Sunroom enclosure
OwnerDale P. Schneiderinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a thermally efficient and low maintenance enclosed structure, such as a sunroom, made from a framework of joined structural members, thermally insulating kick panels, windows, optional door assembly, optional skylights, and a roof. The structural members include reinforced and non-reinforced polyvinyl chloride extrusions. The structural members are joined together at joints using hardware which cannot be seen from inside or outside the enclosure thereby enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the enclosure. Machines for making the enclosure from a small number of extruded profiles are also described.
Claims23
A structural member comprising:
- a hollow parallelipiped having a first exterior surface and a length;
- and
- a first inner ridge, a first outer ridge, and a first medial ridge between said first inner ridge and said first outer ridge, whereby each of said first ridges extends outwardly from said first exterior surface along the length thereof,
- whereby said ridges form a first pair of adjacent window tracks, and a first L-shaped extension extending outwardly from said parallelipiped, said first L-shaped extension being adjacent to said first outer ridge along the length thereof, whereby said first L-shaped extension forms a first screen track.
A joint of structural members comprising:
- (a) a male structural member comprising
- a reinforced square-shaped parallelipiped having a first male member exterior surface and a male member length;
- and
- a first male member inner ridge, a first male member outer ridge, and a first male member medial ridge between said first male member ridge and said first male member outer ridge, whereby each of said first male member ridges extends outwardly from said first male member exterior surface along said length thereof,
- whereby said male member ridges form a first male member pair of adjacent window tracks and an end of said male member includes a groove;
- (b) a female structural member comprising
- a reinforced square-shaped parallelipiped having a first female member exterior surface and a female member length;
- and
- a first female member inner ridge, a first female member outer ridge, and a first female member medial ridge between said first female member ridge and said first female member outer ridge, whereby each of said first female member ridges extends outwardly from said first female member exterior surface along said female member length thereof;
- and
- whereby said female member ridges form a first female member pair of adjacent window tracks,
- wherein an end of said male member is positioned within said first female member pair of adjacent window tracks and said female member medial ridge is received by said male member groove, and said male member is at a substantially right angle to the female member.
A wall system of an enclosed structure, said wall system comprising
- (a) a floor starter mounted on a support substrate, said floor starter including a hollow square-shaped parallelipiped within which a floor starter reinforcing insert is positioned;
- (a) a pair of spaced apart uprights, a lower end of each upright being joined to said floor starter;
- (b) a sill having at least one sill window track adapted for receiving a framed window, said sill being joined to each of said uprights at opposite ends of said sill;
- (c) a header having at least one header window track adapted for receiving said framed window, said header being joined to each of said uprights and adapted for supporting a roof:
- and
- (d) a kick plate partially received by said floor starter, uprights, and sill.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.