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US 2003/0145532 A1Published application
One-piece injection molded window frame and sash
AssigneeS.B.R. Limited
InventorsCharles D. Kownacki, Stephen T. Mansfield, Craig J. Lawson, Charlene W. Crooks
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Window components are made by a fluid-assist injection molding process to reduce manufacturing costs and provide additional flexibility in the configuration of the window. In addition to the inventive product-by-process, two window configurations, a casement window and a picture window, are taught. The casement window has a frame with installation flanges and the window sash has integral mounting posts for handle hardware. Both the window frame and sash have encapsulated insulative air pockets. An acrylic window pane is taught that mimics a glass block window.
Claims34
A one-piece molded window component made by the process including the steps of
- a) providing a mold cavity incorporating the desired window frame construction, said mold cavity having a first volume;
- b) injecting a second volume of molten plastic which is less than said first volume;
- c) introducing a high pressure fluid into said mold cavity to hollow out said second volume of molten plastic and force amounts of said molten plastic into all peripheral regions of said mold cavity creating a structural element with a hollow insulative core;
- d) allowing adequate dwell time in the mold for said molten plastic to set;
- e) ejecting said molded window component from the mold;
- f) subjecting said molded window component to post-molding operations.
3 more elements
A casement window comprising
- a) a one-piece window frame including
- i) a first hollow body housing an insulative air pocket;
- ii) a first integrally molded pocket on each side of said window frame for receiving support hinge hardware;
- b) a one-piece window sash including
- i) a second hollow body housing an insulative air pocket,
- ii) a second integrally molded pocket on each side of said sash operating with said first integrally molded pocket on said window frame to house said support hinge hardware;
- c) said support hinge hardware attached to both said window frame and said window sash in said first and second integrally molded pockets, respectively.
4 more elements
A casement window comprising
- a) a one-piece window frame including
- i) a first hollow body housing an insulative air pocket;
- ii) a first integrally molded pivot hinge member;
- b) a one-piece window sash including
- i) a second hollow body housing an insulative air pocket,
- ii) a second integrally molded pivot hinge member which mates with said first integrally molded pivot hinge member to permit pivoting movement of said window sash in said window frame.
3 more elements
A casement window comprising
- a) a one-piece window frame including
- i) a hollow body housing an insulative air pocket;
- ii) flexible installation flanges which are trimmed to a size slightly larger than a window opening to receive said casement window and folded back in the opening during installation;
- b) a one-piece window sash including
- i) a hollow body housing an insulative air pocket,
- ii) latch pivot posts integrally molded on an inner surface of said window sash.
3 more elements
A casement window comprising
- a) a one-piece window frame including
- i) a hollow body housing an insulative air pocket,
- ii) flexible installation flanges which are trimmed to a size slightly larger than a window opening to receive said casement window and folded back in the opening during installation,
- ii) a first integrally molded pocket on each side of said window frame for receiving support hinge hardware,
- iv) a recess on an external periphery of said window frame for receiving a lip seal and lip seal retainer,
- v) a first integrally molded pivot hinge member;
- b) a one-piece window sash including
- i) a hollow body housing an insulative air pocket,
- ii) a second integrally molded pocket on each side of said sash operating with said first integrally molded pockets on said window frame to house said support hinge hardware,
- iii) a second integrally molded pivot hinge member which mates with said first integrally molded pivot hinge member to permit pivoting movement of said window sash in said window frame,
- iv) glazing bead recess means integrally molded in an external periphery of said window sash;
- v) latch pivot posts integrally molded on an interior surface of said window sash;
- c) said support hinge hardware attached to both said window frame and said window sash in said first and second integrally molded pockets, respectively;
- d) said lip seal being secured in said recess by said lip seal retainer with a portion engaging an outer periphery of said sash when said window is in a closed position;
- e) a glazing bead which is secured into said bead recess means in said window sash;
- f) a latch retainer secured to an inside surface of said window frame;
- g) a latch mounted on said integrally molded pivot post, said latch including a latch handle and a latching arm which engages said latch retainer to secure said window sash in a closed position.
14 more elements
The casement window of claim 31 further comprising a screen securement groove formed in an outwardly protruding surface of said seal retainer.
A picture window frame comprising
- a) a first outer frame portion comprising a first one-piece, injection molded element with a window pane receiving pocket and having a hollow insulative core;
- b) a second inner frame portion comprising a second one-piece, injection molded element with a window pane receiving pocket and having a hollow insulative core;
- c) means to secure said second inner frame member to said first outer frame member sandwiching the window pane and retaining the window pane there between.
A window pane fashioned to resemble glass block comprising
- a) a first molded rectangular acrylic panel formed into a first plurality of apparently separate portions with intervening mortar-like seams, each individual apparently separate portion being slightly outwardly convex and having a light-diffusing rippling therein;
- b) a second molded rectangular acrylic panel formed into a second plurality of apparently separate portions with intervening mortar-like seams, each individual apparently separate portion being slightly outwardly convex;
- c) means to secure said first and second panels such that the slightly outwardly convex portions extend outwardly and said mortar-like seams extend inwardly in juxtaposed positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.