Compositie structural member particularly for closures and assembling method thereof

Abstract

 A structural element, in particular for door and window frames, made up of profiles (1,7,8,9) made from different materials such as wood and metal, is joined together by means of interference fixing elements (12) engaged in slots (3,10) to hold the component profiles together.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a composite structural element made up of profile components made of different types of material and a method for joining them together to form a composite profile capable of being used as a structural element.

[0002] Said composite profiles are destined in particular for use in the field of door and window frames.

[0003] At present, in the field of door and window frames, there are profiles made up of different materials such as aluminium and wood, metal and plastic and the like. These door and window frames are manufactured according to specific processes described in the following.

[0004] A first type of profile is formed by joining together two components of different materials by means of the deposition of a layer of synthetic resin on the connecting surface of one of the profiles. The resin causes the surface to adhere to the connecting surface of the other profile, so that the two profiles are connected to each other in a fixed manner.

[0005] However, this system does not allow any substitution of a single component in the composite profile in case of need, and furthermore the operation for forming the composite profile requires the use of expensive and complex apparatus to work the resin.

[0006] A second type of composite profile is formed by joining components of different materials by means of continuous fixed joint devices along the whole length of the profile.

[0007] This solution does not require use of the resin working apparatus, but employs more simple apparatus made up of a roller press. However, even in this form of embodiment of the composite profile it is not possible to replace a single component in the profile, in case of need.

[0008] Object of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the problems described above by supplying a method for joining together composite profiles and supplying fixing elements, made for that purpose, in such a way that joining together of the composite profiles is surprisingly easier and takes place by a simple operation to lock the fixing elements on each of the components making up the composite profile, using a locking tool.

[0009] A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for joining together composite profiles and structural fixing elements in such a way that it is possible to replace a single component forming the composite profile, in case of need, without having to replace the whole of the composite profile.

[0010] The object of the invention is a composite structural element, in particular for door and window frames, made up of components in different materials joined together, characterized in that it comprises:
   a first profile in a first type of material, having a tubular shaped central body 1 on which a longitudinal surface is defined, said surface having a corner lying along a line generally opposite to the position of a shaped element of an aesthetic type, and a pair of shaped fins 5 being arranged along said surface to form an engagement slot 3 therewith;
   a second profile of a second type of material, having an upper visible surface 7 and a lower engagement surface, said lower surface being shaped with an undercut slot 10; and
   fixing elements 12 having a cylindrical body and two shaped ends 13, 14, said fixing elements 12 being capable when in a first position of being slidingly received and simultaneously held in the slot 3 of the first profile and in the slot 10 of said second profile, and when in a second position, turned by 90° around the axis of said cylindrical body with respect to said first position, being capable of blocking said ends in said slots by interference fit and of fixing said two profiles together in a non-permanent manner.

[0011] A further object of the present invention is a method for joining together in a non-permanent manner components of materials of different types, to form composite profiles, in particular structural elements for door and window frames, in which a first component of a first type of material with a substantially tubular central body 1 has a longitudinal surface provided with shaped fins 5 which form an engagement slot 3, and a second component of a second type of material has a lower surface with an undercut slot 10, characterized in that the fixing elements 12 with a cylindrical body are provided at both ends with shaped heads, so that said heads are slidingly engaged simultaneously with said engagement slot 3 and with said undercut slot 10, respectively, and subsequently said fixing elements are rotated by 90° using a locking tool so as to engage said shaped heads in an interference fit with said slots and block the two components together to form the composite profile.

[0012] The present invention will be more clearly illustrated below in the description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a partial exploded view of the components forming the composite profile and the structural fixing elements; and

figure 2 is a cross-section view of the composite profile of figure 1 positioned adjacent to another composite profile, the two forming a frame portion and an opening portion in a door or window frame.

[0013] With reference to figure 1, a first component in the composite profile according to the present invention comprises a tubular metal bearing body 1, of substantially rectangular cross-section, with an engagement slot 3 running the whole of its length in correspondence with one surface of the tubular body 1; the slot 3 is bordered by pairs of shaped fins 5, so that undercut housings are formed.

[0014] Advantageously, an additional longitudinal surface is formed on the tubular body 1 of the first component, adjacent to slot 3.

[0015] Likewise, this surface is provided with shaped fins 4 which form an additional slot 2 therewith. This slot can be used to engage with support elements or service groups for the door or window frame to be constructed.

[0016] On the vertex of the section of tube opposite that in common for the two slots, a shaped fin element 6 is formed, extending the whole length of the profile and arranged and designed according to the aesthetic appearance to be given to the door or window frame.

