Patent Publication Number: US-6904725-B1

Title: Roof window with main frame and sash covering members

Description:
The present invention relates to a roof window with a pane supporting frame structure consisting of horizontal top and bottom members connected by parallel side members, which are at least partially wood profiles which on the outwards facing sides are covered by weather-shielding covering members for sealing enclosure of the subjacent wood profiles on all surfaces protruding from the roofing, said covering members being connected with the wood profiles by means of engagement and securing means which are designed in such manner and/or positioned such relative to the covering members that penetration of water and moisture into the wood profiles is substantially prevented, the covering members comprising a hood-like upper covering cap for covering the top member, an interior glazing profile for covering a part of the upper edge of each frame side member facing the light-admitting area of the window, an exterior covering member for covering the part of the exterior side of each frame side member protruding from the roofing and the adjoining part of the upper edge of the frame side member, and a cap member overlapping the glazing profile and said covering member, the cap member being at the bottom secured to the lower part of the side member, whereas at the top it is secured to the upper part of the side member. 
   Roof windows of this type, both openable and not openable, are well known and are widely used for ensuring improved admittance of daylight when converting ceilings of buildings into rooms for accommodation and business purposes. 
   The purpose of using weather-shielding covering members, which may consist of comparatively thin metal sheet profiles, for instance of aluminium, or plastic profiles, is to provide, to the highest degree possible, a total exterior protection of the wood profiles in the top, bottom and side members of the main frame and sash structures. 
   In conventional embodiments of roof windows the covering members are typically secured to the wood profile members of the main frame and sash structures by means of screw connections which are screwed directly into the subjacent wooden parts, which in order to obtain a sufficiently exact mounting requires pre-bored screw holes in the wooden parts and has turned out to entail a risk of moisture or water penetration into the wooden parts, in particular through the screw holes in the covering members. 
   In openable roof windows, the covering members on the outwards facing sides of the side members of the main frame and sash structures typically comprise an upper and a lower cap member in connection with the upper part of the main frame side member above the pivot axis and with the lower part of the sash side member under the pivot axis such that the lower cap member may follow the swinging of the sash structure by opening of the window. In conventional windows it has in respect of these cap members turned out to be difficult to obtain a satisfactory sealing at the transition between the upper and lower cap members, and at the lower end of the lower cap members. 
   Attempts have been made to solve this problem by use of a roof window known from DE-A-24 43 098, in which covering members are secured to the main frame and sash profiles by engagement with shackles fastened to the profiles by screws or nails. However, this design makes it necessary to mount the covering members by sliding them on the main frame and sash profiles in the longitudinal direction thereof. 
   The object of the invention is to provide a system of covering members for a roof window with a fully closed enclosure of the wooden parts of the frame and sash profiles, the mounting being at the same time facilitated. 
   To meet this object, the roof window according to the invention is characterized in that the cap member is retained at its upper end at said top by said upper covering cap and is provided at said bottom with an integral bent, hidden engagement means for snapping engagement with an engagement means secured at the lower end of the side member. 
   In this way a particular good protection of the wood profiles against moisture or water penetration is obtained and the mounting is at the same time facilitated, the cap member being first slid under the upper covering cap and then connected with its lower end to the lower end of the side member by snapping engagement. 
   The invention may advantageously be used both in connection with not openable roof windows with a frame structure fixedly positioned in the roof structure and in connection with conventional, openable roof windows. 
   A preferred embodiment of such an openable roof window is according to the invention obtained thereby that the sash structure has a pivot axis parallel with and approximately halfway between the top and bottom members, and that said cap member comprises an upper and a lower cap member placed on either side of the pivot axis, the upper cap member being secured to the upper part of the main frame side member or to an intermediate sash arm connected between the frame and sash side members, whereas the lower cap member is secured to the lower part of the sash side member, said cap members being at a short distance from the lower end of the upper cap member and the upper end of the lower cap member provided with securing means for being secured to fittings in fixed connection with the main frame side members or said intermediate sash arms, respectively, and with the sash side members, but positioned outside of the wood profiles thereof. 
   Further advantageous embodiments of the roof window according to the invention and the accompanying covering members are stated in the subclaims. 

   
     The invention will now be explained in detail in the following with reference to the schematic drawing, in which 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a roof window according to the invention, 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view corresponding to  FIG. 1 , in which the covering members have been removed from the wood profiles in the frame and sash structures of window, 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic lateral view, partly in section, for illustration of an example of the connection between an upper and a lower cap member, 
       FIG. 4  is a lateral view, partly in section, of the window shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in an open position, 
       FIG. 5  is a lateral view of a particular embodiment of the roof window as a combined top/pivot window, and 
       FIG. 6  is a partial section of a frame side member for illustrating the fastening of frame covering members. 
   

   In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the roof window according to the invention is an openable window with a main frame structure comprising a top member  1 , a bottom member  2 , and side members  3  and  4 , and an openable sash structure with a top member  5 , a bottom member  6 , and side members  7  and  8 . 
