Patent Publication Number: US-2020300007-A1

Title: Metal Ware for a Window

Description:
The present invention relates to the metalware for a window, in particular the set of accessories, usually metallic, which are applied to the window frame to allow its opening and closure. 
     The term window will refer to the windows as such, but also more generally to French windows, doors, skylights, and the like. 
     The technical features of the window are described below with reference to the configuration that it most commonly assumes, that is, the configuration in which it is arranged vertically. 
     In a widely known manner, the window comprises a fixed frame, a movable frame and a handle which facilitates movement of the movable frame during opening and closure. The fixed frame develops mainly in a vertical plane. In a known manner, the handle also controls window locking members which allow the movable frame (or shutter) to be locked in the closure position. The window locking members may comprise one or more latches, usually movable along the vertical direction. Each latch, protruding from the movable frame shape, engages a respective seat obtained by means of a hole in the fixed frame. In addition, or alternatively to the latches, the window locking members may also comprise one or more locking pins. Also, the locking pins are usually movable along the vertical direction, but unlike the latches they do not protrude from the movable frame shape. The locking pins run along a strut of the movable frame and are designed to engage suitable U-shaped seats formed on the frame (fixed or mobile in turn) to which the shutter matches when it is brought into the closure position. 
     The windows that allow two different types of opening are particularly widespread and appreciated. A first type of opening, called a swing opening, is that in which the shutter is free to rotate around the main hinge axis (usually vertical and placed laterally to the movable frame). This movement allows to open the window completely, for example to let a large amount of air pass through. This opening allows at the same time the passage through the window of voluminous objects or of people, possibly even unwanted. Moreover, unless auxiliary closure devices are provided external with respect to the window, this type of opening leaves the shutter free to move independently with respect to the user&#39;s will, typically following the air drafts. A second type of opening is that which instead allows the shutter a limited movement and which, once the opening limit has been reached, keeps it almost steady in position. Usually this type of opening is called fanlight or tilt opening and is obtained by rotating the shutter around a secondary hinge axis (horizontal and located below the movable frame). This second type of opening allows the passage of a reduced amount of air, does not allow the passage of people at all and prevents the shutter from moving in an unwanted way. 
     In order to control the window locking members, the handle can rotate around an axis perpendicular to the movable frame plane, so as to take different positions. Usually the handle comprises a lever which can rotate between three positions: a closure position, a swing opening position and a fanlight opening position. 
     Generally, the locking position of the shutter is obtained with the handle vertically, for example with the lever facing downwards. By turning the handle 90°, and then bringing it horizontally, it usually moves into the swing opening position. By further turning the handle another 90°, and then bringing it vertically again but with the lever facing upwards, it moves into the fanlight opening position. Within an overall rotation of 180° the handle must therefore be able to provide a sufficient stroke for moving the window locking members so that they move from one to the other of the three configurations. Generally, it is considered that it is not appropriate to allow the handle a rotation angle greater than 180°. In this way, in fact, the handle lever would exit from the outer shape of the movable frame, constituting an obstruction for the movement of the shutter itself. 
     The window metalware of the known type further comprises a strip and a rod which support the window locking members and the handle. The strip is fixed to the thickness of the free strut of the movable frame. Below the fixed strip, in a dedicated channel, the rod is housed which is free to slide along the strut of the movable frame. A latch can be mounted at the end of the rod. In addition, slots are provided along the fixed strip through which the locking pins mounted on the underlying rod protrude. 
     The handle is also mounted at an intermediate point of the strip. The handle comprises a pinion that engages a rack fixed on the rod. The handle rotation therefore determines the pinion rotation and thus the translation of the rack and of the rod fixed thereto. The translation of the rod determines an identical translation of the latch and/or of the locking pins, a translation necessary to move from the locking position of the shutter to the opening position. 
     From the foregoing, the skilled person can easily understand how the maximum translation that can be obtained for the window locking members is limited by the pitch radius of the pinion. In fact, the overall rotation of the handle being fixed in just 180°, the maximum translation obtainable for the rod along which to place the three positions (locking, swing opening, fanlight opening) is equal to the pitch radius of the pinion multiplied by π. 
     In turn, however, the pinion dimensions, and therefore its pitch radius, are not free from constraints at all. In particular, it is commonly believed that the window structures (i.e. the fixed frame and the movable frame) must be as thin as possible in order to favour the glazed surface. From this constraint derives that the reduced dimensions of the strut which houses the handle and the window locking members limit the pinion radius in cascade and therefore the maximum stroke of the rod. 
     However, the windows and the related window locking members described so far, although widely appreciated, are not free from defects. 
     In fact, as the skilled person can well understand, the size of the locking pins and the useful stroke of the latch are limited by the stroke of the rod obtained with 90° rotation of the handle. In the locked position each of the locking pins must be housed inside the respective U-shaped seat, while the latch must sink as far as possible into the respective hole seat. On the contrary, the locking pins in the opening position must be completely outside the respective U-shaped seats and the latch must be completely outside the respective hole seat. The maximum diameter of the locking pins is therefore limited by the stroke which can be obtained with a 90° rotation of the handle, and this stroke is in turn limited by the strut dimensions of the movable frame. From this derives that the locking pins have a limited mechanical resistance and, with the closing of the window, guarantee a limited level of safety. 
     Therefore, the object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks pointed out above with respect to the prior art. 
     In particular, a task of the present invention is to provide a metalware for a window which can combine the need to maintain reduced dimensions for the movable frame strut and, at the same time, allow larger dimensions for the locking pins. 
     In this way, the metalware for a window allows to obtain locking pins with greater mechanical resistance and therefore to increase the level of safety. Furthermore, a task of the present invention is to provide a metalware for a window which, alongside the advantages introduced with respect to the known solutions, also maintains their benefits. 
     This object and these tasks are achieved by means of a window metalware according to claim  1 , and by means of a window according to claim  7 . 
    
