[0001] Object of this invention is to provide a pressure-hooking structure for seal and
back stop gaskets and for the connection of accessory to various sections, particularly
suited for extruded metal sections, such as hollow sections from aluminium and its
alloys, utilized for door- and window frames and the like.
[0002] As is known, metal doors and windows with openable shutters, French windows sliding
on rails and the like need for the sealing between the frame and the glass pane-holding
casing and between the frame and the glass full-height gaskets to allow an efficacious
seal against weathering and to ensure the necessary thermal and acoustic insulation;
other types of gaskets are also required as back stop elements for the shutters and
for locking and sealing glass pans through various types of glass stops.
[0003] According to the known techniques, the full-height seats for the stable housing of
a gasket are obtained during the extrusion of the section in various positions, i.
e. either on the walls of the quadrangular hollow body of the section or on the usual
flange normally protruding coplanary from the opposing walls. shorter than the through-section
of the section.
[0004] Generally, said seats are constituted by grooves or throats having a substantially
constant C-shaped through-section, which protrudes from the wall or flanges of the
section and which develops for the whole height of the section. Therefore, the various
continuous gaskets are fitted in the "C"-shaped seats, starting from an end of the
section, and the restraint is ensured by the part enclosed in the seat, while the
part which protrudes outside it is the real gasket which may have different shapes
and sizes according to the function required.
[0005] These types of axial-plug-in gaskets have in practice the drawback that one cannot
remove and replace them, when they have deteriorated, without disassembling the section
from the other sections which compose the frame of the glass pane-holding casing,
i.e. without separating the section which holds the gasket to allow to take it out
from an end of same.
[0006] On the other hand, the "plug-in" gaskets for frames are at present nonconform with
the regulations, and the plug-in hooking system must be replaced by systems that do
not require the disassembly of the frame or the shutter.
[0007] Therefore, object of this invention is to provide a hooking structure for various
types of continuous gaskets for metal sections and the like, so designed as to allow
the hooking and the removal of the gasket from its seat, without having to disassemble
the frame or the shutter or any composite structure composed by metal sections, should
it be necessary.
[0008] Another object of this invention is to provide a hooking structure of the aforementioned
type, so designed as to be obtainable during the extrusion of the section, with no
need for particular operations nor additional costs.
[0009] A further object of this invention is to provide a set of continuous gaskets easily
and quickly anchorable in the relevant seats and easily removable and replaceable.
[0010] A further not least object of this invention is to provide a hooking structure so
designed as to constitute also an efficacious restraint and locking means for accessories
of door- and window frames, for various types of sections, for glass stops, for various
type of hinges and the like.
[0011] These and still further objects which shall be more clearly stressed by the following
description are obtained by a hooking structure for continuous seal gasket and for
accessories and various types of hollow metal sections, in particular extruded section
from aluminium and its alloys, which structure is constituted, according to this invention,
by a continuous channel-shaped seat, having a constant substantially U-shaped through-section,
obtained on the sides and the flanges of an usual section for door-and window frames
and the like, and provided with a shaped flange running along the longitudinal edge
of at least one of the flanges of said seat, the channel-shaped cavity of said seat
being suitable to pressure-house the peduncle or stem of a continuous gasket having
the part outside the seat variously shaped, so as to provide a set of seal and back
stop gaskets, said flanges protruding towards the outside of said seat constituting
means for the stable hooking of sections with other sections and/or accessories of
door-and window frames and the like.
[0012] More particularly, the peduncle of said gasket, which has to be pressure-inserted
in the seat, is provided peripherally with protrusions having a substantially rounded
shape, or a saw-teeth shape or a dovetail shape or the like.
[0013] Besides, these gaskets are partly made from polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyethylene,
polypropylene, ABS, fluorinated rubbers and the like, and partly constituted by a
peduncle from PVC or the like, coextruded, for the external bent part, with flexible
rubber or the like.
[0014] Further characteristics and advantages of this invention shall be stressed by the
following description, made with reference to the attached drawings, which are given
by mere way of example, wherein:
Figs. 1 and 9 show, by way of example, two hollow sections forming a frame, provided
with a "U"-shaped seat realized according to the invention and with continuous variously
shaped gaskets, which are also realized according to the invention, while
Figs. 2 through 8 show the through-view of some types of gaskets of various shape
and size realized according to the invention and which can be inserted into the "U"-shaped
seats shown on Figs. 1 or 9.
[0015] With special reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 9, the pressure-hooking structure subject
matter of this invention is substantially constituted by the combination of a particular
continuous seat with a set of gaskets also continuous and differently shaped as concerns
their external part, i.e. the part that protrudes from said seat.
[0016] The restraint seat, obtained, for instance, on the various sides and flanges of the
two sections 2 and 3 to be hooked with one another to form, for instance, a frame
made up by two hollow sections from alluminium or its alloys, is constituted, according
to the invention, by a groove or throat 1 developed along the full-height of the section,
and having a substantially "U"-shaped through-section, whose side flanges are parallel
to one another; therefore the stem or peduncle of a gasket can be inserted into said
"U"-shaped channel by simple lateral pressure-insertion and stably kept therein by
the particular conformation of the stem or peduncle of said gasket, as will be better
explained further on.
[0017] The free ends of the opposing flanges of each "U"-shaped seat 1 are provided with
at least a flange 1a (or with two flanges 1a and 1b), bent towards the outside or
having a substantially triangular through-section. Said external flanges are as many
useful means for snap-hooking and restraining a section with another section, provided
with corresponding protrusions or with an accessory, for instance a hinge, to form
door-and window frames, as shown by way of example on Fig. 1 (and on Fig. 9).
