US 4,884,376 AGranted

Sun porch

AssigneeODL, Incorporated

InventorsDavid A. DeBlock, Kert E. Artwick

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Abstract

The specification discloses a modular sun porch which can be easily and quickly assembled. The wall assembly includes a plurality of identical modular window panels whose lateral edges interfit in male/female relationship to provide weather seals therebetween. Modular door units, which have a width equal to one or more window panels, can be substituted for the window panels in the wall assembly and include frames which interfit with the male/female scheme. The base for the wall assembly is levelable and hides both the base tie-downs and the leveling mechanism. The roof includes rafters and purlins which slide-lock into position between beams and rafters, respectively. Roof panels rest on gaskets carried by the rafters and purlins, and retainers are secured to the rafters to retain the panels in position and to improve the weather seal.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A sun porch especially adapted to be added to an existing building structure, said sun porch comprising:

a plurality of generally identical interfitting window panels each including a frame having a male side member and a female side member, all of said male side members being generally identical to one another and all of said female side members being generally identical to one another, each female side member being adapted to receive one of said male side members such that each said female side member confines said received male side member against movement relative thereto in only three directions;
a corner post means for receiving two nonparallel window panels, said corner post means extending substantially the full height of said window panels, said corner post means including a female portion for receiving one of said male side members such that said male side member is confined therein against movement relative thereto in only three directions and a male portion for receiving thereover one of said female side members such that said male portion is confined therein against movement relative in only three directions, said corner post means thereby enabling two of said window panels to meet in a corner;
and
base means for supporting said window panels above a support surface, said base means defining one of a male structure or female structure and said window panel frames each having lower edges defining the other of said male or female structures, said female structures being adapted to receive said male structures such that said female structures confine said received male structures against movement relative thereto in only three directions.

1 more element

A kit for assembly a sun porch to be attached to an existing building structure comprising:

a plurality of transparent panel assemblies each including a transparent panel and a frame extending about the periphery of said panel, said frame including a male side member and a female side member, each said female side member defining a U-shaped recess having a substantially uniform transverse shape such that the female side member of any panel assembly is configured to matingly interfit with the male side member of any other panel assembly, whereby said transparent panel assemblies can be interfitted together to define a wall;
base means for supporting said panel assemblies above support surface, said base means including an upwardly opening channel defining a substantially uniform U-shaped recess for matingly receiving said panel assembly frames;
a corner post assembly for interconnecting two nonlinearly aligned panel assemblies, said corner post assembly including a female portion defining a U-shaped recess with a substantially uniform transverse shape, said female portion being configured to matingly receive any one of said male side members and a male portion configured to matingly interfit with any one of said female side members;
and
roof means for covering said sun porch, said roof means defining one of a male structure and female structure and said panel assembly frames each having an upper edge defining the other of said male and female structures, wherein each said female structure defines a generally U-shaped uniform recess adapted to matingly interfit with said male structure.

2 more elements

A modular sun porch comprising:

a plurality of generally identical interfitting window panel assemblies adapted to be matingly interconnected to form a wall, each of said window panel assemblies including a frame, which in turn, includes a male side frame assembly and a female side frame assembly, each extending the full height of said window panel assembly, each said female side frame assembly defining a recess adapted to matingly receive one of said male side frame assemblies therein at a certain depth, each said recess having a generally uniform width through said certain depth, each said frame further including an upper edge defining one of a male structure and female structure;
corner means for interconnecting said window panel assembly to form a corner, said corner means including male means for matingly interfitting with one of said female side frame assemblies and female means defining a recess for matingly receiving one of said male side frame assemblies at a certain depth, said corner means recess having a generally uniform width through said certain depth;
and
roof means for covering said sun porch, said roof means including the other of said male and female structures opposite said upper edge of said window frames, each said female structure defining a cavity adapted to matingly receive at least one of said male structures at a certain depth, said cavities having a generally uniform width through said certain depth.

1 more element

A modular sun porch kit comprising:

a plurality of generally uniform width panels each including a frame having a male side member and a female side member extending the full height thereof, said side members being configured so that the male side member of each panel includes a pair of generally parallel lateral walls which define the largest transverse dimension to mention of said male side member and so that the female side member of each panel includes a pair of generally parallel lateral walls which define a channel therebetween adapted to matingly receive therein said lateral walls of said male side member of an adjacent linearly aligned panel;
a door unit including a frame having a male side member and a female side member extending the full height thereof, said door frame side members being configured so that the door male side member will matingly fit into said channel of one of the panel frame female side members and so that the door female side member will matingly receive one of the panel frame male members, the width of said door unit being a multiple of the width of the panels, whereby said door unit can be substituted for one or more of said panels at any location about the periphery of the assembled sun porch;
a corner post assembly for interconnecting two nonlinearly aligned window panel assemblies, said corner post including a male portion configured to extend and be matingly received into the channel of said female side member of one panel assembly and a female portion configured to matingly receive the male side member of a second panel assembly;
and
sealing means for weather sealing the mating interconnection of said window panels between said adjacent lateral walls of said male and female side members, and for weather sealing said mating interconnection between said window panels and said corner post assembly.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.