing contact to occur between the respective edges  45  of each of the bricks  24  and the bottom face  11   b  on the hard backing element  14  of the sealant backer assembly  10 . A flexible sealant member  32  is applied against the outwardly-facing lateral face  11   c  of the sealant backer assembly  10  and the upper surface  41  of the brick  24 , thereby closing a gap otherwise present, created at the juncture between the irregular surface  41  of the brick  24  and the bottom face  11   b  of the sealant backer assembly  10 . The sealant member  32  is made of a suitable flexible, impermeable and weather-resistant material and may be generally solid even if in flowable form during initial application. The sealant member  32  is further made of a material suitable to bond with the upper surface  41  of the brick  24  or with any other type of masonry element as well as with surfaces of the window frame  30 . 
         [0033]    With reference to  FIG. 6 , the sealant member  32  substantially closes the gap between the outer surface  40  of the window frame  30  and the upper surface  41  of the bricks  24 . The edge  45  of each of the bricks  24  contacts the bottom face  11   b  on the hard backing element  14  of the sealant backer assembly  10 . Any force applied by the edge  45  against the bottom face  11   b  on the hard backing element  14  will be distributed by the hard backing element  14  and partially deform the underlying structural sponge component  12 . Any individual edge  45  will not compress the sponge component  12  any significant amount, but collectively the edges  45  of the bricks  24  may exert pressure distributed across the sponge component  12  to compress it. 
         [0034]    With reference to  FIGS. 7-7A , in which like-reference numerals refer to like features in  FIGS. 1-6 , the sealant backer assembly  10  is shown associated with the formation of an outer masonry wall including masonry elements in the form of stucco elements  37 . Unlike the illustrative application of  FIGS. 1-6 , in the exemplary application of  FIGS. 7-7A  the stucco elements  37  are placed relatively closer to the inner wall  26  and substantially under the horizontal frame  31  of the window frame  30 . In this exemplary embodiment, the main purpose of the sealant backer assembly  10  is to provide a backing surface for reception of a sealant  32  and as a vertical stopping surface for the stucco elements  37 . The relationship and description of the sealant  32  with respect to the window frame  30 , stucco elements  37  and sealant backer assembly  10  is similar to that described above for the embodiment of  FIGS. 3-6 . 
         [0035]    While the embodiments of  FIGS. 3-7A  depict a sealant backer assembly  10  associated with masonry elements such as bricks  24  and stucco elements  37  under a window frame  30 , persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that, alternatively, sealant backer assembly  10  may be similarly used in association with masonry or non-masonry elements forming a door threshold (not shown) around a door frame (not shown) communicating the exterior and interior of an architectural structure through an opening. 
         [0036]    With reference to  FIG. 8-9A , in which like reference numerals refer to like features in  FIGS. 3-6 , an alternative embodiment of a sealant backer assembly  50  having a generally irregular cross-sectional profile, exemplarily approximating a square profile, includes a structural sponge component  52  occupying most of the volume defined by the sealant backer assembly  50 , and a rigid hard backing element  54  affixed thereto. The sealant backer assembly  50  is further defined by top and bottom faces  56 ,  58 , front and back faces  55 ,  57 , and end faces  60 ,  62 . The hard backing element  54  is similar to the hard backing element  14  of the sealant backer assembly  10  of  FIGS. 1-2 , the description and functionality of which may be referred to for an understanding of the hard backing element  54  as well. 
         [0037]    The structural sponge component  52  has opposed first and second faces  56 ,  53  and is made of a suitable material such that the sponge component  52  can withstand a force exerted by an underlying row of masonry elements such as bricks  24  or stucco elements  37  ( FIG. 7 ). The length and width of the structural sponge component  52  is such that it can fit, in a compressed condition, in a channel such as a “J” channel  64  along a horizontal frame member  51  of a window frame  61  or door frame. The structural sponge component  52  is made of a resilient material, such as a material including closed cell blended EPDM neoprene. 
         [0038]    During deployment, the exemplary sealant backer assembly  50  is compressed such that the front and back faces  55 ,  57  are pushed inwardly permitting the sponge component  52  to fit in the channel  64  of the horizontal frame member  51  of the window frame  61 . The channel  64  is defined by a leg member  66  having a bottom surface  68  and an inner surface  70 , a substantially flat surface  72  along the horizontal frame member  51 , and a substantially flat back surface  74 . The sealant backer assembly  50  is disposed in the channel  64  such that the hard backing element  54  is left, as shown, outside the channel  64 . Alternatively, however, the sealant backer assembly  50  may be disposed in the channel  64  such that the entire backer assembly fits within the channel  64 , so long as the sealant backer assembly  50  may be frictionally held in the channel  64 , so long as the sealant backer assembly  50  may be frictionally held in the channel  64 . After deployment, the sponge component  52  expands such that the front and back faces  55 ,  57  respectively press against the inner surface  70  of the leg member  66  and the back surface  74  of the channel  64 . 
         [0039]    With reference to  FIGS. 9-9A , other steps in the formation of a masonry sill are similar to those described above for the embodiment of  FIGS. 3-6 , the description of which may be referred to for an understanding of the embodiment of  FIGS. 9-9A  as well. Unlike the embodiment of  FIGS. 3-6 , however, the exemplary embodiment of  FIGS. 9-9A  depicts the sealant  32  being applied such that it also contacts the bottom surface  68  of the leg member  66  of the channel  64 . 
         [0040]    While the exemplary embodiment of  FIGS. 8-9A  depict the sealant backer assembly  50  in association with the formation of a window sill including bricks, persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the backer assembly  50  may alternatively be used with the formation of sills and outer walls including other masonry elements such as stucco or non-masonry elements. Similarly, the sealant backer assembly  50  may be used in conjunction with the formation of a door threshold around a door frame (not shown). 
         [0041]    Advantageously, since the formation of a window sill or door threshold and installation of a sealant backer assembly  10 ,  50  as shown results in no direct contact between the window frame  30  and masonry elements such as bricks  24 , the window frame  30  is less susceptible to relative contraction and expansion of the inner wall with respect to the masonry elements. Any expansion or contraction-related upward, downward or lateral movement of the inner wall with respect to the bricks  24  or the like is absorbed by a corresponding deformation and/or expansion of selected portions of the structural sponge component  12 ,  52  of the sealant backer assembly  10 ,  50 . 
         [0042]    Accordingly, many further embodiments, applications and modifications of the invention will become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims appended hereto.