    
     
       To better understand the invention and appreciate its advantages, some of its exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  schematically shows a first type of prior art window in a closed configuration; 
         FIG. 2  schematically shows a second type of prior art window in a closed configuration; 
         FIG. 3  schematically shows the window of  FIG. 1  in an open configuration; 
         FIG. 4  schematically shows the window of  FIG. 2  in an open configuration; 
         FIG. 5  schematically shows an enlarged view of the detail referred to as V in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  schematically shows a view of the cross section made along the plane VI-VI of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  schematically shows the view of a cross section similar to that of  FIG. 6 , made on a window according to the invention; 
         FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of a window according to the invention, in a closed configuration; 
         FIG. 9  shows a front view of the window of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  shows a perspective view of a shutter of the window of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 11  shows an enlarged view of the detail referred to as XI in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  shows a view of the cross section made along the plane XII-XII of  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 13  shows an enlarged view of the detail referred to as XIII in  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 14  shows an exploded perspective view of some metalware components according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 15  shows an exploded perspective view of some components of the metalware according to a comparative arrangement; 
         FIG. 16  shows a view of the cross section made along the plane XVI-XVI of  FIG. 9 ; and 
         FIG. 17  shows an enlarged view of the detail referred to as XVII in  FIG. 16 . 
     
    
    
     Since the invention is intended to be used in presence of gravitational acceleration g, it is intended that the latter uniquely defines the vertical direction. 
     The present invention relates to a window  20  and the respective metalware  30 . In a manner known per se, the window  20  comprises a fixed frame  22  and a movable frame  24  which can rotate around a hinge axis Y. Below reference will be made, in an exemplary and non-limiting manner, to the most common configuration of the window  20 , in which the hinge axis Y is vertical. However, the skilled person will have no difficulty in reporting the teachings of the invention in a window  20  having a different configuration, for example in which the movable frame  24  rotates around a horizontal axis. 
     The metalware  30  is, in a manner known per se, the set of accessories, usually metallic, which are applied to the window to allow its opening and closing. 
     The metalware  30  according to the invention comprises: 
     a strip  32  suitable for being mounted in a fixed manner on a strut  240  of the window  20 ; 
     a rod  34  mounted slidingly with respect to the strip  32 , wherein the rod  34  has:
         an outer surface  340  facing the strip  32 ,   an inner surface  342 , opposed to the outer surface  340 , and   a thickness s spacing the outer surface  340  from the inner surface  342 ;       

     window locking members  36  of the window  20  mounted in a firm manner on the rod  34 ; 
     a rack  40  having a pitch surface p 1  and mounted in a firm manner on the rod  34 ; 
     a pinion  42  having a pitch surface p 2  and mounted on the strip  32  so that:
         the pinion  42  can rotate around an axis X,   the pinion  42  engages the rack  40 ,   the axis X of the pinion  42  is fixed with respect to the strip  32 ,   the rod  34  is comprised between the strip  32  and the pinion  42 .       

