US 5,469,683 AGranted

Thermally insulating composite frame member with snap-in thermal isolator

AssigneeKawneer Company, Inc.

InventorsGregory B. McKenna, Fred A. Grunewald

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An insulating composite frame member is disclosed which comprises an elongated gutter member and an elongated face member disposed in parallel, spaced apart relation. First and second facing flanges project toward one another from the gutter member and the face member respectively. A thermal isolator comprised of a thermally insulating material has first and second jaw-like clamps formed on opposite sides thereof which engage the first and second facing flanges respectively to secure the gutter member and the face member to the isolator. The frame member further includes means formed on the gutter member and the face member for crimping against the clamps of the isolator to lock the isolator to the gutter member and the face member. In the disclosed embodiment the isolator is adhesively bonded to the gutter member and to the frame member in addition to the mechanical coupling provided by the jaw-like clamps of the isolator. Also in the disclosed embodiment mutually engaging surfaces of each of the jaw-like clamps and their respective flanges are knurled to provide enhanced resistance to longitudinal shear forces.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A thermally insulating composite frame member for windows, doors, curtainwalls, storefront flaming systems, and the like, comprising:

an elongated inner frame member, said inner frame member having a first flange on an outwardly facing portion thereof;
an elongated outer frame member disposed in parallel, spaced-apart relation to said inner frame member, said outer frame member having a second flange on an inwardly facing portion thereof;
a structural thermal isolator, said isolator having a first pair of resilient, spaced apart legs projecting rearward from said isolator and configured to engage said first flange, and said isolator having a second pair of resilient, spaced-apart legs projecting forward from said isolator and configured to engage said second flange;
said first and second pairs of resilient legs of said isolator being engaged with said first and second flanges on said frame members to structurally interconnect said frame members;
said inner frame member further comprising a pair of forward projecting arms disposed one on either side of said first flange, said forward projecting arms being crimped toward said first flange to capture said first pair of resilient legs of said isolator;
and
said outer frame member further comprising a pair of rearward projecting arms disposed one on either side of said second flange, said rearward projecting arms being crimped toward said second flange to capture said second pair of resilient legs of said isolator.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.