GB2479119A

GB2479119A - Hinged seal with fins

Info

Publication number: GB2479119A
Application number: GB1004844A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Allan James Watts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-03-23
Filing date: 2010-03-23
Publication date: 2011-10-05
Also published as: GB201004844D0

Abstract

A sealing apparatus 10 is provided for a frame assembly 30 preferably a door or window frame including includes a fixed part 32 and a movable part 34. The sealing apparatus 10 includes a pair of arms 12 and a hinge part 14 between the arms 12 which permits relative pivotal movement of the arms 12. Each arm 12 includes a sealing fin 16 which extends towards the other. The seal may be co-extruded from plastics of different Shore hardness and may be a PVC plastic. The arms may be a rigid plastic and the hinge a flexible plastic. The arms may be biased into an open or initial condition which is at an angle of greater than 90 degrees (a right angle). The seal may be glued to the frame and may have a layer of adhesive 22 and a protective layer 24 which may cover the layer of adhesive.

Description

I

Sealing Apparatus The present invention relates to sealing apparatus, particularly but not exclusively sealing apparatus for items such as window and door frames.

Conventionally, a variety of sealing means are known to seal between items such as doors and door frames, and windows and window frames.

Such means include compressible strips and deformable extruded profiles.

However such strips and profiles can be awkward to fit over the length of the strip or profile. The strips or profiles must be flexible enough to accommodate unevenness in the surface, but stiff enough to aid fitment.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided sealing apparatus for a frame assembly including a fixed part and a movable part, the sealing apparatus including a pair of arms, a hinge part between the arms permitting relative pivotal movement of the arms, each arm including a sealing fin, each of the fins extending towards the other.

Possibly, the arms are movable between an initial condition and a fitting condition. Possibly, the arms are biased to the initial condition.

Possibly, in the initial condition, the arms subtend an angle of at least 900, and may subtend an angle of between 90° and 1000. Possibly, in the fitting condition, the arms subtend an angle of less than 90°.

Possibly, the sealing apparatus is in the form of a profile which has a substantially constant cross sectional size and shape along its length.

Possibly, the sealing apparatus is formed by extrusion, and may be formed by co extrusion. Possibly, the sealing apparatus is formed of plastics material.

Possibly, the arms are formed of a relatively rigid plastics material, which may have a Shore A hardness of greater than 85. Possibly, the hinge part is formed of a relatively flexible plastics material, which may have a Shore A hardness of less than or equal to 85.

Possibly, the relatively flexible plastics material is a resiliently deformable material, which provides the biasing means. Possibly, in the initial condition the relatively flexible plastics material is in a relaxed condition.

Possibly, in the fitting condition the relatively flexible plastics material is in a deformed condition.

Possibly, the relatively rigid plastics material and the relatively flexible plastics material are formed of materials which can be coextruded together to form an integral unit.

Each of the arms may include an outwardly facing surface. The sealing apparatus may include bonding means for bonding the outwardly facing surfaces to substrates. The substrates may be surfaces of a door and a door frame, or a window and a window frame. The bonding means may include a layer of adhesive, and may include a protective layer, which may substantially cover the adhesive layer.

Possibly, the fins are movable between an initial condition and a sealing condition. Possibly, the fins are biased to the initial condition.

Possibly, the fins are formed of a relatively flexible plastics material, which may have a Shore A hardness of less than or equal to 85.

Possibly, the relatively flexible plastics material of the fins is a resiliently deformable material, which provides the biasing means to bias the fins to the initial condition. Possibly, in the initial condition the relatively flexible plastics material of the fins is in a relaxed condition. Possibly, in the sealing condition the relatively flexible plastics material of the fins is in a deformed condition.

Possibly, the relatively rigid plastics material of the arms and the relatively flexible plastics material of the fins are formed of materials which can be coextruded together to form an integral unit.

Possibly, the relatively flexible plastics material of the fins is substantially the same type of material as the relatively flexible plastics material of the hinge part.

Possibly, the relatively flexible plastics material is a polyvinylchloride material (PVC). Possibly, the relatively rigid material of the arms is a polyvinylchloride material (PVC).