     In the metalware  30  according to the invention the pitch surface p 1  of the rack  40  is spaced, with respect to the inner surface  342  of the rod  34 , towards the strip  32  beyond the half thickness s of the rod  34 ; and 
     the rod  34  comprises a through aperture  344  inside which a canal-shaped structure  43  is inserted and the rack  40  is placed in the canal-shaped structure  43 . 
     The fact that the pitch surface p 1  of the rack  40  is spaced, with respect to the inner surface  342  of the rod  34 , towards the strip  32 , allows to employ a pinion  42  which, for the same overall size of the metalware  30 , has a pitch diameter substantially greater than the pinion  42  of the prior art. As will be better described later, the greater dimensions of the pinion  42  imply significant technical advantages. 
     The rod  34 , the strip  32  and therefore the entire metalware  30  share the same prevalent development direction Z, and the rod  34  is free to slide along the strip  32  in this direction Z The metalware configuration  30  defines the maximum stroke Sz which can be performed by the rack  40  (and therefore by the rod  34  and by the window locking members  36 ) along the Z direction. In particular, with the same overall dimensions, the maximum stroke Sz which can be obtained with the metalware  30  according to the invention is greater than the maximum stroke which can be obtained with a metalware  30  according to the prior art. The magnitude of the maximum stroke Sz is directly connected to the pitch diameter of the pinion  42 , as well as to the rotation arc which it can perform during operation. However, as already said in relation to the prior art, the overall rotation of the pinion  42  is limited only to overall 180°, along which the three positions are to be distributed: closing, swing opening and fanlight opening. Therefore, the maximum stroke Sz is a function of only the pitch diameter of the pinion  42 . 
     These technical features are better understood considering the attached figures. The representation of  FIG. 7  is schematic and is aimed to understand some aspects of the invention, above all by comparison with  FIG. 6  which shows a similar and equally schematic representation of the prior art. In particular, in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , for simplicity, the rack  40  and the pinion  42  have been represented without teeth, representing only their respective pitch surfaces p 1  and p 2 . 
     As can be seen, in the known solution of  FIG. 6 , the pitch surface p 1  of the rack  40  lies on the same plane as the inner surface  342  of the rod  34 . As the skilled person can well understand, this simplified representation may be slightly different from some known solutions. In particular, in some known solutions the rack  40  can be made as a separate piece and then applied on the rod  34 . In this case the pitch surface p 1  of the rack  40  is slightly spaced, with respect to the inner surface  342  of the rod  34 , towards the pinion  42 , that is on the opposite side of the strip  32 . In other solutions the rack  40  can instead be obtained by notching the teeth in the material of the rod  34  itself, for example by plastic deformation of the material or by machining. In this case, therefore, if the notch takes place from the inner surface  342  of the rod  34 , it is clear that the pitch surface p 1  of the rack  40  will be slightly spaced, with respect to the inner surface  342  of the rod  34 , towards the strip  32 . However, this displacement is not comparable with that of the invention. 
       FIG. 13  clearly shows how the pitch surface p 1  of the rack  40  is spaced, with respect to the inner surface  342  of the rod  34 , towards the strip  32  beyond the half thickness s of the rod  34 . 
     According to some embodiments of the invention, the pitch surface p 1  of the rack  40  is spaced, with respect to the inner surface  342  of the rod  34 , beyond the outer surface  340  of the rod  34 . 
     According to some embodiments of the invention, the strip  32  of the metalware  30  comprises a slot  320  at the rack  40 . The slot  320  (which can be blind or through) allows to house the footprint of the rack  40  and/or the rod portion  34  on which the rack  40  is mounted. 
     With particular reference to  FIGS. 14 and 15 , some features of the invention are described below. 
     According to the invention, for example as shown in  FIG. 14 , the rod  34  comprises a through aperture  344  inside which a canal-shaped structure  43  is inserted and the rack  40  is placed in the canal-shaped structure  43 . 
     According to other arrangements which are not part of the invention, for example that of  FIG. 15 , the rod  34  comprises a section  346  shifted with respect to the prevalent development of the rod  34  and the rack  40  is arranged on the shifted section  346 . In particular, a rectilinear rod  34  can be subjected to successive bends in order to obtain the shape of  FIG. 15 . In all the described embodiments, the rack  40  can be made as a separate piece and then applied to the canal-shaped structure  43 , or it can be obtained by notching the teeth in the material of the canal-shaped structure  43  itself. 
     In light of the foregoing, therefore, the slot  320  of the strip  32  houses slidingly the canal-shaped structure  43  of the rod  34 . In particular, the length of the slot  320  allows the canal-shaped structure  43  to slide freely during the movement of the window locking members  36 . In particular, the slot  320  develops in the prevalent development direction Z of the metalware  30 , in order to allow the canal-shaped structure  43  to slide in this direction. 
