Abstract:
A window or other trim frame having an opening defined by inside edges of connected frame elements for surrounding a window box or the like having outside edges with a small gap, wherein one of the edges carries a pre-installed gasket for passively sealing the gap and thereby avoiding the need to caulk the gap.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §120, of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/152,112 filed May 12, 2008 and published as US 2009/0277110 on Nov. 12, 2009, for “Window Frame With Installation Flange”, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/383,985 filed Mar. 31, 2009 and published as US 2010/0242384 on Sep. 30, 2010 for “Rapid Install Mantle”, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to building construction and in particular to the installation of trim on the building exterior. 
         [0003]    Window trim units surrounding a window box in a building wall penetration are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Pub. 2009/0277110. Conventionally, the window box is attached to the building exterior wall around the penetration and defines an outer perimeter for receiving window trim (e.g., window frame). The window box and window frame are structurally attached to the building wall around the penetration, but the interface or gap between them must be sealed from the elements by caulking. This is labor intensive and can be unsightly. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In one broad aspect, the invention is directed to a window or other trim frame having an opening defined by an inside perimeter or border, for receiving a window box or other building component having an outer edge, wherein a pre-installed gasket is provided in one of the trim inside border or the component outside edge. 
         [0005]    The disclosure is directed to a trim piece such as a window frame affixed to wall around a building component such as a window box affixed to wall, with a gap between them to be sealed from the elements. The gasket has a stem secured in a groove or channel in the window box and a body portion compressed in the gap. 
         [0006]    The gasket is preferably seated in a contoured surface where the channel opens to the edge. 
         [0007]    In a more particular aspect, the invention is directed to a trim for a window box, comprising a plurality of frame elements connected together to form a closed frame having inner edges defining an opening for receiving a window box, and a gasket on the inner edges of each frame element, for sealingly receiving the window box in the opening. 
         [0008]    In another aspect, the invention is directed to a combination of a window trim unit with a window box having a rigid frame supporting at least one glass panel, with the window box surrounded by the inner edges of the window trim and in contact with the gasket. 
         [0009]    In yet another aspect, the trim is attached to a border surrounding a penetration in a building wall and the window box is attached to the building at the penetration. 
         [0010]    The present invention includes a window trim frame wherein the edges of the inside perimeter of the window have grooves that are specially adapted to receive gasket elements to be inserted by the window frame installer in the field. 
         [0011]    Similarly, a kit or the like having a window frame with grooves in combination with pre-cut strips or a roll of gasket material to be trimmed to length and installed in the field, is also within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0012]    Conventionally, the inside perimeter is a simple board edge and the window box must be caulked in. The preinstalled gasket avoids the need for caulking and thus saves the installer significant time. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0013]    Various embodiments will are described below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is an elevation view of a window frame including optional moulding, constituting a trim unit for a window box and showing a gasket at the opening where the window box is to be received; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a section view taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , with a first embodiment of a gasket; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is an elevation view of the window frame of  FIG. 1 , showing a movable portion of the moulding separated from the stationary portion of the moulding, to expose holes for attaching the trim body to the wall; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is an oblique view of the window frame of  FIG. 1  as attached to the wall and receiving siding panels along a peripheral channel; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 2 , showing a different gasket on a top frame element that does not have moulding, as compressed against the window box; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  shows the preferred type of gasket as used in the embodiment of  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  shows a generalized relationship between a trim piece such as a window frame and a building component such as a window box, wherein the gasket is carried by the building component. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    The first embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , which show a prefabricated window frame  10 , having top element  12 , a bottom element  14  and side elements  16  connected together to define a rectangular frame, each element having front  18  and back faces, and inner  22  and outer  24  edges. At least the side elements  16 , but preferably also the top and bottom elements  12 ,  14  have a channel  28  in which mounting strips  30  have been press fit. Optionally, the edges can also include another channel indicated at  26  in  FIG. 2 , to facilitate installation of vinyl or aluminum siding against the frame as described in U.S. Publication 2009/0277110. The inner edge  32  of the mounting strip  30  is retained well within the edge  22  of the frame, and the outer edge  34  of the strip extends outside the perimeter of the frame, where mounting holes  36  are provided in the strip. 
         [0022]    Whether prefabricated as an entire unit or assembled on site as such unit, the frame with strips and/or complete mounting flange  38  are placed around the window box or similar penetration with the back face  20  of the frame against the wall  40 , as show in  FIG. 4 . The flange  38  then is affixed to the wall, such as by nailing through holes  36  to arrive at a condition shown in  FIG. 1 . To accommodate the subsequent attachment of vinyl or aluminum siding  42  to the wall  40 , the longitudinal end seams  44  and end edges  46  of the sliding panels are slid into the channel  26  of each frame element. 
         [0023]    The top frame element  12  (above the window box opening  48 ) may include a decorative moulding  50 , preferably consisting of a top board  52   a  and a base  52   b . The top board  52   a  is permanently affixed near its inner edge  58 , to the top of element  12 . While the window frame is attached to the building by the mounting strips  30 , the base  52   b  of the moulding is slid away from the top board  52   a , to the position shown in  FIG. 3 . This is possible because the front  18  of element  12  includes a groove  54  indicated at  18 ′ engaging a projection  56  in the base portion of the moulding  52   b . The preferred dovetail joint  54 ,  56 , permits displacement of the base  52   b  downwardly below the elevation of the through hole  60 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The installer can then further secure the frame to the building wall by connecting the rigid top element  12  to the wall with fasteners through hole  60 . Preferably, the attachment holes  60  are not in the grooves  54 , to avoid any interference between an installation nail or screw and the tongue portion  56  of the slidable moulding base  52   b.    