The frame assembly may be a door or a window assembly, in which the fixed part is a frame, and the movable part is a door or a window respectively.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of sealing a frame assembly including a fixed part and a movable part, the method including providing a sealing apparatus, the sealing apparatus including a pair of arms, a hinge part between the arms permitting relative pivotal movement of the arms, each arm including a sealing fin, each of the fins extending towards the other, the method including the step of locating the sealing apparatus between the fixed part and the movable part.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a frame assembly, the frame assembly including a fixed part, a movable part, and a sealing apparatus, the sealing apparatus including a pair of arms, a hinge part between the arms permitting relative pivotal movement of the arms, each arm including a sealing fin, each of the fins extending towards the other, the sealing apparatus being located between the fixed part and the movable part.

The movable part is received between the fins in a closed condition.

The sealing apparatus may include any of the features described in

any of the preceding statements.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-Fig. 1 is a cross sectional end view of a sealing apparatus in an initial condition; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional end view of the sealing apparatus in a fitting 1 5 condition; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view from above of a frame assembly in an open condition; Figs. 4A to 40 are steps in the fitting of the sealing apparatus to a frame.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a sealing apparatus 10 including a pair of arms 12, a hinge part 14 between the arms 12 permitting relative pivotal movement of the arms 12, each arm 12 including a sealing fin 16, each of the fins 16 extending towards the other.

The arms 10 are formed of a relatively rigid plastics material. In one example, the relatively rigid plastics material could have a Shore A hardness of greater than 85.

The hinge part 14 is formed of a relatively flexible, resiliently deformable plastics material. In one example, the relatively flexible resiliently deformable plastics material could have a Shore A hardness of less than or equal to 85.

The fins 16 are also formed of a relatively flexible, resiliently deformable plastics material. In one example, the relatively flexible, resiliently deformable plastics material of the fins 16 could have a Shore A hardness of less than or equal to 85.

The hinge part 14 and the fins 16 could be formed of the same type of material.

The arms 12, the hinge part 14 and the fins 16 are formed together by co extrusion, to form an integral unit, and the plastics materials forming these features are selected so that, when coextruded, the features bond together well to form the integral unit. In one example, the plastics materials are polyvinylchloride (PVC).

The sealing apparatus 10 has a length and as shown in Figs 1 and 2, the arms 12, the hinge part 14 and the fins 16 are in the form of a profile which has a substantially constant cross sectional size and shape along the length of the sealing apparatus 10.

Each of the arms 12 includes an outwardly facing surface 18. The sealing apparatus 10 includes bonding means 26 including a layer of adhesive 22 located on a part of each of the outwardly facing surfaces 18 for bonding the outwardly facing surfaces 18 to substrates. The substrates could be surfaces of a door and a door frame, or a window and a window frame.

The bonding means 26 include protective layers 24, each of which could be in the form of a coated paper, which substantially cover each of the adhesive layers 22.

Fig 1 shows the sealing apparatus 10 in an initial relaxed condition, in which there are no forces applied to the arms 12. In this condition, the arms subtend an angle 20A of at least 90°. In one example, in the initial condition, the arms 12 subtend an angle of between 90° and 100°.

Fig 2 shows the sealing apparatus 10 subject to forces as indicated by arrows A, which move the arms 12 inwardly towards each other to a fitting condition, pivoting the arms 12 about the hinge part 14, and deforming the hinge part 14. In this condition, the arms 12 subtend an angle of less than 900.

When the forces A are removed, the resilient property of the material of the hinge part 14 causes the arm 12 to move back to the initial relaxed condition. Thus the resilient property of the hinge part 14 provides biasing means which biases the arms 12 to the initial condition.

Figs 1 and 2 show the fins 16 in an initial relaxed condition. As will be described later, in use, the fins 16 are movable between the initial condition and a sealing condition. The resilient property of the material of the fins 16 provides biasing means which bias the fins 16 to the initial condition.