     Preferably, the window locking members  36  comprise one or more locking pins  360  and/or one or more latches  362  mounted in a firm manner on the rod  34 . In particular, the strip  32  comprises a slot at each locking pin  360 . The locking pin  360  extends from the outer surface  340  of the rod  34  and goes through the respective slot of the strip  32  to extend in the opposite direction to the inner surface  342  of the rod  34 . The latch  362 , on the other hand, extends from the end of the rod  34 , in the prevalent development direction Z of the metalware  30 . 
     According to another aspect, the invention also relates to a window  20  comprising a fixed frame  22  and a frame  24  movable between a complete opening position and a complete closure position. The movable frame  24  comprises a strut  240  on which the metalware  30  is mounted according to the invention. The strut  240  must have transversal dimensions sufficient to house the entire metalware  30  inside, and in particular the pinion  42 . As can be seen by comparing  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the metalware  30  according to the prior art and the metalware  30  according to the invention need respective struts having identical dimensions. However, as already underlined above, the strut  240  of the window according to the invention houses a metalware  30  with a pinion  42  of greater pitch diameter and which therefore allows a greater maximum stroke Sz for the window locking members  36 . 
     Advantageously, the movable frame  24  can rotate around a hinge axis Y. The direction of the hinge axis Y is preferably parallel to the prevalent development direction Z of the metalware  30 . Usually, both the hinge axis Y and the prevalent development direction Z of the metalware  30  are substantially vertical. 
     Preferably, the window  20  further comprises a handle  26  suitable for imposing a rotation around the axis X on the pinion  42 . As can be seen in  FIGS. 12 to 15 , one way of connecting the handle  26  to the pinion  42  is to mount both of them on a bar suitable for transmitting the rotation, for example a square-cross section bar. However, as the skilled person can well understand, other kinematic connections can be employed for this purpose. 
     In a manner known per se, when the movable frame  24  is in the complete closure position, the strut  240  on which the metalware  30  is mounted matches to a matching structure  242 . In an equally known manner, in the windows  20  with one shutter (such as the one represented schematically in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ), the matching structure  242  is a strut of the fixed frame  22 . Alternatively, in multi-shutter windows  20  (such as that represented schematically in  FIGS. 2 and 4  or in  FIGS. 8 and 9 ), the matching structure  242  is a strut of a second movable frame. Preferably, the second movable frame is locked with respect to the fixed frame  22 , in order to remain firmly in position and to provide reliable abutment for the movable frame  24 . 
     In a manner known per se, when the metalware  30  comprises one or more latches  362 , the fixed frame preferably comprises as many hole seats  246 , each of which is suitable for receiving a latch  362  which accesses it by sliding in the direction Z. 
     Similarly, when the metalware  30  comprises one or more locking pins  360 , the matching structure  242  preferably comprises as many U-shaped seats  244 , each of which is suitable for receiving a locking pin  360  which accesses it by sliding in the direction Z. For a secure closing of the window  20 , each locking pin  360  must enter as far as possible into the groove of the respective U-shaped seat  244 . The maximum dimension of the locking pins  360  is therefore limited by the maximum stroke Sz they can be imposed by the metalware  30 . A locking pin  360  with a diameter greater than its own maximum stroke Sz could not enter sufficiently into the groove of the respective U-shaped seat  244  and would therefore not guarantee a secure closing of the window  20 . The greater stroke Sz which, with the same dimensions of the strut  240 , can be obtained with the metalware  30  of the invention thus allows greater dimensions for the locking pins  360  and therefore greater safety in closing. 
     As the skilled person can understand, the invention allows to overcome the drawbacks underlined above with reference to the prior art. 
     In particular, the present invention provides a metalware for a window which combines the need to maintain reduced dimensions for the strut of the movable frame and, at the same time, allows greater dimensions for the locking pins. 
     In this way, the window metalware allows to obtain locking pins with greater mechanical resistance and therefore to increase the level of safety. Furthermore, the present invention provides a metalware for a window which, alongside the advantages introduced with respect to known solutions, also maintains the benefits inherent in the latter. 
     It is clear that the specific features are described in relation to various embodiments of the invention with exemplifying and non-limiting intent. Obviously, a person skilled in the art may make further modifications and variations to this invention, in order to meet contingent and specific requirements. For example, the technical features described in connection with an embodiment of the invention may be extrapolated from it and applied to other embodiments of the invention. Such modifications and variations are, however, contained within the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.