[0018] The gaskets, shown in through-view on Figs. 2 through 8, have all a same stem or
peduncle 4, whose size allows it to be stably housed in the "U"-shaped seat by lateral
pressure plug-in; to ensure the stability of the plug, stem 4 is provided with transversal
protrusions or ribs 5, having a rounded shape, a saw teeth shape, a dovetail shape,
a spiral shape or the like, suitable to prevent the risk of the gasket coming out
from the relevant seat.
[0019] The types of continuous gaskets shown on Figs. 2 through 8 and inserted, by way of
example, in seats 1 obtained in the two sections 2 and 3 forming a frame, have the
parts outside the seat variously shaped according to the function they have to perform.
[0020] Therefore, gasket 6 of Fig. 2 has a flat part 6a integral with stem 4, which rests
against the edge of the "U"-shaped seat and then a continuous bent part 6a, elastically
yielding under pressure, whose function is to constitute an efficacious back stop
between the various sections matching with one another, as indicated, for instance,
on Fig. 1 in the space between section 2 and section 3, mobile around hinge C, and
also a sealing means in the space Y between said sections.
[0021] Gasket 11 of Fig. 7 has the same function as the gasket of Fig. 6, i.e. that of constituting
a ledge between sections matching with one another, and has the flat part 11a, which
rests against the edge of the "U"-shaped seat, and the tubular part 11a, which is
a sealing element yielding under pressure and provided also with a recess 11a suitable
to help the squashing of the tubular part in the wished direction and the relevant
sealing, as shown on Fig. 9.
[0022] Gasket 7, shown on Fig. 3, is provided with two angle-flanges 7a-7b, integral with
stem 4, which rest on the external inclined surfaces of flanges 1a-1b of the "U"-shaped
seat, as shown in the middle of Fig. 1, and a tail 7c ending with a hook-bent part
7d. Its function is that of constituting a seal against another gasket, as illustrated,
for instance, also in the middle region of Fig. 1.
[0023] Gasket 12, shown on Fig. 8, has a flat part 12a, integral with stem 4, which rests
against the edge of the "U"-shaped seat, and then an extended part 12b elastically
yielding and ending with the inclined part 12c, which forms a seal against part 12b
of a similar gasket positioned in opposing position within the matching section, as
shown on Fig. 9, or against a special protrusion, not shown on Fig. 9, obtained on
the extruded section. As one sees, two gaskets 12, equal and in combination with one
another, may be used instead of the combination of gaskets 7 and 8, with obvious advantages
of cost and installation simplicity.
[0024] Gasket 8, shown on Fig. 4, has a flat rest surface 8a, integral with stem 4, having
the function of a levelled back stop or the like against a section, a glass pan or
the like.
[0025] Gasket 9 of Fig. 5 is provided with a tail 9a integral with stem 4, which tail is
bent according to a wide bending radius and rests as a seal against a glass pan or
also against a wide section surface; besides, its part 9b, bent parallelly to the
stem, seats astride a flange 1a or 1b of the "U"-shaped seat, to ensure the plug stabiity
of the gasket, when it is mounted.
[0026] Gasket 10, shown on Fig. 6, is a composite gasket, i.e. constituted by the coextrusion
of a rigid plastic material, for instance PVC, for stem 4 and the external part 10a,
and by a bent part 10b from flexible plastic material, for instance flexible rubber;
part 10b has substantially a function of seal against air infiltrations or the like
in a structure of sections, as shown by way of example in the middle part of Fig.
1.
[0027] The special "U" conformation of the restraint seat for the gaskets together with
the relevant flanges 1a and 1b, which flanges are hooking means between the various
sections produced by the Applicant, has also been the subject matter of an application
for the registration of a figurative mark, application nr. MI93C004492, filed on 17.06.1993
on behalf of the same Applicant.
[0028] From the above description and the drawings it is obvious that the shape, size, materials
and colours utilized for the realization of the seat and the gasket may in practice
change as one wishes or according to needs, without exceeding the protection scope
of this invention.
1. Hooking and restraining structure for gaskets and for the connection of metal sections
and/or accessories for door- and window frames composed by extruded hollow sections
from alluminium and its alloys, characterized in that it is constituted by a continuous
channel-shaped seat having a constant substantially "U"-shaped through-section, obtained
on the sides and the flanges of an usual section for door- and window frames and the
like, and provided with a shaped flange running longitudinally along the edge of at
least one of the flanges of said seat, the channel-shaped cavity of said seat being
suitable to pressure-house the peduncle or stem of a continuous gasket whose part
outside the seat is variously shaped, so as to provide a set of seal and back stop
gaskets, said flanges protruding towards the outside of said seat constituting means
for the stable hooking of the sections with other sections and/or accessories of door-and
window frames and the like.
2. Hooking structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said gaskets are provided
all with the relevant peduncles or stems, pressure-insertable into said "U"-shaped
seat, provided peripherally with transversal protrusions having a substantially rounded
shape, a saw teeth shape, a dovetail shape or the like.
3. Hooking structure according to claim 1, characterized in that some of these gaskets
have the part that protrudes from the relevant stem shaped as a yielding arch or have
a tubular shape or the like, so as to constitute a back stop or seal element against
other sections or accessories of a structure composed of hollow sections.
4. Hooking structure according to claim 2, characterized in that said gaskets are made
from plastic material chosed among polyvinylchloride, polyetylene, polypropylene,
ABS, fluorinated rubbers, combinations of same and the like.
5. Hooking structure according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said
gaskets is constituted by a peduncle from plastic material coextruded with a flexible
rubber as concerns the external bent part of said gasket.
6. Hooking structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said seal and back stop
gaskets have structurally the shape shown on the attached Figs. 2 through 8.