Figs 3 and 4 show the sealing apparatus 10 in use. More particularly, Figs. 4A to 4C show steps in the fitting of the sealing apparatus 10 to a frame 32. The frame 32 comprises a jamb 40 and a stop 42, which projects from the jamb 40. To fit the sealing apparatus 10 to the frame 32, one of the protective layers 24 is removed, exposing the adhesive layer 22. In the example shown, the protective layer of the arm 12B is removed. Arm 12A, still with the protective layer 24 in position, is brought into contact with the stop 42 and slid into position until arm 1 2B contacts and is bonded to the jamb 40. Up to this point, the sealing apparatus 10 is in the initial relaxed condition.

As shown in Fig 4B, the arm 12A is moved towards the arm 12B to the fitting condition as previously described (further helping to bond the arm 12A to the jamb 40) by the application of a force as indicated by arrow A, which permits the protective layer 24 of the arm 12A to be removed. The force A is then removed and the resilient property of the hinge part 14 moves the arm 12A into contact with the stop 42 to bond therewith. The sealing apparatus 10 may not move back entirely to the initial relaxed condition in the case where the angle 20A is greater than 900 and the angle between the jamb 40 and the stop 42 is 90°. This provides a securing force to maintain the bond between the sealing apparatus 10 and the frame 32.

The relatively flexible material of the hinge part 14 thus permits the difficult bonding of the sealing apparatus 10 to be a relatively easy two stage process. One of the arms 12 can be used as a guide against part of the frame to aid accurate location of the sealing apparatus 10.

Fig 3 shows a frame assembly 30 including a fixed part in the form of the frame 32 and a movable part in the form of a door 34, which is mounted to the frame 32 by a hinge 36. Sealing apparatus 10 has been fitted around the frame 32 on both sides of the door 34, so that when the door 34 is moved to a closed condition, edges 44 of the door 34 are received between the fins 16 of the sealing apparatuses 10. The door 34 deforms the fins 16, moving the fins 16 to the sealing condition, in which each fin 16 of a sealing apparatus 10 is in contact with the door 34. In one example, the fins 16 provide acoustic attenuation and a smoke barrier in the sealing condition. Surprisingly, the sealing apparatus of the invention has been found to provide improved noise attenuation in comparison with conventional sealing apparatus. It is believed this is due to the extra flexibility provided by the hinge part which permits improved sealing, and also itself is able to absorb an increased amount of sound energy. The frame 32 could include a header (not shown) to which a sealing apparatus 10 is fitted to provide continuous sealing around three sides of the door 34.

When the door 34 is opened, the door edges 44 move out of contact with the fins 16, and the resilient property of the material of the fins 16 causes the fins 16 to return to the initial relaxed condition.

Various other modifications could be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The sealing apparatus, the arms, the hinge part and the fins could be of any suitable size and shape, and could be formed of any suitable material. The arms, the hinge part and the fins could be formed of different materials. The bonding means could be of any suitable type, and could comprise any suitable type of adhesive. The adhesive layer could be continuous along the length, or could be intermittent.

The frame assembly could be a door or a window assembly, in which the fixed part is a frame, and the movable part is a door or a window respectively. The frame assembly could include any suitable number of sealing apparatuses, which could be located in any suitable position.

There is thus provided a sealing apparatus which is relatively simple to manufacture and enables the easy and accurate fitting of relatively long lengths of sealing apparatus.

Claims

Claims 1. Sealing apparatus for a frame assembly, the frame assembly including a fixed part and a movable part, the sealing apparatus including a pair of arms, a hinge part between the arms permitting relative pivotal movement of the arms, each arm including a sealing fin, each of the fins extending towards the other.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the arms are movable between an initial condition and a fitting condition.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2, in which the arms are biased to the initial condition. __ 15
4. Apparatus according to claims 2 or 3, in which, in the initial condition, the (Y) arms subtend an angle of at least 900, and may subtend an angle of Q between 900 and 1000. C')