         [0024]    After the screws are installed through holes  60 , the top surface  52   c  of the base  52   b  is glued and the base  52   b  is slid into contact with the top piece  52   b  and preferably clamped to complete the installation as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0025]    In accordance with aspects of the present invention evident in  FIGS. 1-3 ,  5  and  6 , the inside perimeter  22 ,  22 ′ of the window frame which defines the opening  48  for receiving the window box  68 , includes a pre-installed gasket  62 ,  62 ′ which is preferably press fit with inner edge formation such as stem portion  64 ,  64 ′ into a corresponding groove or channel formation  66 ,  66 ′. (In the numeric identifiers, a prime indicates a variation shown in  FIG. 5  relative to  FIG. 2 , but unless otherwise mentioned, the functional characteristics associated with a given numeral are essentially the same). Channel  66  is preferably closer to back face  20  than to front face  18 . In this context, “pre-installed” should be understood as meaning that the gasket is installed in the edges  22  of the window trim opening, before the window frame is applied around the window box  68 . 
         [0026]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show an embodiment as installed on the wall. The edge  22 ′ preferably has a semicircular groove or similar contour  70  such that the substantially cylindrical or bulbous compressible body portion  72  of the gasket is partially seated therein. The stem  64 ′ has a barbed formation which can relatively easily enter a rectangular channel or groove  66 ′ in the edge  22 ′ but which cannot easily be removed. 
         [0027]    The trim frame  12 ,  12 ′ is installed from outside the wall  40 , over the previously installed window box  68 , which has a back side  74  flush with wall  40 . The trim element  12 ′ would generally have a width W 1  from visible front face  18  to back face  20  of about one inch whereas the top element of the window box  68  would generally have a slightly greater width W 2  from front  76  to back  74 . In the fabrication of the window frame trim unit  10 ′, the inner edge  22 ′ of each trim element is dimensioned such that when the trim unit is slide over the (four) outer edges  78  of the window box, a gap  80  is produced at every such outer edge, preferably about ⅛ inch. The bulbous portion  72  of the gasket spans this gap and is deformed as the installer pushes the trim unit along the outer edges  78  of the window box  68 . As a result the bulbous portion is squeezed in the gap and will be deformed with a tail or the like as indicated at  82  in  FIG. 5 . This deformation increases the contact area of the gasket compression between the edges of the gap, and thus provides a very effective seal against water penetration through the gap  80  into the wall  40 . This avoids the need for caulking between the trim unit  12  and the window box  68 . 
         [0028]    It should thus be appreciated that the preinstalled gasket feature can be employed not only with the movable moulding described with respect to  FIGS. 1-3 , but with any window frame regardless of installation technique onto the building wall. For example, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the top element  12 ′ of a frame without top moulding can have a front lip  84  and rearward channel  28  associated with top edge  86 . A mounting strip  30 ′ has one end in channel  28  and is angled such that most of the strip  30 ′ is flush with wall  40  and affixed thereto with hardware  88 . The inside  90  of front lip  84 , the lower portion  92  of the mounting strip, and top edge  86  form another channel  26 ′ for receiving siding panels, equivalent to the channel  26  of  FIG. 2 . Moreover, in some embodiments the trim unit with gasket need not have a channel for receiving siding panels. 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  shows a generalized relationship between a trim piece such as a window frame  94  affixed to wall  40  around a building component such as a window box  96  affixed to wall  40 , with a gap  98  between them to be sealed from the elements. In this embodiment, the gasket  100  has a stem  102  secured in groove or channel  104  in the window box and the body portion  106  is compressed in the gap. 
         [0030]    Furthermore, whereas the gasket  62  or  100  would generally be pre-installed by the fabricator of the trim or building component, the present invention includes a trim or a component wherein the edges of the inside perimeter or outside perimeter, respectively, have grooves  66 ,  104  that are specially adapted to receive gasket elements  62 ,  100  to be inserted by the installer in the field. Similarly, a trim or building component as described above, in combination with a roll of gasket material to be cut to length and installed in the field, is also within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0031]    Thus, the trim for a window box, can comprise a plurality of frame elements connected together to form a closed frame having inner edges defining an opening for receiving the window box, wherein each inner edge has a groove or channel for receiving a gasket which will sealingly bear on the outer edges of a window box. The invention includes a kit for assembling a trim for a window box, comprising a plurality of frame elements connected together to form a closed frame having inner edges defining an opening for receiving the window box, wherein each inner edge has a first formation for receiving a gasket which will sealingly bear on the outer edges of a window box. The gasket material has an edge defining a second formation sized for installation on the frame elements by engaging the first formation, and a body for compressively receiving the window box. 
         [0032]    In the completed installation of a window box affixed around a wall penetration and a window frame attached to the wall around the window box, the entire outer periphery of the window box (e.g. four rectangular edges) is sealed against gasket material carried on the entire inner edge of the window frame (e.g., four rectangular frame elements). Preferably, the gasket or gaskets are secured in channels that run the full lengths of each edge of the window frame, and likewise the gasket or gaskets have formations that engage the channels over their full lengths. A contoured groove is preferably provided along the length of the channel, where the channel meets the inner edge. 
         [0033]    In an alternative configuration of the foregoing, the gasket can be pre-installed at the outer edge of the window box. In this embodiment, a window box is affixed around a building penetration, and a window frame is also affixed to the building such that the inner edge of the frame surrounds the outer edge of the window box, thereby forming a gap between the inner edge of the frame and the outer edge of the window box. A gasket secured in the outer edge of the window box is compressed between the inner edge of the frame and the outer edge of the window box.