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US 12,473,774 B1Granted
Compound fenestration assemblies with mull end connectors and methods
AssigneeAndersen Corporation
InventorsArik Van Asten, Jeremyah Biederman, Stephen Rippe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Compound fenestration assembly mull joints including one or more mull end connectors, compound fenestration assemblies using those mull joints, and methods of making and using the same are described herein. The compound fenestration assembly mull joints including one or more mull end connectors described herein are configured to be attached to the building opening using a flowable bonding agent (in addition to attachment of the fenestration units to the building openings).
Claims39
A compound fenestration assembly comprising:
- a first fenestration unit attached to a second fenestration unit along a mull joint having a first end and a second end, wherein the mull joint defines a mull joint axis extending along a length of the mull joint between the first and second ends of the mull joint, and wherein the first and second fenestration units comprise exterior sides facing in the same direction and interior sides facing in an opposite direction from the exterior sides, wherein an interior/exterior axis extends between the interior and exterior sides in a direction transverse to the mull joint axis;
- a mull end connector cavity located between the first fenestration unit and the second fenestration unit at the first end of the mull joint;
- and
- a mull end connector comprising:
- a base comprising an inner face facing the first end of the mull joint and an outer face facing away from the first end of the mull joint,
- a connector leg attached to the inner face of the base, the connector leg extending away from the inner face along the mull joint axis, the connector leg extending into the mull end connector cavity between the first fenestration unit and the second fenestration unit at the first end of the mull joint,
- a bonding agent cavity on the outer face of the base, the bonding agent cavity comprising a border defining at least a portion of a cavity perimeter located within a base perimeter on the outer face of the base, and
- a chamber configured to deliver bonding agent to the bonding agent cavity, the chamber comprising an input port located along the interior/exterior axis and a delivery port opening into the bonding agent cavity, wherein the input port is in fluid communication with the bonding agent cavity through the chamber and the delivery port.
5 more elements
A compound fenestration assembly:
- a mull joint connecting a first fenestration unit to a second fenestration unit, the mull joint defining a mull joint axis extending along a length of the mull joint between a first end and a second end of the mull joint;
- a mull end connector located at the first end of the mull joint, the mull end connector comprising:
- a connector leg extending into a mull end connector cavity extending into the mull joint at the first end of the mull joint, and
- a base attached to the connector leg, wherein the base comprises an outer face extending away from the first end of the mull joint;
- and
- a flowable bonding agent located between the outer face of the base of the mull end connector and an opening surface defining a building opening in which the first fenestration unit, mull joint, and second fenestration unit are located, wherein the flowable bonding agent is configured to bond the base of the mull end connector to the opening surface;
- wherein the base of the mull end connector defines a bonding agent cavity located between the base and the opening surface of the building opening;
- wherein the mull end connector comprises a chamber configured to deliver the flowable bonding agent to the bonding agent cavity, the chamber comprising an input port and a delivery port opening into the bonding agent cavity, wherein the input port is in fluid communication with the bonding agent cavity through the chamber and the delivery port;
- and
- wherein the bonding agent cavity comprises a depth measured along the mull joint axis, and wherein the depth of the bonding agent cavity proximate an outer perimeter of the bonding agent cavity is less than a depth of the bonding agent cavity proximate the delivery port.
7 more elements
A compound fenestration assembly:
- a mull joint connecting a first fenestration unit to a second fenestration unit, the mull joint defining a mull joint axis extending along a length of the mull joint between a first end and a second end of the mull joint;
- a mull end connector located at the first end of the mull joint, the mull end connector comprising:
- a connector leg extending into a mull end connector cavity extending into the mull joint at the first end of the mull joint, and
- a base attached to the connector leg, wherein the base comprises an outer face extending away from the first end of the mull joint;
- and
- a flowable bonding agent located between the outer face of the base of the mull end connector and an opening surface defining a building opening in which the first fenestration unit, mull joint, and second fenestration unit are located, wherein the flowable bonding agent is configured to bond the base of the mull end connector to the opening surface;
- wherein the base of the mull end connector defines a bonding agent cavity located between the base and the opening surface of the building opening;
- a fill vent opening into the bonding agent cavity, the fill vent configured to provide an exit path out of the bonding agent cavity for the flowable bonding agent delivered into the bonding agent cavity;
- wherein the base of the mull end connector comprises a border defining at least a portion of a cavity perimeter located within a base perimeter on the outer face of the base, and wherein the fill vent comprises a gap in the border such that the border extends only partially around the cavity perimeter.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.