(\J 20
5. Apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 4, in which, in the fitting condition, the arms subtend an angle of less than 900.
6. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, in which the sealing apparatus is in the form of a profile which has a substantially constant cross sectional size and shape along its length.
7. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, in which the sealing apparatus is formed by extrusion, and may be formed by co extrusion.
8. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, in which the sealing apparatus is formed of plastics material.
9. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, in which the arms are formed of a relatively rigid plastics material, which may have a Shore A hardness of greater than 85.
10.Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, in which the hinge part is formed of a relatively flexible plastics material, which may have a Shore A hardness of less than or equal to 85.
11.Apparatus according to claim 10, in which the relatively flexible plastics material is a resiliently deformable material, which provides biasing means to bias the arms to the initial condition.
12.Apparatus according to claims 10 or 11, in which, in the initial condition, the relatively flexible plastics material is in a relaxed condition and in the r 15 fitting condition the relatively flexible plastics material is in a deformed condition. Ci')
13.Apparatus according to claim 9 and any of claims 10 to 12 when dependent on claim 9, in which the relatively rigid plastics material and the relatively flexible plastics material are formed of materials which can be coextruded together to form an integral unit.
14.Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, in which each of the arms includes an outwardly facing surface, and the sealing apparatus includes bonding means for bonding the outwardly facing surfaces to substrates, which may be surfaces of a door and a door frame, or a window and a window frame.
15.Apparatus according to claim 14, in which the bonding means include a layer of adhesive, and may include a protective layer, which may substantially cover the adhesive layer.
16.Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, in which the fins are movable between an initial condition and a sealing condition.
17.Apparatus according to claim 16, in which the fins are biased to the initial condition.
18.Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, in which the fins are formed of a relatively flexible plastics material, which may have a Shore A hardness of less than or equal to 85.
19.Apparatus according to claim 18 when dependent on claim 17, in which 1 0 the relatively flexible plastics material of the fins is a resiliently deformable material, which provides the biasing means to bias the fins to the initial condition.
20.Apparatus according to claims 18 or 19 when dependent on claim 16 or T 15 any claim dependent thereon, in which, in the initial condition, the relatively flexible plastics material of the fins is in a relaxed condition, and in the 0') sealing condition the relatively flexible plastics material of the fins is in a deformed condition. C") C\J
21.Apparatus according to any of claims 18 to 20 when dependent on claim 9 or any claim dependent thereon, in which the relatively rigid plastics material of the arms and the relatively flexible plastics material of the fins are formed of materials which can be coextruded together to form an integral unit.
22.Apparatus according to any of claims 18 to 21 when dependent on claim or any claim dependent thereon, in which the relatively flexible plastics material of the fins is substantially the same type of material as the relatively flexible plastics material of the hinge part.
23.Apparatus according to claims 1001 18 or any claim dependent thereon, in which the relatively flexible plastics material is a polyvinylchloride material (PVC).
24.Apparatus according to claim 9 or any claim dependent thereon, in which the relatively rigid material of the arms is a polyvinylchloride material (PVC).
25.Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, in which the frame assembly is a door or a window assembly, in which the fixed part is a frame, and the movable part is a door or a window respectively.
26.A method of sealing a frame assembly including a fixed part and a movable part, the method including providing a sealing apparatus, the sealing apparatus including a pair of arms, a hinge part between the arms permitting relative pivotal movement of the arms, each arm including a sealing fin, each of the fins extending towards the other, the method including the step of locating the sealing apparatus between the fixed part and the movable part.
27.A method according to claim 26, in which the movable part is received between the fins in a closed condition.
28.A method according to claims 26 or 27, in which the sealing apparatus is as claimed in any of claims 1 to 25.
29.A frame assembly, the frame assembly including a fixed part, a movable part, and a sealing apparatus, the sealing apparatus including a pair of arms, a hinge part between the arms permitting relative pivotal movement of the arms, each arm including a sealing fin, each of the fins extending towards the other, the sealing apparatus being located between the fixed part and the movable part.
30.An assembly according to claim 29, in which the movable part is received between the fins in a closed condition.
31.An assembly according to claims 29 or 30, in which the sealing apparatus is as claimed in any of claims 1 to 25.
32.A sealing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described and/or with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.
33.A method of sealing a frame assembly substantially as hereinbefore described and/or with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.
34.A frame assembly substantially as hereinbefore described and/or with reference to any of the accompanying drawings. Ci')Q C') C\J