   By means of swing fittings  9 , known per se, between the frame and sash side members  3 ,  4  and  7 ,  8  the sash structure is pivotally journalled in the frame structure with an axis of rotation  10  parallel with the top and bottom members and substantially halfway between them. 
   The top, bottom and side members of the frame and sash structures are for the major part built up by wood profiles which on all surfaces that are exposed to the weather are covered by covering members which, in the embodiment shown, are constituted of comparatively thin metal sheet profiles, for instance of aluminium, and which together provide a completely weather-shielding enclosure of the window. 
   Thus, the frame side members  3  and  4  are covered by elongate covering members  11 , with a substantially Z-shaped cross section comprising a sidewall  11   a  covering an upper part of the outwards facing side surface of the frame side member positioned outside the roofing perpendicular to the roof surface, in which the window is mounted, an upper wall  11   b  covering the adjacent upper edge of the frame side member, and a comparatively low flange wall  11   c  protruding from the upper wall. 
   The frame bottom member  2  is covered by an elongate covering member  12  with substantially L-shaped cross section and comprising a bottom wall  12   a  covering the underside of the frame bottom member perpendicular to the roof surface, and an upper wall  12   b  covering the adjacent upper side of the frame bottom member. 
   To establish a tight connection at the transition between the two frame side covering members  11  and the frame bottom covering member  12 , the side covering members  11  are at their lowest ends provided with engagement flanges  13  in form of bent exterior parts of the sidewalls  11   a  for engagement with protruding flange members  14  from the ends of the bottom covering member  12 . 
   The frame covering members  11  and  12  are connected with their respective frame profiles  3 ,  4  and  2  by means of screws which are preferably screwed into the upper edges of the frame profiles, as explained in detail in the following with reference to  FIG. 5 . 
   In the sash structure the top and side members are covered by an interior glazing profile  15  facing the pane area of the window and having an inwards protruding glazing profile  15   a  which via an intermediate sealing strip abuts the edge of the pane member  16  of the window, said pane member being typically a 2 or 3 layer sealed glazing unit. In continuation of the glazing profile flange  15   a , the glazing profile  15  comprises along the edges of the double pane  16  a substantially U-shaped profile member with an upright flange wall  15   b , which on the sash side members  7  and  8  follows the low flange wall  11   c  of the covering members  11  on the frame side members  3  and  4 . 
   Correspondingly, the sash bottom member  6  is covered by a substantially L-shaped covering member  17  with a glazing profile  18  here covering the entire upper side of the sash bottom member  6 , and by an underlying wall  19  covering the underside of the sash bottom member and overlapping the covering member  12  on the frame bottom member  2 . 
   The parts of the covering members  11  and the glazing profiles  15  positioned on the top side of the frame and sash side members are on each side overlapped by the axis of rotation  10  of an upper cap member  20  and a lower cap member  21 , respectively. These cap members are designed as flat, trough-shaped profiles with identical, substantially U-shaped profile cross section comprising an exterior wall  20   a ,  21   a  and two low side walls  20   b ,  21   b  and  20   c ,  21   c  covering the low upright flange walls  11   c  and  15   b  on the covering member  11  and the glazing profile  15 , respectively. 
   As will be seen from  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the lower cap member  21  is at its upper end provided with a joggled connection member  22  which is inserted under the lower end of the upper cap member  20 . The connection member  22  has such a shape, for instance slightly wedge-shaped as shown, that the cap members  20  and  21  in the closed position of the window are positioned in extension of one another, their exterior walls  20   a  and  21   a  and sidewalls  20   b ,  21   b  and  20   c ,  21   c , respectively, in alignment. This design of the cap members  20  and  21  imparts to the window in the closed position an outer appearance of the window which is attractive from a design point of view, the cap members  20  and  21  appearing at each side of the window as one integral member. 
   At the same time the joggling of the connection member  22  ensures that the lower cap member  21  secured to the sash side member  7 ,  8  by opening of the window as shown in  FIG. 3  may follow the lower part of the sash structure during its swinging out and thus unimpededly may swing outwards relative to the upper cap member  20 , which in the embodiment shown is secured to the frame side member  3 ,  4 . 
   As will be more clearly seen from  FIG. 3 , the joggled connection member  22  forms at the transition to the cap member  21  a groove  22   a  providing a pressure relief chamber which prevents water from penetrating from below under the upper cap member  20 . 
   In the embodiment shown, the lower cap member  21  is manufactured by a pressing operation such that the side carriages  21   b–c  at the bottom are shaped in one piece with a bottom wall  21   d  with smooth corners. This kind of closing contributes to the attractive appearance of the window and provides a good protection of the lower parts of the sash side members  7  and  8  against the weather. 