[0017] The other component making up the composite profile, according to the present embodiment, is of wooden material and is made up of a first flat portion 7, elongated and shaped according to the aesthetic appearance to be given to the frame, as it forms the part of the profile that remains visible. Two lamellar portions 8 and 9, also in wood, are applied, for example using glue 16, to the lower surface of the flat portion 7. These lamellar portions 8 and 9 are shaped in such a way that once they have been applied to the lower surface of the portion 7 they will form an undercut slot 10 therewith, said slot being capable of housing a thin extruded profile, preferably of similarly undercut and calibrated synthetic material, which coats the surface of the slot 10.

[0018] Fixing elements 12, substantially made up of a cylindrical body, have opposite ends 13 and 14, respectively, shaped so as to engage simultaneously with the respective housings created in the slot 3 of the metal profile and the extruded synthetic material 11 in the wooden profile.

[0019] The ends 13 and 14 to engage the fixing elements 12 with the metal profile 1 and with the wooden profile 7 are made in such a way as to give a fixed interference fit only following a rotation by approximately 90° with respect to their longitudinal axis. For this purpose, the above mentioned elements (12) have their central portion (15) shaped in such a way that it engages with a turning lever, in order to permit their rotation once inserted in their respective housings.

[0020] For preference, in order to obtain a fixed engagement, the fixing elements have heads 13 and 14 at the ends of the cylindrical body, said heads being shaped to form a symmetrical double cam. In this way a simultaneous interference fit with slots 3, 10 is produced on rotation.

[0021] With reference to figure 2, this shows, in cross-section, the state of two structural elements made up of metal profiles and wooden profiles, after their fixed coupling following rotation of the fixing elements 12, forming a support frame and a moving door or window element, both of which individually realize the object of the invention.

[0022] When a composite profile is being made, the fixing elements 12 are first arranged along the whole length of the slot 3 of the metal profile 1. Once said fixing elements 12 have been arranged, the wooden profile 7 is placed over them by inserting the top 14 of the fixing elements into the slot 10 in the wooden profile 7.

[0023] Once all the elements have been inserted into the slot 10 on the wooden profile 7, said elements are locked into their housings, rotating them by 90° in a clockwise direction using a locking tool, for example an hexagonal spanner.

[0024] Following rotation of the elements, the two profiles are held together in a fixed engagement.

[0025] Should it be necessary to replace part of the wooden profile, it is sufficient to rotate the fixing elements 12 by 90° in the opposite direction using the tool, and the wooden profile will disengage from the metal one, allowing its replacement.

Claims

1. A composite structural element, in particular for door and window frames, made up of components in different materials joined together, characterized in that it comprises:
   a first profile in a first type of material, having a tubular shaped central body (1) on which a longitudinal surface is defined, said surface having a corner lying along a line generally opposite to the position of a shaped element of an aesthetic type, and a pair of shaped fins (5) being arranged along said surface to form an engagement slot (3) therewith;
   a second profile of a second type of material, having an upper visible surface (7) and a lower engagement surface, said lower surface being shaped with an undercut slot (10); and
   fixing elements (12) having a cylindrical body and two shaped ends (13, 14), said fixing elements (12) being capable when in a first position of being slidingly received and simultaneously held in the slot (3) of the first profile and in the slot (10) of said second profile, and when in a second position, turned by 90° around the axis of said cylindrical body with respect to said first position, being capable of blocking said ends in said slots by interference fit and of fixing said two profiles together in a non-permanent manner.

2. A structural element according to claim 1, in which said fixing elements have between said two shaped ends a central portion, that can be engaged with a locking key to carry out said rotation.

3. A structural element according to claims 1 or 2, in which said ends (13), (14) of the fixing elements are of double cam shape to engage in an interference fit with said slots (3), (10).

4. A structural element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which a thin, gauged profile (11) is received in the undercut slot (10) in said second profile to cover the walls thereof.

5. A structural element according to claim 4, in which said thin profile (11) is of extruded synthetic material.

6. A structural element according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which said first structural element is of metal.

7. A structural element according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which said second structural element is of wood.

8. A structural element according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the above mentioned central tubular body (1) of the first profile is defined by a further longitudinal surface adjacent to the aforementioned longitudinal surface provided with shaped fins (4) to define an additional slot (2) for engagement with elements supporting and serving the door or window frame.

9. A method for joining together in a non-permanent manner components of materials of different types, to form composite profiles, in particular structural elements for door and window frames, in which a first component of a first type of material with a substantially tubular central body (1) has a longitudinal surface provided with shaped fins (5) which form an engagement slot (3), and a second component of a second type of material has a lower surface with an undercut slot (10), characterized in that the fixing elements (12) with a cylindrical body are provided at both ends with shaped heads, so that said heads are slidingly engaged simultaneously with said engagement slot (3) and with said undercut slot (10), respectively, and subsequently said fixing elements are rotated by 90° using a locking tool so as to engage said shaped heads in an interference fit with said slots and block the two components together to form the composite profile.

Drawing