Window balance assembly
AssigneeCaldwell Manufacturing Company North America, LLC
InventorsMark R. Baker, Wilbur James Kellum, III, Richard S. Denormand
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A window balance assembly may include a carrier, a spring element, and a mounting bracket. The spring element may include first and second portions. The first portion may be coupled to the carrier. The mounting bracket may engage the second portion of the spring element and may selectively engage the carrier. The mounting bracket may include a first mounting surface disposed at a non-perpendicular angle relative to an exterior surface of carrier when the window balance assembly is in an uninstalled configuration. The first mounting surface may be substantially parallel to the exterior surface of the carrier when the window balance assembly is in an installed configuration and the mounting bracket is disengaged from the carrier.
Claims31
A window balance assembly for installation in a window assembly, the window balance assembly comprising:
- a carrier;
- a spring element having first and second portions, the first portion being coupled to the carrier;
- a mounting bracket engaging the second portion of the spring element and selectively engaging the carrier, the mounting bracket engaging the carrier in an uninstalled configuration and including a first mounting surface disposed at a non-perpendicular angle relative to an exterior surface of the carrier when the window balance assembly is in the uninstalled configuration, the first mounting surface being substantially parallel to the exterior surface of the carrier when the window balance assembly is in an installed configuration and the mounting bracket is disengaged from the carrier;
- a tab removably engaging a first portion of the carrier when the window balance assembly is in the uninstalled configuration;
- a head;
- and
- a base engaging a second portion of the carrier in the uninstalled configuration, and at least one of the base and the head engaging a wall of a window jamb when the window balance assembly is in the installed configuration.
A window balance assembly comprising:
- a carrier;
- a spring element having first and second portions, the first portion being coupled to the carrier;
- and
- a mounting bracket including a spring engagement feature and a stress riser, the spring engagement feature engaging the second portion of the spring element, the stress riser coupling the mounting bracket to the carrier and failing in response to application of a force to disengage the mounting bracket from the carrier,
- wherein failing of the stress riser includes a fracture.
A window balance assembly comprising:
- a carrier;
- a spring element having first and second portions, the first portion being coupled to the carrier;
- and
- a mounting bracket including a spring engagement feature and a stress riser, the spring engagement feature engaging the second portion of the spring element, the stress riser coupling the mounting bracket to the carrier and failing in response to application of a force to disengage the mounting bracket from the carrier,
- wherein failing of the stress riser includes plastic deformation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.