   The upper and lower cap members  20  and  21  are according to the invention connected with the respective frame and sash side members  3 ,  4  and  7 ,  8 , respectively, such that they are easy to mount with great accuracy and moreover easy to dismount, the moisture influence on and water penetration into the wooden parts of the frame and sash side members being substantially prevented. 
   The upper cap member  20  is thus secured by a connection member  23  at its upper end solely by an upper covering member  32  for the frame and sash top members  1  and  5  against a support member  24 , which in the embodiment shown is secured to the top side of the frame side member  3 ,  4 . 
   The lower cap member  21  is at its lowest end provided with an engagement means which in the embodiment shown has the shape of an engagement bracket protruding from the bottom wall  21   d  and being parallel with the exterior wall  20   a , said bracket having a keyhole-shaped recess  26  for engagement with and retainment of a tap member  27  secured to the covering member  17  on the sash bottom member  6 . 
   At their opposite ends the upper cap member  20  and the lower cap member  21  are provided with securing means in the form of screw holes  28  for screws  29  to be screwed into screw fittings  30  and  31 , which in the embodiment shown are connected with the frame and sash side members  3 ,  4  and  7 ,  8  outside the wood profiles thereof. 
   The screw fittings  30  and  31  may advantageously be made of plastic material and secured to those parts of the swing fitting  9  which is connected with the frame side member  3 ,  4  and the sash side member  7 ,  8 , respectively. In this way it is not necessary to drive fastening screws into the wooden parts of the frame and sash side members. 
   At the top members  1  and  5  of the frame and sash structures the enclosure of the window is finished by the substantially hood-shaped top cap  32 , which in the embodiment in  FIGS. 1–3  is made in one piece and connected with the frame top member  1 . The top cap  32  is designed such that it covers the upper parts of the covering members on the frame and sash side members  3 ,  4 , and  7 ,  8 , respectively, including the upper parts of the upper cap members  20 . 
   In  FIG. 5  in a schematic side view an alternative embodiment of the roof window as a combined turn/pivot window is shown, in which the sash structure under normal use is top-hung relative to the frame structure  34 , such that the window, as shown in a solid line, functions as a top-hung pivot window which is opened by means of a separate control handle  35  on the interior side of the sash bottom member. 
   To make it possible to swing the window sash approximately 180° to a convenient cleaning position, the sash structure  33  is moreover pivotally connected with an intermediate sash with sash arms  36 , which in the closed position of the window are positioned between the upper parts of the frame and sash side members  2 ,  4  and  7 ,  8 , respectively, and which during normal use of the window as a top-hung turning window follow the sash side members. The axis of rotation of this swingable connection lies approximately halfway between the top and bottom members in the same manner as shown in  FIG. 4 , and operation of the window to this pivot or swing movement is carried out in a manner frequently used in connection with roof windows by means of a ventilation and control flap  37  which releases a (not shown) locking mechanism positioned between the frame and sash top members. 
   As this double pattern of movement entails that the upper part of the sash both during normal use as a top-hung window must be pivotable outwards relative to the frame and, at said swing movement to a cleaning position, has to be swingable inwardly relative to the frame in the same manner as shown in  FIG. 4 , the upper cap member  20 ′ which besides may be designed in the same manner as the cap member  20  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , being at each side secured to the intermediate sash arm  36 , the upper end of a bottom part  38  of the top cap connected with the intermediate sash being retained against a support member connected with the intermediate sash arm, whereas the lower part with a screw connection is secured to the screw fitting  30 ′ which is connected with the part of the (not shown) swing fitting connected with the intermediate sash arm  36  between the intermediate sash arm and the sash side member  7 ,  8 . 
   In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , the top cap is also in consideration of the above moving possibilities made in two pieces, comprising the bottom part  38  connected with the intermediate sash and a top part  39  connected with the frame top member  39 . 
   The above design and mounting of the upper and lower cap members  20  and  21  provide a particular good protection of the wooden parts of the sash profiles and the other wooden parts of the frame profiles not covered by the other covering members, i.a. as a consequence of the fact that fastening screws for the caps are not screwed into the wooden parts. 
   As shown in  FIG. 6  a good protection may be obtained in respect of the screw connections between the frame side covering members  11  and the frame side members  3 ,  4  against water penetration into the wooden parts of the frame side members by use of a bearing bushing  40  of plastic material to be placed in a pre-bored groove  41  in the wood profile. The bearing bushing  40  has a gradually reduced cylindrical shape with a head portion  42  for receiving the bent down (by countersinking) edge area  43  of the covering member  11  around the screw hole  44  and a constricted shaft member  45  with protruding barbs  46  for retaining the bushing in the pre-bored recess  41 . A hole  47  is provided in the bottom of the shaft part  47  with a smaller diameter than the fastening screw, such that when the screw is driven in, a good sealing is provided. 
   For further safeguarding of the screw connection an upright collar  48  may be provided in the bottom of the head portion  42  of the bushing or several upright flaps serving as washer plate against the countersunk edge area  43  ensuring that the screw head cannot be screwed over and deform the covering member  11 .